#please don't rely on social media for your news | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

allthecanadianpolitics · 9 months

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About Bill C-18 and the Meta news blackout, I also wanted to share how this affects not only bigger news outlets like the CBC, CTV, etc., but also hits local journalism, and far beyond just news. All campus and community radio stations are now blocked on Facebook and Instagram. For the campus station I volunteer at, that's 99% of their online presence (save for whatever is left of Twitter/X...). Unlike the CBC, which has spent the last few weeks on social media telling people to instead get their news on the CBC website and apps, no one really goes to campus radio stations' websites, except when sent there once a year during funding drives and donation campaigns. Even if they did, especially for smaller entities like community radio, we just don't have the staff nor budget to maintain a constantly updated website with full, new articles published throughout the day. The best we could do was post updates on social media and link to radio programmes.

It's especially a kick in the teeth considering the NCRA recently carved out grants to support local and community-level independent journalism on radio, and now no one can see us. Of course it's not just about music programming. The news journalists at our station (and others too, I'm sure) conduct interviews with local representatives and candidates, cover local news, updates and elections. Many leading journalists in the country got their start on campus radio at university, too.

Campus and community stations get their licences from the CRTC because their purpose is "to serve the community". Now information about community events, radio programmes, local news, promoting local talent, etc., which used to largely happen through publicising radio programmes and features on social media, is blocked. What will community radio do if it can't be where the community is?

Also, our funding drives are in jeopardy. In Ontario, Ford made all the fees that were included in university tuition optional, and so for the last few years we've been relying exclusively on money coming in from funding drives, and most of that would happen on social media: reaching out to the local community, to alumni, past volunteers, and all of their networks. If our social media presence is blacked out, I don't think our station and many others will even survive this academic year, and we're one of the longest-running radio stations in the world.

All this is to say, write to your MPs, please! Urge them to do something about it! Facebook and Instagram have embedded themselves so far into local community work, that to have local broadcasters locked out of the community would disrupt everything and spell the end for all of us. Find your local MP (https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en) and send them a letter urging them to reach a negotiation and end the blackout on Canadian broadcasters!

~~~~

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chaoskirin · 2 months

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How to use Nightshade to Protect Your Art

Nightshade is a program that is relatively easy to use. You can search for it using the search term "glaze nightshade."

You WILL have to download popular image models so Nightshade recognizes what your art is and is able to poison it. This is done automatically the first time you run the program.

I have done extensive research into this, and have even talked Sean Shan of University of Chicago and have been assured that YOUR data is NOT being retained. This is a case of using AI to fight against itself. At this point, it is the best option to prevent your art and photography from being scraped.

Even though this program presents no danger to end users, you should be informed of this.

After everything is downloaded, you should select an image you wish to "Shade."

Once you select your image, Nightshade will pick a tag that it believes covers what's in the image. Sometimes this tag is wrong or not useful. (For example, I loaded a drawing of Brian May into the program, and it tagged it "woman." I changed it to "man.") The tag must be one word, and should be relatively general.

Images with less detail should have less poisoning applied. For my art, I use the default setting. While this does cause noticeable artifacts, it is not so much that it distorts the image. It just looks like a compressed jpg.

You will also need to choose the render quality. I usually choose the highest setting, which is the slowest, and takes about 20 minutes. It's worth it.

Then, choose a spot to save the image. It will save as the original file name with data appended. I generally delete this appended info from the new file before I post it.

When you do post it on social media, your alt text should contain the tag you used when you created it. For example, I posted a skull and put "A hyena skull in greyscale" in the alt text. This ensures that language models will pick up the art as "skull" and this will contribute to poisoning the skull dataset.

If you are posting the image on your own website, you should make sure to add the tag to the metadata of your image.

Then you post it!

Again, if you have any art that you want to run through Nightshade, please contact me and I'll gladly do it for you. There will be a web version of nightshade eventually, which will make the process much easier. But for now, don't be afraid to rely on people whose GPUs can handle it!

#glaze #nightshade #glaze nightshade

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stormsthatrage · 6 days

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Hey folks. Real talk time. I've been seeing some discourse on the USAmerican side of tumblr that genuinely scares me, so I felt the need to put together a few reminders to hopefully spread around Tumblr. If you have the spoons, please create your own posts about these things so we can make sure as many people as possible are informed.

Tumblr staff did not just decide for themselves that certain accounts might be Russian trolls. US law enforcement agencies conducted a federal investigation, and found that Russian trolls were conducting Psy-Ops operations across multiple social media sites. The Russian trolls had the express goal of influencing the outcome of the 2016 election. If an account was banned for being a Russian troll, it was due to this federal investigation. It was not a false accusation from a tumblr staff member that didn't like what a liberal activist was saying.

It is highly likely that Russia has not stopped using this tactic.

Many of these trolls twisted the truth to split the Democratic party. I can't find it anymore, but there's an old post where you can literally see this in action. In the post, a Russian troll -- who had been pretending for a long time to be a liberal activist on tumblr, and was thus trusted by the community -- misquoted Hillary Clinton to make it seem like she was against free college and student debt forgiveness. The Russian agent quoted something Clinton said in a debate with Bernie Sanders: "I disagree with free college." Not included by the Russian agent was the vital context, in which Clinton argued for free and debt-free community college and public universities. This is the full quote the Russian agent didn't use, which was made in reference to private schools only: "I disagree with free college... I don't think the American people should pay for Donald Trump's kids to go to college."

The Republican party often struggles to win the popular vote in presidential elections. It is in the Republican party's best interest to split the Democratic vote.

In order to win the presidential election, MAGA needs to get liberals to vote for third-party candidates or to not vote at all. Please do not let them trick you into serving their agenda.

A third-party candidate has not won the presidential election since the 1800s.

If you do not have the spoons to read news articles or watch multiple news channels, it is vital to be aware that you are especially vulnerable to propaganda on social media. You do not get the full story from tumblr posts. You do not get nuance on current events from tumblr posts. You may be being straight-up lied to on tumblr posts. Remember to take things with a grain of salt. Remember that a lot of propaganda relies on inducing outrage and strong emotional reactions.

If you are upset about the Gaza-Israel situation, and it is going to affect your vote, you must read news articles -- not tumblr posts -- about what Biden has done, what Biden has failed to do, and what Biden's opponents' plans and stances are. This is an area where the propaganda is going to be strongest, and if you want to do right by the citizens of Palestine and Israel, you have to research what's happening. Do not act based off of information from social media, because so much of it will be biased if not downright false. If you don't have the spoons to read or watch the news on these things, I urge you not to vote based off of just this issue, because it would be so easy to vote against your own morals if your only info is from tumblr. And if you think the situation is important enough to determine your vote -- well, then it's clearly important enough to research properly.

