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theotterpenguin · 30 days

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the performative accusation that shipping zutara (and occasionally this criticism is levied at jinko/zukka) is colonialist apologism has been addressed in some excellent posts, explaining the inaccuracies and problematic implications of this logic far better than i ever could - like this post and this one and this one and this one and this one.

and i know this topic has been talked about to death, but if you could indulge my contribution for a moment, i just find it interesting how this sentiment results from the cognitive dissonance of atla fans being unable to reconcile with the idea of their favorite show's political beliefs not lining up with their own.

atla is a largely philosophical children's show that at its core deals with themes of love, redemption, and destiny vs. free-will. atla examines these themes through an anti-colonalist, anti-imperalist lens that deconstructs the idea of racial divisiveness and the idea that people of different ethnicities are inherently different. this is message is pretty explicitly stated by guru pathik:

Guru Pathik: "The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same." Aang: "Like the four nations?" Guru Pathik: "Yes. We are all one people. But we live as if divided."

and also by uncle iroh:

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements and the other nations will help you become whole."

this theme is developed across three full seasons, with the crux of this message culminating in zuko's friendships with the gaang - despite coming from different nationalities and different backgrounds, they have all had their own experiences being hurt by the fire nation and work together to take down the oppressive fire nation government. the question of destiny vs. free will is also explored through zuko's character - despite starting off as an antagonist, he develops into a symbolic representation of how the fire nation's oppression hurts its own citizens. he unlearns the fire nation's imperialist propaganda while simultaneously unlearning his father's abuse. rather than following misguided beliefs of what he thought his destiny was as the heir to the throne, instead he forges his own path.

thus, to claim that zuko can never form a deep and meaningful relationship with any of the gaang because of his nationality goes unequivocally against the themes of the show. and a major part of this is because these are fictional characters being used to analyze different theoretical questions within the show and in some cases, are used as symbolic representations of different philosophical ideas - their friendships and their character arcs serve a purpose within the text that cannot be easily transcribed onto real-life dynamics between people.

it's illogical to criticize fans who are choosing to understand atla at the level of the themes that are presented by the text - who are interested in exploring similar philosophical questions brought up by the show through the context of relationships.

if you don't like the themes of forgiveness and redemption that atla explores, your criticism should be aimed at the writing of the show itself rather than other fans. because you are giving far more thought to the "implications" of a close friendship or romantic relationship between someone from an imperalist nation and someone from an oppressed nation than the writers ever did. (and if you fall in this camp of people, i would hope you wouldn't be reblogging fanart of zuko and the gaang together while simultaneously claiming zuko could can never escape the sins of his ancestors and can never form a deep relationship based on trust and intimacy with katara or sokka or jin - because that would just be hypocritical).

and as a side note, people seem to apply this flawed logic to zutara far more than other ships solely because the show spends the most time exploring the complicated nature of fire nation imperalism in the interactions between zuko and katara in the latter half of b3. this is because they've been juxtapositioned against each other and paralleled with aang since the beginning of the show in ways that toph, sokka, and suki are not, who have mostly been used to examine different themes. there simply isn't enough time to explore these complicated themes with all the other characters, even if they theoretically exist in zuko’s dynamics with these characters, so the writers focus the most on zuko's relationships with katara and aang, and these relationships are given far more narrative weight, so have more content to criticize. but zuko and katara also canonically become friends by the end of the show. if you want to discount the existence of their friendship, claiming that it will always be tainted by the fire nation's oppression regardless of what is shown in the text, then you also have to discount zuko's friendships with aang, suki, toph, and sokka - because even if this isn't shown as a permanent barrier to their friendships in the show, it’s also not shown as a permanent barrier to his friendship with katara. if your logic is solely based on the idea that a person's identity in a relationship as a colonizer or a victim is fixed and unchanging regardless of character development, this would apply to zuko's friendships with everyone else as well.

#zuko #katara #zutara #i have seen people say that the zutara dynamic makes them personally uncomfortable and that's fine - to each their own!#but it's hypocritical to only dislike zuko's relationship with katara while simultaneously exalting his friendships w aang or toph or sokka #just because the show doesn’t take as much time to explore these issues with other characters doesn’t mean the same dynamic doesn’t apply #my post #my meta

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creaman · 1 month

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—BECAUSE KUNG FU PANDA 4 KILLED MY GRANDMA, OKAY?

To preface, I watched this movie and I'm genuinely tweaking right now so I had to write down a very brief (lie) criticism on this film — which you should boycott, by the way.

Starting with the things I liked, before briefing my primary points of criticism:

Po's Character Regression

Po and Zhen's Dynamic

The Chameleon

I'd also yap about Lord Shen and the death of the art style and the entire narrative and pacing and use of the staff of wisdom but my therapist says being such a hater is 'unhealthy' or something. My heart is full of hatred.

SPOILERS for the entirety KFP4 for the 2 people who care.

KFP4 undermines and ignores the previous three movies — Unwriting character developments, outright removing the Furious Five, straying from the character design philosophies and is completely inconsistent with the established lore.

Things I Liked About Kung Fu Panda 4

The Chameleon's character design

Visual gag in the Tavern where Po uses a recently thrown axe as a hat rack (made me laugh)

When Mr. Ping did this:

so cute! the little heart!

Po — Character Writing

Po, as established in the previous movies, is confident in his abilities and identity — he’s learnt inner peace, he’s matured as a character. However, in KFP4, his character has completely regressed. He’s immature again (such as KFP1, possibly worse) and says verbatim, “only knows kicking butt and taking names” — UNLEARNING inner peace and insisting that “…being the Dragon Warrior is all I know.”

