the unending cosmic horrors of the universe versus A Song

I'm a big fan of your Pynch writing. If you're still accepting prompts - No. 40? "A gentle kiss that quickly descends into passion, with little regard for what’s going on around them" is practically canon. A million bonus points if it's actually set during the Opal book.

Aww you are too sweet!! I'm so glad you're enjoying them because I sure am!

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From Opal:

The first time Ronan woke that morning it was to the bed rustling and his pillow coming to life and abandoning him. It moved him with gentle hands and chuckled when he grumbled a complaint. When Ronan blindly reached out, groping for purchase to be able to drag it back, those hands caught his and soft lips pressed to his fingertips.

"I'm not goin' far. Go back to bed, Ronan," said the pillow.

Ronan grumbled, read to argue, but the protest died on his lips when one of those hands moved to the top of his head, stroking over the fuzz of hair growing back from his most recent buzz. Blunt nails scratched gently over his scalp and he sighed, already drifting back toward sleep. The embrace of dream was already curling around him by the time he realized that pillows don't actually have hands...

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The second time Ronan woke it was more naturally but there was a similar wrongness. An absence. This time, however, he woke up enough to realize that it wasn’t his pillow or a bedsheet or any other object or possession that had gone missing -- it was Adam. Annoyed, because he did not like waking up without Adam now that he’d gotten used to it (especially knowing that their days of this were numbered and swiftly dwindling), Ronan expressed himself with a grunt of dissatisfaction as he kicked the covers off the rest of the way and rolled onto his back, starfishing in the center of the bed as full consciousness descended upon him. 

He laid there for only a few minutes before he recognized the rumble-whirring of a large machine. Considering the Barns was set deep enough onto the Lynch property that their nearest neighbors were several miles away and you couldn’t even hear horns blaring from the road, this struck Ronan as decidedly odd. He frowned to himself and rolled off the bed, shuffling on bare feet to the window. Through the curtain he was able to see one of the backhoes (which he’d been sure didn’t even work anymore), digging into the ground. If he squinted, he could make out the familiar fluff of Adam’s hair catching the light. 

Opal’s erratic dashing didn’t require any squinting at all -- he’d recognize that little shit anywhere. 

It took Ronan a few minutes to figure out what the fuck those two weirdos were doing. When he did, he grinned to himself, shook his head, and dropped himself back onto the bed. He was getting better at this, and with sleep still clinging to the edges of his conscious mind it only took him a few minutes more until he was back to sleep. This time, he allowed himself to dream.

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The third time Ronan woke it was with an unnatural pipe in his hand, thrumming and alive-but-not. He spent about five minutes washing up before heading outside barely dressed. What was the point when they were gonna strip down anyway? 

It didn’t really strike him until he was nearing the spot that Adam had chosen for their new swimming pool that Adam had just chosen a spot for their new swimming pool -- or pond, whatever. But.. Adam. Adam had decided, on his own, to made a change to the Barns like it was his own home, like he had a right to be here and do things and make his own mark on this place. The fierce adoration that realization struck up in Ronan was like dropping a match on a bonfire doused in gasoline. He was burning up and all of it was yes yes yes forever this yes. Because this wasn’t Adam just following Ronan’s lead or blissfully ignoring his lifelong desperation to escape Henrietta so that he could enjoy the Barns with him. This was Adam Parrish making a choice to affect the world around him, to affect Ronan’s world, in a way that was permanent, knowing and accepting that it was going to be a welcomed change. 

It meant that whatever happened, Adam didn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon. Sure, he was going to college and being separated from him was going to fucking hurt. It was gonna be like operating without a limb. But they would make it through. Because Adam had chosen a home already. Maybe that wasn’t Henrietta -- but it was Ronan and that... that blew his fucking mind. 

Adam and Opal were sitting at the edge of the hole when Ronan caught up to them, watching the freshly-dug pit fill with water from a natural spring. 

“Are there going to be fish in it? There should be fish,” Opal insisted, baring her teeth in a way that left zero question as to why she thought there should be fish. 

Adam laughed, and fuck was that a beautiful sound. Light and amused, free. 

“No, I don’t think there’s going to be fish.”

“There should be fish!” Opal argued.

“Don’t you eat enough?” Ronan grumbled as he approached, making both of then turn to look at him. Opal scowled and made an obscene noise before dashing off, probably to eat a squirrel in revenge and leave its severed tail laying around where he’d step on it. She had a fucked up sense of retaliation. 

Adam, on the other hand, looked amused. 

“Hey,” he said, easy and relaxed. Then he smiled. 

“Hey yourself,” Ronan said, somehow still feeling like a lost king before a radiant star.

Adam’s eye caught on the pipe in his hand, then, and he tilted his head in question. 

Instead of answering, Ronan kicked off his shoes and stepped up to the edge of the hole. With a jump and a slide, he skidded down to the bottom, where the water was only just at his shins. He felt his way along with bare feet to find where the water was coming in the strongest and then crouched down, stabbing the pipe in. The effect was almost instantaneous. Within moments, cool, clear water began to shoot out the broader end, filling the hole rapidly. It was already to his waist by the time he made it back to the edge of the hole. Adam was on his knees at the edge, grinning, those eye bright as stars in the void of night. 

“How did you even know to dream up something? You reading minds now?” Adam asked as he helped haul Ronan out of the hole. They sat on the edge, watching it fill. 

“Heard your commotion and figured out what you were up to,” Ronan replied with a shrug.

“And here I thought I was going to give you a nice surprise.” Adam chuckled and bumped him with his shoulder, then turned and kissed him on the cheek. 

That simple, casually affectionate kiss sent tingles all the way down to Ronan’s toes. 

“Hey,” he said, and when Adam turned toward him again, he caught his face in hand and kissed him back. It started out small; it started out soft and simple and small. But nothing between Ronan Lynch and Adam Parrish could ever stay small and simple. It always grew into something magnanimous and magnificent and beautiful and frightening and real. So what started with the touch of lips became a tangle of breath, became a rush of senses and feeling and heat and light. Ronan was alive and awake in a way that somehow felt like dreaming because it was so incredibly charged with the power of making. Ronan would know, because he was a dreamer and that’s what dreamers did. 

One kiss, that’s how it started. Then Adam leaned in with a sigh and Ronan curled his fingers to tangle in Adam’s hair. Then Adam opened his mouth to him and Ronan was caught, snared by the taste of him and the rush it caused in his blood. There were lions roaring in his ears, an entire savannah storm raging in his blood with lightning strikes carving new veins in every line and limb of his body. Hands tugged and bodies moved, and Ronan got Adam into his lap. The weight of him was grounding and so, so satisfying as the other boy’s arms looped over his shoulders and the kiss deepened even further. 

Ronan groaned, his hands grasping at Adam’s waist now, slipping under his thin t-shirt to press to heated skin. The touch was enough to shoot fireworks up his nerves and when Adam moved against him like that...

Well, it was a damn good thing he’d dreamed that pipe to keep the water nice and cold. 

Single trees are extraordinary; trees in number more remarkable still. To walk in a wood is to find fault with Socrates’s declaration that ‘Trees and open country cannot teach me anything, whereas men in town do.’ Time is kept and curated and in different ways by trees, and so it is experienced in different ways when one is among them. This discretion of trees, and their patience, are both affecting. It is beyond our capacity to comprehend that the American hardwood forest waited seventy million years for people to come and live in it, though the effort of comprehension is itself worthwhile. It is valuable and disturbing to know that grand oak trees can take three hundred years to grow, three hundred years to live, and three hundred years to die. Such knowledge, thoughtfully considered, changes the grain of the mind. - Robert Macfarlane, The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot Recently we drove to Couer d’Alene. North of town, I saw a strikingly handsome building set in a grove of old-growth trees. It was not a natural landscape, but when the building was constructed, the developer had left some ancient Douglas fir and ponderosa pine and created the impression of a long solidity in the landscape for his construction. It is rare for a builder to go to such trouble because it is simpler and more economical to clear a lot and build than to build around trees and other natural landscape elements. As we sat at the traffic light and I studied the property with its balance of trees, the stone and woodwork of the building, I wondered how the trees had experienced this construction and the loss of so many other trees in that particular stand. Two years ago, I witnessed a tree apparently doing something that I suspect I was not meant to see. Marilyn had just placed a planter full of new young plants on a deck rail, which was under the canopy of a very ancient willow. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement and turned just in time to see the willow purposely lift a frond and stroke the young plants. The action was like an arm lifting and then stroking the plants, and the movement occurred twice, lifting and returning, lifting and returning like a parent might stroke the head of a much-loved child. I have had the privilege of many odd and spiritual experiences – especially after I moved to New Mexico. Still, this particular moment in the pacific northwest haunts me as maybe the most significant spiritual moment of my life. I feel as though I saw a moment we are not privileged to see, and if we do see, it is under the influence of a mind-altering chemical like LSD, a moment when our ego is de-potentiated and no longer in control of our perceptions. I have had such experiences using LSD, but that was 50 years ago, and I doubt that I was having a flashback at this late date. Humanity suffers incredible hubris. We speak of looking to space to find intelligent life when we are actually looking for life like us. I suspect if we ever do find life like us, it will be terrifying – it will be a life driven by insularism and an attitude that cannot see us as an equal and will more than likely only see us in terms of our utility or see us in terms of something in the way, much like we see trees, wolves and everything else on this planet. We now scientifically know that trees and plants in forests have a massive communication network of mutually sustainable interactions. “In the 1960s, CIA interrogation expert Cleve Backster experimented with polygraph machines when he stumbled onto something novel. He noticed what appeared to be a change in electrical resistance with one of the plants, to which he connected the polygraph equipment whenever he removed a leaf or even “threatened” to harm the plant by intent alone. He likened this sudden electrical pulse to a “scream” emitted by the plant in response to endangerment. While Backster’s theory was considered a crackpot idea, many would follow similar, unusual observations about the behavior of plants, which seemingly represented a sort of “communication” they might be capable of.

For instance, a 1989 AP article discussed what one physicist, named Ed Wagner, believed were evidence he found of plant communication via what he called “W-waves”: Physicist Ed Wagner says he has found evidence that trees talk to each other in a language he calls W-waves. “If you chop into a tree, you can see that adjacent trees put out an electrical pulse,” said Wagner. “This indicates that they communicated directly.” Explaining the phenomenon, Wagner pointed to a blip on a strip chart recording of the electrical pulse. “It put out a tremendous cry of alarm,” he said. “The adjacent trees put out smaller ones…. People have known there was communication between trees for several years, but they’ve explained it by the chemicals trees produce,” Wagner said. “But I think the real communication is much quicker and more dramatic than that,” he said. “These trees know within a few seconds what is happening. This is an automatic response.” Wagner has measured the speed of W-waves at about 3 feet per second through the air. “They travel much too slowly for electrical waves,” he said. “They seem to be an altogether different entity. That’s what makes them so intriguing. They don’t seem to be electromagnetic waves at all.” Another physicist, William Corliss, also took an interest in Wagner’s discovery, noting that, “The voltage measured by electrodes implanted in trees goes up and down as one goes higher and higher up the trees… incidentally, electricity does seem to affect plant growth.” In more recent years, the idea of plants capable of forms of “communication” has been considered a bit more thoughtfully and is not outright shunned by the scientific community. One leading modern researcher and advocate for the varieties of ways plants communicate is Suzanne Simard, whose work with plants has helped set new precedents for how interactions between various species of flora occur. Simard’s research began to coalesce around what became a doctoral thesis two decades ago, in which she argued that a variety of communication methods were used by trees to achieve everything from expressing their needs to sharing nutrients “via a network of latticed fungi buried in the soil.” She further studied the varieties of ways that fungal filigrees were exploited by trees in ways that allowed them to send signals to other plants nearby about changes in the environment and even “helping” endangered plants by transferring and sharing nutrients with them. Speaking with “Yale Environment 360” last year, she talked about how, as she puts it, a forest “is a cooperative system,” saying: “To me, using the language of ‘communication’ made more sense because we were looking at not just resource transfers, but things like defense signaling and kin recognition signaling. We as human beings can relate to this better. If we can relate to it, then we’re going to care about it more. If we care about it more, then we’re going to do a better job of stewarding our landscapes.” Despite having communicative abilities, plants generally aren’t deemed to have any sort of intelligence. However, there are still some members of the scientific community that argue this is not necessarily the case. Author and researcher Michael Pollan, who studies the field of plant neurobiology, argues that plants are more perceptive than many would think: “They have analogous structures… They have ways of taking all the sensory data they gather in their everyday lives … integrate it, and then behave appropriately in response. And they do this without brains, which, in a way, is what’s incredible about it because we automatically assume you need a brain to process information.” Understanding how various life forms on earth communicate and cooperate with each other gives us a much broader sense of what “life on Earth” is truly about. It also challenges us to consider whether more complex interaction systems exist between organisms, including those that aren’t deemed intelligent or even responsive, by humans. In the case of plants, it seems unusual that these organisms, while deemed

to be very much alive, have long been relegated to being unresponsive and “vegetative,” in the most literal sense. Maybe it’s indeed time we start paying closer attention to our floral kindred and the subtleties of their interactions with each other and their environment.” Trees That Talk: The Bizarre World of Plant Communication Micah HanksJuly 2, 2017 As I come closer to the ending of my own span of years on this earth, I have become more acutely aware of the commonality I have with all life. Fear and suffering appear to be the same across all species, and I am beginning to wonder if love is also – not romantic love, but the deep logos love spiritual people have written about for millennia. I understand there are reasons we avoid seeing these connections and being aware of the “intelligence,” love, and fear of life around us. The Danish/Inuit Arctic explorer Kund Rassmussen once wrote, “The greatest peril of life lies in the fact that human food consists entirely of souls. All the creatures that we to kill and eat, all those that we have to strike down and destroy to make clothes for ourselves, have souls, souls that do not perish with the body and which must therefore be pacified lest they revenge themselves on us for taking away their bodies.” That is seen as a very primitive view, yet I wonder in our confusion of scientific methods for technological growth and exploitation if we are the primitives and the barbarians. I suspect our blindness to the intelligence of life here on earth, intelligence other than ourselves, is summed up in that statement. Maybe all intelligence really is is the knowledge that everything is connected and what we call intelligence is a form of narcissistic blindness. Perhaps the natural intelligence is in the willow, lifting a frond to stroke young plants that came under his/her/its protection and scope. Maybe the only innate intelligence is displayed in how we honor, respect, and care for everything. In addition to slowing me down in my interaction with the world, I find that this view brings me a sense of greater peace and a change in focus about what is and is not essential and how to express that “essentialness.” I also have greater clarity about what the ancients meant when they wrote of a fear of God. It is not a fear full of the pain of punishment – it is an awe that is hard to express and is likely to bring tears and an awareness of the pity of things and our oneness with everything.

