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theravenkin · 1 month

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been thinking a lot about low-empathy adam parrish (via @parrishwife here and @crimeronan here ) and i'd like to add that i also think ronan is low-empathy, but in a different way, and that this difference is what causes most of the conflict between them (in this essay i will-)

so basically, in very simple psychological terms there are two main sides to empathy. on one side, you've got cognitive empathy- the ability to see things from another person's perspective in an objective manner and understand why they might be feeling a certain way even if you don't feel "for" them; however, you might think that they are overreacting. then there's emotional empathy, which is when you see someone having strong emotions or going through something tough and you feel "for" them, sometimes literally; you might feel nausea or pains in your chest from experiencing someone else in emotional pain, or you might feel elated when someone else is happy or excited. that doesn't necessarily mean, though, that you can see things from that person's perspective; even if you feel for someone, you might not think that they're coming from a place that matters because you can't put yourself in their position. when both of these main types of empathy are present, then you can also have compassionate empathy, which is like both working together- you feel for someone and can see things from their perspective. people with low empathy may struggle with both of the main types of empathy, but some may only struggle with one while maybe being hyper-empathetic in the other type; i'm pretty sure the latter is common among autistic people. i, for one, have very strong emotionally empathetic reactions to things, but i have a really hard time seeing things from others perspectives; so while i may feel really bad for someone, it can be hard for me to understand why they feel bad in the first place.

okay. now. blorbo thoughts.

i think that while adam has an easier time with cognitive empathy (though still struggles with it a bit), he has not developed a very strong sense of emotional empathy at all. whereas, on the other hand, i think ronan is hyperempathic when it comes to pure emotions, but has a very very hard time with cognitive empathy; the way he thinks tends to be more egocentric, meaning it's hard for him to remember that other people don't always think, feel, or process the same way he does (this is what i struggle with, personally, but i think ronan struggles a whole lot more with it).

i could go pulling a bunch of textual evidence, and god do i want to, but lord i ain't got the time. so im just gonna point out a couple things ronan does: he often hugs and comforts people when he feels that they're upset (and he often notices when people are upset before others do, when they're trying to hide it etc) but he doesn't care if these people want to be hugged- he just does it. the only person he doesn't do this with is adam, i think because adam is one person ronan works really hard to understand. ronan also tends to say things without thinking or caring about how they might make people feel, but he still feels so strongly himself (re: bronan "i'm not proud of it" "i'll be proud for you", ronan, read the room). he feels for every dreamer, even those he hasn't met yet, and that empathy drives him so crazy he goes and does a bunch of questionable things in order to try to make things better for people. but he cannot imagine any justification for why adam didn't text him back within a couple hours other than that adam now hated him suddenly (essentially, can't understand how adam doesn't know what ronan is thinking without communicating it).

ronan's inner monologue is very frequently about himself and how he's feeling; when he talks about others, he describes what they say and do and look like, but can't seem to explain how they think or why. adam, in comparison, is constantly psychoanalyzing the people around him, trying to understand why they do what they do and how they tick. part of this is his analytic nature and part of it is the remnants of a survival tactic- the need to understand his abuser, get inside their head, in order to avoid or prevent the next blow. but i think, too, all this analyzing has divorced him from feeling strongly for others, once again, as a survival tactic/coping mechanism- because he believes that as soon as he feels for someone, he becomes them and loses his autonomy. this is only beneficial when dealing with abusers, though. so when he's dealing with his loved ones, adam has to parse through their actions, codify their behaviors and what they mean, and establish heuristics of how they think in order for him to not cross a line and hurt them without meaning to. i feel like i can say more on this but it's late and im tired and i am no psychologist, just autistic and insane about characters

so i think that this difference is a lot of what makes pynch work (the impulse/impulse control dynamic or the right brain/left brain dynamic, but much much deeper and more complex obvs). but i also think that this is where most of their conflict comes from. ronan feels so deeply for and about adam, so much so that he doesn't know how to process it and it eats him alive. but even still, he can't quite understand why adam works the way he does, why his motivations are what they are, why he holds the values he does; usually, ronan just accepts that adam is adam and life goes on, but sometimes ronan gets so frustrated that he can't just accept that adam does things that- to ronan- make 0 sense. (think of the garage fight scene, just before the hand lotion, where ronan tells adam he should just quit school- a pretty tone deaf thing to say, knowing adam, but ronan was getting frustrated and couldn't understand why adam needed to keep working himself to death.) then there's adam, who typically understands where ronan is coming from, but doesn't understand why ronan feels so strongly about things, especially other people- especially him. he struggles to understand why ronan keeps helping him despite being told not to- which is why ronan does things without asking (ie, the rent), because he knows adam won't understand. adam may understand where ronan is coming from, but sometimes he just may not care. he doesn't want ronan to feel badly, but it's hard to motivate yourself to do something about it when you can't understand what the fuss is all about. think about the fight over the green mantle envelope: to adam, it's practical and logical, and he doesn't understand why the whole thing is upsetting to ronan or why he should care- if it gets the job done, doesn't matter how unpleasant the process is. ronan, however, doesn't care as much about practical; he can't understand why adam thinks this is okay, because he has such a hard time understanding that others have different values and priorities than he does.

anyway. this took so long to write. someone please read it and understand what i'm saying.

#i looove psychoanalyzing fictional characters mm mmm yummy #my fingers hurt from typing this #please know i know jack shit about psychology #but i read crimeronan's low empathy adam post before work and thought about this the entire shift #so now here we are #adam parrish #ronan lynch #pynch #character study #the raven cycle #adam parrish meta #ronan lynch meta #the raven cycle meta #the dreamer trilogy #trc #tdt

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black-lake · 2 years

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chiron ascendant aspects

Chiron opposite/square/conjunct ascendent, in the 1st or 7th.

Feeling inadequate in social encounters, putting on a strong defensive face at all times. Their fears or discomfort can appear in their appearance so they hide it with all their power. Hyper aware of people's slightest responses and expressions. Afraid of strangers' gazes or words, taking it as a rejection or judgement. Putting on a facade, not letting others take the slightest chance to hurt them. Seeing people's nastiest motives and intentions, seeing them unclearly. Do they hate me or are they a bad person? Did I misrepresent myself? Did I do something wrong? Am I unlovable? Am I the one projecting? Who's the bad person? Not staying for long in any place they enter. They dislike socializing because it drains them, because they put on all their energy in fear of appearing vulnerable, as if it's their full time job. After all, others have taken the chance to criticise them and even hurt them at their most vulnerable times. It's always when they are feeling vulnerable, that they are attacked. They know what it feels like to never be supported when you need it the most. People with low self esteem especially with their appearance project on them, avoid them or even start arguments with them out of the blue. Others love when they see them fail or look defeated, especially if chiron is in the 7th, your enemies aren't gonna be able to be invisible or hide their hate for long. Wounded people or narcissists want to date them.

Yet once these individuals know how to accept themselves and see vulnerability as a beautiful aspect of human beings, they can be everyone’s teacher. They can appear unstoppable, like not even the worst painful experience can shake them, like they can take it all with a smirk. Because it is admirable, it is charming to see someone being a real and messed up human being and embracing it, it makes us relate to them, it is part of us all. Learning to see the humor, the beauty, the empathy, the love in it. It is by going through these tough experiences that we can truly love ourselves and others. Ironically, others rely on them and trust them especially with social and relationship matters or matters of the self. They appear wise after all they've been through, even nonchalant. Others know that they can sense people's energies and motives and take their advice. Self-confident people will vibe with them now and both can empower each other. Your ascendent can tell you a lot about your path in life and purpose, and so these individuals can be healers or mental health activists of some sort. Chiron is healing no matter the aspect, wherever there's a wound it triggers it, like a wound spray, it hurts before it heals, but those who don't want it fight it.

One of my goals with this blog was to discuss hard placements and experiences in general with people, so we can learn from each other. If you have this placement let me know how you deal with it, I have it opposite ascendant, it gets extremely difficult sometimes. ☹︎

#chiron placements #chiron opposite ascendant #chiron conjunct ascendant #chiron square ascendant #chiron 1st house #chiron 7th house #chiron ascendant aspects #chiron aspects #ascendant aspects #chiron in the houses

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alastairstom · 8 months

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alright alright I’ll ask then run us down how Alastair is such amazing cptsd rep

Okay okay okay. So I have a lot to say here and my ADHD has been causing me Problems(TM) today, so I'm sorry if this answer is incoherent and all over the place. But I have SO MANY THOUGHTS on Alastair, and how he's my beloved blorbo, and how he probably is the most authentic portrayal of cPTSD I have ever seen.

The Paradox of Maturity

So let me start by saying that I, and most other people who I know with cPTSD, have a strange experience of simultaneously feeling very old and very young. Alastair is an excellent embodiment of this - he is extremely mature in many ways and highly immature in others.

He knows how to engage with adults well because he always has been forced to do so; he's a caregiver and a protector because he was thrust into those roles when he was young. It's also worth noting that Alastair is highly intelligent. In fact, I would go so far as to say that he is probably the most intelligent mortal character in TSC holistically (yeah, Christopher and Henry are geniuses, but they have limited scopes of knowledge. Alastair knows things about almost everything, including observing and reading people to figure out their needs). In any case, these are all ways that Alastair is mature, and he uses them well. He knows how to engage with adults, how to command respect, how to behave as someone that they should take seriously.

In many other ways, though, Alastair is extremely immature. While he knows how to get on well with adults and show people like Will and Tessa that he is "an extremely well-mannered young man," he struggles to connect with his peers. This is true even when he's not bullying them. His jokes, while funny to me, don't seem to hit the landing with a lot of the other kids; the sense of humor is too mature, and they can't figure out what he means when he's being silly. He's socially awkward, and despite being really empathetic (which I'll get to in a minute), he comes off as emotionally stunted. He's distant. This is why Cordelia worries that he doesn't love her; it's why Thomas thinks he's sniping at him when he makes a comment about Paris being "a vacation from a vacation." He struggles to relate to people his own age. The epitome of the kid who's BFF with the teacher.

Another immaturity-disguised-as-maturity that Alastair has is hyper competence. He's grown up a caregiver, and he's done that alone. He wants to connect with people, but does not know how to rely on anyone; this is one reason that he is "afraid" of his relationship with Thomas (as he talks about outside of Matthew's flat). Thomas makes him feel vulnerable because he's someone that Alastair learns to trust and rely on.