It’s childish, and sort of Hotel Transylvania-esque.

Which isn’t helped by the comedy, the dialogue — a large chunk of which are jokes in the style of:

Master Shifu says something philosophical

Po quips off of it / doesn’t get it (i.e. Whoa!! beat I don’t know what that means.)

Oh, it’s great, yeah, very tolerable. Po’s shenanigans are normally reeled in by the presence of the Furious Five who are generally more serious in nature, creating a much needed balance in the dynamic — So without them, it’s just Po becoming increasingly obnoxious and insufferable with every consecutive quip throughout the screenplay.

Po and Zhen — Character Dynamics

[No more graphics sorry I'm too angry]

As if it wasn’t obvious that Zhen was going to be the next Dragon Warrior the second she was introduced.

Zhen, as a character, has no depth besides being a quippy thief. She quips, she steals. This character has no motives — it can be assumed that the writers intended on a ‘change of heart’ thing, but she isn’t established as evil, her working for the Chameleon is written as a (albeit poor) twist reveal.

By which point, her taking either side wouldn’t make sense, given that she has shown no loyalty or attachment to either Po nor the Chameleon.

The movie artificially strengthens their bond by having Zhen start opening up about her backstory out of nowhere for no reason but they have done nothing to grow closer to each other.

Small tangent, her backstory is exactly what you’d expect it to be with no subversions or even emotional weight. Woe is me I was so small and hungry I had to steal to survive. Glossed over in about a minute.

The majority of the dialogue between Zhen and Po is spoken exposition — explaining how powerful and badass the Chameleon is, explaining how ‘we have to go here to do that’ and ‘this place was cool until the Chameleon did such and such’, and the rest of their time together is spent engaging in filler chase sequences and fight scenes.

The Chameleon

Where do I even start…

This is where it becomes apparent that the movie relies heavily on telling rather than showing —

She is the weakest villain by far, not only in universe but as a written character; which is particularly disheartening because I genuinely adore her character design and feel as though a shapeshifting character has great potential.

The movie artificially inflates her power by insisting through exposition that this is the most capable antagonist thus far (lie).

The audience is TOLD by Zhen and various restaurant patrons that the Chameleon is a powerful shapeshifting sorceress and that she 'dominates the city' whilst the film does nothing to showcase this.

'Dominating the city' meaning letting her henchpeople run amock and bully the civilians just like Lord Shen's wolves in KFP2... uninspired.

I just realised they didn't even give her a NAME what the FUCK is going on

She describes HERSELF as ruthless, clever and unsentimental when comparing Zhen to herself.

She says HERSELF that she’s “Stronger than every opponent you’ve ever faced.”

Let’s see what vile reprehensible things she’s done, shall we?

Gently push someone down some stairs

Her first appearance is through Zhen’s exposition, as opposed to the dramatic and memorable entrances of the previous villains. Her motives or character aren’t established until the final third of the film. She doesn’t even FIGHT anybody until the final third of the film; and even then, her fight sequences are uninspired and she never really poses a real threat. (She goes down in two hits.)

That being said, WE CAN STILL SAVE HER GUYS WE CAN STILL GET HER OUTTA THERE I'M COMING FOR YOU CHAMELEON I'M GONNA DRAFT YOU A PROPER BACKSTORY AND MOTIVE AND YOU'RE GONNA BE THE MOST THREATENING VILLAIN THUS FAR

There's a scene after the climax of the film where all the kung fu masters and previous villains from the spirit realm bow to Po. I'm not going to provide my thoughts on this because I fear I may burst a blood vessel. Good day!

Closing Statements

To put it simply, Kung Fu Panda 4 was my Megamind 2.

The film rejects its predecessors in every way. It really feels as though they brought in somebody with no prior knowledge of the franchise to direct the movie.

It's a film that relies heavily on telling rather than showing — banking on the previous three movies to carry it through the box office.

It's just really disheartening to see studio execs turn one of the best franchises into a safe sequel cash grab and regress every character's development.

Nevertheless. I do adore the chameleon's character design so I might do my own take on her character.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no fairy godmother, there is no tooth fairy, and there is no kung fu panda 4.

#creaman talks to drywall #kung fu panda 4 #spoilers #I'm actually tweaking #sorry I stopped drawing the graphics because the film crushed my soul #you drive me to drink kung fu panda 4 #when the rantsona crosses their arms #hating on main #kfp #discussion #criticism #kfp4 #technically a vent post #i've lost it #the chameleon #zhen #po

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autolenaphilia · 3 months

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I’ve seen a lot of explanations for young queer people being so weirdly puritan, as in the no-kink-at-pride discourse, the anti-ship people working themselves into moralistic anger paroxysms over fanfic and the frequent callouts of people over harmless consensual kinks. Like people, including myself, have attributed it to the after-effects of an evangelical Christian upbringing or the related problem of the very sheltered and isolated childhoods many of these people have had. And that’s all probably true to a certain extent.

But honestly, it’s probably boils down to a simple thing: a form of queer respectability politics. All forms of queerness in cishetnormative society are seen as freakish degenerate perversion, but some are seen as worse than others. And openly disavowing other queers with weird kinks is the most common form to buy respect from normie society, and it does have some material benefits for them. It’s common to almost all forms of oppression for there to be a dynamic of asking certain sections of the oppressed to sell out other oppressed people for their own benefit. Divide and conquer. This has gone on for literally decades. The respectable monogamous cis white gay male couple who condemn those other gays who are into leather and bondage and casual sex is almost a cliché at this point.

