#that thrives on isolating us from each other and our communities
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the whole guilt-tripping language in posts about important topics paired with how I'm still getting bitches in my notes talking about why it's actually good to tell "bad" people to kill themselves continues to prove to me that a lot of people have absolutely no concept of social justice or activism outside of assuming the worst of and then viciously attacking strangers on the internet
#the worst part too is this is just the logical conclusion of the hyper-individualistic society#that thrives on isolating us from each other and our communities#anyway pls get out and go volunteer to clean up litter or at the soup kitchen or something#y'all need to see that your actions can have both good and bad real world consequences#and also interact with people who share your values but come from different walks of life#and also how to organize with people you don't always 100% agree with#so yeah hang out at the farmer's market or smthn y'all really need to connect with your communities
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I'm writing a plan for a solarpunk social revolution
I think at this point we all have an understanding that things in the world aren't good. That's useful information, but that's also only step one.
Next, is broadly to figure out, "what the heck do we do?"
I've been doing a lot of listening and reading about that, and I'm trying to formulate my thoughts, to create a guide of sorts. I'm gonna sketch out my framing for it, with the areas of focus and basic tenants. This is going to be an iterative process, so let me know what you think about this! If u have the stuff to add or change, I'm cool with that!
Basic Needs (Pillars for Life)
These are the things that people deserve to be provided in order to live a comfortable life. The brave new world should be able to provide these things.
Shelter: A safe and secure place to live is essential for a comfortable life. This could be a house, apartment, or another type of dwelling.
Food and water: Adequate nutrition and hydration are essential for maintaining good health and well-being.
Clothing and personal items: Clothing and personal items such as toiletries help people feel clean and presentable, and can also provide protection from the elements.
Health care: Access to quality health care is important for maintaining physical and mental well-being
Transportation: Having access to reliable transportation can make it easier to get to work, run errands, and participate in activities.
Communication: Being able to communicate with others, whether through phone, email, or other means, can help people stay connected and feel less isolated.
Education: Access to education can help people gain knowledge, skills, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Technology, electricity, and internet access: Access to technology and the internet can facilitate communication, education, and access to information and resources.
Art, Media, Entertainment, and Play: People often need activities or hobbies that provide enjoyment and help them relax and de-stress.
Social connections: Strong social connections and a sense of community can provide support, companionship, and a sense of belonging.
Financial stability: Having access to sufficient financial resources can help people meet their basic needs and feel more secure.
Personal safety and Defense: Feeling safe and secure in one's environment is essential for a comfortable life.
Levels/Spheres of Liberation
These are the levels at which liberation needs to occur. There's an interplay between each level: for example, you have to a reach certain standard of self-love before you can make meaningful connections with others. The more connected with yourself you are, the more connected with others you can be.
Internalized Liberation: Internalized Liberation is a state of radical self-love.
Interpersonal Liberation: Interpersonal Liberation is a state in which love is fully and freely given to all others.
Institutional Liberation: Institutional Liberation is a state of radical inclusion, where all organizations see equity as their responsibility and use an equitable process framework in perpetuity.
Systemic Liberation: Systemic Liberation is a state in which we have reconfigured societal relationships to resources to allow for ingenuity and social protections to coexist, creating the interconnected circumstances under which all people have the resources, access, and opportunity to thrive.
Environmental Liberation: Environmental Liberation is a state of harmony with the environment. Reconnecting with nature and understanding our place in it.
Ideological Liberation: Ideological Liberation is a state in which we have fully transcended and have no need for social constructs such as race; a reality where we are unbound by identity defined in contrast to others; individuals are unconflicted and feel a full and authentic sense of belonging in all spaces.
Guiding Principles
These guiding principles are the values which underpin the revolution; these are the unarguable, foundational ideas that make up the basic requirements for the movement.
Grassroots/Direct democracy: people should manage their own affairs. If something only affects you, then you do what you want. Things that affect others should involve them in the process. The goal is to find the balance between individual and collective autonomy, where the combination of each is greater than the sum of its parts.
Social Ecology: Our foundational understanding of nature is based on hegemonic values that separate us from it. This thinking coincided with the domination of people by other people around the beginning of civilization. By trying to reconnect with nature and see ourselves as part of it, while also upholding the values of liberty, solidarity, and equality, we can work towards mending our environmental and social relations.
Decentralization: civilization is an extremely complex system, and the most successful complex systems balance order and chaos thru decentralized forms. Highly centralized systems like the prevailing ones simplify things and standardize things to make them easier to manage. Having unique communities that federate based on need and shared projects leads to more resilient, creative, and emergent societies.
Anti-hierarchy, domination, and coercion: revolutions have to be led by the people, for the people. Forcing a mode of operation onto others is a non-starter. Freedom with subjugation is no freedom at all.
Liberty: people should be free to live how they want, so long as those desires don’t harm others. Matters should be decided with a maximal preference for that balance.
Free Association: all relations should be voluntary. No one should have the power to force a relationship, whether it’s for work, play, or community.
Solidarity Economies: programs, organizations, and projects that prioritize the well-being of the community over other concerns.
Diversity as Power: intersectional understanding of different identities people hold and how that informs their experiences being alive. Along with this, a recognition that the diversity of experiences heightens the chance for emergent solutions to problems.
Levels of Organization
Organizing at different scales.
Affinity Groups: a small group that’s tightly knit and focused on very specific alignment. Similar thoughts on issues, and similar interests in projects and actions.
Communes/Neighborhood Pods: connecting with people in your geographical vicinity, uniting on shared issues to be solved, moreso than shared ideology.
Organizations (platform orgs, ideological orgs, social orgs): Groups trying to change the world for the better. There would be platform orgs that contribute to ideological orgs and social orgs to provide cohesion between different projects and strengthen community resilience through federation within the community and its disparate projects.
Prisons: writing letters to prisoners and creating specific programs to abolish the modern-day slave complex that is the prison system.
Schools and Educational Bodies: creating revolutionary unions for students, staff, and faculty, and making efforts to gain direct democratic control of education.
Workplaces (Unions and Cooperatives): starting revolutionary syndicates for traditional workplaces, and starting directly democratic, horizontally run businesses.
Cities/Counties: tying all of the above things together through assemblies to have citizens directly decide on things that affect the whole city/county geographical area.
Regions: tying multiple cities/counties together, making decisions on projects that affect the region (big infrastructure and the like). This will still be directly democratic. The people who are affected by the decision will be the ones to come to the decision.