Alastair, the Empath

And yet. And YET. Alastair is so filled with empathy, and love, and care, that it hurts to watch sometimes.

When I think of pure gestures of love, I think of those gestures that the person on the receiving end of them will never know of. Two of the best examples I can think of that are, in fact, Alastair.

He sacrifices his entire childhood so Cordelia can have one. In an ideal world, Cordelia would never have known that. It would have been something that Alastair took to the grave, and he actively worked to ensure that she would not find out for a long time.

Then there's Thomas. Alastair trailed Thomas alone while he was patrolling alone, just so someone would be watching over him. Thomas was angry with him at the time, and Alastair had no reason to think that they would ever speak again. But he followed him anyway, just to make sure that he was safe and okay. And Thomas would never have found out about this; no one would have, if not for Thomas's arrest. It was another act of pure, selfless love.

Alastair also has a knack for sensing what people need and doing it. When Matthew needed some tough love in ChoT to quit his drinking, Alastair provided it despite the fact that he and Matthew had been in constant, deeply acrimonious conflict for years. Alastair is the only person besides Christopher to empathize with Grace when James shares what she did to him. Alastair understands Cordelia's worries about the Carstairs family and is in one occurrence speaks her mind:

“Thank you, Mr. Herondale,” she said. “I hope to live up to your expectations.” Tessa looked surprised. “Why would you ever worry about that?” “Cordelia worries,” Alastair said unexpectedly, “because of the idiots who mutter about our father, and our family. She should not let them bother her.”

It's worth noting that Alastair can also use his ability to read people for bad. As Thomas notes, he can figure out your insecurities at a glance; this is how he knows to target James for his unusual eyes and demonic heritage, and to target Matthew for his visible cues of queerness.

But is this trauma? I believe so. Trauma makes people extremely sensitive to their environments. Growing up with Elias - and being in a relationship with Charles - Alastair would have needed to read cues to interpret their moods quickly. He also would have needed to figure out how inebriated Elias was at a glance so he could proceed to deal with him appropriately; we see a bit of this at Cordelia's wedding in ChoI.

Another good example of Alastair being sensitive to the needs of others (but also hypercompetent) is when he tells Thomas that he cannot make Thomas the sole reason he stays in London. "It will put too much pressure on Thomas" is horribly thoughtful and insightful, and "mature." But it also is almost ridiculous in how stunted a worldview it is, how much it sidelines Alastair's needs because Alastair is not used to prioritizing his own needs. His own happiness is not a consideration.

According to psychologists,

As children, survivors learned to read other people — to read their tone, their movement, their words, and their emotions. This was helpful to safely avoid danger, to know what a situation called for, and to generally rise to what any circumstance required. As adults, their challenge can be to not feel swamped by other people’s emotions or dilemmas and to not let other people’s needs take over in every situation. As adults, the value in this is they can intuit what others may need. Through this, they can be empathic, caring, and kind. They may seek to understand another’s perspective; they can allow for differences and look to find fair solutions for all.

This describes Alastair to a T. The other items on the given list of life skills that trauma survivors have also describe Alastair: responsibility and competence, as we discussed earlier, as well as an ability to connect with others.

Vulnerability

It's not all about reading people, either. Alastair also has a lot of trouble with vulnerability, but once he feels safe enough to be vulnerable (even subconsciously), he can't control his physiological emotional responses. I'm specifically thinking of two instances here, both with Thomas:

The Sanctuary scene, in which he cries in a moment that is probably THE most vulnerable he has ever been with another person, and

The scene outside Matthew's flat, when he nearly cries as he tells Thomas that he is moving to Tehran and is afraid of fleeing and becoming like his father.

In these moments, Alastair is not only the competent and highly intelligent adult that he is in fact. He is also his wounded inner child, having "persistent and chronic feelings of emptiness, helplessness and hopelessness." (Also displayed when he says he wasted his chance with Thomas, btw).

You can look over the "wounded inner child" list here, but some points I associate with Alastair include:

Self-sabotaging behaviours (fighting with TMT, almost moving to Tehran, going back to care for Charles at the beginning of ChoT)

Difficult relationships with family members (the distance from Cordelia, being Sona's partner in crime, everything about Elias)

Self-criticism/low self-esteem (he literally calls himself something that's "unhealthy and bad for [Thomas]" in ChoI)

Relationship issues (this would be a whole other fucking essay about the cycle of abuse and how survivors of domestic abuse often get into abusive relationships, but Charles ofc. Also the fact that it seems incomprehensible to him that Thomas might love him)

(Mmmmm would you like a "get to know your wounded inner child" fic about Alastair? Yes? Okay. I'm getting ideas.)

Ambiguously Neurodivergent

This brings me to my next point. Alastair feels... distinctly neurodivergent, but in a "slippery" way. He has some of the social challenges and high levels of intelligence commonly associated with autism; he has the empathy and hyper-awareness commonly associated with ADHD and other forms of autism. He is very analytical and thoughtful, but also very sensitive and emotional. It's a conundrum.

But those with cPTSD often feel like this. cPTSD is often misdiagnosed as autism (which is, in fact, something that happened to me personally.) It mimics a lot of autistic traits while still feeling slightly... off. Not quite like autism. Not quite like ADHD. Not quite bipolar, not quite borderline, not quite anything. It's just cPTSD, neurodivergence in its own right.

The Mask and the Real: A Non-Conflict

The last thing I'd like to say about Alastair is this. And it's really important, and what sets Alastair apart from other portrayals of cPTSD.

Alastair has armor. Alastair has a mask. But that mask is REAL. He and Matthew are two of the only characters that have this, in my opinion. Other good portrayals of cPTSD, like Ben Gross from Never Have I Ever (another blorbo of mine), have a hardened armor-shell exterior to hide the wounded child inside. In cases like Ben's, this is a facade.

This isn't true of Alastair.

I talk about this in my last fic a bit:

He was smart; he was clever. His tongue was a whip, and that was what made him Alastair Carstairs. On some days, he could almost believe that this was the complete truth of himself. It wasn’t difficult; his personality was not a façade. He was cutting, cunning, convincing. He did have sharp edges, and ones that he was learning to love as Thomas ran his fingers along them and did not draw blood. And yet, underneath that layer, there was more to him. There were the long, nightmare-filled midnights that Thomas held him through when he stayed over, drawing steady circles on his back and telling him that it was alright not to be quite well. There were outings where he would catch a whiff of gin’s strong scent and cover his nose, willing his eyes to show nothing as he walked away too quickly.

These traits aren't lies. They're not a shell he's built up around himself. They're real, and he has unfortunately been made to weaponize his sense of humor and his cutting wit and his intelligence.

Alastair feels real - and his cPTSD feels real - because he is a fascinating dichotomy, an enigma, and above all a great depiction of a person who feels real. His complexities aren't glossed over. The narrative is sympathetic to him while not making him a Poor Innocent Woobie. He makes mistakes, he makes amends. He laughs and he cries and he hates and he loves, and he experiences every part of the human condition to its fullest on-page. explicitly.

In the end, the only other character who does that is his equal opposite in all things, Matthew Fairchild. But I'll leave that essay for another day.

I guess I'll tag @alastair-appreciation-month in this because, hey, it's Alastember. Why not.

#alastair carstairs #tsc deep dives #cptsd #psychoanalysis #chain of thorns #chot

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elizabethplaid · 13 days

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daily notes - april 16, 2024

Got up fine today, though I still didn't quite feel "on my game". How bad was I spaced out? Didn't realize I forgot my nose ring until I was already at the library. Remembered my other jewelry, though!

LL-J wasn't there, so it was an "indulgent" day. Since joined me again, too. I played phone games the whole time, until there was like an hour left. Then I read badly-edited romance novels and kept having to stop and cringe, pedantically.

"Why am I reading this?" I asked myself. It's the smut, truly. But a lot of the stories on the app are fantasies: eg werewolves, billionaires, mafia, fated mates, etc. So the lead-up romance scenes aren't always smooth.

I had just finished a really nice story set in a bakery with a hard-of-hearing FL and an ML with burn scars on his leg. (It's "Wrong Number" by Laura Brown, on the Readict app, if you're inclined.)

There was another recent one with some cursed pirate-ghost situation. Seemed to be set in my area of Maine, though they only mentioned nearby towns. They also spelled Eastport as two separate words and misspelled the name of my college's town. Other than those details, it was pretty nice. ("Salvation" by Jacqueline Paige)

I haven't been reading on the app as much since mid-January, when my phone-friend got in contact with me again. Between our conversations and rereading my own writing, it's a lot harder to turn off my brain for these stories.

The hyper-empathy is also a challenge, as I envision how I'd react in those situations. In particular, it's the rich guy buying expensive things for the woman without consulting her. (In contrast, those shopping-spree montages in movies are a fantasy I know I want but can't achieve. More because of what sizes stores offer, than the fictional budget. Guess it's about control and my opinion mattering.)

My mom used to do that a lot, with her ebay purchases, and her bad spending habits were a big source of tension in the family. But she'd buy these things with me in mind, allegedly. Sometimes it was something I wanted to show her to say "hey this is neat"; other times, it was something of interest that I hadn't seen. But they were unwanted. After all, if money is finite (mom always ran up her credit cards to the limit), I should make what I get count - pick out something -really- good, that I won't regret getting.

I've mentioned this to phone-friend before. When thinking of trinkets as gifts, I said I wanted something practical yet meaningful, preferably not expensive. And they gave me a Saint Sebastian key chain, which I adore. My side of the exchange was our friendship bracelets.

Over time, I've learned -and am still learning- just how much my mom mucked with how I perceive relationships. It's tough to accept being appreciated for just being myself - that I don't have to do some service in order to be "worth keeping around". (It was easier to accept that my body type can be seen as attractive, and that's already a hurdle for many people.) Accepting gifts makes me feel guilty sometimes, reliving those memories. I'm getting better about asking for allowance, but I don't like spending money often.

It's funny that mom was the one who introduced me to romance novels, including the smutty ones. Now I'm noticing my struggles with enjoying them, because of her affect on me. Then again, I keep thinking of what I would do in these situations. Basically, it's food-for-thought as to developing my own stories.

#daily notes

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data-is-my-favorite-android · 2 years

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idk, I kinda think about the “conundrum” of killing baby Gorn like this:

I am afraid of scorpions. I don’t like them. But sometimes I see a scorpion mama carrying her widdle babies on her back and I don’t mess with her or them. I could kill them, but I am so much bigger than them that they are not an imminent threat to me, and as long as they stay away I can magnanimously decide to let them live.