And let’s be honest, some people in the queer community are more privileged than others and thus able to wield this kind of respectability politics against those more oppressed than them. This is why transfems are so often targeted by TME queers for callouts over harmless kinks. There is little more disgusting to the cishetnormie mind than a transfem being sexual. And so other queers are able to wield transmisogyny to build their own respectability. What all those callouts from TME queers are actually saying, if you would do a They Live glasses style analysis, is:“I’m not a degenerate perverted sex freak, but that transfem over there is, do harm to her, not me.”

Transmisogyny is so strong that the figure of the degenerate transfem can even be used to redeem previously unacceptable figures of queer sexuality. I’ve seen multiple posts that present the aforementioned leather and bondage cis gay male kinksters as wholesome in contrast with whatever evil kink they are ascribing to transfems this week. Nothing is as evil to anti-kink moralists as two trans lesbians who do fauxcest roleplay by calling themselves sisters.

And when queers deprogram themselves from cisheteronormativity, they tend to do it in very self-serving ways. They only unlearn their bigotry and disgust against varieties of queerness that apply to them. So cis gays accept that cis gay male and cis lesbian sex is fine, various TME trans people unlearn their bigotry against tme non-binary people or taking testosterone. The queer things that are part of their identity, that they are inclined to do. But basically no variety of queer listed in this paragraph have any strong incentive to unlearn their bigotry and disgust against transfems, their transmisogyny And why would they? They can use transmisogyny to their own benefit, to raise their status within the queer community and in wider society by throwing transfems to the wolves.

#my writings #transmisogyny #callout culture #purity culture #respectability politics

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starry-bi-sky · 4 months

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Danyal Al Ghul's missed potential - this kid is not gonna behave like his canon self if he's with the league of assassins until his late formative years, and my reasoning why

(feel free to take this all with a grain of salt this is just my thoughts on it, this is all mostly amusing to me and isn't trying to be negative towards anyone else)

similar to how i was talking about how danny growing up in crime alley would affect him, demon twin aus with danyal al ghul make me laugh a lot (affectionate) because... whose teaching danny to unlearn all the ecofascism he picked up from the league of assassins? whose teaching him to be kind? to be gentle? Not the LoA thats for certain.

(you could plausibly say Jazz but she's only 2 years older than Danny and do you really expect a fellow child to properly explain why X is wrong to another child and have it be 100% effective? i don't doubt it'd help to an extent, but not in the same way an adult explaining it would)

plus a ton of other things, like whose teaching him to value human life? not the LoA. Whose teaching him how to adjust to living with American society after he ends up with the Fentons when he's 8-9-10? Who teaches him that killing is wrong, whose enforcing that?

(not the Fentons if you're going the neglectful parent route, and Jazz can try but i really don't think Danny is going to listen to her, a stranger who isn't even part of his grandfather's league)

How do you teach a child to value human life when the greatest development window for that opportunity has closed and he's already formed his own opinions?

You're not gonna get a Danny whose exactly like his canon attitude if he's staying with the league during his formative years (0-8 years old). you're not. You could get someone LIKE it, potentially, or someone who has traces of it or is similar -- like danny's wit and jokes and sarcasm, and on some level his kindness. but you're not gonna have a carbon copy. Development doesn't work that way. "nature" can only do so much in the face of nurture.

If anything, it doesn't even have to be a major change -- in the league he cans till be kind, but it's probably going to manifest in a different way than what is considered normal. Tough love, for one. But there's gonna be something that affects him negatively. Why make him 'always good/kind' when you can make him a brat who develops into a kinder (if spikier than in canon) person?

TLDR: Danyal Al Ghul would not be like how he is in canon if he's with the league until his late formative years -- not without any lasting pr permanent impacts from the league at least. Missed potential to make him an absolute nightmare like damian was -- especially in his early years when he first arrived to the Fenton house.

(this doesn't apply to danyal al ghul aus where he's either given to the fentons as a baby/is reincarnated/etc. this is mostly aimed for danyal al ghul aus where he fakes his death at like, 7-10 and somehow ends up, personality-wise like his completely canon self by 14 without any differences.)

(and even then if he's five or four, or even three, he would still be traumatized and influenced by the league. he'll just have more time to adjust. the sooner he leaves the league the more likely he is to be like his canon self, but not like an exact copy)

(more under the cut)

Anyways what I'm saying is that there is prime missed Danyal al Ghul potential to make him an absolute NIGHTMARE to the Fentons however way he ends up with them, just like Damian was with the Waynes! Cuz why does Damian get all the fun? Danny got the same training and endoctrine as him! He is also an ex-assassin! Why is Danny the only one who is 'well adjusted and non-violent' hm? Hmm?

Why can't he also be mean, and stabby, and a total stuck-up in some way or another? Have fun with his characterization, its prime opportunity to play play-doh and clay with him! If he starts out as X how does he get the personality traits of Y, and thus become XY?

Like take this with a grain of salt if you will, but make him arrogant. Make him an asshole! Make him a bad person at first! Because he will be! He's the blood son of the batman and you mean to tell me that damian is the only one arrogant about it at first? Make him stabby and mean even at 14 when he's begun to chill out! Have fun with it! If he's with the Fentons at any point past the age of four or five then he's gonna be a nightmare to handle because he still remembers the league and his time there.

