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#the biases inherent in the way it's shown to us?
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i know a big point of contention in this fandom is Ed's Anger. but the thing is that it's rlly hard for this to be an "agree to disagree" issue because the sides are like:
edward teach does have anger issues. in the show he becomes disproportionately and irrationally angry, and he expresses that anger in harmful and unacceptable ways. saying ed doesn't have anger issues is flattening a complex indigenous character for the sake of respectability politics.
edward teach does not have anger issues. every instance of ed's anger in the show is proportionate to the situation he is experiencing and ed is shown to be capable of controlling his anger. the way ed expresses his anger is normal and acceptable within the fictional comedy universe he exists in. saying that ed does have anger issues reflects implicit biases about men of color being inherently and exceptionally angry and violent.
and like, i've rewatched this show a billion fucking times at this point. i've seen these scenes more times than i can count. never, at any point, did i think ed's on-screen expressions of anger were indicative of anger issues. i have always considered ed's anger to be reasonable. even in the brief period of time before i began engaging with this fandom, i did not think ed had anger issues. i was surprised to find out that some people believe he does.
i just. i have a hard time, after watching this show over and over again and finding ed's anger to be a reasonable response to some very difficult situations, seeing people say they think those reasonable responses are indicative of anger issues. i've heard the arguments, and i just don't agree. and the question of why i don't agree really comes down to: am i subconsciously over-correcting for racial stereotypes and flattening the complexity of a character of color, or are other people reading ed's anger as more extreme than it is due to subconscious racial bias?
and that's. really not a question i think any of us are ever going to be able to answer.
EDIT 7/8/23: A QUICK POST ABOUT THIS POST
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emmellas · 20 days
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a few points ...
1. 'poor things' is only "a porno" if your own patriarchal gaze inhibits and degrades her down to a sex object. bella views all experiences in her life as holding equal weight in that they are informative to her, whether good or bad, and she has an insatiable desire for knowledge. "if i know the world, i can improve it."
2. bella would fiercely resist her story being depicted in a way that censors anything as to her and any person who has the capacity to see her AS a person, sex is a part of her life, she has no shame about it, and would want it all shown honestly. you see, this film isn't told how you want it told, which is likely unfairly biased by social onuses. it's told how bella would want it told as telling a story about a woman in a way that ensnares her in the very confines she spends the entire time resisting wouldn't be very liberating, now would it?
3. the pearl clutching with the nudity is inherently sexist because you are blaming a woman- fictional and her real life counterpart, whose role and agency as a producer you insidiously deny- for a man's putrid views. you really think men (or anyone who harbors patriarchal views) viewing women as objects is going to change if they have clothing on or not? it's victim blaming.
i always am disheartened when i hear emma and yorgos, in poor things promotional content, talk about how society is a nasty place but they're hopeful the world is ready to see bella's story. unfortunately, it seems many weren't, but it was never about you, anyway. it was about removing the unjust societal conditioning that holds us- not just as women but as people- prisoner and allowing a woman to experience life on her own terms. i'd suggest asking yourself why this bothers you so much, if applicable. it would seem a little introspection could do you good.
it should be the goal of all to improve, progress, grow. perhaps the film can serve as impetus to those who desperately need to with regard to their own biases.
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that-ari-blogger · 4 months
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Medusa, A Myth Set In Stone?
CW: Mention of sexual assault.
Medusa is possibly the single most iconic monster from Ancient Greek Mythology. To the point where if you are writing a story drawing from that history, you need to namedrop her at least once. Stray Gods: The Role Playing Musical includes her as a character, although that's actually a confusing addition.
Stray Gods is about family, and trauma, and choice, and Medusa doesn't have a direct link to that. Does she? We'll get back to this.
Medusa's mythology is varied, and adaptations pick and choose elements to include. So, this post will take a look at how Stray Gods goes about adapting her to fit its themes and narrative. But I'd like to examine the musical in comparison to another take on the character that I found fascinating. One Piece, and Boa Hancock.
Let me explain.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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The first thing to point out about Medusa is that she's not a historical figure, she's a mythological one. So there is no exact character to draw on. Also, because Ancient Greece was such a diverse place, the myth has also diversified.
So, lets start with what we know. Medusa has snakes for hair. Well... no. In his Theogony, Hesiod described her and her sisters as women with snakes hanging from their belts.
She had sisters? Yes. Two of them. They were all the daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, both primordial sea deities.
I've found references to older stories in which she couldn't petrify people, only kill them. But these references are dubious and do not cite their sources. Which is frustrating.
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This all leads to Ovid, who wrote Metamorphoses. And before I explain his take on this, I need to point out his biases. Ovid was a Roman poet who lived until the 1st century AD (notably seven centuries after Medusa's first reference), and he was exiled from Rome during the writing of his most famous work, according to Britanica.
As such, Metamorphoses has a tendency to either embellish or completely make up features of stories, as well as being noticeably anti-authoritarian and anti-deity. The gods in Metamorphosis are more callous than usual. For example, this is the book in which the usually level-headed Athena turns a lady into a spider, simply for addressing Zeus' infidelity.
The point is: In my opinion, Ovid seems to have gone out of his way to make the gods and goddesses of ancient Greek mythology seem as cruel and impersonal as possible.
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Which finally leads us to Medusa. In Ovid's tale, Medusa is a beautiful woman who earns the attention of Poseidon who sexually assaults her in Athena's temple. Athena then decides to punish Medusa for this and transforms her into the snake haired monster that the modern world recognises.
Later interpretations have pretty much used this story, but with one majour adjustment brought on by poet Percy Shelley's On The Medusa Of Leonardo DaVinci in the Florentine Gallery. The transformation by Athena becomes a blessing, not a curse. Athena bestowed upon Medusa a way of protecting herself. As Dr Emily Zarka put it in the youtube video, Medusa, Victim Or Villain?:
"A creature that could literally turn the leering male gaze back on itself."
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Boa Hancock is one of the most interesting characters in One Piece who isn't a Strawhat. There is so much going on with her character that I can't mention here because this is meant to be a post about Stray Gods. If you want a full breakdown of the character, @melonteee has a fantastic video on the subject, that I would highly recommend.
In essence, Boa is a victim. She was forced to eat the devil fruit for the entertainment of the world government, so now she has a distrust of men and an ability to turn people to stone. The medusa references in her story are not subtle, and the allegory inherent in being forced to eat the fruit is rather blatant.
The interesting thing about Boa is how she is introduced. Boa is initially shown as a terrible human being. She kicks a small animal for the fun of it, because she is evil, and because she can get away with it. People look at her and just see her beauty, and they expect things of her. They don't care to look at the story or the character or the trauma, it's just the beauty. People within One Piece do this, and an uncomfortable amount of people who read or watch it have the same view of her.
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Boa is a protector, Amazon Lilly is her home, and she protects it from shame, and from trauma. She protects her people from having to bear the same scars as her, physically and psychologically.
That's why she acts the way she does and dresses the way she does, its a mask to draw attention, to scare people away. Like Medusa, she weaponises the idolisation of beauty in order to protect.
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Contrast this with Stray Gods, and the Medusa portrayed by Anjali Bhimani. And we see a remarkably similar take on the character.
This is a character with a level of self-loathing that render the entirety of the rest of the cast egomaniacal, but that is almost hidden by a veneer of confidence.
Medusa slithers as she walks. She gets close to Grace and in her face, she's revelling in her power. But the second Grace pushes the right buttons, that entire demeanour changes. Those buttons being two words: Monster and Athena.
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This is why Medusa is in the story. Because the relationship between her and Athena is, at least in my reading, analogous to an abusive parent and child dynamic. Athena professes to protect Medusa, but she is the reason Medusa is the way she is, she controls Medusa's every move, and Medusa fears what might happen if Athena would find out about her actions.
I said Medusa and Boa are similar, and I meant it. Both put up a facade of confidence as a means of defence. And when that facade cracks, then we see what that character truly is.
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"Don't look at me"
Medusa couldn't be further from her facade. That's what this line signifies, the transition from "look into me" to "don't look at me" shows in no uncertain terms the breaking away of that mask. Although it does come back for a brief moment, in a fascinating way.