Cladistics vs “Fish”

I got an ask related to the cladistics thing that probably didn’t need this much detail, but I got excited to talk about this and whoops its a whole big explanation no one asked for. So rather than bombarding the asker with the whole deal here, I figured I’d publish this bit as its own post and just respond to their related question privately.

What I was trying to address with all this is a breakdown of how “fish” is not a valid taxonomic grouping - for it to be accurate, all vertebrates would have to be fish. I tend to just go with that because I think that’s pretty fun, but its probably more correct to say that they way we lump organisms into the group “fishes” is entirely artificial and does not reflect nature. See below for why!

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So cladistics tries to chart evolutionary relationships by shared derived characteristics - unique traits in a group's evolutionary history that can be used to define where they have branched off. A grouping is only taxonomically valid according to cladistics if you pick a branching point and include every organism that would have shared some ancestor where that branch forms. You can't exclude any group that shares that ancestor. (Why birds are reptiles - see below.)

Here's a visual I threw together:

(I made this based on notes from an old class. Apparently the graphic that my notes come from was from “Pough et al. 2013.” May need to open it for best viewing.)

So the thing with "fishes" is that all vertebrates evolved from a common ancestor with what we would call a "fish." Cladistics only considers traits that newly evolve in a lineage to group organisms together, not how many traits are retained from ancestors - but a new trait can be the loss of an old one (why "snakes" fall within the broader group of "lizards" despite perhaps feeling more intuitively primitive - they lost their limbs in more recent evolutionary history).

This is the case with everything that is a vertebrate that we don't consider to be a "fish" - we lost the traits that allowed us to live in the water, which opened up a wider array of body shapes when limbs moved from something to fan around to move forward to something that needed to bear weight.

Up to this point things make sense, but might feel a bit arbitrary, right?

The real problem with "fish" is that, following cladistics, a coelacanth is more related to us than a tuna. And a tuna related more to us than a shark. And a shark more to us than a lamprey.

Let's revisit that graphic.

To really put things in perspective, its important to understand how time is displayed here. Time here travels from left to right, never in the vertical direction. Evolution doesn't stop, and we all evolved from the same original eukaryote, so everything alive today is just as "evolved" as everything else, even if genetic progress isn't apparent. "Living fossils" like horseshoe crabs are just as evolutionarily advanced as humans, they have just evolved differently than us. All currently living organisms’ lineages have spent the same amount of time evolving as every other one. Even though the “fishes” have earlier branches, this isn’t saying our ancestor is a shark, it’s saying what are known as sharks today most recently shared an ancestor with us a very very long time ago - a much longer time ago than our common ancestor with reptiles.

So we can rearrange this graphic like this and it will still be valid:

It looks messier, sure, but it is no less valid because there was no actual hierarchy to the organisms that gave it the previous order. Doing it that way just made it easy to add labels, and over-represented the importance of mammals.

So where does that leave all the "fish"?

They got scattered around the tree. Because they aren't actually very closely related - they share a life strategy that makes certain forms more advantageous, so to us, superficially, they seem very similar. Many traits have independently evolved in multiple lineages because the selection for them in aquatic environments is so strong (convergent evolution), which makes them seem even more similar. But they aren't actually strongly related to each other, which I’ve tried to distinguish in this version by giving each a distinct color group. Each lineage of “fishes” I have listed here has been evolving independently from one another for longer than mammals have even existed.

[Side note, they're so alien! So different from us! This is why fish are so cool!!!]

Calling lungfish, stingrays, and trout all “fish” but not using the same term for koalas and ostriches suggests those first three have a greater degree of similarity to one another than they do. Sure, superficially, they all live in the water and might have some other traits that are vaguely similar. But those traits aren’t exclusive to fish and aren’t inclusive of all “fish”.

Cetaceans are very “fish shaped” and live in water, but they are not fish. Neotenic salamanders live their entire lives in water and retain their gills, but are not fish. Sea snakes live in water and have scales but are not fish.

What makes a fish?

In my ichthyology course, I was taught that there are 5 traits that make an animal a fish, and that each one of them has exceptions:

Aquatic ....except there are fishes that can walk around on land, like mudskippers and walking catfish.

Free-Living ....except there are parasitic species that rely on hosts, such as male angler fish, sea lampreys, and the Candiru

Gill Breathing ....except there are fish that have rudimentary lungs, such as lungfish and walking catfish

Cold-blooded ....except tuna and some sharks are warm-blooded

Have fins, not pentadactyl limbs ....except coelacanths have pentadactyl lobe-fins

So our best definition of what makes a fish isn’t even valid because its full of holes from all the exceptions that exist in nature. The label “fish” ultimately falls to pieces no matter what angle you tackle it from. It is, truly, a superficial similarity that we base the designation on.

Does this invalidate the science of ichthyology, my personal love for “fishes,” or any level of the value of their study?

Nah. It all really doesn’t matter.

What we call the science has no bearing on the studies we do, which aren’t dictated by organisms being “fish” or not in modern science. We have much more specific taxonomic groupings we can use, and so many more species to compare to within them. Would it be more accurate to say I’m studying to become an “Actinopterygii Biologist”? Maybe, but that’s lame and discards the history of the profession.

“Fishes” are the most diverse group of vertebrates, yet they are incredibly understudied. There are so many fish out there for us to discover - and not just in the deep sea! We are still finding fish in shallow freshwater systems, easily accessible habitats. There aren’t enough people studying this massive group to scratch the surface of the knowledge we lack about them.

So who cares if we lump a sparse group of researchers tackling a vast array of organisms together under a label based on an outdated name? The proportion of people studying “fish” to the abundance of these organisms is ridiculous, especially compared to charismatic species like large mammals. So why not use the same term rather than try to divide up an already small group?

Actually, I think few use the label “Ichthyologist” nowadays, but I intend to. Whether a “fish” is a valid group or not, I became a scientist to study fishes. No other taxa were compelling enough for me to dedicate my life to science. I am not going to be just a biologist. I’m going to be an ichthyologist.

So, KH3 is over.

Wow. That sure was a thing.

Closing reflections on both the game and the series as a whole below.

I guess I’m not even really surprised that Xion pretty much got a whole five minutes of screentime in the end after all that build-up. Don’t know what else I expected, Nomura...

You know, KH has always been terrible at pacing, but I still can’t quite believe just how much nothing happened in the first ~20 hours! The Disney filler is fine and all (I mean, the game wouldn’t sell without it), but I have to admit that the initial rush of childish excitement at getting new KH content started to wear pretty thin after four or five worlds of it. Games like KH2 and BBS at least tended to break things up with some big plot events halfway through, right?! I feel like this game really would have benefited a lot from having some kind of breather somewhere in the middle, even if it was just a matter of moving things like the Aqua/Ventus rescue up a bit earlier. They really had to cram a lot into those last few hours, and a lot of things ended up feeling more rushed than they really needed to be as a result. But for all the game’s flaws, in the end I still felt like I was able to leave the characters I cared about most on a satisfying note, and I think I’m content with that.

I really loved the way Axel was portrayed in this game! I feel like they hit a pretty good balance with him in the sense that, yes, he’s obviously realised that he messed up horribly and wants to do better, but he still totally feels like Axel. He’s still very much an obviously flawed and self-centered person who still habitually puts his own emotional needs above others, still wants to frame himself as the hero of the story who will obviously be the one to save Roxas in the end - and I love that the game itself never really buys into that framing. There is honestly not a single scene in this game where I felt like the emphasis was on what a cool and good person Axel is. His constant apologies to Kairi feel incredibly uncomfortable, like he’s very clumsily trying to finally hold himself accountable for what he’s done but still has absolutely no idea to actually handle it. His boasts about being a Keyblade wielder feel like empty arrogant bluster that never really gets backed up. When he pointedly interrupts the big cast reunion to scream “Um, hello, what about ME?!”, it seems more petty and ridiculous than anything. And when we get to the final battle, he repeatedly and consistently fails, on every count. He tries to have a big badass moment rebelling against Xemnas, but Xemnas totally beats his ass, and in the end it’s Roxas and Xion who have to jump in to save him, not the other way around. He has absolutely nothing to do with saving Roxas, or bringing him and Xion back, or even dealing with Saix, despite how much he heatedly promised that he was going to totally do all those things.

In the end, the real crux of his arc feels like that moment where Xion tells him to step back and leave it to them, and Axel just smiles and admits that, yeah, when it came down to it, the two of them were always stronger than him. They don’t need him, and they never did. I love that so, so much. I love the way that when the three of them are left alone together after the battle, he’s just so obviously awkward and uncomfortable and has no idea what to say, until the three of them all just finally break down crying and hugging each other. It felt so totally genuine and powerful and heartfelt, and I couldn’t have asked for more. I really appreciated Axel’s acknowledgement at the end that they had a lot to sort out, and I expect they probably still do, and a lot of it’s probably going to be messy and painful and difficult - but I’m also fine with us not getting to see that onscreen or with the game dwelling on it too much, because in the end, what’s really important as far as the series’ themes go is that they’re all finally here and alive and free to be themselves, and the ending rightly puts the final emphasis on that - on the sheer joy and wonder of them finally being able to live in the world, as people, to be happy and confident in themselves and who they are. Xion showing up at the tower in those beautiful clothes was the point where I pretty much just started crying my eyes out and couldn’t stop for the entire credits sequence. I love that the framing of their final scenes doesn’t really put any real special emphasis on Axel at all; it makes it feel like their happy ending isn’t really about them reuniting with him as a trio (in the way that, say, the BBS trio’s ending is very much framed), it’s about a much broader sense of them being able to live, and to experience the joy of living, with all that entails - that he’s just one of many friends for them now, and that the days of their messed up co-dependent relationship where they all had to desperately cling on to each other to feel human are hopefully over. The only thing I don’t really like about it in the end is Saix being there, but hey, nothing’s perfect. I do wish that things like Xion’s return had been a bit less rushed, and that her and Roxas had more screentime than they did, but all in all, I feel like I definitely got the closure I wanted, and I’m overjoyed with it.

As for the rest of the game... well, I’d be lying if I said the overall plot wasn’t pretty much a giant incoherent mess overall - the finale had way too much crammed into it, a ton of the antagonists seemed to do sudden 180s at the end for no reason, and it was an absolutely terrible choice to spend such a huge amount of time on obvious sequel hooks and cliffhangers (the black box, Subject X, Marluxia and co secretly being ancient keyblade warriors or whatever the hell Chi is doing) in a game that should really have been firmly focused on giving closure to the existing arcs after all these years - but... well, it’s Nomura, and it’s Kingdom Hearts. I don’t think I really expected anything else. But I did feel like the game was generally charming and enjoyable on a moment-to-moment level, the quality of the dialogue and cutscene direction felt like a big step up for the series, and I did actually enjoy the sheer scope and ambition of the final boss rush for what it was. It was absolutely a mess, but it felt like a sort of final celebration of the series and its characters that made me feel really excited and nostalgic in a sort of “bringing out my inner twelve-year-old” way, and there were a lot of great individual moments in there - the RXA reunion, Repliku’s sacrifice, Sora apologising to Namine - that genuinely did manage to hit hard and leave an impact. I guess at this point, KH has been ongoing for so long that it’s just inevitably exciting to see all these stories finally coming to a conclusion instead of just stalling at the same point forever, however weird the execution.

The one big thing I’d say they totally dropped the ball on was the BBS trio; their resolutions just felt completely empty to me, way too easy and simplistic and without any real consequences or acknowledgement of things like Aqua’s fall to darkness and how it impacted on her, or Terra’s rock-bottom self-esteem and the ways Aqua and Eraqus contributed to that. (Hell, when Ansem and Xemnas’s last words gave me much stronger Terra feelings than Terra’s actual resolution did, something must have gone terribly wrong!) They weren’t really ever my favourite characters, so I’m not too upset about it, but I still think they deserved better than they got. And I pretty much just tuned out all the nonsense at the end with Kairi’s unbelievably transparent and cynical fridging (”You require motivation” oh my god get lost!!) and the drama over Sora being separated from her again becuse I just...really didn’t care any more. I’m sorry, I just didn’t. Those two can keep cycling through their same old boring plot forever if they want to, I just don’t care!! I actually barely even noticed Sora disappearing at the end because I was too busy crying over Xion, lmao. Thank god my favourite characters don’t have to live inside those two losers any more. They are free from their nonsense now, and so am I.

So, how do I feel about the series as a whole, coming out of KH3? I’ve spent quite a bit of time revisiting and reflecting back on the older games in the run-up to KH3′s release, and honestly, I think my opinion coming out is more or less the same as it was coming in. I can’t really honestly say that the series as a whole is good, and it’s probably not at all worth the investment for anyone new to the series trying to get into it now - but I do feel that there is genuinely a lot of good stuff in there among all the nonsense, and I’d have to say that my personal experience growing up with the series and following it all these years has been an overwhelmingly positive one, overall.

KH1 was a very conventional shounen story, but a charming and beautifully told one. CoM was a genuinely unique and unsettling game that pulled apart KH1 in a ton of interesting ways, and even if the series didn’t have the guts to really keep going with the ideas it set up, I still feel that it was really interesting and cool as a standalone. KH2 was a mess, but it was an epic mess that I totally loved and obsessed over as a twelve-year-old, and it set up some genuinely fascinating concepts with Roxas, the Nobodies and the Organization which 358/2 Days went on to capitalise on incredibly well. I genuinely find 358/2 Days to be a game that still has a lot of power and resonance for me even now; it’s probably the only KH game I’d say I wholeheartedly respect and admire from a writing perspective, and I still love how comprehensively it tears apart everything KH2 was trying to say (in a way that the series totally was willing to run with and expand on, unlike CoM, which even 10 years later is still kind of unbelievable to me). BBS’s writing was a big step down from Days, but there were still a lot of really cool and interesting characters and concepts in there, and even if KH3 ultimately failed to stick the landing on them, I’d still say that a lot of what the game tried to communicate with Terra’s character in particular has continued to stick with me. Re:coded and DDD were both pretty silly, but they were still totally fun and addictive games (debugging system sectors was great fun, and I can’t hate anything as transparently Pokemon-derivative as the Dream Eaters), and I loved how they both so unapologetically continued down the path Days set up in kicking KH2′s original conclusions about Nobodies to the curb. And KH3, for all its missteps, still managed to cap off the character arcs and themes that I most cared about in a way that was ultimately satisfying to me. The overarching plot might have been absolute nonsense, and the series more often than not a ridiculous and filler-bloated mess, but in the end I really can’t feel anything but happy and positive memories when I look back on any of these games. I can’t really hold the series’ flaws against it too much when it’s brought me so much joy over all these years.