"Nations": tying multiple regions together to make very large decisions that affect the whole landmass.
Those're pretty much the areas that I'm thinking about. Am I missing anything?
#solarpunk#social ecology#social revolution#revolution#change the system#change the world#change things#climate solutions#climate action#direct action#climate change#ecology
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As much as you love the fact that humans are a sociable and communal species, I'm sure you're going to love the Angara.
Their society is based on the expression of emotions, being open and governed by well-being, not only physical and social but also psychological.
They have huge families where they are not even related by blood. And when a new couple forms, they literally merge the families' surnames.
You're absolutely right on the money! The more I'm learning about angara the more I'm falling in love with them.
The fact they wear their hearts on their sleves but are never naive. The fact they are so emotional intelligence and consider it the norm to voice their feelings out loud even if it causes disagreements because it let's people work through it.
Humanity is a constant masquerade, all the invisible tests and social cues. The angara literally defy a lot of the things we have stubbornly latched on into because of our fears.
We play hard to get, we lie about our feelings, we isolate and ghost people rather than face then head on. We downplay how much we love someone, we rarely hand out compliments.
We consider the first person who says "I love you" in a relationship to be the losing one. Love is war in humans. A constant test and guesswork.
So for the angara to come and simply...speak everything out loud? Without fear of embarrassment or rejection? It will intimidate so many humans.
The way Jaal complimented Peebee so openly and Cora tried to make him embarrassed about it but his only reaction was to compliment her too and she fell silent. We have to be constantly under 13 layers of irony to function, otherwise we die from embarrassment and shame.
Fuck when Jaal talked about having many mothers, I melted in my chair. Not only are they so beautiful looking with skin that reminds of galaxy and stars as their white markings, but they are so filled with love for each other.
Because at the end of the day, love is why any of us even bothers living. Be it love for one's children, or love for your passion work. Even love for another or simple love like videogames or dogs.
If love didn't exist, life wouldn't be worth living. We want to live and not just survive, we fall in love with the universe, art, concepts, and people constantly.
But none of us speaks it. And none of the speices in mass effect are bold enough to confess it. The closest ones were the humans with their enthusiasm and clear burning passion but even then, we let out actions speak our love rather than our words.
So, for the angara to come and achieve everything we've written millions of psychology guides for just naturally? The fact there was a couple clearly hugging each other and confessing their love inside the military resistance base so openly and their commander never barked at them to let go or stop? It's truly the alienating experience.
I envy them man. They have the social structures that humanity wished it had, constantly dreamed about but could never commit to. Because of our pride, our ego and fears.
I like to think the reason Ryder agrees to help the angara so much, not just to earn their trust but because humans see the angara and immediately have this urge to protect them.
They're so beautiful inside and out, so filled with love and acceptance for one another. So interested in their own community and safety. Fuck, the fact they need the sun to thrive is so poetic, they're like this beautiful garden of roses amidst such harsh environments. Of course, humans are gonna build a greenhouse to keep them alive during the winter. Are you kidding?
humans are such simps for these things.
Also, it is funny how the Angara and Protheons are on extreme opposite poles of one another.
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Love Tractor Eps 5 & 6 Stray Thoughts
Last week, Ye Chan taught Sun Yeol how to pick strawberries and then they held a class for kids. Sun Yeol is not good with kids and was super rude to a girl who already felt isolated from her peers. She ran away, but Sun Yeol found her and injured himself while trying to help her (even though he was the one who further alienated her). Ye Chan and the community rallied to take care of Sun Yeol while he was injured, and our poor farmer got his little heart broken when he learned that Sun Yeol maybe has a lover in Seoul.
Episode 5
Oh good. Ye Chan only had a partial blackout. I don’t like when characters don’t remember anything.
Still a fan of the village head. Recommending that Ye Chan back off of Sun Yeol if he’s taken is the right advice.
It’s actually very fun for Ye Chan to rush to Sun Yeol when he calls for help, because Sun Yeol asking for help seems like a big step for him.
Oh ho! A hot boy has arrived!
Alright, fuck Sun Yeol’s dad. He broke up two gay musicians and forced his son to give up music. You also slap your son in public like this?
I feel bad for Inseo. He found a creator he admired and grew close to him. The Koreans are determined to give me second lead syndrome.
Ope. Inseo moved on. What in The Red Violin (1998) is going on with this emotional whiplash this episode?
I love how obviously Ye Chan’s feelings emanate from him. I like seeing characters who never needed to learn to mask.
I don’t care for Inseo. Kindness costs so little. There’s no need to be rude.
This show is getting as bad as Thailand with the dramatic changes in lighting between scenes. It’s suddenly night time?
Even the doctor is mad about Inseo being here. He said, “Where’s big gay man who was taking care of you? This twink looks unreliable.”
That’s right, Ye Chan! Don’t let that mean twink convince Sun Yeol to go back to Seoul!
Episode 6
Ye Chan’s mom is so intense. She’s not the sit around and chat about our feelings type, I guess.
I like him telling Ye Chan to go inside and wait. I thrive on hope.
This breakup scene is pretty affective even with how little time we’ve spent with them. They both gave up things to be together and it just didn’t work.
Timeline is a bit hard to track, but it seems like they haven’t seen in each other in a while.
Big fan of the “sweat yourself into exhaustion so you can rest” approach. It’s the best part about volunteering for me.
Okay, Village Head, I see you and your veiled insinuations.
It’s a party!
It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes!
Oh BL dream sequences, my belothed. At least this one was obvious.
Ye Chan is so helplessly gay. I love him.
Look at our brave farmer admitting his feelings even if he’s scared!
Okay, I will say I really liked the way Inseo was used this episode as a warm up for dealing with the dad stuff before the end of this. This show is actually pretty cute.
