#Consumer-driven banking

[ctcnewsca]

Ottawa's open banking bill is coming! Discover 5 ways it’ll transform your finances with secure data sharing & smarter tools.

[fiskils]

Explore the best developer friendly API platforms designed to streamline integration, foster innovation, and accelerate development for seamless user experiences.

Developer Friendly Api Platform

[mattbrittonnyc]

AI Transformation in Consumer Banking: Insights from Expert Matt Britton

In the rapidly evolving realm of consumer banking, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, reshaping how financial services interact with their consumers. As organizations seek to adapt and thrive in this new landscape, the demand for insights from seasoned experts in AI and consumer trends has skyrocketed. Among the luminaries in this field, Matt Britton stands out not only as a profound AI expert but also as a leading keynote speaker whose insights could dramatically influence how banks and financial institutions approach the future of consumer interactions.

Matt Britton, the founder and CEO of Suzy, a cutting-edge consumer research platform, has carved out a niche as an authority in interpreting and leveraging consumer data for strategic advantage. His expertise is particularly relevant in today’s data-driven environment where AI is becoming increasingly pivotal. Suzy itself is a testament to Britton’s foresight and understanding of market needs, providing real-time data from consumers that empower companies to make informed decisions swiftly.

Britton’s prowess as a keynote speaker is well-documented and highly respected across industries. Having consulted for more than half of the Fortune 500 companies, his ability to distill complex trends into actionable insights is unmatched. This is complemented by his best-selling book, YouthNation, which built a compelling case on how youth culture influences emerging trends, underscoring his status as one of the top conference speakers on consumer trends and generational shifts.

The Intersection of AI and Consumer Banking

To understand the potential impact of AI on consumer banking, we must first acknowledge the shift in consumer expectations. Today’s banking customers, influenced heavily by digital advancements, demand more personalized, efficient, and secure services. AI, with its capability to analyze vast amounts of data and learn from interactions, stands as a cornerstone technology to meet these expectations.

Personalization at Scale

One of the primary advantages of AI in banking is its ability to personalize at scale. AI systems can analyze customer data, predict behaviors, and tailor banking services to individual needs. From personalized financial advice to customized product offerings, AI’s potential to enhance customer satisfaction is immense. As a keynote speaker, Britton could provide invaluable insights into how banks can leverage AI to not only meet but exceed the expectations of a digital-savvy clientele.

Enhancing Customer Support with AI

AI technologies, especially chatbots and virtual assistants, have revolutionized customer support in banking. These AI solutions offer 24/7 assistance, handling everything from transaction inquiries to complex banking questions, significantly reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction. Britton’s discussions could delve into successful case studies, highlighting innovative ways banks are integrating AI to streamline operations and enhance service delivery.

Risk Management and Security

Another critical application of AI in banking is in risk management and security. AI algorithms excel in identifying patterns indicative of fraudulent activities, thereby enhancing the security of customer transactions and personal data. Britton’s expertise could shed light on the latest AI advancements in cybersecurity, emphasizing how banks can safeguard themselves and their customers against emerging threats.

Potential Themes for Matt Britton's Keynote

Given his extensive background and the current landscape, several themes emerge as potential focal points for a keynote by Matt Britton, including:

Innovating Customer Experience with AI: How AI can be used to create a seamless, personalized banking experience that attracts and retains customers.

AI and the Future of Employment in Banking: Addressing the transformative role of AI in shaping jobs in the banking sector and how institutions can prepare their workforce.

Ethical AI Use in Consumer Banking: Exploring the responsibilities of banks in using AI ethically, ensuring transparency and fairness in automated decisions.

Conclusion

As banks and financial institutions look to navigate the complexities introduced by AI, they stand to benefit immensely from the insights of AI expert speakers like Matt Britton. His dual expertise as a consumer trend expert and an innovation speaker positions him uniquely to guide and influence strategies that will define the future of consumer banking.

With AI continuing to redefine the boundaries of what is possible in consumer banking, the insights from top keynote speakers like Britton are not just valuable—they are essential for any institution looking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world.

[capitalism-is-a-psychopathy]

Billionaires destroy more than they create

In a land often championed for its economic opportunity and equality, the American Dream promises that anyone who works hard can rise to prosperity. But for many in today’s middle and lower economic classes, that dream is fading, shadowed by a reality that feels increasingly rigged. At the heart of this issue lies a stark and glaring imbalance: billionaires, a minuscule fraction of the population, wield a staggering concentration of wealth and influence. This is not just an issue of economics but one that touches the foundations of democracy and fairness.

Imagine the economy as a massive machine, built to churn wealth throughout society. In an ideal world, this wealth would cycle effectively, where each part contributes and benefits in turn. But as billionaires amass wealth at unprecedented levels, this machine has come to function more like a funnel, siphoning resources from the broader society and concentrating them at the very top. This dynamic, driven by complex financial structures and tax strategies, isn’t merely an accumulation of personal fortunes but a systematic extraction from the economic potential of others. The capital that could have flowed through wages, education, and public infrastructure is often diverted into private bank accounts and shell companies, rarely benefiting the people who drive and build the economy day by day.

As wealth accumulates at the top, so too does political influence. Billionaires, with vast financial resources, can fund political campaigns, lobbyists, and entire networks of think tanks dedicated to shaping policy. Through these channels, they push for tax policies, regulations, and trade agreements that benefit the ultra-wealthy at the expense of middle- and lower-income families. Politicians, indebted to these donors, increasingly look to billionaire interests rather than to constituents’ needs. This creates a disturbing feedback loop: billionaires influence politics to further policies that reinforce their own wealth and power, leaving the broader populace with dwindling opportunities to influence their own government.

This concentrated power extends far beyond campaign finance and lobbying. With ownership over significant segments of media networks, billionaires control the narratives that millions consume daily. Through these media outlets, they shape public opinion, diverting attention from policies that would challenge wealth accumulation and pushing narratives that frame the ultra-wealthy as essential “job creators” or “innovators” rather than acknowledging their role in widening economic divides. Issues that might threaten their economic stranglehold are often buried, while others, that create division and distract, are amplified.

