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shimmeringweeds · 8 months

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"Past or Future, Let Them Be." vs. "Even without seeing hope, it doesn't mean there is no hope."

In talking about theme, motivation, and growth.

Almost every photograph in season one conveyed a love story. Romantic, platonic, familial, it didn't really matter the form. Season one was about bonds, connections, helping one another, and fighting for a future with no regrets.

It was human. It was relatable. We all loved it.

Season two covered one photograph (two if you count Chen Bin) and a horror story, wherein "love" only brought pain. Bonds held you back, and secrets were kept before connections made. A struggle, full of regrets.

Completely different, weren't they?

I'm sure we all notice how, on the official character profiles, the stickers of the antagonists hide the "future" of "past or future, let them be"?

Interesting. The word "future" implies hope, something season two deliberately lacked. What we witnessed wasn't a fight for the future. It was a fight for survival of the present. In that tunnel? No one was thinking about their future. The game played was a cruel one. Mercy really wasn't in the cards. Who cares about the future when you are barely surviving the present?

Let's talk a little bit about the theming of "hope."

Pt 1: Cheng Xiaoshi . Even without seeing hope, it doesn't mean there is no hope.

Hope always exists, but it's so easily lost.

The first photograph where hope is explicitly themed is DouDou's, and the timing couldn't have been better. After the earthquake, Cheng Xiaoshi is teetering on the edge of hopelessness. He's hard on himself and hard on others. "Take care of yourself now and look forward"; "Live your life, be present, move on," he says. That's not bad advice but..... it's harsh. I wouldn't say these words lack all hope, but they ask you to give up the fight for a future you dream of.

In that moment, Cheng Xiaoshi is trying to cope. He can't save them. Not all futures are possible, and it's foolish to want something you can never have. It's heartbreaking for everyone to watch.

Qiao Ling is the mediator who brings him back. She communicates and is vulnerable and honest with him about her regret.

"I thought I could escape the past... but... he still didn't give up." Haunted by the past, struggling into the present, and fighting for a future you want.

The strongest Three Star Warrior is the star of Justice, rekindling hope. As long as we have hope, we will not be defeated easily.

(also, can we just... as an aside.... their roles????? LG courage-obliterating fear, QL wisdom - light the way, CXS justice - rekindling hope. Because, if that's not blatant theming then I don't know what is.)

DouDou's case heals Cheng Xiaoshi. He helped create a future... and that is BIG. He created a future. From the past. Actively. There is hope!

But doubt still remains like a double edged sword. It surfaces again with Xu Shanshan and culminates with Emma.

Cheng Xiaoshi doesn't wait for Lu Guang before he dives. The puzzle is linking. This is his fault. He has to make it right. Immediately. Alone. There is no time.

"Why is my kindness repaid with such consequences?"

In the trunk of the car, upon the discovery that the victim is Emma, the puzzle clicks with devastating swiftness. No one is there to talk him down. It's all his fault. Emma, Xu Shanshan, Qiao Ling, his parents. Who else has he hurt? He's caught in a decision. How does he make this right? Does he follow his heart, or does he follow logic - the rules driven into his head?

It's his fault and so.... Cheng Xiaoshi does not trust his heart. But what does he trust? He trusts Lu Guang. Rules it is.

Pt 2: Lu Guang: Past or Future, Let Them Be.

There are three rules, and the third is most important. In fact, you might argue that the first two rules are simply supplemental to the third.

I'm pretty big on rules myself. They exist for a reason and keep us safe. We trust that those who make the rules know what is best for us.... but, it's not really a one size fits all kind of deal, is it?

That third, important rule, that rule that exists to protect time and everyone in it, that very rule is what is destroying Cheng Xiaoshi's heart. We know Lu Guang sees that, and we know (now more than ever) how much he cares.

His character is still an enigma that is very hard to read, so this is just speculation but -- after the Earthquake, Lu Guang's perspective on the future seems to shift. He was always working to help others, but now he's more proactive about it. He keeps DouDou's flier, he immediately contacts Xiao Li about Xu Shanshan, he tells them what he saw in the photo, he trusts Cheng Xiaoshi to act.

Emma(1) and Lin Zhen/Yu Xia (2) were jobs taken to gather information. Chen Xiao's (3-5) job was taken to give closure. These three jobs helped a person in the present. Did they change the future? Oh, yes. But that wasn't the intent. And that's why you don't ask about the future, because the future will definitely be changed because of them.

Episode 5.5. When Qiao Lings asks them to take a job for Liu Siwen, they don't know the specifics. They don't know that Liu Siwen is now an old man. Upon failure, Cheng Xiaoshi asks Qiao Ling where in the world she found such a task? Lu Guang immediately scolds and reminds him not to ask about the future. Qiao Ling interrupts him (bless her, she was really like "stop, you're being an idiot too") She spills all the details.

In the end, Lu Guang breaks his own rule (as CXS points out, though he says he's just there to keep them in line. yeah, right. ). He actively helps Liu Siwen create a future. A future he literally spent decades fighting for. And that's where the tables turn.

Both DouDou and Xu Shanshan's cases twist two out of the three rules. They actively question the future and they actively change the future. They don't let the past be. And Cheng Xiaoshi is permitted to act outside of Lu Guang's direction. He receives that blessing.

Because Lu Guang saw how much his rules hurt Cheng Xiaoshi. He saw what over protection does to a person. Cheng Xiaoshi wasn't the only one deep in thought after the earthquake.

Episode 11: Pinnacle of Light "But Emma's fate changed because of me. That's why I'll try again, no matter what happens." ------- (BIG side eyes at that wording. Yeah, no wonder Lu Guang agreed to let Cheng Xiaoshi dive into blind surveillance footage.)

Cheng Xiaoshi dives into Emma's past. As himself. He talks directly to Emma. And Lu Guang doesn't stop him. This action is the exact opposite of "Past or Future, Let Them Be." Cheng Xiaoshi couldn't get farther from that phrase if he tried! And oh, he tried. He tried to save Emma. And Lu Guang just let's him. Knowing that death node cannot be crossed. He stays silent. Because he's guided Cheng Xiaoshi as far as he can.

At this point, he can only accept the aftermath of his guidance. Let him be.

Pt. 3: Past and Future vs. Past and Present vs. Present and Future

If season one was about fighting for a future, for hope, then season two was its antithesis. No matter what anyone did, the future was set in stone. It was all they could do to keep up. Qian Jin warping the narrative, disillusioned by the past. Li Tianchen controlling the tempo, always staying one step ahead, firmly in his present hell. Li Tianxi dying in order to reach a "future" (but she's not dead until there's a funeral, we've been through this).

Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang barely communicate the whole season. There's no time to. The present moment is that merciless. The start of Li Tianxi's photograph was refreshing because it was like old times, a comfortable place. The banter, the directions, the casualness of it all.

But the past did not give way to a future of hope, and the present came crashing down hard and merciless. And it never let up. The abductions, the deaths, the tunnel. The only reason any of them make it out of that tunnel alive is, ironically, because Xiao Li showed up. (or is it ironic. He's a whole other post I'll never write. )

Season one shaped the past for a brighter future. Season two displayed firmly that the present is fixed and the past cannot be changed.

So season three?

Present into Future. Season two left us with a question to ponder.

Do you accept the fate given to you as inevitability, or do you actively try and shape it?

We see both our "protagonists" and "antagonists" (it's more grey than that, really) moving forward but they're displayed as opposites. Liu Xiao pulls Li Tianchen up, active from the present, out into a future. Does he have a choice but to move forward? Is there anything he can change about his past regrets? No. Maybe not. Present, being directed by one Future.

But Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang? They actively drag us back down to the past. And on top of that it's a choice. A desperate, active choice made to do away with the rules. Past, reshaping potential Futures.

Because even without seeing hope. It doesn't mean there is no hope.

#时光代理人 #link click #sorry for the mess #hope it makes sense...#this show has my whole heart so let's just spill it #come cry with me I love to hear different interpretations!#my lc theories

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cursedcola · 2 years

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May i request cater, kalim, floyd and ace with reader who accidentally confesses to them and gets embarrassed and runs away, avoiding the boys? In headcanon format please!! (♡~^-^)

A/N: But of course! This is a very cute idea :) I hope you don't mind if I tweak the idea just a bit. You see, I recently had surgery to have my wisdom teeth removed. They gave me laughing gas before putting me to sleep, and it was the most wild ride. Sooo... 'what if the prefect confesses while on laughing gas, and remembers about it. Then they avoid the boys hehe'. You like? I hope so because I am rolling with it. Have fun reading!

Note! This is getting two parts!

Setting the stage:

Having no friends or family in Twisted Wonderland can be stressful. There is no one to return to while on break, no one to call when you miss home, no one to laugh with over memories - and no one to rely on in case of an emergency.

Which just so happens to be your predicament. Getting your wisdom teeth removed is no joke, and you'll be vulnerable for hours after the procedure. The nurse can't tend to your every need and Grimm is positively hopeless. The only option left is to find someone you trust enough to help.

Oh all mighty seven, please do not let anything embarrassing occur. Especially since he has volunteered to be your caretaker.

Cater Diamond

"Volunteer," perhaps is a stretch in vocabulary when it comes to Cater. He had been caught gossiping during class, and as consequence was given community service hours for the week. Specifically in the nurses office, since he couldn't be trusted anywhere with possible distractions.

He was in the loop about your surgery prior to this though. You had been anxious about it for weeks, and he is your go-to for ranting. You would help him paint the roses, and he would talk your ear off. Normally he would have to pry information out of you, but last week you had been more than willing to spill the details

Cater had already planned to pay you a visit during recovery, but now? He's posed with an ultimatum: file deskwork for hours or watch over the prefect overnight.

He picked the sleepover, obviously. One night while you're a bit loopy and drowsy is nothing compared to boring desk work.

He's there before you're put to sleep, the nurse explaining that he'll be watching over you as the laughing gas calms your nerves.

"Dr. Cay-Cay is on the case! Don't worry prefect, I promise not to put any of your hilarious outbursts on magicam!"

He is greatly tempted to start recording when the gas begins to take effect. You're mid-rant about the correct pronunciation of caramel and he's laughing his ass off as the IV-drip slowly makes you drowsier.

Before falling asleep, you look at him with a droopy grin, "I love you so so much Cay-Cay, thank you for being here with me- you're the best-est"

He giggles lightly into his fist, patting your hand and exiting the room until the operation is over.

Cater takes the confession with a grain of salt, clutching one fist to his chest as he waits in the lounge area. The other holds his phone, which is toggling to random apps in an attempt to distract him. You couldn't have meant it. It was the gas talking - he knows it.

And yet? Hearing those words made his heart stutter. If only he recorded, then he could hear them over and over again. Maybe play them back for you and gauge if there was some hint of truth?

That would be too painful, he thinks, and waits for the nurse to call him in.

Time passes, and Cater is pushing you back to Ramshackle in a wheelchair. Events from earlier are still lingering in his mind, but you're so chipper that it makes for a good distraction. You likely won't remember any of this anyways, so he takes the chance to have some fun.

Now that you're stable, he takes plenty of selfies with you. Back at the dorm he sets you up for the night and leaves you to rest in the living area, while making himself at home and enjoying the empty dorm.

Y'know, a glass of fresh juice, floral scented bubble bath, music playing through his phone speakers, and rare silence that he does not get back at Heartslabyul.

When they wake up, all effects from the anesthesia will be gone, he reminds himself. You won't remember anything, and he'll get to tease you with all the goofy photos and secrets you spilled while loopy. All he has to do is forget, because it didn't mean anything.

He wishes it did

but for your sake, he won't say anything. No matter how much he wants to.

Kalim Al' Asim

Scared to stay alone in Ramshackle, you had asked him to house you in Scarabia on for the day of your surgery.