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how do aspects of western culture create the conditions for wide spread disease? first, we have to dispel the myths of individualism vs collectivism. the argument of people from western cultures are inherently more individualistic is a farce. the very fact that many individuals seek outlets for altruism, though they may be flawed and difficult to make real change through, even when we live in a system that rewards anti-social behaviors such as resource hoarding and deception for personal gain, is some proof of that. individualism is a capitalist concept - the idea that personal advancement and enrichment is reliant on the self - self independence, self esteem, self interest - and though this may be the case in capitalist societies where a focus on the self is rewarded and collective action is punished, is it really fair then to say that the people are inherently more this-or-that when the very structures our lives depend on, rely on our ability to function as socially isolated, nonempathetic beings? certainly to survive and thrive in such a world many people have to “turn off” the parts of their brains that lead to pro-social behavior.
so, we have a culture that discourages collective action, so much so that attempts to self-establish community care by staying at home while sick usually end in us losing our jobs — even though those of us who do fight to stay home while sick do not usually have enough of a support system to stay at home in the first place, as the ruling class wrings us dry. it is more important for us to make money for the ruling class than it is for us to have a healthy and enriched life. that is the end of the question of, why isn’t anything changing as far as the amount of multiple global pandemic catastrophies since the inception of violent white supremacist and capitalist colonization.
our government legitimizes leaders who don’t believe in science, and they make decisions for communities they aren’t a part of. businesses have become somewhat “apolitical” entities who have some levels of immunity to law, since we know state law is not a suitable measure of accountability.
fighting through the law as a means of “regaining our rights” simple is an overdone conversation, and it has been for over a century. we must be the own arbiters of our fates - the information we and our neighbors recieve (education), the measures of care we provide for each other (mask blocs, no strings attached mutual aid to get through periods without income during quarantines, providing each other with medical care), our ability to fight for the people we love - these are the real things that matter.
this is going to be an extremely active, long-term effort. the HIV/AIDS fight lasted for arguably over 50 years. COVID doesn’t have to keep killing us for that long.
#covid conscious#long covid#covid 19#covid pandemic#pandemic#disability#disability rights#activism#hiv aids#social critique
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( krysten ritter. cis woman. she/her. ) ⸺ Ꮺ ⋆ greetings, buffalos ! walking around campus, sporting her MISMATCHED ARGYLE SOCKS we’ve spotted ABILENE CRICKET, a FORTY-SIX year old who contributes to our thriving community as a HEAD GUARD. according to our intel, they’ve been around the sanctuary for ELEVEN YEARS and what we know about her, aside from the fact that they do agree with the decision to close the gates, is that she presses wildflowers between old textbooks and frames them to trade ; during her blunder years, she was big into the nu-metal scene. she’d give anything to find korn’s life is peachy ; her hearing seems to diminish more and more each passing month. one day, this facade will get her or somebody else killed–but she’d deny this. she’ll defend this place until her dying breath. doesn’t that make them fantastic ? we think it does, and that’s why we appreciate her so much, grateful for what they give to our community.
TW: weapons, alcohol use, ptsd
abilene, abilene, prettiest town i’ve ever seen. women there don’t treat you mean in abilene, my abilene was what was playing on the radio just moments after she was born. it was one of the first moments of peace her parents felt in years. as the oldest of her four siblings, she was brought into the world when there was still a little naivety left in their eyes. a naivety that didn’t last long. see, abilene grew up an army brat. her father moved around, city to city, banking on having a boy that could follow in his footsteps–but that day never came. all of that added responsibility of having child after child was discarded onto her shoulders. she had been cooking, cleaning, and walking her siblings to school before she escaped the single digits. but, on the rare occasion her father remembered to treat her like his child and not his helpmate, they went hunting. between being a student herself (boasting a 4.2 gpa) and a third parent to her three sisters, these trips would be the only thing she felt she could look forward to. it was on one of these trips that her dad suggested she join the military herself. it was almost out of nowhere—she had expected him to say something more akin to ‘homemaker, teacher, baker’ but he had other plans. he lamented about his father and his father before him being disappointed, ashamed even, of their military history ending with him. she saw tears in his eyes for the first time. instantly, her plans to apply to college evaporated into thin air. abilene’s life shifted faster than she could ever begin to fathom. she would go on to join the army and her life would never be the same.
the military put her through hell, but nobody was better at taking shit than she was. this attitude continued as she trained and served through the end of the 90s and the early 2000s, even seeing combat in iraq as a k9 handler–which she lovingly referred to as a bomb squad on four legs. the things she saw in that country made her reconsider everything her father told her. she had finally been convinced that what she was experiencing was not a sign of virtue, nor was it a legacy that should ever be continued. the more tragedy she saw, the angrier she felt. it jaded her, this dark side of humanity that she’d only see more of in the years to come. the blood and gore she saw daily was something the men in her family never went into detail about. they never mentioned the amount of lives lost, or what it could do to a person. it began to interrupt her sleep. her eating habits. the way she spoke and how she went about her day. sometimes, she’d just find herself crying, breaking down, screaming bloody murder. apropos of absolutely nothing. nobody, especially the men she worked with, seemed to care about how isolating it all was. it reached a point where she couldn’t get out of her bed. this, eventually, left her with an other than honorable discharge; a fact that would devastate her parents once she came back home with no prospects and a prescription for zoloft. her mother, who seemed to rarely speak more than a few words to her, told her that she came back even more useless than when she left. she told her that a man would never want her now, not in the state she’s in. her father, on the other hand, didn’t know what to say. every conversation began to feel stale and awkward, like she was living with a stranger. despite the vitriol she got from her parents on a day to day basis, she spent most of her time going between waitressing gigs, drinking at the local bar with her coworkers, and taking her own damn self hunting.
in 2011, she had saved up enough money for an apartment of her own. finally, abilene would have that independence she was convinced was out of reach for her. this would last her a good seven months, right up until the shit hit the fan. there was death in numbers she hadn’t seen since iraq but this time, she didn’t have a team with her. her parents were unreachable, her siblings scattered to the four winds long ago, and again–she was alone. that’s when she decided to make her way to the rockies. for a year, without a single person by her side for more than a week, she survived in the colorado mountains with her wits and everything she could find along the way. this isn’t to say it wasn’t difficult, no, it was the hardest thing she had done in her life. being truly and completely alone, pulling triggers, surviving on only what the world could provide her with. it took her a year to come down from her post in the mountains, hobbling down tired and cold, trying to find the closest sign of life. eventually, she was found by one of the original members of the sanctuary and taken under their wing. she observed a sense of community she had never had a chance to experience before. as time passed and she assimilated into the culture of the camp, she was imbued with another reason to keep fighting. her military background made her a perfect candidate for the watchtower team, and this tenacity that she carried for ensuring the safety of everybody in her new home was what led her to rise through the ranks and become the head guard. besides, they didn’t need to know about her discharge or her predisposition towards blowing up in fear or anger. she’s trusted, she’s esteemed–she feels powerful. not because she has her boot atop the throats of those less fortunate, but because she gets to do the saving; and nothing will ever come close to that feeling.
