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#part of the problem is that i've lost the ability to give people the benefit of the doubt of believing that they have actually thought
callmenadya · 2 months
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Predicting the end of 2.55
Just finished up the fight for Ishgard, but I haven't started crystal tower yet so I'll give my thoughts just to see what comes of them. Also just some of my thoughts on stories/characters
Spoilers for 2.0 onwards below!
1. Betrayal of the Braves
I think the leader of the Braves is going to backstab Alphinaud. Obviously he's still alive given the trailers, but I think maybe the leader turns the Braves into an evil organization? I don't see any promo materials after this that include them. Idk he for sure killed that other kid. I just don't see the benefit other than money. Maybe he's a monetarist?
2. Alphinaud is SUPER immature
Alphinaud is pissing me off. Still love him, but he is just so naive. "You guys are the absolute worst for not helping Ishgard!! 😡😡"
The Admiral (being logical) "We have to farm out jobs to WOL because we don't have enough people for our own problems? Also we literally JUST had a war that killed hundreds (if not thousands) of soldiers? That Ishgard didn't help with? WOL also just uncovered a double agent within the Flames even though Ul'dah is already on the edge of collapse? Where are we getting soldiers from??" And Alphinaud, who really shouldn't even be at this meeting, gets mad at her! Buddy this is a stupid hill to die on!!
They always say the Alphinaud is the negotiator but I'd argue like half of the other scions would be better candidates. It always is so weird to me that everyone calls him "Commander Leveilleur." He looks and acts like he's 19 (coming from a 19 year old)! Surely Papalymo, Y'shtola, Thancred, or hell even Urianger would be better? Somebody more mature with fewer anger issues.
3. Losing the Light
Also, maybe its just the RPer in me, but I really wish there was more emphasis on WoL losing the light. Hopefully that'll come after the crystal tower quests? Imagine you're the chosen one. The fabric of the universe decides to make you her sword. And some dead fuckin dragon just takes it away for no reason? The main reason anybody gives a shit about WoL is because they are so powerful and special. So the fact that we can't tell anyone that a part of us got ripped away? Minfilia goes "aw that sucks." And we just don't do anything else? Moonbryda probably would've lived if we still had the light. And we aren't IMMEDIATELY swords/wands blazing killing the thing that did that to us?
Every time my WOL shrugs when asked how she's doing I want to tell at the screen. Like "Babes, you're TRAUMATIZED. Everybody uses you for their personal benefit. You just lost like half your ability to fight the people you are famous for fighting. Say something please!" And she does not.
4. Tarturu future?
My final note: If Tarturu dies I'll riot. Idk I'm terrible with facial expressions so maybe it wasn't meant to be sinister but her send off at the end of her little quest is making me nervous.
5. Final Thoughts
I absolutely adore FFXIV, and I hope this doesn't make anybody think I don't. Most of it is great. I'm super happy to be working with Cid and his crew for the Crystal Tower because they were by far my favorite part of ARR. I've really been enjoying the 8-mans even though I fucked one up earlier by not looking up the mechanics beforehand (what a way to be introduced to tank busters lol). It's just some of the story stuff that can be a little frustrating. I know that shrugging off your trauma is kind of just the way it goes with MMORPGs but knowing that doesn't make me feel any better y'know?
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bookwyrminspiration · 2 years
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What’s your opinion on Ro? I feel like she’s problematic but means well. And what do you think of her relationship with Keefe? I feel like she tries her best to be protective but can be really rude sometimes.
I hope you’re having a good week and that life is going well!
-Mossy but I’m my main acc 👾
Mossy! My week/life is going alright, started my summer classes and one of my textbooks is so dense it took me an hour to read 18 pages. But it's chill, and I hope you're also doing good!
My personal opinion on Ro are unsavory, which is mainly due to the repetitive nature of her character that at this point I've grown kind of tired of. When she was first introduced I liked her, she was a loud female character who exhibited strength and didn't adhere to typical femininity and had knives, so very cool. She has dyed hair and loves violence, great! She poked and pried at various parts of the story no one else was willing to (the love triangle) and didn't have the same filter as everyone else.
(I'm putting the rest under a cut for space)
But I think she's become too much of that. Her first teasing remarks about the love triangle were fun, but now it's like...girl we have been here and done that how many more times can you say the exact same thing. How many times can you call Sophie oblivious and be obnoxious to Keefe about not confessing his feelings. How many times can you make a face at the sparkles. I don't have a problem with those aspects of her character it's the frequency!! It feels like she's being snooty and judgemental every single scene she's in! Like we can't interact with her without her making a comment about the love triangle like please. Ro. For the love of god give it a rest for once we get it.
It's also gotten--to me, at least--uncomfortable to read about at this point. Keefe and Sophie and Fitz clearly don't enjoy it or benefit from it at all, yet she continues to make her comments. It was an interesting dynamic in the beginning to finally have someone make those kinds of comments, but it's not changing anything anymore. Keefe doesn't like it when she makes those comments or interferes and pushes her way into things, so I think that's part of her relationship to Keefe I don't enjoy. Because he can't do anything about his discomfort. Ro is his bodyguard and he's not allowed to leave her, and so they're always together and if Ro doesn't want to cooperate? Keefe can't do anything.