For the middle and lower classes, this confluence of wealth, media, and political power has a real impact. Stagnant wages, diminishing job security, and rising costs of living aren’t natural outcomes of a complex economy—they’re symptoms of a system shaped to benefit those at the top. Policies that could lift working-class Americans, like raising the minimum wage, universal healthcare, or better labor protections, are often stifled in legislative deadlock, thanks in part to the political influence of the ultra-wealthy who stand to lose from them.

So, as this cycle continues, the gap between billionaires and everyone else widens. The billions accumulated at the top no longer signify mere success but a barrier to mobility for everyone else. The middle and lower classes find themselves carrying the economic burdens, often working harder for less. Meanwhile, billionaires remain insulated, living in a different economic reality, one far removed from the struggles of the average American. This isn’t just an economic imbalance but a distortion of democracy itself, as the machinery of power and influence is pulled further from the reach of ordinary citizens and held more tightly by those whose interests rarely align with theirs.

Without addressing this imbalance, the promise of opportunity, the cornerstone of the American Dream, becomes less attainable with each passing year, not just for the lower and middle classes but for the nation’s future as a whole.

Addressing their manipulation

Billionaires and their advocates often employ a familiar set of narratives to justify their wealth and the structures that enable it. These arguments, framed in terms of the free market, capitalism, or fear of socialism, are not only misleading but often serve to distract from the deeper systemic issues at play. Below is a breakdown of these claims and the counterarguments that expose their flaws:

1. “It’s Just the Free Market at Work”

The myth of the “free market” implies that billionaires achieve their wealth purely through talent, innovation, and competition in a market where everyone has equal opportunity. But in reality, the U.S. economy is far from a genuinely “free” market.

Counterpoints:

• Government Subsidies and Tax Breaks: Many billionaires’ businesses rely heavily on taxpayer-funded subsidies, special tax breaks, and other forms of government assistance. Large corporations frequently lobby for policies that grant them tax advantages, including offshore loopholes and capital gains tax breaks. This creates an environment where they aren’t competing on equal ground but rather with significant state support, distorting the market in their favor.

• Anti-Competitive Practices: Many large corporations, especially in tech and finance, engage in monopolistic behavior, buying out competitors or using aggressive tactics to drive them out of the market. This concentration of power stifles competition, contradicting the notion of a “free” market where anyone can succeed if they work hard.

• Inherited Wealth and Privilege: A significant portion of billionaire wealth is inherited rather than self-made. Generational wealth compounds, giving the ultra-wealthy an enormous head start over those without similar family resources. This challenges the idea that wealth accumulation is simply the product of individual merit or a fair market.

2. “This Is What Capitalism Is Supposed to Look Like”

The argument here suggests that capitalism is an inherently competitive system, where the most successful rise to the top, benefiting everyone through innovation and job creation. This narrative hinges on the idea of “trickle-down economics,” where the wealth of the richest eventually spreads throughout society.

Counterpoints:

• Trickle-Down Economics Doesn’t Work: Decades of evidence show that wealth rarely “trickles down” to the rest of society in any meaningful way. Income inequality has only widened, with wages stagnating for most workers while billionaire wealth has soared. Billionaires tend to reinvest wealth in ways that concentrate their holdings, like in stocks, rather than in ways that benefit the broader economy.

• Wealth Extraction, Not Wealth Creation: Many billionaires achieve and maintain their fortunes through rent-seeking behavior—extracting wealth from existing resources rather than creating new value. Hedge funds, private equity, and real estate empires often profit by cutting costs (like labor) rather than by innovating or producing new goods and services. This dynamic benefits investors but hurts workers and consumers.

• Capitalism Can Take Other Forms: The capitalism practiced in the U.S. today, sometimes called “neoliberal capitalism,” focuses on minimal regulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and privatization. However, other countries demonstrate that capitalism can function with stronger social safety nets, wealth redistribution policies, and tighter regulations on corporate power. Nordic countries, for example, balance capitalism with robust welfare systems, ensuring a more equitable distribution of wealth and services.

3. “Without Billionaires, There Would Be No Innovation or Job Creation”

A popular myth is that billionaires are essential “job creators” and “innovators” whose wealth ultimately benefits society by funding new businesses and creating employment. This claim positions billionaires as indispensable to economic growth.

Counterpoints:

• Public Funding Fuels Innovation: Many of the biggest technological advances, including the internet, GPS, and medical breakthroughs, were developed with public funding rather than billionaire investments. Government research grants and subsidies often lay the groundwork for major innovations that billionaires later profit from. In other words, society bears much of the financial risk, while billionaires reap the rewards.

• Small Businesses Create Most Jobs: Small businesses, not billionaires or large corporations, are responsible for most job creation in the United States. Big corporations often eliminate jobs through automation, outsourcing, or consolidation. They may employ a large workforce, but they also tend to exploit workers through low wages, precarious employment, and cost-cutting measures.

• Billionaires Accumulate Wealth Through Wealth, Not Innovation: Many billionaires maintain their wealth not by creating jobs or innovating but by using their existing capital to generate more wealth, often through financial instruments that have little to do with actual economic productivity. Stock buybacks, dividends, and passive investments grow their fortunes without necessarily contributing to broader economic prosperity.

4. “Any Alternative Is Socialism or Communism”

When calls arise for higher taxes on the wealthy, stricter regulations, or broader social programs, the response is often to invoke the fear of “socialism” or “communism.” This argument seeks to paint any attempt at wealth redistribution or regulation as a slippery slope toward total government control.

Counterpoints:

• Social Safety Nets and Regulations Are Not Socialism: Social safety nets, progressive taxation, and regulations do not equate to socialism or communism; they’re features of a balanced capitalist system that seeks to prevent extreme inequality and protect public welfare. Countries like Germany, Canada, and Denmark combine regulated capitalism with strong social programs, resulting in healthier economies and greater well-being for citizens without abandoning capitalism.

• Inequality Threatens Capitalism: Growing inequality and economic instability can undermine the foundations of capitalism. A healthy capitalist economy requires a strong middle class with buying power, which excessive wealth concentration undermines. Reforms like progressive taxation, labor protections, and universal healthcare aren’t a rejection of capitalism but rather a means of stabilizing it.

• Historical Success of Mixed Economies: Many of the most successful and prosperous countries practice a mixed economy, where capitalism coexists with social policies that promote equality. The U.S. itself has employed a mixed economy model in the past, particularly after the New Deal, which implemented social safety nets, labor protections, and financial regulations that led to a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity for the middle class.