I think the one thing I love and appreciate most about the series, looking back now, really is just how willing they were to scream from the rooftops that the sacrifices Roxas and Xion were pushed into making were categorically wrong, that they deserved to be their own people, right through to the very end. In the end, the series was already pretty much irreversibly going down the path of bringing them back and giving them their own happy endings by the end of DDD - which was amazing - so in the end all KH3 really had to do for me to love it was to just complete that obvious final step, and I was more or less guaranteed to be okay with whatever other nonsense it might do. But even so, there was a part of me that still couldn’t quite believe it seeing their happy ending at the end of KH3; I still almost couldn’t process that this was actually real, that they actually seriously did it. KH2 so obviously wanted its players to uncritically take Roxas’s choice to go back to being part of Sora as a good thing, and even Days left a heck of a lot of wiggle room for people to read Xion’s willingness to sacrifice herself as a positive choice, rather than something she very clearly did not want but was forced to convince herself was okay because she simply wasn’t given any other viable options.

And this kind of goofy shounen-adjacent series having a lot of disturbing and uncomfortable subtext beneath the surface of its seemingly conventional plotlines isn’t exactly a rare thing in itself, but I feel like it’s pretty uncommon to see a series like this go so far in explicitly bringing out that subtext and making it into text - unambiguously shouting from the rooftops and making it outright unavoidable canon that, no, Days was in fact not just a tragic story about people with no hearts who were always just tragically doomed from the start to sacrifice themselves and return to the “real people” they came from, but was in fact a story about perfectly real and complete and valuable people being subtly and systematically brainwashed into believing that they had no hearts and were less real and valid and important than others, about the horrible things those kinds of beliefs can do to people and about force them to willingly dehumanise both themselves and others to cope. Xion’s story was not a beautiful tale about accepting her true nature as a part of Sora’s memories and willingly returning to him, it was a story about a person who absolutely deserved and wanted to live for herself having her entire identity and self-confidence crushed and destroyed, about her being pushed into becoming actively suicidal even by perfectly “well-meaning” people. Roxas’s tragedy was in fact not just that he “didn’t get to meet Sora himself” before getting assimilated back into him - him being assimilated into someone else in the first place was the tragedy, because giving his own independently developed self up should never have to be something anyone has to do. Namine merging with Kairi was not a beautiful happy ending, it was an incredibly depressed and guilt-ridden person taking the first excuse she had to fade away because she no longer saw any value in herself and her existence, and Sora and Kairi uncritically validated that perception of herself by accepting her merge with Kairi as right in a way that they absolutely shouldn’t have.

None of this is reduced to subtext or interpretation, KH makes it all outright canon by implication - and not only makes it canon but actively sets up the entire main thrust of its epic multi-game arc to be about setting these mistakes right and bringing these people back and validating them as full human beings in their own right. And honestly, I just think that’s incredible. I love it, and I’ll always be grateful for it, and a huge part of what lets me keep coming back to games like 358/2 Days and still being able to fully appreciate them even now is having that knowledge that these interpretations are not just me reading too much into the text, but that they have been outright objectively confirmed as the correct readings within the series itself, over and over again, and only more and more and more explicitly and unavoidably as time has gone on. I honestly can’t express how much it means to me that KH is so loud and unambiguous about how much it loves and values and holds up these people as real and important, whatever their origins, whatever the fanbase might have to say about how bringing them back is “fanservice” and “ruining their original conclusions”. It’s so important to me, and I’m so thankful for it.

So yes, overall, I think I’m content with this game, and with the series in general! As long-awaited series finales go, I’ll definitely take it over things like Homestuck and Zero Escape’s efforts any day. I feel pretty much happy ending my time with the series on this note, and while I probably will still end up checking out whatever Nomura does next, I think it will probably be more out of vague curiosity than any strong investment by now, which is fine - the plotlines I cared about most within the series have now been pretty definitively closed, to my satisfaction, and I doubt anything else it does will manage to interest me nearly as much, but I’m sure I’ll still be willing to pop in again in a few years anyway for old times’ sake. For now, I am free, and I’d have to say that feels pretty good! I’m willing to forgive Kingdom Hearts a lot just because it’s brought me so much joy over the years, and I can’t think of any other series that has managed to stay emotionally significant to me for as much of my life as this one has. So in the end, all I can say is: thank you, Tetsuya Nomura! Keep on co-opting those beloved Disney movies to indulge your absurdly convoluted shounen anime nonsense, you wonderful, ridiculous man.

Which one of your characters would be the most dangerous if challenged?

Dark wandchoosesthewizard show me… || Still Accepting

So I kinda sorta answered this before. However that was in a much broader sense the question did not, for example, include the ‘if challenged’ part so I answered it as more of a ‘general’ thing. I have also added three more muses since so, under a cut for length because-

-I think this time, it’s actually harder to answer?? Because before it was just more of a ‘which of your muses is most likely to kick the shit out of mine’ where as this time it’s like… If I threatened to kill your muse, who’d kill me first? And frankly, quite a few of them… And I’m not sure I’m going to settle on an actual answer this time. (spoiler alert: through a hella long discussion w/ myself where I slowly discredit people, I do come to some kind of conclusion)

So I’m going to try and base this on; magical power, proclivity towards violence / murder and some kind of notion about willingness to take a life which is basically the same as the last point but the last point is more about the ability to do so? Whatever. We all know you’re looking under here for my inarticulate waffle, and if you’re not - well, surprise! That’s what resides here!

Immediately, once again, I’m sorry to her, but Braith gets taken out. While she would give as good as she got there is still no escaping that she’s an underage witch who is deaf. While she might have an upper hand with nonverbal magic - this advantage is eradicated by the fact that she cannot hear her opponent. Also - and this will be a reoccurring theme for some of them but - even were she to succeed, she’d be less likely to deliver a fatal blow - she’s a CHILD.

And after Braith it gets difficult because In a life or death situation? The rest of them are capable of killing, with varying degrees of willingness to do so - and the idea that for example - Peter would try to avoid the conflict seems like a cop out which I fully endorsed using last time. 

Narcissa certainly would kill to save herself, or her family - if no other avenues remain she certainly could. Leandra has killed before - and not to save her own life - so it is doubtless to me that she would do it again. Both of them are magically adept - but Narcissa is not a duellist and would potentially lose to someone with more skill. Leandra who is a skilled duellist is easy to underestimate, but she is more than willing to use that to her cause. She is not, however, trained like an Auror and would also, potentially be bested by someone better trained or more powerful. Helga would be hesitant to kill, and while magically very powerful - she again is not a duellist - Wendelin, who favours experimenting with her magic and has fought with it before may not be as talented as Helga - but certainly more likely to defend herself to the death.

I think if we go through my Auror babies - or my idiot sandwich as I sometimes think of them - we can rule out Tim. Tim is unlikely to kill an opponent through her own actions - she favours defence over offence - so you are more likely to get taken down by your own deflected spell or her partner than you are by her. I mean, when pushed, of course, she’ll go offensive but I think - I think there’s a chance for hesitation there that would be her undoing. 

I’m going to briefly segway into Severus here, because - he may have a similar issue. While he had killed before, while he has a certain proclivity for hexes and dark magic - and while he championed my most dangerous muse list last time for general badassery / being one of the most powerful with the greatest control - the Severus we see in the books does not kill just ‘because’. He duels multiple other Hogwarts professors - OOTP members - and does so without killing them. He is hesitant to kill - although, he is quite dangerous to his ‘allies’ (I’m fairly certain as he removes George’s ear he is, in fact, aiming for another death eater). And while you can read all the really cool reasons my boy could kick your ass through a month of Sunday’s in the link up there. He’s not going to kill you if he can help it.

Back to the Aurors.Percival is no doubt the most powerful of the three but there is a level of control there that the junior Aurors don’t have. He will overpower and capture you where possible. Killing you is not a decision made lightly - If he kills you it is a calculated risk - weighed against his soul, versus the paperwork he has to do - and a final option. If there is another choice - he will take it. Patrick however, has a violent streak, and if Percival represents control, Patrick is chaos. In the heat of the moment - he could take a life - and yes, he’d feel shit about it later - but that person is still dead. As a wild cannon, he is possibly the most dangerous of the three, simply due to that alone. 

Peter who was discredited last time I did this due to his cowardice and unwillingness to fight is actually a pretty big player this time around. While typically seen as weak and cringing - when pitted against Sirius Black, he framed the latter for the murder of his two best friends (or at least, for leaking the information that lead to their deaths) killed twelve? thirteen? muggles and blew up half the street. Peter - as a coward - is exponentially dangerous. He will do anything to save himself - maiming himself, murdering others and using the most underhand tactics to gain a win for himself. While less skilled in duelling than others I have - he has a sharp edge of desperation. 

So that leaves Gellert and Credence. 

Gellert is incredibly dangerous. He does not give enough of a fuck. He has killed hundreds, thousands. I have obviously said about how easily I can switch his ‘Edge Lord’ personality on. He can, in my mind, torture for funsies. I prefer him when he doesn’t when he has more depth than that - but the fact that he will still torture, but for reasons - is maybe just a shade less terrifying?? He is incredibly powerful and we know he fucks shit up for somewhere in the region of 20-30 years and is only eventually defeated by Dumbledore. For which, I personally am fond of their beings Reasons for. But yes. He is a mass murderer. The only thing that would save you is that, were you magical, he might - at a certain point - prefer to imprison you rather than kill you but - he has no moral obligation to keep you alive and if it comes down to him vs. you? He wouldn’t hesitate. 

Credence, however - might just take the crown on this one - I spoke in my other post about how OP he is - and how he lacks control. And that’s kinda sorta what makes him more dangerous? Like. He has killed people and Mary Lou had it comin’. And sure, Shaw was a dick but - all he did really, was call Credence a freak? That’s not really worthy of a death sentence… (And okay, maybe he felt sorry after but, again. Dead is dead). And like - sure, whatever, Fantastic Beasts movie. Credence destroyed a fucking load of New York - Sure wizards put it back together but you cannot tell me that there was not one single person who didn’t get hurt in that attack? In any of his attacks? I call BS. And let’s be honest had Newt / Grindelgraves not been apparating the fuck outta the way?? They’d be jam. If you threaten Credence - or challenge him, sorry - he will turn into a literal monster and shred you, and if not contained and destroyed (and let’s be honest, the fact that he probably-almost-in-canon survived that???) will happily fuck the fuck outta several city blocks??? 

So, in the most roundabout way - Probably Credence for sheer force of nature like power, and while I wouldn’t say he’s as torture-porn-y as Gellert or as down-with-the-sickness-and-by-sickness-I-mean-murder as some of my muses - he has killed, and would easily kill again if that’s what it took to survive. 

The Problem With Tech

Disclaimer: The opinions reflected in this essay are my own and do not represent LinkedIn, Inc. For any questions regarding LinkedIn, please direct inquiries to [email protected].

(don't wanna be sued or fired, so...)

Juicero is the hot new joke right now. A startup offering a $400 juicer (or juice bag squeezer, I suppose) that has an internet connection and QR scanner to keep you from drinking anything that's spoiled or recalled, with the distinct side effect of being legally unable to obtain your juice if the scanner breaks, your internet or Juicero's server goes down, someone hacks the juicer, etc etc. When a company has to issue a statement asking people to not manually squeeze their product despite it being both easy and the purpose of the product, something has gone horribly awry.

And we laugh and we mock, but underneath it all I feel that this is an issue that's perfectly representative of some of THE crucial issues in West Coast Tech right now (I would say Silicon Valley, but Seattle and Los Angeles companies are equally guilty). Some of you must be wondering how this could have possibly gotten through four rounds of investing, extensive design and user testing, and release before these issues came up.

It's not that they didn't know. It's that they didn't care.

There's a lot of factors that led us to this point, but I'm going to narrow it down to what I think are the four biggest: An idolization of "intelligence" as a supreme moral good, a conflation of success with intelligence, a lack of personal responsibility for consequence, and a widespread sense of complacency.

To start off: I am a software developer working for LinkedIn, and I currently live with three other software developers: two of them work for Google, one works for Facebook. Our broader local social circle consists almost exclusively of developers, mostly Google but also Uber, Infer, Palantir, and the like. And while I can't claim this is a universal attitude amongst tech, at least amongst this group, everything is an optimization problem. Playing board games, especially euro games, is an excruciating process where they can take upwards of twenty minutes to take a single turn, taking the time to analyze decision trees and modeling other players strategies and decisions. But they also seem to be completely ignorant of board games as a social function. My roommate who optimizes most is, as a direct result, very good at board games. But when players act against him to prevent him from winning because he always wins if we don't stage intervention, he protests. When someone makes a move he's deemed suboptimal, and it ends up being a benefit to them over what he thought was optimal because he didn’t anticipate it, he still couches it in language of "the wrong choice" or "what they should have done".

Because this group values optimization, efficiency, and intellect above all else. Obviously, this has a lot of issues, as "intelligence" as a quality has a long and storied history of being used to denigrate others and justify oppression, despite it being, just as anything is, a collection of unrelated skills that people can have varying amounts of practice at, and in practice far less important than dedication and willingness to practice and learn. Intelligence, as the public regards it, seems to mean "skill at mathematics, logic, memory, and reading comprehension, as well as rate of skill acquisition in these areas". But when you treat it as a general marker of value, we start getting problems.

This ties into the next point: Tech regards success as a marker of intellect, and therefore a moral good. When Elon Musk joined Trump's advisory board, there were arguments about whether or not it was good or bad, if it was lending legitimacy to Trump and cozying up versus an attempt at harm minimization. Regardless, people protested and boycotted, and I saw a former classmate respond that we "mustn't shame the smartest people in the country". And that really stuck with me. Putting aside the Tesla, which is admittedly a massive advancement towards renewable energy vehicles, and the advisory board debate, Musk has made some intensely strange causes as his goals, such as brain uploading and other transhumanist causes, which some might argue shows a disregard for accessibility or practicality, while simultaneously disincentivizing those who work in the Tesla manufacturing plants from unionizing by attempting to placate them with frozen yogurt. He also claimed that the unions were an unjust tyrant over a powerless oppressed company by likening it to the tale of David and Goliath. Panem et circenses, indeed.