Again: In order to win the presidential election, MAGA needs to get liberals to vote for third-party candidates or to not vote at all. Please do not let them trick you into serving their agenda.

Anyway, please reblog or create your own posts on these topics. Let's work together and aim for herd immunity against propaganda.

#my soapbox #i'm sorry for the discourse but this is super important #please reblog or create your own posts on these topics #let's do our best to get inoculated against propaganda #herd immunity against propaganda #inoculating our hellsite

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theliterarywolf · 8 months

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Sorry I’ve gotta pop in one last time on this Viv/Lackadaisy controversy (because yesterday was the first I’d heard of it). I feel like an exasperated mother because I’m looking at these two indie animation projects (Yes I’ll still consider Viv indie even with HB being picked up), and going “You little shits, you are literally all you have! You only have each other to watch out for you!” Support each other so you can share your audience and not rely on studios! APES STRONG TOGETHER!!! (1)

Like regardless of how much popularity Lackadaisy has gotten, it will NEVER be on normie levels of popularity like Walking Dead or GoT. These indie projects need to reinforce each other and not create needless drama. They don’t have the financial means/reputation to start slap fights just because you don’t like each other. And for what it’s worth, I think Viv’s donation was from a place of genuine love for other creators (I’ve seen old comments from her on other people’s animatics).

Bwuh, bwuh, but..! Viv is a meanie-poopie face who, because she didn't know proper time-management early on in HB's first season, is literally worse than John K.'s left testicle, tho..!

I fucking hate how so many people behind indie productions just can not break away from middle school-level drama and realize, like you mentioned, that they are all going up against major studios and companies that have more fiscal and legal backing than they ever will.

And this isn't to say that everybody in the Indie space has to be Kumbaya Fingerblasting each other; no! There are going to be people that you just don't like/don't enjoy working with. That's an inevitability in this world. But a professional who has the success of their project/organization in mind and has some God damn socioeconomic maturity knows how to be civil.

Here's an example: at my new job site, they employ the RCA House System. This whole time leading up into new staff members being sorted into houses, I had it in my mind 'Please, God, don't put me in the house with the two annoying motherfuckers on-staff' But I still did my work, was cordial to said two annoying motherfuckers, and was civil.

...Lo' and behold, I ended up getting sorted into the same house as those two annoying motherfuckers but do you think I'm going to be bitchy about it or go on social media to complain and bring a negative light to my team? NO! Because the image and success of the school year is more important than whatever banal issues I may have with the two in question.

And that's the sign of being a fucking professional.

And with the Donation Kerfluffle, I will always remind people: it wasn't just Viv donating: it was several people at Spindlehorse, including Viv, who pooled money together to give to boost another Indie Production because it should be a case of everyone supporting each other in the face of an indifferent/dying industry. So it was from a place of well-meaning and the claims of 'oh, Viv just wants her name on everything' is... so dumb.

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exeggcute · 2 years

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in general I would not hesitate to describe tumblr as a website that both attracts and cultivates an extremely emotionally immature userbase (it is absolutely not better than twitter in this regard lol) but people's attitude about the site itself and feature requests/updates, specifically this unchecked tendency to take out their frustration on random employees, is like off-the-wall entitled nutso shit. it really should not surprise me at this point but every time I see it I'm like legit shocked that people feel emboldened to behave like that just because there's a level of digital abstraction between them and the employee they're blowing up on.

this website is not a public commons, this website is not some natural property of the universe, this website is a privately-held company. it's run like a company. it's a company that offers a service that most people use without paying a cent (especially if you're using an ad blocker, which means you're not even generating ad revenue). like most social media sites, tumblr does primarily exist to turn a profit—and understanding that profit motive genuinely goes a long way towards understanding why certain things shake out the way they do in the land of web development—but I feel like tumblr is unique among social media platforms in that it's not actively hostile to its users and isn't headed by a billionaire manchild egomaniac.

the internet in general is not an ethereal magic box where your complaints go in and cool new features come out. I feel compelled to once again return to my rant about how the internet is built on nearly-invisible labor (much of that being unpaid or underpaid labor), and while tumblr falls into the category of paid labor, it still relies on real human people who have to physically make and maintain and deliver the product you use every day.

there is no coherent way to, to use a common example of something tumblr users do understand about digital labor, push back against crunch in the game dev industry and advocate for better working conditions for the workers whose games you're buying and then turn around and verbally harass random IC-level employees at a social media site that you use every day for free. this is totally fucking deranged behavior. you should know better than to yell at a call center rep about your insurance premium going up and you should know better than to yell at a random employee because you don't like a policy that their boss's boss's boss implemented. please demonstrate a shred of understanding for your fellow man and act like an adult.

and yeah, there's always room for improvement. I think tumblr's capacity for genuine improvement, especially in recent years, is another thing that makes it unique. the pitfalls that tumblr does suffer from are more or less universal pitfalls suffered by every other social media site (e.g., content moderation is an endless, labor-intensive game of whack-a-mole played by underfunded and overworked support agents).

personally I'm just grateful to have been using a website like this for so long without ever being compelled to subscribe to a paid service, and with a core experience that's remained unchanged for over a decade. this is one of the last remaining places online where you aren't bombarded by shitty reels and trending topics and mandatory "best posts first" timelines.

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forenoonbeauty · 4 months

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PAC:- You can be anything and have anything 'cos everything is Within you 🌟

Which method will help you to manifest fast? ✨

(First of all let me make it clear every method of manifestation works,there is no wrong and right method. we manifest everything and every second on daily purpose so just take it easy and have fun with this reading, take this reading as your sign to choose the method which is for you 'cos everyone is diffrent and has diffrent mindset and ways to connect themselves to thier best version for manifesting)

CHOOSE YOUR PILE 🌱

Pile >>>1 >>>2

Pile>>>3>>>4

Pile>>>5>>>6.

Pile 1 (rose)

Journaling is the great way for you in manifesting journey for instant manifestation, you may love to sit alone and think about your desires or you may think about it consistently iam seeing some of you actually maintain journal and some of you are heavily drawn to the idea of journaling your dreams and desires please start it rn if you didn't till now(!!) Journaling is good for you because you're the someone who is emotional or gets emotional by looking at the time who you were and who you are now and that's why when you start journaling you'll notice how far you've come without realising that you're getting close to your desires and it'll motivate you to not stop trusting. you're the person who gets positive and happy and act as it is already yours and the other day or two loosing the motivation so, pls don't. and start the journal to keep yourself on track of your manifestation.

I am not seeing any extra messages for this pile, this pile was straight forward and clear.

Thats it for you my pile 1 i hope you enjoyed my reading,byeee all the best 🤍

Pile 2(fur jacket)

I am seeing you as a badass and laid-back in manifesting and not totally relying on it to happen and making a move by yourself I think you believe in having a dream to work on it and watch it being your reality rather than sitting in a room and dreaming endlessly about it without doing anything. The best way for you to get manifest is the confidence and trust in yourself and the feeling of you deserve it which you already have.