I think protective but rude is a good way to describe her. She's an ogre warrior and she takes her reputation seriously, wants to win the throne. Performing badly as a bodyguard reflects poorly on her, so she is protective! She fights and keeps her charge safe to the best of her abilities (Keefe is a tricky charge), but she's not there to be nice. She's got no problem insulting and hurting other people, and sometimes her actions hurt people like Keefe. She's got the physical protection thing down. Everything else? Not quite. And she doesn't see a reason to change that
It's possible that with the extended time she's spent in the Lost Cities that she'll change a little. We saw from Keefe's pov that he felt actual concern and care for him coming from her, that she hugged him and was worried about him. We also saw her call herself Auntie Ro when talking to Sophie about her match stuff in Legacy.
I think she does care, in her own way. She was really antagonizing Keefe in Unlocked, but that was to try and get him to talk to prove that he could do it without controlling everyone. So as much as the rest of her actions make me uncomfortable, there is that and it's something that could be expanded upon in the final books.
For now though, I'd say that I don't think very highly of her given how uncomfortable she makes some of the main characters and how repetitive the interactions with her have been. This is something that can change in the future, but that's where I'm at right now. I want to like her more, but I think I'm going to see more of her first
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Just because I'm curious and I've been thinking about it while reading Chapter Two, how would you describe all of the boys' fighting styles?
Anti calls Dok his worst fighter, but what is it about the way he fights that makes him that? Do all of them have different stamina levels? You had written a bit about Dap & Red sparring, and that Dapper learned to fight dirtier through that. Because of that I'm especially curious about Carver!
ohhh good question well Dok is the worst fighter in part because he just has no attitude for it. for all that he's willing to yell and spit, if it comes to an actual physical fight he's pretty timid compared to his brothers. he overthinks everything and never wants to hit or get hit. Dok's very confident about lots of things because he's an actual genius, but his brainpower doesn't help him a lot during fights and he feels inexperienced and scared when someone comes at him.
Trick and Blue are the next tier up from him. Chase is very physical and sometimes if you get him wound up he just starts screaming and hitting as hard as he can, and he will use deadly force the second he gets his hands on a gun or knife. he's scared too in a fight, but he has a brutal side that lets him come back swinging. Blue's obviously powerful when he has his magic, but even when he doesn't he has a lot of vitriol and rage in him and he will thrash and bite and claw like he's wild when someone tries to hurt him.
Dapper and Red are the best fighters of the five of them. in addition to their natural talents - Jackie is a born fighter, JJ is scrappy and speedy - Anti took real amusement in teaching Jack's sweetest characters (in theory, at least) the most brutal fighting.
Red was born as Jack's superhero and I do give him the benefit of being a little physically stronger than the others, as well as trained to fight from the get-go and very confident in battle. he fights hard and with certainty, and when his brothers are on the line he's extremely dangerous and willing to kill (when he's under Anti's command). on the other hand Anti trained Dapper from his early days to be skilled with a knife, but also just to be very savage in a fight. he was convinced - rightly so - that the others would come to take JJ from him, and he tried to teach him to kill his brothers the day they came from him. Dapper has killed and tortured probably a dozen people on Anti's command. blood and violence became very normalized for him. he fights dirty because he doesn't see a problem with that. someone was trying to hurt him or his brother, so he hurt them first. there's no honor to battle for him. fighting is survival. and not only did Anti teach him that it's normal to kill and fight, but he also taught him a lot of pain and fear if he lost. in the apex of Anti's control, Dapper truly believes that everyone in the world wants to hurt him. it contributes strongly to his hopelessness and suicidality. at a certain point, he just loses the ability to see the good in anything around him, and he acts like an animal in pain, biting and tearing and trying to get out however he can. even when Anti would have Red and Dapper spar for "practice," there was always a terrible desperation to their play-fighting. Dok and Trick never watched those fights, couldn't stomach it. it was like a dog-fighting ring the way Anti made them go at each other.
a lot of their tension and bad treatment of each other throughout the story stems from the way Anti pitted them against each other and would punish Red when Dapper had to reset, as well as Red's buried grief and guilt over not being allowed to see or protect his baby brother. the fact that Red accepts him as his little brother again and that Dapper trusts him as his protector is a rejection of the violence and division Anti taught them.
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coquelicoq · 3 years
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some of y’all seem awful sure of things that seem like massive gray areas to me. sounds nice and i envy your conviction but i have to wonder if you’ve thought of some way to resolve these internal contradictions and inconsistencies that i haven’t thought of or if you’ve just never taken your arguments all the way to their logical conclusions.
#joke's on me for expecting to find anything approaching logic on some random social media site#anyway please share if you have resolved those internal contradictions because i would also love to resolve them#i'd love to feel sure about something someday. wouldn't you like to help me get there? lol#like the way people talk about things is like they're already self-evident when they super are not#which i understand! sometimes you're just talking to people who already agree with you and you don't want to have to sell your POV#every time you talk about it#makes sense! i do that too! and i resent the idea that by talking about things in the way that i want to talk about them#without constantly having to craft my message so that it's not super off-putting to people who don't already agree with me#(not necessarily people who definitely disagree but people who are undecided)#is going to end up alienating lots of people and making it less likely for them to be willing to listen in the future#but...that is kind of how it works on the internet unfortunately#like idk i think people forget that this is more or less a public forum? or they just don't care#i don't know. i mean i probably do all this too. it's just more obvious to me when other people do it with things i don't already agree with#part of the problem is that i've lost the ability to give people the benefit of the doubt of believing that they have actually thought#about things themselves and not just heard someone say something and taken it as gospel truth#i've been burned too many times#i mean that's part of the culture of this site#circulating screenshots of headlines without a link to the article#constantly taking things wildly out of context#piss poor reading comprehension lol#just generally never citing/linking anything that could allow people to look into it themselves#i'm vagueing in this post because i'm not actually trying to stir shit up i'm just tired and frustrated#and venting a lil bit#gonna go take a shower and listen to pop music from my childhood until i feel better lol
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reasonsilovemywife · 4 years
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Buckle up, I've got something to say
Most of you will ignore this post. I hope that you take time to read it, especially my white friends and colleagues...
