Sorry may I ask you a question? Your meta is so interesting! In mdzs "debts" is a recurring theme and can you please explain it? I've read meta about how in Chinese culture jc's owed the wen siblings a debt and he should have saved them, but I've also read meta about how he owed a hugger debt to his own sect. I've read how jgy killed whr and nmj, people who he owned his educations (debts). I thought that mdzs was more about "Who is wrong? Who is right?" so that everyone is a bit wrong and a bit right but this kind of meta make me doubt myself and think that maybe in mdzs someone is really morally right (wwx and lwj) and everyone else is wrong. I am going a little crazy, that's why I asked you. Anyway, thanks in advance and have a good day!

Hi Nonny!

There's no need to apologize for sending an ask! I love asks!

Regarding your question about debts and what is "owed" in relationships, I think it's important to clarify that like, presumably if someone saved your life you'd also owe them a debt of gratitude, a life debt, or however and whichever other 'debt' terminology you'd care to use there. So this concept of "debt" because you owe someone for doing something for you is not in and of itself a 'unique to Chinese culture' problem, and I think looking at "oh this person "owes" this other person a thing" is not entirely a great? way to analyze how character relationships "should" or should not go. There are lots of ways we as people in a society owe other people in our society and the characters in this book, much like us, are trapped in a confluence of factors that pull them in different directions regarding what they should or should not do.

The book itself (at least from my own opinion) is meant to read as "everyone is both right and wrong at various points in this text because this is a book with complex characters and not a morality lesson" because lest we forget, WWX made a woman eat a chair leg at one point, which. We cannot say this was correct in really anything except the most reductive main character centric interpretation.

Regarding debts themselves that say, WangXian might owe their families in accordance to their society that sound just about the same as the examples mentioned above, we can say things like "since Wei Wuxian was raised by the Jiang, he should've been helping Jiang Cheng rebuilding Lotus Pier instead of sitting around drinking or running off with the Wen!" or "how dare Lan Wangji injure thirty-three of his family elders, doesn't he know he should've been filial to them and owed his education and position in society to the Lan Sect?" and "why is it that WangXian got to go fuck in a bush at the end of the story when other people who arguably did fewer crimes end up dead? Does this mean they owed less to society or made all the right choices compared to say, the other people who are still in fact super dead and don't get to fuck their beloved in a bush?"

Does this start to look like this concept of "debts" doesn't,,, actually explain anything about the moral complexities of the character's situations? That's because it isn't a good indicator of if character x made a moral choice or not.

But again, this whole concept of "debts" to explain why a character does a thing and why they're morally good or evil and reprehensible for not doing this other thing is entirely a thing fandom does in meta to make their fave look good or character they're an anti about look extremely bad under a case of "well ACKSHUALLY morality says they SHOULD HAVE done this!" None of these characters exist either as Perfectly Moral Beings or Perfectly Evil Immoral Beings inside a decision making vacuum.

It...also doesn't really matter if your fave is right or wrong either :D just for context. They're all fictional blorbos upon a page and or screen. No real person was harmed in over the course of the story. No woman deep throated a chair leg, no child was tossed down the stairs, no groups of people were massacred, no brothers were abandoned, no one was poisoned with rage disease until they died, nobody committed incest... etc etc and honestly debating about if fictional characters were right or wrong fascinates me a lot less than "what does the story tell us about what drove them and made them tick?" and "what adaptational and translational choices did other people before me make about this story and do I agree with them on their adaptational choices."

:( sorry this came out so messy anon! I just don't think the "did this character repay their debts -> is this character a good person -> a morally good character therefore doesn't owe anyone anything anymore and if they do owe someone something that doesn't count/no they don't." pipeline is particularly useful from an analyzing the story standpoint.

The importance on when we find out something: or JC’s sacrifice reveal

I just want to note that I keep seeing this brought up as a “Gotcha!” or a winning argument that we should have all known that Jiang Cheng really cared and it should change our perspective on things. But all it really is meant to do is hammer home the tragedy of Jiang Cheng’s failings.

Narrative beats exist in every story, and Modaozushi is no different. The flashbacks offer us a deeper understanding of the present story, there is one key moment that entirely reframes the story and our perspective of a character, and of course the emotional climax of Guanyin Temple that begins with the clarity of Lan Wangji’s love and ends with Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue being sealed in an eternal battle of hatred. Where Jiang Cheng’s sacrifice reveal is placed is telling.

Regarding the two core reveals, we find out Wei Wuxian’s between the emotional heights of the Second Siege and Guanyin Temple, and it is a reveal to both the audience and everyone in story. Set shortly after the last flashback, it completely recontextualizes everything we thought about Wei Wuxian during the Sunshot Campaign. Why does he give up his sword? Why does he learn demonic cultivation? Why does he keep everyone at arms length and go so far to save the Wen siblings and the others in the camp? Because of this one action that he owed them so much for and can’t ever let anyone know because in the world he lived in, to have it known that he can no longer cultivate at all would invite the dogs to his door. Once you know it, you can’t look back at his actions without seeing that struggle there. Wei Wuxian as we know him becomes a different person knowing everything he did was to hide that one fact. Successfully, it doesn’t come out for almost eighteen years down the line.

Contrasting, we find out that Jiang Cheng distracted the Wens at the very end of the story. Narratively, this is not the point that is meant to recontextualize his actions as actually loving. It can’t. That’s not the point of that reveal. In story, we only find out that this one action of his happened after Wei Wuxian has turned away and let the door finally close behind him. This reveal is also set before everything else that happened, but only lets us see that Jiang Cheng once cared enough to actually do something. Him once deliberately drawing the Wens away does not make up for the following lifetime of refusing to pay any of his debts, actively turning the cultivation world against Wei Wuxian, leading the siege that killed him, and actively trying to capture and torture him through all of the present day. The reveal is not meant to tell us “Oh, but he loved him after all,” it is meant to highlight the tragedy of Jiang Cheng’s fall.

Once, yes, he did care and he acted in emotion to save him. But regardless of everything, it isn’t enough. One act of care is not enough to outweigh all the bad you have done. And Jiang Cheng knows that, and in his second and final act of care towards Wei Wuxian across the whole book, keeps it secret and lets him go.

BBC's Merlin Season 1 Episode 3: The Mark of Nimue Analysis

*SPOILERS FOR THE WHOLE SHOW*

First off I always look fondly on this episode, mainly for Morgana being hilarious and epic, I mean she has the best line in the whole episode:

Arthur: You could get hurt

Morgana: So could you.... if you don't get out of my way

This episode is also fun and interesting from the perspectives of plot, characters and themes. Sorry, this is extremely long, I have a lot of opinions about Merlin.

Gwen and Merlin

This episode is in many ways about Gwen and Merlin's friendship, it is the driving force behind all of Merlin's actions within this episode and is the stepping stone for this show considering how to find a balance between acting for the greater good without suggesting that the ends justify the means.

Merlin and Gwen are first off just very sweet, their friendship is really characteristic of this show's representation of friendship overall, just genuine love and consideration for others. It is also self-sacrificing, that's one thing about the relationships in this show they are so self-sacrificing.

When Merlin says to Gwen "I didn't like to see you upset." It reveals a wonderful fact of Merlin's characterisation that I would argue stays consistent for the whole show. His motivation is always grounded in how much he cares for the people around him. He cares deeply about his friends and they are largely his reason for doing the things he does. This line is a wonderful parallel to in season 3 when Merlin decides to let Morgana die (after he accidentally trips her down the stairs), but then in the end he heals her because he couldn't watch everyone's grief. Merlin cannot separate his actions from the people he's doing them for, and he can't stand to see people hurt when he has the power to fix it because the people he loves are his motivation, they are the reason he wants a better world. This show does establish (as I'll discuss further down) that what seems immediately right (healing Gwen's father etc) isn't necessarily the right decision to make for the greater good. This is some ways always questions the validity of Merlin's motivations and his actions, but I'd argue it more seeks to find a balance. Besides a Merlin who didn't act motivated by his love for others is not a Merlin that could have helped Arthur build Camelot.

Medievalism: duty and social obligation

Quick disclaimer cause I'm touching on a more scholarly issue here that I have limited knowledge of, so I will undoubtedly make mistakes and this is my opinion. Everything I write is my opinion, but that's more obvious when I'm commenting on the themes of a fictional world rather than making a comment on actual fields of study which is what I'm doing here.

BBC's Merlin is an example of medievalism, it is an engagement with the medieval era (or ideas/images associated with it) for modern times. I honestly don't know that much about medievalism, or the medieval era, certainly not enough to make an extensive commentary on its representation in Merlin. One thing I would argue is that Merlin's representation of friendship has its roots in idealised views of the virtues of the medieval era. For many people the Middle Ages represents a time of duty and social obligation, this on one hand does lead to a stringent class divide but it also finds its idealisation in the sort of friendship represented by Merlin. The premise in most societies that place great value on social obligation is that the needs of the community outweigh the needs of the individual, that people should sacrifice themselves for the community as a whole. Every society places emphasis on this in different ways and to greater or lesser extents and our view of it as being prevalent in the medieval era is largely an idealisation based in some historical reality but also our own desires about what this era represents. There is a kind of social responsibility in the relationships in Merlin, there is a great emphasis on loyalty which is part of this idealisation. However, Merlin makes it more personal than is often depicted. We idealise social responsibility and obligation, it is often tied into the social roles of people such as loyalty to a king, or paying back debts of honour which is a form of social obligation. Merlin is more about friendship, it takes our idealisation of medieval social obligation and makes it the obligation and loyalty we owe to people who love us and who we love. I will always say that fundamentally Merlin as a show is about love, and it emphasises what we owe to people in our lives in a way I believe echoes idealisation of medieval loyalty.