More specifically, you had asked Jamil. Although Kalim was present and made the decision on the vice-leader's behalf. He doesn't ponder on why you asked Jamil instead of himself. The answer was obvious, with Jamil being the best caretaker out there! He would know just how to care for someone healing from surgery.

Which is why Jamil is going to teach Kalim everything there is to know about caring for a sick person. Why? Because while you are under his dorm's care, he is going to do everything in his power to make sure you are comfortable. He had agreed to helping you, not Jamil, so Kalim is going to be there every step of the way.

This includes before your surgery. He has a room prepared for you, and lets you get settled in before taking you to your appointment. He holds your hand when you're seated in the operating chair, and continues to keep you distracted as the laughing gas is administered.

He's telling you about the most recent letter from his siblings when your hand tightens around his, and his attention is all yours. He delicately squeezes back, and notes that the nurse is putting in your IV on the other arm.

"Nothing to be scared of! It's just a quick pinch and you'll be all better," he grins, wrapping his other hand around the one he is already holding.

You let out an airy chuckle, "I'm not scared. I love you too much to be scared when you're here," and his eyes widen to the size of saucers.

Kalim asks you to repeat yourself, but the IV has taken full effect and the nurse is asking him to step out until the procedure is over.

He wants to protest, but Jamil (who was in the waiting room) appears and drags the star-struck boy out.

He can't hold it in, and quickly spills everything he heard to his best friend.

You returned his affections. Kalim was convinced and Jamil could only hang his head in resignation. Unless you said otherwise, Kalim was taking your confession seriously and nothing will stop him.

After your surgery, the medications are still in effect. Kalim can't wait another second, and as you're being wheeled out is asking you if you love him.

Each time you say 'yes', his heart twirls. Jamil insists that you might not remember anything, that you're not in your right mind, yet it flies by the love-sick dorm leader.

Back at Scarabia, Kalim has you resting in his room instead of the guest room. He wouldn't dare share a bed with you, but he wants to be the first person you see when the medications wear off and you wake up.

He sleeps on the floor next to his bed, and makes sure to wake up periodically to check on you. In the morning, he goes out to get fresh flowers, brew a pot of tea, and prepare soft snacks for when you wake up.

He wants to hear it again. Say you love him, and not just because he asked this time.

Floyd Leech

“You’ll be staying with us, right little shrimpy?….right?”

The Leech twins have been extremely overprotective of you ever since Azul’s change of heart. Not only do they owe you an unspoken debt for saving their childhood friend, but you’re actually pretty interesting. Life’s never boring when the prefect is involved - something that is common knowledge among the students of Night Raven College.

Floyd in particular seems to have a much stronger and obvious attachment compared to Jade. What’s more is that he doesn’t even try to hide it. If he finds you spending too much time with other students then he gets jealous, and drags you off without asking. Crowley loading you with work? If it cuts into his prefect time, then you’re not doing it. He’ll tell the headmaster off personally if it bugs you that much. What’s he going to do, expel him? Does he dad need to get involved?

He notices instantly that you are not in class one morning. Normally that wouldn’t be weird, but your loud pet is still attending despite your absence. Other students observe in fear as a dark aura begins to surround Floyd as he glares daggers at the doorway. Jade somehow tames him to hold off interrogations until lunch, but Grimm’s luck runs out quickly-

“Oi, cat! Why isn’t my little shrimpy with you?”

Grimm tries to act tough, saying that he isn’t your babysitter and doesn’t know or care.

Unfortunately, Floyd doesn’t feel like asking twice. All he has to do is growl a bit and Grimm’s spilling the details. You’re at a consultation and having surgery tomorrow? And you didn’t tell him?

He goes to the nurse’s office, arriving just as you’re stepping out. Let’s get one thing straight - you will be staying with him tomorrow. Not in a guest room but in his dorm and where he can watch you

Why? Because he said so. You don’t need a better reason <3 Now let him squeeze you, its the least you can do after “worrying” him

he was so bored in class without you to annoy

The next day comes, and Floyd is at your front door first thing in the morning. He did not bother telling you his plans, and you instead found hum leaning against the front fence while waiting for you to come out

He teases you on the way. Nothing too serious, but enough to make your nerves act up. Floyd finds it funny how your hands tremble as the nurse guides you into the operating area. They tried to kick him out, noticing that he was the source of your distress

Did not work lol. Nice try though

He watches from the doorway as the laughing gas is administered, suddenly silent as he glares down the surgeon administering your IV. Your delirious ramblings aren’t ignored, it’s just that Floyd has no reason to play nice if you can’t focus on him anymore

Aka. You are now vulnerable and Floyd is in protective mode.

You gasp and for a moment he thinks the surgeon hurt you. Floyd’s half way off the wall when he hears it

“Floyd? Is dat you?” and he’s chill. Two big strides and he’s leaning over your head with a shark-tooth grin.

“Oh mY sEvEn iT iS i’m not hallucinating your handsomeness, right? Doctor this stuff doesn’t make you hallucinate, right?”

Oh so you think he’s handsome?

“G o o d. Listen I know that soon my mouth is going to be all bloody, but I love you so you’ll have to deal with my kisses anyways, okay?”

Oh, so you love him?

Floyd laughs loudly, planting a large kiss on your cheek as you drift off into sleep. The surgeon takes his moment of euphoria to nudge him out and he doesn’t fight back. Instead he shoves both hands into his pockets and moves to wait outside of the door.

Now that he knows you love him, all he has to do is wait and see if you remember. If you do? Cute. Prepare to be smothered. If you don’t? Watch out. He’s been itching to have some fun

Ace Trappola

After everything you have done for this twat, he better take care of you after your surgery

Ace was one of the first to find out something was wrong. The way you would clutch your mouth in pain occasionally, overkill brushing your teeth (putting Trey to shame), and constantly check in the mirror after meals? Definitely not subtle in the slightest.

Ace is also the one to make you see the nurse. He passes it off as being annoyed at your habits, but Ace is actually concerned for your health. You’re always busy looking after everyone else, so someone has to look out for you, y’know? Not that he would ever admit it.

He even offers to go with you for the consultation, but you owe him lunch. Ace is very snarky about giving up his time until he hears your name and surgery in the same sentence

He is the one who is actually scared on your behalf. Not because of the surgery, but more-so about your response to it. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that you aren’t from twisted wonderland, but for Ace it is something he thinks about every day

You’re his best friend. What if the procedures they use in TWST aren’t normal for your body? What if they hurt you?

He pushes this down, eyeing you from his peripheral vision to gauge your reaction. Good thing he did because you look like a nervous wreak

“H-hey. It’s not so bad, y’know? Everyone gets it done at some point and you’ll even get a few days off from school,” he tries to comfort you, placing a stiff hand on your shoulder and walking you home.

He doesn’t offer to stay with you. He wants to but thinks that someone more responsible like Riddle would be a better fit.

Ace can’t resist when you ask him though. He sighs casually and shrugs as if to say, “it can’t be helped,” but on the inside is panicking. He can barely take care of himself, let alone another person?

On the day of the surgery you are much more calm than he expects. He jokes around, saying things like “it’s because i’m here,” and “you can’t do nothin’ without me huh?” all while expecting you to fight back. Ace is confused when you shrug him off yet don’t deny it

“Just say if anything hurts, alright? They know what they’re doing but don’t keep anything to yourself,” he feels the panic rising again when you’re given the laughing gas and IV drip. He gently holds onto your knee, standing next to the bed as you begin to passionately rant about the hell the students and staff at NRC put you through

Panic disappears quickly, believe it. The poor surgeon is now baring witness to an all out verbal brawl between their half-conscious patient and a hotheaded idiot

“OH SHUT. UP. I wouldn’t be stuck with with half the shit I am if I wasn’t in love with you! Be f*cking grateful and let me sleep!”

…….

O_O

He is out. Ace doesn’t even wait until you are fully asleep to leave. The moment those words leave your lips he is out the door and sitting in the waiting room and whipping out his phone

Man’s sweaty ass hands can’t hit dial quick enough

“Trey please help me, what do I do-“

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pallastrology · 7 months

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jupiter vs. saturn: leo

jupiter

they are more positive. jupiter in leo is generally considered a very fortunate placement, with the native having good luck and a happy disposition. they are cheerful and uplifting to be around, with a natural optimism that can be infectious to those around them. they love to make others happy and aren't afraid to be a little vulnerable or act the clown if it brightens up another person's day. they are often rewarded for their good deeds too.

they are more arrogant. this good luck and way with people can sometimes lead to ego issues. jupiter expands what it touches, and leo can be prone to becoming too big for their boots at times, so when combined, the native struggles to stay humble. they need to stay grounded, and charity or community work is a great way to do this while connecting with others and channeling their positive natures in a healthy way.

they are more generous. to add to my previous point, these natives are sometimes a bit selfish or big-headed, but never unkind. they love to share what they have and don't tend to be materialistic, preferring experiences to things and enjoying giving to their loved ones. they love to spoil people and are exactly the type of person to make elaborate care packages or pay for a coffee date as soon as autumn swings around. they are generous with their time and words too, not just their possessions, and enjoy helping others and knowing they make a difference to the lives of their loved ones.

saturn

they are more realistic. leo's proud nature can take a bit of a beating when it comes to saturn; the planet of lessons and restrictions doesn't mesh well with larger-than-life leo, and this placement can become stagnant and pessimistic when not properly managed. it's very difficult to grow through life constantly heckled by negative thoughts and pessimism, but equally, never thinking about the consequences or taking time to experience the full spectrum of life can hold the native back a lot. they have to find a balance, which takes time, patience and self-kindness.

they are less forgiving. jupiter in leo can have this puppy-like tendency to forgive almost anything, while saturn in leo has healthier boundaries and doesn't forgive easily. they aren't so delicate that everything hurts them, but when something does pierce through their thick skin, you'll know about it. they aren't afraid to cut people out of their lives and go it alone if that seems the more sensible option, and actually, this is quite healthy of saturn. it's just a case of learning to take time to reflect and nurse their wounds first and not acting rashly.

they are more assertive. this sort of feeds into my last point, but saturn in leo tends to be more assertive with their boundaries, and interestingly, a better public speaker. while they can suffer from anxiety, the natives are very good at arguing their point when they believe in a cause, and can be quite talkative. they don't really mince their words, so they're efficient and concise when it comes to presentations and debates.

both

they are both self-assured. both placements are sure of their goals and hopes in life, and are unafraid to follow them. they can become distracted by people, especially family and romantic partners, and jupiter especially can get sidetracked when new avenues open up unexpectedly, but generally they both have a lot of clarity and confidence when it comes to their direction in life.

they are passionate. their emotions are big, but not necessarily very deep - it depends on the rest of the chart. they are passionate and energetic individuals with a lot of drive and willpower, and can be stubborn and even quite heated sometimes when it comes to getting in the way of what they're aiming for. they are never unkind but can sometimes be selfish, because they become consumed by their passion. they need to remember to honour their softer side while chasing their dreams.

they are both intimidating. the bold, self-confident, determined minds of jupiter and saturn in leo can be quite intimidating to others. on the one hand, these traits are attractive and intriguing, but the ferocity they can display and the stubbornness about their lives can come as a shock if you've only ever seen their sweet side before. they are strong people, in multiple senses, and it can take time and a few lessons for them to remember that strong and powerful don't have to mean cold or power hungry.

they are inflexible. it can be very hard to change leo's mind, because it takes time and thought for them to make it up in the first place. they aren't exactly argumentative, but they are stubborn and can sometimes take it personally when told they're wrong about an issue. although they enjoy a friendly debate, they can become heated when things get personal or touch on sensitive spots for the native, and at that point they have a tendency to stop listening.