You maybe great at manifesting and you may also give advice to people on social media or in real life on how to manifest things better and quickly or you may love to self talk in the mirror which makes you feel great and abundant and helps you get the things you desire.

self talk, confidence and Trust in yourself is enough to transform you from where you are now to where you want to be✨

Extra messages:- golden, meditation, 444, dreams, finally, ain't good, sign, winning, crying, better, written, far away from here.

Thats it for you my pile 2 hope you enjoyed my reading, byeee all the best 🤍

Pile 3 (Vogue)

For you my pile 3 Scripting and speaking into the existence gives you motivation and you love to manifest in that way and it is the way to keep getting towards your dreams, I see how you dream big and stay in and mind your own business and distance yourself from drama and negative people which really helps you to keep your mind healthy and on peace level, which is really great, you maybe finding new group of people who matches your mindset or may have that people already and you surround yourself only with them, you are very picky in deciding whom you should give your energy and time to. I see you stepping up your game and having major a glow up sooner. You keep your mind clean and so passionate in keeping yourself healthy and clean looking, iam again and again getting you're very picky, picky in eating, picky in dressing yourself, picky to play songs 'cos you only want to vibe on positive things , thats really great of you pile 3. So anyways as I said scripting and speaking into existence is really a great way for you to manifest.

Extra messages: - song I ain't worried (by One republic), virgo , international, forever, plane, gaze, gemini, jupiter, 333, 888.

Thats it for you my pile 3 I hope you enjoyed my reading,byeee all the best 🤍

Pile 4 (heart candle)

(If you got attracted to pile 5 read that too it may have some mssgs for you) You love it when you're all alone taking a walk or sitting cozy in your bedroom with all your pillows and thinking about your dreams and desires while songs play in back.

You may listen to subliminals too and try to follow journaling but you forget it the next day lol... Maybe you get emotional so much while thinking about your manifestation or just in general but you hey you don't lose hope and try to get rid of the thoughts you have, the limiting beliefs and the obsession you have within you but you don't admit it to yourself. Come on you're not on the wrong path and not alone there are so many people out there living their best lives and having their desires manifested in days so you can have to , have faith in yourself and the path you're following. So, the way/method you're following now has no problem and you can follow any kind of method you want to 'cos anything can work but before that you need to stop having limiting beliefs and doubts in your mind of how and when, get rid of your obsession and be clear in what you want, you're the one who is stopping yourself from getting results be patient and positive.

Extra messages:- 999, stop, voices, affirmations, be specific, don't overthink, focus, eat good, deadline, funny, sleep.

Thats it for you my pile 4 , I hope you enjoyed my reading byeee all the best 🤍

Pile 5 (pomegranate)

Oh my god pile 5, please have some patience and stick to the same goal rather than changing it again and again and being impatient and obsessive over it won't bring you the things you wished for, it'll just leave you desperate and you'll loose your peace of mind , remember to have a better sleep and peace within yourself because it helps your mind to know more clear about your goals and ambitions and gives you your desires quickly, the more easy you're on yourself the more closer you'll get to your goal pressure leads you to nothing okay. You should work on your mindset and be CLEAR about what you want, and start listing the things you want to have for manifesting it easily and by writing in detail you'll know what you actually want from inside. So, please try it and be clear to yourself and have a clear mindset.

Extra messages: - pretty, close, november, music, cups, clear, fast, nights, changes, blessings, forward, wholesome, 442.

Thats it for you my pile 5, byeee all the best 🤍

Pile 6(skirt)

Writing your goals , practicing gratitude journal and making a vision board is the most effortless and fastest way of you to manifest.

Honestly I am seeing you not get obsessed over your result and have patience and you don't think much about it , you do your daily activities and imagine it all day you basically day dream about your manifestation coming into fruition 🌟 thats cool iam seeing you are good with visualising and are very clear and straight into knowing what you want and you don't choose a path which dosen't aling with your path of the goal you have in mind honestly, thats so cool. You will surely get where you want to be 'cos you're really self aware and now what you want and have no fear of taking risks at all I think you trust on the term of "asking for it to have and getting it from the universe automatically and effortlessly". I love your mindset tbh.

Extra messages: - abundant, green, love, 554, 555, all, seasons, good, cravings, smiles, dressing style, silk, glitter, happy, letter H, Taurus, games.

Thats it for you my pile 6, byeee all the best 🤍

#tarot cards #tarot reading #manifestation #manefesting #self love #tarot readings #free readings

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utilitycaster · 8 months

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wrt using 2016 fandom as a cudgel: in your experience, to what degree is that manifesting these days as "things were better back in the good old days" as opposed to "the fandom sucked back then so that justifies me refusing to hear criticism of my faves now"? or is it roughly equal and the degree of fervor behind that sentiment just depends more on the demographics of whichever social media site you're using?

So please take this with a mountain of salt in that I know a decent amount about the Reddit through having dealt with the guy who founded it and through people I know who check it out, but I rarely actually go there, and similarly I don't care much for Twitter. Please also note that I started watching in 2018, and then lurked around the Tumblr fandom (as someone already on Tumblr) for about 5 months [was simultaneously binging C1 and watching C2 week to week, caught up around July 2018] before actually making this sideblog, so I was not myself there in 2015-2017.

With that said, my understanding is that it's the social media site you're using. Reddit is bemoaning the good old days when you could order the cast pizza and Matt posted dropboxes of his stuff regularly and forgetting that like, early episodes were filmed in an Ikea set from the mid-90s with sound that sounded like it was coming out of a cassette player from the mid-90s and more importantly that there was a strong group of rampant misogynists. Tumblr, meanwhile, has people who unironically think that there is some magic threshold of toxic misogyny after which you are indefinitely excused from even a whiff of anything that isn't adoring praise. I suspect, honestly, the Reddit is fueling much of the Tumblr discourse, because it feels like this attitude on Tumblr had been on a strong downswing during Campaign 2 and the few stragglers who were around (and who tipped me off to this phenomenon in the first place) rage quit at the end, but it's now being dragged around, Weekend At Bernie's-style, by people I legit do not remember seeing before like, a year ago.

I think there are valid discussions to be had because, frankly, every member of the cast has in some way been done dirty by the fandom, and on Tumblr at least I think that's been getting better every year as the cast continues to show off their range and grow more confident. But I also think, as the fandom picks up new people - which is good - you get this very ahistoric idea of What It Was Like (and again: I admit openly that I was there in 2018; I was not there in 2016). Like, people will claim that a woman character wouldn't get the same hate if she were played by Liam and that's just...never been true. It's fine to be frustrated by the way people talk about your favorite character, but there is a way to talk about that that isn't just straight up lies and presumptions. And I think again that's people not realizing the Reddit is not a remotely reliable source of what the fandom was like, despite the Reddit attempting to be a recreation of what it was once like, because nostalgia is a hell of a drug.