(and while it gives him more time to chill the hell out, his time at the league is still gonna leave an impact on him.)

also what im saying as well is have him and sam potentially get along like a house on FIRE. Again, Danny grew up under the views of an ecofascist cult and nobody to challenge those views to him until he got to amity park at whatever age in late formative years he was at. He could be about as intense or even MORE intense about environmental awareness/rights than Sam is!

(also him being supremely unimpressed with Sam's wealth. he gave up a palace in the mountains for this town. because that's funny to me - like let his past have more influence on him! it'll be fun!)

you could have a danny who doesn't kill but doesn't fully understand the value of human life because jazz is like two years older than him and isn't that good at explaining why people's lives are important. he won't kill but he's not morally opposed to it. there's very little chance he actually gets bullied at school because he nearly killed Dash the first time he tried anything.

Danny could have scars, physical ones, because its implied in multiple canon that training starts at toddling (my best bet is 3 at minimum and ~maybe~ 2 but only on the later side of 2. Good fucking luck getting any infant under 2 to do anything you ask, ESPECIALLY assassin training. They're gonna stick the weapon in their mouth sooner than they're gonna do katas. This is coming from a daycare teacher.)

there's more examples of how danny being at the league during his formative years would affect him, but those are just some of them. he could have a sword! An appreciation for weaponry and nature. Maybe he still speaks all shakespearan and formal, does he still make bodily threats to people? If Damian is still threatening people at 14 why can't danny?

#dpxdc #dp x dc #dp x dc crossover #dpxdc crossover #dpdc #tldr danyal al ghul has a ton of missed potential of what his behavior would be like if he left the league mid-to-late formative years #this post is specifically directed towards those danyal al ghul posts where he ends up with the fentons when he's like. 8 #like great. who taught him to unlearn all of the LoA's programming #how is he exactly like he was in canon despite being with the LoA during his early childhood #source: i've taken multiple child development classes #this isnt to bash those aus at all its just me thinking its hilarious that danny would even remotely be like his canon personality #especially if he's in the league long enough for damian to remember him #like i love danyal al ghul aus i just think there's not enough being taken into account about how the league would permanently impact him #especially if he leaves later on in life #people are not ponds they are puddles of mud. if you drop a rock into it it's gonna change its shape #its also good creative exercises on how to flesh characters out better and better understand how things in a story may impact a character #good thought exercises with the additional bonus of making danny a violent gremlin like damian is #i dont wanna say this is bashing but i guess it is kinda a criticism on the writing in those aus because you’re telling me this had NO #affect on danny on his personality beyond just ‘oh league bad. league scary’?? cmonnn have some fun #like you mean to tell me that being a child assassin had no lasting impact on him or his personality?? like at all???#he doesnt have an ounce of self-importance/arrogance/anger like damian did?? like none of that *stuck?* he’s just the normal and sane #sibling right off the bat??? five years with the fentons turned him into a complete blankslate?? he has no lasting impact from the league??

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shirefantasies · 3 months

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Hiiii hru? Can I request like the fellowship with a reader who is like a total push over? Like could be stabbed in the leg and would apologize to the attacker or like could literally be freezing but would offer their blanket so somebody who has slight chills. If you don’t want to that’s perfectly fine 😊 thank you ❤️

Yes you can! As someone who struggled with people pleasing for a long time & am still unlearning a lot, I really feel this! I didn’t go full apologizing for getting stabbed but hopefully this is a good representation of people pleasing behaviors 😅 Warnings: some blood/violence mentions, mental struggles implied

The Fellowship + People-Pleaser

Aragorn

“Why are we stopping,” you ask, “did you not say make haste?” “It cannot have escaped your notice that you were just stabbed,” Aragorn replies, gently urging you down and dabbing with stinging but necessary force around the bloody tear at your leg. His voice is hard to read- colored with wry amusement, perhaps, concern most definitely. His eyes shine at the sight of you and his gentle touch has heat rushing to your face. “Why do you think we would force you to bear a burden like this?” Struck. That is the only way you can describe the feeling, what his words do to you. You fear so greatly being a burden that the others see it as a poor reflection upon themselves. Like you think them heartless. You shake your head. “I’m sorry. I just- I didn’t want to slow us down since you said what you said. Never would I believe you capable of any great cruelty, Aragorn.” He nods. “That is not my intent.” His words are barely above a whisper now. “Now rest, please. We all could use it.”

Legolas

Shuffling behind you alerts you to another presence cutting like lightning through the spiraling clouds overtaking you. Panicking, you sniff and wipe frantically at your face with your sleeve, unglamorous as the gesture is. Straightening, you try your best to shakily apply the mask again, lips curving upward as much as you could will them. “What troubles you?” Legolas. Somehow it has, until this moment, escaped you that climbing into the trees was no promise of solitude when a woodland elf called your company temporary home. “Oh, nothing,” you say, cursing the waver of your tone, “nothing.” Brows furrowing, he stares pointedly as his dark eyes are soft and does not let his gaze leave. “Please. No burden is ever truly solitary.” Gaping, you try to come up with a rebuttal, feel too broken and melted to speak. Legolas sits at your side, leg brushing yours. “When you are ready, I will listen. There is no shame here. If you wish not to speak, I will simply stay.”

Boromir

Boromir's brows knitted at your repeated apologies. Breathy words of regret passed through your lips between waves of pain. Boromir's arms were around you, his steps shifting to guide you onto your back. Your leg was possibly broken, trampled in the last skirmish to great pain, and he had taken up the task of aiding your steps. “You did not ask for this,” his reply cut into your stream of words, “how can you apologize for actions beyond your control? You fought well, now come and rest.” “Thank you,” you manage, gritting your teeth as he lowered you onto a bedroll. “You are so like my brother sometimes,” Boromir chuckled deeply, smiling down upon your form as he unlaced your boots, “you need not prove your worth, you know. I care about you solely for what is in your heart.”