#pallastrology #astrology #astrology blog #astrology post #jvs #jupiter in leo #saturn in leo #leo #saturn #jupiter

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whimsicalpoet44 · 2 years

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What does our Lilith sign tell us about the obstacles we may have in life?

In astrology, there are so many placements to remember. We often forget about other important placements, like our "black moon Lilith." (I will refer to it as the moon Lilith)

So what does our Lilith placement mean?

Astro-seek defines Lilith as the following: "Lilith is a fictional point - the second empty focal point of elliptical orbit of the Moon around the Earth."

In astrology, Lilith is used to represent our "shadow self."

Based off of the figure in Jewish mythology, Lilith was said to be Adam's first wife, but refused to submit to him. (Which ultimately got her banished from the garden of eden.)

Due to this, moon Lilith has also become a symbol for femininity, sexuality, our natural instincts, and our unconscious desires.

Moon Lilith can also show us where we face feelings of restriction and abandonment.

Lilith Signs:

Aries: Moon Lilith here is thought to be very confident. You probably have a strong drive to achieve what you want and you value your independence. The goal is to retain your freedom at any cost. You may not be great at comprising and it has probably cost you some relationships. If you feel your freedom is threatened, it can drive you to make impulsive decisions, which may have some unintended consequences. You probably struggle coping with your anger and this will be a lesson you must learn.

Taurus: You could struggle to get in touch with your inner child. Though you possess an abundance of creative energy, you find it hard to channel it. Stability is the most important thing to you and you often trade pieces of yourself in order feel secure. Your biggest lesson is realizing that you're more than enough. You may cling to people or material items out of fear of losing them. Remember, you are already everything you need.

Gemini: Communication may not be your strong suit. You may fear appearing "dumb" to others and it can inhibit you from interacting the way you wish to in social situations. You might even struggle with social anxiety - often avoiding social settings to evade feelings of inadequacy. You may feel frustrated because you're chronically misunderstood by others. On the flip side, you may be a fantastic communicator and can use this against others. Your biggest lesson is to learn how to deal with the fear of rejection.

Cancer: You probably did not receive a lot of nurturing as a child. As a result, you probably harbor fear of abandonment or of being perceived as burden. You more than likely suffer in silence when you need help because you would rather perish than ask for assistance. Your biggest lesson is to learn how to be emotionally independent. Above all else, you value feelings of safety and security. You are probably the generational curse breaker in your family, and have probably been ousted by your family members as a result.

Leo: Lilith in Leo can cause you to feel over or under confident. On the plus side, you are probably adored by everyone around you and have fantastic charisma. You may have grown up having to earn love from your caretakers. This has left a scar that has made you believe that you must work to earn love and respect from everyone in your life. Your biggest lesson is to learn balance and to live authentically.

Virgo: You are probably opinionated, intuitive, and logical. Your downfall? Black and white thinking. You see the world in extremes, struggling to find the grey in situations. This can manifest in your values, making it difficult for you to stray from the path that you believe to be right. This could be due to your upbringing and you most likely had caretakers that refused to budge on very particular beliefs. Your biggest lesson is learning to be vulnerable with others and broadening your worldview.

Libra: Relationships are difficult for you. You could find yourself falling into people pleasing tendencies, where you may struggle to find friends or relationships that benefit you rather than inhibit you. Though you crave physical and emotional intimacy from someone, you probably fear it too. Your biggest lesson is to stay true to yourself while also learning how to open up to others. The benefit to this placement is that you're comfortable with independence and have a lot of empathy and compassion for others.

Scorpio: The theme of your life can be summed up in one word - transformation. You wish to maintain control of your life, but find that you often stuck in cycles of death/re-birth. You are probably undoing generational trauma and more than likely have a knack for discovering secrets. You may find that you have to claw things you've outgrown from your cold lifeless hands. Since security is the most important thing, letting go of people, situations, or items is difficult. You're probably great at psychology or deciphering others actions/emotions. Your lesson is to learn how to lean into cycles of transformation and relinquish your control of the situation.

Sagittarius: When you can't find a road that fits you, you craft your own. This could be attributed to being told how to think and what to believe as a child, but you may have found those beliefs never resonated. Now you want to distinguish yourself as an individual. Be careful though, because you may be prone to extremes. You're always rediscovering and analyzing yourself. You may come across as blunt and may find difficulty delivering truths kindly. Your values or opinions may be a little unconventional and you may fear that you'll be judged for them. Your biggest lesson is to develop security in your beliefs while also staying aware that not everyone is as open minded as you.

Capricorn: Stubborn. You are stubborn. You may find it easy to make your own way in life and you embody fierce energy. You may cling to control like a lifeline or you may avoid it at all costs, developing a deep rooted fear to it. You fear failure above all else and will do anything to avoid it, even if it means never trying to succeed. Your biggest lesson is to redefine what failure means and letting go of the learned helplessness that keeps you stuck.

Aquarius: Feeling like you don't belong in society can be a strong theme for you with your moon Lilith in Aquarius. You need independence and freedom in any task you do and can struggle with working within the rules of society. The only person you may trust is yourself. You are really inventive and creative, but can find it hard to manifest those thoughts into reality. Your biggest lesson is becoming comfortable with yourself and overcome the fear of being judged for your beliefs and choices.

Pisces: You may disassociate a lot and find it difficult to live outside of your own head. On the positive side, this gives you an incredible imagination and you are probably very creative. You may delve in spiritually, but you may also reject it completely. Ultimately, you want to make the world a better place and find that you have a lot of compassion for others. This can get you in trouble if you do not set firm boundaries. Your biggest lesson is set and maintain boundaries with others. Don't let them take advantage of your kindness.

#lilith #astrology #black moon lilith #astrology observations

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thestupidhelmet · 11 months

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What do you think are the best and worst traits about each of the main characters?

Tough to be reductive about complex, often-changing characters, but I'll give it a shot. 😀

Note: I'm not including any traits I consider too far afield from the characters' consistent characterization (consistent includes character growth and devolution).

Eric

Best: His compassion, willingness to take risks outside his comfort zone, sense of humor, fighting for what he believes is right (or just), self-sacrificing, loyal to his friends, respects Donna's timeline with their sexual relationship, loves his family, is forgiving.

Worst: Can be insensitive, impulsive self-focused to the detriment of others, sexist, possessive, myopic (unable to see or understand the whole of a situation outside of how he's affected by it), selfish, vindictive, indecisive, obsessed with having sex with Donna.

Donna

Best: Compassionate, courageous, intelligent (academically and otherwise), creative, passionate, self-confidence, willingness to put her pain and hurt aside to protect Eric's ego (she does this a lot, but it's not exactly best for her), ability to see the bigger picture when she gets a reality check, sense of humor, fights for what he believes is right (or just), protective of her friends.

Worst: Becomes self-destructive as a way of getting attention from neglectful parents or to avoid feeling grief; when in emotional pain, her needs are all that matter, and she's willing to use -- and inadvertently hurt -- loved ones to try to alleviate her pain; quick temper, sometimes flip-flops on certain feminist values she holds, has a bravado she can't always backup with actions, can be selfish, can be vindictive.

Hyde

Best: Protective of the vulnerable, whether friend, foe, or relative stranger; very self-sacrificing, compassionate, takes no help he receives for granted and makes sure to show his respect and appreciation through consistent actions, willing to give people who hurt him a second chance if they seem remorseful and to have changed, sarcastic sense of humor, doesn't burn people when they're truly in pain, takes chances despite being afraid of potential consequences, doesn't allow loyalty to friends to stop him from doing the right thing (but will find loopholes if he can, as not to break loyalty and still do the right thing), eventually opens to the possibility that the people he loves won't hurt or abandon him like his parents did, is generally a hard worker (despite his declaration of laziness).

Worst: Has passive-aggressive tendencies, trouble communicating his feelings directly; is afraid of allowing his vulnerability to show, so he uses a multitude of self-protective techniques to hide it, afraid of how angry he is from childhood trauma and does his best to suppress it (and doesn't always succeed), can be insensitive, doesn't trust people can truly love him and believes they will ultimately hurt or abandon him -- or both (again, childhood trauma), will use a person's naivety for his own purposes, allows his pride to get in the way of what's best for him, paranoid (not in the pathological sense; it's really insecurity and anxiety and, yeah, PTSD from childhood trauma).

Jackie

Best: Compassionate, savvy (eventually), smart (when not dumbing herself down for Kelso), uses her own experiences to give others perspective, gives or does what she can to help her friends and boyfriends, doesn't take crap (especially once she breaks up with Kelso for good), willing to be vulnerable with someone without expectation of return, very forgiving, cares about certain people even when they don't care about her (she would never admit to any of these traits 😂), self-reflective and, thus, grows and changes for the better.

Worst: self-centered, narcissist tendencies, controlling, (these first three traits weaken greatly once she dates Hyde), self-entitled, jealous, classist, unnecessarily insulting of Donna, tends to live in a fantasy world rather than face reality, doesn't always think before she speaks, lies somewhat habitually (but this trait weakens as she grows as a character), allows her pride to get in the way of what's best for her.

Fez

Best: Strong emotional awareness and an ability to analyze other people's feelings accurately (S1), kind* (he displays both true kindness and transactional kindness), funny, academically intelligent and devoted, loving, sensitive, doesn't care about U.S. masculinity mores of the time and has no problem showing intimately platonic affection to his male friends; is a good boyfriend to Patty, Caroline, and Rhonda (except when the writers destroyed his character in their breakup episode), connected to his feelings and unafraid to express them.

Worst: Suffers from Nice Guy syndrome with Jackie, showing her kindness and respect in the belief he'll get her romantic and sexual affection in return -- feels entitled to it, in fact, due to his "kindness" so that when he realizes she won't give him what he wants, he turns on her instantly and becomes disrespectful and unkind; doesn't respect his female friends' boundaries in different ways, gets jealous easily (of male and female friends' friendships with each other), doesn't understand how far to take a joke due to cultural differences, and this trait eventually turns into what people call his perviness, can be selfish and sexist.

Kelso

Best: Very funny, has the capacity for growth and change (but the writers always return him to status quo), loyal to and supportive of friends* (unfortunately only on rare occasions), can feel remorse for his bad behavior* (once he's been wounded by someone else the same way), eventually works up the courage (with the help of his friends) to be a father to his baby, respects Brooke's sexual boundaries in actions (but is still suggestive even after she makes clear the answer is no), is a hard worker at his jobs (but not academically), is protective of his sister and mother.

Worst: Selfish, self-entitled narcissist; sex addict, habitually violates Jackie sexually (see the episode "Sleepover"), habitually violates Donna's physical boundaries or tries to, serial cheater while never intending Jackie to find out, dangerously impulsive, cruel to Fez verbally and physically (S1-S4), incredibly vindictive, hypocrite, misogynistic tendencies, often doesn't learn from his mistakes because he doesn't believe he made any, lacks common sense in a way that's hazardous to himself and others, often treats all his friends like crap and doesn't believe anyone's feelings but his own matter.

Kitty

Best: super compassionate (and passionate), a healer (emotionally and physically since she's a great nurse), joyful most of the time and wants to help others feel that way, funny, emotionally strong; does whatever she has to do (legally) to keep her family safe, like being the sole moneymaker with longer hours when Red's searching for work or can't work after his heart attack; is kind to all of Eric's friends (most of the time, lol), takes control of a situation once a line has been crossed, great cook and baker; is the epitome of the feminist ideal Midge is trying to attain, despite that Kitty doesn't think of herself that way.

Worst: Sometimes infantilizes Eric, becomes overly clingy to Eric whenever him moving out of the house seems to be his plan, becomes controlling of Eric and interferes in his attempts at autonomy when he becomes engaged to Donna, uses alcohol to narcotize the pain of having perimenopause (no more babies; although she and Red always could adopt, but that's a different subject), can be judgmental, can hold a grudge, can be devious to get what she wants, sometimes is weirdly inappropriate, can be too passive, can sulk.