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"You're lost little girl, no more Hail Mary's"
This is a repeated line in the musical, the idea of being directionless. We keep hearing it, in variations of the same tune. And now we hear Medusa say it. But there's two things going on here.
First up, this is projecting, Medusa is lost, and she is shifting the blame for that onto Grace.
Second, this is just what others have said. Medusa is simply repeating what she has heard and has no defence of her own.
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"The "not unhot" girl is you, the monster is me"
Medusa is clutching onto her idea of self, she has to be the monster, because otherwise everything Athena did to her was unwarranted. She has to have deserved it, right? She's rationalising, and projecting, and avoiding.
I've seen people do this in real life.
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The mirror is a fascinating little detail here. The visual focus of a large portion of this song is the flipping between who is in the mirror and who is on the outside. Because the two characters are trying to connect, and they are mirrors of each other as victims of Athena's meddling.
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The wording of Grace's offer here is interesting.
"Appollo could get you free"
Not cure or fix, but free. That's what Medusa needs, freedom.
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In conclusion, Medusa is a monster and Medusa is also a woman and a victim and many other things. Those who say a story must abide by the canon of mythology don't understand mythology at all. There is no canon. Sure, stick to the spirit of the myth, don't make the minotaur into a bird, but a character like Medusa can be anything, and adapting the myth isn't remotely a new thing. Ovid did it, One Piece did it, and Stray Gods has done it. All of them taking a different part of the myth and creating a story out of it for their own purposes.
I am excited to see who tries their hand at it next.
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1moremilgram-enjoyer · 2 months
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Welcome back!!! It’s nice to see a post from you again :)
Something I’m very curious about: in your latest theory, you said “While I don’t think regret is necessary for forgiveness (I’m the “Local Amane Momose Apologist” for a reason), it is important for forgiveness that I can believe they won’t continue to do the same bad thing in the future, which is not the case with Kotoko.”
Do you believe that Amane wouldn’t kill someone again if released? If so, why?
Hey there! Nice to see you as well, I missed you all :D
Okay so the question:
CW Child abuse, cults and indoctrination, murder, psychological torment (Guilty verdict)
So, first, I want to say that the way I worded that was… not the greatest. I made it sound like there’s some sort of hard rules I go by to judge whether someone is forgivable or not, which is… obviously impossible. Forgiveness is a very subjective, inherently biased, complex thing, and trying to set any kind of guidelines for how it works is never going to go well.
With that stated, I would like to rephrase my original wording a bit to try to avoid further confusion. The new phrasing is:
“One of the more important things I take into consideration when deciding whether I can forgive someone for a bad deed or not, is whether or not I can reasonably believe they would not perform the same bad deed again without significant external pressure. Or at the very least, that they will attempt to not do it again”
(I added “without significant external pressure” because everyone is capable of doing really bad stuff out of desperation, so if I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to forgive anyone ever lol.
You’ll notice, though, “significant external pressure” is extremely vague and subjective, which is by design. What counts as “significant external pressure” in my eyes varies greatly depending on the severity of the action, the person who committed it, among other things)
Now it makes a bit more sense to apply it to Amane, who was clearly under significant external pressure both when she killed her mother, as she was being downright tortured, and when she tried to kill Es in her second VD, as she was suffering from the psychological torment of a Guilty verdict.
But that’s not really what you asked, it’s just something I wanted to clarify. You asked if I believe that Amane wouldn’t kill again if released, and quite frankly, I think it’s unlikely (though not outright impossible). Barring extremes, of course. You could argue she would kill her father if he starts doing the same things her mother did, which, fair, but I’m sorta expecting Amane to get sent off somewhere else (and hopefully way better) if she returns from Milgram. She did murder her mother, I would imagine she’s not going to be allowed to live with her father after that (maybe? idk).
The main reason why is that Amane is only shown as openly hostile when she’s under pretty extreme psychological stress. She’s usually pretty patient, even with the people who annoy her:
[Timelines 13/6/20]
Shidou: If everything about MILGRAM is true… why did a child like you have to become a murderer? Just imagining what sort of circumstances must have led to that, it makes me so sad…
Amane: *sigh*. Is that right. I don’t think I’m going to get along with you, Shidou-san. […] Please give me back my test. It seems you don’t have the concentration levels required to be my teacher. I’m going to get Kotoko-san to teach me instead.
Not to mention her first VD, where Es constantly annoys her in one way or another and Amane doesn’t react negatively until the end, where Es forcefully grabs her. Basically, Amane is pretty good at keeping a level head when things aren’t going her way, especially for her age.
And even after the Guilty verdict, she’s only hostile towards those who’ve slighted her personally. Amane wouldn’t kill someone just for breaking doctrine.
Let me use Fuuta as an example. He’s someone who very explicitly went again Amane’s doctrine, having received medical attention and thus having “ran away from God’s trials.” He also enjoys frivolous things like social media, which Amane’s cult might consider “vulgar,” breaking Gozake’s ordainment. Not to mention he’s a murderer (though it’s unclear how much Amane knows about his situation), which obviously goes against Riyone’s ordainment.
And yet, despite him breaking doctrine so blatantly, Amane still wants to help him.
(T2) Q12: What do you think of Kajiyama Fuuta?
Amane: He is lost and in pain. I should help him.
Of course she does, she wants everyone to be happy. That’s one of her main motivations as a character, it’s why she covered Positive Parade (I made a post about that)
[Magic]
I hope, I hope everyone can be happy and smile
Yes, her methods are misguided and harmful, they can cause a lot of damage if left unchecked. But ultimately, pretty much everything she does, she does it because she thinks it will make people happy, either in this life or the next.
However, generally speaking, murdering someone is seen as somewhat counterproductive to their happiness. Which means Amane isn’t very keen on it, usually. Things have to go really wrong for her to really consider it, and even then she’d only consider it if someone offends her personally.
A Guilty verdict counts as “things going really wrong,” of course, and both Shidou and Es have offended her in different situations. But even when she’s subjected to constant psychological torture, she still has some patience. Not much patience, mind you, but it’s there.
[Timelines 24/10/22]
Amane: Kirisaki Shidou. How long do you plan on continuing this foolish behaviour?
Shidou: I wonder what you might be referring to there. I’m just doing what I need to do. If anything, I’d be happy if you would lend me a hand.
Amane: I warned you. I can no longer turn a blind eye to this wickedness taking place right in front of us. You’re bringing ruin unto yourself. Do you understand?
She warns Shidou instead of attacking him outright, which isn’t great… but it’s not murder! Yet.
A similar thing happens with Es. In Of Blessedness and Punishment, Amane begins relatively calm, and doesn’t get violent until Es denies the concept that they’re talking to anyone but Amane, which she (they?) see as an insult.
[Of Blessedness and Punishment]
Amane: But we are generous. For now, let us make some time for a conversation with you. After all, our history is one that is built on dialogue.
Keep in mind, this is with the T1 Guilty.
So let me put it this way. Everyone has a certain limit of “shit they can take” before they decide to murder someone. Everyone, no exceptions. We’ve seen Amane reach that limit in her home life (perfectly understandable imo) and in Milgram. The question is: were she to be released, would Amane face anything bad enough for her to reach her limit again?
Call me an optimist, but seeing how patient she usually is, I like to believe there’s a solid chance she doesn’t. I’m not sure what Amane’s future outside of Milgram holds (provided she’s not already dead or anything like that), but as long as it’s better than the Hell Prison Guilty Verdict, I’d say there’s a solid chance she doesn’t kill anyone again. Especially since she’s still very young and could potentially become better at regulating her more murderous tendencies with age. Better than she already is anyways.
(I don’t have any way of knowing whether or not that would happen, I just see it as a reasonable assumption)
Again, I do think it’s possible she would murder again if things get pretty bad, but there’s really no way to know how bad things have to get before that happens. After all, again, anyone would murder if things get bad enough.
That’s why ultimately (and quite ironically), a lot of it comes down to how much faith you have in Amane, how much faith you have that she will get through life without murdering again. We simply have no way of knowing for sure whether or not she will. But I like to assume the best in people, especially children for obvious reasons (yes I’m pulling the child card again you can’t stop me), so for now I’m assuming she won’t kill again.