Hence the "kill the Reddit within". Setting aside what you think was going on during the early years of the fandom, what's the fandom like now? What issues do we see now? Are they a continuation of that attitude, or have they arisen since then as the fandom changes? How can you thoughtfully address them now in a way that isn't passive-aggressive (or worse, outright harassment) or relies on flat-out incorrect claims?

#answered #burr-ell #cr tag

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merrock · 3 months

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HAPPY FEBRUARY !

And here we go, into the shortest month of the year, after what felt like the longest month! This month has our big trip to New Orleans, but also it means that it's the first month fully removed from the holiday season, so we are cracking down a wee bit on some activity issues we have been noticing -- hence the slightly longer 'important stuff' section as we encourage everyone to get back on track again. Read on!

ON THE CALENDAR !

February 2nd -- Wear Red Day (mini event) -- a primarily social media based event, share a photo of your character wearing red.

February 9th -- National Pizza Day (mini event) -- head down to Pizza Thyme to enjoy some pizza!

February 11th - 17th -- New Orleans trip.

February 11th -- Super Bowl.

February 13th -- Mardi Gras.

February 14th -- Valentine's Day.

February 17th -- Random Acts of Kindness Day.

February 22nd -- National Margarita Day (mini event) -- come down to Paco's and have a margarita!

February 25th -- National Pancake Day (mini event) -- visit Cul-de-Sac Diner for a good stack of 'cakes whenever you want.

NOTE: events from February 11th through 17th take place during our New Orleans trip.

IMPORTANT STUFF !

BEING ACTIVE IS RAD -- 'nuff said. if you want to see a thriving, happy group, if you want to watch us grow and keep having fun, the best way to accomplish that is just by being active. fresh month, so why not have it be a fresh start, right?

STEADY ACTIVITY -- we really want to stress how not important it is to us that you're 100% caught up, vs. just being active. it matters more to us that your threads are being steadily worked on and effort is being put into participating in the group. you can have amazing activity and never be caught up, or you can be caught up, but all your threads are super outdated at the time of being caught up, something to keep in mind!

MUSE STUFF -- muse hits differently, we get it! if you've got a lot of muse for a particular thread, just make sure you are still putting effort into your other threads in between! otherwise, bubbling happens (we do check for this once a month, if a character is not maintaining threads with three different writers, we will give them a strike). we rely on one another for activity, so if you're only active on one character, one thread, if things are getting pushed aside, it could be detrimental to others (and yourself!) in a group setting.

DROPPED THREADS -- threads don't go on forever, and that's okay. but please try to avoid just cold dropping threads -- it could be something that someone is really relying on for activity. if you don't have the muse for it anymore, if events have shifted and you want to do something new, just reach out and talk to your writing partner! communication is important.

JUST BE KIND -- chances are, if you're dealing with ish, everyone's dealing wish ish. you don't owe us or each other an explanation if you need a day or two to just unwind. but we do owe it to each other to be kind and keep this space a safe, welcoming, comfortable environment where people want to come to write, escape real life, and just have fun. xx

GOALS FOR THE MONTH !

ADMIN -- finish up the fine details of the New Orleans trip.

ADMIN -- work on getting the March/spring events drafted and ready to go for you guys!

ADMIN -- work on new graphics for the springtime, which will be riiight around the corner!

PLAYER -- do better; we don't mean this negatively, we just mean pick an area you feel you can improve in, whether it be replying to starters, balancing your characters or replies in general, or just being more active, and make that a goal.

PLAYER -- also! one goal for everyone: do a thread with at least one writer you don't normally write with! maybe in NOLA, maybe in town, just try to do something different.

HAVE A GREAT MONTH !

#merrockadmin

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pixiemage · 1 year

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(Originally an addon to this post about Ao3 not using an algorithm)

There are FOUR WAYS to get people to read your stories on Archive Of Our Own, and none of them include relying on a nonexistent algorithm to get them to interested parties.

Choose a good title! And yes, there is such a thing as a good title, though I'll admit it's rare for me to see a bad one. Even something as simple as "The one where Martyn forgets the milk" is enough to get me wondering what kind of story earned a title like that. Sometimes a song lyric works super well if it fits the vibe of your story, and sometimes coming up with something of your own might work better. Sometimes making a joke in the title draws more attention if you've written a story that will make people laugh, and sometimes choosing a one- or two-word phrase that catches the eye is all it takes. (If I see a fic called "Poppies, Princes, and Paranoia" I might just get curious enough to wonder what in the world is in that story.)

Write a summary! Please. Please, for the love of god, give your story a summary. Every time I come across a fic that says "haha I'm bad at summaries, just read the story lolz" my first instinct is to move on. By saying you're Bad At Summaries, you're also implying that you're bad at writing, and any potential reader won't take the time to click on your fic and give it a chance when it looks like the author isn't confident in their own work. You don't have to write a masterpiece in the summary section. You can say "Tim has a no good, very bad day. Luckily his partner is there to cheer him up." And look! Ta-da! Summary! :D It's short, sweet, and to the point, and it's miles better than saying you don't know how to write one. OR! OR, if you don't like that either, then you can literally take a short and interesting chunk from the story itself and drop it in the summary box. Look! You're doing great! ^^ You've given a taste of your writing, hinted at what's to come, and caught someone's eye. THAT will hook a potential reader far more than laughing about how "bad" you think you are at writing summaries in general. Self-depreciation may work for a social media post, but it doesn't work to sell your writing.