DETAILS AND HEADCANONS
through all three decades of her experience using firearms regularly she seldom used ear protection. usually, it was something her father left behind on their hunting trips, and the use of ear protection wasn’t mandated in the army at that point. it’s not an easy thing to find in the apocalypse either. so, as time passed, she noticed some things getting harder to hear. she’d strain to listen during quiet conversations, certain noises from her day-to-day life had completely faded into distant memory. she tries to ignore it. she focuses on her duties, her crafts, her long-since abandoned passion for music–anything but her hearing and what it might mean for the future of her position. what is she to the people around her if not a leader?
her parents are both from the hollers of appalachia, but she considers herself to be from all over. her dad had to move posts every three years, so she’s moved from virginia, to hawaii, to texas and everywhere in between. basically, the chances of your muse knowing abilene from high school are low … but never zero.
she is kind of really piss poor at making friends. like, it was never a priority for her when she was younger because she’d always end up moving. the closest friends she had were the people she met in the army. she’s really good at making acquaintances, but she needs a little push before she can really start to break down her walls and trust you. i’m sure though, since she’s been here for like 11 years, she has some friends. even with the people she’s close to, she’s rather soft-spoken. more of a listener, always ready to help with advice or a shoulder to cry on, and loyal to a fault.
abilene used to be really into making music. she was a marching band kid, a percussionist. on her sixteenth birthday, she bought herself a guitar. she was pretty good too. she’d play all of her favorite korn songs. she often thought about going to school for music before her father convinced her to join the army.
secretly she’s very crafty. sometimes she embroiders, sometimes she’ll knit, but she loves pressing and framing flowers. her quarters are covered in them. she trades the extras she makes for other art, snacks, and liquor.
#( * ; ABILENE / INTRO !#survivors.intro#tw weapons#tw alcohol use#tw ptsd#one down one to go#bear w me gang
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The Unending Battle: Living with a Mysterious Illness
Shaina Tranquilino
December 16, 2023
Living with a mysterious illness is an experience that can only be truly understood by those who have gone through it. It is a constant roller coaster ride of uncertainty, frustration, and exhaustion. For the past 12 years, I have been plagued by this enigmatic condition that has gradually taken over my life. Today, I want to share my story and reach out to others who may be facing similar challenges.
The Journey Begins:
At the age of 18, life took an unexpected turn for me. What started as occasional bouts of sickness soon escalated into a daily battle against countless symptoms. Doctors' offices, hospitals, and specialist visits became my second home as I desperately sought answers to the mystery that had consumed my existence.
A Never-Ending Cycle:
Each passing year brought new ailments and symptoms that ravaged my body and mind. Insomnia robbed me of much-needed restorative sleep while low energy levels left me perpetually drained. Hot flashes and sweating made even simple tasks unbearable, while the absence of a menstrual cycle added further confusion to the equation.
Endless Symptom Burden:
The laundry list of symptoms seemed never-ending. Intense stomach cramps, loss of appetite despite efforts to eat, persistent nausea, and diarrhea turned eating into a dreaded chore. My dental health deteriorated rapidly with decaying teeth becoming yet another complication.
As if these physical struggles weren't enough, black spots in my vision triggered worry while hair loss shattered my self-esteem. Mouth sores, rashes on various parts of my body including my face, eyelids, and ears, acne outbreaks - all added insult to injury.
Daily Challenges:
Simple activities like swallowing food or drinks became arduous tasks accompanied by pain. Muscles and joints constantly throbbed with discomfort; every step felt like traversing treacherous terrain.
Navigating Life's Obstacles:
Living with an enigmatic illness demands resilience and adaptability. Coping mechanisms became a vital part of my daily routine, helping me navigate through the darkest moments. Emotional support from loved ones and connecting with others facing similar struggles online have been invaluable sources of strength.
The Power of Connection:
While this blog post is an expression of vulnerability, it also serves as a plea for connection. The internet has proven to be a powerful tool in bringing together individuals who share similar experiences. By sharing our stories, we can create a community where empathy, understanding, and knowledge thrive.
A Call for Support:
To those reading this post, I humbly ask for your love and support. If you or someone you know has encountered a mysterious illness resembling the symptoms I've described, please reach out to me. Let us join forces in seeking answers, advocating for ourselves, and shedding light on these often-neglected conditions.
Living with a mysterious illness is an overwhelming experience that leaves one feeling isolated, frustrated, and exhausted. It challenges every aspect of life - physical health, mental well-being, relationships, and future aspirations. Nevertheless, by sharing our stories and uniting in solidarity, we can find solace in knowing that we are not alone in this struggle. Together, let us strive for answers while supporting each other along the way.
#mysterious illness journey#chronic battle#health mystery#invisible struggle#unseen warrior#living with uncertainty#medical mystery#never ending fight#hidden illness warrior#health challenge#uncharted territory#invisible warrior#endless journey#health quest#living without answers#undiagnosed struggle#persistent hope#mystery illness awareness#daily warfare#navigating uncertainty#mystery illness
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December 5, 2023
Hey there, beautiful souls!
Welcome to this little corner of inspiration and support. I'm a soon-to-be 33-year-old mom of two incredible kiddos. My oldest is a joyful and curious 2-year-old, and my youngest is a 9 month old with a laugh that could light up the darkest of rooms.
I've created this blog as a safe haven to share my journey through motherhood, with all its ups, downs, and everything in between. My deepest desire is to raise not only happy and healthy children but also to navigate this path of self-discovery and growth as a mother. It's a path that often leads us to feeling lost and disconnected from who we once were.
As a mom, it's easy to lose a part of ourselves in the daily struggles and challenges, feeling isolated and unsure of how to reconnect with the person we used to be. It's an overwhelming battle, but I've come to realize that every experience, every challenge, and every moment of doubt, has the potential to be transformative.
My hope is that this blog serves as a source of inspiration, encouragement, and comfort for all the moms out there who may be feeling the same way. I want you to know that you are not alone in this journey. We may face struggles, but we are stronger than we realize, and we are capable of incredible things.
In addition to sharing my experiences and challenges, I also want to connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for embracing a slower, more intentional lifestyle. I'm passionate about minimalism, sustainable living, and exploring the mystical aspects of life. I believe that by sharing our stories and supporting each other, we can create a community where we can thrive, grow, and find joy in the journey of being a mom.
So, if you're a mom who feels lost, overwhelmed, or isolated, I invite you to join me on this transformative journey. Let's embrace each other's struggles and triumphs, find inspiration in our shared experiences, and build a community that celebrates the beauty and strength of motherhood.