Now scale up a scorpion to the size of a human. Scorpions are predators. Being so small normally, they naturally cannot hunt humans and as long as they aren’t stinging me, I can ignore them. But if they were my size they would absolutely see me as food. So would their young, which would be the size of dogs. Their hides are tough (though nymphs have softer shells) and my weapons may be of limited use against them. Scorpions are TOUGH motherfuckers. I can’t afford to be magnanimous now. These DOG SIZED SCORPION BABIES ARE TRYING TO KILL AND EAT ME, I don’t care if they’re children. This is the only opportunity I’ll have to gank em before they become HUMAN SIZED and indestructible. Also, they just popped like rat-sized tsetse flies out of my friend and they want to maybe do that to me next.

Now assume that the scorpions are at least as intelligent as you—and they are using that intelligence to better hunt and eat you. They have no interest in you for any other reason. Why would they? You are a weak, fleshy food bag. We don’t ask our chickens if they’re okay with being killed for supper. We don’t even consider trying to broker peace with chicken-kind for even a second. The thought doesn’t even cross our minds. Why would we? Chickens are barely threatening at all and they are also delicious. Humans believe we have a right to feed ourselves with the fruits of our planet and the blood of its “lesser” species. And we as a species are capable of building spontaneous empathetic bonds with paper cups with faces drawn on them. Our brains are quirky like that.

According to SNW lore so far, the Gorn either are incapable of empathy and compassion or see no reason to extend it to other sentient species. We are part of their lifecycle. We are food and incubators. If their genetics borrow strengths from their incubator species’ unique DNA, that’s even more reason to feel entitled to our bodies. This is how the Gorn proliferate. A good portion of humans treat half of their own species as incubators who should have no say about whether they are used as such; that’s just their “purpose.” The Gorn don’t even have the hurdle of recognizing their incubators as their own species and maybe feeling a pang of recognition or remorse (which hardly seems to matter to the Gorn anyway, since they kill each other without hesitation). They do not see themselves in their hosts. The galaxy is their hunting and breeding ground, and they are at the top of the food chain. They don’t have to care about anything beneath them, and they don’t see any reason why they should.

These babies want to eat you, they are not interested in becoming friends with you, they cannot be tamed or reasoned with. Their driving instinct is to kill you. Even as infants, they are frighteningly stronger and faster than you. It doesn’t matter if they’re sentient and intelligent: the dog-sized scorpions are hunting you. And even against these stacked odds, this is the only stage at which you have any chance of surviving them, and they have no reason or interest in stopping to chat.

Maybe it’s tempting for some to see the Gorn babies as cute, hyper lil lizard tykes with sharp teeth and some impulse control issues. But me? Nah. The reason humans extend kindness even to the babies of other apex predators on our planet is because we have the luxury to do so. Our technological superiority makes us so much more deadly that we can afford to be merciful when we feel like it. Back when that wasn’t the case and there were less of us with less lethal technologies and we were surrounded by other hostile animals who absolutely could and would kill us (either for food or just because we were trespassing), we couldn’t afford the luxury of that mindset.

That’s where the Federation races are with the Gorn. So forgive me if when you say: “this smart, sentient baby with adult strength and sharp teeth is trying to eat you 😃 what do you do?” my instant answer is “KILL IT. KILL IT.” I’m not interested in the “buuut they’re kiiiids!” 🥺☹️😭 argument. Don’t do that thing where humans project ourselves and our values onto everything. These are not anything like baby humans. Handwringing gets you killed.

Anyway, I find it intriguing that Star Trek is exploring an enemy that’s more like an implacable force of nature: unrelenting, unyielding, and utterly unswayed by begging and pleading. From the human perspective, they are evil—but they aren’t evil in and of themselves. They’re just doing what they do. But that doesn’t change the fact that what they do is destructive, and when faced with that, how should we respond? How can we?

I can tell you right now the answer isn’t to just roll over and die. But what is the solution, then?

The thing is, humans have had to grapple with this question before and there are still ways that we are grappling with it now. It’s a nuanced question worth exploring, because yeah, sometimes you can’t reason your way to a mutually beneficial solution. You can’t plead with a tsunami and expect it to move. You can’t reason with entities that want you dead and don’t care about you at all, full stop. What do you do then? This is new territory for Trek, and I’m looking forward to seeing their answer, if there is a clear one at all.

#strange new worlds #strange new worlds spoilers #st snw #st snw spoilers #Gorn #long post #humans can be remarkably compassionate #which is good!#but these are horrible little chestbusters #thanks but no thanks #a facehugger is only doing what is natural to it #it’s just tryin to give its widdle babies a home #but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna feel bad killing it #or it’s lil chest buster babies either

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cardbrobot · 3 years

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So, here’s Titanosaurus! i fucking hate her or canonically him i literally had to reattempt this so many times over fuckyoufcukyocufkyou. Sorry no shading with this one. OH YEAH AND I ALSO HAD TO FUCKING REWRITE ALL OF THIS STUFF “ The Queen of the Sea with a Heart of Gold “ Size Stats: Height - 345 feet tall (399 feet with neck fully elongated) Length - 580 feet Abilities: Amphibious Nature - Self explanatory. Remarkable Physical Strength - Titanosaurus, despite being piscivorous. Has an extremely tough bite force, along with high physical capabilites. She was able to ragdoll Godzilla around using her powerful bite force and strength. Her tail is also capable of causing streaks of wind capable of leveling cities. And tsunamis large enough with similar destructive power. Bioluminescence - Typically being a deep sea creature, she uses this to traverse dark areas. Empathy and Intellect - Titanosaurus displays advanced empathy and intellect than most marine titans, with the exception of Godzilla. She is capable of understanding attack patterns; aswell as heavy empathy. She is empathetic towards the Gojira hatchlings, wishing to raise them as her surrogate children, aswell as Godzilla himself; as displayed during Kiryu’s brawl. Scale color manipulation - Titanosaurus is capable of changing her scale color to match her emotions, or just for style. She can also use this ability for camouflage. Regenerative Factor - Titanosaurus is capable of healing from the most ghastly of wounds. Ranging from gashing scars to outright amputations; she is capable of regenerating from it if given enough time. Although; sometimes a wound might be too much for her to heal; risking her life of dying. Sonic Waves - A signature attack of Titanosaurus. Titanosaurus can emit sonic waves from her scales. These are highly destructive, capable of leveling almost anything in a close proximity to her, and heavily damaging farther away entities. Sonic Scream - Titanosaurus is capable of letting out a fatally loud screech. However; it is observed that this scream is very concentrated, therefore making it like a beam of sorts. Brief History:

Godzilla Against Kiryu - Part 1 - Soul inside the Shell

Titanosaurus had been in Monarch’s catalogues for a while, but she has been destroying nuclear submarines and cargo ships, and dragging their remains back to her island. MONARCH finds concern in her sudden behavioral changes, and attempts to investigate. They find three eggs at her island; which they find out are Gojira eggs. MONARCH is quick to rob them; Titanosaurus attempts to save her eggs, but is hit by a point-blank Atomic Breath by Godzilla; who has arrived to snatch the eggs himself aswell.

Titanosaurus and Godzilla brawl, Titanosaurus managing to ragdoll Godzilla, Godzilla retaliates extremely ferociously and violently. Scarring Titanosaurus and amputating her leg and half of her face scraped off.. Titanosaurus is in great pain, however; she lets out a Sonic Wave as a defense mechanism, which causes immense damage to Godzilla’s spines; nearly shattering them. Godzilla bites down on Titanosaurus and throws her into the ocean. Maliciously intending for her to die of her wounds at the depths of the ocean.

Long after this event; during Godzilla’s destructive assault on the Kansai region of Japan. Titanosaurus soon appears in near proximity to Osaka bay, to the immense surprise of MONARCH, as they had declared her as deceased already; but she appeared to be as good as new. Despite being brutally scarred and amputated. They conclude that she possesses a healing factor.

Since Kiryu is occupied fighting Godzilla at Kyoto, the TCTF deploys Type 2 Mech “GARUDA” to fight Titanosaurus. Titanosaurus is incapable of physically attacking GARUDA, as it was in it’s airborne state for this fight. Titanosaurus mustered the energy and used her concentrated Sonic Scream on GARUDA. Ravaging it greatly. GARUDA manages to get back up and retreats the scene. Titanosaurus proceeds to Osaka, where she avoids destroying anything else besides MONARCH forces. To which she took pleasure destroying.

Titanosaurus managed to make it to the area the Gojira hatchlings were being held; where she broke them out, however; the hatchlings were horrified by her. Titanosaurus felt hurt by this, and covered them; giving them warmth. This lasted for a few minutes before Kiryu arrived at the scene, engaging Titanosaurus and shooting a barrage of missiles at her fins. This caused them to pierce. She hid the hatchlings and challenged Kiryu. Titanosaurus managed to cause major functionality damage to Kiryu with her constant emission of Sonic waves.

However; the tables quickly turned in Kiryu’s favor after her combined with Type 2 “GARUDA”, and shot Titanosaurus with a Fusion Hyper Maser Beam. This caused near fatal damage to Titanosaurus. It struck her chest; which caused heavily compromised her breathing and heart beating. Godzilla eventually arrived to engage Kiryu. Godzilla seemed to not pay bother to the dying sea Titan, only interested in fighting Kiryu. For those who don’t know what happens next; you can refer to my Kiryu redesign. but a long story short; Kiryu holds the L. Titanosaurus, as soon as she healed, returned to the three hatchlings, and comforted them. Godzilla came over realizing the real goals of Titanosaurus. Godzilla decided to take the hatchlings from her; as he believed he would be the better fit caregiver to them. With a heavy heart; Titanosaurus lended the hatchlings over. Even though it was a decision that hurt more than anything; they would have likely lived a much safer and happier life with Godzilla than her. She returned to the sea on a Somber note.

(I was supposed to add her role in the second Kiryu chapter, but I suppose I will do that sometime later.)

#titanosaurus #godzilla #monsterverse godzilla #monsterverse #toho #toho movies #toho monsters #toho kaiju #godzilla x mechagodzilla #godzilla tokyo sos #terror of mechagodzilla #godzilla vs mechagodzilla 1974 #monsterverse au #godzilla au #redesign #cardbrobot

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honeytea8 · 4 years

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✨✨La Squadra Boyfriend Headcanons✨✨

[Alexa, play Boyfriend by Big Time Rush]

Guys, I spend an ungodly amount of time thinking about La Squadra, so here are some bf headcanons for the sexiest group of assassins in Naples. No one asked but I am bringing it straight to your dash anyway! (under the cut for length lmao)

I’m going to start with Prosciutto, who has recently fallen on my radar pretty heavy!

