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funnier-as-a-system · 5 months

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sorry for the possibly dumb question

what the fuck is a system

Don't worry, anon, this isn't a dumb question at all! Systems aren't very well-known, so I'm happy to explain them to you. I'll start by explaining what a system is, then go more in-depth about systems in general.

So, you know how most people are one person? Or, rather, you know how when you meet someone, you assume they're the only person in their body? You don't really think "I wonder if this person shares their body and life with other beings." or "I wonder if this person I know is actually multiple people all sharing the same body.", but that's how it is for systems!

In simple terms, a system is any collective group of self-aware entities that share the same body (which is, I fully acknowledge, a complicated definition, but basically we have multiple selves whereas most people would have just one, and each self has their own identity). We may not specifically consider ourselves individual people (some systems see themselves as separated parts of one whole person, for instance), but it'll probably help you understand if you think of us as people that happen to share the same body. We each have our own sense of self, ideas, feelings, personalities, and on and on, just like anyone else.

Although this probably sounds very strange and surprising, it's likely that you've heard of systems before – just not with that language. Many people have heard of "multiple personalities" or "Multiple Personality Disorder", which is how systems used to be known. This sort of understanding of systems is especially common in horror movies, which tend to depict systems as serial killers or monsters. Of course, systems are no more likely to hurt others than anyone else is, but the stereotype and stigma persists, and can lead to harassment or even violence against systems.

However, you may have also come across more positive depictions. Body sharing is a common trope, for instance. People with Dissociative Identity Disorder, who often describe themselves as systems, are being more often portrayed as regular or kind people rather than serial killers, such as Uendo Toneido from Ace Attorney. I've often seen systems point to characters and series like Venom, Sense8, and Moon Knight – which depict systems or situations and characters that resonate with systems – to describe what their lives are like. We often find characters that are rather like systems that may not have been intended to be read as such and have a laugh about it; you might be able to spot the same, now that you know what you're looking for.

So, systems can be understood as when a single body is inhabited by more than one person, or being, or entity (whichever term you prefer). We may share the same body, but we each have our own selves, and often, our own names and identities, too.

That's the essence of it! I'll put more under the cut about systems in case you're curious.

For starters, if you're looking into systems, you'll probably run across the term "plurality", which is an overarching term that refers to all instances of someone sharing a body/brain; it is the state of being more-than-one, not just an individual collection of beings in a single body (the latter is what the word "system" specifically refers to). There's also the word "plural", which can be used either as a noun to mean the same thing as "system", or as an adjective to describe things that involve or exhibit plurality. For instance, I am plural. I very much enjoy talking about plurality and plural characters in fiction.

(As a comparison, you may think of video chats/group calls. Plurality, here, would be video chats in general. Meanwhile, a specific video chat – called a webinar – would be a system. And the people in a webinar would be the members of a system. Or, for another example, plurality would be education, a system would be a class, and the members of that system would be the students.)

Speaking of, beings who share a body – who are part of a system – are called many different terms. Two of the most common are "headmate" and "alter", although I also see "system member" a lot. I could say that my headmate was rather helpful today, or that my alter was fronting yesterday. Alter is more medical of a term, but it's more standard, especially in some other languages outside English.

But, wait, you might be wondering what fronting is! Well, since we all live in the same body, we've got to share control of it too, don't we? Fronting is what we call controlling the body, and switching is when we change who is in control. Some systems switch often, while others switch rarely, or only under certain circumstances, and some systems never switch at all. Switching may be involuntary, or it may be a voluntary skill a system has picked up. There's a lot of variety across systems.

Plurality is most often known in the context of DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, which often involves a lot of involuntary switches. P-DID, or Partial Dissociative Identity Disorder, meanwhile, involves very few switches, but these are likely to be involuntary, as well. There are other disorders that plurality may be a part or symptom of, but plurality can also exist as its own non-disordered state, so long as there's no attached or related issues causing problems for the system (ex. memory issues are another frequent problem in DID, and these memory issues come from the members of a system not remembering what the others did when those alters were fronting).