Thank you for being a part of this incredible adventure - together, let's find our way back to ourselves and create a life filled with purpose, joy, and connection.
Remember
You are not alone, and you are loved.
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being alive is fucking wild
idk who said this on this stupid blue website but someone once said that were all skyscrapers of information trying not to crash into each other
and the more I live the more I see just how fucking true that is
and then I think about the systems we have in place that brought us here
the ways that people with power exerted that power over others to try and make life feel like more than it is
like.... imagine if instead of Europeans killing off natives with their nasty ass habits and diseases, instead, a disease that native people had, killed off every European that made it to our shores
THEN how would human history have developed? without a continent dedicated to imperialism and exerting power over others??
I like to think that native teachings would have thrived
I like to think that maybe when we figured out how to take care of immediate danger, we would thrive
instead of developing a world where your emotions are suppressed and squashed due to the culture built off of suffering of the many for the luxury of a few, wouldn't it be nice to just...
live?
truly truly live
bills don't exist
you have clean water, food, shelter, electricity, and internet
the community takes care of you and you take care of your community when you can
and the rest is just.....
up to you
theres a reason why the cliché of "life is what you make of it" exists
so people would have the opportunities to pursue what makes themselves happy
or make a miserable lives for themselves, dealing with whatever consequences may come
but they'll be alive to make new decisions
they won't have to make mistakes from being worried sick about how to survive in a world where community is being strangled right before our eyes
idk
thats my utopia
everyone has their basic needs met
if people are assholes, they dont have the power to make other people's lives miserable with their own unhappiness
basically; my utopia is you get to hang out with whoever you want
if someone sucks you can just fuckin leave
they can't control your shelter, clean water, food, electricity, or internet
and if they find themselves alone with no one that wants to be around them, they need to do some haaaaaaard soul searching
I just wanna hang out for a living man
why is that so hard
it shouldn't be
but im hopeful, that one day it won't be hard
were at a point in human history we've never been at before
more connected than ever, yet more isolated because of systems before us out of our control
but
those systems were made by people
so why can't we change it?
#i am thinking so much#i had to vent#ive been thinking a lot about this#i really just wanna hang out and have what i need and pursue whatever interests me#thats been my life for a couple months#and i dont think ive ever been happier#my life is so weird#i moved out of an abusive house when i was 20 but i grew up a lot this year#and i see my mom was truly truly trying her best in a system that targeted who she was and tried to shame the culture out of her#because of systems beyond her control#id like to think id do better if i was in her shoes#but the truth is#i didnt go to a boarding school#i havent lived her life#i bet my mom was so scared at that school that shamed her native language out of her and made her learn how to braid with a dirty mop#she didnt deserve that#no one does#just wondering who we all could be if we didnt have these systems weighing us down#thank for listening to the rant!!!#i can talk so much sometimes#my schtuff
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harlequinventi's coven
˚ · • the world needs change. there's rampant loneliness, isolation and trauma in the world. there's a need to recover our bond with Sacred Nature. there's a need to treat each ethnicity, religion and ideological group with equity. the world needs change, and change can start with you. do you want to be in a coven for nurturing leaders of their own lives? do you want to be met where you are? neurodivergent queer adults, this server could be for you! ｡⋆ . ° .
★ this is a community-based adult (but nsfw is blacklisted) server focused on practicing kindness, mutual understanding and developing meaningful connections.
★ we hope you'll learn, grow and evolve with us as we journey together, no matter how long your stay. at the very least, we hope you'll have fun and make friends here!
★ we have a separate, locked channel exclusively for bipoc and bipoc closed practices. this channel will be moderated exclusively by the poc server owner in the hopes of being more comfortable. there's a different general locked closed practices channel for white people to talk in.
★ people with did/osdd are most welcome. however, please do not ask for pluralkit.
★ spiritual kinnies are very welcome! we have specific roles for it.
★ we have 100+ optional reaction roles to choose from, including colour roles, general roles, and spiritual roles!
★ we have owo bot and mimu bot to reward you for server participation! you can buy an exclusive role once you have enough custom currency, and even marry your friends! with flower bot, you can grow your own garden!
★ we have plenty of discussion channels/ping roles for a fully customizable experience!
★ you can even be notified for a free weekly oracle reading done by the server owner!
hope to see you blooming and thriving with us! ♡
#discord server link#spiritual server#bipoc server#bipoc spiritual server#queer server#neurodivergent server#sacred nature#free oracle readings#leader mindset#progressive#positive vibes#alice the witch#witch#spiritual#queer#neurodivergent#bipoc#discord server#kinnie server#kinnie#kin#sfw server#sfw#coven
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okay so andor has reached its season finale, and for a show that each week we've all been logging on to rave about how each episode takes us to a new height, this episode was absolutely cinematic in the way that they pulled it off yet again.
this episode really brought together all the elements of the show that made it feel so real, so unfiltered and raw within the lens of the star wars universe. andor has not once held back in its depictions of the fascist acts of the empire, of capitalism and colonialism and of the systems that they all create together and uphold. andor has not once held back in showing us the very real stakes in the rebellion. hell, they had a whole episode on the sacrifices that must be made. we've gotten to see so much setup and growth for the rebellion as we know it and this final episode strings it all together in such an emotional way.
because throughout the show they've been showing us the rise of the rebellion in so many ways. the heist, the prison, the ordinary acts of ordinary people who bond over hatred of the empire. and the reappearance of nemiks manifesto is something im so grateful for because it reminds us just how important these seemingly isolated events are because "...the frontier of the rebellion is everywhere, even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward." and it just drives home that the fight is everywhere, it all means something. that the face of oppression is indeed a fearful and weak mask. a shoddy wall waiting for a stone. it just takes one moment, one shot.
and then we get to ferrix. we get to the funeral and i don't think i have ever seen a better example of just how important community is in the fight against fascism. they walk the streets with colour and music, pushing against the boundaries that had been set for them, coming together to uphold their customs and traditions quite literally in the face of the empire. not backing down and it shows us just how important that is. how they come together to fight together. and the chills i got from maarvas speech, "the empire is a disease that thrives in darkness, it is never more alive than when we sleep." because doesn't that just hit so close to home?
and i think again that those words really just encapsulate the message behind the show and behind star wars as a whole. the fight against the dark. asking us "can you hear us? are you listening? you need to wake up." and it's done with so much love, something else that i've always said is key in star wars. love for community, love for family, love for friends. the unyielding belief in the good of others that we got to see time and time throughout the show as cassian inspires others to keep going while also finding a fight to keep himself going too.
that's all to say that the andor finale was amazing. the show as a whole was spectacular, a feat in storytelling and worldbuilding that, even if it's not your favourite star wars show, elevates all the others by watching it. i can only hope season two is just as good because this show was truly something special.