Gimli

“You can do anything! A great warrior lies within you! Every hit you take makes you stronger!” You had opened up to Gimli about the harsh words spoken to you in your past. The way you had subconsciously learned to live by them. Stay the desire to let people in lest they hurt you. It was exhausting, but you had been called a burden before and did not wish to be one again. Thus you told him to use those words again. You were used to them, after all. But all you received from the dwarf was staunch refusal. Kind words. Rousing words. “You remind me of my own kin,” he continued, “no challenge ever stops a dwarf for long. The fact that you spoke anything at all, naturally, is your first act of resistance. Thus now as you realize your own strength you can practice spitting it back in their face!” You can’t help the laugh that escapes you, but in the flash of joy something else pierces your heart. Gimli immediately took those words as hogwash. Maybe those lessons had not been lessons at all, but hits just as he said. Maybe there was something to be said for rising better from them instead of lying down.

Frodo

“Oh, don’t worry about me,” you give your characteristic response the moment the others check in on you, unwilling to become the burden they could surely see you as. Seeing as how you gave no strong opinions the others nod and continue on. Taking a deep breath, you walk on as well, at least until an arm falls gently across you in restraint. “Why do you always do that?” Frodo asks, eyes imploring. “Do what?” You reply, unsure what you have done to bother him. “Put yourself down so,” he answers, “act like your say has no value. They would stop for you, you know.” “I…I do not wish to be the reason we slow,” you stammer out, voice quieting. Frodo just shakes his head at your words, hand reaching up to grasp your shoulder reassuringly. “Do not doubt our love for you,” he tells you with a small smile, “after all, it is not a thing that is bought and sold.”

Sam

“Oh, Sam,” you hold back a sneeze, “I love them!” “Really?” He doesn’t look convinced, starting to retract the hand holding the flowers giving you the unfortunate reaction. “Of course, why would I not?” Cocking a brow, Sam shot back “Because my mother was always having a bad time with these lot and you just gave the same twinge of your nose as she did. No need to lie over it, I’d love to find you some new ones.” Your face and head fell. “Sam, I am so sorry, truly I-” “You can’t control it,” he chuckled, “besides, the apology is mine if you felt like you needed to lie. You never have to lie to me, ok? We can work it out together.” His eyes shone and all you could do was smile and nod.

Merry

"No, no, really, take it.” Insisting, you hold out your blanket in a shaky hand as you peer beseechingly into Merry’s eyes. His brows furrow faintly, but no annoyance or even confusion crosses his face, only…concern, a look as though you held out your very soul. “You really don’t need to do that, you know.” Now it is your turn for an expression fading into concern, brows knitting at more than just the chill wind whipping the trees. “Do what?” The hobbit places one hand upon his hip, the other giving an accusing little wave. “Offer up your blanket and think to leave yourself none. I thank you, but really. You have needs, too, you know.” Both his face and tone soften upon those words, punctuated with one step closer. “And they’re no less important.” No one said such things to you. Perhaps they even came with some disbelief, a grate on the way down like a wrongly swallowed pill. But the way Merry said it: it was clear to you he believed it, and that fact alone gave you pause. “O-oh. Alright. Thank you,” you replied softly. “Of course. And if you’re really so concerned,” he gave the rakish smile that always had your heart leaping, “we could always share. If you were comfortable, of course.”

Pippin

“Oh, Pippin, I’m so sorry.” “What ever for now?” No malice colors his voice, only pure amusement and its usual jolly lilt. He peers at you with brows raised and green eyes wide as you glance down. “I’ve got to reach over you really quickly here.” “That’s it?” “Well, I was getting in your way and-” “If that is getting in my way, do your worst. In fact, you don’t have to be sorry. You don’t have to be sorry for accidentally stepping in front of me, either, or not realizing you spoke at the same time as me… wait,” stopping., Pippin gapes at you, “do you think I don’t like you? I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth!” Your heart flipped. How could he even consider that you would think that? You just felt like you were in the way all the time. Apologizing was something you always had done. Just in case. “Oh, no, I just…. Well, I suppose it’s silly,” you trailed off. “Oh, no,” Pippin grabbed your faltering hand with a shake of his head and a grin on his face, “no more apologizing on my watch, alright?”

#lord of the rings #lotr #lotr imagines #lotr x reader #the fellowship of the ring #aragorn #legolas #boromir #gimli #frodo #sam #merry #pippin #ask #anon #requested

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problemnyatic · 3 months

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Unfriendly, very sharp reminder that your identity does not actually preclude you from subscribing to oppressive, conservative worldviews. I see a staggering number of people who argue very conservative points, but they use progressive language, and have carved out a niche in their beliefs that allow them (and people exactly like them) to exist, so theyre totally progressive bro trust me.

If your beliefs about what rights people should have, who is allowed to exist in public, and what is "valid" to be are rooted in ANY way in your sense of disgust, propriety, politeness, or any other thing like that, instead of in carefully thought-out logic that is aware of the actual real world history and current state of human rights and how they are in jeapordy? You're not being progressive, you're being conservative, but this time the road is paved with extra double good intentions.

If real human diversity is to exist, if human rights are to become truly universal and inaliable, you are going to need to envision a world where you are made uncomfortable, and you will need to learn to be *glad* for that, because that discomfort will be a sign that your worldview is being expanded.