Clearly tag your work! I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this, but putting clear and relevant tags on your story will ALWAYS bring new readers to your story. Many people on Ao3 search specifically by tag to better narrow the massive sea of stories they'll need to choose from. So tag relevant ships and characters (preferably only the ones that are a primary focus in your fic), tag the proper fandoms, define if it's "hurt/comfort" or "angst" or "fluff" or "crack", and add the main plot concepts where needed. (For example, I'm writing an Amnesia AU, so I tagged it as both Amnesia and Temporary Amnesia, because while the amnesia is a lingering factor in the plot, it WILL NOT BE later, and some people are more likely to read if they KNOW the conflict in the plot will be resolved.) And while I understand not wanting to tag certain things for spoiler reasons (though you should add those once they're revealed in a chapter), I DO RECOMMEND tagging relevant warnings, as well as specifying whether the ending will be a GOOD one or a BAD one. Some readers are more or less likely to click on a story based on that alone. I've specifically taken a chance on a sad-sounding story before because the author said it would end happily, and more often than not I wasn't disappointed! I wouldn't have read a sad story otherwise! Tag that shit!***

JUST KEEP WRITING! People will stick around for a good story! It's true that quality of writing will make a good fic stand apart from a great one, and that comes down to skill. That's not to say people won't read a story that's written by a less skilled author, because if you tag and title and summarize your story well, you'll still draw in readers, and most people will stick around to enjoy an interesting story whether it's 2k works or 20k. But the more you write (and the more you READ), the more you'll learn and the more you'll improve. Don't give up just because you're getting less attention than the next writer. If you keep working on your craft, you'll be right up there with them soon enough. I'm in my late 20's and it took me years to get to where I am. I'm not foolish enough to pretend I don't know I'm a quality writer, but I also refuse to call it "talent" because it's much more than that. It's a skill that I honed over years of writing and storytelling. I learned from my peers and I took inspiration from bigger and better writers to work my way up to where I am now. So don't write just to get hits and kudos, write to tell a good story! And when the comments come in, though they may start small, just know that those people are seeing the passion you're putting into your work...and they're just a small taste of the kind of joy you'll be able to share if you stick with your writing. <3

(BONUS: Share your fics on Tumblr and other sites. If you're worried that they won't get seen on Ao3 without help, then feel free to boost awareness by dropping a link and some info elsewhere. I do this every time I post something new, because I know that part of my audience lives on Tumblr! So don't hesitate to utilize the platforms you've got. Tag it properly on here and you'll get a few more reads from folks who are looking for it!)

***Please remember, too, that "Dead Dove, Do Not Eat" is not a replacement for any bad tags. What it actually means is "What's inside is what's labeled on the tin" ...or to put it bluntly: "Please for the love of god, read what I have in the tags, there's probably some uncomfy crap in here, so READ THE LABELS. You have been warned." If you don't add the tags you're Dead Dove-ing, then the Dead Dove tag is pointless and tells your audience nothing. Be kind and be clear. Your readers will thank you for it.

#Writing #Writing Advice #Archive Of Our Own #Ao3 #Fanfiction

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hanzajesthanza · 5 months

Text

really cool asks i received from @electricbluenb literal months ago, but never got around to publishing :P! but i still want to post this because this is quite interesting:

electricbluenb asked:

Hi! I'm here to report on a lecture I've listened to about Witcher!!!!

Exposition: the lecturer (she) is a philologist, specifically a researcher of fantasy as a transmedia phenomenon; the lecture is titled: 'Witcher Universe. Books, games, series', and from the short description in the announcements I imagined I wouldn't hear much new, or positive takes about TWN (derogatory), and I was interested to listen to it. It was only 90 minutes, so obviously it wasn't super deep in material.

The lecturer did show up in a t-shirt with a print of TW3 Geralt holding a kitten on it, and a games-style Wolf School medallion. For context this is a free library event in Moscow, held in Russian. I am writing this on the same night, so please excuse possible mistakes and I'll try to elaborate if needed.

Overall, I have to say that I haven't heard much that I can't find on your blog. That is only to say that the woman knows her stuff, and that she'd probably be delighted to hear about yours.

Summary of points:

Transmedia (media in different mediums which seeks to build upon each other, unlike adaptation, which only reframes source in a different medium, by her definition) often begins, like fanfiction, in places where source material is incomplete (like how many lotr fanfics focus on Silmarillion). It is crucial for both adaptations and transmedia to be made with love for source material, which TWN showrunners clearly lack.

Historical context and its empirical feel ("liquidity" of reality in the presence of great political and social change, end-of-the-world forefeeling) of the time when Sapkowski created earlier novellas is crucial to interpreting and adapting them. That feel of the setting, and also self-irony and subvertiveness of the text are what both The Hexer and TWN do not translate to the viewer.

Regarding games, she mostly calls them transmedia (not adaptation). She argues that writers of the games recreated that "liquid", end-of-the-world timespace better (not necessarily accurate to lore) than The Hexer or TWN, and more importantly excelled at culture-coding the setting as polish, making it attractive to other slav people as well.

She said with her whole chest that TWN production, and Lauren Hissrich specifically, is just not putting any fucking effort into looking at source material, slapping diversity on what they don't understand to already have themes of otherness and conflict (The Greater Evil is the only example I have in my written notes for books, but she also pointed at games' presenting Geralt as non-human and how it is involved in quests).

In that same vein, she said there's just no romantic relationship between Geralt and Yennefer in TWN, which in books is relying on Eros and Thanatos, and weirdly that drive, finding no exit, is instead can be seen when comparing Renfri fight and stryga fight (she put up screenshots side by side), Geralt only loving the monstrous, and intimacy being deadly (in stryga fight the 'disenchanting kiss' bite). In the games she pointed at the cinematic trailer for Blood and Wine (fight with Orianna / Lullaby of Woe), and went over how it's basically also Eros/Thanatos imagery.

Continuing on Yennefer, she said that it is just laughable to call the character TWN portrays 'Yennefer', because 'inner logic of the character says otherwise', because there's no Yen & Ciri mother-daughter relationship, and the character seems to be 'more like Ciri's either older or younger sister who is afraid of her'.

She touched upon game / series / books interconnectivity (two swords on Geralt's back in Season of Storms versus one in pentalogy, TWN changing Nilfgaardian armour for s3, CDPR adding TWN's Nilfgaardian armor as an option on iirc ps5 edition) and just that it's interesting to her as a researcher that there exist points of clear medium interactions that are expressions of interest and love for the creation, even if the creation is flawed.

She argued that an english translation (the one that she read, obviously there might be different ones) has less visible irony across both text and subtext, in part, possibly, due to censure. I kinda doubt her expertise on english lit as she does seem more focused on Russian lit and translations to Russian, but basically she argues it might be another ground where TWN is just out of depth.

In the Q&A portion I mentioned Redanian Intelligence's article about 'western audiences' and she completely agreed it is just an excuse for what is a skill issue on showrunner's part.

That's all for my report. Hope it leaves you feeling affirmed, knowing that somewhere there are scholars who agree, almost to the letter, completely. :)

electricbluenb asked:

Oops, missed some notes.

As a true researcher, she held a poll on books vs. TWN.

Of about ~25 people in the audience:

22 read the books, 22 liked the books

24 watched S1, 0 loved S1 (aside feelings for actors), 2 people were meh on S1

20 watched S2, again 0 for loving S2

7 watched S3, another 7 considered watching S3, and again 0 for loving S3.

She was prepared to talk more about Ciri, Falka, and Regis, but time was very short.

---

i was really elated to hear about this, the term transmedia is fascinating and i feel like this applies to the witcher phenomenon really well. the term "adaptation" doesn't suit the games, which take the books as a starting point. the topic of interconnectivity between the various mediums is also great, certainly true as every witcher media begins to reflect one another as they're created. one topic i'm interested here is where did geralt's facial scar originally come from, as there is some art of it which predates the creation of the games.