Red

Best: Compassionate (but unhappy that he has this trait, lol), hard worker, has romantic/sexual attraction only to Kitty, passionate, risked his life more than once for his country as part of the navy, sees through people's bullcrap (although not always his own), helps Eric's friends in spite of himself, wants the best future for his kids (including Hyde), is open to changing his point of view (about a person, at least).

Worst: (First a note. Many of the following can be seen as stemming from his time in WWII and the Korean War and the PTSD this created in him; he has war flashbacks, a canon part of his character). Most of his feelings are communicated through anger, he's xenophobic toward people (of any skin color, including white) and also of foreign-made products; he refuses to face the reality of who his daughter is, and when the fantasy is broken, he punishes her for not living up to his idealized version of her; when Eric doesn't meet Red's standards for masculinity or makes a typical teenager mistake, Red can be verbally degrading or punishing; can be insensitive to Kitty, holds some antiquated views (even for the '70s) of female and male gender roles (wait until he learns about nonbinary people ... 👀🏳️‍🌈).

#that 70s show #that '70s show #Jackie x Hyde #Eric Forman #Kitty Forman #ask #anon #my meta #my essay #meta #essay

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randomfoggytiger · 1 year

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BILL SCULLY, Junior and Senior (and Charlie?)

Bill Scully, Jr. and Sr., were interesting to dig into. Usually in meta conversations, Captain Scully is exacting, harsh, or insensitively exacting of his children while Bill Jr. is groomed to become "the man of the house" and becomes an arrogant bully instead. Both of them are a little more nuanced than that. More interesting than that, though, is how different the two of them are from each other: while father and son do share characteristics, they both have more in common with Dana Scully (post here) than each other.

Furthermore, Bill Scully the Younger One shocked the socks off of me by being an ISFJ-- the "motherly" Type rooted in tradition, faith, and servitude-style support. Which really shouldn't have, because all Types can be a pain; but it also explains why Scully had SO MUCH PATIENCE with him that she didn't have with Melissa.

(Spoiler: Charlie also pops in at the end, though I don't have enough data to type him.)

**Note**: This was written late, quick, and dirty-- there will be typos; but I'll drop in and edit them out later.

Bill Scully, Jr., the ISFJ

(**Disclaimers**: Bill is an unpleasant man; and there are plenty of ISFJs who are loving and adorable and don't, I don't know, pick fights with other people. I tried to paint him accurately here~.)

All Types have 8 main functions in their stack that explain in what orders their brain operate and process information.

The Hero Function: This function is the most effortless of the stack of eight, the “superhero” if you will. Introverted Sensing (Si for short) is focused on duty, responsibility, security, and tradition, meaning ISFJs uphold the values of the generations before them more comfortably than they do conforming to the new standards of the modern generation. They are drawn to military or service jobs, working in their communities and abroad to keep everyone safe.

ISFJs can become annoying if they constantly harp on doing things "the old way" or try to enforce their rules with authoritarian dictatorship (ex. turning off the wifi if others don't go to church.) BUT what's fascinating is that Bill's "overbearing" tendencies work perfectly for Maggie and Melissa-- both are SP types (see here and here), which are very "live in the moment" and less "think of the consequences that will have on our traditions." Both are important to have in mind; and Bill seems to get along great with his mother and has a picture of his sister that not even Scully had, so it would seem both women were on great terms with Bill the Second.

The Parent Function: The Parent Function serves as the pessimistic guide to checkmate the enthusiastic, optimistic Hero. Extroverted Feeling (Fe for short) is about ethics, reinforcing bonds, and accepting, including, and supporting others-- and it's Bill's salvation from himself. ISFJs use Fe to care for their families, going out of their way to meet their emotional needs and anticipate their wants or desires.

The problem begins with immaturity-- if these Types have not grown or developed as people, they expects others to conform to their rules in gratitude for their efforts. Unfortunately, Bill falls into this category: for as much as he tried to support his sister during her cancer and infertility, his mind would always loop back to her responsibilities to the family and to him.

THIS is the primary difference between ISTJ Scully and her ISFJ brother: he carefully walks through life with the responsibilities of his family on his back, willingly shouldering them and providing for others but expects them to pitch in as well. Scully is not emotionally vulnerable; and she spends her life sorting and solving systems rather than personal or familial problems. Bill interprets this distance as neglect and scolds her about duty and responsibility (especially to Mulder over her family.)

Another difference between Scully and Bill is how they communicate: ISTJ Scully communicates directly-- saying what she means and meaning what she says-- whereas ISFJ Bill would rather hem and haw and throw looks or hints rather than get into a head-on fight... unless thoroughly provoked. During the Gethsemane dinner, he let her go to Mulder while only telegraphing his frustration with his body language;

and in A Christmas Carol he kept nudging his sister to participate in family activities until he was finally fed up and asked her why she was avoiding them. Even when he was chastising her about Emily and Melissa, Bill's anger is intense but never aggressive while Scully is confrontational and ready to stand her ground and fight.

The Child Function: The most idealistic of the functions is also the function that is the most vulnerable to "abuse." Introverted Thinking (Ti for short) is deductive logic independent of others' output. ISFJs have a "miracle" for truth-- everything is simple for them, with a childlike ability to see past everyone's walls and lies to themselves and others and tell it like it is. When Bill confronted Scully about her cancer in Gethsemane, he saw through her facade and down into the core of why she avoided discussing her cancer: "You think you can cure yourself." Scully, discomfited that her brother had correctly stripped away her defenses and exposed her last, pitiful hope, turned the conversation into another avenue; but Bill was correct--

he'd only spent a handful of hours in her company and had seen into her soul in a way that not even Mulder had (because he cannot see past her walls, needing clear communication from her-- post here.) It's a powerful tool Bill used again during the Emily arc-- understanding that Scully was, indeed, afraid she was projecting her infertility griefs onto this little girl; and providing her "proof" that Melissa wasn't Emily's mother. (However, the situation fell apart rapidly after that; and Bill removed himself from the fight entirely when Mulder appeared and tried to set everything right-- though not without resentment at her partner.)

The Inferior Function: The 4th function where vanity, insecurity, and powerful, short-term excellence lies. Extroverted Intuition (Ne for short) deals with metaphysics and the future of humanity as a whole. ISFJs are afraid of the "what ifs", needing someone to stand with them shoulder-to-shoulder and take on the world. They want life to have concrete, identifiable boundaries; and, when life inevitably doesn't, ISFJs grow fearful and, without maturity, fall into toxic patterns (see Demon function section below.) ISTJ Scully shares this same Inferior Function; but while she has learned that their fear needs to be turned into faith to be conquered, Bill has yet to embrace that lesson. Instead, he views Mulder as the embodiment of change and unpredictability and takes his emotions and reactions out on him.

With mature reflection, perhaps he will think over his actions and realize the root cause of his issues isn't with others or how they've "ruined everything"-- it's with himself.

The Nemesis Function: The 5th function is where an ISFJ's worry lies. Extroverted Sensing (Se for short) is a hyper-focus on the "now", driving a Type to achieve their goals and give others good experiences. ISFJs worry constantly that they are offending someone with their behavior, appearance, or demeanor-- believe it or not-- and work hard to be well-groomed and inoffensive.

At the heart of their worry is rejection, which they fear; but as they mature, they realize their self-discipline has already garnered them quality relationships and the rest aren't worth the worry.

The Critical Function: The 6th function is the "grandfather"-- either a cynical old crank or a wiseman beyond his years. Introverted Feeling (Fi for short) is one's personal morals and values. ISFJs have INSANELY high standards-- for others and themselves-- that are impossible to uphold, resulting in them feeling like the absolute scum of the earth most of their life. They can checkmate this insanity by helping others recognize their own self-worth, which proves to themselves that they are valuable in at least ONE way.

It's an aspect of themselves that ISFJs will never shake, taking it with them like an albatross the rest of their lives. It's probably why Bill married Tara: her perkiness and constant emotional assurance in their love and relationship relaxed this inner nagging, giving him clear-headed reassurance that he was, at least, a good man to her.

It's probably why he also advocates so much for Maggie to Scully, as Scully's reticence often hurts Maggie; and Maggie's Fe Child goes out of its way to cater to and comfort her loved ones, including Bill.

The Trickster Function: The 7th function is the weakest of a Type’s eight functions. Thinking Extroverted (Te for short) is concerned about reputation, metrics, and rational, outside input. ISFJs don't care about the belief systems of others. More often than not, ISFJs don't realize they are coming across arrogantly, unaware that their Ti Child's honest comments sound like criticisms rather than just their thoughts and opinions. They are then hurt that others assumed the worst of them; and this reinforces their fear that they're a terrible person deep down.

However, if they are given incorrect data or incorrectly interpret their own anecdotal experiences, ISFJs will be spouting nonsense like it's the "gospel truth", wearing the Emperor's clothes without realizing it.

If Bill were to mature, he would realize that others have valuable and necessary information and lived experiences as well; and that life isn't just "one answer" that everyone should live by. Fortunately, he seems to let go of an issue when all of his methods have proven incorrect; so he's at least on the right track.

The Demon Function: The 8th function is the last and strongest of them all-- a Type's nuclear option, if you will. Introverted Intuition (Ni for short) is focused on personal destiny, willpower, and the path they choose to carve forward. ISFJs become high-chair tyrants if their needs aren't met or their comfort is disturbed, throwing toddler tantrums and focusing on outrageous and grandiose displays of displeasure (the prime example is a child kicking and screaming on the ground in a store because they couldn't get the toy they wanted.)

Ni Demon also becomes de-motivated to help others if their friends or loved ones don't take the time to appreciate or thank them for their efforts. ISFJs are in large part one of the backbones of society; and they work tirelessly to help others. Their focus and priorities are turned away when they realize their diehard loyalty either isn't reciprocated or is always expected of them; and they will become engrossed in their own wants and needs to the exclusion of others, torpedoing their efforts to become a beloved member of society. It's probably why he and Scully never seemed to talk as they aged-- he viewed his sister as ungrateful for his and Maggie's efforts, and stopped wasting energy trying to "help" her.

And now--

Bill Scully, Sr., The ESTJ

**Note**: Since I already went in depth above, I'm going to chop everything down and save myself some time! Each function's definitions from above (Ni is about willpower, for example) apply below; but I don't want to get bogged down repeating myself~.

ESTJs are traditionalists, which Bill Sr. shares in common with his children (ISFJ Bill and ISTJ Scully); but he communicates directly and wants to achieve status and reputation through academia and accolades, like his daughter.

The Hero Function: ESTJs' Te Hero exist to "oversee" how others are operating systems, pinpointing a malfunctioning problem and keeping a tight ship. They take great pride in their achievements, accolades, and personal appearance, thinking these degrees or personal representation showcases their intelligence, since it takes "smarts" to identify that how one "brands" oneself is what opens him up to opportunities and a more prosperous future.

ESTJs are excellent at following behind the heels of a powerful motivator and tearing down the walls that would stop their progress, simultaneously delegating tasks and effortlessly filling in their shoes if the need arose. They rise to the top quickly (like Skinner, post here); and believe they've arrived in life when they've accomplished everything there is to do in their field. If they haven't matured enough to learn work-life balance, they then sit back, discontented, and realize how much of life they passed by to work for something insubstantial. As we hear in Captain Scully's speech in One Breath, he didn't realize how short life was in achieving pursuits until it was too late to start fresh.

The Parent Function: Si Parent is simultaneously responsibly loyal and hard to motivate. ESTJs have to trust you to give their loyalty, a trait Captain Scully does not share with either Bill or Dana.