5. “They Earned It Fair and Square”

Finally, the idea persists that billionaires deserve their wealth because they “earned” it. This argument suggests that any policy aiming to redistribute wealth is fundamentally unfair, penalizing those who worked hard to succeed.

Counterpoints:

• Systemic Advantages and Wealth Hoarding: As previously mentioned, many billionaires begin with advantages—like family wealth or elite educational opportunities—that aren’t available to most people. Additionally, billionaires often employ complex strategies to avoid taxes, lobby for favorable regulations, and capitalize on government subsidies. These factors mean they haven’t earned wealth solely through hard work or merit.

• Billionaires Didn’t Build Alone: No billionaire operates in isolation; they rely on infrastructure, public education, and the work of thousands or millions of employees. A CEO’s wealth is made possible by a web of collective contributions, yet that wealth is rarely shared equitably. While billionaires might be rewarded for their role, their fortune is far from the result of individual effort alone.

In short, these narratives around billionaires often mask a more uncomfortable truth: today’s system is structured in ways that favor the ultra-wealthy at the expense of the broader population. Economic reform, rather than a threat to capitalism, is a necessary step to ensure a more just, equitable society where wealth accumulation doesn’t depend on privilege, influence, or systemic manipulation.

Making a change

Addressing the economic imbalance and the unchecked power of the ultra-wealthy presents a unique challenge, especially given the intense political polarization in the United States. For the middle and lower classes to push back effectively, they will need to build a coalition that transcends party lines and focuses on shared economic interests rather than divisive rhetoric.

1. Build Awareness Through Shared Issues, Not Ideology

The rhetoric around “free markets” and “socialism” often obscures real issues of economic struggle that affect both conservative and progressive working- and middle-class citizens alike. Instead of framing the issue in ideological terms, framing it in terms of tangible, shared grievances can help bridge the divide:

• Focus on Economic Inequality: Income stagnation, unaffordable healthcare, and housing insecurity are felt across the political spectrum. By shifting the narrative from “class warfare” to “economic fairness,” advocates can sidestep partisan language and emphasize the shared experience of economic struggle.

• Highlight the Impact of Corporate Power on Local Communities: Framing issues around how large corporations hurt small, local businesses can resonate strongly with both sides of the political spectrum. This approach often taps into conservative values around community and self-reliance, while also aligning with progressive critiques of corporate overreach.

2. Organize Around Labor Rights and Worker Protections

Historically, unions have been instrumental in improving working conditions and advocating for fair wages, and labor movements transcend political divisions. Many Americans—left, right, and center—share concerns about the erosion of workers’ rights, stagnant wages, and the declining influence of the average worker.

• Expand Union Participation and Labor Movements: Reinvigorating unions and expanding labor protections could give workers a stronger collective voice. New labor movements that focus on economic rights without overtly partisan language could attract support across the political spectrum, particularly when they champion issues like fair wages, workplace safety, and job security.

• Support Worker Cooperatives and Employee-Owned Businesses: Promoting models like worker cooperatives or employee-owned businesses can offer a compelling alternative to the current structure of corporate ownership without resorting to divisive rhetoric. These models prioritize local control and shared economic benefits, appealing to values of self-sufficiency and fairness.

3. Pressure Politicians on Key Economic Policies

A key to bridging the partisan gap is to focus on policies that benefit the broader populace rather than framing them as part of any ideological agenda. The majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation, support policies like fair taxation, healthcare reform, and increased access to education when framed in terms of fairness and opportunity.

• Promote Tax Reform as “Fairness,” Not Redistribution: Instead of advocating for “redistribution,” proponents can push for tax policies that ensure everyone pays their fair share. Policies like a wealth tax or higher taxes on capital gains can be framed as holding the ultra-wealthy accountable rather than demonizing them, a stance that resonates with people who value fairness and personal responsibility.

• Advocate for Antitrust Legislation: Pushing for stronger antitrust laws to break up monopolies and prevent anti-competitive practices can appeal to both sides. For conservatives, this aligns with the values of market competition; for progressives, it aligns with corporate accountability and consumer protection.

4. Engage in Alternative Media and Independent Journalism

The ultra-wealthy often own or influence major media outlets, which can shape public opinion in ways that protect their interests. For the middle and lower classes to gain a clearer view of economic issues, alternative media sources and independent journalism that aren’t beholden to billionaire interests are crucial.

• Support Independent News Outlets: A growing number of independent news organizations are dedicated to in-depth economic reporting without catering to corporate interests. Supporting these outlets allows individuals to access a range of perspectives that help reveal the true impact of policies on ordinary people.

• Utilize Social Media Responsibly to Build Cross-Party Awareness: Social media, while often a divisive force, can also be used to spread information about economic injustice. When used responsibly to share facts, case studies, and stories of economic hardship, it can cut through the rhetoric and provide people across the political spectrum with a shared understanding of the issues.

5. Prioritize Voting Reform and Campaign Finance Reform

Money in politics is one of the core reasons why economic policies favor the wealthy. Bipartisan support for reducing corporate influence in politics is possible, especially when the focus is on fairness, transparency, and accountability in government.

• Promote Campaign Finance Reform as an Anti-Corruption Effort: Campaign finance reform, which seeks to limit the influence of wealthy donors and corporations on elections, can appeal to conservatives and liberals alike who are frustrated with the influence of money in politics. Instead of framing it as an anti-capitalist measure, framing it as an anti-corruption measure can attract broader support.

• Support Voting Reforms for a More Representative Democracy: Reforms like ranked-choice voting, ending gerrymandering, and preventing voter suppression can help create a political environment that more accurately represents the will of the people rather than special interests. By creating a more representative democracy, policies that reflect the economic needs of the middle and lower classes have a better chance of being enacted.

6. Create Cross-Partisan Grassroots Coalitions Focused on Economic Issues

Many grassroots organizations are focused on economic justice, but they tend to align themselves with one side of the political spectrum, often losing potential support in the process. Building cross-partisan coalitions that emphasize shared economic challenges rather than ideological differences could foster stronger, more united advocacy for middle- and working-class issues.

• Organize Around Issues, Not Parties: Groups like the Poor People’s Campaign, which focuses on poverty and economic justice, have successfully united people across political lines around issues that transcend party loyalty. This approach allows people to focus on their shared struggles, making the movement harder for politicians to ignore.