You may be wondering, how does this happen? How does someone become a system? There are many different ways. Sometimes, it's a part of someone's culture, religion, or spirituality. Sometimes, it's the brain's response to trauma, trying to protect itself. Sometimes, someone is simply born this way. Sometimes, someone may become a system out of the blue, or cause their own plurality somehow. Some systems have a multitude or mix of origins. Most studies on systems currently focus on systems that originate from trauma, as these systems most often have issues – including the trauma in question – that need to be looked into and addressed, but there are some budding studies into systems with other origins, such as the few current and ongoing studies on created systems (the aforementioned systems that cause their own plurality).

I'm simplifying some things here; identity such as this gets increasingly nuanced and personal as you learn more and more (for example, as said before, not all system members identify as individual persons, even if it can help understand them to think of them like individual persons that just happen to share a body). But I hope this helped you learn at least the basics about systems!

#thanks for the ask!#I'm leaving reblogs on for this one y'all better behave #and those of you who know a lot about s.ystems better read that last paragraph about simplifying things to make them understandable #before any of you start arguing

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rpbetter · 3 years

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Wha-? Now people are labeling muns who just play devil's advocate and don't have strong feelings either way about what other people write? I didn't sign up to be a 'proshipper' just for not caring what other people ship. I don't care about a lot of things. Why the label for this particular thing? It sounds so dumb, like a way to yank in more muns who just want to mind their own business into drama and 'sides'. I agree with your post, I'm just angry at the rpc for being babies. And the labels...

I'm always angry at the RPC for being babies and the labels, it's alright, Anon.

I believe (and I could be wrong, because for the most part, I tried to stay out of any and all fandom-related things for years and years - I just want to enjoy the movie/shows/books, I don't need or want to discourse about that shit, you know?) that all of those terms originated in fandom, outside/predating transfer to the RPC.

I know when I encountered them initially, it was in fandom, not the RPC part of fandom...and at that time, it was just the label of people being "antis." A label they gave themselves by, literally, asserting themselves as "anti-character here-."

It's been my supposition that the RPC's transition to being more canon character and fandom-based than OC-preferred led to an organic transfer of more fandom-specific terminology (and behaviors). As places like twitter and tumblr became hubs of fandom and RPCs, they brought tags to the table. While that is an absolutely wonderful thing, it also means that we all started out tagging things with good intentions, only meant to be tags. You could tag something, pulling from a random fandom here, "anti-Daryl Dixon" from TWD and the plethora of fans who love that character could block it. It was a peacekeeping measure at that state, not a flag for discourse and drama.

Tag-language influencing and becoming an organic part of language, in general, is a whole other, though fascinating, topic, so I'm going to just leave that there. The point is, it happened.

And unfortunately, you quickly got people popping "anti-whatever" in their bios and blog descriptions. Not as a means of allowing others to avoid it, but as a means of making it really clear that they despised the character, fandom, ship, whatever. With purity culture 3.5 hitting in earnest, the reasons for despising those things became raised stakes. It wasn't a basis of simply disliking them anymore - you needed a dissertation how this thing was morally objectionable and destroying the world. Anyone disagreeing with you, by that logic, is morally reprehensible themselves and must be stopped. Raised stakes.

Actions cause reactions, too. People started making it clear that they were "pro" whatever, too. These became opposing designations, and honestly, I'm not sure who started up "proshipper" first. I only know I saw it being used negatively first, that doesn't mean it happened that way! What I've seen has been the entire ship/write/like what you want crowd being given that label negatively and taking it up themselves in the same way people are given to take up a lot of things they've been negatively called.

By "what I've seen," I don't just mean witnessing it happening in the wild lol it happened to me, as well. I reblogged a post about how shipping wasn't activism, and got an anon informing me that I was a disgusting proshipper (every time I reblog that, I get at least one person popping off in my RP inboxes, actually, it hasn't slowed down any). At which point, I, too, was very much like, I'm a what now? Yes, I am okay with shipping? What the hell is this person even on about?

So, it's my theory that in response to the anti movement, some people stated that they were "pro-ship and let ship" and thus...we got to be "disgusting proshippers."

Regardless, it absolutely is just another way of labeling people in order to single them out and/or keep feeding drama, yes.