This idea can also be seen in Arthur's fundamental trust of others, his fundamental assumption that everyone around him is not seeking to harm him, and that people are generally good. This ties a bit into the idea of social obligation. Arthur's idealised world is one in which people have bonds of social obligation towards each other, that people are seeking to act in the interests of the community. It's an idealisation, both of the medieval era but also an idealisation in Arthur's own head of the world he lives in.

Morgana and Gwen

Their relationship is somewhat expanded on in this episode, and they are just so sweet. Gwen gives Morgana flowers to cheer her up and its just lovely. They have a very genuine and close relationship. Morgana also has great respect for Gwen, for the work she does, and she treats her with respect.

Morgana: "If she was a sorceress, why would she kneel on the cold stone floor every morning if she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers, like an idle king."

Aside from being one of Morgana's many quality burns towards Uther, this also illustrates one of her greatest characteristics, her empathy and genuine respect and admiration for what Gwen does everyday. She doesn't see the class divide in the same way Uther sees it or Arthur pretends to see it.

Also interesting note I heard in a Merlin podcast (I can't remember which episode), it could have been the episode about this episode. It's called Destiny and Chicken (you can listen to it on Spotify and anywhere else you find podcasts- they even did an interview of Bradley James who plays Arthur at one point), and its very good. But, they said something interesting about the paralleling between the relationship between Merlin and Arthur and the relationship between Morgana and Gwen. Both are fundamentally important and genuinely caring relationships for the character. However, for Morgana and Gwen (unlike Merlin and Arthur) the class divide remains much more in place, Gwen treats Morgana like her friend but she also treats her like her mistress in a way Merlin just doesn't with Arthur (especially not so early in the show when he's not so admiring of Arthur). This isn't to say their relationship is bad or has problems, its just different whilst still acting as a parallel. I'm not sure exactly the extent to which I agree or what this says overall in themes but its definitely interesting to think about.

Uther: "A Good and Terrible King."

This episode shows Uther at both his best and his worst which is always fun because Uther is a genuinely interesting character. I got the line from my favourite Merlin fanfiction Coronation by rageprufrock, which you should definitely read, I'll link it down the bottom, it's not too long so you can read it in half an hour. It's a character study of Arthur more than anything else and its amazing, wonderful and deeply poetic. Uther is not a huge part of this fanfic, its about Arthur's character and his relationship with Merlin and his kingdom, I'm not even sure he actually appears. This line though perfectly tapped into how I always felt about Uther so it connected:

"He's been a good and terrible father, a good and terrible king."

I often think in characterising Uther we do tend to villainise him to an extent which I personally don't find accurate. This is obviously just my opinion, and I have a tendency to think the best of people so more intensely negative views of Uther are very jarring for me. He did terrible things and I truly believe he is the ultimate villain of the show but he is very human and he could be a good king and he loved his children more than anything else. We cheapen Merlin's point if we cast Uther as pure evil, everyone is capable of evil just as much as goodness. Uther is the tragedy (like Morgana) of a person who could have been good or at least halfway decent corrupted and destroyed by his own hate and ignorance. That's the point of the parallels between Uther and Morgana, we love Morgana and she was capable of so much good, but she corrupted herself with hate.

Onto this episode, Uther shows both his capability and goodness as a king in this episode as well as his hatred and ignorance. Uther's initial reaction to the fact that the plague is caused by magic is a concern about his own authority, which isn't entirely unfounded, but does reveal a huge priority of his which is control. He fears not being able to control, that's were his cruelty as a father comes from and to some extent his opposition to magic. This does not show Uther in the best light, but his actions later in regards to dealing with the plague show a decent king who cares about his people. This scene in which he tells Arthur to shut off the lower town perfectly illustrates this:

Arthur: But what about the people who live there

Uther: Don't you think I haven't considered it? What else can I do? I have to protect the rest of the city

In this situation Uther is right, there is very little other choice, he's making a hard call but it's one he has to make, and he seems genuinely distressed at having to make it. He does care about his people's well being, and he feels the burden of their protection, he can be a good King. Much of Arthur's story is in breaking away from the legacy of Uther, and rightly so, but Uther also taught him many things and one of those things is the duty Arthur has towards his people, it's a duty he takes even more seriously than Uther, but nonetheless he learnt it from him.

This however, as I've hinted, is not the whole story of this episode, Uther is also shown at his worst, and his worst is his ignorance and prejudice towards magic. He is willing to sacrifice justice and even sacrifices logical thought to his blind persistence that magic is evil.

Arthur: She's right Father. You hear the word magic you no longer listen.

Uther: You saw it for yourself, she used enchantments.

Arthur: Yes, maybe. To save her dying father, that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart

Aside from what this says about Arthur. Arthur's comment about Uther hits right to the point of things "you hear the word magic you no longer listen". You no longer listen implies its a choice, and it is. Uther has made the choice for the last 20 years to choose to go on a dogmatic campaign of hate against magic because its easier than considering the alternative, that he was complicit in his wife's death. What Uther says immediately after "there are dark forces threatening this kingdom." is the argument used by so many people throughout history, used to justify so much hate. That there is an evil out there threatening the stability of life, that the world must be controlled and people have to live a certain way or risk destroying their own lives. It's an argument that justifies campaigns of hate and makes them personal to ordinary people who usually wouldn't care, and it is always a lie, that's not how the world works.

This episode thus shows Uther at his best and his worst, both a dutiful king and a stubborn tyrant. It's a tragedy of what he could of been, and shows how twisted up people can become when they justify their decisions with hate and fear.

Arthur

This is the first episode where Arthur really opposes Uther, he directly questions Uther's indiscriminate hatred of magic, and an episode where he realises to an extent he perhaps hadn't before some of the ways in which Uther has failed as a king. He also consciously acts in deception of Uther, because he can see Uther can't see sense. Arthur shows far more nuance of view than Uther does, understanding (even whilst still accepting as he will for a long time that magic is dangerous and it corrupts) that using magic doesn't make you automatically evil. To see the world the way Uther does is a conscious choice, you have to choose to be blind to the virtues of every apparent magic user you come across, you have to believe harmless spells are the signs of greater evil. Arthur is not someone who lets his own cowardice blind himself to reality, and so his worldview can see far more nuance than Uther can.

"One's the act of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart."

He further has a very positive view of others, Arthur will always see the good in people and that is a great strength in my view. In a lot of versions of the story Arthur's not just inspiring because he's good but because he assumes others are good too, he trusts people to do the right thing and I do believe that, that can inspire people to do the right thing. It's funny in Merlin Arthur's trust gets betrayed so many times but it never really hardens his heart, he continues to trust people no matter how many times he gets betrayed. This can be seen in his perception of Guinevere here, he will not assume she is evil because she has made a mistake, he can see the virtue in her actions, and he will assume goodness until proven otherwise. Innocent until proven guilty, in other words. It's its own form of justice, a justice Uther is forgetting, its a tenant of many legal systems and its a tenant Arthur clearly supports.

Arthur is also seeing his role as the king of Camelot in creating a Camelot that he would like to live in.

"Yes I am yet to be king, and I don't know what type of king I will be. But I do have a sense of the type of Camelot I would wish to live in. It would be where the punishment fits the crime."

It's not the Camelot he would wish to rule, its the Camelot he would wish to live in. Arthur wants to live in a just world, he wants his people to be treated with justice just as he would like to be treated with justice. This further illustrates that unlike Uther he is not letting anger or ignorance blind him to reality, he wants the world he lives in to be fair without exception.

Finding the Balance between The Greater Good and The Immediate Good

The Greater Good is a tricky concept, you can justify any amount of cruelty if it will lead to good later on, but do the ends justify the means? It's not really a question its ever possible to provide a definitive answer for. It's easy to say that they don't, that you should just do the right thing, the nice thing, the good thing in the moment but actions have consequences and doing the good thing all the time (especially in a position where thousands of lives depend on you) is not usually possible. Merlin tackles this theme, I believe, quite well, trying to find a balance between acting for the greater good and acting with what is immediately good, and this episode is a good example.

In a just and fair world you would be able to do good all the time, but this is not the case for everything, though you should never use the worlds not fair as an argument for not doing good things but I digress. Merlin's decision to save Gwen's father ultimately backfires on Gwen because the world is not fair, the world Uther has created mean even these acts of love are punishable with death. Because, for Uther, magic is magic, and magic is evil. Gaius was, in this situation, ultimately right, Merlin can't always do what is easy and what feels right because the consequences may not be good. In other matters like closing off the lower town, Arthur's initial response is concern for the people who live their, but Uther's right he has to make this one tough decision because otherwise he risks the whole city.

However, Uther's attitude to Gwen (aside from revealing his own stubbornness and prejudice) is an example of the greater good taken too far. He has absolutely no evidence that killing Gwen will stop this plague, but he's making that sacrifice anyway because it might, that is not justice or fair or anything resembling goodness. And he justifies his decisions with what I've already said is an age old argument- "These decisions must be made. There are dark forces threatening this kingdom." This is just another version of any easy choice, acting without regard to the greater good is an easy choice but so is ignoring what is immediately right in pursuit of some ambiguous goodness. He's confusing his own weakness and ignorance for strength.

The point Merlin is, I believe trying to make is that there must be a balance. Sometimes you have to pursue the greater good, but the ends don't really justify the means.