• Build Community-Level Alliances: Many economic issues are felt acutely at the local level. By focusing on community-level initiatives that address healthcare, affordable housing, and education, people can create practical, on-the-ground solutions that don’t require alignment with national politics. These local successes can serve as models for broader change.

7. Emphasize Civic Education on Economic Policies

Finally, bridging the gap will require education and awareness. Many people accept billionaire-fueled rhetoric because they lack exposure to alternative perspectives. Civic education efforts that focus on teaching economic principles, tax policy, and the influence of corporate power can empower people to understand the real impacts of current policies on their lives.

• Create Accessible Educational Resources: Podcasts, documentaries, workshops, and community discussions can all serve as tools for demystifying economic issues. When people have a clearer understanding of how things like tax policies and wage laws work, they are better equipped to make informed decisions.

• Promote Financial Literacy and Empower Individuals: Financial literacy programs that help individuals understand budgeting, credit, and investments empower people to navigate the economy more effectively. While this doesn’t directly address systemic issues, it gives individuals a greater understanding of the forces shaping their lives and can be a first step toward broader engagement.

By approaching these issues with a focus on shared struggles, fairness, and practical solutions, the middle and lower classes can work together to build a movement that transcends political divides. This movement can challenge the status quo without becoming mired in divisive ideological battles. The real strength of such an effort lies in its ability to unite ordinary people around a common vision for a fairer, more just economic system—one that serves all citizens, not just the wealthiest few.

[reasonsforhope]

"In some cities, as many as one in four office spaces are vacant. Some start-ups are giving them a second life – as indoor farms growing crops as varied as kale, cucumber and herbs.

Since its 1967 construction, Canada's "Calgary Tower", a 190m (623ft) concrete-and-steel observation tower in Calgary, Alberta, has been home to an observation deck, panoramic restaurants and souvenir shops. Last year, it welcomed a different kind of business: a fully functioning indoor farm.

Sprawling across 6,000sq m (65,000 sq ft), the farm, which produces dozens of crops including strawberries, kale and cucumber, is a striking example of the search for city-grown food. But it's hardly alone. From Japan to Singapore to Dubai, vertical indoor farms – where crops can be grown in climate-controlled environments with hydroponics, aquaponics or aeroponics techniques – have been popping up around the world.

While indoor farming had been on the rise for years, a watershed moment came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when disruptions to the food supply chain underscored the need for local solutions. In 2021, $6bn (£4.8bn) in vertical farming deals were registered globally – the peak year for vertical farming investment. As the global economy entered its post-pandemic phase, some high-profile startups like Fifth Season went out of business, and others including Planted Detroit and AeroFarms running into a period of financial difficulty. Some commentators questioned whether a "vertical farming bubble" had popped.

But a new, post-pandemic trend may give the sector a boost. In countries including Canada and Australia, landlords are struggling to fill vacant office spaces as companies embrace remote and hybrid work. In the US, the office vacancy rate is more than 20%.

"Vertical farms may prove to be a cost-effective way to fill in vacant office buildings," says Warren Seay, Jr, a real estate finance partner in the Washington DC offices of US law firm ArentFox Schiff, who authored an article on urban farm reconversions. 

There are other reasons for the interest in urban farms, too. Though supply chains have largely recovered post-Covid-19, other global shocks, including climate change, geopolitical turmoil and farmers' strikes, mean that they continue to be vulnerable – driving more cities to look for local food production options...

Thanks to artificial light and controlled temperatures, offices are proving surprisingly good environments for indoor agriculture, spurring some companies to convert part of their facilities into small farms. Since 2022, Australia's start-up Greenspace has worked with clients like Deloitte and Commonwealth Bank to turn "dead zones", like the space between lifts and meeting rooms, into 2m (6ft) tall hydroponic cabinets growing leafy greens.

On top of being adaptable to indoor farm operations, vacant office buildings offer the advantage of proximity to final consumers.

In a former paper storage warehouse in Arlington, about a mile outside of Washington DC, Jacqueline Potter and the team at Area 2 Farms are growing over 180 organic varieties of lettuce, greens, root vegetables, herbs and micro-greens. By serving consumers 10 miles away or less, the company has driven down transport costs and associated greenhouse emissions.

This also frees the team up to grow other types of food that can be hard to find elsewhere – such as edible flower species like buzz buttons and nasturtium. "Most crops are now selected to be grown because of their ability to withstand a 1,500-mile journey," Potter says, referring to the average distance covered by crops in the US before reaching customers. "In our farm, we can select crops for other properties like their nutritional value or taste."

Overall, vertical farms have the potential to outperform regular farms on several environmental sustainability metrics like water usage, says Evan Fraser, professor of geography at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and the director of the Arell Food Institute, a research centre on sustainable food production. Most indoor farms report using a tiny fraction of the water that outdoor farms use. Indoor farms also report greater output per square mile than regular farms.

Energy use, however, is the "Achilles heel" of this sector, says Fraser: vertical farms need a lot of electricity to run lighting and ventilation systems, smart sensors and automated harvesting technologies. But if energy is sourced from renewable sources, they can outperform regular farms on this metric too, he says. 

Because of variations in operational setup, it is hard to make a general assessment of the environmental, social and economic sustainability of indoor farms, says Jiangxiao Qiu, a landscape ecologist at the University of Florida and author of a study on urban agriculture's role in sustainability. Still, he agrees with Fraser: in general, urban indoor farms have higher crop yield per square foot, greater water and nutrient-use efficiency, better resistance to pests and shorter distance to market. Downsides include high energy use due to lighting, ventilation and air conditioning.

They face other challenges, too. As Seay notes, zoning laws often do not allow for agricultural activity within urban areas (although some cities like Arlington, Virginia, and Cincinnati, Ohio, have recently updated zoning to allow indoor farms). And, for now, indoor farms have limited crop range. It is hard to produce staple crops like wheat, corn or rice indoors, says Fraser. Aside from leafy greens, most indoor facilities cannot yet produce other types of crops at scale.

But as long as the post-pandemic trends of remote work and corporate downsizing will last, indoor farms may keep popping up in cities around the world, Seay says. 

"One thing cities dislike more than anything is unused spaces that don't drive economic growth," he says. "If indoor farm conversions in cities like Arlington prove successful, others may follow suit.""