"the setting, and also self-irony and subvertiveness of the text" is definitely what i find missing in netflix as well. i believe the continent, at least in the pentalogy, is way more fleshed out than people think, and the setting really really begins to define the story during the saga, so much so that it becomes as important as the characters themselves. the irony and subversion the text uses are truly hallmarks of the witcher, as well as intertextuality with other fantasy works.

to this list, i would also add comedy :D though twn tries to be funny sometimes it seems to be in an entirely different context and different angle. i was thinking yesterday about how some of the comic characters present in the short stories: dandelion, torque, tellico, freixenet, really had their comedic presence entirely changed or removed from netflix's version. and i thought about the barbegazi and knocker from tower of the swallow, these guys are so funny and endearing, if strange and odd. i think something that netflix does which really, really clashes with the books, is that they treat every monster like a serious threat or at the very least dull them down. in the books, i'd wager that at least half of the 'monsters' present are actually used for comedic effect as well as dramatic effect. now, it's not separate, plenty of characters are both. but netflix seems to only focus on monsters as dangerous, whereas in the books they can actually be quite funny. i think this use of comedy presents a world that is "comfortable" being a fantasy world, that has really incorporated its fantasy elements in a realistic way, so that it's not just there for drama, but has integrated itself into every part of life.

i adore the comparison of geralt and yennefer's relationship with that of the fight with adda, vereena, or renfri. this is something i've been thinking about for a while. exactly, yennefer in the last wish is the antagonist of the story - a powerful, magical woman, literally, a witch. in this sense, yennefer is not unlike the other dangerous opponents geralt faces. in many myths and stories, the hero faces, challenges, defeats an evil witch, sorceress, female user of magic who aims to seduce, deceive the hero. this is the trope we're working with.

the kicker is that yennefer's character gets developed past this, as she begins to be intimately explored - even beyond geralt's lens - and within their context, we see their relationship transform from antagonistic to romantic to fates intertwined. but their chemistry and energy begins with that inherent match in energy, their yin and yang, light and dark, witch and witcher. that (literally) electric sense, that yennefer is never going to be 'defeated' by geralt, that she remains independent even while by his (and ciri's) side.

overall i really enjoyed this report, and respect this lecturer a lot! again, sorry i took so long to publish this as it's been a strange past few months, but better late than never :')

#ask #electricbluenb #the witcher books #the witcher games #the witcher netflix

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phoenix-is-the-hottest-thing · 1 year

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hello!! ive been meaning to get into writing, but i really have no idea where to start, so. do you have any tips for absolute beginners? thank you in advance and have a good day ^-^

Sure! Let me try... Ten tips in no particular order:

Have fun It should make you happy to write your stories. Doing it for the views/kudos/comments/etc will only bring frustration and disappointment. Either rely on intrinsic motivation or give yourself a break! That said, do give me comments. I love comments. :3

Start small Your first fic is not going to be perfect, and it's going to be difficult to write because writing is a muscle of sorts. It gets easier and easier as you do it, so when you're just starting out, you'll struggle. Make the process easier on yourself by having small goals to begin with.

Know how the story ends and write an outline One big issue when writing is having a cool concept and no damn clue how to end it, so you end up dropping it halfway. Honestly, that's fine, it's still a learning experience, but I think you'll feel better about yourself with finishable works. Your outline can be as concise or as verbose as you'd like, but especially for a beginner it'll help you keep track of what you're doing and prevent writer's block to an extent. When you know what happens next, it's easier to get there!

Don't hesitate to change your ideas halfway Just make sure you adapt what happens later down the line, too. New ideas are inevitable and they are good. The risk is to get an incoherent mess or to write yourself in a corner. Keeping the ending in mind while accepting that it can change (and changing it accordingly every time you need to) is a good middle ground.

It's fine to skip the boring parts YOU write your story. You're allowed to just go "and then they traveled to Japan in a plane". You don't need to describe the plane ride. There are better ways than others to write timeskips (or other kinds of skips) but they rely on exactly the same principle: it's okay to focus on the Fun Stuff, in fact, the reader probably wants you to focus on the Fun Stuff. You don't need to write the story linearly. Too bad for them, you're going to focus on what YOU find fun, not them.

Get an AO3 account now, not when your work is written Not only do you unlock more features, it can take a few grating days to get the account open. Why AO3? It'll protect your fanworks with its own lawyers. If you need the option to get paid, use and link social media, and keep your fics safe on your AO3 account.

Do NOT type your story in AO3's submit form If you refresh the page it'll get deleted. Use Google Docs or Word instead. Keep your work safe!

When you're writing a sentence, make sure it's clear who's who Use a lot of names if you need to and don't change who the subject is before you've "reset" a common address. Epithets are not to be abused either— repetition isn't THAT big a deal, I promise (and repetitive sentence structure is a bigger monotony issue in my eye). This is a mistake I see around a lot so I'll mention it directly. Example: Anne loved planes. Her friend Jessica loved trains. Her blue hair complimented Anne's red very well. See, you can't tell the "her" is Jessica until you mention Anne, because she was the subject's friend in the previous part, not the subject. A correct and unambiguous sentence would be: Anne loved planes. Her friend Jessica loved trains. Jessica's blue hair complimented her red very well. We know you have blue hair and pronouns, Jessica, but you do have to share!

Read lots Exactly what it says on the tin! Reading feeds your skills and creativity. Read what you love, read outside your usual genres, read essays or textbooks about writing, read scientific articles etc etc. The more you read the more you'll learn, and the better you'll write, with more tools stored in your brain.

(Please) Don't delete old fics This is more advice on your mindset, you may think it's too early, but hear me out. If one day you're cringing that hard, you can orphan or anonymize them to get some distance. It always breaks my heart when fics get deleted entirely. You'll probably think of them fondly someday, so might as well push through, and remember— no matter the quality, your work of art was a friend who helped you grow and let you learn something from it. (See, that's why it's important for a beginner to hear this). You'll never know whose life you've changed, whose tears you've dried with laughter (or whose tears you've caused), whose worldview you've added to, or whose important life lesson you accidentally taught. We don't influence reality very much, most of us never hit it big after all, but no writer is entirely insignificant either. Whether it's fluff, crack, or darkfic, writing can give you the opportunity to change even just one life for the better. I find it amazing. It makes me want to write better and better.

#fanfiction #phoebe rambles #writing tips #ao3 #writers on tumblr #long post #asks

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transhawks · 1 year

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I've been wondering about this for some time now, but how did Dabi figure out who Hawks' mother was? I'll admit i don't remember the details of the manga very well, but when i watched the new season that came out, it seemed to me the plan Re-Destro came up with to plant spies into the Comission failed after the HPSC lured him out and he killed its president. Is that explained in the manga at all? Or perhaps i misunderstood it?🤔🤔🤔

Please take this with a grain of salt. I have a feeling we'll be actually told why eventually, because Hawks remarks on it manga-wise.