And again, I feel you. I know labels, good, bad, reclaimed, whatever, seem to give a lot of people a grounded sense of identity, but I've always been uncomfortable with them. I don't understand the need for them, even if I get that they make others feel a certain way. I just want to feel the way I do, be the person I am, and have that person engaged with based singularly on my actions.

It's alright if someone else wants to freely label themselves in a way they feel is positive (though, I do wish that younger people, especially in the queer community didn't have this batshit pressure to do so, and correctly, the first time), but they've always felt threatening and restrictive to me.

As such, having people create and bestow a label on me for the purpose of designating me a problem is kind of an uncomfortable realization of why I feel negative about them. I don't like it, and it's part of why I don't like the bullshit of making this distinction in DNIs. By doing so, they're literally as hell singling people out...with a negative label they gave them for the criminal act of feeling like it's absurd to police fiction, instead, expecting adults to behave like adults when engaging with fiction and each other.

It's honestly forcing hostility and drama, when the point of being ship/write/like and let ship/write/like is not having that hostility and drama. It's merely a live and let live mentality, that's what y'all are attacking! The labeling is a rotting cherry on top that is so indicative of this same, legitimately problematic, behavior that goes on in the extremism I talked about in the post you referenced. It's...gross, let's just say that.

And I'm really sorry that it makes you upset, too! You don't have to label yourself, you can reject that and refuse to engage with those using it in this negative way. That makes me feel considerably less annoyed and disturbed! I'll totally joke about it, as I do fall into the designated parameters of being both "proship" and "anti-anti," but I don't actually label myself thus. I only consider myself a reasonable adult who has better and more serious shit going on than to worry about what fiction someone else is writing or enjoying.

Just...do be aware that, like myself and others, you're likely to be labeled if one of these hostile parties sees you reblog the "wrong" thing or make the "wrong" statement. You are being labeled in those DNIs for your viewpoint of wishing to avoid absurd drama. So, I'd advise, for your peace of mind, to try to avoid blogs stating that they're "anti" anything but drama/bullying etc., or who feel it necessary to put up those DNIs. You are who they're talking about, they just don't know it because you're not labeling yourself or being otherwise obvious about it :/

Try your best to avoid that changing, you deserve to peacefully enjoy RP! As disturbing as it is, as rightfully upset about it as you are, maybe it's a good thing you found out? In this way, I mean. Without someone bringing it to your inbox hatefully. Now you know what it means, that they mean you, and you can stay away from it! Try to look at it that way - there will always be people weirdly desperate to make their drama hobby everyone else's problem, you can only make an effort to stay out of it if you know what to look for, right?

I hope any of this made you feel better about the fresh hell that is the RPC lol keep doing you, Anon! You're not the problem, infantile drama mongers are <3

#answered #anonymous #post and ask replies #rpc terms #fandom history #potentially #tumblr rpc #dni lists

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cxsmicmyeon · 3 years

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ugh no my parents treated me like a baby. they allowed 0 independence. i think even til this day i have a lot to learn in social skills 😂 i'm too shy to start a conversation but if someone approaches my first then i can keep it flowing? so excited for you for when you're able to leave!!

OH MY GOSH STARRY I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!! 😧🥺 it isn't a pleasant thing to talk about regardless i should have chosen a different word 😭 HAHAHAHA no it made me chuckle out loud!! 🤣🤣 got some questioning looks from my son but yes 😂😂 these days i struggle to not hear exo things in my head.. everytime i see or hear "we are one" i hear myeon screaming exo SARANGHAJA wildly in my ear 😂🤣

looks like we're not the only ones that need to learn basic social skills and etiquette. but at least we're self aware!!