I've hesitated to really speak my mind on the murder of Armaud Arbery, the murder of George Floyd, and the aftermath of these murders. I opted to not watch the videos of their murders, of their last breaths. I opted not to watch because it will only piss me off even more. I know the outcome without watching. I've seen it over and over again. I don't need to see it over and over again, again. I've hesitated because I feel helpless. I've spoken against racism almost my whole life, at least since high school. And what has that changed? Have I really made things better? Have I done all I can to end racism? I've felt outnumbered, I've felt intimidated, I remember feeling what my heart tells me is right being contrary to what others tell me is right.
Maybe I could've communicated better, but lacked the ability or lacked the information that would be more persuasive. Maybe I could have organized better, but lacked the commitment or the access or knowledge. Or maybe they just lacked the empathy for their fellow man. I still, vividly, remember the first time I saw racism play out in front of my very eyes. Innocence lost. It's still painful to this day. I've said in the past, as long as racist parents raise racist children, racism will never go away. But even worse, racism isn't just anecdotal, it isn't just individual-based. It is systemic. It has been woven into our institutions and structures over such a long period of time that it is subtle to someone who is not directly affected by it.
I feel helpless because of "all the progress that's been made", at times it feels like no progress has been made. In the 50s and 60s, it was Emmett Till, four little girls (Addie May Collins, Carol Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, and Carole Rosamond Robertson), Willie Edwards, Jr., Cpl. Roman Ducksworth, Jr., Jimmie Lee Jackson and many others. In this past decade, it's been Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, the Charleston Nine (Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Myra Thompson), Philando Castille, Armaud Arbery, George Floyd, and once again, many others. So when we continually see these killings play out, the progress that has been made can feel hollow and inadequate.
Just like my words on a Facebook and Tumblr post can feel. And that's mostly all I have to offer, words. I can post and opine on Facebook / Tumblr all day, but is that really going to change anything? That's why I feel helpless. During my career at UPS I was hopeful to get involved in the community, to help underprivileged children, to help the homeless, and to get involved with anti-racist organizations in order to contribute to a better, more equitable and more harmonious community. But the truth is, I just worked. I just worked 70+ hours per week for a corporation that pays me for 50 hours per week, but expects me to do more and work longer if needed. But I digress. Yet, this leads to a lack of time and a lack of energy, and that's why I feel helpless.
I feel helpless because too many white people are dismissive on the issues of race. It doesn't negatively affect white people, so there's no need to get involved, right? This is one of the most obvious proofs of white privelege. And that's precisely the reason you should fight for social justice for minorities. If you don't want to be considered a racist, then stop looking the other way, stop benefiting from white privilege then deny that white privilege exists, stop acting as if "reverse racism" is equal to or worse than racism against minorities. If you don't want to be considered a racist, then care, act and live as if you're not a racist.
If you're response to "Black Lives Matter" is "All Lives Matter" instead of "Yes, They Do", then you are part of the problem and are clearly missing the point. Stop dismissing racism as a problem Black people (and other minorities) have to deal with. It's our responsibility as White people to end racism, not theirs. They're the victims of racism in America, not the perpetrators. So fix your damn self. Stop being tolerant. Stop being complacent. Stop being dismissive. Stop acting as if it's not your problem, because it is 100% your problem. My problem. Our problem. The problem is you've benefited from it, I've benefited from it. We've benefited from white supremacy our entire lives, and usually don't even recognize it. How could we, it's normal to us - although it should be abnormal. If you don't believe racism in America is systemic and intentional, study up on redlining, study up on the inception of policing in the South, study up on the educational, financial, and even medical care disparities during segregation and how it still affects us today.
Also, stop with all the generalizations. That goes for everyone. Stop painting everything and everyone with such a broad brush just because you're too lazy or too simple to actually learn and discern. Humanity is not a monolith. People groups are not a monolith. All Black people are not the same, all white people are not the same, all law enforcement are not the same, all protesters are not the same, etc., etc. There are good and bad in all things, including humanity. I know for a fact that there are good, moral, heroic police officers out there, because I have family and friends who are those good police officers. I also know for a fact that there are crooked, corrupt, criminal police officers out there. Those are the ones that I am against, those are the ones we all should be against, especially the good cops out there. You can be fully supportive of LE and also be fully supportive of the arrest and conviction of dirty cops. It's not mutually exclusive. Also, don't confuse the peaceful protesters with the looters, they are not the same people. People marching, holding up signs are not the same people as the ones damaging property.
Speaking of protesting, if you've never protested, please stop telling other people how to protest. How would you know the right way to protest, you've never needed to. Although I wasn't a huge fan of Kaepernick, his peaceful protest was just, but it made "us" uncomfortable so "we" hated him for it. He literally stated that he was protesting police brutality and racial injustice and literally stated that he was not protesting the military, not protesting the flag, but you hated him for it and, with the assistance of this ignorant ass president of ours, Kaep's mission was tainted, blurred, misconstrued.
Now, a lot of us our finally opening our eyes that he was right all along.