For now, here's my best guess:

Dabi was obsessed with his own father. I have no doubt that he was incredibly obsessed with watching his father's fights and likely did so after his death, though this would have been when he was still young, likely when Natsuo was a very young baby.

It seems that the Thief Takami fight was like...memorable somehow. And given he was a murderer, not just a thief, it's clear that Keigo's dad had notoriety.

I think Dabi might have recognized the red feathers as similar to the feathers on Takami's arms and just decided to go on a hunch because Hawks's lack of biographical info is weird, actually. The thing about investigation and any avenue of trying to gather info about a person's motives, it's important to leave no unturned stones.

Anyway, so, when you have a hunch, you look into it, right?

Let's be a bit clear on some stuff:

Thief Takami was a two-man team. Tomie was clearly helping him in certain ways. It's implied that he relies on her for finding jobs and this might be linked to her quirk. There's other strange wording around that whole chapter that make me suspect she had absolutely fascinating propensity for tracking people.

We're also not sure what he did prior to having to hide with her. Perhaps he had a team, etc. Dude wasn't like a one off criminal, clearly, and that means he had connections.

So, uh, what does this mean? Well, let's think about it this way: Dabi has a lot of reach now. Giran, the many PLF members, etc. Imagine he starts asking about Thief Takami, seeing if Giran has any contacts who knew the man prior to his arrest and maybe even after, in jail. Maybe Takami mentioned in trial documents or something that he had help though never elaborated, etc.

There's just a lot of possibilities and areas where someone might have found out he had a criminal partner and possibly a first name.

The thing is, and the HPSC were kind of dumb for this, it doesn't seem like they changed her first name. There are quirk databases. I doubt the tech skills of the PLF wouldn't able to get into one of these. Then you look for anyone who matches - eye quirk, surveilence, age range, etc. Of course if you have a name, you put it in even if it seems it's a long shot that she'd still be using it.

(she was)

My view is the HPSC simply didn't cover their tracks well-enough when it came to Keigo's background. Likely it was just a bit less important than the other shit they do cover up. Tomie's quirk was in a quirk database, her first name likely the same, if you knew what you were looking for, cross enough names in your list to check them out. It's possible she wasn't the only woman approached by Dabi and Dabi's people, by the way, but he eventually found her.

Until we get confirmation otherwise, that's been what I think might be the most understandable explanation. When you are able to have a wide reference point of info and willing to dig deeper, you can find out a lot. I'm fairly good at social media stalking stuff myself through this sort of method myself.

#asks #takami keigo #hawks #ukai tomie #thief takami #takami tomie

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inchidentally · 3 months

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tricky asks time! yeeeesh some of these are... yea I did my best and had to censor stuff. (part 1/2)

there's a reason I bundle these together under a cut so please skip if discourse etc is not your thing <3

oh lordddd. so I think (hopefully) this conspiracy theory either died or ppl just decided to live in denial I really do not care either way. I can't comprehend being so far off base with Carlos and Lando's friendship as to think that Lando replying to his teammate with that clip is somehow heinous or askgfasgfsal "unlike him" it's so on brand for him.

Carlos moving to Monaco is pretty overdue tbh and yea, literally a chunk of the grid already live there. I'm sure he'll eventually hang out w Lando but why wouldn't he also hang out w all the other drivers lol. and if he - god I cannot believe ppl think this - is moving "for Lando" then why wait so long? but then you have to start asking why did he go to Ferrari and well. there's no reasoning w that shit.

side note that's very cute that Lando and Max live close together - rly supports the ask I got about how Max is the driver that Lando actually spends the most downtime with even during the offseason.

and yea, Rebecca has been with him when she's not been on modeling gigs and they both posted parallel stories from the Dolomites today. so if ppl are worried about Carlos not having support then his literal gf is there with him so he very much does. the idea that two hot people found each other on dating apps is I guess too simple!! but if they also believe that Ferrari hate Carlos then why divert resources from their already exhausted PR dept (this is Ferrari we're talking about lol) to the point of hiring, paying and arranging an entire relationship for him?? like you've got to fucking laugh this 1D 2012 stan shit off.

agflasgj wow that was a pretty quick flip from thinking Lando's sm is run by PR to now he personally runs his karting IG!

sorry but I haven't stopped laughing since anons informing me how Charles has had a karting brand for years and this is apparently pretty common for drivers to do. everyone kept acting like it was a carlando moment so I just went with it but apparently - shocker! - Carlos made a business decision not based on Lando.

I mean, I don't ?? Carlos has had the exact same dynamic with each of his teammates but what makes the relationship with Lando special is that they're big brother/little brother. Lando latches onto Carlos as a security blanket and Carlos likes having him around and actually is able to shut down his red mist anger in the car when it comes to Lando. apart from that they're mostly relying on the bromance format of friendship that you can see in most of the grid.

so while if Lando and Oscar had chosen to do the bromance/playing gay thing then sure I'd find it cute and ship it but like. the fact that Oscar is carrying around this sweet years-long sort of crush/fanboy thing about Lando and Lando has openly said that Oscar helps him be reminded to just be himself and be calm... like that is so sweet?? they're both so bashful about physically touching but they have this bond of being basically the same age and both being introverts.

sorry but I wouldn't replace that with a facsimile of someone else's friendship personally!

I do not. get it ! this absolute fantasy that Lando and Carlos would've survived let alone thrived being actual direct competition on the same team has got to be someone who doesn't look at anything F1 related ever outside ships. bc I'm literally a fake and even I know that there's no such thing as teammates competing for race wins and championships with zero friction. and like between Carlos and his family airing all that kind of thing on social media and news outlets and the fact that Lando cannot hide anything on his face, moments like this one would've been happening every other weekend. it's precisely because they weren't on the same team that they could get over that as fast as they did !! even ignoring that Carlos Sr has never once hinted at a return to McLaren, Carlos would never want to risk seeming like he's begging for his old spot back AND no way in fuck would Lando accept being the no 2 driver again.

we get plenty of carlando content still and Lando has said over and fucking over how he's been pushed by Oscar to perform at a level he's never seen in himself before. how are ppl mad about that just bc they don't get a few stupid carlando challenges every couple of weeks?

babe, Lando did have a gf and it didn't dampen carlando truthing at all. it just resulted in a breakup and Lando posting that Luisinha had gotten harassment and death threats. Rebecca is literally dating Carlos and there's a full blown conspiracy theory that she's been "bought and is paid for" by Ferrari to beard for Carlos. do not expect girlfriends to ever change that behavior and don't wish it on any woman.