I don’t know if that was perfectly coherent, but I hope that answers the question regardless! Take care!
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theminecraftbee · 2 years
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I think double life (all of the series but especially this one) is a GREAT example of an unreliable narrator, bc I watched Scott first and was like YES SCREW DESTINY MAKE YOUR OWN PATH I was so hype for him and Cleo, and then I watch Martyn and Pearl and the feelings of anger and betrayal and sadness. And it's amazing how differently you can feel about things based on who's video you watch, because they only show THEIR perspective.
see on the one hand, you're sort of right about the unreliable narrator thing? like, the example i know off hand that is DEFINITELY this is scar and grian cutting out a scene where they just ran around threatening ren for fun in dogwarts but ren leaving it in shows that their pov isn't a reliable way of knowing what actions they were taking, which is interesting to me.
on the other hand... i don't think the thing you are describing right now is an "unreliable narrator", i think it's just a natural consequence of any narrator/character having their own pov where they see some stuff and can't see other stuff. a narrator isn't unreliable when, say, like scott, he can't see what pearl is doing in her video and can't know what she's thinking. that's because he's in a completely different part of the map for most of his episode! he isn't hiding things or interpreting things wrong from his perspective; he's showing you everything he has to say. similarly, pearl can't know what scott is feeling! she knows where she is and what she's feeling, but she's not actively hiding things and her perspective isn't framing things in a way that's "unreliable" in how it's framing scott, it's just a different perspective because she's a different person.
is it a biased perspective? yes, it is, all perspectives that belong to a character are inherently biased (if they're done well at least) and the life series is pretty good about having edits/decisions made from povs that make them clearly in the point of view of a certain character. but is it unreliable? i don't really think so in this case. like, we don't accuse a protagonist's narration in a novel of being "unreliable" because they make an incorrect judgement of someone, but they have shown us in their narration all of the things that lead to that judgement and they've made it based on the information they have. they're just... a character who only saw certain events and made a decision based on that.
i don't know though i was a stem major i could be wrong it just bugs me a little when people go "aha, this thing that is A Natural Consequence Of No One Seeing Literally Everything makes that point of view unreliable" because i'm fairly certain that's not what that means?
anyway sorry for my ramble because YOU'RE SO RIGHT that the series is a great example of how different people's biased perspectives can totally change how a story feels, and how "what a character does and doesn't know" is REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT to the tone of a story! it's really, really cool and i like it a lot!
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beevean · 2 months
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Tbh I have a few major issues with HH. From the creators actions, to the character designs all looking nearly identical. But what irks me is the idea that the sinners can be redeemed, which misses the point that sinners are, rapists pedophiles, murderers. And ignores the point that many people are just evil and don’t change. To the point I agree with the exterminators because it’s hell, with evil people in it. IDK what are your thoughts?
I don't know what to think of the character design. Undoubtably, Vivziepop likes one kind of demon :P noodly, with shark teeth, with tons of red in their design, clad in a tuxedo, preferably with a top hat. But despite this, all demons look very distinct from one another, their silhouettes are recognizable, and their animal motifs are incorporated in fun ways. The Seraphs also look super cool to me, with their wings and the multiple eyes that open when they're mad. I can't be mad. I'm biased, I guess :P
(Adam sucks tho, even in design form. I hate him. there is nothing appealing about him.)
As for the morality, well, I think they're just starting to touch it properly.
The show doesn't ignore the most heinous sinners: Valentino in particular is shown in all of his abusive rapist glory. Obviously, he's not going to be redeemed.
Charlie may be overzealous in her project to redeem as many people as she can (and she is shown to be too sheltered for her own good), but it's pretty much spelled out that it has to be a personal choice. Mimzy, a buddy of Alastor, uses the hotel as a place of hiding from the loan sharks she stole from, and Alastor has to tell her to leave unless she plans to actually become a guest... but in his words, "it's not really her style". Cherri Bomb, a bomb obsessed rebel who so far has acted like a corrupting force for Angel, is also offered a place in the Hotel by Angel, and her reaction is more or less "nah, I'm good, thanks for the thought tho". Cherri Bomb in particular is not a monster, she could become a better person, but as for now she's not interested and that's it.
Heaven himself seems to have some issues regarding morality. One, no one knows the rules to get into Heaven, not even the High Seraph. Two, it's pointed out the unfairness of treatment: Angel was shown to have been on his best behavior and yet he's still stuck in Hell, while a complete piece of shit like Adam who admits that he loves exterminating for shit and giggles can enjoy his place in Heaven without so much as a slap on the wrist. Oh, but Lucifer and Vaggie "fell" because they dared to question the rules.
So far, the tone seems to be both cynical and hopeful as it needs to be: Charlie is fighting an uphill battle both against Hell and Heaven, and she needs to accept the reality of sin, that believing in the inherent good of people is not enough. However, some people are capable of change, because not everyone sins for the same reasons: some are rotten to the core and thrive in Hell, but others are desperate and can benefit from some genuine support.
So, again, I'm intrigued to see where this is going.
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twst-drabbles · 11 months
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Ok so im this is kinda intense, lots of cursing.
No cus I hate the way Belphegor literally got off so easily with his actions. Now personally I wouldn’t let the shit he did slide. Granted we don’t have much power because Devildom is a whole ‘nother dimension but you know who has power over Devildom and responsible for the Exchange Student shit? Diavolo. And fuck it if it means I get eternal hell for it but I’ll tell him that clearly this whole exchange is a joke: you forced me to go here without my permission, without my knowledge, without ANY of my shit that will make me comfortable enough to think about this whole ordeal and accept. His so-called attempt at uniting the three species failed, people he trusted us with are pieces of dogshit, and not to mention some of the brothers clearly are not going to change their views so what made him possibly think that this was going to work? His idea was a dream of his and he should’ve kept it that way. I’m not going to stop arguing until I get to go home. Diavolo clearly has to change something if the first attempt failed.
The hilarious part about this is that I can trust Diavolo to not want to kill me if I said all of this to his face.
Everyone else will certainly try to do so, but not Diavolo, isn't that sad? Doesn't make him any less frustrating to deal with, but at least I can rant and rave at him about his mistakes and selfish nature and inherent biases without him losing his temper in an attempt to shut me up like certain other someones I know. Wouldn't it have been some nice angst to look at Diavolo, after all this death shit that happened and the sweeping under the rug and go "You never viewed me as an equal."
But yeah, from the start I 100% expected Diavolo to not view humans, angels, or even demons as equal from the start. I can't say he's arrogant, but he plays around in the same manner that a kid does with toys. As in, he doesn't realize the damage he's doing cause the people around him refuse to tell him shit. And even when he does witness the damage, he's much rather protect himself by trying to see the good and hope that justifies the bad.
Realistically, I'd probably end up using him to be quite honest, Diavolo. His loneliness makes him an easy target. It's clear he wants a friend that doesn't care for his status or be fearful of him, which opens up a position to slot oneself in and become that friend. Because of this want, there are many things you can potentially get away with because he wants his friend to disregard his status.
And you all know I'm a sucker for characters that set themselves up to be hurt. But yeah, I do like Diavolo, shockingly enough. Most of my anger isn't directed at the character Belphegor himself so much as the writers and the decisions they've made to make him a love interest. It feels like everyone's empathy towards the MC was reduced in order to forgive Belphegor. Made everyone feel vastly out of character just to cater to him specifically. To baby the baby, so to say. The emphasis placed on protecting the MC that's been shown numerous times? Out the window, we gotta celebrate that Belphegor's back. Nothing else matters but that. It's just...why? Why is Belphegor the exception to that rule? The writers piss me off. The favoritism.