Speaking of Trump, can we get him off Twitter, at least until we can get him out of the White House. This dude has quoted white supremacists multiple times, then when questioned about it, acts as if he had no idea. Multiple times. He takes no responsibility for his actions. It would take less than two minutes for him to Google before posting. He's blatantly ignorant at the least. And don't come at me about the economy, the economy has been steadily improving since 2010 but y'all didn't want to acknowledge that until Orangina got in office. But let me get off politics because I'm not supporting Biden's stupid ass either. It would be nice if we had a worthy candidate, a dream deferred.
Although I feel helpless at times, I won't give up. I still have hope for the future. But the future starts now, it starts with us. Have empathy, be sincere, treat people as you would have them treat you. That's a good starting point, but remember, that's just the starting point.
#WeveGotWorkToDo
#BlackLivesMatter
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c-is-for-circinate · 5 years
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I've been trying to figure out why I dont like Caduceus and your last meta reply got me closer to figuring it out. Like, I've been trying to like him, or at least figure why I dont, and describing him as 'a good person who doesnt have the self awareness to realize hes a jerk' I think got close to my issue with him, so thanks for the Good Meta
This is in response to this post, which I know some people agreed with very strongly and which made some other people very upset.  I’m glad it clicked with you, at least, and that it helped clarify some Cad stuff for you!
I think that a very big thing about Taliesin’s characters across the board, for me, is how intensely judgy they have the capacity to be.  In many ways, Caduceus is less judgmental than Percy or Molly, which is a fascinating thing to think about.  And I have found that fascinating since pretty much my second or third episode of Critical Role, because so much of that judgment tends to be couched in, ‘I judge you for not accepting other people the way I think you should’.  Percy loves Keyleth but also thinks she’s naive, too idealistic about what people ought to be rather than acknowledging and planning for the flaws he’s sure he knows they have.  Molly dresses and talks and walks and presents himself in such a flamboyant way specifically to elicit reactions, specifically so he can decide who to write off completely and not worry about any more.  In both cases it’s this super-interesting, incredibly relatable picture of a person who judges other people for their judgments.  
Because Critical Role is such a long-form show, we got to see Percy be proven right and be proven wrong, we got to see him smug and we got to see him humble, and we got to see a lot of different angles on both his standards (what other people ought to be doing) and his stubbornness (how ready he was to dismiss people who didn’t meet them).  Because we lost Molly so early, we only really got to start scratching the surface of his assumptions and certainties, and one of my biggest regrets is that we didn’t get to explore them so much more.  In both cases, that stubborn sureness--I know how the world works, better than anybody around me--was one of my favorite parts of the character.  It’s such an interesting flaw, because it wasn’t always detrimental.  Both Percy and Molly were often right, or at least they acted in line with their assumptions and the universe responded how they expected, and the team benefited from it.  Both of them had a certain amount of ��and it’s our job to be decent to other people’ as part of that worldview, which really helped in making them likable.  Both of them made sense, which led to the (for me) really great cognitive experience of, “okay, I agree with this character, but also I don’t think they’re the ultimate authority they believe themself to be!  but I do think they’re right!  but maybe they shouldn’t be so sure they’re right!”  I find internal narrative conflict like that extremely compelling, and in particular the exploration of being judgmental about other people’s judgment resonates with me a lot.
So I’ve been waiting for cracks and criticisms with Caduceus, because I suspected from very early on that he, too, would be Extremely Sure He Understands How the World Works At All Times.  I have been looking for the places he Knows He’s Right, and I’ve been eating them up.
Cad’s certainties are completely different than Percy’s and Molly’s, but once again, it’s incredibly difficult to say he’s wrong.  He believes in fate--well, if you declare that everything that happens was supposed to happen, how is it ever possible to say he’s wrong?  He believes Melora is watching and guiding and wants for him to do things--it’s D&D, she literally is watching (and if she happens to be a lot less invested in any specific outcome than Caduceus thinks, she’s not about to tell him so).  He believes he has a job, has a purpose.  Because it’s D&D, because it’s a story, because the story needs to go places and as the PCs it’s their job to do things to get there, on a very real meta level he’s literally correct.  
He thinks that his job and his purpose is to help people--and how can we say he’s wrong?  How can we say he shouldn’t try to be a good person, try to help?  And he’s doing his best, and his best so often does help, and when it doesn’t, then it’s not his fault because there are other circumstances.  It’s almost impossible to argue with that.  Objectively, Caduceus is doing his best.  Objectively, in many cases it is helpful.
And yet, that doesn’t mean that Caduceus objectively knows the best way to help in every situation--which even he readily admits.  It doesn’t mean Caduceus necessarily knows the “best” way to help even in the situations where he is helpful.
Because right, the other thing about D&D is, Caduceus fundamentally cannot be the Sole Correct Authority on Everything, no matter how much sense his sureness makes.  He literally can’t be, because Tal is one of eight people at that table, and he’s not the one running the world.  He can be absolutely justified in being mad at Nott, which he absolutely is, and it still isn’t a universal truth that Caduceus Is Right and Nott Is Wrong.  There are no universal truths at that table.  Not even Matt has universal truths, not about what characters think or feel or do, not about moral absolutism.
(I’m someone who gets really twitchy around people who are Extremely Sure.  I’ve known a disproportionate number of them in real life, and I’ve got very specific instinctive skills for not pissing them off that I occasionally wish I hadn’t had to develop.  Part of turning from a conflict-averse 20-year-old into a grown-ass adult on my part has involved learning not to automatically agree that the universe must work a certain way, just because a very smart, very sure person who makes sense says so.  Part of it’s involved learning not to be that very sure person myself.  