He also needs to feel comfortable with all facets of a decision before implementing changes or moving forward with a plan (which is why he fits perfectly with Maggie, who is naturally inclined to give comfortable but boundary-pushing experiences.)

The Child Function: Ne Child needs to be told what others want, which allows them to get to work fulfilling those requests. ESTJs can "make" miracles happen, affecting all outcomes and bringing together tangible and intangible tools in wholly unique ways. We have a mundane example in canon-- Captain Scully needed to be nudged by Maggie to ask their daughter about her job; and he fulfilled his obligation and felt good about it (although never completely addressed the issue)-- and one that is possibly a reach (but not so great a reach in the X-Files universe)-- visiting his baby girl twice after death.

The Inferior Function: Fi Inferior makes ESTJ's afraid they are not moral enough (a trait he shares with A.D. Skinner, post here.) However, if they conquer this fear by exercising their personal morals and helping along others who are struggling with theirs, these Types' fears are relieved.

The Nemesis Function: Ti Nemesis constantly nitpicks at what an ESTJ knows to be true. They strive to be taken seriously academically; and this worry drives them to research-- not for knowledge's sake, but because it is a powerful tool in the climb to the top of the ladder. Once they have their facts in place, this worry vanishes into the wind.

The Critic Function: Se Critic are elitist hypocrites: in all of their striving to be the best, they then turn around and judge others while having a shoe lace untied that they haven't noticed. With wisdom comes tempered reason: they can't foresee their own mistakes-- we're all human, after all-- so how can they nitpick others? ESTJs also love to be told if they have food in their tooth or a hair out of place, as they take great pride in their appearance and won't mind a correction in their favor.

The Trickster Function: Ni Trickster dupes ESTJs into thinking they know what they want-- THEY DON'T. Often they spend their lives in pursuit of goals or vanities they think will satisfy, only to find themselves empty at the end.

They do best with someone who will tell them what they want or need, knowing the ESTJ better than they know themselves (ex. Maggie nudging her husband to ask their daughter about work rather than letting him walk off without having said a word. This interaction proved even more meaningful after his sudden death that night, making it the last words he'd ever said to Scully.)

The Demon Function: If ESTJs are told they are selfish, greedy, or terrible people, their Fe Demon will retaliate by inhibiting others' happiness: "If others won't let me be happy, no one will be." These types can transform this trait into a more profitable one by letting others embrace how they feel without taking that criticism, rejection, or pain too personally themselves.

An Interesting Note on the Scully Family

Maggie was Bill Scully, Sr.'s perfect fit: as an ESTP (see here), she is a shaker and a mover-- a windstorm of independence tempered by love and a desire to help people grow. As she enters a new space in life, she will immediately see its flaws and how to make it better; and this motivates her ESTJ husband to improve it as well, since he knows the value of polished appearances.

ESTP Maggie is all about assisting others one on one with logical advice (Ti Parent) and unbeatable, incredible experiences (Se Hero.) Her Fe Child and Fi Critic seek reassurance that she is valued and wanted; and she combines these four functions to provide Bill Scully Sr. with comfortable surprises, which are imperative for his Si Parent. Because he wants to experience everything once, Bill will try whatever his wife brings his way; and the more fun he has, the more trust he gives until Maggie is soon Master and Commander of the family trips, outings, or other activities. The two of them are incredibly well-matched: she gets him out of his ruts and blows his mind with how much life she lives; and he picks up the mantle of responsibility while pursuing status and prosperity for the family. Together, they are powerhouses-- his wife shaking the kids' routines up and her husband coming behind and training their four children on how to be "presentable." Their dynamic provided the family with two important values: personal independence and responsibilities to family duty, which explains how each of their children turned into very different people while still being unified by an obligatory bond.

Speculations on Charlie Scully

This raises a speculation: the whole family are Sensing Types-- which is rare-- and makes blending so many personalities under one roof exponentially easier... and yet, Charlie is nowhere to be found. If Bill and Maggie Scully disagreed with their children but still maintained relationships with them-- that we know of-- why is Charlie gone? My guess is Charlie was an Intuitive Type (NJ or NP) like Mulder. Maggie's Type is wired to think that intuitive metaphysics are a waste of time because they serve no concrete purpose in the now (with her dreams being as open as she wants to be to more metaphysical ideas and theories); and Captain Scully is wired to dabble into intuition only as an intellectual additive rather than a way of life. Scully is a scientist and Bill would be too wrapped up in his own life to want to chat about an area he doesn't have any interest in. And Melissa seems the most open; but her thoughts are always filtered through her beliefs, so any discussion would come down to how she perceived an incident rather than a thorough exploration of the subject.

Perhaps Charlie felt like he was the odd one out-- perhaps there were fights, perhaps not; but at any rate, he's only woven into Scully's life three times (during the original run): as a guest at his father's funeral (see here), as a mention in S1 during a case, and as a mention in S4 when she babysat his son. Another speculation: did Charlie wander back in twice because Scully was more receptive to those kinds of questions or thoughts now that she had been working with Mulder almost a year? Again: perhaps or perhaps not.

At any rate, it seems that Charlie was truly isolated from the Scully family, possibly feeling like he spoke a language entirely separate from the one that they did.

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy~

Disclaimers: This is a self-assessed analysis. This information is not based on the abominable MBTI system (which has been butchered from its original Jungian typology since ~WWII); instead, it’s a combination between the works of Jung’s type psychology, Dr. Linda Berens’ Communication styles, Dr. Dario Nardi’s EEG brain scan compiled research, and others’ data and practices as compiled and simplified by CSJoseph. This system is based only on the Nature side of Nature/Nurture; and each “type” is not a “box” to fit everyone into– simply a tool to help understand the basics of the human mind that science has only begun to fathom in its limited scope.

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thecpdiary · 4 months

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Carrying Others' Karma

As I continue to blog about the things that bring understanding and may resonate, I hope they bring understanding and can resonate with you too. Karma isn’t always easy to understand.

When we talk about 'living other people's karma,' we're referring to the idea that individuals can be influenced or impacted by the actions of others, either positively or negatively. Honestly, we're all living and carrying others' karma, collectively and personally in one way or another.

Brexit

The economic downturn in Britain, can be seen as a consequence of the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and its impact on trade, investment and financial markets. Similarly, the freedom of movement loss, is a direct result of the decision to leave the EU's single market and customs union.

The Pandemic

The pandemic is another situation where people are collectively living others' karma. 4-years in and the politicians' decision to lift all precautionary measures is leaving the vulnerable even more exposed and even more isolated. Although the vaccine helps, with it you can still catch and spread the virus. The physical protections should still be in place to protect the vulnerable.

Here are some more perspectives on karma:

Interconnectedness

Some belief systems emphasise the interconnectedness of all living beings, where the actions of one person can have a ripple effect, influencing others in a web of interconnected relationships. This leads to the idea that we are all part of a collective karma, and our actions contribute to the state of the world.

Family and Community Dynamics

The actions of family members or community members can shape an individual's values, beliefs, and behaviours. Growing up in a loving and caring family or community can instil positive values and promote healthy behaviours. Being exposed to negative influences or engaging in harmful behaviours within the family or community, can lead to the adoption of negative or unhealthy habits.

Additionally, it can also directly affect the wellbeing and development of an individual. Positive actions, such as support and encouragement, can create a nurturing environment that promotes emotional growth and success. Negative actions, such as abuse or neglect, can have long-lasting harmful effects on an individual's physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Empathy and Compassion

Understanding and acknowledging that others may be experiencing the consequences of their actions can foster empathy and compassion, but it can also foster judgment. On the other hand, it can also encourage individuals to approach others with understanding, recognising that everyone is on their own karmic journey and dealing with the consequences of their past actions.

We all have a collective responsibility

The concept of living other people's karma needs to highlight the importance of collective responsibility. In society, individuals need to be responsible for their own actions, although from what we're seeing innocent people are getting caught in the consequences of collective actions, such as political decisions, environmental policies and societal norms. It is important to be mindful of the impact on the collective karma of communities and of society as a whole.

Personal Accountability

While external factors influence our lives, philosophical traditions also emphasise personal responsibility and the idea that individuals have the power to shape their own destiny through their actions and choices.

While many view karma as a cosmic justice system, others may see it as a guideline for ethical living. The idea of living other people's karma invites contemplation on the interconnected nature of human existence and the serious impact our actions have on others and ourselves.

While it may be tempting to assign blame or responsibility to certain individuals or groups, understanding karma encourages us to view these events as reflections of collective choices and actions. The bottom line is that we are all interconnected and the repercussions of our collective decisions affect us all.

For more inspirational, lifestyle blogs, please check out my site https://www.thecpdiary.com

#thecpdiary #blog #Karma #OthersKarma #fate #power #choices #peace #positivevibes #innerthoughts #awaken #innerpower #mindfulness #spiritual #spiritual awakening

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cinephiles-delight · 2 years

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‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’: Make Spaces Safe Again

It’s exceedingly rare that a film as superficially vapid as “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has, in actuality, an incredibly urgent message to communicate to its audience. Moreover, the irony of attempting to deliver such a message through the vehicle of a not-so-subtle ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’ parable should not be lost on viewers.

This is a cautionary tale, and we would do well to remember that.

The film opens with an absurdly protracted and sloppy french kiss between two of its protagonists, Sophie and Bee, followed by a (presumably post-coital?) scene of them lounging in an idyllic forest glen. Sophie then, gazing lovingly at her partner, states bluntly and somewhat abruptly that most loaded of phrases and poignant of relationship milestones: “I love you”. From the audience’s vantage point, having just met these two girls all of thirty seconds prior and seen nothing of their interactions save some serious sucking face, the scene reads simply as cute, if awkward–as all the best professions of love should be.

It is only in the final minutes of the film, when we see Bee petrified, hiding from a gun-wielding Sophie who continues to echo the now-soured refrain of “I love you”, that the audience is allowed to grasp the truly inconsequential, trivial, and somewhat horrifying nature of Sophie’s “love”. To boot, we’ve learned throughout the film that the two had been dating for all of six weeks when we met them in the forest, and that neither Sophie nor Bee know anything substantively true about the other’s past, friends, family, acquaintances, personality, or preferences.

A more accurate, retroactive reading of the film’s opening confession of love, then, becomes very simple (and more than a little disheartening): Sophie does not know what it means to love. She has used the word and the expression as callously and casually as one might comment about the weather or ask a stranger how their day has been–words used to occupy dead air.

In opening the film with such a clear and tragic misuse of one of the most loaded phrases in the English language, the filmmakers have effectively established that there exists an explicit moral teaching about precision of language to be gleaned from their story, and that it will be the central tenet and guiding logic upon which the rest of the film is built. The specific expression of that moral in “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is a simple and well-trod one, yet more immediately relevant now than perhaps it ever has been: our actions–and words–have consequences.

The film builds out this robust critique of our consequence-less culture by examining the flippancy and naivete of its characters, particularly with regards to trendy psychiatry buzzwords. “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” shows its characters repeatedly using clinical diagnoses and serious mental health conditions as simple tokens of “wokeness” and convenient loopholes to argue their victimhood.

The ultimate goal of this film, I believe, is to remind viewers that, in doing so, we perpetuate a culture of insensitivity towards some of the most vulnerable groups in society–the very same people whom these the terms were, in fact, designed to help–whether we do so intentionally or not. We devalue their poignancy by making them ubiquitous and vapid–cheapen them by making them convenient and trendy.

To reinforce the danger of doing so, the film perpetually transfigures this attitude towards language into an attitude towards everything in these characters’ lives–from swords to drugs and from sex to guns–thematically and inseparably linking them and demonstrating that it’s not just those actions which can kill you or ruin your life that are the most dangerous to society.

What’s more, the film seeks to remind us that–even despite how much it might enjoy reveling in the flashy and privilege-laden antics of its protagonists–these issues apply to every person sitting in the theater, regardless of what walk of life they come from.