#star wars#andor#andor series#andor spoilers#mj.chatter#i loved this show so so much#like not only was it a joy to get more of cassian#who is such an interesting and rich character#but the way they grew the star wars universe#giving us that much needed look and reminder in to just how insidious the empire is#and the parallels within our own society#nothing was held back#it was so bleak and dark#yet still so inspiring and carried the heart of star wars#the message of coming together#of rebellion#of hope#of above all remembering to try
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KENERGY: The calm, cool, collected masculine confidence.
Balance in the divine masculine that embraces the boy, the daddy, and the sage.
Accepting others for who and how they are by not placing your expectations on them or writing their stories for them.
Listening to others and taking action. But recognizing what you’re good at and celebrating and sharing it, but more importantly recognizing what OTHERS are better at letting them do what they do best, celebrating them along the way.
Listening to and making our Barbie’s plans come to life by working together, keeping Barbie Land alive & thriving.
Being assertive and actually listening, not forcing your view and expectations but seeing and hearing others possibilities, and building up together.
Decentering yourself and following Barbie’s lead realizing that what’s good for we is good for me.
*If you’ve seen Barbie you understand what toxic KENERGY is, especially as guys are isolated like so many guys are today.
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If a Ken is the ideal guy, a Chad, a Masc/Musc dude, most guys have a love/hate envy of the Kens. Most of us guys are Alans, the othered guys, the nerds, the soft guys, the f*gs, who are made to feel less than for not being the patriarchal stereotype. First and foremost, there is nothing wrong, bad, or less than about being an Alan. We all have an Alan and Ken side to us (and Barbie side too!) that we can use to genuinely connect with others. The patriarchal systems at play, however, have pitted guys against each other and even worse, against women and femininity, shoveling responsibilities onto us that we don’t actually want in a patriarchal world we didn’t consent to taking part in.
I know firsthand just how beautiful the world is when women lead and men follow - thank you to the matriarchs of my family, the matriarchs of my professional life (@SamJung @robyngreen at @StGermainDrinks, @drinksat6 & @IvyMix at @Speed_Rack and now happily in an entirely women led company at @ArcherRooseWines - I’m 1/2 guys!). The common thread I experienced was the practice of “what’s good for everyone is good for me,” which is why we all flourished.
————
My personal Barbie Land is in NYC, and specifically the LGBTQ community. It’s a magnificent prism of beauty, love, strength and power, the flowing spirit between the femme, masc and queer energies.
But to my fellow gay and queer men - we’ve been creating safe spaces for ourselves but by doing so leaving the Barbies and Dolls behind - it’s time to tap into our KENERGY to support the lesbians (masters of KENERGY), the femmes, and the real dolls - our trans siblings- so they can lead the charge within the LGBTQ community. We can all work together to make their magic happen. Let’s practice shine theory to shine our light on what they’re saying and doing. Let’s use our funds not just for put our funds and time towards the mutual aid networks and community-based organizations, not just nightlife and parties, strengthening our rainbow connections. Our Barbie Land is better when we center the folks who truly understand community and have the best abilities and ideas to lead, and we can all have fun while we do it.
————
What we can especially do is support the straight men in our lives, our fellow Kens. There are so many guys who are doing things right and need that love and affirmation from other guys. Check in on the new fathers to make sure they’re ok too! Send your dad flowers. Tell your brothers you love them. Share love with your guys too.
Similarly, it’s time to call in the Kens who lost their way from the joy and wonder of Barbie Land and whose heads are being filled with evil from Fox News and the likes of Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson and Elon Musk. People are products of their surroundings, so we can be the voice of reason for them.
They want to be loved, paid attention to and understood about the pain and loneliness they’re dealing with, but unfortunately society doesn’t set men up for success with processing emotions, communication, and pain. Why do you think mansplaining is such a thing - guys are really only taught how to share facts and knowledge. I’m dealing with all of this personally with the biggest Ken in my life, the man who took me to get Barbies during every visit, my own dad.
————
The best part is we no longer need to be afraid of the other guys in our lives. We aren’t in high school anymore and guys actually like us and want in on our fun too. We just have to meet them at their level, dropping the “already annoyed” reactions to their presence and relate to guys as guys, people as people. The sassy mean girl attitudes we mimic with our girlfriends don’t connect well with dudes. We’re great at being sassy sisters, but how good can we bond with our brothers?
Decentering ourselves and our previous anxieties will create a genuine connection. We THRIVE with our girlies’s boyfriends and husbands. We vibe with our male colleagues. We share workout tips with the gym bros who admire our physiques. We especially do it with each other at the late night pool parties in Fire Island.
————
Guys across the spectrum want buddies, but patriarchy isolates us and pits us against each other, making us feel like we are responsible to do EVERYTHING by ourselves. This prevents us from showing love, care and support for each other because we’re trying to be “better than” everyone else. Let’s be buddies and build each other up because standing by in the shadows has led us to the violent, patriarchal, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic world we live in now. Do we really want this? Is our patriarichal power worth this? Our KENERGY will change that.
Bring that man-bonding, the teamwork, the healthy masculinity, the KENERGY and lead by example connecting with other guys to help make Barbie Land a reality, Barbies, Ken’s, and everyone in between #Kenergy
————
Side note: I am not saying not to be yourself, if you’re Alan, be Alan! We love Alan - but just know you are enough and can tap into whichever energies, whichever sides of yourself to authentically interact with others. Be the Ken/Alan/Barbie/Midge/Weird Barbie that you needed as a kid and share that magic with others. We’re experiencing a paradigm shift, and if we keep sitting back in the shadows letting toxic masculinity run rampant, the patriarchs will do everything they can to maintain power and control of society. If we don’t do it with those closest to us, then who will? If not now, when? We gotta be active participants in our experience and make the world into what we know it can be.
————
Ps guys: the movie was PERFECT. Gay/straight and everything in between - we gotta recognize that we are not centered in the movie and that’s the point. Actually pay attention to the messages in the movie about how much more fun Barbie Land is when the Barbie’s lead and we all work together to bring that reality to life. Understand the effects of patriarchy on Barbie Land, the Ken’s, and on Alan. Decenter yourself and your opinion and listen to what women are saying about the movie and furthermore life. Once you’ve actually listened, asked clarifying questions and actually understand her POV, then engage on your thoughts. Because they likely have shifted once you’ve listened. And that’s the goal.