I think I grab at moments when Caduceus very clearly isn’t 100% correct because of that.  I love the fact that, in Critical Role, we have this multi-layered, many-voiced story proving that even if a character is right, they’re not necessarily the bearer of Objective Universal Truth.  Rather than a story where it feels like the author and the universe are trying to make me agree with one person, it’s a story where a character can be right and not right from a thousand different directions at the same time.  (Which, if nothing else, makes the story and the character feel so much safer to me.))
Caduceus is a little bit passive-aggressive sometimes, going back to Caduceus and Nott and the original discussion of that other post.  And, right, he wants to avoid conflict within the group so he doesn’t make a big deal out of certain things, and just like all of his opinions, it’s hard to say he’s wrong in that.  And he has every right and reason and justification for having emotions about some of the many very big things that have happened to him lately.  He’s right (he’s not wrong) about a lot of things.  He’s actually really good about recusing himself from situations where he doesn’t have the background or knowledge to be right at least to his own standards.
The thing that has me calling Caduceus a little childish is that he’s so utterly disinclined to acknowledge the possibility of nuance.  He knows how to help Fjord (he’s decided that he knows how to help Fjord), so he does.  He doesn’t know how to help Nott, so he doesn’t.  We’ve never seen him take so much as a moment to consider whether or not he’s right in his assessment of his ability to help in either case.  And yeah, to me that does feel a little immature.  It’s not that he’s got a philosophy and he sticks to it, it’s that he lacks the self-awareness to even acknowledge the blind spots it might give him, let alone try to amend them.
And that’s okay.  Acknowledging that Caduceus might possibly be a little bit of a hypocrite, a little judgy, a little wrong in his mental image of the universe and his place in it, makes him so much more interesting.  It makes him a person.  Not an infallible mouthpiece from God; not a perfect sage holding all the wisdom of the ages.  He’s a good person, trying to do his best.  
He’s a good character, because he’s an examination of how all these traits both hinder and sometimes help his attempts to be a good person.  Stubborn certainty got the M9 up on their feet after Yasha left, comforted Fjord away from U’kotoa, saved a tribe of giants.  Caduceus is multifaceted, and the game is multifaceted, and the very same characteristics can be great in one situation and a real problem in another, just like life.
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john-langley-author · 2 years
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Omnicon -the new variant in political incompetence. Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021. 4.05pm.
Enter Mark Drayford, the Welsh First Minister, who is as dry as a nun's lady garden, and as beige a politician as you can get.
This is a man who I'm convinced is able to talk himself to sleep - have you not heard him? Slow and monosyllabic in delivery of every word he utters, this man would save the NHS an absolute fortune on sleeping pills if he was the prescription for insomnia. The type of person the Samaritans would employ to increase its call volume during slow periods, and which by all accounts could be any time soon the way things are going currently. It would seem that even Welsh journalists give Drayford the widest possible berth unless it's of absolute necessity to interview him because a fall in across-the board-audience/readership figures would be enough to send advertisers off for therapy.
The reason I say all this is due to the introduction of yet another piece of Omicon based, ludicrous legislation, whereby the people of Wales will be fined for going to work, but still able to freely socialise in a pub in order to prop up the ailing hospitality trade - or so it would seem to anyone with a modicum of logic. By the very simple process of evaluation, all pubs now have the green light to become offices while developers continue to build office blocks to the benefit of those who now work from home.
Are you with me so far? Okay, so this is all very well and good unless of course, you happen to work in a pub which you are now not allowed to go to because this would involve traveling to where you work. Is it just me who sees a slight problem here, I wonder?
I'm thinking that boiled down it's okay to work as long as you are socialising at the same time while enjoying alcohol-based beverages. By all means, correct me if I'm wholly mistaken, but isn't the Welsh First Minister just nicking an idea from the Conservative government that's recently been slammed for having get-togethers under the guise of work while Covid's prevalent? However, due to Welsh legislation, you can no longer travel to where you work in the pub trade, and therefore everyone has to stay at home and work (unless you are in the pub trade), which to all intents and purposes means massive lockdown via a back door and without actually declaring it as a lockdown.
To be honest, I think I'm just so lost with the mind-boggling mystery of all this I've actually started rambling, and worse still, talking to myself like I'm on the road to crazyness!
I freely admit to not being the brightest person in this world, but neither am I a complete dunce. It, therefore, concerns me that I am able to notice basic flaws in Welsh Assembly legislation while Mark Drayford seemingly doesn't. Yet he studied Latin at the University of Kent, and graduated from the University of Exeter - in what, Latin? Whereas I left school at sixteen with not a single qualification to my name.
I'm not one to deny the fact that where politics is concerned, the ability to speak and read Latin is a clear and rightful prerequisite, and no doubt a useful skill when communicating with Boris as it proves its value in all those years of study when you both speak the same language while on opposite sides of the political fence, doesn't it? Not even Jeremy could have managed this. By the way, where is Jeremy now? Operating his Islington allotment fruit and veg stall from the backbenches of the House of Commons, possibly. You know, a bit like a farmers market for MP's, with red cabbages red onions as the deal of the week. After all, he has to keep the momentum up somehow.
As it so happens Drakeford, who is regarded as very much to the left of the Labour party was the only sitting Cabinet member in any part of the UK to support Jeremy Corbyn in his bid for the national leadership of the Labour Party in 2015, while he was Minister for Health and Social Services, and irony of ironies, among so many other things within his somewhat glittering political career he guided the Human Transplantation Act through the Sennedd, which given the ludicrousness of this latest farce on Welsh workers makes me wonder whether his academic brain was transplanted with that of an idiot.