There is a reason Arthur and Merlin will create the Camelot of legend and Uther and Gaius don't, Merlin and Arthur aren't going to sacrifice their own goodness for the sake of the greater good. Merlin for one ensures Arthur never has to, its sad but Merlin in many ways makes the harsh and cruel decisions that Arthur never has to make. However, he also often doesn't make those decisions. He reaches a point where he wants to let people die, but he never actively attempts to kill Morgana or Mordred by himself unless it is an absolute in the moment choice between them and Arthur, and even though there is plenty of moral ambiguity about that and plenty of debates you can have about that. Fundamentally the point remains, Uther would have killed them and that's why he could never be the king Arthur would be or the influence for decency Merlin would be, the ends don't ever entirely justify the means. Besides if Merlin had thought that and killed Mordred and Morgana for their possible futures he would not have been the decent person he was and he could not have helped Arthur build a good Camelot, Camelot would not have existed if Merlin had acted entirely with the greater good in mind to ensure Camelot's future.

Other Stuff

Gwen's scene in the cell is so terribly sad, she's trying to be brave and her final request to Merlin is just so sad, "Remember me." She's so young and its the injustice and cruelty of Uther's kingdom that's condemning her, his own blindness to anything involving magic. We all want to be remembered don't we, especially when you die so young that you've barely had the chance to live. -----Also Guinevere will be remembered, she is a legend so there's something very bittersweet in this. She is not forgotten, then or ever

It's funny watching back to season 1, Merlin spends a lot of the time complaining about how Arthur will never recognise him for who he is. He wants recognition. But by the end of the show, yes of course he'd like recognition but he's learnt to just put up with never getting it. His priorities have changed so much.

There's this thing that happens a lot in season 1 and 2 (and I think a bit in season 3 but its less funny then) where Morgana persuades Arthur to do things by insulting him and its the funniest thing ever, and the first instance of it is here. I like to call these her 'epic sibling powers' cause they are just such siblings and its hilarious every time

"You are one side of the coin, Arthur is the other."- Kilgaharrah--> Just, yes.

Also when Arthur gets Merlin out of when Merlin confesses to being a sorcerer—> he's obviously making stuff up on the spot—> like he might sort of believe it (the stuff about Gwen) but fundamentally he's just trying to protect him without really knowing for sure why Merlin's lying

"One day people won't believe what an idiot you were."- Gaius--> Fun little nod to the audience who know Merlin of legend (as nothing like the BBC Merlin)

Also at this point we don't know why Uther really banned magic so there is an element of moral greyness to it all. We know magic's not evil, we know Uther went too far but at this point there is still a question about 'how too far' did he go?

Coronation by Rageprufrock (seriously read it. It's amazing): https://archiveofourown.org/works/5749

hello! I just wanted to ask, which do you think in the mdzs novel has the most questionable morality? like they have done more bad things but they still had kindness in them somehow (?)

oh!! this is a hard one for me anon! i’m always bad at ranking characters but i’ll do my best!  i’m not sure if you were hoping for like a quick answer or a long one but i’m gonna go with a long one bc that’s always fun and i’ll do a tldr if you don’t want to read through all that? yeah that seems like it’ll work because holy shit i didnt mean for it to get so long (and kind of away from the point of your ask too so sorry about that!)

okay! So, the three main contenders for morally dubious characters are, as far as I’ve seen, Xue Yang, Jin Guangyao, and Wei Wuxian. Not a big surprise, I’m sure. While they’re the more obvious options, they do have a lot of parallels and exhibit a lot of the themes and ideas that MXTX was getting at. I mean, I love looking at Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian as foils, and even other combinations of the three, so my answer will probably be heavy on the comparisons. I do think it’s worth touching on Jiang Cheng as well though. Also, I’ll try to stay as unbiased as I can because there’s a few characters on this list that I just don’t like … like at all.

Jiang Cheng tends to get brushed over a lot when it comes to some of the horrible things he’s done. From promising to protect Wei Wuxian from dogs only to immediately use them as a threat whenever he wants to to leading a siege on a group of people he knows are completely innocent of any crimes to torturing and killing people for thirteen years, he’s definitely not a good person. His concerns lie first and foremost with himself and his. That doesn’t seem like a horrible thing at first – he should owe his loyalty to himself, his family, and his sect – but it does mean that when the Xuanwu’s cave situation happened, his response was to get mad that Wei Wuxian helped Jin Zixuan and Lan Wangji. (And that’s why Jiang Fengmian got mad at him!). Later on, when pressure comes from the sects regarding Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng chooses not to stand with him, which, while understandable, isn’t exactly a kind move to someone who called Jiang Cheng his family and was trying to repay the debt the two of them owed Wen Qing. There’s no denying that he does care about Wei Wuxian, but when forced to make hard choices, he picks what’s easiest for himself. In general, I’d say that his sense of morality is selfish and somewhat flighty, but not necessarily questionable, so I’ll move on!

For the usual suspects, I’ll start with Xue Yang because I’m just going to immediately eliminate him from the running. I’ve seen people interpret his character sympathetically or try to justify some of his actions or the way he turned out, but I honestly just can’t. While you could feel sympathetic towards him because of his childhood, we have Wei Wuxian as a direct contrast to Xue Yang, as well as, to a certain degree, Jin Guangyao. Both Xue Yang and Wei Wuxian were street kids who had a horrible time in their youth, but Wei Wuxian was able to leave that behind him. That’s a lot easier to do when you’ve been adopted into a major sect and afforded comforts above your station (and also have terrible coping mechanisms), but even Jin Guangyao’s revenge isn’t quite as wide-spread and malicious. I know it may seem a bit obvious, anon, but some people really do try and treat Xue Yang like he’s morally dubious which confuses me a lot because how?? Even if we do say that he has suitable cause, one of the messages of the novel is that your past experiences don’t justify your future actions, so even within the context of the novel – a novel which is concerned with highlighting the grey areas of morality – Xue Yang isn’t afforded any sympathy. So, there’s really no way to construe him in a positive light. His only moments of kindness come with his time spent in Yi City with Xiao Xingchen, where Xue Yang doesn’t change much – he may have cared for Xiao Xingchen, but Xue Yang still tortured him as he did so. I never quite read that arc as Xue Yang learning to care or being allowed to be kind again so I’d just say that he lacks both morals and kindness. On that basis we can boot him from this competition. 

Jin Guangyao may have been one of the antagonists of the novel, but he wasn't a completely bad person or like The Worst. His main crimes involved getting revenge for slights against him or his mother – being from Nie Mingjue, Jin Guangshan, or any number of other cultivators. I think that, to an extent, his actions are justifiable. While you can contrast this to the way Wei Wuxian gets called a servant's son, they do differ in the fact that Wei Wuxian is afforded a higher level of protection due to him being favoured by Jiang Fengmian. Additionally, when Wei Wuxian does have his birth used against him, he's usually the person who acted out first anyway. Jin Guangyao was insulted for doing little more than exist and was never the person to act out first, yet still faced a near constant onslaught of insults. I'm not saying his actions were justified by any means, but the reasoning behind his actions is sound. The one thing I will note is that he doesn't let go of his grudges – even when everything is all done and dusted and he has everything that he could possibly want from life, he still holds onto that hatred. I remember seeing a post where someone mentioned that characters who were able to move on and change for the better were able to get their happy ending in MDZS, which isn't relevant here but definitely applies to Jin Guangyao when thinking about why he got the ending he did. I don't agree with the degree to which he enacted his revenge against certain characters and I loathe the whole Qin Su situation. I don't care how much he cries about it, he could've at least told her, but I mainly just pretend that part didn't exist. So, he has suitable cause for at least some of his actions, and his other victims can just be classified as necessary collateral rather than being intentional innocent targets, if that makes sense, but he's definitely vindictive and spiteful.

On the other hand, he did a lot of good, too. He's a side character for the most part so Jin Guangyao didn't get the most screen-time, but we do hear of some of the good things he's done. The main example would probably be the watchtowers. One of the interesting things about Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian is that while both of them are capable of kindness, the breadth and scope of Jin Guangyao's is much broader – the watchtowers are an idea that not only showcase how Jin Guangyao's upbringing allows him to see flaws in the cultivation world that the other privileged cultivators can't, but also show how he does care about the people. I've seen a few people try and play it as a spying technique but I don’t really believe that in the slightest. I mean, the point of the towers is to cover the areas where the sects aren't, so I have no idea what Jin Guangyao's people would even be spying on. Anyway, setting up those watchtowers really didn't benefit him any specific way – unless you consider him endearing himself to Lan Xichen and garnering a good reputation with the common folk something that outweighs the absolute nightmare it would have been to make the sects participate in the project to begin with. In a more specific case, Jin Ling's dog was given to him by Jin Guangyao. It's interesting that, despite Jin Ling spending the novel being trailed by Jiang Cheng, the gift that he obviously cares for deeply is from Jin Guangyao. In the Guanyin Temple scene I definitely got the sense that Jin Ling had loved and trusted Jin Guangyao before the truth came out so I'm firmly convinced that he would've been a wonderful and conscientious uncle to him and just generally good to the people who worked for him and/or the commoners.

Okay, now Wei Wuxian!! As far as I've seen, people are relatively good at staying true to his questionable sense of morality. Like with Jin Guangyao, we know that he can be vindictive and pretty excessive when it comes to getting his revenge, but I'm not going to deny that I was definitely rooting for him when he went after Wen Chao and his little gang. The main issue with Wei Wuxian is probably the demonic cultivation – the stigma against it tends to get reduced to it being bad for the user and their temperament etc. etc., but there's more to it than that. I'm no expert on Daoism by any means, but from my understanding desecration of corpses and disturbing the dead is a significant cultural taboo. This isn't just Wei Wuxian doing something no one else can do (though it certainly is true), it's also him doing something no one else should do. I've seen the massacre at Nightless City being added as another tally to his list of crimes, but I honestly think that that isn’t a crime worth adding – he needed to defend himself so he did, simple as that. 