He’s a good and decent boyfriend, if not a busy one. Not that he doesn’t care about the relationship, but most of his energy was going to Passione things before you waltzed in and so he’ll struggle a bit between his work responsibilities and maintaining his relationship with you, but only in the beginning.

If you are also a part of Passione, it’s a hell of a lot easier to manage.

I see Prosciutto as the gift-giving type: lingerie, sweets, perfume, designers, etc. His salary isn’t the best, but he manages it as well as he can just to accommodate you!

I just can’t get the idea out of my head that Pro was raised by a strict mama, that’s why he can be a bit of a stickler sometimes. He’ll catch you still lounging in bed at nine am, and be like “Why are you still in bed? Get dressed, we’re going out.” Dude!

I’m sorry to say, but Prosciutto is absolutely the ‘lecturing’ type. (He lectured someone in nearly every scene in the anime, Formaggio once and Pesci numerously and Bucci too)

He will lecture you when you make mistakes, especially because as his s/o, he has high expectations for you and believes you’re capable of so much more. It’s never, ever out of hate. He loves you, and that’s why he chides you a bit lol.

This does not negate the fact that he doesn't mind when you lean on him for support. He likes when you count on him, because he always comes through especially for you!

Depending on whether you’re in the mafia or not, I totally see him sparring with you, or working out with you in an effort to make you tough. Prosciutto wants you to be able to defend yourself, just in case. If you complain, he’ll tell you, “Better safe than sorry, tesoro”.

Prosciutto will respect you, period.

A good listener, goddamn! He’s up there with Risotto when it comes to who listens to their s/o more! If you have an issue, he’ll hear you out and offer advice if you want it. If you give him advice, he’ll take it into serious consideration. He’s honestly a good partner, can’t stress that enough.

Finally, sex with Pro is an entire event. Romantic dinner, candles lit, wine, the whole nine yards before he gives you nine inches of something else :) (I’m kidding!! Lmao, kinda).

But as I said, Prosciutto is quite deliberate, and a bit of a perfectionist. He knows what to do and how to do it, you can trust him.

Ghiaccio is next only because he’s my favorite.

The ice gremlin is probably the most interesting (and hilarious) boyfriend out of the bunch (I say this with only a tidbit of bias). He isn’t funny himself, but funny shit just happens to him.

Because of this, he will use you as a soundboard when everyone else refuses to listen to him. He’s got a lot to say, so be prepared for his TEDtalks. LMAO!

It will take some perception on your part to notice when he actually expects a response from you, and other times he’s just ranting to get his point out.

He will correct your grammar when you text, but barely notices when he makes a similar mistake (his brain moves in mph). Please use the proper names like Venezia, Italia, Roma and Napoli when talking to this man; save yourself from the headache.

When it comes to dates, please have mercy on him, he’s a textbook over-thinker! You’ll just have to plan something simple at home for you both to enjoy.

He isn’t incapable of planning dates, but he’ll want everything to be so absolutely perfect for his s/o and will throw a fit when it ultimately isn’t.

Contrary to popular belief, I think that Ghiaccio is a pretty attentive partner. He’s super intelligent and I think a part of it stems from his innate ability to read people (I’m referencing the part in the anime where he deduced what Giorno and Mista had come to look for, while going off very little information).

The more time he spends with you, the better he gets at it.

His form of affection will be shown through the amount of time you both spend together. When it comes to sex or anything related to that, be gentle and slow as Ghiaccio will likely be a flustered mess.

As he becomes more comfortable and confident, he will be bolder and just ask out right if you’ll suck him off tonight or not. The man appreciates directness, so don’t bother being coy. “You want me to give you head? Cool, lay down a towel or something.” is what he’ll probably say.

Very practical 👌🏾👌🏾

Melone, good lord, he’s kind of perfect.

A bit of a doting boyfriend here and there—very much concerned about your health. Expect him to ask if you’ve eaten, or taken your multivitamin. How are your bowel movements? LMAO

It can become a bit much, but he really genuinely cares. He’s not asking to be intrusive or nasty! If he was, you’d know. 🤣

But I seriously consider Melone to be the one (at least among La Squadra) who is way, way invested in his relationships. He will know every little detail about you; will ask you lots of questions and expects you to ask him just as many.

This may be annoying to some, but this dude will definitely bring up your horoscope in an argument. He’ll be like “I honestly can’t fathom why you’re being this way, though it’s to be expected from a libra.”

Peg this bitch so he can shut up.

Melone is also touchy as hell, but not in a clingy way. He loves touching, and just to tag onto the headcanon about his partial blindness, I want to say that he’s so touchy because that’s how he ‘sees’ you best.

Just know that half the time, he isn’t touching you to be lecherous, even if he genuinely does like the feel of your skin under his fingertips. Melone will even encourage you to touch him back.

Rub his thigh or back and he’ll be simping.

He is obsessed with your legs, and will paint your toes if you let him.

LOVES PDA! Melone will also tongue-kiss you in public if you let him!

Notice how I keep saying ‘if you let him’. Give him an inch and he’ll press you for a mile, so if there are boundaries you would like to establish, please do, cuz he sure as hell won’t, just saying!

When it comes to sex, Melone is a dick and coochie sensei. Oral is his favorite thing to do, probably enjoys giving more than receiving to be honest. I’d say he’s pretty much mastered sex for what it is.

That being said, if he’s ever talking out of his neck, just invite him to put his mouth to better use. He’ll even thank you for your gracious request.

Formaggio is next 💀

According to my JoJo compatriots from discord, he’s like the Optimus Prime of fuckboi’s so let’s ride that wave for a bit! LMAO

I hope it doesn’t come as a surprise that Formaggio is pretty shameless. He will send you a dick pic on Sunday morning before church and have the audacity to say “Just wanted to bless you real quick”.

@autumn-kouhai mentioned him giving his s/o sickly sweet pet names and I just have to agree.

Expect to be hit upside the head with: baby-boo, sugar plum, honey bunches, sweetums. I can imagine them becoming really ridiculous too like “the last piece of red velvet cake” or “cheddar bae biscuits from Red Lobster”

His catch phrase is “Got nudes?”

Send them, and he won’t be afraid to reply with something equally sexy.

Be warned though, he will stockpile whatever you send him and then be careless with his phone. If you don’t mind Illuso’s snoopy ass seeing your nudes then by all means, have at it. Otherwise, send them through snapchat, so they disappear later.

As far as La Squadra boyfriends go, he’s the most fun! Y’all don’t even go anywhere because man’s is broke. BUT, Formaggio knows how to have a good time without any need to spend money (my kind of dude tbh) you guys just crank up the tunes, dance, and get lit until the neighbors complain.

Formi is also the CEO of jokes/memes, and will have you in absolute tears almost always! I literally tell my friends that funny guys are so dangerous, don’t sleep on them! They will make you laugh until your panties drop, it’s magic, I swear. Formaggio has that same energy.

No matter how bad of a day his s/o is having, rest assured, he will draw the biggest laugh out of you.

Besides his fuckboi tendencies, his most redeeming quality is the fact that he’s super cool and fun to hang with. You’ll literally have a good time, always, because his energy is right! Very good vibes around this man, I swear! It’ll be exactly like dating your best friend, because essentially, he will be your bestie.

Formi has many moments of tenderness that aren’t sexually charged too—moments where the jokes stop and he’ll just rub your back or feet, this is usually when you aren’t feeling well and need some quiet.

However, Formaggio won’t let you mope all day, he’ll pull out the big guns and call you his “sweetie baby” and when you try to resist he’ll say “What, I’m just tryna show you some love.”

He’s a good dude lmao I’d date a guy like him irl 😭

Pesci stans wya??! Let’s get into this baby boy.

Pesci is boyfriend material, idgaf what anyone says.

He is pretty much the least problematic to be with among all of La Squadra, even more so than Risotto (don’t argue with me).

Pesci is hyper aware of your likes and dislikes and will literally go out of his way to make sure that you’re well and okay.

Arguments are basically nonexistent and if they occur it ain’t coming from his side.

I also think that Pesci has a lot of empathy, so when you’re going through something, he’s right there in the thick of it with you. If you’ve seen that meme that goes ‘when my gf is on her period it’s UterUS’ lmao that’s Pesci’s energy 100%.

Sometimes, he’s more of a lover and not a fight, that is perfectly okay!

However, if someone tries up his s/o, say farewell to Mr. Niceguy. He will defend your honor to his dying breath. And with you in his corner, trust me, he’s not going down.

A romantic at heart, Pesci will plan little date trips like picnics in the park or boat trips to Capri, actually, I’d like to point out that he excels in the art of date planning. If you’re the adventurous type, he’ll plan outings where you both will be more active, like biking through the city or renting a mop-ed and going sight-seeing.

Because Pesci has a sensitive stomach, he’s very much considerate of what you both put in your bodies. If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, this guy knows all about it and will cater to you perfectly.

A true gentleman through and through, he will never force himself on you, ever. In fact, he really doesn’t like engaging in anything sexual when you’re drunk or high, sorry if you’re into that!

Pesci is the kind of guy who keeps up with your favorite shows.

If ya’ll have similar taste in media or literature, he will immerse himself in it so that he can relate to you all the more.

If there’s anyone who will entertain anime-related discourse, no matter how nonsensical, it’s Pesci. And he isn’t just putting up with it, he’s actively engaging in the conversation so you are always heard and validated.

He’s an A+ boyfriend, that’s all I gotta say! Haters can stay mad :)

Goddamn Illuso... idk man.

I really feel like you have to have thick/tough skin to handle this guy, for various reasons.

The first being that Illuso can be a bit mean at first. He’ll push your buttons on purpose just to see what’ll make you tick. Will tease the living heck out of you, always, kind of a bully lmao but not to the extreme, it’s just his brand of humor—and the thing is, he won’t be mad when you dish it right back, so it’s cool.

Secondly, Illuso has big dick energy!!

I mean rightfully so, because he is indeed packing! But my word, he ain’t humble about it at all!

He is not above making jokes about ‘splitting you in half’. In fact all of his jokes have hidden, dirty undertones!