-via BBC, January 27, 2025

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Home For Christmas

Warnings: non/dubcon, and other dark elements. Not all kinks or triggers are tagged. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Summary: You get sidetracked on your way home.

Character: Andy Barber

Day Four of the December Daze Challenge.

Prompt - the car broke down and the snow is getting deep��

Note: As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

"It's getting bad," Andy shifts in the passenger seat, as usual, stating the obvious.  

"Yeah, just gotta be careful," you grip the wheel, leaning into it as you try to see through the falling powder. "I've driven through worse." 

"Maybe, but it's not letting up," he sits up, concerned after his cat nap. "Might be a good idea to look for a hotel or something. Even just somewhere we can pull off until it dies down." 

"It's really not that much," you argue. You just want to get home. Just a few more hours and you get to enjoy your holidays. 

"Look, I know you wanna get back for Christmas but--" 

"Shit!" You exclaim as headlights flash through the white flakes and veer away from you with a honk as you twist the wheel to avoid the other car. 

You slam on the breaks as you steer into a heaping bank, sending up puffs of snow all around you. Andy grunts as he reaches over to flip on the hazards. You catch your breath as he sighs. You hate that sound. 

"What were you saying?" He mutters. 

"That guy was in the wrong lane," you argue. "I can't help that." 

"Yeah, but if you can't see them, they can't see you." 

You keep from countering. He always has to be right. Besides, he's your boss, he's supposed to be right. It just irks you how he talks to you like a child. You're almost the same damn age as him. 

"Let me drive," he insists. 

"Andy," you shift into reverse and check the back window, "can you check your phone? See if there's anything close by." 

Your defeat is in your voice. He is right. The snows getting worse by the second. You'll be lucky to get as far as a hotel. 

"Shit," he mutters as he sits back and looks at his phone, "no signal." 

He raises it, angling it around with a tut. You chew your cheeks in agitation. That means you can't even call James to let him know you'll be late. 

"I think I saw a sign back a ways..." you drone uncertainly, once more clamping down on the wheel. "Let me know if you see anything." 

You right the nose of the car, the tires rolling without traction before finally catching. That's not good either. Of course, the snow had to wait. It had to dump in that moment, when you're finally at the end of this stupid work trip. 

You head back down the highway, tense as you feel the tenuous grip of the tires. You’re not sure you’re going to get very far. You don’t. After a sluggish advance, the car swerves as snow builds up in the tire wells and clog the axle. Once more, you barely keep control as you steer back towards the snow-buried apron. 

You roll into the window high drifts and push both feet onto the brake. You hang your head forward and groan. Andy’s hand grips the corner of your seat, his other on the dashboard. You lean back and shake your heads. 

“Well, Happy Holidays,” you huff. “Should we get out and walk.” 

“You think we’ll get far?” He asks, though you can’t tell if it’s rhetorical or not. 

“What else can we do?” You wonder with exasperation. 

“Got an emerge kit in the trunk. Seats fold down.” 

You blink at him. He can’t mean that. 

“Just until it stops. It’s only building and even if we don’t want to, there’s not much choice.” 

“We can call for help,” you suggest. 

“Even if someone could get to us, I don’t have any bars. What about you?” 

You shift into park and take out your phone. A circle with a bar. Nothing. 

“Can’t keep this on forever either. The battery will die. There’s a thermal blanket, a couple of hand warmers, food...” 

“Jesus, how long are we going to be stuck here?” You look at him. 

For the first time in all the years you’ve worked with him, Andy looks uncertain. That adds to your anxiety. He frowns and slides his hand off the seat onto your shoulder. 

“Look, it’s fine. It should be more than tonight. Snow’s supposed to let up after dusk, then we just need to wait for the plows. They usually start up at 3. Before traffic gets heavy.” He assures. 

You nod. For once, you’re happy to have a know-it-all with you. 

“Alright, so, turn off the engine.” 

You do what he says and he reaches for his door. He pushes it open and the wind blows back his hair and dusts snow into the SUV. He goes to the back of the car, disappearing into the white void. You watch nervously, trying to see through the thick flakes. 

The hatch opens and you undo your seat belt so you can crane around. “What are you doing?” 

“Gotta make sure we’re visible. I’ll hang one of the emergency vests on the back.” 

“Oh, right, can I help?” You wonder. 

“If you can get the seats down, we’re going to have to keep as much warmth as we can. Lever’s underneath,” he hollers through the wind. His cheeks are already touched pink by the snowy blast. He pulls out a neon yellow vest and closes the back up. 

You get out of the seat and pull the switch on the side to fold it forward. You climb over it and feel around the front of the backseat. You get those down as the side door opens. And climbs up, crunching himself down to fit in the tight space. 

You operate silently in unison. He gets the blankets out. Two. He suggests one for underneath and the second over you. He has bottles of water, some cold rations, and little packets that heat up for about 15 minutes when you rub them. 

As you sit on the thermal blanket he feels the front of his jacket, “damn it,” you can see the moisture around his shoulders. 

He strips it off and shivers in his dress shirt. His hair is damp too, curling at the ends. He looks at you, his blue eyes bolder as the world is white outside the windows. 

“Uh, we gotta...” 

“Yeah, sure,” you grab the blanket and pull it close. He moves next to you. There isn’t quite enough space to stretch out. You’re scrunched up as your arms touch and you lean on the slight incline of the folded seat. 

“Gonna be a long night,” he mutters. 

“Not exactly the white Christmas I hoped for,” you agree. 

You don’t complain much more. You have someone to get home to eventually. Since the divorce, Andy is rarely eager to leave work. It’s exactly the reason you’re trapped on the side of the highway. The work trip was his reason not to be alone. You feel bad for him, even if he is an ass of a boss. 

❄️ 

Your teeth chatter as you hug yourself under the blanket. Andy’s heat burns at your back but can’t warm you as the wind whistles outside the car. He turns on the car for about ten minutes at a time but hasn’t in at least two hours as the coldness sets in. It’s better to conserve the heat under the blanket. 

His arm is around you, his chin in your shoulder, resting against yours. It’s an innately intimate position, intertwined, snug, but you’re not thinking about that. You’re just thinking about the miracle of modern heating. You just need to make it through tonight. 

He shifts and shivers against you. You put your hand on his to try to warm him. You don’t feel you’re offering much as he radiates with heat. 