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sapphictechgoddess · 1 year
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it’s been a while since i’ve done a criminal minds evolution post and i’m going piece together my current thoughts, in the interest of full disclosure:
i haven’t watched past the mid-season break episode because i saw enough spoilers to grasp what was happening and to be honest, i’m devastated.
as my url indicates, penelope garcia is my ultimate favourite tv character and has been for over a decade - aka i’m biased
that being said, i’d like to think i’ve got a pretty solid grasp of what can be determined as ‘in character’ and of the various flaws she’s shown across the 15 seasons of the original show
with all these things considered, let’s gooo:
i am so deeply disappointed with the direction they have taken penelope’s arc over the second half of this season; even when considering my own previous opinions on why she may act in certain ways (see this post) i can’t for the life of me understand why the writers would deem this as an appropriate story line for her
we have seen penelope’s jaded love map in action before (see: shane wyeth and kevin lynch) but never before have we seen that impact anyone but herself, certainly not the victims of the cases she cares so deeply about, her team or her friends who she’ll usually move heaven and earth to protect
we have seen her acting with a steadfast mindset when faced with impossible choices (see: greg baylor and jesse wilson) she knows what’s best for herself in the long term even if it means damaging herself and going against what the people she loves want from her but she has never shown such a shallow lack of self control and self sabotage
we have seen how penelope shows and responds to attraction, she doesn’t always know what’s best for herself but she has never before let her lines be crossed in such a way and fallen into the ‘but i love him’ archetype, even when faced with an actual abusive situation she got herself out in the only way she could (see: the black queen episode)
she has been embarrassed at her own choices and frankly broken from how they have led her to isolation but she has never and would never use that embarrassment as a justification for not reaching out to her support system
she has never shown disregard for other people’s emotions and struggles, she cares and shows compassion even when she really really shouldn’t (see: you’ve got such a big heart and the dozens of references to her being the heart/glue of the team). to see her repeatedly ignoring how she is impacting specifically rossi and alvez but also the entire team is just ludicrous.
reducing such a wonderfully complex and yes, flawed, character like penelope garcia down to another victim of ‘i just couldn’t control myself because of this half-baked connection to a man who’s done nothing but negatively impact me’ is something that i can’t ever accept
i personally think this season presented a perfect opportunity to show her as more fallible than she has been allowed to be in the past: everyone has their limits and whilst hers are clearly higher than most, she is human and she is exhausted.
the concept of her finally, finally saying enough is enough after being dragged back into a job that was only ever a source of trauma for her was so powerful to me a few episodes back.
instead, from what i’ve seen, she has become a self centred villain of her own making and it’s not even been written that way to serve a higher purpose.
15 seasons of development, completely scrapped in the space of 4/5 episodes.
finally, i’m shocked that the writers and actors who care deeply about this show don’t see what’s so inherently wrong about this situation
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distort-opia · 1 year
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this is going to be a wild ask... i'm reading comments on this silly twitter post ranking DC characters by misogyny( joker is in the " do not perceive women" category), and i wonder " is joker misogynistic???". he abuses women, but not because of their gender, right?? I AM NOT EXCUSING HIM GOD FORBID 😭 but are you misogynistic if you abuse everyone equally?( awful sentence) he will beat anyone to death, he does not care. sexual comments he makes regardless of gender as well. can you be an evil egalitarian 💀 i think he shapes his words and actions in a way that will hurt the most and for women characters it does mean some misogyny. but i don't think he uses it from a misogynistic stand, rather from 'convenient social tool for hurt' stand. his whole thing is valuing everyone else as worthless in the same way.
Alright, yeah, a bit of a wild ask :)) Sorry for the delay in response; I've sort of answered this already when addressing Joker's potential racism, so I will link you to that answer here.
The principle is pretty much the same. Yes, Joker is an "evil egalitarian" at his core; he uses whatever hurts the other person, no matter what it is, or how it comes across. He doesn't actually believe it-- he doesn't believe in anything. His whole schtick is the fact he thinks nothing has any inherent value. However... that's when he's written well. Like I mentioned in that post too, there are plenty of instances in which Joker is a vehicle for the writer's personal biases which can obviously include misogyny, or used as a Deus Ex Machina of evil ("Oh we need a horrible thing to happen! What's Joker doing nowadays"). But Joker's relationship with Harley is the biggest elephant in the room in this department. It was undoubtedly an abusive relationship, and Joker has been depicted as genuinely sexist especially in relation to Harley (and Barbara too), though perhaps even moreso since Harley's redemption arc began. In order to write stories that frame her as triumphing over her abuser, Joker had to become this particular type of horrible person, so her victory over him would be more impactful -- despite this not entirely connecting with previous characterizations. And yeah, you're right that Joker's abuse is canonically not limited by gender (though lmao, what a sentence). He's been shown to act in similar ways to male henchmen in comics like Joker: Year of the Villain or Harley Quinn: 30th Anniversary Special, as he did towards Harley. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter to him the gender of the person he's getting power over. He'll manipulate whoever he finds cracks in to his own advantage.
[sigh] However, the issue of sexism and misogyny in comics is such a big, insidious one. If you acknowledge that Joker is written with misogynist undertones, acknowledging everyone else is inevitable. Looking at the way Batman's character has been written certainly doesn't do him any favors either. His 'Brucie Wayne' playboy persona has treated women... less than ideal; and I'm not even getting into the whole "every woman he encounters is a love interest and wants to fuck him" thing. This is a famous and pervasive problem within DC comics (and not only)-- many writers are intentionally or unintentionally catering to a male power fantasy that a big segment of the fan demographic projects. You've got the skewering and inconsistent characterization of many female characters in the Batman universe over time (man, Poison Ivy suffered a lot), and the blatant oversexualization and "male gaze" problem in comic book art... to name a few. The issue of misogyny and sexism in comics has always been there, and is unfortunately a systemic one.
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syedgaffar · 4 months
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Psychology of Digital Marketing: 
Syed Gaffar
Understanding Consumer Behavior
Digital marketing has become necessary for businesses to connect with their target audience. Understanding consumer behaviour has become more critical than ever in a world where people spend most of their time online. With the rise of social media and other online stands, businesses have more room than ever before to connect with their customers and build their brands. However, to succeed in digital marketing, it's important to realize the psychology of consumer behaviour and how it impacts the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. In this article, we'll explore the psychology of digital marketing, including the key factors influencing consumer attitude and how businesses can use this knowledge to create more effective marketing strategies.
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1. The Power of Emotion: 
One of the most important aspects of consumer behaviour is the power of emotion. Emotions act a significant role in people's decisions, which is no different when purchasing decisions. In fact, studies have shown that emotions are the primary drivers behind 80% of all purchasing decisions. So, how can businesses tap into the power of emotion in their digital marketing campaigns? One effectual strategy is to focus on creating emotional connections with your target audience. This can be achieved by using storytelling, creating relatable content, and using imagery and language that speaks to the emotions of your audience. 
2. The Importance of Social Proof: 
Another key factor in consumer behaviour is the importance of social proof. People are more likely to purchase or act if they see that others have done the same. This is why social proof is such a powerful tool in digital marketing. Businesses can use social proof in various ways, such as displaying customer critiques or testimonials on their website, showcasing the number of subscribers or followers on social media, or highlighting the popularity of a product or service. You can build faith and credibility with prospective customers by demonstrating that others have had a positive experience with your brand. This helps build faith with prospective customers and encourages them to purchase. 
3. The Impact of Cognitive Biases:  
Cognitive biases are inherent flaws in how our brains process information, and they can significantly impact consumer behaviour. For example, the availability bias causes people to fabricate the likelihood of events that are more easily remembered. In contrast, the anchoring bias causes people to deliver too heavily on the first piece of information they receive. Businesses can use knowledge of cognitive biases to create more effective digital marketing campaigns. For example, businesses can tap into cognitive biases to influence purchasing decisions by using scarcity tactics (such as limited-time offers) or framing a product or service in a particular way. 
4. The Role of Personalization: 
Finally, personalization is becoming an increasingly important aspect of digital marketing. Consumers are more likely to involve with brands that provide personalized experiences, whether that's through targeted advertising, personalized email marketing, or customized product recommendations. Personalization works because it taps into the psychology of consumer behaviour. When people feel that a brand understands their individual needs and preferences, they are more likely to trust and engage with that brand. Another way businesses can use personalization is by creating personalized landing pages. Landing pages are the pages that consumers land on after clicking on an advertisement. By creating landing pages tailored to individual consumers' specific needs and preferences, businesses can increase the likelihood of conversion.