His affection is shown through speech mostly. Illuso will drop subtle innuendos and provocations, half to see you flustered and half because he wants you to know how much he wants you.

Illuso isn’t incredibly vocal about his feelings outside of ‘I’m tryna hit that thang’ but you won’t doubt that he loves you because Illuso doesn’t waste his own time.

If he’s spending his time with you, you can rest assured that it’s because he wants to.

Illuso is a voyeur and you’ll just have to understand/accept that and move on.

He loves watching you and will even creep over to your place through the mirror world just to hang or watch you do chores. Loves to surprise you and give you jump scares lmao it’ll make you a tad paranoid but it’s also fun.

Illuso is prone to random bouts of sweetness; it’s very sporadic, very touch-and-go.

One day, you’ll wake up to chocolates on your dresser or new shoes, lingerie, or makeup if you wear it. I imagine that if you’re low on funds, he will even help you buy your groceries that week.

It’ll surprise the hell out of you, but that’s just how Illuso is. He enjoys keeping you on your toes!

He’s prideful and smug as hell, so he will definitely expect a thank you, because even if he does it out of the kindness in his heart, he also wants to hear that you appreciate him

Same goes for the bedroom scene. Illuso loves making you vocal, it’s his favorite thing in the world, so he’ll make a game out of doing the things that get the biggest reaction out of you. Like I said, it's that big dick energy at work here, smh.

Sorbet and Gelato in a polyamorous relationship with you? Let’s get it!

We don’t get anything substantial about these two except that Sorbet follows the money, so these are all personal headcanons for how I see and write them.

Here’s the juice: when it comes to you as their s/o, these two are possessive as hell. You are theirs and that’s that on that! 😭 Don’t ask questions, just go with it.

Sorbet is the chill one of the duo. He can be a bit smug at times, but he’s mostly a laid back dude who doesn’t get bothered by much.

When it comes to you, Sorbet likes to spend quality time with you more than anything, and will ask you to cook for him at your place so he ain’t gotta spend money. Oh? Did I not mention that I kinda think of him as a cheapskate? Lmao cuz I do.

Sorbet will come by your place just to steal your coupons from the mail then head out; you’re not using ‘em so why should he let them go to waste?

Gelato is the complete opposite; personality wise, I headcanon him as a mix between Melone and Formaggio lmao

But it’s not as crazy as it sounds, he’s cute and outspoken like Melone, while maintaining a free-spirit like Formaggio. One quality that I like is that he’s quite devoted to you and Sorbet. If anyone crosses either of you, goodluck to them!

I like to think Gelato’s also just really boujee and high maintenance. He loves to pamper and be pampered. You and him tag-team Sorbet’s wallet and go on spa dates together at his expense (not that he ever really stood a chance)

While Sorbet is cool with just being in the same room as you, Gelato loves hugging/cuddling with you and Sorbet—will definitely fight for the middle spot between the two of you on the couch during movie nights.

He baby, so let him have it lol

In the bedroom, I would salute anyone with the guts to take the two of them on. They both lay down that work, period.

Sorbet gets his kicks from teasing and edging you (his sadistic side comes out a bit), while Gelato loves when you give him extra TLC. To put it short, they know how to take care of you, so there are no issues there.

Last but not least, Mr. Risotto Nero himself.

Man, idc on the lowest of keys, he seems a little bit like a grandpa to me

The type to sit at home and do crosswords, has a bird feeder in his yard and plays old Italian hits while washing the dishes. It’s very domestic 💀 (I find it cute, whatever!)

As a boyfriend, I can’t imagine him suddenly being spontaneous or outgoing unless you drag him out of his home/comfort zone.

Be patient with Mr. Nero, and he can come to surprise you

After a while, it won’t be just you dragging him out and about; one day he’ll ask you to come over and you’ll be greeted with a nice, traditional, homemade meal

Pay attention and you will notice him watching your face to see if you like his cooking 🥺

After seeing his fight with Doppio, I must admit that Risotto is very, very observant, almost scarily so.

I can totally picture him pointing out random things about his s/o that even they don’t know

One night, Risotto may come up to you and say “I talked to your neighbor about the dog, they’ll keep it inside now.” And you’re just staring like 😳 how did he know the barking was keeping you up at night????

He’s sweet, and will take good care of you as a boyfriend should.

Very good listener, won’t talk as much but will hang on to your every word, I promise. He could even recite it to you verbatim.

He’s a big dude, that ain’t news, so expect to be swallowed up in hugs and sometimes even picked up (as a tall girl myself, I simp!!!)

Gives A1 piggyback rides, lol

ALSO RISOTTO IS HUMBLE ASF!

Big dick energy, but on low volume 👏🏾 after all, he doesn’t need to do much talking, because a night with him is more than enough!

Listen babe, you better stretch, do some squats, and prep in whatever way you can before Mr. Nero gives you that work. 🤐

Lowkey a freak, but it’s well hidden behind his ‘quiet giant’ exterior

So, who are y'all dating? Personally, I’m going for Formaggio and Pesci hehe

#jojo #jojo’s bizarre adventure #vento aureo #la squadra #prosciutto #illuso #formaggio #melone #risotto nero #pesci #ghiaccio #gelato and sorbet #la squadra esecuzioni #la squadra di esecuzione #jojo headcanons #la squadra x reader #jojo part 5

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itsclydebitches · 3 years

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Hi Clyde! I know this might be a bit late to the conversation but I just wanted to ask if you think M&K are writing Yang through a male lens? Not in the sense she's hyper-sexualised, but in the sense she lashes out at her allies without consequences (Fiona), has little empathy for female survivors of abuse (Salem and Blake) and gives her loved ones the cold shoulder when she doesn't agree with them rather than trying to reach an understanding (Blake and Ren).

Hi there, anon! No one is ever late to the conversation around here, not when I'm forever answering months-old asks lol

On the whole I would say no, simply because - as many others have pointed out in regards to other posts - this behavior is by no means seen solely in Yang. Ruby is out there lashing out in Volume 6, Jaune was giving Ren the same cold shoulder, no one else has expressed any empathy for the abuse survivors lately (though Yang might actually have a point in her favor there, given her talk with Weiss in Volume 5, when she learns about her mom's drinking). My point being, pretty much everyone is written with this classic masculine lens right now, where being angry, violent, and dismissive are framed as the correct way to approach problems, whether we're talking about Weiss shoving her weapon in Whitley's face, or Nora coolly brushing aside Ren's concerns. The exceptions being, to my mind, Ren - who learned this season that considering a kinder, more strategic approach is wrong - and Oscar who is embodying the archetype of the innocent child so fully that it allows him to forgive/grant absolution outside of the bounds of the story's internal logic and gendered expectations. Him reaching out to Hazel, Emerald, and even Ozpin is less a commentary on gender and more an extreme upholding of his status as the youngest and, comparatively, most innocent (which, as said previously, bumps up against Ruby's same, former status). Think Harry Potter, destroying evil with the love in his skin as an 11yo by merely touching Quirrel's face, not an older teenager hurling a dark curse at Malfoy while overflowing with rage. Oscar is still very much in that initial stage of being the young, baby-faced character who is not yet jaded and is thus able to overcome evil purely by wishing it so. Yet everyone else, including Yang, gets by on lies, secrets, violence, and anger - no matter how much the story wants to dress it up as heroics. So Yang is by no means alone in that.

What does interest me regarding Yang characterization right now is not, strictly speaking, about Yang. Rather, it’s about the presumed relationship with Blake and how changes to Blake’s character have reflected back on Yang. I won’t go into a full, eight season analysis of it here, but suffice to say, Blake’s personality has taken a sharp dive lately, most notably in the most recent volume. She used to be an opinionated, outspoken woman, the kind of person who marched up to Weiss in the middle of the street to denounce her family’s slavery, fighting for her people with as much intensity in a conversation as she gave on the battlefield. This is the woman who stormed off in anger at Weiss’ racism, demanded a solemn oath from Yang if she was going to believe her about the Mercury fight, rallied an army to defend Haven, set her own house on fire to defend her parents... I could go on. Blake used to only be quiet when it came to settling down with a good book. Now she’s far more meek and submissive. She’s been reduced to blushing prettily at Yang’s praise, begging Ruby to save her, going along with Yang’s plans for betrayal because she’s scared about killing again, clasping Ruby’s hands to assure her that she’ll save them all, etc. I use the term “reduced” intentionally because, on their own, there’s nothing wrong with any of these traits. If anything, Blake should be a more well-rounded character for being able to collapse crying over Adam, or go tongue-tied at a compliment. The problem lies in replacing her original personality with this new one: softer, less confrontational, less skilled, no longer as determined, no longer as angry, keeping to the background to play at comic relief or the damsel in distress. I bring all this up because - within the comparatively slim queer rep we’ve gotten in media - there’s a long history of writing them so that one is clearly the “man” in the relationship and the other is clearly the “woman.” This extends from visual markers like dividing them between assumed masculine and feminine clothing preferences - who wears dresses and who can pass for a boy in a baseball hat and sweats? - to caching in on equally assumed personality traits - who is the calm and compassionate individual; who has the temper and is constantly itching for a fight? To use two examples, think of couples like Sapphire and Ruby, or Kurt and Blaine. One is a cool blue in flowy dresses, always working to be sensible, while the other is an angry red in a sensible shirt and pants, easily pissed off. One is practicing a version of Beyoncé's “Single Ladies” in a sequined leotard, framed as the lady, whereas the other sings “Teenage Dream” in a suit at the piano, a song meant to appeal to the teenage girls watching, no matter the character’s sexuality. I’m simplifying a LOT here, including the context for the times (Glee) and the ways in which this divide is sometimes flipped (Ruby and Sapphire’s wedding), but my point is that whether authors realize it or not, they often force their queer characters into the gender binary, even while they’re supposedly meant to be challenging those norms. Blake and Yang, to get to a long-winded point, are becoming a part of that trend, wherein the closer they get to becoming a canonical couple, the more classically feminized Blake becomes. That, in turn, positions Yang as the “man” of the relationship. Already embodying some of those assumptions with her tough personality and brawl fight style, Blake’s regression into someone in need of rescue, someone less likely to speak up, someone who is visually positioned as less confident and in need of emotional care (think of her drooped ears and inability to make eye contact in “Ultimatum)” only increases that reading, especially given arcs like Yang’s insistence that she doesn’t need anyone protecting her, morphing into her becoming Blake’s protector instead. Yes, the dialogue states that they protect each other, but we all know RWBY struggles to show what the characters claim. Scenes like Yang arriving on a badass motorcycle to fight the majority of the battle against Adam, ending with her cradling a sobbing Blake who promises to never leave her side, or confidently taking Blake’s cheek in hand to comfort her after their not-fight, a moment of confidence and (unneeded) forgiveness... this all speaks volumes of something RWBY doesn’t think is there. So I don’t believe it’s intentional and, as said, there are a lot of complexities to take into account here, but I nevertheless don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’ve lost so much of Blake’s original personality right around the time the show got more serious about their relationship. As a presumed queer couple, there’s an instinctual desire to figure out which is the “guy” and which is the “girl” in the relationship, with Yang being positioned as the former the more Blake changes to fit the latter.