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cayleyshortstories · 3 years
Text
The Oculus
Written by Joshua Tesoro & Illustrated by Bastin Agustines
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Itadori Zoldyck spends his weekends in a small apartment playing video games all day. He can make his life "better," but he does not have the opportunity to demonstrate it. He excels at coding and technology in general. He made tons of inventions when he was still a kid and his parents always supported him, but he felt hopeless when they died. He lost both of his parents when he was very young, and he had to work a variety of jobs just to keep up with the bills and provide shelter for himself. Except for his goofy best friend Feitan Portor, he doesn't really have anyone. Despite his circumstance, he idolized Franklin Stark, the brilliant billionaire and CEO of the well-known tech firm Stark Industries. His friend invited him to a Stark Industries tech expo one day, and when Itadori learned that Franklin would be there, he agreed right away. Normally, he would refuse to attend any events, but this time, his idol, Franklin Stark, had approved it.
Itadori and Feitan were astounded by the technology and inventions they saw on the day of the expo. Jetpacks and flying cars were among the inventions that were being developed. The entire area has a futuristic vibe to it. Itadori was curious if he could make similar inventions, or if he could improve them. “You can make inventions like this, you know; I know you can because you're a genius in this field,” Feitan said suddenly to Itadori. “It's all this computer nerd stuff.” “Do you really believe that?” Itadori asked. I don't know how long it's been since my parents died; I've lost faith in myself and haven't had the chance to demonstrate my abilities to anyone.” “Well, you can begin by doing something you think is fantastic, and never forget to believe in yourself. You know how proud your parents were of you and all the things you've created.” Feitan remarked. Itadori smiled, knowing that his friend was always joking around, but he would always be there for him.
They were walking around the tech expo when Itadori realized he couldn't find his friend Feitan. He immediately dialed his phone number, but no one answered. He was searching for his friend when he noticed him passing through the restricted area. It was a small room with a large door in the center. He pursued him in an attempt to stop his friend. “What are you doing?” he exclaimed. You'll be discovered, and we'll be kicked out of the expo. You know how much I've wanted to meet Franklin for a long time.” “I'm sorry, I was just curious, you know, what kind of technology they were developing in this area,” she explained. Feitan replied. Aren't you a little intrigued? Let's take a quick look and then get out of here.” Feitan knew from Itadori's expression that he wasn't convinced and that his friend would drag them out, but then the big door opened and someone came running in the opposite direction. They had no choice but to enter the restricted area.
When they walked into the room, they noticed a large white circular portal. There were a lot of people watching and taking notes. What was that for, Itadori wondered. Itadori knew the portal was a portal to somewhere when it suddenly released a large blue energy and became active, but he didn't know where. He suspected it led to another dimension, but he wasn't sure if it was possible with today's technology. They were simply observing the scientists present when the portal abruptly shut down, sending a small shockwave through the room that knocked them to the ground. Itadori and Fetitan were also knocked out, and when they awoke, they were surrounded by guards with guns drawn. “What are you doing here?!,” one of the guards exclaimed. Aren't you aware that this is a restricted area? This is a government-approved top-secret experiment. You are not permitted to enter. Both of you should be arrested right now!” Itadori was taken aback and apprehensive at the same time. He was under pressure to figure out a way to get out of this situation, or he and his friend would be arrested and imprisoned, or worse, killed by one of the guards. He suddenly came up with a plan to save himself and his friend. The only way to save Feitan in his mind is for him to say, "I know how to fix the portal you're working on here. I am the best in my school and I also have a masters in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering." Suddenly, a well-dressed young man enters the room and says, “Let's give this boy a chance, shall we? He’ll be imprisoned if he’s bluffing.” Because of this young man, the rest of the room fell silent. Franklin Stark, the CEO of Stark Industries, was the one who made the announcement.
Itadori was so shocked and happy when he saw his idol. So shocked that he couldn’t move for a second. “So, show us what you got, kid. To help you, I’ll explain what we're doing here. That portal leads to another dimension, not to mention an advanced one. It’s so advanced that the technology there can either destroy our world or lead it into a new era. We tried so many tests, but the problem was not activating the portal, but rather sustaining it while someone was still inside. There has been a test where one of our employees was stuck there. Her name is Lucy Smith. She was our lead scientist and as I’ve mentioned our problem is to make the portal stay open long enough for us to get in and out safely. We tried everything to save the scientist but as you can see, we have no way of contacting her and we can’t go through the portal because of the problem.”, said Franklin. “So, kid, show me what you've got. “Assist us in saving this man and possibly dozens of others who could benefit from the technology from another dimension,” he added. Itadori was under pressure because he didn't know what to do at first, but now that he knew about the portal, he knew what to do. Using his technological skills and knowledge. He created a program to handle the massive amounts of energy and a power source to keep the portal running long enough for them to enter and exit to the other dimension. Franklin was blown away by Itadori's abilities. He was so taken aback that he told him, "Not bad, kid." Do you want to be a part of my team? You have a lot of potential to follow in my footsteps as a successful inventor.” Itadori felt relieved when he heard those words because he had accomplished his goal. He was the one who did it. Franklin's words had a similar effect on him. “All right, let's put it to the test, shall we?” Franklin said, "You two are going to the other dimension with me." When they heard what Franklin said, both of the teenagers were taken aback. “What are you saying?” Itadori exclaimed. We're just regular teenagers, you know. We are unable to travel to another dimension. “Don't you have anyone to help you with this?” “Look, kid, you've got a gift. Don't settle for anything less than the best. You have tremendous potential, and I want to take you to the other dimension with me so that we can develop technologies that will benefit humanity. Furthermore, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Franklin responded, "Would you really waste it?" Feitan eventually persuaded his friend to travel to the other dimension. Franklin put together a team that included himself, Feitan, and Itadori. They'll have two more people monitoring the portal to see how much time they have before the power source needs to be recharged. “See you on the other side, my friend,” Feitan said as he entered the portal. Itadori grinned and greeted Feitan with a smile. They saw a large white light after entering the portal and were astounded by what they saw. It was truly a futuristic metropolis. There are flying cars everywhere, and even the trains are floating. Humanoid robots were seen casually assisting the people around them. They ventured deeper into the city in the hopes of uncovering information about Lucy's whereabouts. So far, they've relied solely on advanced technologies to locate Lucy. There is a device that allows you to view the security cameras installed throughout the building. You can even identify the individual who was caught on camera. However, after receiving the device, Itadori noticed a mysterious woman staring at them. She fled after attempting to confront the woman. They were chasing the woman down a small alley when they were suddenly approached by some evil humanoid robots who attempted to hit them. They were about to be cornered when the woman they were chasing suddenly assisted them in stopping the humanoid robot by temporarily disabling it.