5. The Role of Influencers in Digital Marketing: 
Influencers are individuals, who have a notable social media following and can influence their followers' behaviour. Influenc in marketing has become a popular tools for businesses to connect with their selected audience. By partnering with influencers, businesses can tap into their followers' trust and create a connection with their target audience. Businesses must consider the influencer's audience and values when choosing an influencer to partner with. The influencer's audience should align with the business's target audience, and their values should align with the business's values. Businesses can use influencers to create sponsored content that promotes their products or services. Influencers can also provide product reviews, tutorials, or testimonials that showcase the benefits of the business's products or services. 
Conclusion Understanding the psychology of consumer behaviour is essential for businesses to create successful digital marketing campaigns. By understanding the consumer decision-making process, the power of emotions, social proof, cognitive biases, and personalization, businesses can make more effective marketing campaigns that resonate with their target audience. By creating content that connects with consumers on an emotional level, businesses can create a lasting impression that drives long-term customer loyalty.
Sources
Forbes - Balancing Personalization And Data Protection In The Age
LinkedIn - Balancing Personalization and Privacy in the Digital Age
LoginRadius - Striking a Balance Between Personalization and Data
Forbes - Three Ways Marketers Can Balance Personalization And Data Privacy
LinkedIn - Balancing Personalization & Data Privacy: Achieving Optimal Customer
CMSWire - Balancing Customer Data Privacy and Usefulness
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samaspic31 · 1 year
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"Separate the art from the artist" is so insulting to the artists too actually (and totally irrelevant to the question of financial support of said art, in the age of pirating). Have you ever seen as artist say who they are is irrelevant to their work? Why are you implying that what we create is so unspecific to us that you can ignore us. You are trying to extend the capitalistic alienation from our labour to something inherently resistant to commodification, as much as the system forces its monetization for artists to live (and I wish all domains stopped alienating production from its producers, but it's particularly egregious for art imo). It’s something given or sold to the public for them to give the meaning they see fit, and you can decide to discard the initial/intended meaning for yourself, but it was still born from the artist and specific to them, created with their intentions motivating it, their biases colouring each and every choice, it is ludicrous to argue it can be totally dismissed. Trying to erase our role is downright offensive and akin to failing to credit properly. Copyright law has many flaws, in the sense that it is ill-equipped to handle the fact no art is ever 100% original and builds off existing elements, but it exists for a reason, so that artists get their due, you better believe corporations would not compensate us if they could. And minimizing our place in creation is the same mindset
I think it’s also tied to the myth we're born this way, given talent from birth and therefore not really the inventor but merely the executor of our art, negating the amount of training that goes into building skills, and the intellectual labor necessary for any creative work (see: ai bros acting like artists are hoarding drawing skills??), as well as the disregard shown for artistic industry workers anytime there's talks of unionizing (see : caring more about their marvel movies/video games releasing early than making sure crunch is avoided). Some people don’t like to think in depth about neither the context of what they consume nor the breathing bodies that make it come to life (and I understand, cause honestly it makes a lot of stuff depressing, be it food, clothes or art, but it'snecessary sometimes), and seem to think an artist’s relationship to a piece of work is over, all ties severed the moment they publish it, when it is a lifelong and everchanging relationship that takes labour to bear
On another topid so much of art is made of collaboration and merging intellectual properties and building off other people’s work i would like to beat up the myth of the lone genius artist or the mastermind director who deserves all the credit for his big brain, all projects would be nothing without the teams making them happen and an artist with no fellow creative friends literally will shrivel up so pls start putting all the people working in artistic fields on an equal footing, financially speaking too, i am begging society to stop disrespecting craftspeople too btw-
#sam speaks#sorry im mad when non artists go 'but it's not an autobiography so it's not about the artist themselves' shut up you know nothing#i can guarantee whoever the protagonist is the creatives found a path to relate to him and gave them to live their own experiences in a way#also people always use that shit to defend awful people or justify them being rewarded#did you know : you can consume art by terrible people without denying it it's called critical analysis#i had a teacher use it for fucking woody allen. when he literally makes movies where he plays the protagonist grooming a 16yo#never more obvious self insert/confession has existed#*relate to them#also like. the cliché of artists being self obsessed isn't exactly wrong let's be honest. there has to be a little bit of thinking highly o#yourself to believe (rightfully because that's the case for everyone) that your self is worth being expressed#so why would you think artists of the most arrogant self centered demographic in society would be humble enough not to insert themselves?#cishet white men write only about themselves and everybody else in their stories is an accesory; written with no empathy or understanding#something somthing refusal to acknowledge the inteligence of the people different to you#anyways. fuck jk and woody allen and polanski and so on and there are too many names#and support artists if you can so we can share art on our own terms#that said i often dislike art made about artists it's so. uninterestingly self centered
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gunsli-01 · 1 year
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Everybody is minimizing their impacts when it comes to their crime by focusing on what affected them the most. That's just how people behave in general. The immediate response to fault tends to be justifying or explaining the things that made you take that course of action. It's a big reason that a lot of people have a that's not a reason it's an excuse/ emotional manipulation tactic mindset now. Even when it comes to a genuine explanation put forth with the understanding something wrong was done it tends to be dismissed cause a person isn't groveling hard enough but perceived as advocating for themselves instead.
Like this could've happened with any prisoner if you look at them in a bad enough light. Instead it's up to Futa to highlight this bias again. So, I'm just gonna go through how the rest are doing the same thing and how that is a very human response to being judged.
Things that could be considered a form of minimization that the prisoners have done since this started.
Yuno highlighting her abortion despite both of her music videos showcasing very clearly that she was trying to get pregnant herself. This is shown from her continually attempting to blow up the balloon in Umblical, crying over a negative pregnancy test result in Tear Drop, lines like "Just the two of us I finally found it" after she grips the full balloon. All this makes it seem like a child is what she was aiming for. If she really wanted the child and it was not a means to an end then why would she even ask the other person what they wanted to do? It shouldn't matter at that point if you already know what you want. If what she wanted was just a kid then their input shouldn't be the deciding factor in this situation. Even if they say nah get rid of it Yuno has the right to say nah i'll just raise them alone bye. If they wanted sex and she only wanted a kid there's no reason this should've ended in abortion, which she herself highlights by going now figure out why I did it then.
Haruka through going I didn't know what else to do, just tell me in a way even someone like me can understand. Leaning heavily on the idea of lacking intelligence, being considered flawed, or even born wrong to downplay the intent behind his actions.
Kotoko quite literally shifted away from the dispropotionate forms of punishment she partakes in on the daily instead choosing to focus more on the one guy who did the worst thing. Despite Harrow showing us she has multiple victims from petty crimes as well.
Kazui by comparing his murder to a broken vase and giving us absolutely nothing but relationship drama. Yes, sir I love you but what the hell was that meant to tell anyone. Good liar my ass I'm starting to doubt he even knows what he did. Dude probably thinks his entire life was a mistake.
Mahiru through focusing on ideas of love and how much she truly did love her victim while also giving us nothing cause we don't even see how she committed the crime.
Shidou wanted to be voted guilty but still hid behind the idea of ethics being a delusion and the medical system being inherently flawed with a plethora of biases that ultimately made his job more difficult and emotionally corrosive.
Amane through making the main focus of Magic her indoctrination into a cult, highlighting how she didn't always used to be this way, but was forced to conform and behave in this manner through punishment. Not even really showing her murder at all. While putting front and center all the bad things she went through and how she's doing this to be a good girl now so she never has to go through that again.
Mikoto literally doesn't know what he did but the other guy is just like yeah I did that shit never speak to me about it again. The other guy and Mu share very similar reasons for why they ended up killing. They both state albeit in far different ways that they did what they had to to protect themselves. From statements like was i just supposed to keep getting hurt from Mu and the others I'll do anything to protect myself. Both of which could be minimizing their responses in comparison to the threat to themselves they perceived.
Point is if you take any of their words, music videos, and actions to the most negative extreme they all look bad. Even the most tame explaination would seem like a manipulation tactic. If you're not willing to engage with a persons thoughts on their own life with some level of good faith that's your prerogative. Just keep hollering from safety never meeting eyes with the person you're passing judgement on.