Using the language of consent, of civility, of fairness, of "common sense," to make points that boil down to "I just don't think people should x/y/z, I am uncomfortable with the idea of people being x where I can see it, I just think the bad ones should let the good ones set themselves apart," is violence. It is the very same tactics white liberals have been using for decades to argue down civil rights and human rights as disruptive, and thus bad.

Human beings fuck. We have kinky sex together. We eat food that you can't imagine enjoying. We talk in ways that sound like home to one of us and like nonsense to another. We look different than you. Act different than you. Believe things you find reprehensible. This is a good thing and should be celebrated.

if you think it is reasonable to ask any minority, even and especially another of your community, to be more presentable for our oppressors, or hide ourselves for the sake of the image of the "good ones," to be careful about "confirming the biases" of people who have always thought that x y z minorities are subhuman, then you have not actually done the work of unlearning the conservative rhetoric you were raised on, and you are poisoning the human rights movement as a whole.

Fight for a world that doesn't conform to you. It's the only way you'll know for sure that other people are allowed to exist as freely as yourself, and the only way to ensure you'll be allowed to be you, too.

#problemnyatic discourse #problemnyatic thoughts

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starlight-bread-blog · 1 month

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In The Boy in the Iceberg, Zuko rejects the true firebending for the Fire Nation's distorted version of it. Their version of firebending is pure destruction, because the Fire Nation values aggression.

In Zuko Alone, Zuko is faced with the reality that something was wrong with his upringing. He was given a knife as a child, and that's wrong. A child shouldn't be involved in violence and agression.

In The Day of Black Sun Pt 2, Zuko recognizes the Fire Nation's indoctrination and that this ideology is wrong. No violence involving children is justified. And the Fire Nation's agression wasn't justified as well.

In The Firebending Masters, Zuko is blessed with a vision about the meaning of firebending, thus unlearning the Fire Nation's destructive firebending, and replaces it with firebending based on life.

In The Southern Raiders, Zuko sees first hand that those who can be deserving of vioelnce aren't boogeymen. Thus, he can see that at times, even violence towards people who deserve it, isn't a solution to heartache.

In Sozin's Comet, Zuko is confronted by the truth that the ultimate boogeyman, Azula, is human too. Now, he can fully release black and white notions and view the world from objective lenses, not from aggression.

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venusiancharisma · 2 months

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Astrology Insights: Releasing Negative Ancestral Karma

This is an outtake on my original post about Ancestral Karma and I feel I could have been more in depth with my analysis, as I was still doing relational syncronicities between vedic and sidereal, but here this post will break it up for you so that you can actually conceptualize your chart whilst reviewing. <3

I appreciate your tips, they help me become more able to create free time in order to produce these posts for you all

Are you curious about astrology's insights into releasing negative ancestral karma? Delve into the intriguing realm of astrology natal charts to uncover the influence of past life karma on your present circumstances. Discover whether these karmic ties are positive or negative, unravel if you were the wrong-doer in past lives, and find guidance on how to release any adverse ancestral karma.

Understanding Ancestral Karma in Astrology

Introduction to Natal Charts (to start from the absolute basics)

The natal chart, a cornerstone of astrology, is a snapshot of the sky at the moment of your birth. It maps out the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and constellations through different astrological houses, each house representing an aspect of your life. Your natal chart is unique to you, acting as a cosmic blueprint that holds insights into your personality, tendencies, and potential life path. It's here that we can begin to understand ancestral karma—energetic patterns passed down from previous generations that can influence your current life experiences. By examining the specific placements and aspects in your natal chart, you can start to identify the imprints of those ancestral energies and begin the process of acknowledging and releasing any negative karmic patterns.

What is Ancestral Karma?

Ancestral karma refers to the concept that the energetic influence of your ancestors' actions, decisions, emotions, and experiences can be passed down through generations, impacting your own life. This form of karma is not just about heredity or genetic traits, but rather the subtle energies that are inherited and can manifest as patterns or challenges in various aspects of your life. These can include relationships, health, or even specific phobias and fears without apparent cause. Ancestral karma can be both positive, contributing to talents and beneficial predispositions, or negative, leading to recurring obstacles or difficulties. Understanding ancestral karma is about recognizing these patterns and working towards resolving any negative cycles, thus freeing yourself from the past's hold and enabling personal growth and healing.

Roles of Ancestral Karma in Past Lives

Ancestral karma is thought to play a significant role in shaping the experiences of our past lives, which in turn, influence our present. The challenges and lessons that our ancestors faced can be encoded into the energetic fabric of the family line. This means that unresolved issues, patterns of behavior, or unlearned lessons could potentially reappear in your life, inviting you to work through them. In astrology, it is believed that these karmic debts or gifts are carried over from one life to the next, potentially creating a chain that links you to your ancestral past. Understanding these roles can empower you to break cycles that no longer serve you and reinforce the positive aspects of your heritage. This process creates an opportunity for karmic healing, not only for you but possibly for your lineage both past and future.

Identifying Ancestral Karma in Your Natal Chart

Recognizing Indicators of Past Life Karma

In astrology, certain elements in your natal chart can serve as indicators of past life karma. The South Node, for instance, speaks to past life experiences and the qualities you're moving away from, while the North Node represents the qualities you're striving towards in this life. Planets in a close association with these nodes can highlight specific karmic challenges or talents you've inherited. Additionally, the 12th house in your chart is often associated with karma from past lives, revealing hidden strengths or weaknesses that may need to be addressed. Astro notes, such as repeated patterns or heavy aspects like squares and oppositions involving Saturn, can also suggest karmic lessons. By piecing together these astrology observations, you can pinpoint areas where ancestral karma might be influencing your present life and start to work on resolving these patterns.