He sighs. God, his damn sighs. The sound that make your office days longer. 

You close your eyes but can’t sleep. You’re too anxious to settle down. Your eyes burn with fatigue but your adrenaline keeps you unsettled. 

The silence is as frigid as the weather. Both of you stopped talking a while ago. There’s nothing left to say but the obvious. You can’t wait to be out of there. You try to relax, the tension aching in your neck. 

He shifts and his hand slips from under yours. You move too, searching for comfort. His fingers rustle down your shirt and touch the front of your pants. The awkward brush makes you squirm. He drags his hand back up and presses against the bottom of your shirt. 

You go rigid again. His fingertips trace the waistband of your wool trousers. Your eyes snap open. 

He dips beneath the fabric and you suck in a stunned breath. You flinch as he tickles along your panties. You cough. 

“Andy, what--” 

He hushes you, “it’s cold...” 

Does he know what he’s doing? Maybe he’s just trying to go up your shirt but that’s not better, is it? His cheek presses against your skull as he pulls you flush to him. He delves beneath your underwear and you gasp again. 

“Andy--” 

“No one will know,” he grits. 

“No, Andy,” you grab his forearm. “You can’t-- I know you’ve been going through a lot but no--” 

His other arm snakes up from under your waist and his hand stretches across your throat. You gulp and let out another surprised squeak. He squeezes as you reach to snatch at his grip. 

“And...” 

He chokes the protest from you as he grazes along your pelvis. You wince and as he rocks his hips against you. He purrs. “Mmm, nice and tidy... like you were expecting this.” 

Your skin blazes in humiliation. You spent a little extra time trimming. You missed James terribly and his texts betrayed that the feeling was mutual. 

You croak but can’t speak. He fingertips press behind your jaw until the pain waters in your eyes. He jams his hand between your thighs. He curls against your cunt and glides between your folds. Another spark of humiliation scalds you. It’s been weeks since you had the time of energy to spend with James. You and your husband are just too busy. You’re all too responsive to the rare touch. 

The fear constricts across your ribs as your heart pound, echoing in your temples. You squeeze his wrist which only inspires him to tighten his hold on your throat. Your eyes gloss over with helplessness. You can't stop him. Not in that moment and even if you could speak, there’s no one to hear you scream for help. 

He bends his fingers until they sink past your entrance. He has no patience. He buries himself to his lowest knuckle, gripping tight so the heel of his hand is against your clit. The pressure pulses into your core. 

He tilts his hand, forming a slow rhythm that feeds a different kind of heat. The kind that burns your soul. You flick your lashes as your walls clench him and you twitch. No, no. 

Your breath picks up. You think of your husband, waiting, worried, and you’re there... he can’t ever know. Even if it’s wrong. Even if you don’t want it. 

“I’ve been so lonely,” he rasps against the brim of your ear. “I just... need to touch someone.” His desperation trembles in his voice. “You’re so warm and soft.... and wet.” 

You hear your cunt clinging to him as he rocks his hand faster and faster. The swirl of nerves flurries to a spiral. The coil twists tighter and tighter. You arch your back, pushing your ass back unthinkingly against his crotch. 

He moves in response. Rubbing his hard bulge against you. His own breath hitches as he writhes in tandem with his hand. His palm claps against you as he fucks you harder and harder, pumping himself against your ass. 

You let go of him to bite your finger. You cum in a spasm, your tears overflowing in more than shame. It’s a sense of relief, the release of the tension built of neglect and stress. He puffs furiously as he ruts against you, shaking as his voice gurgles and his rhythm turns spasmodic. 

He growls and grunts until he falls out of motion. He stills and goes slack, his hand trapped beneath your thighs as he heaves. He purrs and nuzzles your ear. 

“I won’t tell him if you don’t,” he grits. 

[s1ut-4-rafe]

ONE LAST DANCE | Drew Starkey

MASTERLIST (One Shot)

Pairing - Drew Starkey x Childhood Best Friend! Reader

Summary - At your wedding, you unexpectedly reconnects with your past love, Drew. He confesses his regret over choosing his career over you, revealing he never stopped loving you. Torn between your life with your husband, Liam, and your lingering feelings for Drew, you are left grappling with the unresolved emotions from your past as the dance ends.

Word Count - 2005

Content - Angst, childhood best friends, married fem! reader, nostalgia, romantic tension, emotional conflict.

The night was perfect. Everything you’d hoped it would be.

The reception was drenched in a golden glow, twinkling string lights casting a soft haze over the dance floor. White linens draped over round tables, their surfaces adorned with elegant floral arrangements and flickering candlelight. The scent of roses and champagne lingered in the warm air, laughter weaving between the clinking of glasses and the hum of quiet conversations.

And then there was him.

Drew stood near the edge of the crowd, just far enough to blend in, but never far enough that you couldn’t feel his presence.

It had been years.

Years since you last saw him, since you last heard his voice outside of memories that refused to fade. But the moment your eyes met across the room, it was like no time had passed at all.

Your heart skipped, the familiar ache creeping in. You could still see him in your mind's eye as the man who had once meant everything to you. The one who had been your safe place, your best friend, your first love. But now, after everything, after the years apart, his presence was both comforting and agonizing.

Back then, you thought it was forever. You had pictured a life with Drew, together, no matter where it took you. You had even dreamed of marrying him one day. But that dream had shattered when Drew made the decision to choose his career over you.

You had watched him grow distant, his eyes lighting up at every new opportunity that came his way, his passion for acting consuming him in ways you hadn’t expected. He had always been driven, always focused, but somewhere along the way, you had been left behind. Slowly but surely, Drew had chosen his career, the one thing he believed he had to make work above all else.

He had told you that he loved you, but the promises of a future together became promises made to the world, to the stage, to the movies he’d always dreamed of. You had watched him leave for an audition, only to come back to pack his bags and move to Charleston, South Carolina to film Outer Banks.

And with that, everything changed. You tried to wait, tried to hold on, but eventually, you realized he wasn’t coming back. You couldn’t be the person who held him back, not when he was chasing his dreams so relentlessly. So, you had to let him go.

Now, you’re married to someone else, someone who is steady and present. Someone who didn’t have dreams that pulled him away, someone who showed up when you needed him. You met Liam after Drew left, after the silence between you both had grown too loud to ignore. He was there when you needed stability, when you needed someone to fill the space Drew had once occupied. 