In short, there is much about Musk to criticize. To claim he should receive immunity from this criticism by virtue of intellect is concerning to say the least, but it's an idea that's present in the tech community at large, from the rationalists at LessWrong.org to the Effective Altruism movement, and on down to the people who, in complete seriousness, advocate for Silicon Valley to lead the world, with Elon Musk as CEO of the United States. The form differs, but the underlying idea remains the same: the best thing one can be is smart, and since we are successful, we are the smartest and therefore the best.

However, despite feeling responsible enough for the well-being of the world to oh-so-magnanimously offer to take the reins and save the common masses from themselves, tech has a consistent problem with personal accountability. Facebook was, and remains, a prime means of spreading misinformation. But it took massive outcry for them to cop to their complicity in this matter or to take action. And this manifests in so, so many ways. One of my roommates refuses to act as though the rising costs of living in the Bay Area are detrimental, claiming that the influx of tech into SF is harmless because "cities are made to house people" and "tech has buses to get employees to work, so that lower income workers are driven further away from work isn't a problem" (ignoring the historical and cultural issues at play in gentrification, a rising sense of entitlement, and the fact that most tech companies only offer such luxurious benefits to their salaried and full time employees, not the contractors or part time workers, a.k.a. the workers who make the least, have the most trouble securing consistent transportation to work, and are most necessary to the upkeep of the offices and the benefits they provide while receiving the least respect and compensation. But hey, at least the buses have WiFi so you can work while you commute!)

And that's not the worst example. An acquaintance, who has thankfully moved very, very far away, once attended our weekly board game nights. He was a software engineer for Facebook. For those unaware, ad revenue is the prime, and essentially only, stream of revenue for Facebook. As part of compensation, workers receive ad credits, to be used for ads on Facebook. And this acquaintance once had an idea. He convinced his fellows to pool their credits together, and with it, he purchased an advertisement with the following stipulation: This ad would be served to all women in the Bay Area within the age range of roughly 23-30 or so. The content of the ad was simply his picture and the phrase "Date <acquaintance's name>" (at least, as he related it to me. I thankfully never witnessed the ad directly).

Now, given the fact that tech is incredibly male dominated and hostile to women, one would think this ad is at best tone-deaf and at worst horrifying. And yet, he related this to me in candor, treating this all as a joke that had gone awry. When I raised the possibility that this was literally harassment, regardless of any potential joking intent, I was met with blank stares and an insistence that it was hilarious and not serious (of which I remain unconvinced). Granted, one of the women targeted by the ad was his ex-girlfriend, who lodged a complaint, and the acquaintance was subsequently fired for his conduct after a massive scandal about the potential issues regarding the invasiveness of targeted advertising and how it contributes to a culture of exclusion.

Just kidding! There was a single local story about it where he was kept anonymous and he got a slap on the wrist and a book deal about his experiences dating in Silicon Valley as a software engineer. The book can be purchased on Amazon and while I haven't read it, nothing about the title, description, or author bio implies to me that he is even remotely repentant, beyond a vague sense that his missteps are due to being *socially awkward, but in an endearing way* as opposed to, you know, actively curating and supporting a toxic environment for women.

And it might seem as though these examples are simply bad eggs, but they really aren't. They're just symptoms of an industry that looks at a lack of diversity and, rather than seriously examine why women don't stay in industry and how the culture they so take pride in is complicit, decide that obviously it's just that being programmers didn't occur to women, so we've just got to make programming seem fun and feminine, right? Just lean in, women! Just grit your teeth, prepare yourself for an unending nightmare of disrespect and abuse, and lean in! And that's not even remotely approaching the severe underrepresentation of black and Latinx people in tech.

But I digress.

Where does this aversion to responsibility come from? There are so many possibilities. But the one most unique to West Coast Tech is the corporate culture, or perhaps, the lack thereof. It's a land of man-buns, flip flops, and company t-shirts. My roommate owns a combination bottle opener and USB drive, proudly emblazoned with Facebook’s logo. The brogrammer is alive and thriving. And to be completely fair, this culture is actually something I quite like about working in tech (The casual part, not the acting like a college freshman part). That I may be frank in my discussions with my co-workers, swear profusely and use emojis in email, and casually discuss my mental health with the man three steps above me in the corporate hierarchy (and two below the top) is quite refreshing. But it has drawbacks.

I attended a college that required a minor in the humanities, and had as its mission statement to educate people in STEM who would understand the impact of their work on society. But so many people just viewed those requirements as an obstacle, or just took economics and got the takeaway of how to best impact markets. And most colleges don't even pay lip service to such a goal. So I worry that "casual" is code for "unwilling to examine potential harm caused by one's actions". That the culture is why harassment can be seen as "just a joke". Why anyone who feels unwelcome is just "too uptight". Why people can be reasonably othered and rejected in interviews because of "a lack of culture fit". And without a willingness to accept responsibility for the consequences of actions, nothing will change.

This ties into the final point: the complacency. Everyone in tech wants to be seen as changing the world. But I'm also privy to the conversations we have in private, and you know what we care about more? Compensation. Its pretty rare that someone I know will come home from work and express that hey, their company is working on something that will legitimately help so many people. More often, we have discussions about who has the better offices, or the best snacks, or the best free meals. I like to think I'm a kind person, but is that really true? I may profess to be aware, but I still own no fewer than ten garments with LinkedIn's logo on them. I still take full benefit of all of the compensation, including free breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and great insurance, and a free gym. I still just used my ludicrous paycheck to purchase a condo instead of anything magnanimous or truly worthwhile. And my fellows are much the same. 

The irony that I wrote this entire essay, on company time, on a company device, because today is the Friday per month we get to devote to professional development and is discounted in work estimates because we are expected to do something other than our normal duties (read: not come to work) is not lost on me. 

I touched earlier on the Effective Altruism movement, which is comprised primarily of tech and tech-adjacent workers. I remain somewhat critical of the movement, for a number of reasons. Firstly, there is a focus on its own impact while simultaneously continuing the trend of disavowing consequences. One of the most notorious discussions in Effective Altruist groups is the avoidance of a theoretical AI that could eliminate humanity. This conversation seems to be staying in the wheelhouse of safety of testing of AIs that don’t seem to be anywhere close to a reality, rather than more concrete examples of how tech reinforces power imbalances, like, say, advertising algorithms that reinforce racist stereotypes. The second criticism I have is that for many of the metrics used by EA to measure the effectiveness of charities are purely monetary: how much of what goes in goes back out. This ignores other factors, such as raising awareness, operational costs at various sizes and scales, and a question of how directly does money even translate into benefit? The good done per dollar is not considered, merely dollar preservation from donor to donee. Furthermore, that the natural extension of Effective Altruism is that, in order to be a good person, the best thing one can do is obtain a high paying job (such as one in tech) and donate money, rather than donate time by volunteering, strikes me as convenient justification rather than honest analysis.

This excellent article (which by and large inspired this one) touches on many of these issues, but I would like to highlight one statement in particular: “Solving these problems is hard, and made harder by the fact that the real fixes for longevity don’t have the glamour of digitally enabled immortality.” As Emily Dreyfuss points out, Silicon Valley has very little interest in actually bringing about progress. Silicon Valley is trying to sell you on the idea of progress. They want to peddle you a “The Jetsons”-style future, but instead of the post-scarcity society that has mastered space travel, they want you to buy Rosie the Robot Maid. Helpful? Sure. Revolutionary? Hardly.

It's perhaps unrealistic to expect tech to actually do the hard, thankless work to improve the world, but it's certainly not unfair to expect them to at least be honest. LinkedIn is more benign than most tech companies: it is, for all intents and purposes, a resume book masquerading as a social network. The adage goes that "if you're not the customer, you're the product" and that rings true in tech. In exchange for use of the site, people surrender their information to the company to be sold as potential customers to advertisers. At least with LinkedIn, that's the expectation and goal. People give LinkedIn their resume and employment information and LinkedIn, in turn, lets recruiters look for leads. But the users more or less expect and want this, because they joined for the express purpose of finding job opportunities. But that this is benign doesn't mean it is revolutionary or radical. It remains only useful to white collar employees. Blue collar workers have no use for LinkedIn, and we can hardly claim to be changing the world of employment when the people who need us most can't benefit from the services we offer.

Could I go and find a company that does nobler work, or enter academia to advance at least the collective knowledge of humanity in some way? Sure. Will I? No. I am selfish, and don't want to give up my cushy job, and cushy benefits. And I'm not the only one.

The most interesting thing to me about the Juicero debacle is how with even the slightest forethought, they could have actually done something impressive. Consider the As-Sold-On-TV devices you see sold: I mean, who really needs a one-handed spaghetti twirler, right? Well, people with motor control issues or disabilities, is who. People who struggle with tasks most consider trivial. But people don't care about that, they care about what can be marketed, so we instead act as though the world is simply excessively clumsy and hope that someone who really needs that extra help sees it.

So, consider the Juicero bag. Reporters have noted, laughingly, jokingly, that the bag is exceedingly easy to squeeze and thus remove juice from. It's so simple, it requires hardly any effort! Someone went through the process of designing a bag, meant to be able to dispense its contents far more easily than other bags, as well as a device to automate the squeezing. Now I don't have motor control issues or disabilities, but I'm willing to bet: someone who does? Or who can't easily get, say, orange juice cartons from the fridge, open the top, lift the heavy, irregular object at just such an angle in just such a location for just such a time, all to get themselves a cup of juice? Yeah, I bet someone, somewhere, saw this and thought, finally, I can actually get myself milk without needing help or preparation.

And Juicero made this device, slapped an internet connection, QR Codes and a $400 price tag onto it, and marketed it as being the future of juice, vulnerabilities and use cases be damned. And I want to scream.

Because in the end, they cared more about being successful than being helpful.

Unfortunately, identifying the issues is one problem, addressing them is another. I'm not sure how to even begin tackling these. But we have to. People in tech, myself included, need to take responsibility for our culture and creations. We have a moral duty to do better. To be better. The internet is, at its core, a wonderful tool for accessibility of information. But like all tools, it can and is misused, and we're the ones who let it happen. We need to fix this.

Julie, 23

1. Can you use three to five words to describe our generation? Passionate, Involved, Genuine 

2. Talk about a person or an experience that has helped shape you into the person you are today? My mom, which is probably the most obvious answer. I have a really close relationship with her and she’s one of my best friends. Especially as a feminist writer and starting a feminist blog at 16 in Ohio, which came to me through in an academic assignment. I think our relationship has gotten so much closer in that she has taught me so much just by being open to it and supporting me without any hesitation. Even if feminism was something she really wasn’t well informed about or interested in, she became more informed and interested in. That support and willingness to learn from me and me from her has been incredibly informative.

3. Selfies: Thoughts? I never take them, it has never felt comfortable or authentic for me. At the same time, I love getting selfies from my female friends where it’s clear they feel really confident and are living their best lives. I love receiving those so if that’s an authentic experience for them, I’m all for it. 

4. Who or what is your biggest motivator in life? It’s my mom and my dad. I’m very close with my parents. I think having grown up a feminist in Ohio, starting this blog at 16 and being very public about it in a broader environment that was not so welcoming of it, I think my life could’ve gone a very different way if I hadn’t grown up with parents who were incredibly supportive of that and never made me doubt that what I was doing was the right thing and that i should pursue it. If I had different parents I don’t think I’d be where I am so I want to make them proud so that keeps me going.

5. Do you believe in love? I do. I also believe in many different types of love, especially from the feminist perspective, I sort of resent and have issues with growing up with Disney movies and presenting this really heterosexist, unrealistic form of romantic love. One of the most amazing types of love I've experienced in New York is my tribe of women who are my chosen family and we overshare with each other every day. If I’m not at my apartment, I’m at their apartments and that to me is an incredibly important form of love.

6. Fill in the blank: “Home is _______” Comfort

7. Do you think you’re represented in things you consume? (TV, Movies, Books, etc.) Racially, yes. From a gender perspective, I think I used to think I was and then through working with the women's media center and looking at their research and being media literate, you see how women are so underrepresented. There are obviously a lot of female roles in a lot of things but then you have to think how are they being represented even if they’re just there. So often most movies don’t pass The Bechdel Test, and it has a huge effect, I think it’s getting better though. 

8. Do you think the American Dream is still alive? I think that depends on what the American Dream actually is. I think the stereotypical idea that hard work alone will get you anywhere you want to go ignores a lot of very real structural barriers and the discrimination that exists in this country. I have a lot of friends that are immigrants and first gen and I’ve had this conversation with them a lot and they will maintain that there is still more opportunity here than a lot of places. We do have to recognize that while at the same time, there are still very real systemic issues here.  

9. Is college overrated? I think it is. My second book is “A Girl's Guide to Freshman Year.” So I’ve studied a lot about the college process in general and I always say the way student debt is today, I think the entire system is insane. I think the basic idea of a higher education is great. I love learning, I love the classes I took in college, but I think we need to rethink the system altogether. We also need to destigmatize community colleges and other options that are more affordable. I’ve done a lot of work with community college students who are incredibly motivated and obviously really intelligent, and who have great professors, they’re just choosing a cheaper option for themselves. So we need to rethink our system entirely and start looking for alternatives. 

10. What are your thoughts on marriage? One of my friends, Paula Martinez, has a great idea about marriage that she thinks there should be marriage leases. You should be able to sign up for five or ten years and you can renew or peacefully part if you decide it isn’t working out for you and I think that’s brilliant. This is coming from someone whose parents have been together for over 25 years, but I feel like I’ve seen so many friends go through divorce and it always gets so messy and is so unnecessarily painful for the entire family. I think if we could just recognize a lot of the time marriage doesn’t work, acknowledge that, and figure out a way to go about that, we’d all be a lot happier. 

11. What would you say is your biggest character flaw? I’m not confrontational to a flaw in that I feel like I let people walk all over me all the time knowing that it’s happening because I want to be nice or because I don’t want to cause any trouble. It’s often to my detriment and to other people’s because I’m not holding them accountable. 

12. Would you consider yourself entitled? I think to some extent. That’s something I’ve definitely noticed among some people my age. I was raised by parents who never let me be a brat or entitled in that sense, but I feel like I know a lot of people, and not in a selfish or self-centered way, that our generation was really raised to believe that if you follow this certain path these things come to you. I have so many friends who are so brilliant and so overeducated who are people’s assistants and are interning right now and I think they recognize that’s what they have to do, at the same time you can’t help but be frustrated. 