As I mentioned above, Wei Wuxian's kindness is a bit more specific – where Jin Guangyao cares for the people, Wei Wuxian cares for individuals. We see his kindness more clearly, be it because he's the main character or be it because actions are clearer and stronger when it's for a single person or a small group. It's a bit easier, in my opinion, to care about people when you don't have to live with them and face them every day, but Wei Wuxian does. Even though Wei Wuxian led a lot more comfortable life than Jin Guangyao, we never really see Jin Guangyao get his hands dirty in the same way Wei Wuxian does. When a sacrifice needs to be made, Wei Wuxian’s the one who makes it. He doesn't relegate, he does it himself. We know that he would do absolutely anything for those he cares about and that's why he's able to commit a lot of the atrocities he does.

When it comes to deciding between Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian for most questionable morality, I think we need to look at the reasons behind their actions. Wei Wuxian’s sense of morality is definitely nowhere near that of the Lans but he has always been driven by his sense of justice and his love for those around him. In that sense, I've always read him as having a flexible sense of morality rather than a questionable one. I'm not sure how much of it ties in with his sense of duty, but it's definitely a lot. Wei Wuxian is, and always will, fill the role that is required of him – be it the childish and sweet younger brother, the talented but flippant older brother, the monster that wins the war, or the fierce protector that gives his all, Wei Wuxian will twist himself into whatever position he's needed in at that moment. Obviously, he went after Wen Chao for his own benefit, and the corrupting influence of the resentful energy does need to be factored into this, but at his core, Wei Wuxian will always value his duty (to his sect, family, friends, and innocents) and doing what is right over anything else. He may have stumbled along the way, but he did manage to form his own path to uphold all the values that he wanted to. Jin Guangyao, on the other hand, is similar to Jiang Cheng in how he's driven by his own motivations for betterment and revenge, albeit with more grace and intelligence. Jin Guangyao may masquerade as being motivated by any number of causes but he will never do anything at his own risk, and he will always be his top priority. So, while it's a close call between Wei Wuxian and Jin Guangyao, I'm going to have to go with Jin Guangyao on this one!

tldr; the fandom favourites for questionable morality are xy, jgy, and wwx so i mainly looked at them. I included jc as well but neither xy or jc demonstrate the dichotomy needed so they got eliminated from the running. Jgy and wwx both commit and are willing to commit horrible crimes as well as being capable of caring for others and being kind. but, where wwx is driven by his sense of justice and love for others, jgy is driven by his own motivations for betterment and revenge, making for a more questionable morality (as compared to wwx's more flexible morality).

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HOLD! WHO GOES THERE? WHY, IS THAT [ISEUL BAODAI] THE [CROWN PRINCESS] OF [LOQOALA]? THEY DO LOOK [ETHEREAL] FOR A [WOMAN] OF [33] YEARS. DON’T THEY CALL [HER] THE [ELOQUENT AND PERSPICASIOUS RED LIONESS]? I’VE HEARD THEY’RE ALSO [SIBYLLINE AND CUNNING] THOUGH. DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT BUT THEY DO LOOK AN AWFUL LOT LIKE [JAMIE CHUNG].

Plots they’re interested in:

Additional Info

The nightingales that sing across the seas, through icy storms and unfavorable seasons to spill secrets // informants & spies: a lesson is taught to every loqoalan child to listen and observe, think before acting for the misdeeds of foolish ones come back to haunt them while the wise are aware most living creatures have teeth in which to bite and how to avoid being bitten. it should come as no surprise as the emperor ages the more that is taught to his child to keep in mind that belief and act wisely in every step. this person or people are a steady hand in the dark, an ear open to hear the chattering of souls blind the fangs sinking into the flesh of lesser men. they are bits and pieces of a network of informants and spies who report to the crown princess to help keep her abreast of the situation at any given time. After all you can’t have the heir to the imperial throne traipsing around the countryside listening into many conversations from the shadows or unexpected places make sure Loqola’s interests are maintained. Separated from her father’s network of informants and spy masers this is a group she is directly involved in to have an idea of the state of things and beneficial information to her eventual rule. her ‘agents’ are generally marked by a pin of a small bird. They mean a tremendous amount to woman who wishes to establish her foothold further in the political game. Additionally, they allow her as the loqoala phrase sands to be wise and know which teeth will be bitten and how to ‘defang’ most potentially damaging situations. There is plenty of room to further define what this person or persons do and add whole other levels of depth to character development.

Bathed in kata’s light, beloved of moruk, friend of varis the curious lioness inquires about the world from a non-believer // teacher of sorts : undoubtedly Iseul knows of other lands from brief visits, books and secondhand accounts of the many places beyond imperial borders. still, there are questions to be had by one who wishes to fully understand cultures, customs, and the ways of life belonging to other peoples. it’s especially important to know more about the customs of her betrothed knowing its him who would leave his family to be the imperial consort. this person is someone unlikely that Iseul wishes to see the world through their eyes and touch on their understanding. teach her their ways for she is not heartless wanting to make any transition easier not just for a future husband but to even shed some of the grand mystique of Loqoala. It would likely be a friendly exchange of information teaching one about your culture and vice versa.

a debit is owed for a deed done: in their culture secrets, information and favors are more valuable than the gold other nations clamor over. be it a foreigner or a fellow countryman the red lioness owes a debt. perhaps not by her own doing but it is something she has taken upon her to repay and make the matter even. A future Empress is only as good as her word and it is a matter of honor and pride. It is no small matter and the things a debt from a royal could do for a life?

Optional Info

She is the eldest child of the current emperor and his first wife. She was born when they were quite young and have had two additional children. Their genders aren’t of importance but it is clear that they won’t inherit as she is firstborn unless something foul happens. ( two younger siblings, two cousins of an imagined cadet branch of the baodai. )

Iseul presents herself well and knows how to work a room but as a perspicacious creature. will observe and study. People often mistake this as an aloofness that fits with what little people know about Loqoala but Iseul like many people from her country is more that what they appear to be at face value.

She was promised from the age of 12 to Theodore Stoneward, Prince of Elysi as such a match was dubbed the most advantageous of choices. Politically it is an incredibly sound match but pressure has been mounting for them to finally marry to enhance peace between two massive nations. Personally, the couple still doesn’t know a tremendous amount about one another to speak entirely of love when the number of times you’ve met one another is far outweighed by a volume of letters written and travel across the world is not easy to Hazzard every other day. Iseul is not fully aware of Theo’s involvement with the rebellion but has suspicions. ( OOC: I did speak to C about this connection and C is okay with it! )

Such a native will frequently feel uneasy in relationships, especially in the first part of his life. He might treat his partners unfairly, preferring his own happiness instead of flourishing together with his significant other. A series of such actions and mistakes might hurt other people, in his race to feed his selfishness. A lot of energy from his relationship or business partners might be absorbed by him, and with hard aspects, he might be acting for some time as a psychic vampire. Nevertheless, the karmic path of such a native is to break this pattern and learn how to give, share and love.

 Having your North Node in the 7th house of the natal chart automatically also means that the South Node is located in the 1st house. This natal placement of the North Node indicates a heavy emphasis on matters concerning one’s relationships and partnerships, while also influences his perception of Ego. In addition, the 7h/1st axis shows that your life lesson involves your attitude towards unification with other people and sharing your reality, while also is strongly connected to the terms “contract”, “agreement” and even “open enemies”. As the Lunar Nodes indicate Karmic debts and connections with previous lifetimes, the native who has the North Node in the 7th house must dedicate himself towards the difficult task of joining forces with other individuals. This is something he failed doing during previous lives, preferring to concentrate on himself and his own self-development. The South Node in the 1st house indicates that in his early ages he still has a lot of memories about being independent, and such a native has probably been very egoistic while young. These are all programs carried from his previous lives; he will feel much at ease by worshiping only himself. Yet, this is the critical point where things must change, and a conscious decision to unite with others is awaiting him in some moment of his life. Such a native will frequently feel uneasy in relationships, especially in the first part of his life. He might treat his partners unfairly, preferring his own happiness instead of flourishing together with his significant other. A series of such actions and mistakes might hurt other people, in his race to feed his selfishness. A lot of energy from his relationship or business partners might be absorbed by him, and with hard aspects, he might be acting for some time as a psychic vampire. Nevertheless, the karmic path of such a native is to break this pattern and learn how to give, share and love. The North Node always shows us what road we must follow in order to develop ourselves, and most of the times it is not the easiest one to choose. Most people usually feel quite uncomfortable about marching towards fulfilling matters of the house where the North Node is located. This is because during previous lifetimes we have gathered a lot of experience concerning the South Node house matters. Indeed, we are a lot more acquainted with the roads we have already walked; yet life requires from us to abandon the safety of known patterns and face development through unknown areas.  The North Node in the 7th house signifies a karmic need to concentrate on creating a stable relationship or marriage. The native must learn to take care of his loved ones, or other people that he is tied with. Partners in business are also considered a very important 7th house matter. The good thing is that the North Node brings luck wherever it is placed. This means that the native’s spouse will be quite a good character, often inspiring the individual to become a better person. In addition, the North Node in the 7th house can gift the native with a wonderful second child. As the 7th house rules contracts and agreements, there can be benefits through them. Also, such a person will have luck in court, win against his enemies or even manage diplomatically to transform his enemies into friends.  If you have the North Node in the 7th house, try to make an introspection about how you treat other people, the dearest and closest ones in particular. In case you see that your Ego outweighs them, it is maybe time to consider altering your views. In case you have already noticed a shift in your priorities, and that you dedicate yourself in empowering your beloved ones, then you are on the correct path. And be sure, your decisions will be rewarded by a harmonious marriage, by a long-lasting and successful business relationship and many other gifts that the 7th house can bring. The 7th/1st house Lunar Node axis brings the dilemmas “Me or Us”, “Ego or Collectivity”, “Alone or Together”, and we must choose the first option. Our previous incarnations were having a repetitive choice of the second, a pattern that we should stop now. It is possible that we did not have a different option during our previous lives. But now, it exists. And probably the universe has prepared the right people with which we can demolish our walls of Ego and let our ocean receive the waters of the others. When you activate your seventh house and balance the karmic axis between the two Nodes, you will be able again to seek development in the first house related matters. After learning to offer to others and merge with them, you will be again free to develop your personal being. This time, on another level, more conscious and wise. In your elder years, after receiving all the 7th house lessons, the 1st house gates will be open again. Your individual evolution will not stop totally, it will just be paused so that you develop the more important 7th house issues. When finishing with your karmic debts, you will be able to use your South Node in a proper way, this time consciously.