To see how “Bodies Bodies Bodies” accomplishes this, we must examine how it presents the behaviors and attitudes of its protagonists.

The plot of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” revolves around a group of obnoxious, vitriolically self-righteous, and entitled college kids who throw a “hurricane” party at one of their friends’ mansions (yes, mansions plural: it’s established quite early on that this is not the only mansion they are known to frequent).

In the opening scenes, the kids chat flippantly and inconsequentially about their drug-fueled and partying-motivated lifestyles, turning even the most obviously odious and concerning behaviors into opportunities for nihilistic humor–e.g. “I remember you squatting on the subway pissing all over the place like some sort of hyena. I almost mistook you for an NYU student hahahaha”.

From the start, two things become overwhelmingly obvious. One: these kids come from families of incredible wealth and privilege. And Two: while everything in their lives is seemingly deadly serious (drug addictions, public urination, etc. etc.), every one of the characters has no apparent concern for the consequences of their behavior, and none of it is ultimately of any importance to them.

This is evident not only in the way they discuss their social lives, but also in the way they conduct themselves at the mansion estate.

Early on in the film, one of the party guests, Jordan, appears at the poolside with a bottle of expensive champagne snagged from the host, David’s, father’s wine cellar. David quickly protests that they shouldn’t (can’t is the word he actually uses) steal from his dad’s stuff. And yet, it’s abundantly clear from both the tone of his voice and the manner in which he sits idly by as Greg dramatically opens the bottle with a gurkha sword that he, quite frankly, has no concern for whether or not they steal from his father after all–no matter how much protesting or pouting he may feign.

The filmmakers take this scene–which easily could’ve been just another throwaway comedic moment–and use it brilliantly as another opportunity to assume a didactic mode of address (not unlike a fable or myth). The audience isn’t able to appreciate this, however, until the close of the film, when we learn that, in an act of supreme cosmic irony, David was not murdered, but in fact stabbed himself accidentally in the throat whilst clumsily attempting to open yet another champagne bottle using his father’s gurkha sword. What, then, is the moral of this fable, if it be one? Don’t play with weapons you don’t know how to properly wield and of whose inherent dangers you are blissfully unaware.

At this point, the socially imperative message of the film should be beginning to take shape, though its application may be incorrectly assumed to be relatively narrow.

It would be easy to say that this film is a cautionary tale for the wealthy and the privileged–those who’ve grown up coddled by parents who protect their children from the consequences of their mistakes either through financial or social means (how many stories have we all read or heard of in which a wayward college socialite rapes a woman or is caught trafficking in drugs and is miraculously saved by the intervention of their deep-pocketed parent?). Such a tale would be undoubtedly satisfying for audiences (the vast majority of whom are not the benefactors of multi-million-dollar trusts): a classic eat-the-rich, “look how stupid and selfish these entitled brats are”, feel-good story reassuring us that at least we, the masses, have our lives on the right track.

If this were true, however, then “Bodies Bodies Bodies” would be an incredibly poor satire indeed: a lion robbed of its teeth and set harmlessly loose in the coliseum of the multiplex, appeasing our desire for bread and circuses.

To understand how a film about the evils of pretentious rich kids could apply to the average viewer, we need to turn our attention to one of the film’s primary sources of comedy: buzzwords.

Throughout the film, the Gen-Z college girls continually spout pseudo-psychiatric and scholarly buzzwords at each other, using them in targeted and ridiculous attacks over the most inane of arguments. The operating principle of this comedic device is more or less malapropism: these girls time and time again egregiously misuse, inappropriately use, or mis-contextualize technical terms which they very clearly have merely a superficial knowledge of at best.

For example, there is a moment in the film in which Alice calls out for her “boyfriend” Greg and some of the other girls rush to restrain her and cover her mouth to prevent her from shouting (believing Greg to be David’s murderer at the time). As Alice struggles with the girls she manages to shout out “You’re silencing me!! You’re literally silencing me!”

It’s obvious that the humor in this scene stems from the fact that, ironically, she is of course being silenced in the literal sense, and yet she (quite incorrectly) invokes the term in its more scholarly context, as it is applied in the field of social science.

The term “silencing” (as Alice uses it here) broadly speaking refers to the systematic repression of the voice of a particular group of people as expressed through written, verbal, or televisual/digital media. It’s a term scholars use to discuss the various ways in which oppressed groups within a society are prevented from communicating their stories and experiences, both within their communities and to a broader audience, and it’s a cornerstone of both the theory and practice of the fight for civil rights and social justice. For example:

Silencing is when the apartheid government in South Africa dictates what “colored” pastors can and cannot preach to their congregations.

Silencing is when Catholic missions drive native languages to extinction by imprisoning their speakers and abusing them for not using Spanish.

Silencing is when LGBTQ teachers are legally prevented from discussing their identity with students.

Silencing is not when your Hamptonite girlfriends cover your mouth to keep you from calling out to your neo-hippie boyfriend.

Malapropic instances such as this are scattered throughout the film like infuriating, yet didactically rich, easter eggs.

Jordan claims that she required years of therapy to recover from the “PTSD” she developed after her abusive relationship with Sophie (it’s clear that Sophie never physically abused her).

Emma claims her boyfriend David is “gaslighting” her when he mocks the sincerity of her protests after learning that she has been discussing their sex life with Alice (it is made quite clear that Emma did, in fact, discuss these things and is not, in fact, upset by David’s accusations–only pretending to be).

Interestingly, the film takes a moment here to pause and call out Emma’s disingenuousness. David scoffs at her accusation of gaslighting, claiming that it’s just a buzzword she read on Twitter, and that she has no idea what it actually means. And as noxiously repulsive as Pete Davidson’s character is, his assessment of the situation here is surprisingly lucid. Sure, he then goes on to conflate this with being accused of white supremacy and rails a few more lines of coke before dying in a tragic medieval sword accident, but his commentary on how these girls weaponize popular buzzwords is spot-on. To them, these words are not scholarly concepts with real, measurable academic and social consequences, but just one more tool at their disposal for abdicating blame and dodging responsibility.

The protagonists throw these words around continually, with no regard for the power of the discursive concepts they employ: like playing with a loaded handgun and not understanding the inherent danger you invite. Interestingly enough, the filmmakers make this exact didactic point by utilizing that very metaphor: the loaded handgun.

Towards the end of the film, Jordan manages to find a loaded semi-automatic pistol in the house and wields it in a confrontation with the other girls. Notably, she shoots Alice in the leg and then repeatedly claims “I didn’t shoot you, I didn’t shoot you” followed by looking at Sophie and asking “Why did you make me do this?” Her complete and willful ignorance of her own culpability becomes, at this point, hyperbolically absurd–to the point of being pathological and, frankly, ludicrous: we’ve exited the realm of reality and entered one of metaphor.

As an aside: this film provides quite possibly the best argument against keeping a loaded firearm in your home I’ve ever seen put to the screen (you can never know the true meaning of the word “horror” until you’ve watched three twenty-year-old sorority girls wantonly waving around a loaded SIG with their finger on the trigger).

The coup-de-gras moment in terms of the film’s symbolic use of the handgun comes in its final scene, in which Bee steals the gun from Sophie and points it directly at her (again: safety off, finger on the trigger), demanding to read Sophie’s text messages to her ex-girlfriend Jordan (in the belief that she will find evidence of cheating).

In any other movie, in any other genre, such a scene would be entirely un-noteworthy. In action movies, for example, people have guns pointed at them all the time, and for all manners of reasons (many of which similarly involve handing over an electronic device of some kind).

What makes this same scene in “Bodies Bodies Bodies” so notable, however, is that the stakes of the confrontation are laughably, hilariously, low–and yet the situation is treated as deadly serious (literally) by both parties involved, without the slightest hint of irony. By shooting a scene so absurd, and yet so entirely devoid of comedy, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” forces you out of the immersion of the diegesis, jarring you in an uncanny and profoundly upsetting manner. You realize that you are watching a girl, in complete seriousness, threaten to take the life of another girl, unless she lets her read her text messages.

This scene is, thereby, transfigured into an astoundingly effective metaphor for the film at large (and the seemingly innocuous, if tone-deaf, behavior of its characters): children using incredibly dangerous weapons to fight unthinkably trivial battles.

I don’t, of course, mean that in the literal sense: “Bodies Bodies Bodies” isn’t trying to convince its young audience not to buy 9mm’s and gurkha swords.

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” is, instead, attempting to convince Gen-Z’ers to reconsider the language they appropriate and repurpose in everyday conversations.

Gen-Z has interchangeably and perhaps ironically (not to mention pejoratively) been referred to as “the Tik Tok Generation”, owing to their being the first generation of native users of that particular platform. The social media upstart has very quickly democratized knowledge in almost every field imaginable–from cooking to horticulture to spelunking and everything in between–with informative and well-curated content available from a host of reputable sources. However, as a platform that operates at least in part according to viral algorithms, and as a platform consumed by Gen-Z audiences in tandem with other, more explicitly viral platforms such as Twitter, it also has the capacity to misinform (or at the very least generate superficial knowledge).

One particularly popular viral Tik Tok (and social media in general) sub-genre is that of psychiatry and psychotherapy, through which channels many previously obscure, taboo, or misunderstood concepts and diagnoses have become household phrases, including almost all of those which are lampooned in “Bodies Bodies Bodies”–“triggering”, “PTSD”, “gaslighting”, “body dysmorphia”, etc. As such, it’s become remarkably easy for anyone, not just those belonging to Gen-Z (and not just those who use Tik Tok) to have been exposed to these terms without also having been exposed to the harsh and dangerous realities they underlie.

It’s very easy for an uncritical social media user, for example, to learn erroneously that “gaslighting” is simply synonymous with “lying”, and not that the most serious cases (and those for which the term was originally coined) have involved, for example, women convinced by their abusers that they are not competent enough to bathe or change themselves, locked away dependent and terrified for years, living in soiled and tattered undergarments.

We may learn erroneously that “body dysmorphia” simply means not liking the way you look, and not learn that its clinical purpose was designed to diagnose and treat many cases involving fatally serious self harm.

When the characters of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” twist these terms flippantly and without an understanding of their true clinical purposes, they are effectively bringing a loaded pistol to an arm-wrestling match: needlessly escalating the situation by introducing weapons of which they neither understand the danger nor know how to use.

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” is a film made to remind us that the rich are by no means the only people capable of this sin.

After all, the type of irreparable social damage on a meaningful scale caused by misuse of clinical language would be fundamentally impossible if only the 1% were to blame.

No, an acute degradation of meaning can only be driven by massive-scale, society-wide virality of the type that only exists on social media platforms such as Twitter and Tik Tok.

What’s the solution then?

The film seems to argue that the best way to fight it is, somewhat intuitively, on terms that are wholly physical: the words we use in our day-to-day conversations.

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” uses its characters inept insensitivities and egregious, self-serving appropriations as sources of humor, yes, but more than anything it provides a case study in how not to interact with your peers. Any sane audience member walks away from the experience with an undeniably intense hatred for every character involved. There is no redemption.

In making us so utterly frustrated and infuriated at the actions, attitudes, and inanities of the characters on screen, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” effectively works like that most successful and horrifying of televisual artifacts: anti-smoking ads. Just as there’s no better way to stop a kid from taking that first puff of cigarette smoke than showing him or her a fifty-year-old with a breathing tube, there’s no better way to stop a kid from misusing medical terms than to show him or her how much of a complete and utter douchebag they look like doing it.

As silly and as trivial as it may seem, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” wants to remind its viewers that actions do have consequences–even if unseen, unimaginable, or not immediately apparent–and the only people who think otherwise are rich, entitled assholes.