#rwby #mymetas

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comfort-questing · 2 years

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Hi I think your a really talented writer and I love your blog! I was wondering if you could help me with my oc, My question is how would someone deal with a whumpee that is constantly tortured and abused by the an evil super powerful villain leader/ruler and their army that has taken over the world so not much can be done to stop it , whumpee is extremely terrified and injured how would someone handle whumpee and their situation if they found them extremely injured like that, and if whumpee is terrified of medical stuff what care would need to be given to them and how would that caretaker go about helping them.

The whumpee is terrified of everything and everyone and cannot be rescued from the situation because the leader is one of the main abusers and has control of the world. So if she does try to leave she’s hunted down. And she doesn’t trust anyone easily anyways since everyone is trying to hurt her usually.

hullo friend!

this is going to be a "how crow writes whump" primer, starting from the big stuff and narrowing the scope. hope it's helpful, to you and maybe others too - anyway, here it is.

zooming out for a moment, to big-picture stuff. sometimes the most powerful stories can be made about situations that can't be fixed within the frame of the story being told (which is what it sounds like you'll be writing about). it's what I do a lot of, too - most of my characters both start and end their story in a hard place, but (in my way of seeing it, anyway) the art of the matter is finding out how to write small victories anyway.

maybe your whumpee is never going to be absolutely happy or safe, it sounds like the world is a very (understandably) dangerous place for them, and they have a lot of powerful enemies. what I would recommend would be to choose a few things that represent hope for them - whether that's getting information about their past, learning to take control of a special power or talent they have, saving and/or protecting someone who's important to them... so that even if and when they get captured again, or even if they're living in their friend's basement 24/7 trying to keep from being found by their abusers, they've done something worthwhile. it's all a matter of what you choose to frame as the narrative question.

sometimes the "win" for a character isn't everything is okay. sometimes it's wow, I can actually trust people when I thought I couldn't. or my old mentor didn't really betray me when I thought they did. or I learned how to make something beautiful, or I woke up this morning, again, when I thought I would never.

on the more specific level, I think you'd have a lot of freedom in terms of what kind of situations your character is dealing with. a few questions and notions that might be useful for writing traumatized/sad/untrusting characters and their caretakers, too:

- do they cope by internalizing or by externalizing their problems? in what directions? ie. the stoic who sits and hyper-analyzes everything they ever did "wrong" in their lives, or the loud emotional person who throws things at walls and makes sure the world knows what they've suffered?

- what level of compassion and empathy do they extend to other people who they don't necessarily understand? if they see someone in pain are they going to be soft and comforting, or tough-love, or blame them for their misfortune and ignore them? if someone does something they disagree with is this an instant problem, or are they more easy-going and forget about it?

- what level of self-awareness do they have, emotionally and mentally? can they recognize when they're spiraling, and name and express their emotions to people they trust, or do they have a hard time understanding how their situation affects them or distinguishing their feelings from objective reality?

just some concepts to think about for how your characters might interact with each other, and what conflicts even the "good guys" can have.

as for the physical and immediate elements of hurt/comfort, I will show my work and recommend this particular set of blog posts about medical and psychological topics: https://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/009176.html . the series on trauma (the physical emergency medical definition, which is more or less something immediately bad happened) is especially relevant. I go back there every time I have to figure out blood loss symptoms. written by an EMT, if I remember correctly.

(general content warnings for, well, death, blood, disaster situations and suchlike, and some sexual assault discussion in at least one post on the masterlist, but mentioned in the title - I have not read every post but the writers of the blog are sensible and respectful folk by all accounts. [ETA: the "related interest" post links underneath the medical ones have some rather disturbing stuff albeit kindly discussed.])

also, let's be real, there is always webmd. but mayoclinic is better and more detailed for most topics. great for figuring out diseases if you need to be like "so when do the symptoms of this actually show up?"

best wishes!

- crow

#whump #hurt comfort #whump community #crow says a thing

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hysteriapilled · 3 years

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- 𝙰 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙾𝙽 𝙴𝚁𝙴𝙽 𝙹𝙰𝙴𝙶𝙴𝚁'𝚂 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝙱𝙴𝙲𝙰𝚄𝚂𝙴 𝙸 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙴 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙴𝙻𝚂𝙴 𝚃𝙾 𝙳𝙾

Keep in mind that this might be inaccurate considering the information given is not canon, but from google. There will be no house readings since I can't even get a hold of his actual birth time so there is no rising sign (This is Eren's chart and how he would be if he were real, so don't take everything as factual)

𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅𝐅

Big 5 Analysis

- SUN IN ARIES. Your sun defines your ego, core identity, your authentic self and in my personal opinion it's not really an important placement in the chart, and more of a title basically. People born into Aries are usually perceived as loud, impulsive, raging and aggressive by others— but they're very caring and protective to the ones they love, though sometimes they sure can have bursts of anger. Eren is stubborn, he can't be chained down and refuses to sit back and watch the people he cares about get tossed around. He is a firm person, quick on his feet and rather very rushing, he's like a puppy excited to get his owner running laps around him, he's hyper and motivating; a natural leader. - MOON IN PISCES. Your moon is your emotional side, how you feel, how you perceive feelings and how you process them. Eren with moon in Pisces is definitely not surprising to me— He is dreamy, intuitive, compassionate and he's either too dependable on others or just an overthinker. Though he may not seem like it Eren is very vulnerable and even prone to getting addicted to substances (alcohol, drugs, bad habits etc.) It's not the best placement in my standpoint, as he can get very affected by his surroundings and others. He can't turn a blind eye and NOT take shit to heart and rather stores it inside and holds onto it. He's very empathetic, he feels people's emotions and feels them well, to the point that he himself experiences what they are going through. - MERCURY IN PISCES. Eren has a LOT of Pisces placements so prepare to see a ton of empathy and psychic abilities in his aspects. Your Mercury is how you think, speak and learn. I sense that Eren has really great vulnerability which might not be a good thing, he trusts people too much and rather relies on them for heaps of things, he can be easily manipulated which is why he should refrain from letting everyone in. On the other hand, he is a very dreamy person and gets lost in his imagination at times. He sees the world in another, imaginative lens, and often could find himself daydreaming randomly. I can see that Eren has a hard time letting go of the past and he can even be linked to people in his life he hadn't seen in years. In terms of rational thinking he isn't the best, as he can't distinguish the logical from the emotional which is definitely something he should work on, he gets often blinded by the illusion of his overwhelming emotions toward others. He can also definitely have an eye to art since his imagination is extravagantly wide.

- VENUS IN TAURUS. Your mercury is your idea of love and how you give it and prefer to receive it— Eren's idea of romance is full of sensuality and gifts, he'll spoil you with his utter loyalty and generally with things too. Devotion is daily, he's extremely honest and would rather die than lie to you. Emphasis on sensuality, Eren craves touch and I could sense that his love language is physical touch, he will shower you with affection and fulfill your needs any time of the day. Taurus in Venus are all about comfort and coziness with their lover, so I can see that Eren loves cuddling, massages, food, sleepovers, intimate little things like that strike a chord in his heart. He can be possessive and jealous of times, he hates change specifically big ones in relationships—He can also take a long time to get to know you and prefers taking things slow and steady rather than rushing into it. I can also feel that he loves hard-workers, people who are dedicated and responsible (that's definitely his type). - MARS IN CAPRICORN. Two words. Goal driven. Your Mars is your approach towards anger and impulses as well as your sexuality aspects. Eren is self-controlled and refuses to take orders from others, he can't be chained down not because he's stubborn, but simply because he can't allow himself to stop. He has a tendency to shut out the world to pursue his objective— he moves forward (not a pun) and is willing to fight against everything and everyone to reach his goal, he isn't petty as he considers little quarrels a waste of time and energy. He likes to focus on the big problem at hand, not how to fight and win the battle but how to prepare for conquering the war once and for all. Eren with this placement knows that he is entitled to earn what he works hard for and will not let anything stop him. Mars signs can also affect appearance so I sense that Eren has very prominent and broad cheekbones, a serious face, and a very stiff, steady voice like he's about to command something. It can also be an intimate, velvety and cold voice and on the topic of intimacy— He usually prefers seeing you face to face and rather dislikes social media flings. He comes with a natural inclination to assume a dominant role in bed and he does what doesn't bother him (kink-wise) His temper is so icy, and he could definitely be on the sadomasochism spectrum. He's very soft in nature so if something was bothering you he'd instantly be turned off. Eren can be aggressive and intense but he may not specifically get off on pain (or he may) more like he finds the idea of being in control a very satisfying idea.

𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅𝐅

2. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto Analysis

- JUPITER IN AQUARIUS. Your Jupiter is where you can receive the most luck and love, without you really doing much. It’s where you can catapult to happiness and success through quickest routes possible, within reason. I can tell from previous placements that Eren is a firm believer in standing for what you think is right. He is very opinionated and sometimes a bit too much— Some of his beliefs or theories can be brilliant and genius and others quite nonsensical and implausible, he rushes into throwing the first opinion just for the sake of throwing it first. Any analytical work about objective themes would come easily to him. Passion and enthusiasm will come astonishingly fast too as he can actually stun society with his innate knowledge with complicated subjects. Any scientific, technological, or perhaps just general abstract topics will benefit Eren greatly in subtle and/or unsubtle ways. He takes leaps of faith and believes what his eyes cannot see or what his mind cannot grasp. Simply what makes everything work out so well for him is the open minded love he puts into his theories. Sometimes though, he fears judgement people give to his methods as they are sometimes out of the box and peculiar. Eren would have to let go of his attachment to what other people think about his ways on solving or analyzing. - SATURN IN LIBRA. Your Saturn sign is your life’s obstacles and challenges, the rewards that come with time, and the discipline you need to achieve your goals. To start off with friendships, Eren cares about others and is tireless in serving others—he's also prone to putting others before him (others as in the people he cares about) And supporting his moon and mercury Pisces, he is very artistic and helps civilize those who need the lessons. The companionship he seeks can often give him solace and security, with his comrades support he feels a lot more powerful and in self-control. In relationships though Eren may tend to have a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to relationships and is afraid of rejection & may try to shut himself away or run if the going gets tough. He is very drawn to mentor types, and may often be with someone older and wiser. Despite that he still finds a way to assume the dominant role in the relationship due to his cold nature. Eren commits to artful projects, making it possible to live his dreams by seeing them to completion, he finds it very gratifying and has mental discipline when he finds activities that matches his high ideals. His sense of social justice is heightened, that could get him into law, politics and activism—His firm belief in himself also plays a big role in this, his bravery allows himself to sacrifice whatever he has to, to get the job done. Chaos, crassness, and ugliness can cause him a lot of anxiety and fear, and with his persistence to right the wrong he gets really frustrated when people don't have an outlook to life the same as his. I sense that it may be hard for Eren to accept that only he is able to control himself, and it's a hard pill for him to swallow.