Deciphering Positive and Negative Aspects

Astrology provides a nuanced view of our lives by revealing both positive and negative aspects within our natal chart. Positive aspects, such as trines and sextiles, can reflect the beneficial ancestral karma that enhances our abilities and brings ease to certain areas of life. These aspects can show where we may have innate talents or where we experience natural flow and support. On the flip side, challenging aspects such as squares and oppositions can indicate areas of tension, which may stem from unresolved ancestral karma. These negative aspects often highlight the lessons we need to learn and the patterns we are called to break. By consciously working with these aspects, we can transform challenges into growth opportunities, thereby improving our relationship with ourselves and those around us. It is not just about resolving difficulties but also about activating the potential within the positive placements.

Understanding Wrongdoings from Past Lives

An essential part of working with ancestral karma involves confronting and understanding wrongdoings from past lives. These are often reflected in our natal chart through challenging aspects or placements that seem to repeatedly stir up trouble in our lives. The presence of planets like Saturn or Pluto in hard aspect to personal planets, or located in the 12th house, might suggest karmic debts that are due for resolution. These astrological markers can indicate where we may have misstepped or caused harm in the past, and now face the consequences in this lifetime. By acknowledging these areas, we can begin the process of making amends, whether through direct action, changes in behavior, or spiritual practices aimed at healing. It's important to approach these insights with compassion for oneself and the understanding that karmic healing is a journey toward growth and balance.

Unlocking the Influence of Ancestral Karma on Your Current Life

How Ancestral Karma Affects Self Development

Ancestral karma can profoundly affect self-development by creating unconscious patterns that shape our behaviors and choices. These patterns, often rooted in unresolved issues from our family's past, can limit our personal growth if left unaddressed. For example, a history of financial difficulty in a family might instill a deep-seated fear of scarcity, influencing one's approach to money and abundance. Conversely, positive ancestral influences can provide a strong foundation for developing resilience and resourcefulness. By identifying and understanding these karmic influences within our natal chart, we can begin to consciously work on these areas. This may involve confronting fears, healing old wounds, and learning to trust in our capabilities. As we release the hold of negative ancestral karma, we clear the path for genuine self-development and the ability to shape our own destiny.

The Role of Ancestral Karma in Self Love

Ancestral karma can be a powerful influence on the relationship we have with ourselves, particularly in the realm of self-love. Negative ancestral karma may manifest as inherited self-critical thoughts or feelings of unworthiness, making it challenging to embrace and love oneself fully. These patterns can be deeply ingrained, often passed down through generations, and may go unrecognized without introspection. However, recognizing and understanding these patterns through the lens of your natal chart is the first step towards healing. As you work to release these karmic bonds, you create space for a more nurturing and loving relationship with yourself. This process can also reveal the strengths and virtues that have been passed down, bolstering self-esteem and fostering a profound sense of self-love. Embracing both the light and shadow aspects of your ancestry allows for a more holistic and compassionate view of oneself.

Ancestral Karma's Impact on Self Improvement

The impact of ancestral karma on self-improvement is significant, as it can both hinder and enhance our personal evolution. Negative ancestral patterns, such as a tendency towards certain destructive behaviors or thought processes, can impede our growth and lead to repetitive cycles. These might manifest as recurring challenges in relationships, career, or health that seem to resist our efforts to change. On the other hand, recognizing and tapping into the positive aspects of our inheritance can be a powerful catalyst for self-improvement. These can be traits like resilience, determination, or creativity that have been honed over generations. By confronting and resolving the negative while embracing the positive, we can overcome inherited limitations and cultivate a more empowered self. This process not only benefits us but can also shift the karmic narrative for future generations, creating a legacy of positive growth and development.

Practical Steps to Release Negative Ancestral Karma

Ascertain Healing Signs in Your Natal Chart

Identifying healing signs in your natal chart is a practical approach to releasing negative ancestral karma. These signs often come in the form of favorable aspects or placements that offer insight into your healing journey. For instance, Chiron's placement can reveal a key area for potential healing and growth, while Jupiter's aspects might point to where you can find support and expansion. Additionally, the placement of Venus can indicate pathways to finding harmony and balance, key components in overcoming karmic challenges. Paying attention to transits and progressions that activate these healing areas can also provide timing for when you might be most open to healing work. By focusing on these positive influences and working with them consciously, you can facilitate the release of negative ancestral patterns and actively engage in your karmic healing process.

Effective Ways to Neutralize Negative Karma

Neutralizing negative karma involves intentional actions that can break cycles and foster positive change. One effective method is through self-reflection and meditation, which allows you to delve into your subconscious and identify karmic patterns. Practices like journaling or therapy can help in articulating and processing these insights. Forgiveness, both of oneself and one's ancestors, is another powerful tool in neutralizing negative karma. It releases the energetic ties to the past and opens up a path for healing. Engaging in acts of kindness and service can also shift the karmic balance, as it creates positive energy that can counteract the negative. Additionally, rituals and affirmations that resonate with your beliefs can reinforce your intentions to break free from these patterns. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can actively work towards neutralizing negative karma and cultivating a more positive future.