#bodies bodies bodies #pete davidson #a24 #a24 movies #horror #Horror Movies #bodies #movies #movie review #Movie Reviews #spoilers

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cedricfernandomd · 1 year

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Unmasking the Alarming Rise: Prescription Pain Pill Overdoses Quadrupled in the Last Decade

Introduction

Prescription pain pill overdoses have become a silent epidemic lurking beneath the surface of our healthcare system. These overdoses have experienced a staggering quadrupling in numbers in the past decade, raising concerns and demanding urgent attention. This article aims to shed light on the alarming rise of prescription pain pill overdoses, examining the underlying factors, exploring the devastating consequences, and highlighting potential solutions to curb this alarming trend.

Unveiling the Statistics

The statistics are unequivocal: prescription pain pill overdoses have undergone an astonishing four-fold increase over the last ten years. According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States witnessed a sharp rise in overdose-related deaths, surpassing other forms of substance abuse. From 2010 to the present day, the number of lives claimed by prescription pain pill overdoses has skyrocketed, illustrating a crisis often overshadowed by the public's focus on illicit substances.

The Root Causes

Understanding the root causes of this disturbing trend is essential to addressing the issue effectively. Several factors contribute to the rise in prescription pain pill overdoses. Firstly, overprescribing practices have created an abundance of pills in circulation, leaving patients vulnerable to misuse or accidental overdose. Inadequate education among healthcare professionals regarding pain management alternatives and the risks of opioid medications has further exacerbated the problem. Additionally, the aggressive marketing strategies employed by pharmaceutical companies have fueled the widespread use of prescription pain pills, often leading to dependence and addiction.

The Human Toll

Behind the statistics lie the heartbreaking stories of individuals and families devastated by prescription pain pill overdoses. Lives are shattered, futures erased, and communities are left grappling with the aftermath. The victims of these overdoses come from all walks of life, dispelling the myth that this crisis is limited to a specific demographic. It affects people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The impact extends beyond the immediate loss of life, as survivors and their loved ones face long-lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

Combating the Crisis

Addressing the prescription pain pill overdose crisis requires a multifaceted approach. The medical community plays a crucial role in promoting responsible prescribing practices and educating patients about the risks and benefits of pain medications. Enhanced training programs should equip healthcare professionals with alternative pain management strategies, empowering them to offer comprehensive care. Stricter regulations regarding prescription monitoring programs and limiting pill quantities can help prevent excess pills from entering the black market.

Furthermore, public awareness campaigns are essential to inform individuals about the risks associated with prescription pain pills and encourage safer medication use. These campaigns should emphasize the importance of properly disposing of unused medications and promote alternative pain management options, such as physical therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and non-opioid medications.

Collaboration between healthcare providers, policymakers, and pharmaceutical companies is vital to implementing effective policies and regulations. Pharmaceutical companies should be held accountable for their marketing practices and incentivized to develop safer, non-addictive pain management alternatives.

Conclusion

Over the past decade, the quadrupling of prescription pain pill overdoses has been a harrowing trend that demands immediate action. By addressing the root causes, amplifying public awareness, and implementing comprehensive strategies, we can strive to reverse this epidemic. Our collective responsibility is to protect the well-being of individuals and communities, ensuring that access to pain relief does not come at the cost of human lives. Only through concerted efforts can we hope to alleviate the burden of prescription pain pill overdoses and forge a healthier future.

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ioannemos · 2 years

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🛒🤡👀🤲

What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

themes: broken people healing together. families of choice. independent people learning it's okay to rely on others. the importance of communication, commitment, and honesty

feels: vulnerability. anxiety. desperation. love shown in weird ways, wrong ways, right ways

scenes: bad things happen to someone at night so they have to wake up someone else for help. one character is slightly out of it (drunk, exhausted, injured, in shock, etc) and someone else takes care of them with varying levels of competency

imagery: lots of references to eyes and hands, i think. little gestures that hint at deeper emotions. light

What’s a line, scene, or exchange you’ve written that made you laugh?

uhhh well it's from a wip that's probably doa but

“You should sleep,” #21 said, and then irritably, “And keep that gun in your bag, okay? You can think about shooting me once we stop. Shoot me at this speed and all they’ll find of either of us is maybe a bloody smear inside the twisted wreck that was this car. And that’s if it doesn’t explode and take the state with it. An unlikely event,” he admitted with another wave of his hand, “given how well I’ve shielded the core, but it’s a possibility.”

“Huh,” said John. Despite the smell of coffee, it had been a while since he’d slept, and #21 seemed the kind of crazy that would keep. “Okay.”

Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

again, it's probably doa, but the wip above is a stargate atlantis au where rodney is a scientist and agent with a rogue agency that travels between dimensions for... ~reasons~. rodney has hopped into this one in particular bc john was going to be killed and rodney has decided that that shouldn't happen, and that john will just as effectively vanish from that reality's timeline if he's brought into another by rodney. obvs.

inspired entirely by this piece of fanart and the appended lyrics from my delorean by timecop1983 & primo the alien

Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

how i'm supposed to pick one wip when i have about a million is like handing over a bag of twizzlers and saying to only pick one, but here, have this. it's from a prospect fanfic, a story that has 10k+ words and hasn't made it to chapter two

“Dead or alive, I am wanted.” He sounds measured, like when he explained how to use the scalpel to remove his arm, her fingers steadier than his when he handed over the blade. The air close and stale, the sour wetness of their sweat, the lingering cloying sweetness of the food bars. The hot metal smell of his blood at the first incision obliterating all others. “Possibly more than even I know have been flagged since I took up a crew to take our chances in the Green. And I-” He coughs. Cee says nothing. He takes a deep breath and looks her in the face. There is a sort of bleakness to his face, but it’s the same bleakness that sent her to the pod while he started to bleed out in the humid dark of the Green Moon. “I am not so fool,” he begins, almost gently, “to think I may forever outrun the consequences of the life I have chosen to live. Turned in by someone like you would be a fitting end to my illegalities. Poetic, perhaps.”

i know it's not on netflix anymore but more people should watch prospect and coo over the world building with me

#thank you #sunheart #let's talk #ask #asked and answered #personal #abbie needs a twitter #stargate atlantis #prospect #my favorite #tv shows #movies #writing is hard #my muse is a monster #abbie writes a thing #kinda #why do i use so many tags

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h12a · 26 days

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Are Psychics Legit?

The legitimacy of psychics is a topic of ongoing debate and controversy. While many people believe in the authenticity of psychic abilities and the ability to perceive and interpret information beyond the five senses, scientific evidence supporting these claims is lacking. Skeptics argue that much of what psychics do can be attributed to cold reading, a technique used to gather information about a person through subtle cues, body language, and the power of suggestion.

What Do Psychics Claim to Do?

Psychics claim to possess a range of abilities that enable them to perceive and interpret information about a person's past, present, and future. Some of the most commonly claimed psychic abilities include:

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance refers to the ability to perceive events or information through extrasensory means, often described as "seeing" or "vision."

Clairaudience

Clairaudience is the ability to perceive information through extrasensory hearing, such as hearing voices or sounds that are not audible to the average person.

Clairsentience

Clairsentience involves the ability to perceive information through extrasensory feelings or sensations, often described as "gut feelings" or "intuition."

Mediumship

Mediums claim to communicate with the spirit world, acting as intermediaries between the living and the deceased. They often conduct séances and relay messages from deceased loved ones to the living.

Scientific Examination

Despite the enduring popularity of psychics and psychic phenomena, scientific evidence supporting the existence of psychic abilities remains elusive. Numerous studies have attempted to investigate the claims of psychics using rigorous scientific methods, but the results have been largely inconclusive.

Cold Reading and Suggestion

Skeptics argue that much of what psychics do can be attributed to cold reading, a technique used to gather information about a person through subtle cues, body language, and the power of suggestion. By asking leading questions and making generalized statements, a skilled psychic can create the illusion of possessing supernatural knowledge about an individual's life.

Lack of Reproducibility

One of the fundamental principles of scientific inquiry is the reproducibility of results. Psychic phenomena, including the abilities claimed by psychics, have not been reliably reproduced under controlled conditions in laboratory settings. Skeptics argue that if psychic abilities were real, they should be consistently demonstrated under rigorous scientific scrutiny, which has not been the case.

Ethical Considerations

The practice of psychic readings raises several ethical considerations, particularly concerning the vulnerability of individuals seeking guidance and insight from psychics. Critics argue that some psychics exploit the emotional distress and vulnerability of their clients for financial gain, providing false hope and misleading information.

Financial Exploitation

Many psychics charge exorbitant fees for their services, often targeting individuals who are seeking answers to life's questions and guidance on important decisions. Critics argue that this practice is exploitative and unethical, preying on the vulnerability and emotional susceptibility of clients.

False Hope and Misinformation

There is also concern that psychics may provide false hope and misinformation to their clients, leading them to make important life decisions based on inaccurate or misleading advice. This can have serious consequences for individuals and their families, particularly when it comes to matters of health, relationships, and finances.

Conclusion

The question of whether psychics are legit remains a topic of debate and controversy. While many people believe in the authenticity of psychic abilities and the ability to perceive and interpret information beyond the five senses, scientific evidence supporting these claims is lacking. Skeptics argue that much of what psychics do can be explained by cold reading, cognitive biases, and the power of suggestion, while critics raise ethical concerns about the potential for financial exploitation and the dissemination of false hope and misinformation.

Ultimately, belief in psychics is a personal matter that often transcends rational analysis and scientific scrutiny. For some people, consulting a psychic can provide comfort, insight, and a sense of guidance during difficult times. However, it is important for individuals to approach psychic readings with a critical mind, to be aware of the potential for deception and exploitation, and to make informed decisions about seeking guidance and advice from psychics.

As the debate continues, further research and investigation are needed to better understand the phenomenon of psychic abilities and to determine whether there is any truth to the claims of psychics.

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joshvandervoort · 5 months

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Inheriting Earth - A Pledge to Preserve Nature's Gifts

Enter Joshua Vandervoort New York, whose deep-seated reverence for nature has shaped his life's trajectory. His love for the great outdoors was kindled in his formative years. Whether that was explorations in the vast wilderness, sailing on Western New York's idyllic waterways, or hiking through the varied landscapes of his family's land in the Southern Tier region. These experiences were instrumental in shaping his sense of stewardship for the land, a trait that was encouraged and nurtured by his family. Even now, away from the demands of his work, he can often be found indulging in his passion. Whether that's sailing his fishing boat on the tranquil waters of the Finger Lakes or backpacking through the magnificent terrains of the Adirondack and Catskill mountains.

At the heart of this captivating story lies a profound and awe-inspiring recognition of the intricate and symbiotic relationship between humanity and the environment. This extraordinary individual, driven by an acute understanding of the Earth's delicate vulnerability and the imminent threats it faces, embarked on a courageous and noble mission to safeguard, and preserve its fundamental elements— the very essence of life itself. With a relentless determination and unwavering commitment, this remarkable individual tirelessly fought to protect the purity of the air we breathe, the pristine waters that sustain us, and the breathtaking tapestry of lush greenery that blankets our planet, nurturing and sustaining all living beings. Their selfless dedication and unwavering passion serve as an inspiration to us all, reminding us of the profound responsibility we bear as stewards of this magnificent planet we call home.

In the pursuit of preserving the sanctity of nature, the man directed his efforts towards safeguarding the trees, often referred to as the lungs of the Earth. Recognizing their pivotal role in maintaining a delicate balance, he became a staunch advocate for reforestation initiatives. Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, vast tracts of land were rejuvenated with the splendor of green canopies. The man understood that these trees not only provided oxygen but also served as crucial carbon sinks, mitigating the impact of climate change.