I don't believe anyone is above that feeling of I'm genuinely sorry but this person won't believe me because what i did really impacted them. There's nothing I can say to ever fix this. I doubt there is a person alive who hasn't had or felt as if statements like "You don't look sorry", "That's just an excuse", "Would you have even apologized if you weren't caught" were being pointed at them.
Yet, the genuine lack of empathy I've seen displayed is starting to make me think a lot of folks truly believe they're above making that sort of mistake. Though word of advice from what I've seen a lot of people stop saying it's karma dude as soon as the bill comes around to their table or in this case their prisoner.
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trashcankitty12 · 1 year
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I hope it won't bother you, but I wanna ask a few questions about Valkyrie. I am very curious about what was Valkyrie like before. Who she dated before Flora. How she became friends with Crystal, Helia and Kota. And also, I am curious about who she had a crush on and has a crush on her. Does some specialist or witch(and maybe even a fairy) like her.
This will never bother me! I love getting to talk about my characters. (Or getting to talk about things like this in general. XD )
This is gonna get long, so I'm going to put this under a read more. :)
Young Valkyrie:
She's one of the smaller kids in her class, and smaller than most of the people in her family. (In her defense, her mother was under a lot of stress while pregnant, and Rancorians and Obsidinites don't tend to mix well due to internal body temperature differences, but still...)
Valkyrie comes from a long line of researchers and curious people, so she definitely inherits their inquisitive natures and their curiosity and need for knowledge.
Big animal lover! (Except for snakes/serpent like creatures, which will be explained later.) Her favorite will always cats though, as her familiar and her grandmother's familiar are cats.
Close to her cousin Morgan. Almost like sisters, considering they essentially lived together most of the time due to their parents working in Magix while they lived and went to school on Rancor. (Nana Theodora took care of them. Griffin and Salvador's mother.)
Valkyrie is very much like her mother in that she doesn't take slights or insults lightly. However, she's like her father in that her retaliation tends to be immediate. (Though pretty well thought out, like Griffin's revenge stories tend to be.)
She hates horror flicks. Always has, always will. (Though she can stick it out when need be.)
She writes. Though it's mostly to keep her thoughts and her memories separate from that of her Dragon. They tend to blend their souls together often, especially as she grows up, so this is her way of keeping them separate.
Valkyrie has done more elaborate revenge/"lesson teaching" plots similar to her mother's plans over the years. (She's gotten a teacher fired over their inherent biases that they allowed to blend into the classroom back in middle school, has shown up a sexist guy and his dad at her sword-fighting league tournaments, and has caught a creep in the act of creeping and essentially shamed them pretty publicly.)
While she's never actively wanted to get into trouble or get involved in certain issues, she's never been able to back away when something is going down. She's always been quick to shutdown bullying/harassment. (Which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. Griffin, while proud of her daughter, is not thrilled that she puts herself into potential danger.)
Like her father before, Valkyrie really got into sword fighting. She was one of the few girls in the Junior Sword Fighting League (typically kids between ages 5-13). She loves sword fighting. Loves it. Even to this day she still practices her swordsmanship.
Valkyrie figured her sexuality out fairly quickly, at around 11. Most of the girls in her class were getting crushes on the boys and she was looking at them instead. (Or their older sisters...)
She used to have long hair, but decided to cut it when she was about 10. Shorter hair is better for sparring and her magic had her running hot.
When she was about 12, she obtained a major scar on her shoulder from sparring unsupervised with her friend Kota. An illusion went wrong on Kota's part and Valkyrie freaked out, which caused Crystal's shielding (she was supposed to keep their magic from spreading outside of their 'sparring ring') to cut them both on their shoulders. Yes, they do call themselves "scar buddies" based on that.
She has a fondness for history, particularly Dark Magic History.
She's also big into Astrology, much like her mother. (They love stargazing together.)
While she can play chess, it's more her mother's thing. She's not the biggest fan, but she does enjoy playing with her mother.
Ever since she was little, she and Griffin had kitchen wars. They've yet to get through baking any treats without flour and sprinkles and dough scattered everywhere.
They also love snowball fights when the Rancorian Winters hit. (As do the rest of the family.)
Competitive. That's all you need to know when it comes to games. (Video, board, live action. Doesn't matter. If it's a game, she wants to win.)
She was about 9 when she found Cheshire. Those two have been bonded ever since. Even Griffin admits he's a big help to her.
This is also the time her eyes started getting bad. (The Sylvane curse as Uncle Salvador put it.)
Valkyrie doesn't like being told she can't do something. That it's impossible for her to do it. (She can and she will. Watch her.)
When her magic first came in, she did burn one of the other kids in her class. It was mostly an accident, but it still wasn't pretty. And she almost got expelled.
(She's also almost gotten expelled over little pranks she's pulled over the years. One of which almost burned down the middle school.)
Crystal:
Valkyrie met Crystal their first day of elementary school. Crystal and her family were still new to the realm after moving from Isis and she was getting harassed by some of the older kids who thought they were being 'cool' for picking on the new girl.
So, Valkyrie promptly threw stones and the rest is history. (They became quick friends after Crystal realized Valkyrie wasn't throwing the rocks at her, but at the older kids.)
Crystal is more the voice of reason behind some of Valkyrie's schemes, having realized early on that the smaller witch was prone to getting into trouble.
Not that she doesn't cook up a few plans of her own... She has triplet younger brothers, she's got some great prank ideas.
But really, they just sort bonded and grew close after their initial meeting. And even closer when Valkyrie's magic really came in and they talked about her being the keeper of the Dark Dragon Fire. (Which was mindblowing for Crystal. Her best friend had primordial magic. That's wicked cool.)
(Until it isn't and she quickly realized that it can be a hassle. But it is what it is.)
Helia:
Valkyrie's first friend outside of the family. They were essentially pushed together due to Griffin and Saladin's friendship. (Saladin often helped his sister, Helia's mother, with her son, so he'd take Helia places with him.)
It was always him, Morgan, and Valkyrie. At least, before Crystal and Kota joined in.
He quickly became the shy older brother to Valkyrie, trying not to let her talk him and Morgan into things, while also going along with it because someone had to be responsible.
Helia's actually the first person Valkyrie came out to, though it was partially to help get him to stop focusing on his parents' divorce. (He needed a distraction, so she distracted him.)
Which is funny, because it brought them closer together, prompting the others in their group to wonder if they were 'together'. (Which hurt Morgan who always had a crush on Helia.)
(That was fun to explain. But they managed.)
Helia is the reason Valkyrie got into the Junior Sword Fighting League. His uncle had enrolled him and when he talked about it with Valkyrie, she got interested herself. (She was far better suited for it, he didn't like sword fighting, but he enjoyed being part of the team and getting to cheer her on.)
Helia's also part of the reason Valkyrie has the fear of serpents/snakes that she has.
The adults (his uncle Saladin, Morgan's dads, Griffin, Kota's parents, Crystal's parents, and Faragonda) decided to take the kids camping in the Wildlands when they were about 12ish.
While the adults were busy talking/setting up camp, Valkyrie had the idea to go and explore. Kota and Morgan agreed. Crystal and Helia hesitated, but decided to go. After all, there were plenty of hiking trails and the adults had signed off on them sticking to the trails and siteseeing.
Things took a turn when Helia was talked into trying out his magic. (His mom is a witch and his uncle is a powerful wizard, surely he had some magic inside of him.)
Which, he does have magic, just a strong connection to it. Best he can do is a few location spells and some note-sending. (Also spells regarding his art. Like keeping his sketchbooks in proper care, his brushes never bending, that sort of thing.)
His magic ended up sending the kids into a Basilisks Den.
Needless to say, things didn't go well. The basilisks tried to eat the kids, the kids were struggling to protect themselves, and things got messy after one wrapped itself around Valkyrie and had her paralyzed with fear. (NOTE: in my Winx world, basilisks are snake like creatures that, if you lock eyes with them, they will look into your soul and pull out your worst nightmare, paralyzing you so they can eat you.)
Morgan managed to get her Winx form in order to protect her cousin, and she and Helia combined magic to summon help from the adults.
(Who did save them pretty quickly after. And then gave a good lecture on why you shouldn't stray from the trails...)
Kota:
Kota is a bully turned friend.