yep i originally came here to quietly exist and read fics and save some exo pics 😅 then i felt guilty so slowly started liking and reblogging. and now you've got me tagging! maybe more than needed but still 🤣 this is as close i get to being a fic writer. like youtube reactions but..tumblr? that makes you a tumblr influencer!! 😝

omg i used to be sooo obsessed with being a particular size in clothing. even now sometimes it affects my decision when buying clothes. i keep having to remind myself that the size is just a guide and it doesn't matter. i worked in retail for a long while so i was constantly surrounded my model-esque people 😔 i feel that too!! i came across a little documentary a while ago about autism in girls and the reason why statically boys are more likely to be diagnosed on the spectrum compared to girls is because girls actually "mask" their symptoms better? so pretending things are okay and trying to behave 'normally'. it's pretty interesting! i feel like it's the same for other mental health conditions. we should allll be screened just so we can get the right help! ooomygosh that sounds so sweet 🥺 minseokkie when is this happening!? i'm ready for you 😫

OMG STARRY! maybe a small exo series about first dates using these? 🙏 they're all so cute!! 🥺 but wait WHAT!? you haven't had kbbq or hotpot!? they're my favourite things in the world 😭 along with boba omg i'm obsessed with boba. i want to get another pet and name it boba 😂 SEHUNS DATE ALSO NEEDS BOBA!! 🧋🧋🧋 omfg if we weren't in pandemic times i would fly there and take you to get kbbq and hotpot 🤣

HAHAHA JUNMYEON WYD HONEY, WIFE HER UP SO Y'ALL CAN REPRODUCE SOME GORGEOUS BABIES!! but same i'm constantly being questioned how old i am and get all these judging looks from people when i'm out with my kids 🙃 i'm 27 okay not 16, relax 🙃🙃🙃 yes LOLL he was the ultimate geek ceo in that series 🤣

my dad hates tattoos with a passion and i know it's my body my rules but i just don't want to deal with the headache that it'll bring if i got one? like it just isn't worth. so i said later on down the track it'll happen, just not now. but the temptation to actually go and do it gets stronger every single time i talk about it 😫

SINCE U BEEN GONEEEEEE I CAN BREATHEE FOR THE FIRST TIME!! yeah f u c k them!! thank u NEXT!! hahahaha in that case you and me both 😂

lolll it was so hard to ask my parents to hang out with friends🙄🙄i never went out bc it was such a hassle😔😔but yes i suck when it comes to starting conversations but if someone else reached out first i can talk to them!!

don't worry about it l!! i should have said something somewhere lol but u know now that's all that matters!!! agh i loved when jun said "we are one exo saranghaja" i love imitating it it's hilarious🤣🤣yes i quote "shut up and go away" a lot when i get angry and every time i hear an english word that was in an exo song i always think of the song!!

agh i came to tumblr bc i read so many exo fics on here before making my account and i wanted to try out writing for exo and here we are!! 103 followers :DDD i'm so happy thank u all followers <33 and yes i love reblogging gifs and stuff it's a way to save it! omgg i'm a really small influencer loolll

i honestly have been a large for years so i've accepted being that size lol, although a couple times in high school when we had to order shirts/sweaters for events/clubs and i said large i got really insecure bc most of the people were healthy weight and stuff✌🏻oh wow masking symptoms? i don't think i really do so i feel i'm pretty expressive in my emotions and whatnot but i want to mask it when around others bc i don't want to show people how i feel esp if it's in school or something! and yes mental health awareness is soooo important! it's just as important as physical health!!!

WAIT??? THAT MAY BE A BLURB/DRABBLE SERIES??? YES??? OMG UR MIND!!! and ofc how could i forget sehun and boba? and AGH i want to go to get korean bbq and hotpot so bad!! maybe i'll go with my best friend they said they had korean bbq before and they said it was good!! omg boba is fantastic!! just the other day i had lychee green tea with lychee bubbles and it was the best thing ever!! lychee is so good😫😫

ugh i hate getting disapproving looks🙄🙄people suck sometimes,, but fun fact i did all my growing in middle school and when i was a freshman someone thought i was a junior🤣🤣🤣but i've basically looked the same since i was 14 loool (except i got longer hair and fatter)

ugh same my parents hate tattoos (and piercings, i want a nose ring and a belly button piercing lolll) but honestly i don't care because they'll be small so easily covered lmaooo,, my cousins have tattoos and piercings despite their parents wishes so why not follow suit? my cousin even joked about taking me to get my piercing🤣🤣 and when the time comes i may ask my cousins how it was to get tattoos and stuff lol!

#asks #bestie anon #friend asks!

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