Air, the invisible life force that envelops our planet, became a focal point in Joshua Vandervoort New York’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Recognizing the perils of air pollution, he championed sustainable practices and technologies aimed at curbing harmful emissions. By promoting cleaner energy sources and advocating for stringent regulations, he sought to ensure that the air we breathe remains pure and untainted. His endeavors extended to the realms of education, raising awareness about the long-term consequences of air pollution and inspiring communities to embrace eco-friendly alternatives.

Water, the essence of life, found itself under the vigilant care of this environmental custodian. In a world grappling with the repercussions of water scarcity and pollution, the man undertook initiatives to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems. Through community-driven projects, he facilitated the conservation of watersheds, ensuring a sustainable supply of clean water for both humans and wildlife. Additionally, he spearheaded campaigns to eliminate plastic pollution, recognizing the devastating impact it has on marine life and the broader ecosystem.

Joshua Vandervoort New York’s journey was not without challenges. He encountered skepticism and resistance from those entrenched in outdated paradigms. However, his unwavering commitment and a persuasive appeal to shared responsibility gradually shifted perspectives. He understood that the path to environmental preservation necessitated collaboration across borders and ideologies. Josh Vandervoort

As he tirelessly worked to protect the Earth's gifts, the man recognized the importance of fostering a sense of responsibility among individuals and communities. He believed that education and awareness were potent tools in cultivating a collective consciousness that transcends geographical boundaries. Through workshops, seminars, and outreach programs, he sought to empower people with knowledge, nurturing a generation that values and actively contributes to the well-being of the planet.

The man's approach was not merely reactive but proactive. With a deep understanding that sustainable development was paramount in harmonizing human activities with the environment, he tirelessly advocated for responsible practices across various industries. Through his unwavering dedication, Joshua Vandervoort New York successfully influenced businesses to integrate eco-friendly policies into their operations, ensuring that economic progress went hand in hand with ecological sustainability. As a result, a positive transformation took place, leading to a more sustainable future for generations to come.

The success of Joshua Vandervoort New York’s endeavors is a testament to the transformative power of individual action. It underscores the profound impact one person can have on the trajectory of environmental conservation. His story serves as an inspiration for others, demonstrating that a genuine commitment to our planet can catalyze positive change and ripple across communities and nations.

In reflecting on the broader implications of this narrative, it becomes evident that the protection of the planet is not a singular responsibility but a shared pledge. It requires a paradigm shift—a departure from the exploitative mindset that views nature as a resource to be depleted towards an ethos that recognizes our role as stewards entrusted with the care of a fragile and interconnected web of life.

The tale of this man's commitment to preserving nature's gifts serves as a poignant reminder of the profound responsibility we all bear. Terra, with its awe-inspiring beauty and life-sustaining elements, is a shared inheritance that transcends individual interests. It beckons us to rise above short-term gains and embrace a legacy of stewardship—one that ensures the bounties of nature endure for generations to come. Inheriting Earth is not a passive acceptance but an active promise to protect, nurture, and cherish the precious gifts bestowed upon us by the planet we call home.

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balilikhaite · 6 months

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"Minsan May Isang P*ta" by Mike Portes

Critical Essay Minsan May Isang P*ta by Mike Portes

The era in which this piece was written is not explicitly mentioned, but based on the context and language used, it seems to be a contemporary or modern piece reflecting on societal issues and personal experiences. The piece tells the story of a woman's life, discussing her experiences, relationships, and struggles. The author uses a first-person perspective to narrate the character's journey, expressing emotions, reflections, and challenges. The protagonist's life as a prostitute may symbolize societal judgments and struggles faced by marginalized individuals. The story narrates the literal experiences of a woman engaged in sex work and the challenges she encounters. The protagonist's journey could be metaphorical for broader societal issues, emphasizing the complexities of human relationships and the impact of choices on one's identity. A woman opens up to her audience from her heart. She transforms from the viewed prostitute into a survivor and a forgotten mother as she opens out about her suffering and lets go of her past.

The main character is a woman who shares her life story, struggles, and reflections. She describes herself as someone who has faced judgment from her neighbors and has been labeled negatively. Despite the challenges, she appears resilient and maintains a certain level of self-esteem. The main character acknowledges that she used to be the center of attention in her community, being considered the most beautiful and popular. She attracts people to her, both romantically and socially. The story mentions various settings, including the neighborhood where she lives and the places she has been with different people. The change in her life is evident from the luxurious lifestyle she initially experiences to the hardships she faces later on. The atmosphere of the story is characterized by a mix of glamour, pleasure, hardship, and reflection. The tone shifts from a seemingly carefree attitude to one of struggle and regret. The story introduces other characters, such as the foreigners who were involved with the main character and her numerous children. The main character's relationship with these individuals contributes to the complexity of her narrative.

The story "Minsan May Isang P*ta" by Mike Fortes follows the narrative of a woman who, judged by her neighbors, is labeled as a prostitute. She recounts her experiences, detailing the challenges she faced, including being taken advantage of and abused by individuals who were initially drawn to her. Despite the hardships, she finds a complex mix of emotions, as some individuals genuinely care for her while others exploit her vulnerabilities. The narrative explores the protagonist's struggle to break free from this destructive lifestyle, the impact on her relationships with her children, and her desperate hope for acknowledgment and love from them. The story delves into societal judgments, the consequences of choices, and the deep yearning for understanding and compassion.

The action described in the paragraph is intense and emotionally charged, suggesting a maximum level of impact on the narrator's life. The action primarily involves internal struggles and conflicts within the narrator's personal life, making it more of an internal action. The short story presents a series of complex problems, including societal judgment, the protagonist's struggle with her past choices, the impact on her family, financial difficulties, and the emotional toll of her experiences. The main character, a former prostitute, faces problems stemming from her past choices, societal stigma, financial debt, strained family relationships, and the fear of abandonment by her children.

The main character faces judgment and condemnation from her ignorant neighbors. The societal norms and expectations contribute to the main character struggles. The internal conflict arises from the protagonist's reflection on her past decisions, questioning her worth and morality. The financial debt becomes a systemic challenge for the main character. The story explores the complexities of familial relationships, highlighting conflicts among the main character's children and their varying responses to her situation.

The atmosphere in "Minsan May Isang P*ta" is rooted in reality, portraying the struggles and challenges faced by the main character within a tangible world. The setting appears to be urban, as the narrative unfolds within a community where the protagonist interacts with neighbors and faces societal judgments. The story seems to be set in the contemporary era, reflecting the challenges and issues of the present rather than a historical context The atmosphere is heavily influenced by the characters' actions and interactions. The judgments, struggles, and relationships contribute to shaping the environment, creating a complex interplay of emotions and circumstances

Pilipinas as the main character or the narrator who has experienced a tumultuous life as a prostitute. The author portrays her as someone who has faced judgment and exploitation but maintains resilience. The character's vulnerability, struggles, and attempts at providing for her family are depicted through a raw and unfiltered narrative. The secondary characters in the story include the foolish neighbors passing judgment, the foreigners who exploit the pilipinas, and the various children mentioned as the narrator's offspring. However, the primary focus is on the main character's journey and her relationships, making her the central figure in the narrative. The secondary characters serve to emphasize the challenges and complexities the protagonist faces in her life.

The short story "Minsan May Isang P*ta" takes us on a poignant journey through the life of a woman who grapples with societal judgments, exploitation, and the complex dynamics of family relationships. From the superficial admiration of her beauty to the harsh realities of her choices, the narrative traverses the highs and lows of her experiences, offering a glimpse into the struggles and sacrifices that define her existence.

The author, Mike Fortes, aims to shed light on the harsh realities faced by individuals who engage in unconventional lifestyles, emphasizing the societal stigma and the complexities of personal relationships. Through the narrator's voice, the author addresses themes of exploitation, resilience, and the blurred lines between love and manipulation. The narrative prompts reflection on societal judgments, family dynamics, and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity. In essence, it serves as a poignant commentary on the multifaceted nature of human experiences and the enduring quest for understanding and acceptance.

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thxnews · 7 months

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Canada's Resilience: Honoring National War Memorial

The Significance of the National War Memorial

On the somber ninth anniversary of the attack at the National War Memorial and on Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a poignant statement, remembering the fallen and emphasizing the unity of the nation. This attack, which occurred on October 22, 2014, left one dead and several injured, leaving an indelible mark on Canada and its people.

Honoring the Brave

Trudeau paid tribute to Corporal Nathan Cirillo, a sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He also honored Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who lost his life two days prior in a separate attack in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. These two brave members of the Canadian Armed Forces had unwavering dedication to their country. On this day, Canadians remember them with the deepest condolences to their families, loved ones, and colleagues. Saluting First Responders and Heroes The Prime Minister also extended gratitude to the first responders who risked their lives to mitigate the attacks and keep Canadians safe. Furthermore, he praised the bystanders who acted selflessly in the face of danger to aid the victims. Their courage and swift action exemplified the resilience and unity that define Canada in the face of adversity.

Timeline: Events Leading up to the Attack

October 22, 2014 - The Day That Shook Canada Nine years ago, on October 22, 2014, Canada was confronted with a tragedy that sent shockwaves across the nation. A meticulously planned act of terrorism unfolded, catching the country by surprise. The perpetrator, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, already known to Canadian authorities due to his history of criminal activity, orchestrated the attack that would change Canada forever. The Attack: Details of the Incident An Act of Terror on Sacred Ground On that fateful morning, Zehaf-Bibeau approached the National War Memorial, armed with a lever-action rifle. The assailant shot Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who was guarding the monument, tragically losing his life in service to his country. Zehaf-Bibeau then carjacked a vehicle and rapidly advanced towards Parliament Hill, breaching security and gaining entry to the Centre Block, the heart of Canada's government. Inside Parliament, a brief firefight unfolded between the assailant and security personnel, ultimately culminating in Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers stopping Zehaf-Bibeau. Although the attack had a limited scope, it exposed vulnerabilities in Canada's security infrastructure, leading to a comprehensive review of the nation's readiness to confront such threats.

Response and Aftermath: Canada's Reaction and Consequences

Unity in the Face of Adversity Canada's response to the attack was characterized by unity and resilience. This tragic incident served as a stark reminder that no nation is entirely immune to acts of terrorism, regardless of its reputation for peace and security. The nation united in mourning the loss of Corporal Nathan Cirillo and celebrated the bravery of those who confronted the assailant. Countering Radicalization The attack prompted a nationwide conversation about the factors contributing to the radicalization of individuals like Zehaf-Bibeau. Consequently, the government pledged to address these root causes and work diligently towards preventing radicalization, with the aim of building a more inclusive and tolerant society. Enhanced Security Measures Afterward, authorities implemented a series of security measures to safeguard Canadian institutions and its citizens. They increased funding for counter-terrorism efforts, which improved intelligence-sharing among security agencies and bolstered border security. New legislation enhanced the powers of law enforcement agencies in monitoring and countering potential threats. Security agencies also collaborated with communities to identify individuals at risk of radicalization and provide support to divert them from extremism. Public awareness campaigns were launched to educate Canadians about the signs of radicalization and how to report suspicious activities. The attack on the National War Memorial and Parliament Hill was a tragic event that prompted Canada to reflect on its security posture and adapt to an evolving threat landscape. It demonstrated the nation's resilience and unity in the face of adversity. Canada's response, with its focus on both security and the prevention of radicalization, serves as an example of a nation determined to maintain its commitment to peace and security while safeguarding its citizens from the threat of terrorism. Sources: THX News, Wikipedia & The Canadian Government. Read the full article

#Canada'sresilienceinadversity #CanadianArmedForcestribute #MichaelZehaf-Bibeauincident #NationalWarMemorialCanada #Ottawaattackanniversary #ParliamentHillsecurityreview #PreventingradicalizationinCanada #Rememberingfallensoldierstoday #Securitymeasuresafterattack #Sergeant-at-ArmsKevinVickers

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