When the girls were in elementary school, about their third or fourth year, (4th grade if your American), Kota and his family arrived into Rancor.
He tried to be the bully to avoid being picked on, and ended up trying to turn his 'bullying' onto Crystal.
It didn't end well and he and Valkyrie ended up at each other's throats.
After a few of these 'altercation and detention' periods, they got to talking and found they actually had things in common. Which led to Kota being brought into the friend group.
(He's still quite the instigator though, and tends to hype up the bad ideas Valkyrie has.)
(They also tend to hype each other up into doing stupid/I'll show you styled challenges and dares. Crystal, Morgan, and Helia stay exasperated at them.)
Kota is also one of Valkyrie's best sparring partners for sword fighting. They were even on the same Junior Sword Fighting League team. He joined a little after they finally became friends at her insistence. (He's thankful now, imagine how behind he'd been at RF without that training.)
Relationships:
Outside of Flora, Valkyrie's had little dating history. Not that she didn't want to date or have relationships, it's just she was always involved in something. (Usually school-related. I may talk about her being a bit of a trouble-maker, but she was also one of the top students. She couldn't handle not being at the top.)
There was her first crush on Crystal. Though that quickly fizzled out. (Friendship first. Always.)
Then there was the girl she ended up outing herself over: Mary. Didn't end well because Mary wasn't exactly a nice girl and practically broadcast the whole situation to the school... But she did think Mary was beautiful.
During her time doing tournaments with the Sword Fighting League; she had flirted with and asked out a few of the sisters of the other competitors. Just a few dates from them, never anything too serious. But it was cute. (Griffin had to refrain from talking about how much like him she was being.)
Anya was her first big relationship, though it ended before she left for CT due to finding out Anya had been cheating. Not a fun time.
She briefly dated another CT witch, Hecate. (But it wasn't a good relationship. Even she'd admit this: she was sort of using Hecate to keep from thinking of Flora, who she thought was a bit too-good for her and her family's history.)
Chimera, Stella's almost step-sister, had a sort of crush on Valkyrie, though it could have been considered an obsession. It all started with Valkyrie trying to protect Chimera and Cassandra from Valtor (or she thought she was protecting them from him) and Chimera just adored the attention. (Valkyrie was just trying to be nice.)
There are probably a few fairies or witches who had their crushes, though Valkyrie didn't notice much due to having her attention either on Flora or trying to protect the Magical Dimension.
The only specialist with a crush on Valkyrie that I can really think of is Harlan. And that could also be considered obsession because she has told him repeatedly (and nicely) that she is a lesbian and only wants to be friends.
(He sort of fixated on her after an incident when they were kids. His dad owns one of the stores in Magix and she was with her mom doing some school supply shopping. He was having issues with a creature that had broken out of one of the books and Valkyrie was quick to try and keep him safe. Yeah...)
There were also a few guys during their Earth stint, but again, she wasn't noticing.
(Though she does notice when others have their eyes on Flora, and she makes a big point to let them know who the fairy is with. Usually either by a big PDA scene, or by a small, subtle burn starting on their skin.)
That's Valkyrie! Hope this answers your questions.
(Sorry it took so long. I just wanted to get my stuff together to answer this properly.)
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The Untrustworthiness of Google Search: A Critical Examination
In today's digital age, Google Search has become the go-to tool for obtaining information on virtually any topic. With its user-friendly interface and vast database of indexed websites, Google has cemented its position as the leading search engine worldwide. However, despite its widespread use and perceived reliability, concerns regarding the trustworthiness of Google Search have emerged. In this blog, we will delve into the factors contributing to the perceived untrustworthiness of Google Search and explore potential implications for users and society at large.
1. Algorithmic Biases:
One of the primary concerns surrounding Google Search is the presence of algorithmic biases. Google's search algorithms are designed to prioritize certain websites over others based on factors such as relevance, authority, and user engagement. However, these algorithms are not immune to biases, which can inadvertently influence search results. For example, studies have shown that Google's algorithms may perpetuate gender or racial biases by ranking certain content higher than others, thus shaping users' perceptions and reinforcing stereotypes.
2. Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers:
Google's personalized search features, such as personalized search results and suggested content based on browsing history, contribute to the creation of filter bubbles and echo chambers. Filter bubbles occur when users are presented with information that aligns with their preexisting beliefs and preferences, while dissenting viewpoints are filtered out. This phenomenon can lead to a distorted understanding of reality and hinder meaningful discourse by limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.
3. Manipulation and Misinformation:
The sheer volume of information available on the internet makes it susceptible to manipulation and misinformation. Despite Google's efforts to combat fake news and disinformation, malicious actors continue to exploit vulnerabilities in the search algorithm to spread false or misleading information. From conspiracy theories to propaganda, unreliable sources can easily infiltrate search results, posing a significant threat to the integrity of information accessed through Google Search.
4. Lack of Transparency:
Google's search algorithms are proprietary, meaning that they are not fully transparent to the public. While Google provides general guidelines on how its algorithms work, the specifics remain closely guarded secrets. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for users to understand why certain search results are ranked higher than others, leading to skepticism and mistrust.
5. Commercial Interests:
Google Search is a cornerstone of Google's business model, generating substantial revenue through advertising. As such, there is a concern that commercial interests may influence search results, with advertisers receiving preferential treatment over organic content. While Google maintains that advertising does not directly impact organic search rankings, the intertwining of advertising and search functionality raises questions about the impartiality of Google Search results.
In conclusion, while Google Search has revolutionized the way we access information, its untrustworthiness cannot be overlooked. From algorithmic biases to the proliferation of misinformation, there are inherent flaws in the system that compromise its reliability. As users, it is essential to approach information obtained through Google Search with a critical eye, verifying sources and seeking out diverse perspectives. Additionally, policymakers and regulatory bodies must continue to hold technology companies accountable for the impact of their algorithms on society, ensuring that the pursuit of profit does not come at the expense of truth and integrity.
By - Sawan Narendra Aware
Technology Enthusiast and Developer
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letrashbag · 8 months
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Got into a huge fight with my mom yesterday. Whoopee.
To preface, I don't fight with my mom. I've got a lot of people pleasing and social anxiety issues and I just don't do conflict. I would rather shove myself into a box while breaking all of my bones than communicate that a behavior is hurting me and that I want it to stop. But every once in a while I'll put on my big boy pants and be brave about it. Usually in relation to issues of racism and queerphobia. So I'll call out my parents for being transphobic or closeminded, but I try to do it in a respectful and civil way. I don't try and tell them they're wrong about these things, I just try and get them to realize that there is no logical backing for their views.
So this all started with the Barbie movie (really it started with the "Disney selling out to woke leftists" but whatever). My mom was saying that she didn't want to watch it because men were presented as stupid so women could be shown as powerful. Me and my sibling kind of pushed back, because that is not the messaging of the Barbie movie and then it just devolved from there. (my mom has a habit of either misunderstanding or flat out refuting basic arguments that we then have to focus on so she can understand the full picture for the main argument, which is how this conversation got so crazy) We tried to explain the objectification of women in media (specifically how women are often not used as full thought-out characters but as tools to further the plot for the men in the movie) and used an example from one of her favorite movies. In it the main dude married this hot successful woman and we were trying to explain that her function in the plot of the movie was to make the main character look successful to other men. She could not comprehend this idea and insisted that since she did not watch the movie that way, that just wasn't true. (And of course, there is something to be said for death of the author and interpreting characters how you want to, but that doesn't erase the objective analytical perspective of character purpose and the near constant objectification of women in media.) This then turned into us trying to explain what objectification even is, because yes "ugly" women can and are objectified too. Objectification is viewing a person as an object, something that all AFAB face to some degree because vagina=sex=object (valuable or not) in our society. Then we had to explain that yes, society is a thing that influences everybody. She genuinely was fighting the idea that there is a societal standard of beauty. I had to explain that personal attraction is different than perception of beauty. You are not physically or emotionally attracted to everyone you find beautiful. There is appreciation, aesthetic attraction, and socially informed views of beauty. And then we came to the fact that everyone is socialized by our SOCIETY and that gives them biases and teaches them behaviors. Seems simple right? Apprently not.