13. How do you want to be remembered? As having made some kind of difference to someone.

14. Do you think people live their lives authentically? I think the people I have in my life do, but that’s a process. That was definitely something I struggled with coming from a small Ohio town to Barnard. It’s also a midwestern stereotype, but I think I was raised to be more genuine than a lot of people I met there and that was something I struggled with the superficiality and that level of conversation. But I’ve since found a small close group of friends where we just show up for each other.

15. What are qualities that you value? Honesty, Authenticity, Kindness

16. What are your thoughts on the dating landscape in today’s culture? I’ve had a really interesting experience in New York especially using Tinder a lot, I’ve met the past two or three guys I’ve dated on TInder and it didn’t work out, but I’m friends with them because I think it’s just a way to meet people. I think meeting people in general in the city where everyone is a workaholic, it can be hard to organically meet people, and I’ve made great friends on dating apps. It’s not something I’ve seen people talk about. I think there’s a way to use them, I don’t think they’re inherently one thing, I think there’s a way to use them in a more authentic and kind way. 

17. Do you consider yourself a hopeful person? Yes, very optimistic

18. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far? I think it’s a cliché, but patience is a virtue. You don’t always have to be striving, the next thing will come. That’s not to say don’t lose your motivation and don’t work hard, but appreciate the moment you’re in and just be okay with it.

19. What are you scared of? Loneliness, but that can be contrived in specific relationships and it’s not really that. It’s just not having my people around me or ever being in a place where I don’t have someone I love in some capacity.

20. What is the best piece of advice you want to leave the world with? Forgive yourself. Especially for our generation we can be so self critical and in our heads all the time. Try to forgive yourself for that and try to be in the world and be present for other people. 

Can't sleep.

I'll never understand why I still wake up late at night in the wee hours. It's 12:57am and I feel alive. Not exactly how I hoped the night would go! I admit that this Tumblr has been a saving grace on many occasions. At the moment it is preventing me from reaching out and calling. So I'll continue to use this public forum to stop me from doing so. I have to admit that overall, in the broader picture I've been more and more so content with myself. Though it may not seem as such. Compared to one year ago I feel less of a direct heartache. I have slowly (minus today) improved on sleep. Because I am looking out for myself, my senses are becoming more fine tuned. I've started to open up more to new faces, while closing off doors to others. I am learning from all of my past experiences and trying my best to not fall in the same footsteps. I am more aware of the way I carry myself because I want to hold myself high and treat others the way I wish they would have treated me. The reason why I couldn't sleep was because I received an unexpected notification from your sister. (See how clever I am? This is an indirect message to you so that I do not formally reach out. Sad? Yes. I'm not perfect, and still working on ceasing all forms of communication even if I am only talking to myself) I am not sure how I stand with your sister anymore. It matters to me because as all people I've become friends with I feel like I'm still the one who always reaches out, makes the effort, only for another person to stop all together but they'll have enough energy to follow your activity. I don't say this in a negative light. I say this as an observation. Sometimes it's frustrating. Sometimes it's very confusing. Other times I just try not to care or think about it so much. I admit I was surprised to see that she added me on Instagram. Happy. But again, confused. She told me two winters ago that she, as I've always remembered, is a strong and straightforward person. She would not keep in touch if she did not want to. So it now boils down, well but I've been reaching out and she had been responding. Does her statement only extent to whether or not she responds? I'd probably drive myself to the grave trying to figure it out. Why is this important? She was a person who held an important place in my heart, which reminds me of your family, which also holds an important place in my heart. It brings back happy memories along with memories that I dread. At the moment, more so memories that I dread. Dreading how I fell in love with them so much that in the final months we were together I put in all my last efforts just so that I could still be connected with them. That was so wrong. To hold on to you and to go against my gut so that I wouldn't have to also lose your family. I miss them dearly. Which in every memory of them brings me back to you. These memories are much more painful than they are pleasant. I still lay here on the on and off occasion thinking about you. It has become increasingly less. Which is great! I can finally say that I only cry at most once a week or every other. Which is a huge milestone compared to 5x +/- daily. And I lay here mostly in disappointment of myself that I still share any concerns. It's been too long at this point. I am disappointed in myself that I allow myself to even breathe the thought of you and allow myself to become upset. It's getting old. Staying disconnected has helped. Disconnecting from the both of you has helped. Social media, phone numbers, old messages..All gone. On Sunday I finally boxed away your things. Everything we shared together, every card and written memory. It upsets me how 3+ years could fit in such a small box. Those words of affirmation mean so much more to me than the physical gifts that linger. Words that I desperately need right now. Anything. Closure. But I never got that closure I desperately wanted. I wanted to call you after the last time I saw you, to have an important talk to clear the air and finally understand why you even let me back into your world for you to quickly and swiftly shut me out of it again. But I never got the chance to. In one foul swoop you told me no words of what changed between us and only that you met someone else. I didn't have a full expectation of getting back together. But maybe that was the problem to begin with. I put down my expectations which in return slapped me in the face. This past year has put many things into perspective for me. First and foremost I have a very concrete idea of the values I need in a partner. My only fear is that I've become so closed minded. Let's reflect. Top on the priority list with character traits: dedicated- to me and all things he holds dear, and honest- in actions and words including follow through. These two words hold great weigh which also tie into being loving, passionate, and committed. Of course the other things I would love for him to be invested in include being adventurous, lover of food, lover of hiking/interested in backpacking, and no smoking/drugs/forcing upon religion. I want a best friend to grow with but also someone who will give me my own space. Another big lesson you've taught me, against my prior belief in my younger years is that I don't need a person to be by my side at all times. I just need them to be committed to me. Someone that stands by their words. When we set a date, we follow through, unless it is due to an unforeseen event or bad timing. And not changed because of better choices. I don't think it's much to ask. I have found in this past year I really enjoy having my own personal time just to myself, as much as I enjoy allocating time for those who are important to me. I have dreams and goals of my own that I want to full-fill. If there is someone that comes along that becomes my dreams and holds greater value than my previous goals then I welcome them. I value dedication. I do not consider dedication to a person as "throwing your life away" but rather character in its own. There is only one of a person in the world, but there are millions of jobs and opportunities. I fear that I had such strong feelings for you that I may never feel this way towards someone else. The amount of dedication that I had. That every choice was a decision I made willingly. Choices that never crossed my mind as being a waste or a loss. But a build up of decisions because you were all that mattered and I could not see a life without you. And of course as reality shakes me back to life.. it is very difficult to feel so strongly and watch the person you feel so strongly for slowly and continuously walk away. Even though in the end I was the one who walked away, it was by far of my life the most painful experience. To realize that the person you had become no was no longer the same person I had been fighting for all this time. And the pain and strength that was required to recognize this. To continue to fight. And to admit defeat for a losing battle. So I reflect often. On how our relationship has changed me. It leaves me feeling raw and broken. But has helped bring to light all of my strong qualities that you had taken for granted. So as I continue talking out loud like a broken radio it helps me to finally realize how far I've come. I know that my friends and family are sick and tired of hearing me. So I've stopped mentioning it to them and continue to fight and console myself. I need this. Mental talks. This is what I've always done. I think this is my strong suit. To this day, I still don't ask for advice. I simply share and tell. Since I was young, I felt such anxiety being on my own. From the times when my closest friends turned their backs to me. I remember dreading every waking moment in fear of loneliness, being made fun of, or any negativity. The self inflicted pain whether internal or physical that I had done to myself in hopes that I could find a means of escape. Honestly, I'm glad I have such an incredibly keen conscience. If alcohol, drugs, smoke, or the like had been presented to me and my decision making had been shut down I would have turned to those routes. And on top of my bad habits and picking up habits, it would have ended poorly. So for that I am thankful to my annoying conscience. I've always felt like I've only had myself to truly depend on. I've always worked out my own problems internally. There had been occasions when I could not handle it and when things had gotten out of proportion is when I finally shared to another. I am proud of myself that I can make my own decisions. I do not need someone else to decide for me. And I do not put down asking for opinions because I think it is important to be questioned and to compare thoughts. However give me choices between restaurants and I'll be deciding for days. I am also looking for a person who is mindful and so in tune with themselves that they can make their own choices without relying on the consultation of others. Which makes me wonder how insecure you must have been. Did you often talk to your friends about us and our arguments? Based on your retelling of stories, it seems that you followed their lead. Which makes me wonder if you've made choices about our relationship on your own or have I been dating your friends who had helped you make those decisions ? I'd end up running myself dead to figure that out. I will never receive the closure I want. But in a way that's okay. Eventually I will be able to stop writing to you all together, but until then this will prevent me from reaching out to you. I will never be able to figure out where the you I once knew had gone. Or if he will ever come back again. But the girl you once met is still here. She's changed. She's stronger and more straightforward. She's not as innocent and naive. She doesn't believe in your words, but is willing to trust and believe in actions. She has a growing heart and a larger appreciation and dedication towards those whom she holds dear. She refused to let just anyone into her world anymore. Walls have been built but the walls are not so rigid that they block out light. Things are simply different. But good in its own way. And once again that fleeting need to reach you is fading for the night. As each morning rises and I walk the same path to work each morning there is a new found hope, love, and joy. I hope for a steady recovery so that I may one day have these burdens lifted from my shoulders. G'night. Be well. Sleep and dream sweet things. And know that the light at the end of the tunnel is drawing nearer.

What’s missing from our list of 2018’s best TV?

As we wind down 2018, our best-of coverage continues with the following question:

What’s missing from our list of the year’s best TV?

Kyle Fowle

There’s hardly reason to argue with almost any year-end list these days because of the sheer number of good TV shows out there, but I’m genuinely surprised that HBO’s High Maintenance didn’t make our list. The second season of the HBO run keeps with the anthology-esque spirit of the show, but it goes deeper in ways surprising and touching. So, there’s still the random characters that populate New York and The Guy’s life, but what’s different this time around is a narrative through-line involving The Guy’s ex. That character arc, one of pain and jealousy and moving on, adds so much to a season that’s already achingly honest. Add in the fact that one of the year’s best episodes—“Globo,” reckons with the election of Donald Trump, and the completely indescribable feeling of moving through the world on the morning of November 9, 2016 in a smart, poignant, and stirring way—and you have a season of TV that’s more than worthy of any year-end list.

Myles McNutt

It’s difficult for an established reality show to make it into a best of TV list: Beyond the fact that critical conversation privileges scripted programming, reality shows are built on iteration, and that feels less novel or memorable when we reach the list-making time of year. And I’m part of this problem, because I failed to put CBS’ Survivor on my own list despite the fact that its fall cycle has been absurdly enjoyable for a show in its 37th—not a typo—season. Yes, the David Vs. Goliath theme is profoundly dumb. No, I couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened during the season that aired in the spring, so 2018 wasn’t all great for the series. But something about the alchemy of casting and game-play has created a season with a succession of satisfying twists and turns, reminding us that although we may not instinctively think of it as list worthy, a reality show 18 years into its run can still create some of television’s best drama and comedy. (I’ll never hear the name “Natalie” without laughing now.)

Eric Thurm

Making reality TV really pop is an artform: There are hundreds of hours of interactions to film, comb through, and precisely edit into a narrative that will make sense, delight viewers, and feel just slightly off, like humans hanging out too many years in the future to quite make sense to us. So every year, I become more and more impressed with the reigning queen of the genre: Vanderpump Rules. The sixth season is one of the show’s best; over half a decade in, Vanderpump Rules remains an examination of fame, misfired charisma, and the terrors of tenuous social status that would put any 19th century novel to shame. Whether it’s Jax Taylor maybe falling in love with his reiki master Kelsey while his relationship with Brittany Cartwright festers like an untreated sore, Stassi Schroeder’s then-boyfriend creating a new god tier of social faux pas by grossly hitting on Lisa freaking Vanderpump, or the slow-moving car crash of James Kennedy ignoring the “best friend” he was clearly sleeping with (not that anyone else cared), Vanderpump Rules remains mesmerizing. The cast of past, present, and future SUR employees are stuck with each other forever, and it’s incredible. It’s not about the pasta; it’s about dread.

Clayton Purdom

Aw, come on—am I the only person who thought Maniac was one of the year’s best? Well, apparently. Cary Joji Fukunaga’s 10-parter was far from perfect, but it aimed admirably high, wrangling spy action, elven fantasy, late-capitalist malaise, intense family dynamics, corporate psychotherapy and more into a freewheeling caper across several levels of reality. It also got career-best comedic performances out of Emma Stone and Justin Theroux and a fine, sad-sack turn from Jonah Hill. And Ben Sinclair! Not all of its ideas stuck, but it was messy, smart, and light in a way I’d love to see more sci-fi attempt.

Dennis Perkins

I’ll admit, I was worried going into the new, Mary Berry-less (not to mention Mel- and Sue-less), Great British Baking Show era, but I am pleased as rum baba to say that this enduringly endearing and delightfully stressful baking competition series has marched on just as sweetly. Sure, there’s a lingering bitter aftertaste to the great British baking show schism that led to those departures, but not on the Great British Baking Show itself, which rides remaining judge Paul Hollywood’s gruff charms alongside new judging partner Prue Leith and celebrity goofballs Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig without missing a trick. The key ingredient to this series’ success has always been the utterly generous heart that goes into every episode, and Fielding and Toksvig, if anything, seem more emotionally invested in the fates of the contestants they have to expel, one-by-one, from the show’s famous tent. And if Hollywood and Leith continue the necessarily merciless judging of soggy bottoms, overworked and under-proved doughs, and the occasional collapsing confectionary disaster, they, too, provide warmly constructive criticism rather than the traditional reality show scorn. A series—as the departed Berry was wont to say—“cram-jammed” with delights, The Great British Baking Show remains one of the most cozily exciting TV experiences going. [Dennis Perkins]

Alex McLevy

Maybe it’s the curse of distance that comes from being released way back in January, or maybe it’s simply a victim of the era of Too Much TV, but I’m bummed out to find the Steven Soderbergh-helmed Mosaic failed to crack our top 25. The miniseries is everything you could want in superlative television: a sharply nuanced and well-written mystery, performed by a coterie of uniformly strong actors at the top of their game (longtime character actor Devin Ratray deserves to be getting award nominations for his star turn), and an ace director brilliantly shooting and editing the whole thing into an intriguing puzzle? It’s the one thing I have felt comfortable recommending to anyone all year long who’s asked me what great show they should check out, regardless of individual tastes, and sadly, not a single person to date has responded with, “I’ve already seen it.” (Feel free to ignore the accompanying multimedia app as an experimental lark on Soderbergh’s part.) You’d think an HBO series from an Oscar-winning director wouldn’t need underdog-status championing, and yet here we are. Give it a watch if you haven’t yet—and odds are, you haven’t.