You got engaged quickly, maybe too quickly, but it felt right at the time. And when you stood at the altar, you believed you had chosen the right path. You thought you had moved on. And for a while, that had been enough. Until you saw Drew again.

As Drew’s gaze locked with yours from across the room, you felt every moment, every unspoken word, fall back into place. You had moved on, built a life, and yet, in the space between your heartbeats, you couldn’t escape the pull of what could have been.

He was wearing a tailored black suit that hugged his frame just right. He looked sharp and sophisticated, effortlessly commanding attention. Beneath it, a crisp white shirt peeked out, flawless as ever. And then there was the tie red. Bold. The same color he wore to your senior prom. 

Like a knife to the gut, the memory hit you all at once. 

The late-night drives. The stolen glances. The way he used to look at you when he thought you weren’t paying attention.

The way he was looking at you now. 

And yet, despite it all, he wasn’t the one waiting at the altar for you today.

Your fingers curled around the delicate lace of your wedding gown, your breath tightening in your chest. 

You should look away.

You should turn around.

You shouldn’t walk toward him.

But you did.

The second he noticed your movement, Drew’s lips parted slightly, his throat bobbing like he wasn’t sure whether to speak or just take you in.

And God, did he take you in.

The long lace sleeves of your dress, the way it hugged your frame before cascading to the ground in soft, intricate patterns. The delicate veil trailing behind you, whispering against the floor with every step. The way your hair was styled, the way he once said he loved it best.

"You came," you murmured, stopping just inches away.

Drew exhaled a quiet laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Of course I did."

Silence settled between you, thick and suffocating.

"You look…" His voice faltered, his blue eyes flickering across your face, down to your dress, then back again. "Jesus."

A lump formed in your throat. "Drew—"

"You’re really married." His voice cracked slightly, and it was barely a whisper, almost like he didn’t mean to say it out loud.

Your chest ached. "I am."

A sharp inhale. A slow nod.

"Right," he muttered, like he was forcing himself to accept it. Like he was trying to convince himself this was real.

The music shifted.

A slow, familiar melody filled the air.

Your song.

You saw it the moment realization dawned on him, the moment his entire body went rigid, as if the universe was playing some cruel, twisted joke on both of you.

"One last dance?" he asked, voice barely above the music.

You should’ve said no. But instead, you whispered, "Yes."

And that was all it took.

His fingers brushed against yours, hesitant at first, before intertwining fully. His other hand settled on your waist, warmth seeping through the delicate lace of your dress.

The second he pulled you closer, everything else faded.

The song flows between you, the delicate melody wrapping around you both like a fragile thread.

You glance up at him, and the weight of everything you’ve both been through presses down on you. His eyes meet yours, and in them, there’s a depth of longing, regret, and love that’s almost too much to bear. For a long moment, neither of you speaks, as though words could shatter the fragile connection that’s been reignited.

And then, Drew’s voice breaks through the silence, a whisper that feels too raw for the moment, too heavy for the space between you. “I had no idea what I was doing, leaving you like that. I thought it was what I had to do, but I didn’t know what I was losing. I didn’t know I was losing you until I couldn’t get you back.”

Your breath catches in your chest, the ache in your heart rising with every word he speaks. It’s like he’s clawing at the walls of your heart, each admission drawing you closer to something you’ve tried so hard to forget. You open your mouth, but no sound comes out, and before you can stop yourself, you’re pulling away from him, your hands rising instinctively to stop him from saying any more.

“No, Drew, don’t—” you begin, but he doesn’t let you pull away.

He doesn’t let you stop him. His grip tightens around your hand, his gaze fierce, and he shakes his head, eyes brimming with the words he’s been holding back for far too long.

“Let me finish,” he says, his voice low and urgent, almost pleading. His chest rises and falls with every breath, and for a moment, you wonder if he’s holding back tears too.

 “I regret it. I thought I was doing what was right for me, but it was always work, always the next job, the next audition, the next role. And in all that chaos, I lost sight of what really mattered.”

You feel the words hit you like a wave, crashing over you, pulling you under. You’ve always known the pain that came from his decision, but hearing him say it—hearing him admit that it was never easy for him, that he never truly let you go, it breaks something inside of you.

His voice cracks, a rawness that cuts through the air between you. “I couldn’t move on, not really. I tried, but every time I stood in front of a camera, every time I went on set, it felt like I was running away from the one thing that would’ve made everything worth it.”

Your breath catches, your chest tightening with the weight of everything he’s saying. The love you once shared, the future you’d dreamed of, all of it comes rushing back. The life you built with Liam feels distant in this moment, like a dream that somehow lost its magic, because here in Drew’s arms, you remember what it felt like to be that version of yourself, the one who believed in the future you two were going to have.

You bite your lip, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that threaten to spill over. You can’t, you shouldn’t, let yourself fall back into this. You’ve moved on. You’ve built something with Liam. But Drew’s words, the pain in his voice, the way his hands tremble as they hold you, make it impossible to ignore the truth of what’s still lingering between you both.

“I built a life, Drew. A life with Liam. And it… It wasn’t always easy, but it’s real. It’s stable. It’s been what I needed,” you whisper, your voice breaking.

You can hear the words spilling out before you can stop them, and yet, as you say them, they feel like a lie. 

He exhales, his chest pressing against yours, and for a moment, you’re both frozen, standing in the ache of what could have been. His voice is hoarse when he speaks again, thick with emotion. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Even when I had everything, fame, success, it was never enough without you.”

The tears are too close now. You can feel them welling up behind your eyes, threatening to spill. You can’t stop them, but you can’t speak either. All you can do is stand there, swaying with him, lost in the memories of what you were, what you almost were.

But before you can let it all sink in, before you can make sense of what this all means, he leans in closer, his breath warm on your ear. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything. For making you feel like I didn’t care, when I did… when I still do.”

Your heart skips, a flutter of hope rising before you squash it down, trying to remember what you've built, the future you've chosen.

But Drew isn’t finished. His grip tightens, pulling you closer, and his voice is steady now, a whisper but one filled with so much certainty. “I love you. I never stopped. I never will.”

The words hang in the air, heavy with meaning, with the truth you’d buried for so long. The pain of your past, the love you thought was lost, it all feels like it’s resurfacing in one sweeping rush, and it’s too much. Too much for you to process right now.