Source: https://theastrocodex.com/

forgiveness: the topic no one asked for

I started writing on the topic of forgiveness in January, thinking I had some grasp on the idea of releasing a grudge against someone who has wronged you. Forgiveness is something we are expected to do daily. I am constantly forgiving my dad for his impatience, my siblings for their lack of sensitivity, and even myself for my own naivety. I’ve been put in situations where I received unmerited forgiveness, and situations where I extended it to others - It was a topic I felt ready to write about it. 

Within a few weeks, the concept of forgiveness radically changed. Yes, Jesus calls us to forgive our transgressors, but how do we forgive those who have never apologized? How do we forgive when the damage cuts so deep that even when the bleeding stops, you’ll always see the parts that you left hurting? How do I let go of the anger against people who did not care? 

I never understood why people didn’t like talking about forgiveness in church, but I empathize now. I understand the struggle of forgiving, even when it is undeserving, unmerited, and unjust. 

-- -- 

One thing everyone who has wrestled with forgiveness will say is:

Forgiveness is not a feeling, but it is a choice. 

J-- reminds me, 

“If you wait for the right moment to feel sympathetic to the offender, you will wait for an eternity and more for the feeling to come… Forgiveness must never be contingent upon the other person's ability to own up to their mistakes and apologize.” 

“The world will tell you that it keeps you on the higher ground and you're "winning" when you're able to hold the grudge or that if you forgive them, you "lose" out by conceding and surrendering. The Gospel states that to live is Christ and to die is gain, that to follow Christ, we must surrender and die to ourselves - including every "right" that we have to lord over others the feelings of contempt and disdain.”

The world was telling me that they didn’t deserve my forgiveness. They took so much away from me, the last thing I wanted to give them was my peace. It was my way of seeking justice, holding onto the last bit of the “fight” that I had. If I let this go, no one will see the pain they caused. No one will understand what they did was wrong. They’ll think I have given up. They’ll think what they’re doing is okay. They’ll get away with it.

I now realize that was unbelief talking, cause God sees. God sees them. God sees me. Wrapped in His grace, God gave me the power to pray to seek out forgiveness. It was an unrushed, gentle invitation to forgive, but one that was relentless. I’m constantly reminded that though they didn’t deserve my forgiveness, I didn’t deserve an ounce of the forgiveness for what I’ve done that Jesus paid for.  

Matthew 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

A hard but necessary verse to meditate on. Forgiveness is necessary in maintaining my intimacy with God, removing any roadblocks that prevents us from fellowship with Him and others. I’m called to become more like Jesus, and Jesus accurately and wholeheartedly embodied forgiveness. We are called to be compassionate, and to forgive others. To not let bitterness defile us because Christ has forgiven us. He has loved us first. (Ephesians 4:29-32). 

In the process of learning what forgiveness is, I’ve learned that Forgiveness is NOT:

Forgetting: God calls us to remember. We are creatures of remembrance. It’s one of our traits that differentiates us between animals from humans. 

A Feeling: It’s not condoning or overcoming the hurt (though with time, that will happen), but it’s about not letting our emotions dictate our circumstances

We have access to the feelings and knowledge of God. It’s aligning our steps with the spirit and praying for self control. To not dwell and fixate on the hurt

Does not mean something is not a sin: Forgiveness is a place where we invite Jesus to come in and reframe the narrative. To heal and help us move forward

Does not mean we allow toxic people in: Reconciliation and forgiveness are two entirely different things. Reconciliation only comes when the other person is willing to fully admit to their mistakes and apologize for their wrongdoings. It’s not a must

It’s not a one time event: A recycled action that you are constantly doing over and over again. 

There will be times when we question if we really forgave them. Where we want to take it back and hold onto unforgiveness. Make a public profession. Allow for accountability to remind you what Jesus has done for you and that you have forgiven them. It will get easier with time. 

Through scripture, I learned that Forgiveness IS: 

“The personal act of releasing the one who has sinned against me from my personal right to collect on the moral debt, but to PAY him/her back on their moral offense.“

God reminds us to never avenge ourselves (Romans 12). We convince ourselves that if we forgive, this will all be forgotten. But when we lay it down, God picks it up and He doesn’t forget. It doesn’t get lost. He uses it and redeems the hurt. 

By forgiving: 

We return to God the right to take care of justice: we must let go of our desire for revenge for something they’ve done. 

It’s an act of trust and faith. Knowing God is better at handling justice in a way we never could.  

We have freedom knowing we have a righteous defender. A Father defending their beloved daughter and son. I give Him the power to work on my half for me.

By releasing my right to justice, I give Him more space to be bigger - to work creatively for my greater Good. 

We will determine to do what is good rather than evil: In the midst of pain, you’ll see how sin is the common denominator. It is the equalizer between me and the transgressor. 

We like to see ourselves as “not that bad”, but in reality - we are that bad. In fact, we are worse. Yet, we continue to love ourselves despite our badliness, because we are “things called selves”. That is what God intended us to do. He loved us when we had nothing nice about ourselves. Are we not to do the same things to others? 

I’ve learned to hate the sin, not the sinner. We’ve all fallen victim to it, and when you see your own sin, you’ll be more inclined to grant them freedom.

We will see it for what it is: an unmerited gift

Granted from the heart, a tangible release. We are able to absorb the hurt given to us with God’s help and transform into something beautiful. 

With each dimension we go deeper into forgiveness, we uncover a layer that leads us to more freedom.  

God is calling us to forgive, not for the peace of the other party, but peace with God and therefore ourselves. After a certain point, you realize you are the only one left hurting and you must move forward. To move forward with God, means forgiving your debtor, forgiving yourself for being naive, forgiving life for being unfair, and forgiving God for feeling like He didn’t defend you the way you should’ve been. If we do not forgive, we are at risk of being defiled. It poisons us. Makes our hearts harder. It robs us of joy and freedom. We must transform this hurt into something beautiful with God’s help (Hebrews 12:15).  God absorbs that pain, takes the unhealthy plant away , and gives us back a fresh, new plant. We are getting back the life that was ours.

God has forgiven us with open arms, and once you come to to understand how much grace you need, God will give you the grace to forgive. It’s morally imperative to not die with bitterness, but with a heart of warmth and love. When my life ends, what will matter is how my character has grown and the relationships I cultivated in the process. How can I rewrite this narrative to make it a time I grew closer to God? When I lay this burden down before Him, so much love can grow. 

These people are saved Christians. They’re going to be with me in heaven forever. I know Jesus died on the same cross for their sins the way he did mine. I want to celebrate and rejoice in that. (Proverbs 24:17–18)

I give myself the grace to be angry, but I know behind the anger are feelings of hurt and injustice. But because Christ dwells in me, I won’t be stuck here in these emotions. 

“All of your sins - your entire sin history, far outweighs anything that this person has done to you. If Christ can forgive you for all the sins you've done, all the sins you're stuck in, and all the sins you will do in the future, He will also give you that same grace to forgive the other person.”

It is not by my own character I am able to forgive. There are still so many days where I’m left wondering why I have forgiven them in the first place. But because Christ dwells in my heart, it is where I can draw strength to give someone the chance to taste what Jesus has done for the world. 

J-- puts it best:

“Christ's last words on the cross, as He was being mutilated and crucified, was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." In Christ's last breaths, He demonstrated to us an unearthly forgiveness. As He gave His last breath, He gives us that same ability to offer that forgiveness to others. Not because we're good or better than anyone else, but because we have tasted that grace, and the Gospel shows us that we are no more deserving of God's grace than anyone else."

Thank you to Bridgetown Podcasts, C.S. Lewis, John Piper, J-- C--, and the Bible (lol) for teaching me all of this. This whole post is a rip-off of everything they have said. Thank you for helping me understand the depths of my brokenness, my need for forgiveness, and why I should extend it to those around me. Freedom is starting to taste sweet. 

"Ouran High School Host Club" volumes 1-18 by Bisco Hatori

Synopsis: In this screwball romantic comedy, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids' school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school's swankiest, all-male club-- as a boy! There she discovers just how wealthy all six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else...