Caroline Siede

Come on you guys, Netflix’s Queer Eye gave us two full seasons and a special in 2018, and we couldn’t even give it a spot on our list?! I get that it can be hard to stump for reality TV when there’s so much great scripted stuff out there, but Queer Eye at least deserves a special award for being one of the most unexpected joys of 2018. The new Fab Five offered an updated spin on the early ’00s Bravo original, emphasizing self-empowerment, confidence, and empathy along with styling tips and home makeovers. Karamo used his vague “culture and lifestyle” assignment to deliver some really thoughtful therapy sessions, Tan invented a whole new way to wear shirts, Jonathan established himself as an instant icon, Antoni put avocado on stuff, and Bobby did five times as much work as everyone else while getting barely any credit for it. Whether we were bonding over tear-jerking transformations or mocking Antoni’s complete inability to cook, Queer Eye was the rare cultural unifier based on something lovely and uplifting, rather than dark and depressing. I’m guessing we’re still going to need that in 2019, so it’s a good thing the show has a third season on the way. Until then, I’ll just be rewatching A.J.’s episode on a loop.

Lisa Weidenfeld

I watched and loved a lot of TV this year, but it’s possible Wynonna Earp is the show I looked forward to the most, and also the one I wish I was seeing on more best-of lists this December. It’s a Western, a procedural, a Buffy descendant, a horror comedy, and probably a few other things as well. But mostly it’s fun. Its wildly entertaining third season was the strongest yet, and featured a potato-licking mystery, a Christmas tree topper made out of tampons, and one of TV’s sweetest ongoing romances—the usual stuff of great drama. The show’s mythology keeps expanding into an ever larger battle between forces far more powerful than its scrappy team of heroes, but it’s the writing and character work that make the show shine. Wynonna may be tough and merciless in her pursuit of victory, but it’s her sense of humor that keeps her human and compelling, and the bond between her and sister Waverly has provided a grounding emotional force on a show with an increasingly complex central plot. There just aren’t enough shows on TV that would work a Plan B joke into their heist sequence.

Vikram Murthi

Even correcting for James Franco’s involvement, which might put people off for legitimate reasons, it blows me away that The Deuce didn’t crack AVC’s main list. David Simon and George Pelecanos’ bird’s-eye view of the inception and proliferation of the sex industry in the United States represents some of the most mature, compelling television of the year. Simon’s detail-oriented, process-focused approach comes alive when examining a side of American culture that functions as a metaphor for everything: gentrification, the rise of cultural conservatism, urban renewal, late capitalism, and, most potently, the filmmaking process. This season, Simon and Pelecanos pushed their subjects toward broader freedoms that quickly revealed themselves to be traps in disguise. Not only does all social progress come with a price, but also it’s limited to those pre-approved by those controlling the purse strings. Yet, Simon and Pelecanos never forget that the tapestry of human experience is neither exclusively tragic nor comprehensively optimistic. Some people discover happiness, and others lose their way. Rising and falling in America has always been a permanent state because social environments and political context circumscribe life-or-death choices. It’s been a decade since The Wire ended, but its worldview lives on through Simon’s successive work: everything’s connected, follow the money, and bad institutions fail good people every damn day.

Danette Chavez

Although the show’s title addresses a certain demographic, Dear White People has so much to say beyond calling out the oblivious and privileged. Yes, Justin Simien’s adaptation of his 2014 film of the same name wears its politics on its sleeve, but they’re right next to its heart. The show is much more a winning coming-of-age dramedy than it is a polemic, and even then, it’s still miles ahead of most college-set series in both style and substance. Simien’s created his own visual language to capture both the intimacy of the relationships among the core cast, as well as the microscope they’re under as black students at an Ivy League school. And I really cannot say enough about the dialogue, which crackles and informs. Season one had such a moving coming-out storyline, made all the more so by DeRon Horton’s vulnerable performance; the new season follows Lionel’s adventures in dating and dorm sex, with hilarious and poignant results. Really, the whole cast should be commended, from Logan Browning, who provides a wonderfully complex center as Sam, to Antoinette Robertson, who may have given the series’ best performance in season two’s “Chapter IV.” Dear White People still makes a point of punching up—at racist and sexist institutions, tangible and otherwise—but many of its most extraordinary moments have come from characters like Sam, Gabe (John Patrick Amedori), and Reggie (Marque Richardson) recognizing their personal foibles. Thankfully, Netflix has already renewed Dear White People for a third season, giving you all a chance to get it together.

Gwen Ihnat

The odd Amazon sitcom Forever had a lot to say about the monotony of monogamy and marriage: Can you really stay with someone happily for the rest of your life? (Or afterlife, as the case may be.) With anyone but Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph cast as that main couple, Forever might have slowly slid into bland drudgery. But the two gifted comic actors injected a lot of life into the monogamy question, aided by a spirited supporting cast including Catherine Keener, Julia Ormond, and Noah Robbins. Sure, there are some days when you want to talk to anyone but that person sitting across from you at the breakfast table. But who else would discuss with you, ad nauseam, banal topics like the perfect way to spend a half-hour, or the best way to sit in a chair? The standalone episode “Andre And Sarah” makes achingly clear how much finding (or not finding) that person who makes you shine steers the path your life will eventually take, all in a mere 35 minutes.

Allison Shoemaker

While I’d love to praise one of the many things that aired this year that I’m sure to revisit in future—someone else is going to mention Wanderlust, Salt Fat Acid Heat, and the dazzling Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, right?—I feel compelled to bring up a program I’m almost certain I’ll never watch again. It’s unlikely that when HBO snapped up The Tale at Sundance this year, the network was thinking of the benefits of the pause button. Yet it’s a benefit all the same. The debut narrative feature from documentarian Jennifer Fox follows a fictionalized version of the director (played by Laura Dern) as she re-examines a traumatic childhood experience she’d filed away in her mind as loving and consensual, managing to be both gentle and almost unbearably upsetting all at once. Dern’s simple, seemingly relaxed performance belies the nightmare which fuels it, and that pause button may prove invaluable to some—it certainly was for me. The Tale is a film which seems to demand that you witness, rather than merely watch it. Should you need to walk away for a minute, it’ll keep.

Noel Murray

I know, I know: At least once or twice a year someone tells you about some cool animated series you should be watching, and talks about how trippy and ambitious and strangely deep it is. But guys, trust me: You need to catch up on Cartoon Network’s Summer Camp Island. Only half of season one has aired so far (20 10-minute episodes, mostly non-serialized), with the rest of the first batch reportedly set to debut before the end of the year. It’s a show parents can watch with grade-school-aged kids or on their own—a treat for animation buffs, and for anyone who enjoys a the kind of surrealism that’s more adorable than upsetting. With its snooty teen witches, dorky monsters, and never-ending parade of anthropomorphic clothes, toys, plants, and foodstuffs, Summer Camp Island is like a weird old Disney cartoon crossed with an ’80s teensploitation picture. And it is glorious.

A.A. Dowd

Mike Flanagan is a Stephen King guy. You could guess that from his adaptation of Gerald’s Game and from the news that he’s doing King’s Shining sequel Doctor Sleep next. Or you could just watch his work and marvel at how plainly influenced it is by the author’s, at how well it captures that signature King touch—the division of perspective among multiple characters, the interest in history and trauma, the graceful juggling of timelines. There’s much more King than Shirley Jackson in Flanagan Netflix take on The Haunting Of Hill House. The miniseries didn’t scare me as much as it seemed to scare a lot of my friends and colleagues—while well-executed, its jolts were mostly of the familiar James Wan spirits-slithering-up-walls variety. But I loved the intricacy of the storytelling, the way Flanagan moved fluidly from the childhood scenes to the adulthood ones and back again, mapping the entwined lives of these damaged siblings to suggest the way that our past and present remain in constant conversation. (It’s memories, of course, that are really haunting the Crain family.) In the end, I found Haunting Of Hill House a better, more spiritually faithful adaptation of It than the real one from last year. Guess that makes me a Mike Flanagan guy.

Erik Adams

The contents of The Big List demonstrate that it’s a great time for television comedy of all stripes: Animated, musical, workplace, detail-oriented genre parody, surrealist examination of the agony and ecstasy of existence. And while I would’ve liked to have seen some notice for the humble charms of NBC’s Superstore or a nod to that episode of Joe Pera Talks With You where Joe hears “Baba O’Riley” for the first time, I’m surprised that we didn’t heap more praise on another Michigan-set cable show co-starring Conner O’Malley. Like Myles with Survivor, I’m willing to accept that I’m part of the problem: Detroiters didn’t make my ballot’s final cut, despite all the hearty laughs, shoddily produced TV commercials, and General Getdown dance routines (“He’s a general—he’s the best”) the Comedy Central series gave me this year. Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson’s love letter to their shared hometown will always be powered by the stars’ explosively silly onscreen connection, but season two did some stellar work at fleshing out their characters as individuals, whether it was Sam reuniting with an ex to record a sultry grocery-store jingle or Tim (loudly) grappling with the family legacy of Cramblin Duvet Advertising. If nothing else, these episodes proved that when it comes to comedic news anchors, sometimes the inspiration for Ron Burgundy outstrips the legend himself.

Source: https://tv.avclub.com/what-s-missing-from-our-list-of-2018-s-best-tv-1830979080

Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE

Posted: 2/14/2019 | February 14th, 2019

As travelers, we constantly meet people from around the world and experience cultures and values different than our own. I think that is why we travelers tend to (generally) be more open-minded. We want to see the differences in the world.

Traveling gives us a broader perspective and understanding of life, the world, the people in it, and, often most importantly, ourselves.

Three years ago I started FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, because I wanted to bring the beauty of travel to young people who don’t have the opportunity to travel and realize just how much the world has to offer.

Kids who not are only limited by their geography but by their community’s world view.

FLYTE has already sent four groups of students abroad. That’s over 50 kids who have experienced the world outside their bubble. Fifty kids who now have a passport. 50 kids who got to put what they learned in the classroom to good use!

Our returning students always tell us how they have a new sense of appreciation for their community, school, and the possibility out there in the world. They’re inspired to think bigger and do more.

Maribel, who traveled with FLYTE in 2017 to Ecuador, was so motivated by her experiences that she wants to keep volunteering. As she put it, “volunteering abroad was one of the most formative experiences of my life…After Ecuador, I’ve chosen to apply to colleges that allow me to help people wherever and whenever I can.”

Our last group of students came from a small, rural community in Victor, Montana. Traveling to Guatemala put immigration in a new perspective for them. Julia shared that her journey “makes me realize why people want to come to the U.S. and how lucky I am.”

Tija who FLYTE sent to Cuba shared how grateful she was to FLYTE’s donors who gave her the opportunity “to have this amazing experience…to share with my family, classmates, and people in my community.” Likewise, Sam expressed his gratitude for being able to travel, because during his time in Guatemala, he “became closer to with [his] friends and closer with the rest of the world.”

These journeys have ripple effects beyond just our students. Erica, the teacher who led our first trip, told us that one of the mothers who was initially hesitant to send her son was so moved by how much it positively impacted him that she applied for her own passport and wanted to chaperone the school’s next trip.

Now, as we start the new year, it’s time to announce our next partner school:

Envision Academy located in downtown Oakland, in Northern California:

While the thought of this part of the country may conjure up images of Silicon Valley, lucrative tech start-ups, and all things Google, the reality is that Oakland, particularly the inner city, was hit hard during the crack epidemic and the city still feels the effects of its past to this day. Oakland has been repeatedly named one of the most violent cities in the country and the poverty level is high in this area.

70% of the students that attend Envision Academy receive free or reduced-price lunch, many of them are first-generation immigrants, and will be the first in their family to go to college. We’re so excited to partner with this school because of their commitment to students’ long-term success and how much they prioritize family involvement.

Families are a core part of the school culture and actively participate in their children’s education. Many of these families are often single-parent, matriarchal households, and despite the challenges they face, they are incredibly invested in their children’s success, and work hard to make ends meet. However, opportunities for these students to travel abroad or even back to their native country to visit their family are really limited.

We’re going to change that by sending them to Colombia at the end of June!

Jeremy, the teacher leading this trip, is an inspiring advocate for his students and created a comprehensive curriculum that will make his classroom come alive once the students step off the plane. He is a digital media arts teacher — and through the coursework that will be integrated into the trip, the students will learn how to use photography, film, and art to tell their stories.

These students are bright and promising but coming from a developing community like Oakland is not a point of pride for a lot of them. Oakland’s still bear scars from the violence of drug trade. Students still live in a society where crime, prison and police brutality are constant threats. They see the culture and scars of their community negatively and Jeremy wants to expand their worldview by showing them communities in Colombia that have overcome similar struggles.

As part of their itinerary, they’ll visit the Gold Museum and Bolívar Plaza in Bogotá, then head to Cartagena, where they’ll explore the Spanish Inquisition Museum and learn about Afro-Caribbean street art in Getsemani, then take a tour of Palenque. Another vital part of their trip will be the service component, during which they’ll work with a local nonprofit organization to learn what it’s like to live in these communities.

In his application, Jeremy wrote that at Envision Academy, “[we] want our students to be curious, collaborative, critical thinkers who are inspired agents of change. A cultural analysis is a perfect way to empower them to do so. All of our instruction is around project-based learning with real-world connections. By stepping out of their comfort zones, our students can engage in collaborative inquiry and analysis in order to see their community through a new lens.”

For most of these students, it’s their first time abroad and I think Myani really exemplified why they all want to be a part of this: “I want to be involved in this program because I feel my financial situation holds me back from my dreams. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, since a little girl. But my family’s financial situation has held me back.”

In times like these, where disconnection and fear permeate our culture, I’m incredibly hopeful, because Tija, Julia, Sam, Maribel, Myani, and their classmates are the leaders that will shape our future. They will one day be policymakers and business owners, who, with the compassion, empathy, and perspective that comes from travel, will make decisions that benefit all, not just a select few.

Together, we as a travel community can create these waves of change in our world.

We’d love for you to join this movement and help us impact these kids!