Power of Positivity and Hope in Releasing Karma

Maintaining a positive outlook and embracing hope are essential when working to release negative ancestral karma. Positivity helps to elevate your energy and can transform your perspective, allowing you to see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. Hope acts as a beacon, guiding you through the process of healing and encouraging resilience when facing deep-seated patterns. These attitudes also have a tangible effect on your mental and emotional states, which in turn can influence the karmic energy you carry and transmit. When you approach your karmic journey with a mindset of positivity and hope, you are more likely to engage in behaviors that promote healing and growth. Affirmations and visualization techniques can be used to reinforce these states of mind, fostering an environment where karmic resolution is not just possible but expected.

Healing the Soul with Astrology

Utilizing Synastry and Composite Charts

Synastry and composite charts are valuable tools in astrology that can aid in understanding and healing relationships, which is often where ancestral karma plays out strongly. Synastry charts compare the natal charts of two individuals, revealing the dynamics between them, including areas of harmony and potential conflict. These insights can help to identify karmic connections and the lessons that you can learn from each other. Composite charts, on the other hand, combine two natal charts to create a single chart that represents the relationship itself. This chart can illustrate the overall purpose of the union and the karmic implications it holds. By analyzing these charts, you can gain a deeper understanding of the karmic ties within your relationships and work toward resolving any negative patterns. This can be a profound step in your journey of soul healing and personal growth.

Astrological Observations for Self Empowerment

Astrological observations can be a powerful tool for self-empowerment by offering a deeper understanding of personal strengths, challenges, and potentials. The placements of planets, signs, and houses in your natal chart can reveal where you have natural competencies and where you might face struggles that require extra attention. For example, Mars can indicate your drive and how you assert yourself, while Jupiter can point to where you find growth and abundance. By actively working with these energies, you can harness your innate abilities and work towards overcoming any limitations. Additionally, transits and solar returns provide insights into the timing of certain life events, enabling you to make informed decisions and take control of your destiny. Embracing the guidance from astrological observations empowers you to navigate life with confidence and awareness, turning potential karmic challenges into victories of personal empowerment.

The Journey Towards Spiritual Enlightenment

The journey towards spiritual enlightenment is a deeply personal and transformative process that can be enriched with the insights from astrology. This spiritual path is about seeking a higher understanding of oneself and the universe, and astrology provides a symbolic language to interpret the soul's code. Through your natal chart, you can uncover spiritual lessons, karmic challenges, and the deeper purpose behind life events. It offers a way to align with the cosmic energies and work with them to foster spiritual growth. Practices such as meditation, ritual, and reflection can be synchronized with astrological cycles, enhancing their effectiveness and deepening your connection to the divine. As you navigate your spiritual path with the guidance of astrology, you cultivate a sense of inner peace, wisdom, and a connection to something greater than yourself, marking the essence of spiritual enlightenment.

#natal astrology #astrology #zodiac #natal chart #sagittarius #astro notes #libra #capricorn #astro observations #virgo #astroblr #astronomy #astro community #synastry notes #synastry #astrology observations #astrology notes #astrology community #ascendant

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bonegloss · 10 months

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You're not a failed artist.

After over almost two decades on the internet, entering various art communities and establishing my online presence, I've noticed something.

The persistent idea that you've "failed" as an artist if you get a "real job" will not go away.

This, for the longest time, permeated my electronic meat slab and nestled in deeply MUCH to my detriment . For years I fought with myself over this idea. Self-flagellating and noisy, negative thoughts were almost suffocating because I was unable to Do Art As A Job consistently and efficiently enough to maintain a living off of it. Between navigating life for almost 30 years not knowing I was autistic (and all that entails) and trying to turn something I love into something I could make a living off of, it was a vicious and repetitive cycle of trying something new, getting burned out, entering a depressive state, climbing out of it, rinse and repeat. This is clearly unsustainable, especially now that I am more independent in my adult life; bills aren't going to wait for me to get out of my depressive funks. Even having jobs and still making art on the side today, this idea is still nestled in there, nagging me sometimes.

Would I like to make a living off of my art? Of course! Would it be even better if I was supported from making stuff from my own IP's? You fucking bet. But I know how I operate, I know I can't personally do that (yet? maybe?). Now, I realize not everyone can just go get a job, and I don't want this to come off as a rally cry to Just Go Out and Work (I know many creative people are disabled or have other reasons they cannot work), but I do want to stress that its okay if art needs to remain more of a hobby than a job. It is okay if you cannot sustain yourself solely as a living artist. Over the years, I've burned myself out so god damn hard and have watched others work themselves to (near) death or can barely scrape by because of this incessant feeling that we need to be doing art 100% of the time to have "made it". It is hurting us both physically and emotionally to keep this shit up.

Going forward, we have to do better. There is no shame in having an income that is not dependent on the things you make. I think that it can help alleviate a lot of stress and fatigue that can become associated with creating (and thus, making it hard to do something you love). We need to learn to be kinder to ourselves and unlearn comparing our experiences to what we see from other creative peers on social media. Its hard, finding work sucks ass, and no job will be perfect, but if it can help you survive a little easier and rekindle your relationship for creating the things you love to make, it'll make a world of difference.

You are not a failed artist. You're doing what you can so you can keep doing what you love.

#*Real Job is used here within the context of mainly not getting employment in a creative field #I know that many creative people are able to get jobs within creative fields #but even that can help alleviate the financial pressure of having your creative outlet be draining #because your livelihood depends on it #Also I would like to note that while it would be nice to have UBI and more support for the arts in general in the US #that is not the case in the current economic setting and I fear it won't be that way for a while so working will have to do for now.#UBI would fix me #art #artists #creative burnout

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