- URANUS IN PISCES. As I mentioned before Eren's chart is dominated with Pisces placements, his intuition works at another wavelength than that of the common people, and for this reason, he is in a much deeper connection to the spirit world. He can sense the occult and this acts as a form of guidance for him, an anchor to support his meanderings through life’s challenges. Pair that up with his splendid imagination and innovative spirit, and you get someone who’s afraid of failure even when he’s not doing anything out of the ordinary, the worst thing that could happen to Eren is failing and losing his sense of validation. He’s a negativist ( I can see Eren as a cynical person later on in life, a realist would fit his philosophical belief) but, he should let his intuition and connection to the spirit world heal this part of his, instead of allowing everything to work against him. He won’t let himself be fooled by naïve ideals, even though he likes believing in them. He can be quite realistic and logical when the situation calls for it and that's quite ironic considering he's indulged in his imagination most of the time. - NEPTUNE IN SAGITTARIUS. This is one hell of a placement. Experimentation with different beliefs, spiritual strands, and esoteric-based teachings are all things Eren finds interest in. He cannot deny the divine existence truly and indefinitely to himself- even if he does so to others, there is always the gnawing sense that ‘there is something more,’ and one day he may regret not finding out what that is. His gift is bringing the joy of shared faith and spirituality together, making the sect he resonates with part of his life’s philosophy. We can tell by now that Eren's purpose is seeking truth, absorbing information and looking at the world in a different lens. - PLUTO IN PISCES. Shawty Bae here can also can be more passive aggressive when trying to get what he wants. This means he can be manipulative at times. This is the only time he ever makes a power play. When he is struggling to achieve something for the greater good. (THIS ACTUALLY RESONATES WITH HIS PLAN) But this desire for control is never executed maliciously. He wants things to go his way so he doesn't disappoint those who are counting on him. Eren can be very sensitive, and it’s important to him that he doesn't let anyone down. He so desperately want to help people that he sometimes sacrifices his health and well being, and even somtimes the well being of others just for the outcome to turn out best.

𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐘

3. Chiron (Scar)

- CHIRON IN PISCES. Your Chiron sign in astrology shows where you sustained your deepest wound, your scar— It can never be completely healed, but they can be worked with and transmuted. Eren with Chiron in Pisces, we've already talked about many Pisces qualities in him (empathy, psychic abilities, imagination etc.) But the Chiron has a lot more depth into it, Eren might have a deep fear of being hurt by the universe or the forces at play. He might feel that the world is unfair or merciless and doesn't have his back almost every time. He has a sense of betrayal, and that leads him into cynicism (mentioned before in his Uranus placement) He felt that nobody was there for him when he needed it the most and he also feels a sense of victimization. This placement has a lot to do with the idea of FATE. Even subconsciously Eren feels he was dealt an unfair life, I can also feel that his way of coping is feeling someones grief right alongside them. Sympathyzing is definitely his way of forgetting about his own problems. Even though Eren doesn't exactly victimize himself he still can't understand why the universe is set up this way— he feels that the world isn't fair to him and his loved ones. Although all this scarring shows when he indulges himself in an immense shell of cynicism, then he hops between two places; Not feeling empathy for others since nobody offered empathy to him - or sympathyzing greatly and putting others' needs before his. It is easy for him to shut his feelings out but only with the help of substances which makes him more prone to getting addicted. This placement was created at some point in the past when Eren needed something badly and didn’t get it (sometimes the wound stems from a past life, but this stemmed from his childhood) Maybe it's because he felt insignificant to someone he felt was an idol to him, maybe this figure or idol was never there to nurture him and the probability of him having a lost close one in early childhood days is a very probable cause in how this Chiron stemmed.

BONUS:

- I get massive ISFP vibes from early Eren and INTJ from late him.

- His Venus Taurus makes him very romantic, so I feel like this would be his favorite song to dance to

#erenjaeger #eren #jaeger #snk #aot #shingekinokyojin #attackontitan #astrology chart #chart reading #sun #moon #rising #aries #pisces

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helbertinelli · 3 years

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hooboy, this might be a long one.

anidala has always been one of my favorite ships but sometimes i am totally unable to reconcile fanon and certain tcw 2008 anidala because it’s just — they are all out of character. and the fact itself is annoying because anakin is either turned into a dumb and selfish person who likes murder while padmé becomes this careful workaholic which I can’t reconcile with the woman who really looked at the guy she just remet for two or three weeks and go, let’s get married. not that it’s a bad decision ;). but the point is both of them are reckless and hopeless romantics. my god i can totally imagine them writing love sonnets under anonymous names and sending it to each other and both of them know who it is because they know their handwritings.

and then, in fanon, anakin becomes this selfish guy who just murders for no reason and actually enjoys and it and padmé becomes this cold, careful person who prefers work over anakin when it’s so clearly shown that both of them love each other and would definitely abandon their duty if one of them were even in trouble. they. loved. each other. deeply. but nooo, it’s more fun to make anakin into a selfish jerk while padmé becomes a cold workaholic because anakin is darth vader and it isn’t acceptable for women to show any signs of ‘weakness’. nuance gets thrown out of the window.

also i have really enjoyed the matrilineal aspect of naboo culture sometimes so i just might be able to see anakin to take naberrie but the same time not ig. that still needs to be thought about. certain anakin’s traits can be linked to neurodivergency, his hatred for sand? sensory issues. usually problems with social stuff? neurodivergency. but people prefer to just call him whiny and attention seeking ig. padmé herself kinda displays certain neurodivergent tendencies like her hyper empathy to some extent.

so ye this doesn’t have any direction but Yeah

I agree with what you’re saying in the first part. TCW did ruin Anidala’s dynamic and they over-inflated the parts of Anakin and Padme’s characters that were not their main personality features. Padme grew out of her workaholic self after Anakin came back into her life. Anakin actually hates killing and killing is shown to bring him pain. But TCW took the fact that he killed the Tusken after they tortured his mother to death and the fact that he accepted to do anything Palpatine wants just so Padme can live as “Anakin sure loves murder!“ And they ignored the context between those scenes entirely.

Now fans, they only portray Anakin as some disaster man-child. Everyone hates to be around Anakin and he knows it and he makes sure to tell everyone about how difficult he is to be around. Fanon Padme hates being with Anakin and she would rather be with Sabe and she makes sure Anakin knows what a chore he is and how much better she is than him. Fanon Padme is also a stereotypical gross guy from the 50′s who act like she owns Anakin’s body and she lives to show him and others how much control she has over him and how he is nothing more than a trophy for her.

I don’t know a lot about neurodivergency, but I think those specific traits you’ve listed for them are not necessarily linked to it and in some cases they don’t even fit them.

Like it’s pretty common to hate sand when you’re surrounded by it. People who live in areas where it snows a lot also dislike snow. There is a TPM comic where Padme and Jar Jar both say that they hate sand now after being on Tatooine only for a short period of time. Also, sand is really irritating because it’s one of those materials that you don’t want to breathe in or have it around you because it can cause health damage and even kill you. It’s not necessarily neurodivergent to hate sand when you live on a planet covered in sand, where there’s only sand for miles all around you and where sandstorms are common. Anakin complaining about sand after Padme was talking about sand is just him making conversation. People just like to ignore that they were actually talking about sand before and act like Anakin just started talking about sand out of the blue.

I also don’t think that his social awkwardness meant he is neurodivergent. Again, I don’t know much about it, but he was only socially awkward to Padme because he was in love with her and had no idea how to go about it. In TPM he’s very comfortable talking to people and he’s pretty social too. And he makes friends really fast too. Like he considers Padme, Qui-Gon, and Jar Jar his friends right off the bat. So he’s good at being social, but he’s bad at flirting and talking to his crush. Like he has no problems with communicating with Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan (even when he’s older).

Anakin is very emotional and it’s rare to see a male character act that way and be open with his emotions like Anakin is. Men are expected to bottle up their feelings and always be tough and unfeeling (kinda like how fans now expect women to act lol). But Anakin didn’t fit into that stereotype, so people called him whiny and attention seeking, but he was just being a teenager.

Same for Padme, I don’t think that the fact that she cared about her people and wanted to be a good ruler/representative and she was willing to accept Anakin and love him despite his flaws was hyper empathy. I did read a little bit on this just now and I don’t think it applies to Padme at all. One big difference between Padme and Anakin is that while he lets his emotions out, she doesn’t. At least not with other people present.

#lukegarmadon #ask

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scripttorture · 4 years

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Is there any evidence for torturers going easier on victims that look like/remind them of people they know (family, friends), or by that point do they lack the empathy required to make that kind of a connection?

I’d say there’s no evidence for or against. So far as I know it’s not something that’s been asked in any consistent fashion. I can think of isolated cases where people mentioned these moments of recognition, but no deeper discussion of whether it effected their actions.

There isn’t a lot of research on torturers. And that means that the quality of evidence available is… not great. I feel like it’s best to be open about that and work with what we’ve currently got.

There aren’t a lot of studies. Sample sizes are typically small, Fanon saw two torturers and for a long time he was the only mental health professional who talked about torturers specifically. Part of this is lack of interest/funding. Part of it is low conviction rates. And it probably doesn’t help that a lot of what is out there is untranslated, behind paywalls or both.