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Hello Cowboy!
You have a really great blog, seeing your little updates and pictures always brighten my day. Like many, you are the only older lesbian I know, and it is always lovely to see you thriving and just living your life. I never felt like I could have a happy future being a lesbian, which is why it took me so long to accept this part of myself. Growing up, I never had any kind of lesbian role models in my life (I was way too old when I found out lesbians even existed lol), my mom’s childhood friend is a lesbian and she only came out a couple years ago (most people suspected she was one because she’s been unmarried and living with another woman for years, who is quite butch btw). And that woman is indeed her life partner. Anyway my mom’s friend is an older lesbian and she really really despises the younger generation of lgbt people. She makes fun and calls it the lgbtlmnopxyz community, stuff like that. And I was so disappointed when my mom told me, I kinda looked up to her since she’s the only older lesbian I know of. And now I’m scared that when she finds out I’m a lesbian, she’ll think bad things of me too.
Anyway I’ve just been feeling so lonely for a while now. I don’t know any real life lesbians (aside from my mom’s friend) and I don’t know where to find them. I’m closeted to a lot of people (which probably doesn’t help my case lol) because I’m just so terrified of what is out there at the other side of the closet door. I have no guide or role model to show me that it’s okay to be me where I live or to show me where there are people like me. I know you talk about women’s festivals and stuff, but as far as I know, they don’t do that where I’m from (I’m from a little island in the Caribbean). And I’m just so jealous of all the lesbians out there who have friends and community. Sorry for the the little rant, I just don’t have many people to talk about this. But I’m gonna keep pushing through, I’m always searching. I know my people are out here somewhere. In the mean time, your blog and all the other lesbians on here have eased some of that loneliness, so thank you💙
Hello . It saddens me, but also gives me hope, when I hear younger people say that the only older lesbian they see or know who is visibly out and uses the word lesbian.
It makes my heart hurt because I know exactly that feeling of isolation, of not see a future being me because there was no one modelling it for me when I was growing up. At the same time, I have hope because over and over younger lesbians are letting it be known they are seeking lesbian community. Older lesbians are not insignificant, you want to hear our stories. Many older lesbians don't believe they are relevent so they just live a quiet life and figure they youngers are fine without them.
The fact is we can share stories and values of our experience and the younger lesbians can bring enthusiasm and excitment with their ideas and stories.
My suggestion is to talk with your mom's best friend. You don't both have to 100 percent agree on everything to gain some knowledge and information from each other. Many older lesbians get flustered because they fear being a lesbian is not enough anymore, that they will be expected to take on a new identity or use words that they are not connected to to talk about themselves. You can assure her this simply is not true. You can let her know you are just fine, even happy to meet a lesbian who is and uses lesbian. No other disclainers necessary. Fear of being irelevant or sadness at thinking "lesbian" is a thing of the past can cause women to become defensive.
Talk with her openly. Listen to what she has to say. Ask that she just avoid talking about the community and focus on her stories and in turn share with her your feelings. Keeping talking to intimate, individual tales of life and love and experience can benefit the both of you. No need for "others" whether that be the greater community or whats happening in today's world to be involved.
Definitley subscribe to Lesbian Connection. www.LConline.org. They have a PDF version and if you can't pay it is free. There are lots of great shared stories in there and ads for everything from lesbians books and movies to on line and in person gatherings.
Ask your mom's friend is she ever has her lesbian friends over for dinner, could you join. The thing to remember is if you wish her to listen to you, you must listen to her. Her life (off the internet most likey) is dractically different but by the simple fact that you are both lesbians living in this world, you share many things.
Keep looking, even on your small island there are bound to be lesbian meetups and gathering. Try the meet up app or even old fashioned FB. Check with your library about starting a Lesbian book club (unless they are so conservative it might be dangerous). Public libraries in America are almost always open to facilitate small gatherings
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Western elite worships China
An absolute admission of US weakness towards China. While senseless sanctions are being rushed through against Russia just because the sheep are morally upset with Putin (whereas they see other autocracies as perfectly fine obviously…), China is being treated with kid gloves and even ass kissed.
Rationally, there is absolutely no reason to have Russia as an enemy. They never did anything to us, our economy even benefited greatly from Russian raw materials and markets. The real reason is not this shitty piece of land that lies between Poland and Russia, but the expansion of US supremacy in Europe and the artificial shortage of raw materials in the sense of WEF's green ideology.
The truth is, the Western elites love China as the experimental laboratory of the NWO and would like to see a similar system in their own countries with themselves at the top. Of course, this mishmash of predatory capitalism with party communism is not as clumsy as "in the realm of the red dragon", but coming along in a climate-neutral rainbow adaptation, where people are hysterically wrapped in cotton wool, well isolated from each other, to make them easier to control as work and consumer slaves.
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It’s so much worse than I thought.
I didn’t remember all the details.
Roshi wasn’t just traumatized, he’s the first character in the series we meet to have survived an apocalyptic scenario the likes of which only Mirai Trunks has experienced.
Nononono, listen.
Piccolo Daimao terrorized the planet for years after his first fight with Mutaito; only after having isolated himself in intensive training did Roshi’s master develop the Mafūba that finally rid the Earth of the threat at the cost of his life.
Humanity had been pushed to the brink of extinction. Roshi had to bury his master, see to it that Piccolo would never resurface to see the light of day again, and then manually spread word across what pockets of mankind remained that the demons were gone.
This is in an era that predated the Briefs family, or at least their genius, and Korin’s Senzu beans; no capsules, probably no hovercars or phones, no way to provide proof to anyone that the evil had been vanquished, no magic to heal him, not even a companion to travel the world with as he licked his wounds. He was driven away more than once;
“He’s in league with the monsters! Drive him away; they want us to lower our guard!”
“No, no, I swear it’s true, he’s gone!”
“GET OUT OF HERE, YOU... YOU TRAITOR!”
People were too afraid to believe at first; even when, after a stretch of peace, they were willing to listen, Roshi still had to bear the weight of helping rebuild under the rueful eyes of orphaned children, of those who missed loved ones who’d been killed and asked Why couldn’t you have saved them?!
One day, Roshi would look back and be glad that anyone had come out of that terrible era with the spirit and strength left to still be angry, but that time only came decades later; in the moment, he has no answer, because he’s still grieving himself.