Itadori then inquired as to the identity of the woman, to which she replied, "I am Lucy Smith, and I thought you were one of the guys chasing me." When I saw Mr. Franklin here, I immediately returned.” “We've come to gather some data to aid in the development of technology for our world, and, of course, to save you,” Franklin explained. Lucy explained that she is attempting to hide from the people present because they are aware that he is from another dimension. Lucy added, "They call themselves the Eternals." Lucy explained that they live in an advanced civilization where there are no wars or suffering, and only one government. She didn't say anything about stealing a valuable piece of technology from them, the Oculus. The Oculus is a cube of pure energy capable of destroying an entire world. Lucy isn't really a bad guy; she wants to use the cube to generate an infinite amount of energy that will benefit the entire world. Many people in the other dimension will suffer, however, because when the oculus leaves the other dimension, it will unleash a powerful shock wave that will destroy the entire dimension and its inhabitants. When they were about to leave the other dimension, Itadori noticed a glowing blue light from the bag. He immediately approached Lucy and asked what it was. Lucy, having been exposed, tried to talk it out but Feitan was skeptical about it. He told Itadori and Franklin that she was up to no good. After hearing this, Franklin approached Lucy and asked her to give her the bag. She refused. After that, Franklin became suspicious of Lucy as well and tried to take the bag from her. When Lucy noticed Franklin was becoming suspicious, she dashed to the portal. The three of them chased her down, but just as Itadori was about to catch up to her, she threw a grenade at him, knocking him down. When Feitan realized what had happened, he immediately called Franklin and told him to save Itadori and enter the portal. He intended to take Lucy on by himself. Someone grabbed Lucy's feet as she approached the portal, preventing her from passing through. Feitan was the culprit. Feitan tried everything he could to keep Lucy away from the portal so Franklin could get Itadori to safety. Franklin was well aware that Feitan would put his life on the line for his best friend. That was crystal clear to him. Franklin entered the portal just as it was about to close. Lucy escaped Feitan's clutches and kicked him away, allowing her to pass through the portal as well. The other dimension, along with Feitan and his companions, exploded when the cube exited the other dimension. After the three of them escaped through the portal, Franklin confronted Lucy and asked what had happened. The other dimension was destroyed as a result of the cube, Lucy explained. She continued, "When the cube exits the other dimension, it will unleash a massive shock wave that will destroy everything in its path." Franklin couldn't believe Feitan, along with the other inhabitants of the alternate dimension, had died. Feitan was supposed to be trapped in another dimension, but he is actually dead. He was concerned about Itadori's reaction to his best friend's death. He had no idea Itadori had heard everything; he was unable to move due to the grenade's damage. He was furious with himself because he believed it was his fault that Feitan had to make the sacrifice. Franklin questioned Lucy about why she had done it. “It was for our world,” Lucy explained, “because this cube has unlimited energy and can develop futuristic technologies.” Even if it means killing dozens of people in the process, I would gladly do it. There can be no victory without sacrifice.” Itadori was enraged when he learned of this. What Lucy said disgusted him greatly. “Don't you dare make my best friend's life seem insignificant!” he exclaimed. Not to mention the billions of people you've murdered!” Given his circumstances, Franklin was surprised to learn that Itadori can communicate. Lucy smirked and giggled as she heard Itadori's words. Itadori used all of his remaining strength to stand
up when he heard her laugh. He inquired about Lucy's plans. “Fine, I'll tell you about my cube plans,” she replied. I'll construct a power container to store the cube's energy and use it to develop technologies that will make me one of the world's greatest scientists, capable of assisting dozens of people all over the world. Don't you see what I'm talking about? This cube is going to save the world! Itadori and Franklin attempted to fight her, but she possesses a device that allows her to easily knock people out. She was able to flee. Itadori and Franklin stood up and talked about what had happened. Itadori told Franklin about how much of a good friend Feitan was. He was furious with himself for being so frail in the other dimension. Franklin cheered him up by telling him that he was not to blame. He also needs to stop Lucy if he doesn't want his friend's death to be in vain. It was Itadori's mission to stop Lucy when he realized this. He was the only one with the knowledge to stop Lucy’s plan so Franklin went to him for help. He went to Stark Industries right away and used their technology to find Lucy. They eventually found Lucy after hours of searching and devised a strategy to apprehend her. Because they don't know much about the Oculus and only know that it's dangerous, Itadori devised a strategy to prevent Lucy from using it. Lucy was in a Stark Industries facility that had been abandoned, but some of the technology and cameras were still operational. Itadori first devised a method of hacking into the facility so that Lucy would be unaware of their presence. Franklin and Itadori discussed what they would do to Lucy once they had stopped her on their way to her. For a while, Itadori remained silent. “As much as I hate her for killing my friend, I can't kill her,” he said suddenly. I don't want to do it. Perhaps there is still a way to persuade her that what she is doing is wrong. So, Mr. Franklin, here's the deal. When we arrive at the facility, I'd like you to leave me alone with her. Stay in the plane and keep an eye on us. If everything else fails, press this button. When Lucy said she was going to build a power container for the Oculus, I knew I had to do something about it, so I built this device that can hack into any device. It will be able to stop Lucy's plan once you press that button.” Franklin was surprised to learn that Itadori had already devised a plan to stop Lucy, but he was determined to persuade her. Franklin stayed on the plane after arriving at the facility, as Itadori had requested.