Published: 2002-2010 (Hakusensha/ LaLa Magazine [JPN], Viz Media [USA] Genre: Manga, Romantic-Comedy, Slice-of-Life, Parody Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Reader Review: It has been nearly a year (or so) since I've done a review. Half of the reason for this is because I've been too busy to be reading much of anything. The other half of the reason is because I've been reading (pretty much) nothing but this series. I don't remember how I was first introduced to the manga series, but it was years ago and probably came to know about it from knowing the anime. Because, let's be honest, every anime originated from some sort of manga. My best friend and I were looking for something to watch one night way back in 2011 (as I said, years ago), and stumbled upon the "Ouran High School Host Club" show. We binge-watched it over the course of a week and loved its humor and the way it constantly broke the 4th wall and parodied many a played-out trope of manga/anime/otaku culture. It must have been from there that I found out it was a manga and started to chip away at it. 7 years later... I only had volumes 1-10 in my possession and I must have only read half of them. Meanwhile, work, life, other books etc, took precedence and Ouran the manga sat on my bookshelf. For the incoming new year, I decided to (try not to) buy any new books and read the ones I had first, starting with the entire Ouran manga series. And finally, I’ve finished.

Let me just say now that I'm going to get very nerdy with this review and talk about things apropos of nothing. And let me also say that, although I love the Ouran TV series, 26 episodes are not enough to do the whole manga story justice. Much like FullMetal Alchemist, Inuyasha, and so on, the manga was an ongoing publication when the idea to turn it into a TV series came about. But the need to have it made into a TV series outweighed the patience to wait for the manga to end, thus the show got a new, original ending, completely separate from how the manga ended. In fact, the manga wouldn’t get its ending until FOUR YEARS after the anime ended. Because of this, a lot of creative liberties were taken for the second half of the show. It's something I both understand and hate about anime adaptations. Like, there wouldn't have been a "FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood" if the anime creators just let the manga creator finish her series, and then we'd only have one FullMetal Alchemist anime series to save all the confusion. Long story short, the Ouran manga series has so much packed into it, that a lot of the things alluded at in the anime series (Tamaki's relationship with his family, Hikaru's feelings for Haruhi, and so on) make so much more sense now. It really makes me want to re-watch the anime to look out for those subtle nuances portrayed in the manga. ***I will add that there is a live-action TV series and movie for the Ouran series that does take place while the manga was further along than when the anime series was made, but both series were made while the manga was ongoing. Anyway, the manga series itself is a visual feast. It switches up art styles so many times, mostly to show the zany/funny parts, with a consistent, beautiful art style for the more serious parts. You could read the whole manga series in Japanese and still get the gist of the story based on the illustrated panels alone. The dialogue is also equally sharp, with the same ability to go back and forth between a funny moment and a serious moment without the tonal changes being too jarring for the reader. It's a testament to Hatori's storytelling ability that such transitions happen pretty frequently, yet instead of feeling inconsistent or sloppy, the comedic moments hit you that much harder because of how well-timed they're delivered. Better yet, Hatori creates this world of flip-floppy wacky-serious moments and makes you believe that, in this world, such back and forths are totally normal. The dialogue between characters itself feels organic despite some of the topics being absolute nonsense (after all, this series is mostly about boys who are stupid rich and mistake middle-class living for living in poverty), but it adds to the characterization of the Host Club boys (and girl). The characters, much like the situation, are caricatures of tropes long unironically portrayed in mangas that have come before it. Tamaki is the darling charmer who knows just the right mushy thing to say to make the ladies swoon, Mori is the ridiculously strong and stoic type, Hunny is the cavity-inducing cute boy who likes sweets and bunnies and everything pure in the world, etc. And the character of Haruhi, while of course having her own personality, works for the reader as one that the reader can insert themselves into, as she sees the absurdity of the rest of the boys, and the workings of the rich in general, that no one else in the school sees, and reacts accordingly. It makes the reader's transition into this fanciful world easier thanks to Haruhi acting as the bridge between the two. If not for her, the goal of understanding this world, rather than taking it seriously, because it really isn't a series to take all that seriously, would be much harder to do. The cohesion of the main story itself is consistent. This is a series based in romance, after all, and at one point, there is a love square with Haruhi as the object of three boys' affections. While the main story is going on, we get side stories and inside looks into the lives of the Host Club members, which allow for us to get a better understanding of who each of the characters are and why they are the way they are. There's world-building in conjunction with story-building, and that makes for a more well-rounded story. By the last volume, the main story really picks up, but it's also the volume that let me down the most just because of how rushed things felt (despite the last volume actually being the thickest). The main romantic plot is comes to fruition, but the slow build that has been happening since volume 1 becomes a jump from present-day to three months in the future to eight months in the future in volume 17. Don't get me wrong, I loved the little future bits, but it didn't flow with me as well as the rest of the series. Oh, and the ending. I won't spoil much of it, but you really really really have to bear in mind that this is a series of nonsense and that anything can happen because most of the characters are rich enough to make that happen. Despite all of that, the ending, which I can best describe as a "tie it all up in a nice neat bow" happy ending, asks a lot of the reader to accept. It doesn't really provide the characters with the obstacles that I'd hoped for (in the same way that Hunny and Mori graduating high school didn't provide the situation of the Host Club going on without two members in the way I'd expected). If I could just have one more volume to develop the story and relationships just a bit more between the present day and the eight months in the future we’re left off at, I would in a heartbeat. It wasn't that I was dissatisfied, quite the opposite, but more just that I feel there's unexplored opportunity that would've really done justice to the pace and world-building of the rest of the series. With the completion of this manga series, Ouran High School Host Club goes up there as one of my favorites series. Its re-readability is way up there, and its comedic tone is unmatched even today.As Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey” is a parody of Gothic tropes, “Ouran High School Host Club” is a parody of romantic tropes in manga, and if you like humor in your romantic shojo mangas, this is quintessential for you. The series also succeeds in helping me overcome a huge hurdle as the Haruhi/Hikaru shipper I came in as reading this: it made me not only understand, but like Haruhi and Tamaki as a couple. That alone makes it worth the read, and re-read.

[EDIT: Tumblr is apparently a money-hungry schmuck ever since they partnered with Yahoo, and because I used “Ouran High School Host Club” as a tag, they put a Yahoo advertisement on my post like ?????? That’s just icky. Since I’m obviously not going to remove the tag, I just want to say please  DON’T CLICK THE LINK BELOW THAT TUMBLR/YAHOO IS FORCING ON MY OWN PERSONAL POST. I DON’T APPROVE OF IT BEING THERE. Man, Tumblr’s really hit a new low... Anyway, thanks for reading <3 ]

reTHG: The Hunger Games - Chapter Two: Not him.

Eastern Meadowlark

Trying to figure out who and what Peeta Mellark really is is one of the main exercises of this book.  Unlike Gale, whom Katniss knows about as well as herself, Peeta’s character shifts around a lot as Katniss tries - but really actually stubbornly tries not - to figure him out.  Unlike the Gamemakers, he is unreadable to her; and she can’t figure out how she wants to read him.  She insists on thinking of him as a tribute - her enemy - and resists partnering with him; yet resents it when he acts, or seems to be acting, as part of the Game.  

Because she can’t read him, and takes the things he says and probably genuinely means as manipulations, she comes to think of him as a Liar: a reputation he carries with her even into Mockingjay, although by then she thinks of his lying as one of his strengths (which - to touch lightly on a larger issue - is true in a repressed society, when lying is maybe a form of communication more important than the mask of silence); but the interesting thing about that is that Peeta doesn’t really lie to her.  For her, he’s actually revelatory; he provides the moral argument against the Capitol in a way that speaks to her, ultimately, more strongly than Gale’s.  His is the voice that follows Gale’s in times of crisis - that provides direction for the rage she takes from Gale:

“Gale’s voice is in my head.  His ravings against the Capitol no longer pointless, no longer to be ignored....Then I remember Peeta’s words on the roof ... and for the first time I understand what he means.”  (THG Ch. 18) 

It’s possible that Katniss, at first, needs Gale’s fuel in order to achieve Peeta’s perspective.  It’s also maybe possible that she needs Gale to break the illusion of innocence before she can actually take notice of Peeta.  (More on that later.)  Peeta isn’t so much a direct contrast to Gale, as a subtle difference: warmth instead of heat*; light instead of fire.

(And this is a very important thing about this book, I think.  The text lures us into thinking of them as opposites - Seam/Merchant, brown/white, Team Gale/Team Peeta, etc. - but Katniss herself moves effortlessly between them, showing the division to be unnecessarily fabricated.)

But at the very beginning of the story, Katniss first introduces us to Peeta as her prey.  “...you can see his struggle to remain emotionless, but his blue eyes show the alarm I’ve seen so often in prey.”  In fact, their relationship, especially in the first and third books, will consist so much of both literal and figurative hunting for/of each other.  Later, she will be convinced that he means her harm, but in this moment she only thinks of the burden of having to kill him herself.

This burden is made heavier by the debt she feels she owes him, which we learn about here and - as with Gale ... almost everything you need to know about Peeta’s unfolding story is ultimately contained in this introductory chapter.  That he is a child of relative privilege, though the privilege is primarily on the surface.  That he is compassionate - and that for her, at least, compassion will outweigh self-protection.  She thinks of him, fairly often, as very different from Gale, but again, the difference is actually really subtle.  Like Gale, she associates him primarily with food; it’s the one gesture, the loaf of bread tossed to her in the rain, instead of years of hunting and trapping - but the scope and scale of what he did looms large over her life.  The bread didn’t just feed her, but brought her back from the brink of both death and despair.  It was revelatory - giving her strength to take her to the next day where their encounter literally shines light on her path forward (and directly to Gale, who would be able to help her survive on a day-to-day basis).

So, she associates him with another small, yellow flower that looks like the sun - the dandelion.  Like the katniss plant, actually an excellent source of food in itself.  This also connects him to Felidae, the family of cats.  