Here are two ways you can take action.

(1) Make a tax-deductible donation.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to fully fund the costs of the trip (flights, accommodations, transport, passports etc.) for 18 students and four chaperones. After our #GivingTuesday campaign last November, we’re over halfway there!

Every contribution in any amount will make a huge difference. Out of the thousands of donations that have funded our previous trips, the majority of them were under $25. Every dollar helps us get closer to sending these students on a life-changing trip.

Just click here to help make a difference.

(2) Join our team of FLYTE Advocates.

We recently launched this Facebook group of travel influencers and enthusiasts who want to use their platforms to help spread the word about FLYTE.

Our FLYTE students are incredible and inspiring, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of changemakers by connecting them to the world.

Help us change the world.

– Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Remember your donation is tax deductible if you’re in the states! Here is the donation link again!

The post Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/envision-flyte-announcement/

Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE

Posted: 2/14/2019 | February 14th, 2019

As travelers, we constantly meet people from around the world and experience cultures and values different than our own. I think that is why we travelers tend to (generally) be more open-minded. We want to see the differences in the world.

Traveling gives us a broader perspective and understanding of life, the world, the people in it, and, often most importantly, ourselves.

Three years ago I started FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, because I wanted to bring the beauty of travel to young people who don’t have the opportunity to travel and realize just how much the world has to offer.

Kids who not are only limited by their geography but by their community’s world view.

FLYTE has already sent four groups of students abroad. That’s over 50 kids who have experienced the world outside their bubble. Fifty kids who now have a passport. 50 kids who got to put what they learned in the classroom to good use!

Our returning students always tell us how they have a new sense of appreciation for their community, school, and the possibility out there in the world. They’re inspired to think bigger and do more.

Maribel, who traveled with FLYTE in 2017 to Ecuador, was so motivated by her experiences that she wants to keep volunteering. As she put it, “volunteering abroad was one of the most formative experiences of my life…After Ecuador, I’ve chosen to apply to colleges that allow me to help people wherever and whenever I can.”

Our last group of students came from a small, rural community in Victor, Montana. Traveling to Guatemala put immigration in a new perspective for them. Julia shared that her journey “makes me realize why people want to come to the U.S. and how lucky I am.”

Tija who FLYTE sent to Cuba shared how grateful she was to FLYTE’s donors who gave her the opportunity “to have this amazing experience…to share with my family, classmates, and people in my community.” Likewise, Sam expressed his gratitude for being able to travel, because during his time in Guatemala, he “became closer to with [his] friends and closer with the rest of the world.”

These journeys have ripple effects beyond just our students. Erica, the teacher who led our first trip, told us that one of the mothers who was initially hesitant to send her son was so moved by how much it positively impacted him that she applied for her own passport and wanted to chaperone the school’s next trip.

Now, as we start the new year, it’s time to announce our next partner school:

Envision Academy located in downtown Oakland, in Northern California:

While the thought of this part of the country may conjure up images of Silicon Valley, lucrative tech start-ups, and all things Google, the reality is that Oakland, particularly the inner city, was hit hard during the crack epidemic and the city still feels the effects of its past to this day. Oakland has been repeatedly named one of the most violent cities in the country and the poverty level is high in this area.

70% of the students that attend Envision Academy receive free or reduced-price lunch, many of them are first-generation immigrants, and will be the first in their family to go to college. We’re so excited to partner with this school because of their commitment to students’ long-term success and how much they prioritize family involvement.

Families are a core part of the school culture and actively participate in their children’s education. Many of these families are often single-parent, matriarchal households, and despite the challenges they face, they are incredibly invested in their children’s success, and work hard to make ends meet. However, opportunities for these students to travel abroad or even back to their native country to visit their family are really limited.

We’re going to change that by sending them to Colombia at the end of June!

Jeremy, the teacher leading this trip, is an inspiring advocate for his students and created a comprehensive curriculum that will make his classroom come alive once the students step off the plane. He is a digital media arts teacher — and through the coursework that will be integrated into the trip, the students will learn how to use photography, film, and art to tell their stories.

These students are bright and promising but coming from a developing community like Oakland is not a point of pride for a lot of them. Oakland’s still bear scars from the violence of drug trade. Students still live in a society where crime, prison and police brutality are constant threats. They see the culture and scars of their community negatively and Jeremy wants to expand their worldview by showing them communities in Colombia that have overcome similar struggles.

As part of their itinerary, they’ll visit the Gold Museum and Bolívar Plaza in Bogotá, then head to Cartagena, where they’ll explore the Spanish Inquisition Museum and learn about Afro-Caribbean street art in Getsemani, then take a tour of Palenque. Another vital part of their trip will be the service component, during which they’ll work with a local nonprofit organization to learn what it’s like to live in these communities.

In his application, Jeremy wrote that at Envision Academy, “[we] want our students to be curious, collaborative, critical thinkers who are inspired agents of change. A cultural analysis is a perfect way to empower them to do so. All of our instruction is around project-based learning with real-world connections. By stepping out of their comfort zones, our students can engage in collaborative inquiry and analysis in order to see their community through a new lens.”

For most of these students, it’s their first time abroad and I think Myani really exemplified why they all want to be a part of this: “I want to be involved in this program because I feel my financial situation holds me back from my dreams. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, since a little girl. But my family’s financial situation has held me back.”

In times like these, where disconnection and fear permeate our culture, I’m incredibly hopeful, because Tija, Julia, Sam, Maribel, Myani, and their classmates are the leaders that will shape our future. They will one day be policymakers and business owners, who, with the compassion, empathy, and perspective that comes from travel, will make decisions that benefit all, not just a select few.

Together, we as a travel community can create these waves of change in our world.

We’d love for you to join this movement and help us impact these kids!

Here are two ways you can take action.

(1) Make a tax-deductible donation.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to fully fund the costs of the trip (flights, accommodations, transport, passports etc.) for 18 students and four chaperones. After our #GivingTuesday campaign last November, we’re over halfway there!

Every contribution in any amount will make a huge difference. Out of the thousands of donations that have funded our previous trips, the majority of them were under $25. Every dollar helps us get closer to sending these students on a life-changing trip.

Just click here to help make a difference.

(2) Join our team of FLYTE Advocates.

We recently launched this Facebook group of travel influencers and enthusiasts who want to use their platforms to help spread the word about FLYTE.

Our FLYTE students are incredible and inspiring, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of changemakers by connecting them to the world.

Help us change the world.

– Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Remember your donation is tax deductible if you’re in the states! Here is the donation link again!

The post Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/envision-flyte-announcement/

Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE

Posted: 2/14/2019 | February 14th, 2019

As travelers, we constantly meet people from around the world and experience cultures and values different than our own. I think that is why we travelers tend to (generally) be more open-minded. We want to see the differences in the world.

Traveling gives us a broader perspective and understanding of life, the world, the people in it, and, often most importantly, ourselves.

Three years ago I started FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, because I wanted to bring the beauty of travel to young people who don’t have the opportunity to travel and realize just how much the world has to offer.

Kids who not are only limited by their geography but by their community’s world view.

FLYTE has already sent four groups of students abroad. That’s over 50 kids who have experienced the world outside their bubble. Fifty kids who now have a passport. 50 kids who got to put what they learned in the classroom to good use!

Our returning students always tell us how they have a new sense of appreciation for their community, school, and the possibility out there in the world. They’re inspired to think bigger and do more.

Maribel, who traveled with FLYTE in 2017 to Ecuador, was so motivated by her experiences that she wants to keep volunteering. As she put it, “volunteering abroad was one of the most formative experiences of my life…After Ecuador, I’ve chosen to apply to colleges that allow me to help people wherever and whenever I can.”

Our last group of students came from a small, rural community in Victor, Montana. Traveling to Guatemala put immigration in a new perspective for them. Julia shared that her journey “makes me realize why people want to come to the U.S. and how lucky I am.”

Tija who FLYTE sent to Cuba shared how grateful she was to FLYTE’s donors who gave her the opportunity “to have this amazing experience…to share with my family, classmates, and people in my community.” Likewise, Sam expressed his gratitude for being able to travel, because during his time in Guatemala, he “became closer to with [his] friends and closer with the rest of the world.”

These journeys have ripple effects beyond just our students. Erica, the teacher who led our first trip, told us that one of the mothers who was initially hesitant to send her son was so moved by how much it positively impacted him that she applied for her own passport and wanted to chaperone the school’s next trip.

Now, as we start the new year, it’s time to announce our next partner school:

Envision Academy located in downtown Oakland, in Northern California:

While the thought of this part of the country may conjure up images of Silicon Valley, lucrative tech start-ups, and all things Google, the reality is that Oakland, particularly the inner city, was hit hard during the crack epidemic and the city still feels the effects of its past to this day. Oakland has been repeatedly named one of the most violent cities in the country and the poverty level is high in this area.

70% of the students that attend Envision Academy receive free or reduced-price lunch, many of them are first-generation immigrants, and will be the first in their family to go to college. We’re so excited to partner with this school because of their commitment to students’ long-term success and how much they prioritize family involvement.

Families are a core part of the school culture and actively participate in their children’s education. Many of these families are often single-parent, matriarchal households, and despite the challenges they face, they are incredibly invested in their children’s success, and work hard to make ends meet. However, opportunities for these students to travel abroad or even back to their native country to visit their family are really limited.

We’re going to change that by sending them to Colombia at the end of June!

Jeremy, the teacher leading this trip, is an inspiring advocate for his students and created a comprehensive curriculum that will make his classroom come alive once the students step off the plane. He is a digital media arts teacher — and through the coursework that will be integrated into the trip, the students will learn how to use photography, film, and art to tell their stories.

These students are bright and promising but coming from a developing community like Oakland is not a point of pride for a lot of them. Oakland’s still bear scars from the violence of drug trade. Students still live in a society where crime, prison and police brutality are constant threats. They see the culture and scars of their community negatively and Jeremy wants to expand their worldview by showing them communities in Colombia that have overcome similar struggles.

As part of their itinerary, they’ll visit the Gold Museum and Bolívar Plaza in Bogotá, then head to Cartagena, where they’ll explore the Spanish Inquisition Museum and learn about Afro-Caribbean street art in Getsemani, then take a tour of Palenque. Another vital part of their trip will be the service component, during which they’ll work with a local nonprofit organization to learn what it’s like to live in these communities.

In his application, Jeremy wrote that at Envision Academy, “[we] want our students to be curious, collaborative, critical thinkers who are inspired agents of change. A cultural analysis is a perfect way to empower them to do so. All of our instruction is around project-based learning with real-world connections. By stepping out of their comfort zones, our students can engage in collaborative inquiry and analysis in order to see their community through a new lens.”

For most of these students, it’s their first time abroad and I think Myani really exemplified why they all want to be a part of this: “I want to be involved in this program because I feel my financial situation holds me back from my dreams. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, since a little girl. But my family’s financial situation has held me back.”

In times like these, where disconnection and fear permeate our culture, I’m incredibly hopeful, because Tija, Julia, Sam, Maribel, Myani, and their classmates are the leaders that will shape our future. They will one day be policymakers and business owners, who, with the compassion, empathy, and perspective that comes from travel, will make decisions that benefit all, not just a select few.

Together, we as a travel community can create these waves of change in our world.

We’d love for you to join this movement and help us impact these kids!

Here are two ways you can take action.

(1) Make a tax-deductible donation.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to fully fund the costs of the trip (flights, accommodations, transport, passports etc.) for 18 students and four chaperones. After our #GivingTuesday campaign last November, we’re over halfway there!

Every contribution in any amount will make a huge difference. Out of the thousands of donations that have funded our previous trips, the majority of them were under $25. Every dollar helps us get closer to sending these students on a life-changing trip.

Just click here to help make a difference.

(2) Join our team of FLYTE Advocates.

We recently launched this Facebook group of travel influencers and enthusiasts who want to use their platforms to help spread the word about FLYTE.

Our FLYTE students are incredible and inspiring, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of changemakers by connecting them to the world.

Help us change the world.

– Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Remember your donation is tax deductible if you’re in the states! Here is the donation link again!

The post Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/envision-flyte-announcement/

Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE

Posted: 2/14/2019 | February 14th, 2019

As travelers, we constantly meet people from around the world and experience cultures and values different than our own. I think that is why we travelers tend to (generally) be more open-minded. We want to see the differences in the world.

Traveling gives us a broader perspective and understanding of life, the world, the people in it, and, often most importantly, ourselves.

Three years ago I started FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, because I wanted to bring the beauty of travel to young people who don’t have the opportunity to travel and realize just how much the world has to offer.

Kids who not are only limited by their geography but by their community’s world view.

FLYTE has already sent four groups of students abroad. That’s over 50 kids who have experienced the world outside their bubble. Fifty kids who now have a passport. 50 kids who got to put what they learned in the classroom to good use!

Our returning students always tell us how they have a new sense of appreciation for their community, school, and the possibility out there in the world. They’re inspired to think bigger and do more.

Maribel, who traveled with FLYTE in 2017 to Ecuador, was so motivated by her experiences that she wants to keep volunteering. As she put it, “volunteering abroad was one of the most formative experiences of my life…After Ecuador, I’ve chosen to apply to colleges that allow me to help people wherever and whenever I can.”

Our last group of students came from a small, rural community in Victor, Montana. Traveling to Guatemala put immigration in a new perspective for them. Julia shared that her journey “makes me realize why people want to come to the U.S. and how lucky I am.”

Tija who FLYTE sent to Cuba shared how grateful she was to FLYTE’s donors who gave her the opportunity “to have this amazing experience…to share with my family, classmates, and people in my community.” Likewise, Sam expressed his gratitude for being able to travel, because during his time in Guatemala, he “became closer to with [his] friends and closer with the rest of the world.”

These journeys have ripple effects beyond just our students. Erica, the teacher who led our first trip, told us that one of the mothers who was initially hesitant to send her son was so moved by how much it positively impacted him that she applied for her own passport and wanted to chaperone the school’s next trip.

Now, as we start the new year, it’s time to announce our next partner school:

Envision Academy located in downtown Oakland, in Northern California:

While the thought of this part of the country may conjure up images of Silicon Valley, lucrative tech start-ups, and all things Google, the reality is that Oakland, particularly the inner city, was hit hard during the crack epidemic and the city still feels the effects of its past to this day. Oakland has been repeatedly named one of the most violent cities in the country and the poverty level is high in this area.

70% of the students that attend Envision Academy receive free or reduced-price lunch, many of them are first-generation immigrants, and will be the first in their family to go to college. We’re so excited to partner with this school because of their commitment to students’ long-term success and how much they prioritize family involvement.