If the timeline of the events prior to Dragon Ball are to be believed, he’s also in his twenties, thirty at most.
He and Shen are quasi-immortals walking an Earth that’s slow in recovering, decades out from thriving the way it might have prior to Piccolo’s reign. The two of them can’t help but cross paths over the decades; Shen bitter, hateful, Roshi lost and wrestling with himself to preserve the teachings of his master.
They fight; once like Kuririn and Goku, the deterioration of their friendship isn’t quick or painless, but a slow decay; Roshi can’t abide by Shen’s bastardization of martial arts into assassination techniques, Shen can’t help scoffing at Roshi’s sentimentality. Where Roshi’s resentment all flows inward, Shen directs his outward, at the world, deciding in his fury that he has the right to be as hateful and cruel as he deems fit.
They hurt each other, only with words at first; Shen holds too much begrudging respect for Roshi as the only other martial artist that faced Piccolo and survived, Roshi clinging too much to the friendship that once was to do more than disagree with how Shen handles their master’s death.
At times, they manage to even emulate what once was; they pull pranks, raise a mythical beast; for but a small time, their sense of fun overlaps.
That doesn’t last.
No one knows who says what, or which of them breaks that tentative understanding that they wouldn’t come to blows; only that they do, and after that, fighting is the only way they communicate when they run into each other.
And the day eventually comes when they don’t even have that; Roshi realizes, looking at Shen, who has earned the title in seedier, darker circles of Tsuru Sen’nin, has become little better than a hostile stranger that Roshi doesn’t even recognize.
They go out of their way to avoid each other after that; Hell, they’re both respective masters. It’s easy enough to do.
Not that it doesn’t hurt.
That break in their friendship doesn’t happen quickly, though, and Roshi has to watch the world come back together while his spirit is still at sea, still weighed down by his sin of being alive.
He happens upon the sacred land of Korin purely by chance; the natives recognize in him almost immediately his weariness and fatigue of violence and label him a non-threat.
“You have lost much.”
“You can tell?”
“Anyone with eyes could. Besides, these days, it is rarer to meet anyone who has not lost.”
His unintentional trespass is forgiven, not because the natives are inherently noble, simply because the world is broken and is especially wanting for kindness. Roshi passes perhaps a day or two in their company, perhaps shares his sad story, before he asks about the looming tower.
“It predates anyone alive by centuries; many have tested themselves trying to climb it, but few can claim success.”
Roshi thinks on what more he could’ve done, of the possibility that his master might have survived if only he’d been that much stronger.
He makes the climb.
What passes between him and the immortal cat no one knows, but he’s a little nearer to whole when he’s through, sturdier, stronger... he’s more prepared this time to venture into the world again. He manages a smile when he parts way with the natives, flies on Kinto’un to find people who might need help and practice his martial arts in the name of defending innocent lives; not quite happy yet purposeful.
That bough breaks anew when those with a more natural lifespan begin to die around him.
Roshi still isn’t well equipped to cope well with death; the realization that, if he continues interacting with the world, he’ll have to witness death even he, whose name has been murmured alongside titles such as the God of Martial Arts, cannot prevent.
Time begins to pass differently for him, then, as he doesn’t stay in one place for too long at a time, keen on avoiding too much attachment to any one place or group of friends.
It’s around the time that martial arts has experienced enough a resurgence as to be celebrated again in the form of the Tenkaichi Budokai, for the horror that was the war against Piccolo Daimao and his demons to pass into the stuff of bedtime stories and legends, that people tentatively start seeking him out for tutelage.
And Roshi’s conflicted; on the one hand, does he deserve to call himself a Master as Mutaito was to him? On the other, how better could he honor his master’s legacy than to pass on his own teachings?
Gohan and Ox-King are the ones fortunate enough to break the stalemate in Roshi’s conscience.
The results, decades on, are the last straw that drive him into a life of more or less permanent solitude. Utterly alone with no trace of human interaction or any reason to even use Kinto’un with access to capsules, water he can filter, and entertainment he chose without much thought, the isolation of many decades nonetheless... gets to him.
Until one, unsuspecting day, his friend Turtle, having gone missing many weeks ago, suddenly reappears with talk of a kind, spiky-haired child...
#Roshi#Muten Roshi#Master Roshi#Dragonball#Dragon Ball#DBZ#There's a narrative hiding in the crumbs Toriyama left out#He didn't use it#But it's THERE#Just waiting to be grabbed#Not a fic#Thoughts#Brainworm#Anime#Animanga#Manga#Minor character#Thrown into the void#Bruce talks about
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LFM for TCOBAC (Looking for more for The Citadel of Blossom and Calamity) is built around World of Warcraft’s game play. World of Warcraft is a widely popular multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) video game. It is played online within a virtual environment that enables players to interact with each other. Humanity has collectively spent more than 50 billions hours playing this game.
LFM for TCOBAC is a critical repurposing, it appropriates elements of the game that are manifested from ‘virtuality’ to ‘reality’. It represents a facet for a broader interest in internet culture, video games and complicit technologies. As users we are implicated and rightly concerned with how the latter thrives within the trajectory of debilitating capitalism and deterministic sciences.
Technologies shape our relationship to the world. They reify our vision. And eventually they affect our brain and body structures. The Internet and online video games hinge on a technology called Information and Communication Technology (ICT). As these technologies are ever-faster developing, we lack retrospective time and adequate conceptual tools to reflect upon these technologies.
The internet itself is physical. It is composed of fiber optics cables, satellites and huge warehouses filled with heating computers. The direct ecological consequences of these are dire in terms of the material waste that they produce: the overproduction of electronics, the desolation of marine habitats, and the electricity needed to maintain these facilities and to keep servers from overheating.
It’s even more difficult to grasp the implications of making this physical, material network invisible to which humanity is at this point deeply wired. We have dispatched parts of it so far up in the sky, and others so deep in the ocean. Looking up, we think we behold mere blinking stars. Looking into the seas, we think that we merely behold thick water. And yet networks, invisible to us, are staked out in either domain.
The online network hides the body as well. You pretty much surf on the web bodiless. The body may still be involved either through a compressed voice, a lagging image or through alter egos and emojis. As it wires humanity, ICT also isolates us. From each other, from ourselves. Sometimes it feels like the Internet is fed up with solitude. It is keeping us away from the world by replacing it with commodities, simulations and artifices.
Text by Paul-Émile Bertonèche
14 - 28 May, 2022, Sub Rosa space, Athens, Greece
Curated by Paul-Émile Bertonèche
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