Like Gale, Peeta’s name also is elemental, with a slight nod to the birds.  His surname recalls the meadowlark - whatever significance that might be (the Eastern meadowlark does have a beautiful yellow breast).  Although humorously a homophone for an actual type of bread, his first name really is an evolution of the name Peter, the rock.  Katniss refers to him as “the boy with the bread” - a designation that gains in importance when she becomes the girl on fire, we learn of the cultural significance of toast and are reminded of the meaning of the name of the country, Panem.  He is, then, associated with the earth - the rocks, the grains, the shallow grave, the cave.

But he’s also, of course, a boy her own age - despite his strength and popularity in school, and his privilege, he is timid, he is constrained - fenced in.  His one known foray outside the boundaries of acceptable behavior was met with punishment** and he has never dared to even speak to the girl who has held him in her thrall since they were small children.   Later on, he will tell her that his reaping was, in some ways, a “real piece of luck” and of course that’s very true (THG Ch. 22).  Like Panem itself, he’s going to have to be cut down, maimed and broken, and he’s going to have to die to live.

Note: One reason you have to re-read these books is to really appreciate the spiritual wedding that binds Katniss and Peeta together - and foreshadows the end of the story - from the beginning.  

*Of course when Katniss later describes his warmth “with unexpected heat” behind it, she’s belatedly admitting his sexual currency does have standing in her marketplace :-D.

**I’m going with the assumption - rightly or wrongly - that Peeta’s bruises the next day were more rare than commonplace. 

I posted 2,185 times in 2021

122 posts created (6%)

2063 posts reblogged (94%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 16.9 posts.

I added 3,048 tags in 2021

#mdzs - 1138 posts

#wei wuxian - 414 posts

#wangxian - 403 posts

#lan wangji - 225 posts

#mdzs art - 216 posts

#jiang cheng - 189 posts

#canon jiang cheng - 159 posts

#cql - 116 posts

#the untamed - 114 posts

#svsss - 74 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#jiang cheng never made a decision that made his life harder except the one time that he (and his fans) forever hold over wei wuxian’s head

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

I love that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both have a spiritual tool that no one will ever say the name of because it’s so awkward to have Whatever the sword and the guqin with the exact same name as its player.

185 notes • Posted 2021-12-04 19:34:24 GMT

#4

Jin Ling: pah, Wei Wuxian is okay, he’s a good teacher and he looks out for me but he hugs me and ruffles my hair too much.

Also Jin Ling: don’t speak to me or my shishu ever again, you are not worth to touch the ground my shishu has walked on.

186 notes • Posted 2021-11-10 14:27:50 GMT

#3

The importance on when we find out something: or JC’s sacrifice reveal

I just want to note that I keep seeing this brought up as a “Gotcha!” or a winning argument that we should have all known that Jiang Cheng really cared and it should change our perspective on things. But all it really is meant to do is hammer home the tragedy of Jiang Cheng’s failings.

Narrative beats exist in every story, and Modaozushi is no different. The flashbacks offer us a deeper understanding of the present story, there is one key moment that entirely reframes the story and our perspective of a character, and of course the emotional climax of Guanyin Temple that begins with the clarity of Lan Wangji’s love and ends with Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue being sealed in an eternal battle of hatred. Where Jiang Cheng’s sacrifice reveal is placed is telling.

Regarding the two core reveals, we find out Wei Wuxian’s between the emotional heights of the Second Siege and Guanyin Temple, and it is a reveal to both the audience and everyone in story. Set shortly after the last flashback, it completely recontextualizes everything we thought about Wei Wuxian during the Sunshot Campaign. Why does he give up his sword? Why does he learn demonic cultivation? Why does he keep everyone at arms length and go so far to save the Wen siblings and the others in the camp? Because of this one action that he owed them so much for and can’t ever let anyone know because in the world he lived in, to have it known that he can no longer cultivate at all would invite the dogs to his door. Once you know it, you can’t look back at his actions without seeing that struggle there. Wei Wuxian as we know him becomes a different person knowing everything he did was to hide that one fact. Successfully, it doesn’t come out for almost eighteen years down the line.

Contrasting, we find out that Jiang Cheng distracted the Wens at the very end of the story. Narratively, this is not the point that is meant to recontextualize his actions as actually loving. It can’t. That’s not the point of that reveal. In story, we only find out that this one action of his happened after Wei Wuxian has turned away and let the door finally close behind him. This reveal is also set before everything else that happened, but only lets us see that Jiang Cheng once cared enough to actually do something. Him once deliberately drawing the Wens away does not make up for the following lifetime of refusing to pay any of his debts, actively turning the cultivation world against Wei Wuxian, leading the siege that killed him, and actively trying to capture and torture him through all of the present day. The reveal is not meant to tell us “Oh, but he loved him after all,” it is meant to highlight the tragedy of Jiang Cheng’s fall.

Once, yes, he did care and he acted in emotion to save him. But regardless of everything, it isn’t enough. One act of care is not enough to outweigh all the bad you have done. And Jiang Cheng knows that, and in his second and final act of care towards Wei Wuxian across the whole book, keeps it secret and lets him go.

191 notes • Posted 2021-10-04 17:04:19 GMT

#2

Wangxian appreciation moment of the day: the scene after Yi City where Lan Sizhui tells a story of the young Wei Wuxian telling bad poetry to the flower spirit on purpose to see her face. I just love so many things about this scene.

Why does Sizhui know this story? It’s definitely not the sort of story that advances the Yiling Laozu as being evil in any way. Hanguang-Jun having told it to him seems like the only plausible explanation.

Lan Wangji silently laughing at young Wei Wuxian because it’s a funny story and he’s charmed by it.

Wei Wuxian seeing the silent laughter and only vowing to embarrass him back in the same way, with stories of him being a dorky teenager.

All of the Lan kids just having a good time on this field trip. Wei Wuxian having a good time with all of them. Even though soon we wander back into plot, I just love the interlude here so much.

224 notes • Posted 2021-10-20 15:20:02 GMT

#1

The whole climax of MDZS always gets ten times better for me when I remember that WWX is running around the whole time with a ton of hickeys on his neck and it’s clear that everyone notices and no one says anything.

324 notes • Posted 2021-08-13 14:23:08 GMT

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A New Approach To Money.

Everyone can get rich. That’s according to Robert T. Kiyosaki, who spent the last two and a half decades spreading this message through his “Rich Dad” character. But why, then, are so many people still struggling financially?

Rich Dad’s answer? They’re trapped in thinking patterns that prevent them from making money. Where entrepreneurs see rewards, they see risk; where the wealthy see tools, they see hurdles. Success, in other words, is all about your mindset.

This post reveals some of the ideas that made Kiyosaki rich. You’ll discover how applying them may help you meet your financial goals!

Leverage is power.

How do you transform small amounts of money into large amounts? This statement puzzled Robert Kiyosaki in the mid-1970s. Twenty years later, he was a millionaire looking forward to early retirement. He had found the solution. So, how did he do it?

In a word, leverage – or doing more with less. This concept refers to a lever – a tool that uses a beam and pivot to harness the laws of physics, moving heavy objects with minimal force. Leverage isn’t just about heavy lifting, though; it’s one of the principles governing the world.

Let’s take a look at the animal kingdom, for example. Humans aren’t nearly as fast as cheetahs or as strong as bears. Unlike birds and fish, we can’t fly or survive underwater. And yet we dominate the Earth. That’s leverage.

Cheetahs, bears, birds, and fish use the advantages nature has given them, but they don’t multiply them like humans do. On the other hand, we leverage our greatest gift – the mind – to do things our bodies can’t. We’ve built tools, like levers to move boulders or vehicles to move quickly on dry land, in the sky, and even underwater.

The history of innovation is a series of technological leaps that have given our species greater leverage over the natural world. And this leverage has shaped human society.

Around 5,000 years ago, sea merchants realized that attaching large sheets of woven flax to a pole and crossbeam allowed them to harness the wind. The wind’s force propelled their boats. Suddenly, they could do more with less. Sailing was easier and more efficient than relying on a crew of oarsmen. It was also more powerful. Vessels were now able to carry more cargo further than ever before. The merchants and statesmen who embraced this new technology prospered and built powerful empires.

More recent breakthroughs follow the same pattern. Today, entire fleets of container ships can be dispatched to any port in the world at the click of a button. Entrepreneurs who recognized how to harness the internet early on to make this possible are among the richest people to have ever lived.

This post isn’t about technology, though. They’re about the ideas and strategies that will give you financial leverage to do more with your money.

The risk-reward ratio helps you put risk into perspective.

How you see the world shapes how you act in the world. In other words, reality is partly constructed within your own mind, arming you with a unique perspective.

Think of a concept like risk. The perceived risk of a certain behavior often determines whether you engage in that behavior or not. Investing, for example, is often seen as risky – so some people don’t invest. After all, the best way to avoid getting burned is to avoid playing with fire, right?

What about crossing the road? That can be risky too. But how often are you affected by that perceived risk? Fixating on the risk would probably paralyze you with fear, and walking around a city’s streets would become impossible. Fixating on risk alone, then, is counterproductive. That’s why Rich Dad finds the risk-reward ratio much more productive.

Nine out of ten businesses fail – and yet people continue to open new businesses. That’s not just down to hubris. Each entrepreneur simply has a different perspective and appetite for risk. And relying on the risk-reward ratio helps them understand what risk they’re willing to take.

We all know that failure is possible in any endeavor we undertake. But it’s also important to look at the overall balance of failures against successes. Put simply, if every new business fails nine out of ten times but the reward of a successful tenth attempt is great enough, we can afford to fail on the previous nine attempts.

Take it from one of Kiyosaki’s best friends, a New York-based day trader on the stock market. His strategy is built around this ratio. He’ll never spend more than a tenth of his assets to play the market. So if he has $200,000, he’ll put $20,000 aside. This is a loss he can live with should everything go disastrously wrong. But here’s where things get interesting.