I draw on anecdotal evidence as well as studies because there are lot more interviews with torturers (usually by journalists) then studies. I try to make it clear when I’m referring to anecdotal evidence and when I’m drawing my own conclusions based on the information I have.

Having said all that: I would say that there isn’t any evidence that torturers lack empathy, or that they have any sort of mental illness before they start torturing.

For a start the organisations they’re part of actively try to screen out people with mental illnesses or low empathy. They’re seen as more difficult to control.

Fanon’s work explicitly links his client’s mental health problems to their ‘work’ as torturers. Anecdotal evidence from interviews with torturers and their families/friends consistently describes them as healthy before they started torturing others. This isn’t the same as lacking empathy but it is relevant to the bigger picture here.

Because one of the other things that comes up consistently in studies and interviews is the way social circles pressure torturers into continuing.

Torturers create- effectively a sub-culture within larger organisations. Rejali describes it as hyper-masculine and toxic. They seem to primarily socialise with each other and they collectively… feed into this really unhealthy set of behaviours and beliefs.

They see themselves, individually and collectively, as incredibly important. As doing the ‘real work’, the tough jobs, the things that keep everything else running. They encourage this bloated and deluded sense of self importance in each other. They take an adversarial approach to authority, pitting themselves against management/higher ranked individuals who ‘don’t understand how things really work’.

But they’re also acting in competition with each other because torture is a zero sum game.

For insistence: imagine an investigation into a road accident where the car that hit someone is abandoned. Multiple people working on the investigation will all have an opportunity to earn praise/reward for doing a good job. The person who finds finger prints on the steering wheel and the person who finds a witness to the accident are both seen as doing something useful and productive.

In torture only one person can really be responsible for forcing a confession or ‘getting’ the sort of false information that torture produces. Which means that rather then working together torturers are competing with each other.

You’re probably wondering what all this has to do with the question. I think the question reflects a completely understandable and normal misunderstanding about why torturers keep torturing.

My impression is that empathy has very little to do with it because for the torturer it isn’t really about the victims, or at least it’s not just about the victims.

It’s about supporting their social standing within this toxic sub-culture. And about supporting their own self image, which becomes increasingly wrapped up in the idea that they’re ‘good’ at inflicting pain… something it’s really impossible to be good or bad at.

They know that if they stop it will be taken as a sign of weakness by their social circle. They don’t want to experience the resulting social censure or sometimes threats and violence. Refusing to torture, or holding back is seen as a betrayal of the group. Which is taken pretty seriously when everyone involved knows they’re committing a serious crime. By this point the other torturers are just about the only people they’re socialising with and since we’re social animals the idea of losing our entire social circle is really terrifying.

Some of them genuinely seem to believe that brutality will get them the results they want and they frame themselves as going against natural humane feelings for the ‘greater good’.

Stopping or refusing is more then an individual act of empathy here: it’s a big risk from the perspective of the torturer.

None of this means you shouldn’t write a torturer choosing to stop, or to be moved by empathy. But I think it’s important to understand it isn’t the only factor at work here.

These people are stuck once they start. Their social circle, self worth and physical safety are (from their perspective) bound up in continuing to torture.

And that’s something we don’t tend to see in our fiction. I personally think that this omission really skews the way torturers are depicted; it leaves authors grasping for increasingly ludicrous motivations and personalities to explain ‘why’.

I’d encourage you to try and get a sense of this toxic sub-culture in your story, especially if you do want to write a torturer having this moment of empathy. Partly because it gives a better sense of the reality of torture.

But partly because I think it would make for a better story; it gives the decision to stop weight because at comes with consequences and personal risk.

If you want a more detailed overview of this toxic subculture your best bet is Rejali’s Torture and Democracy.

I hope that helps :)

Available on Wordpress.

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#writing advice #tw torture #torturers #behaviour of torturers #empathy #mental health #writing torturers #motivations of torturers

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cornsnoot · 3 years

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I have hyper empathy and its pretty rough. being in public sucks because its like i can feel all the energy of the people around me (the simplest way to put it) good, bad or otherwise, and it really drains me. Groups of negative people are especially bad. even just talking to people with strong negative emotions can mess me up pretty bad. the only thing i've found that works a little is distracting myself with music or a game or a good book. but i understand not being able to deal. its tough

ohh that's weird, i'm sorry u have to deal with that :/ it's definitely a little different from what i deal with but it sounds like it's in the same category? and i understand the distraction thing, sometimes that helps! like last night i fixated on writing for a solid 5 hours and the whole time i felt pretty decent tbh. but as soon as i snap out of it, it comes back real quick, so distractions are sort of iffy for me. but i'm glad someone else shares similar struggles <3

#negative

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samgamble · 3 years

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#Werewolf101 #CrescentEclipsePack

Werewolves are demihumans who are granted superhuman abilities by their lycanthropy. Werewolves’ powers and abilities are enhanced and are at their peak during time under a full moon, but somewhat increase as they age. When angered, these abilities are temporarily enhanced. Even in human form they appear to possess all of these abilities, though not as powerful as other supernatural creatures. Some werewolves have shown the ability to sense illness and, in one case, the onset of an epileptic seizure. This seems to be due to a combination of their “Heightened Senses” working in concert on a subconscious level.

#WolfForm - Once a werewolf genes has awakened, the human form will transform in to a wolf under a full moon, when being angered to the point that the temper will force them to shift or by their own will. The first transformation is quite slow and the person is subjected to at least five hours of intense pain before transforming. After the first transformation it will get faster and hurt less with every shift. During the transformation, the body of the person is twisted in an unnatural manner as bones reshape and shift to form a wolf skeleton, causing the person immense pain. After the first transformation the werewolf will experience muscle aches. Most werewolves have a trigger that makes them transform. For example, if a werewolf is in human form and it gets too hyper, it will transform. Other triggers are: getting too angry, getting hurt, getting too much adrenaline, or to protect something or someone. #SuperhumanStrength - The werewolf possesses superhuman strength. Their wolf form is more powerful and they are capable of lifting at 1 ton. Their strength also extends into the muscles of their legs, allowing them to leap, from a crouch, roughly 18 feet into the air. Their strength is somewhat weaker than that of a vampires. However, consuming vampire blood increases their strength to the point were they can prove a challenge to a 1,100 year old vampire. #SuperhumanSpeed - Werewolves can run and move faster than any non-supernatural creature and run at an extremely high speed, which causes them to become almost invisible to the naked eye to perceive their movements when they are sprinting or moving at full speed. Their speed is equivalent to that of a vampire. #SuperhumanStamina - The werewolf’s musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human, granting him superhuman levels of stamina. They can exert themselves at peak capacity for several hours before fatigue begins to impair them. #SuperhumanAgility - A werewolf’s agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of even the finest human athlete. They can move, jump, climb, and run incredibly fast without difficulty or exhaustion. #SuperhumanDurability - A werewolf’s body is physically tougher and more resistant to injury than the body of a normal human. They cannot be harmed by conventional weapons, as ordinary firearms and blades seem to do little more than annoy the beast. Only a silver bullet/blade or weapons intoxicated by wolfsbane can harm or kill a werewolf. #HeightenedSenses - The werewolf has superhumanly the acute senses of sight, smell, and hearing similar to those of an actual wolf. They can see part of the infrared spectrum and thus detect the heat signatures of objects or people in total darkness. They can smell other living creatures within 100 feet (when upwind) and follow a scent over nearly any terrain. They can hear the sound of a heartbeat in a cave at a distance of 30 feet. #ClawsAndTeeth - The werewolf’s claws and teeth are extremely sharp and tough, enabling them to rend through a variety of substances including fabric, wood, cinder block, and even some metals. #InfectiousBite - Werewolves venomous bite is fatal to a vampire. The bite wound will begin to appear infected and will hurt when touched. The infection will spread throughout the body, producing unbearable pain. The vampire will have uncontrollable hunger, and will eventually develop delusions, hallucinations, rabid rage, and dementia before finally dying. #LieDetection - Werewolves are able to sense if you’re lying or not. #Empathy - Being that werewolves’ senses being so strong, they developed the ability to sense other’s emotions through touch. With time this power grows stronger, this is used to sense a person’s true intentions and if they are lying or not. At first this ability can be very annoying and hard to control, sensing everyone’s emotions without meaning to. This ability can also be developed enough to absorb pain from someone. #Telepathy - Alpha’s possess a more advanced form of this power which is known as telepathy the ability to read minds. They also manifest this through touch, they not only sense the emotions they can also hear their thoughts. Though in wolf form, all members of one pack can communicate through their minds with each other but not with pack members of a foreign pack. Only Alpha’s can communicate past the pack bounds. #Longevity - Once a werewolf reaches maturity, their aging stops and they enter a state of virtual immortality in which they are exempt from physical old age and have an infinite lifespan. #HealingFactor - Werewolves is capable of regenerating damaged or destroyed areas of their body with much greater speed and efficiency than an ordinary human. Injuries that result in massive tissue damage such as bullet wounds, slashes, punctures, blunt force trauma, and severe burns heal completely, without so much as a scar, in a short amount of time. Their ability to heal is at least 10 times that of a human. #Silver - Many modern werewolves are also supposedly immune to damage caused by ordinary weapons, being vulnerable only to silver objects (usually a bullet or blade). This negative reaction to silver is sometimes so strong that the mere touch of the metal on a werewolf’s skin will cause burns. #Aconite - Wolfsbane (a highly toxic member of the genus aconitum, also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic. A concoction derived from the roots of the plant was often used to wash bite wounds from wild or venomous animals, and so perhaps this is where wolfsbane derived its supposed ability to cure people of lycanthropy or other supernatural afflictions. #BrokenNeck - By breaking a werewolf’s neck, it results in instant death. #Magic - Witches are able to curse and inflict supernaturals aneurysms that cause the blood vessels of werewolves to explode. #HeartExtraction - If the heart of a werewolf is removed , it will cause instant death. #Decapitation - The act of dismembering or removing the head of a werewolf will result in death. #LunarCycle - A common belief throughout all folklore and myth is that all werewolves are forced to shift during the cycle of the full moon, to some this is a gift, others a curse. Though this is true, they can also change by will at any other day. #Mortality - Because werewolves are still human for most of the month, they share many of the same weaknesses as non-supernatural beings (e.g. age, fire, drowning, extreme loss of blood, suffocation, etc.) Although, it is very difficult to kill a werewolf thanks to their accelerated healing and endurance. Also, werewolves seem to be resistant to most diseases.

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