Itadori and Lucy finally confronted each other. Lucy was taken aback when she saw Itadori approaching her from across the hall. Lucy stated, "You've got skills kid, I'll give you that." “Are you here to put a stop to it? I could kill you right now, but I've decided against it because you have potential. I don't want to squander it. As a result, I'll make you an offer. Join me, and together we can make a difference in the world. “Are you sure you don't want that?” “Lucy, I know we haven't spent much time together, but from what I've seen of you in the short time we've interacted, I know you are a good person,” Itadori replied. You want to help others, but your methods are ineffective. It is not worth it to put other people's lives on the line for the sake of progress. You have the ability to change the world, but this isn't the way to do it.” Lucy was taken aback by Itadori's continued attempts to save her. She immediately remembered her past, recalling how she had been bullied as a child, but that someone had helped her and believed in her. “Don't worry about them; they're just envious of your abilities,” said the person. Don't let anyone put you down because you have the ability to change the world.” She realized all the mistakes she had made after recalling this. “You're right, Itadori, what have I done?” she exclaimed. All I wanted was for the good of the world because I want to make it a better place. When I was a kid, someone believed in me, but will he be proud of me now that he knows what I've accomplished?” After saying this, a massive explosion erupted from the cube. “It is not too late to save other people,” Itadori told her. “Assist me in putting a stop to this.” Lucy knew there was no stopping the cube now, and the power container couldn't handle it, which Itadori didn't know. There was only one thing she could think of as a solution. She instructed Itadori to hack into the Stark Industries mainframe. She only said that so Itadori could flee for his life. She intends to make a self-sacrifice in order to stop the cube and undo everything she has done. She then called Franklin to warn him to stay away from the facility and to offer her body to be mixed with the cube. She can control the cube to some extent with this. Then there was a massive blue explosion. Itadori and Franklin had escaped harm's way. Itadori tried to go to Lucy's location after realizing what had happened, but his wounds from the grenade were still present, and he was knocked out due to the shock. Itadori awakens in a white room where Franklin has been waiting for him. Itadori tried to stand up because he remembered what had happened and felt guilty for not being able to help Lucy. “It wasn't your fault, Itadori; in fact, you were the one who made Lucy realize what she had done and she changed her ways,” Franklin said. She gave up her life for the sake of humanity.” Lucy's need to sacrifice herself made Itadori a little sad. “You fool, stop moping around. “After you're completely healed, you've got a lot of things to do,” a rambunctious adolescent said. When Itadori heard the teenager's voice, he was both pleased and surprised. Feitan was the culprit. Everything Lucy had done had been restored. Everyone in the alternate dimension was also alive. The reason why the other dimension exploded when the Oculus left the dimension is because they needed the energy to keep the balance. When Lucy mixed her DNA with the cube, she had restored the other dimension along with all the people that were killed because of the cube. When she was in the other dimension, she saw Feitan and at first, Feitan didn't remember what happened. He tried to fight Lucy but when Lucy explained everything to him, he immediately helped her to bring the Oculus back to its original place. They encountered the authorities in the other dimension, and Feitan tried to explain Lucy’s side and what had happened. After this, the authorities took the cube and Lucy was still punished because she stole the cube from the other dimension. She had already accepted this and was ready to
sacrifice herself for the peace of everyone. Feitan helped the people in the other dimension to restore what had been lost. In return, they taught Feitan their technology and how to utilize it. Following that, Franklin sought the help of Itadori and Feitan to study the cube and develop other technologies that would benefit the world.
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ILLUSTRATION EXPLANATION:
This is the analysis and appreciation for the short story titled "The Oculus". It shows two people in front of a portal looking at a futuristic city with floating cars, trains, buildings, and a large tower with a blue light-emitting from it. The two people near the portal are the two main characters Itadori and Feitan. This image shows the scene in which they traveled to the other dimension in search of the assistant of Mr. Stark which is Lucy Smith. She is hinted from the many digital screens with the silhouette of a wanted person who came from another dimension. The illustration also shows that the dimension they traveled to is more advanced than theirs and that it has many technological advancements that they could learn from. The tower at the back is where the oculus is kept. It can be a kind of foreshadowing because the thing inside that tower is crucial to the progression of the story. This image shows the characters, setting, and the main plot points of the story whilst not revealing the plot itself.
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