Families are a core part of the school culture and actively participate in their children’s education. Many of these families are often single-parent, matriarchal households, and despite the challenges they face, they are incredibly invested in their children’s success, and work hard to make ends meet. However, opportunities for these students to travel abroad or even back to their native country to visit their family are really limited.

We’re going to change that by sending them to Colombia at the end of June!

Jeremy, the teacher leading this trip, is an inspiring advocate for his students and created a comprehensive curriculum that will make his classroom come alive once the students step off the plane. He is a digital media arts teacher — and through the coursework that will be integrated into the trip, the students will learn how to use photography, film, and art to tell their stories.

These students are bright and promising but coming from a developing community like Oakland is not a point of pride for a lot of them. Oakland’s still bear scars from the violence of drug trade. Students still live in a society where crime, prison and police brutality are constant threats. They see the culture and scars of their community negatively and Jeremy wants to expand their worldview by showing them communities in Colombia that have overcome similar struggles.

As part of their itinerary, they’ll visit the Gold Museum and Bolívar Plaza in Bogotá, then head to Cartagena, where they’ll explore the Spanish Inquisition Museum and learn about Afro-Caribbean street art in Getsemani, then take a tour of Palenque. Another vital part of their trip will be the service component, during which they’ll work with a local nonprofit organization to learn what it’s like to live in these communities.

In his application, Jeremy wrote that at Envision Academy, “[we] want our students to be curious, collaborative, critical thinkers who are inspired agents of change. A cultural analysis is a perfect way to empower them to do so. All of our instruction is around project-based learning with real-world connections. By stepping out of their comfort zones, our students can engage in collaborative inquiry and analysis in order to see their community through a new lens.”

For most of these students, it’s their first time abroad and I think Myani really exemplified why they all want to be a part of this: “I want to be involved in this program because I feel my financial situation holds me back from my dreams. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, since a little girl. But my family’s financial situation has held me back.”

In times like these, where disconnection and fear permeate our culture, I’m incredibly hopeful, because Tija, Julia, Sam, Maribel, Myani, and their classmates are the leaders that will shape our future. They will one day be policymakers and business owners, who, with the compassion, empathy, and perspective that comes from travel, will make decisions that benefit all, not just a select few.

Together, we as a travel community can create these waves of change in our world.

We’d love for you to join this movement and help us impact these kids!

Here are two ways you can take action.

(1) Make a tax-deductible donation.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to fully fund the costs of the trip (flights, accommodations, transport, passports etc.) for 18 students and four chaperones. After our #GivingTuesday campaign last November, we’re over halfway there!

Every contribution in any amount will make a huge difference. Out of the thousands of donations that have funded our previous trips, the majority of them were under $25. Every dollar helps us get closer to sending these students on a life-changing trip.

Just click here to help make a difference.

(2) Join our team of FLYTE Advocates.

We recently launched this Facebook group of travel influencers and enthusiasts who want to use their platforms to help spread the word about FLYTE.

Our FLYTE students are incredible and inspiring, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of changemakers by connecting them to the world.

Help us change the world.

– Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Remember your donation is tax deductible if you’re in the states! Here is the donation link again!

The post Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

source https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/envision-flyte-announcement/

Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE

Posted: 2/14/2019 | February 14th, 2019

As travelers, we constantly meet people from around the world and experience cultures and values different than our own. I think that is why we travelers tend to (generally) be more open-minded. We want to see the differences in the world.

Traveling gives us a broader perspective and understanding of life, the world, the people in it, and, often most importantly, ourselves.

Three years ago I started FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, because I wanted to bring the beauty of travel to young people who don’t have the opportunity to travel and realize just how much the world has to offer.

Kids who not are only limited by their geography but by their community’s world view.

FLYTE has already sent four groups of students abroad. That’s over 50 kids who have experienced the world outside their bubble. Fifty kids who now have a passport. 50 kids who got to put what they learned in the classroom to good use!

Our returning students always tell us how they have a new sense of appreciation for their community, school, and the possibility out there in the world. They’re inspired to think bigger and do more.

Maribel, who traveled with FLYTE in 2017 to Ecuador, was so motivated by her experiences that she wants to keep volunteering. As she put it, “volunteering abroad was one of the most formative experiences of my life…After Ecuador, I’ve chosen to apply to colleges that allow me to help people wherever and whenever I can.”

Our last group of students came from a small, rural community in Victor, Montana. Traveling to Guatemala put immigration in a new perspective for them. Julia shared that her journey “makes me realize why people want to come to the U.S. and how lucky I am.”

Tija who FLYTE sent to Cuba shared how grateful she was to FLYTE’s donors who gave her the opportunity “to have this amazing experience…to share with my family, classmates, and people in my community.” Likewise, Sam expressed his gratitude for being able to travel, because during his time in Guatemala, he “became closer to with [his] friends and closer with the rest of the world.”

These journeys have ripple effects beyond just our students. Erica, the teacher who led our first trip, told us that one of the mothers who was initially hesitant to send her son was so moved by how much it positively impacted him that she applied for her own passport and wanted to chaperone the school’s next trip.

Now, as we start the new year, it’s time to announce our next partner school:

Envision Academy located in downtown Oakland, in Northern California:

While the thought of this part of the country may conjure up images of Silicon Valley, lucrative tech start-ups, and all things Google, the reality is that Oakland, particularly the inner city, was hit hard during the crack epidemic and the city still feels the effects of its past to this day. Oakland has been repeatedly named one of the most violent cities in the country and the poverty level is high in this area.

70% of the students that attend Envision Academy receive free or reduced-price lunch, many of them are first-generation immigrants, and will be the first in their family to go to college. We’re so excited to partner with this school because of their commitment to students’ long-term success and how much they prioritize family involvement.

Families are a core part of the school culture and actively participate in their children’s education. Many of these families are often single-parent, matriarchal households, and despite the challenges they face, they are incredibly invested in their children’s success, and work hard to make ends meet. However, opportunities for these students to travel abroad or even back to their native country to visit their family are really limited.

We’re going to change that by sending them to Colombia at the end of June!

Jeremy, the teacher leading this trip, is an inspiring advocate for his students and created a comprehensive curriculum that will make his classroom come alive once the students step off the plane. He is a digital media arts teacher — and through the coursework that will be integrated into the trip, the students will learn how to use photography, film, and art to tell their stories.

These students are bright and promising but coming from a developing community like Oakland is not a point of pride for a lot of them. Oakland’s still bear scars from the violence of drug trade. Students still live in a society where crime, prison and police brutality are constant threats. They see the culture and scars of their community negatively and Jeremy wants to expand their worldview by showing them communities in Colombia that have overcome similar struggles.

As part of their itinerary, they’ll visit the Gold Museum and Bolívar Plaza in Bogotá, then head to Cartagena, where they’ll explore the Spanish Inquisition Museum and learn about Afro-Caribbean street art in Getsemani, then take a tour of Palenque. Another vital part of their trip will be the service component, during which they’ll work with a local nonprofit organization to learn what it’s like to live in these communities.

In his application, Jeremy wrote that at Envision Academy, “[we] want our students to be curious, collaborative, critical thinkers who are inspired agents of change. A cultural analysis is a perfect way to empower them to do so. All of our instruction is around project-based learning with real-world connections. By stepping out of their comfort zones, our students can engage in collaborative inquiry and analysis in order to see their community through a new lens.”

For most of these students, it’s their first time abroad and I think Myani really exemplified why they all want to be a part of this: “I want to be involved in this program because I feel my financial situation holds me back from my dreams. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, since a little girl. But my family’s financial situation has held me back.”

In times like these, where disconnection and fear permeate our culture, I’m incredibly hopeful, because Tija, Julia, Sam, Maribel, Myani, and their classmates are the leaders that will shape our future. They will one day be policymakers and business owners, who, with the compassion, empathy, and perspective that comes from travel, will make decisions that benefit all, not just a select few.

Together, we as a travel community can create these waves of change in our world.

We’d love for you to join this movement and help us impact these kids!

Here are two ways you can take action.

(1) Make a tax-deductible donation.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to fully fund the costs of the trip (flights, accommodations, transport, passports etc.) for 18 students and four chaperones. After our #GivingTuesday campaign last November, we’re over halfway there!

Every contribution in any amount will make a huge difference. Out of the thousands of donations that have funded our previous trips, the majority of them were under $25. Every dollar helps us get closer to sending these students on a life-changing trip.

Just click here to help make a difference.

(2) Join our team of FLYTE Advocates.

We recently launched this Facebook group of travel influencers and enthusiasts who want to use their platforms to help spread the word about FLYTE.

Our FLYTE students are incredible and inspiring, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of changemakers by connecting them to the world.

Help us change the world.

– Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Remember your donation is tax deductible if you’re in the states! Here is the donation link again!

The post Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE

Posted: 2/14/2019 | February 14th, 2019

As travelers, we constantly meet people from around the world and experience cultures and values different than our own. I think that is why we travelers tend to (generally) be more open-minded. We want to see the differences in the world.

Traveling gives us a broader perspective and understanding of life, the world, the people in it, and, often most importantly, ourselves.

Three years ago I started FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, because I wanted to bring the beauty of travel to young people who don’t have the opportunity to travel and realize just how much the world has to offer.

Kids who not are only limited by their geography but by their community’s world view.

FLYTE has already sent four groups of students abroad. That’s over 50 kids who have experienced the world outside their bubble. Fifty kids who now have a passport. 50 kids who got to put what they learned in the classroom to good use!

Our returning students always tell us how they have a new sense of appreciation for their community, school, and the possibility out there in the world. They’re inspired to think bigger and do more.

Maribel, who traveled with FLYTE in 2017 to Ecuador, was so motivated by her experiences that she wants to keep volunteering. As she put it, “volunteering abroad was one of the most formative experiences of my life…After Ecuador, I’ve chosen to apply to colleges that allow me to help people wherever and whenever I can.”

Our last group of students came from a small, rural community in Victor, Montana. Traveling to Guatemala put immigration in a new perspective for them. Julia shared that her journey “makes me realize why people want to come to the U.S. and how lucky I am.”

Tija who FLYTE sent to Cuba shared how grateful she was to FLYTE’s donors who gave her the opportunity “to have this amazing experience…to share with my family, classmates, and people in my community.” Likewise, Sam expressed his gratitude for being able to travel, because during his time in Guatemala, he “became closer to with [his] friends and closer with the rest of the world.”

These journeys have ripple effects beyond just our students. Erica, the teacher who led our first trip, told us that one of the mothers who was initially hesitant to send her son was so moved by how much it positively impacted him that she applied for her own passport and wanted to chaperone the school’s next trip.

Now, as we start the new year, it’s time to announce our next partner school:

Envision Academy located in downtown Oakland, in Northern California:

While the thought of this part of the country may conjure up images of Silicon Valley, lucrative tech start-ups, and all things Google, the reality is that Oakland, particularly the inner city, was hit hard during the crack epidemic and the city still feels the effects of its past to this day. Oakland has been repeatedly named one of the most violent cities in the country and the poverty level is high in this area.

70% of the students that attend Envision Academy receive free or reduced-price lunch, many of them are first-generation immigrants, and will be the first in their family to go to college. We’re so excited to partner with this school because of their commitment to students’ long-term success and how much they prioritize family involvement.

Families are a core part of the school culture and actively participate in their children’s education. Many of these families are often single-parent, matriarchal households, and despite the challenges they face, they are incredibly invested in their children’s success, and work hard to make ends meet. However, opportunities for these students to travel abroad or even back to their native country to visit their family are really limited.

We’re going to change that by sending them to Colombia at the end of June!

Jeremy, the teacher leading this trip, is an inspiring advocate for his students and created a comprehensive curriculum that will make his classroom come alive once the students step off the plane. He is a digital media arts teacher — and through the coursework that will be integrated into the trip, the students will learn how to use photography, film, and art to tell their stories.

These students are bright and promising but coming from a developing community like Oakland is not a point of pride for a lot of them. Oakland’s still bear scars from the violence of drug trade. Students still live in a society where crime, prison and police brutality are constant threats. They see the culture and scars of their community negatively and Jeremy wants to expand their worldview by showing them communities in Colombia that have overcome similar struggles.

As part of their itinerary, they’ll visit the Gold Museum and Bolívar Plaza in Bogotá, then head to Cartagena, where they’ll explore the Spanish Inquisition Museum and learn about Afro-Caribbean street art in Getsemani, then take a tour of Palenque. Another vital part of their trip will be the service component, during which they’ll work with a local nonprofit organization to learn what it’s like to live in these communities.

In his application, Jeremy wrote that at Envision Academy, “[we] want our students to be curious, collaborative, critical thinkers who are inspired agents of change. A cultural analysis is a perfect way to empower them to do so. All of our instruction is around project-based learning with real-world connections. By stepping out of their comfort zones, our students can engage in collaborative inquiry and analysis in order to see their community through a new lens.”

For most of these students, it’s their first time abroad and I think Myani really exemplified why they all want to be a part of this: “I want to be involved in this program because I feel my financial situation holds me back from my dreams. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, since a little girl. But my family’s financial situation has held me back.”

In times like these, where disconnection and fear permeate our culture, I’m incredibly hopeful, because Tija, Julia, Sam, Maribel, Myani, and their classmates are the leaders that will shape our future. They will one day be policymakers and business owners, who, with the compassion, empathy, and perspective that comes from travel, will make decisions that benefit all, not just a select few.

Together, we as a travel community can create these waves of change in our world.

We’d love for you to join this movement and help us impact these kids!

Here are two ways you can take action.

(1) Make a tax-deductible donation.

Our goal is to raise $35,000 to fully fund the costs of the trip (flights, accommodations, transport, passports etc.) for 18 students and four chaperones. After our #GivingTuesday campaign last November, we’re over halfway there!

Every contribution in any amount will make a huge difference. Out of the thousands of donations that have funded our previous trips, the majority of them were under $25. Every dollar helps us get closer to sending these students on a life-changing trip.

Just click here to help make a difference.

(2) Join our team of FLYTE Advocates.

We recently launched this Facebook group of travel influencers and enthusiasts who want to use their platforms to help spread the word about FLYTE.

Our FLYTE students are incredible and inspiring, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of changemakers by connecting them to the world.

Help us change the world.

– Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Remember your donation is tax deductible if you’re in the states! Here is the donation link again!

The post Announcement: Let’s Help Envision Take FLYTE appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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