When day-trading, Kiyosaki’s friend can expect to make money on one out of every twenty trades. Because of these odds, he only risks one twentieth of his trading fund for each transaction, which amounts to $1,000 per trade. Even if he loses 19 times, which rarely happens, he can still expect to make his money back on the final trade. Since each market move usually makes double or more on his original $20,000 investment, the reward of this behavior easily outweighs the risk.

Your debt and wealth ratios can help you track your financial health over time.

It’s the poor worker who blames her tools, but a person who uses poor tools also achieves poor results. Kiyosaki discovered this Rich Dad wisdom when he was a young man. It has stayed with him ever since.

You see, concepts are the tools of the brain. When you use them correctly, they can help you see things your eyes can’t. Previously, we assessed the risk-reward ratio. Here, we’ll discover the concepts that can help you track your wealth, which is the key to your financial leverage.

Understanding how you’re using positive debt, available assets, and income to support your goal to become rich is the first step toward a successful retirement.

To keep track of the positive debt versus available assets being used as currency, we look to the debt-to-equity ratio. Here’s how it works. Say you have $100,000 in positive debts and $20,000 in equities, like shares. Divide the former number by the latter – so, in this case, 100,000 divided by 20,000 – and you get a debt-to-equity ratio of five.

That figure doesn’t tell you much right away, but it’s a handy yardstick to measure your financial health over time. If your ratio goes up to ten, for example, you’ll know there’s a problem. Your debt might have doubled while your equity remained constant. Or perhaps your debt remained the same while your equity was halved. In either case, this jump is an alarm bell telling you to reassess your finances and steer them back on track. A movement in the other direction, by contrast, is an indicator of progress.

Then there’s the wealth ratio, which helps you measure your passive and portfolio income against your expenses. Here, divide your indirect income by your total expenses. Say you receive $800 from stocks, shares, or rental income each month, and your monthly expenses add up to $4,000. This gives you a wealth ratio of 0.2, meaning your income from sources other than your job cover 20 percent of your expenses.

This indicator tells you how close you are to being able to make bold financial moves like retiring early or taking on a more rewarding job that pays less. When your ratio gets to one, that means you’ll break even. Any number over one means you’ll be making money – even after covering all expenses.

Simple, good habits go a long way.

Dozens of books about how to get rich are published every year. But it’s often hard to say which authors get it right and which don’t. A lot of times, readers are told to take steps that are difficult to put into practice, and so they never get around to testing these ideas.

Rich Dad has a more viable approach: rather than starting with complex models and strategies, concentrate on low-hanging fruit by adopting simple, good habits.

If some habits make you rich and others make you poor, it stands to reason that you should cultivate the former and avoid the latter. And the upside is, these habits are easy to start and will improve your financial position.

Let’s take a look at two of the habits Kiyosaki credits with transforming his fortunes. First up is learning, which is one of the most crucial habits you’ll ever pick up.

We live in a dynamic and fluid information age. This differs from the twentieth century, which was an industrial age. It used to be that most people learned a set number of skills and then spent their working lives applying this know-how. Today, by contrast, we need to keep learning. Change is constant and inevitable; what worked yesterday won’t necessarily work tomorrow. That makes our greatest asset the information in our heads.

Put differently, what really matters is staying one step ahead of the pack and seeing what others can’t. Whether you’re reading books, attending seminars, or just chatting with people in different industries, the key is to stay curious and make sure you’re learning something new every day.

Acquiring new knowledge, insights, and ideas is one way of investing in yourself. It also helps you spot opportunities before others do. With all of these opportunities on the horizon, you’ll probably need to borrow money, which leads us to the second habit: rely on a good bookkeeper.

Most people don’t qualify for loans because they have poor financial records. Ultimately, few people will trust you to manage their money if you can’t prove that you’re able to manage your own. A bookkeeper’s job is to create professional records showing that you’re keeping your income, expenses, assets, and liabilities in order. This helps increase your financial leverage, giving you access to new resources like positive debt.

Using debt to buy assets can give you an infinite return.

Wait a minute – debt is a form of leverage? This claim might sound counterintuitive. After all, most people spend a great deal of time and energy trying to get out of debt. But, used in the right way, debt is a useful tool that can make you richer. It all depends on whether you’re getting into good or bad debt. So, what’s the difference?

In a nutshell, good debt generates income, while bad debt eats away at existing income. In the first case, debt is working for you; in the second, you’re working for it.

Many people borrow money to acquire liabilities – things that cost them more money. They use credit cards to finance expensive holidays and take out loans to buy cars. Servicing this debt takes a hefty chunk out of their paychecks. But debt can also be used to buy assets – things that create an income.

One of the best assets to buy with debt is real estate. This could either be property you’re planning to resell, or a place you can rent out. Let’s look at the first real estate deal that Kiyosaki financed with debt to see how it works.

In 1974, Kiyosaki found a small beachfront condo in Hawaii, which was being sold for $18,000. Back then he was broke, so he borrowed the cash. His bank gave him a $16,000 loan, and he used a credit card to cover the $2,000 down payment.

After acquiring the property, he rented it out. The amount didn’t just cover Kiyosaki’s loan and credit card repayments, interest, and expenditures, though. It also generated a monthly income of $25 – the equivalent of $130 today.

Now, that isn’t exactly a king’s ransom, but the principle is important. Remember, Kiyosaki hadn’t spent a dime of his own money, yet he was still generating an income after covering all his expenses, including the loan. In finance, this is called an infinite return. We might as well just call it free money!

The lesson here is simple. If you borrow in the right way, you can use other people’s money to make yourself richer. In practice, that usually means investing in income-generating real estate, which is the topic we’ll look at next.

If you want to find the right property, you have to look at a lot of duds.

How do you find a great deal for a real estate investment? It’s simple: train yourself to spot what others miss! Don’t worry, that’s not as daunting a task as it might sound.

Although it has its quirks and unique bureaucratic hurdles, real estate isn’t all that different from other things you buy. Just like finding the best possible deal on a holiday, an appliance, or a pair of sneakers, you have to look around and compare offers before taking the plunge.

So, if you want to understand the real estate market, you have to view a lot of properties. Rich Dad recommends the 100:10:3:1 method to assess any potential investments. That means looking at one hundred properties, making an offer on ten of them, having three sellers agree to your offer, and – finally – buying one of them.

The 100:10:3:1 method doesn’t just teach you about how the market works. It’s also a fail-safe way to steer clear of making painful mistakes.

Take it from one of Kiyosaki’s friends, a lawyer who decided to invest in real estate without using the method. She bought a beachfront condo near San Diego after looking at only two units, both of which were in the same complex.

Two years later, she was losing over $450 a month – the homeowner’s association had raised its maintenance fees, and it turned out she couldn’t charge as much rent as she had originally hoped. Even worse, selling wasn’t an option since she bought the condo for $25,000 more than anyone was willing to offer. She would’ve been able to avoid all of this if she had simply taken the time to research the local market.

The moral of this story according to Rich Dad: you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a handsome prince. A lot of folks don’t spend enough time comparing potential investments. Instead, they act on impulse, hot tips, or hearsay. But as we’ve seen in the case of Kiyosaki’s friend, people who don’t like kissing frogs often end up settling in an unhappy marriage with the first amphibian they encounter!

Problems can be opportunities.

Every fisherman has a story about the “one that got away.” Real estate investors, on the other hand, have a story about nabbing the perfect property that everyone else overlooked. Robert Kiyosaki and his wife, Kim, are no different. For them, it was a small mountain cabin they found while on vacation in Pennsylvania.

The Kiyosakis are no strangers to putting the 100:10:3:1 method into action while on holiday. You never know where opportunity will hit, and why not see what’s up for sale in other towns?

This property they found didn’t just end up being a cash cow. It also taught them an invaluable lesson about investing in real estate: just because a property has problems doesn’t mean you can’t turn those problems into money.

When they were on a hiking trip in Pennsylvania in the late ’90s, the Kiyosakis visited a local realtor’s office to see what homes were for sale. Only one property caught their attention – a run-down cabin with 15 acres of land, listed for the unusually low asking price of $43,000.

Why was the cabin so cheap? The property’s well didn’t produce enough water to sustain full-time occupants. Undeterred, the Kiyosakis took a look for themselves. After poking around, they consulted a well expert. It turned out that the well did provide enough water. The actual issue was that the amount of water it produced depended on the time of year; some months got a lot less than others.

There was an easy fix for that – installing 3,000-gallon holding tanks to store surplus water for leaner months. Keeping this knowledge to themselves, the couple offered $24,000. The owner, who had been trying to sell the cabin for years, accepted. After closing the deal, Kiyosaki returned to the property with the well expert. The two holding tanks ended up costing him a mere $5,000.

A month after the installation, the Kiyosakis put the cabin, which now came with enough water to meet an entire family’s annual needs, up for sale. It was snapped up within weeks by a young couple who were delighted to find their dream home in the mountains. Final price? $66,000 – that’s a $37,000 profit.

It’s a lesson the Kiyosakis have never forgotten. With a little patience and creative thinking, “problem” properties can reward investors with huge returns.

Leverage makes the world go round, so it’s not surprising that it also helps explain how successful entrepreneurs make their money. Some entrepreneurs leverage ideas, like the risk-reward ratio – a cognitive tool that illuminates the true risk of an investment. Others leverage credit. Despite its bad rap, debt can actually help you make money if you spend it on the right things. Take it from Robert Kiyosaki, who made his fortune by using other people’s cash to buy income-generating assets like real estate.