I just. I'm sorry but how many years have to go by where Lando has a more intimate relationship with countless men and women than he's ever had with Carlos before they just accept that Carlos is one of Lando's F1 buddies but he's not one of his closest friends outside of it (Lando's words!!!) like just enjoy carlando for what it is and stop getting into hysterics bc they're still not fucking or dating or married aslfgjslagflsgalfg

for my own sanity I'm going to pray that twitter acc is joking bc the larry/kpop/yaoi/heteronormative fetishizing of homosexuality/the "girl one" must be hairless and look like a teenager and only bottom as if he were a cisgirl has SURELY been left in 2012. it has to be satire?? it's still extremely cringe satire but like. that cannot be real. either way, block and cleanse that tl anon. I'm not going to spend any more time on that in case they're serious bc that would be tragic.

and I've got to say one thing: I'm sure you didn't mean any harm by it but even suggesting that someone being called or assumed gay is an insult or overstepping is not it, babe. we're not here to coddle cishet ppls anxieties and prejudices or pretend that outrage about it is anything but homophobia. but I fully agree that no one should be talking about a celebrities' sexuality or sex life on highly public platforms esp platforms that the celebrity uses - and esp when it isn't censored and could show in their tags.

at least to anyone under 40 tumblr at least is a known no-go area and fandom-only. it's also extremely difficult for google to trawl (I've googled specifically for a post many times and couldn't find them) and you aren't allowed to scroll past a certain point (even on public accs) without being logged in. so there's no risk of 'stumbling' onto anything here even if it gets directly sent to them. unless the person is older in which case they prob have someone else fielding their sm. this is literally THE place to come and be stupid and silly about fandom.

I mean I do have to agree that there's always an element of 'for the image' when it comes to the Sainz family but honestly Lando is so disarmingly sweet and genuine - and they got to know him as a such a baby - that I have to think at least most of their affection for him is real! now if they knew the carlando content they like on instagram and twitter was intended by a lot of fans as gay then bye bye carlando lol. I'm not gonna wade any deeper into that but yea. we should be grateful they don't understand that aspect of the bromance thing.

but as for the DTS thing I have to think that anyone who sees a bromance being danced around so loudly and publicly and thinks that it's actually a secret gay ship complete with paid beards is twelve years old. it makes me too sad and scared to realize these are tax paying grown women driving these narratives alfhlsahff

IKR?? Oscar is out here with an actual form of real life fanboy crush on Lando but he's incredibly happy and content with Lily and doesn't even push himself into Lando's hobbies or life outside of F1 at all!

whereas Carlos says things like "it's weird that you all want me to kiss Lando" and literally cuffs and scolds Lando like a big brother but supposedly that's being "threatened" by a bashful quiet boy who is happily in a LTR and content to just stare at Lando from afar and be his teammate ????

meanwhile Lando is living his best life being petted and bedded and adored by a queue of lovers that stretches the entire globe and Carlos is continuing his years long habit of serially dating beautiful women and spending most of his time outside F1 training with his buddies. everyone's happy folks, let's just accept that!

honestly anon there's a heavy sprinkling of this that I disagree with and I think I've covered why with the other asks. and I do not engage in war of the rpfs bc none of these ships are "real". and as someone who ships carlando I do have to say that there's at least some decent amount of us who don't do the larrying shit. and that Netflix/DTS have as much a role to play in false narratives as "fangirls". they could easily decide to focus more realistically on the sport but they're choosing to appeal to fans with extreme biases.

but the part about the whole yaoi/heteronormative self-insert quality of how certain people ship carlando is pretty damn accurate. I immediately skip a fic if it's clear that Lando's just going to be this empty character reacting to Carlos the whole time. it's the same thing w people who want Lando to have stayed an insecure teenager w social anxiety who leaned on Carlos' personality and experience. that era was cute but Lando grew up and his career and his life are all his own making. he doesn't revolve shit around Carlos or any other person.

like it's fine if that's how ppl choose to ship something in fandom spaces where everyone else can just block it. but it absolutely should NOT carry over publicly and I should not be seeing as much of Lando's content on various accs and platforms flooded w irrelevant comments and gifs about Carlos as I do.

in a weird creepy way, a lot of Lando pages and fan accs have sort of turned him into how they view girlfriends ?? as if Lando can't be allowed to exist without it always being brought back to Carlos and carlando - and sometimes they'll randomly make an entire edit or carousel about carlando for literally no reason ??

ig that's why they get so angry when Lando blatantly has real life intimate friendships and relationships. hence the Martin hatred mentioned above.

anon you've got it in one. even down to how they've both dealt with the latest drama. they did that drive into Maranello together when we now know they were fully aware of what was coming. and then the BTS of their photoshoot for the 2024 race suits. and then Charles stating at the event the other day how he and Carlos have a special relationship and are friends outside racing as well.

it's got to be awkward as fuuuuuck but they're both choosing as always to put it aside and not let the relationship fall apart or into the distant coldness of Ocon and Gasly. they've been through periods similar to this before and always came back to that place of leaving all that drama at the door.

which is so funny bc if it was all just PR, then Carlos and Charles wouldn't bother! teams have never needed their partnerships to be friendly. they just need each driver to go out and get points. so for them to remain friends despite their families and fanbases being constantly at war, they absolutely are choosing to be!

wellll, I have to disagree bc Carlos being called Ferrari's best strategist by fans means that he clearly is able to ignore team orders and is allowed to not be "perfect". honestly I think Carlos' ballsiness and inability to play second to anyone has clearly never served him poorly w Ferrari ?? this is a team very immersed in traditional patriarchal culture and for all that they are the il Predestinato brand in this era, Sainz Sr said this last season that the car had Carlos' input and customization. so idk I feel like Carlos using aggression and decision would if anything be appreciated by Ferrari. (but I do think the hardballing by his dad with the Audi interest was a step too far for them - even though it sounds more and more like the decision to not renew Carlos was already on the table long before that)

whereas I think that very culture is why Charles is both subjected to and "upheld" by it. there's a difference between a brand like Ferrari deciding to hang your banners over the parapets and them actually having your best interests as a driver at heart. I can't find it now but there was a great post about Charles' frenetic and often erratic driving style getting in the way of his obvious skill and talent. idk I feel like if I was smarter I could draw up a commentary on Charles seeing his name and his face and his successes being spread across everything Ferrari and an almost impotence from fans assigning him such unrealistic idolatry and power - while also assuming an untouchable quality that ends up making him appear weak and in need of constant defending, even from his teammates and Ferrari itself.

it's fucked up, anon, we can agree on that. Seb and Carlos suffering the blunt end of Ferrari's cudgel doesn't necessarily mean that Charles is enjoying much if any power in being protected by it. I wish I could express that better salfsgjlaf

obv again I am a fake so I may be WAY off w all of that so that's why I'm burying this at the bottom - pls ignore it if I'm being dumb <3

#inchreplies #wank adjacent

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