She kept insisting that society did not influence her opinions, ever, and they are all her own, and she has no biases at all. She would admit that everyone else was influenced by their family and therefore had biases and would make assumptions about people, but not her. No, she's special. She doesn't judge people by their appearance, ever. This became a fight over the fact that human brains operate a certain way and that the way process information, especially visual information, is inherently tied to making assumptions about people based on our social knowledge. I kept bringing up like scientific facts about how the brain works, and she was so insistent that it didn't matter. She literally asked me if I took away science, what is my argument here? Like punk? Why is science not a good argument? Why can't I reference peer reviewed studies and anatomical features? Why doesn't that count? But you get to just be like "I believe that my brain doesn't do that"? What? But then she'd make claims about how the brain changes as you grow, like synapses can change, and that means she just grew out of making assumptions about people. Which 1) is a SCIENCE BASED ARGUMENT 2) true in the sense that your neural network can grow, decay, and change based off of how you use it but not true in the sense that you can change the way you process information. I tried using the analysis of your cells can regenerate, but you can't regrow an arm (after a certain point of development in the womb) to show that yes, one fact may be true but it doesn't mean you can take that fact to the extreme. AND THEN....SHE TOLD ME SHE DIDNT KNOW IF CELLS REGENERATE OR NOT. SHE'S A TEACHER. FOR SOMEONE WHO SEEMS TO FALL INTO THE "BASIC BIOLOGY" GROUP YOU SURE DON'T KNOW BASIC BIOLOGY. BUT SHE DOESN'T TEACH BIOLOGY. SO WHY SHOULD SHE KNOW BASIC HUMAN FUNCTIONS. She also refuted the idea of subconscious informing your actions in a way that wasn't just telling your consciousness "that person is ugly", which is not how subconsciouses work at all, but she wouldn't believe me.
She just kept insisting that she was the exception, and that her brain doesn't do that. (Side note, when she said everything has exceptions, I asked her if every functioning human had a brain, are there any exceptions to that, she said yes as far she knew but she didn't learn anatomy in school. Incredulous, we asked if she had ever been told in school that she had a brain. She said no. We asked how she knew she had one then. She said God told her. After some more pushing and prodding, it was like pulling teeth, she finally admitted that she did in fact learn about brains in 9th grade science. Which was where? SCHOOL, SO YES SCHOOL AND SCIENCE TAUGHT YOU THAT YOU HAVE A BRAIN, SO WHY DID YOU SAY NO??????????) And obviously, I don't believe her, because once again that is literally how brains work, and she refuses to believe me because how dare science inform my world views.
It's like she thinks I'm being brainwashed because I use science and my education to inform my views and beliefs. I don't just trust that my brain made a totally great decision for itself independent of any influence and nothing else matters.
UUUUGUUGUGUUGHGGUHGUGHUGHUGUHUHGHHGHHGHGHGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHUHUHHHHFHHHHHHH
I also made her cry because I was trying to explain that growing up in a racist household isn't always being explicitly told that "black people are bad", so I brought up an example of a conversation that happened like 3 years ago in our house which was just a butt ton of microaggressions, and she immediately was like "I don't remember this conversation, I wouldn't have agreed with that stuff." and then after insisting that she certainly didn't refute the stuff my dad was saying and that the conversation did in fact happen (note that I was not calling her racist, I made it clear that this was a conversation that happened awhile ago, and it was just an example that I know she was witness to of a racist conversation not being explicitly about how people of color are bad) and she lost her mind, crying about how if I knew the way dad had treated her and the way she really felt then I wouldn't dare bring this up and that she never agreed with his views on "black people and gay people" and clearly I don't know her as well as I think I do. Which I understand to an extent, I understand that my dad is not a great person for a lot of reasons, and that my mom does not fully agree with him. And I truly hadn't meant to accuse her of racism in that moment. So I apologized for bringing up a sensitive topic and explained why I had. Then we just got right back into it. (She also admitted that she had wanted and implied that she still did want a divorce.)
She probably thinks that I hate her and that I think she's an idiot. She also probably thinks I've been brainwashed by society and that I've been lost to the woke leftists. I'm so excited to leave in a couple of weeks. I'm only home right now for the summer, and I go back to college soon. As soon as I'm gone, I'm going to shave my head and try to forget about all this crap. I just don't know how to act right now. I'm not going to apologize for insisting that she's wrong, cause she is. And I know she won't apologize cause she thinks she's right. I probably should apologize for getting so upset, but I was careful not to say anything insulting or offensive that wasn't just a scientific truth, so I really don't want to apologize for anything. But my family has an absolutely horrible dynamic. Us kids were always forced to apologize to each other and say "it's okay", so know we just don't. I've apologized a couple of times to my youngest brother because there have been times where I've lost my temper and genuinely been in the wrong, but when I get into tiffs with most of my other siblings we just get over it. Which probably isn't healthy, but whatever. I just want to leave and be done with it.
I'm probably not coming home next summer and then I'll be graduating. It's too expensive for me to come back home for smaller breaks, so unless my parents will pay for it, this is probably the last time I'll be home. And I can't wait to get out. I hate being an adult and having to make these decisions for myself and having to get a job and all of that stuff, but I'd take it any day over sitting here in my house listening to my dad rant bigoted crap and my mom make everything about her. I can't wait to get away from the disgusting bathroom no one ever cleans, and the horrific way people clean dishes, and the broken a/c, and the camera in the living room, and the fact that there's animal hair everywhere which gives me a head ache, and the carpets are all disgusting from years of having animals poop and pee and puke all over without getting properly cleaned, and I can't even use the shower because its all so gross, and it's hot here, and there are so many bugs, and I'm allergic to everything, and the only friends I have here are old friends that I kind of stopped caring about years ago, but I still have to act like I want to see them whenever I come back, and I'm just so sick of this place.
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jaditi7 · 8 months
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"ChatGPT: A Double-edged Sword"
Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has witnessed remarkable progress over the years, revolutionizing the way we interact with technology. ChatGPT is an advanced language model developed by OpenAI, designed to engage in human-like conversations and generate contextually relevant responses. While it has undoubtedly opened up new possibilities, ChatGPT comes with its fair share of challenges and concerns.
The Power of ChatGPT
1. Enhanced User Experience: ChatGPT has improved user interactions with technology, making it more intuitive and user-friendly. By understanding natural language inputs, it enables smoother conversations and enhances overall user experiences.
2. Personal Assistants and Customer Support: The integration of ChatGPT into virtual personal assistants and customer support platforms has transformed how businesses engage with their users. It allows for more efficient and empathetic responses, improving customer satisfaction.
3. Educational Applications: ChatGPT can function as an intelligent tutor, helping learners with various subjects, clarifying doubts, and providing explanations, expanding access to quality education.
4. Creativity and Content Generation: ChatGPT has shown impressive capabilities in creative writing, generating poetry, stories, and even code snippets, offering valuable assistance to content creators and developers.
5. Accessibility and Inclusivity: AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT have the potential to enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities, enabling more natural and adaptive interactions.
The Risks and Challenges of ChatGPT
1. Misinformation and Fake Content: As ChatGPT becomes increasingly sophisticated, there is a risk of malicious actors exploiting it to spread misinformation, fake news, or even generate fabricated content, which could have severe consequences for society.
2. Bias and Ethical Concerns: Language models like ChatGPT are trained on vast datasets from the internet, which might contain inherent biases. If not carefully managed, these biases can be perpetuated in the responses generated by ChatGPT, leading to potential discrimination or unethical behavior.
3. Lack of Context and Understanding: While ChatGPT can generate contextually relevant responses, it lacks true comprehension and consciousness. It may sometimes produce answers that appear correct but lack genuine understanding, leading to inaccuracies.
4. Emotional Manipulation: ChatGPT's ability to simulate human-like responses might be used unethically to emotionally manipulate users, especially vulnerable individuals.
Conclusion
ChatGPT is undeniably a double-edged sword, showcasing the immense potential of AI technology while highlighting its associated risks and challenges. Thus, it is essential to strike a balance between utilizing ChatGPT to enhance various aspects of our lives and ensuring ethical and responsible use.
#openai #ai #chatgpt
#talentserve
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