You take a shaky breath, tears threatening to fall, and you speak in a broken whisper. “I don’t know what to do with this, Drew. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with this.”

His hand cups your cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear you didn’t even realize had fallen. His voice cracks with raw emotion as he whispers, “I know it’s too late, but I just wanted you to know.”

And in that moment, the song reaches its final notes, the music fading into silence, leaving only the ache between you both and the harsh realization that timing, once again, has stolen everything.

[girlactionfigure]

For decades, we’ve been fed the lie that Israel is the root of all conflict in the Middle East. That if Israel disappeared, the region would suddenly blossom into peace and prosperity.

Let’s test that theory.

Imagine the Israelis, exhausted from wars, terrorism, and endless global condemnation, decide the land isn’t worth the blood.

They pack up and leave for Europe, Canada, the U.S., anywhere but here.

Palestinian flags rise over every inch of land from the river to the sea.

Hamas, the PA, and their cheerleaders worldwide celebrate the ultimate victory.

Then what?

The illusion of unity shatters within hours. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority turn on each other. The PA, riddled with corruption and incapable of governing, is no match for Hamas, which seizes the West Bank as easily as it did Gaza in 2007.

The streets fill with executions, Palestinians killing Palestinians.

Palestinian factions within Jordan, emboldened by the so-called liberation of their homeland, demand full political rights, power-sharing, and ultimately, the transformation of Jordan into a Palestinian state.

The Jordanian government and tribes, desperate to maintain control, issues a decree: Palestinians must return to their "liberated" homeland.

But with Gaza and the West Bank descending into chaos as Hamas and the PA turn on each other, there is nowhere to go. Also, they refuse to give their rights in Jordan.

The demand ignites mass unrest. Palestinians refuse to leave, protests turn violent, and the simmering tensions that have existed for decades explode into full-scale civil war.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah's true motives are laid bare. For decades, it claimed its weapons were for "resistance" against Israel, but in reality, Hezbollah has always armed itself out of fear, fear of Sunni dominance.

Now, with Israel out of the picture, that fear becomes reality. The war-hardened Sunni militias of Tripoli, no longer restrained by the façade of "unity against Zionism," rise up with one goal: to break Hezbollah’s stranglehold over Lebanon.

They are emboldened, fueled by regional Sunni powers who see this as the perfect moment to settle scores.

The Christians, long persecuted and sidelined, scramble to arm themselves, knowing that the collapse of Hezbollah's iron grip could mean renewed massacres and the resurgence of old hostilities.

The Alawite remnants of Assad’s shattered regime, seeing no future in Syria, flee to Lebanon, dragging their war with them.

Massacres, chaos, and anarchy consume Lebanon within months.

The jihadist regime in Syria, under the pretext of hunting down the remnants of Assad’s Alawite loyalists and "protecting" their Sunni brothers in Lebanon, will launch a full-scale invasion.

Their first objective: to crush Hezbollah and dismantle its hold on power.

But once Hezbollah is defeated, their mission won’t stop there. With newfound dominance, they will turn against Lebanon’s Christians, demanding greater Sunni control and reshaping the country’s fragile balance through force.

Iran will move swiftly to defend the Shia in Lebanon, igniting a full-scale war against Syria.

Saudi Arabia will intervene to back the Sunni forces, dragging the entire region into chaos.

Meanwhile, Turkey will seize the moment to launch a brutal offensive against the Kurds, but its aggression will spiral into direct conflict with Iran.

Civil war in Iraq.

Egypt, aligning with Saudi Arabia, will enter the fray, while Algeria, driven by old rivalries, will strike at Egypt.

The Houthis in Yemen, acting as Iran’s proxy, will unleash attacks on Egypt, while the UAE will move against the Houthis.

In retaliation, Iran will target the UAE.

The idea that Israel is the root of Middle Eastern conflict is a lie.

War has been the default setting of the Islamic world for 1,400 years.

The moment Muhammad died, his followers turned on each other, launching centuries of bloodshed that never stopped.

Islamic conquests have killed between 300-400 million people, long before Israel even existed.

The idea that Israel is the reason for conflict is a lie, perpetuated to justify jihad.

Without Israel, the Islamic world wouldn’t turn into a utopia, it would turn into an even darker nightmare.

The ultimate truth is this: Thank God for Israel, otherwise, this post would be real news.

[archivalhaven]

The Fears - A Debrief

I created this for a friend because they wanted to know which Entity they aligned with the most and so I thought I’d post it here. I’m not proud of it, but it does a good enough job explaining the Fears. Tag yourself, I suppose!

Based off of Robert Smirke’s Fourteen, and Adelard Dekker’s Addendum as mentioned in Case#0131408, Case#0090401, Case#0060122

The Buried

Aliases: Too Close I Cannot Breathe, Forever Deep Below Creation, Choke, The Centre

Fear: The fear of being buried alive, choked, drowned, or otherwise suffocated. The fear of everything crashing down on oneself, or being trapped without enough space.

Symbolism of Fear: The fear of being choked or drowned by something, whether it be schoolwork, finances, grief. Feeling stuck with no means of escape.

Character Traits: Hopelessness, exhaustion, overworking oneself, desperation, driven.

Manifestations: Caves, dirt, financial issues (debt), heavy rain, the underground, coffins.

Character Example: Hezekiah Wakely

The Corruption

Aliases: Filth, The Crawling Rot, Flesh Hive

Fear: The fear of corruption, disease, or filth. Fear of what may invoke those feelings.

Symbolism of Fear: Unhealthy love or obsessions that destroy you. Letting what loves you or what you love consume you. Codependency, if anything.

Character Traits: Generally toxic, lonely, lovehungry, obsessive, codependent. Easily manipulated.

Manifestations: Mold, bugs, disease, skin crawling, bad smells.

Character Example: Jane Prentiss

The Dark

Aliases: Mr. Pitch, Forever Blind

Fear: The primal fear of the dark or unseen and what may be hiding within.

Symbolism of Fear: Our own fear of the unknown. Not being able to see what comes next. Not knowing what is there.

Character Traits: Being a loser because this is objectively the worst fear. Also, blindness to danger, ignoring warnings, in vulnerable positions, children/childish (more often than not), convincing oneself of safety, growing comfortable far too quick.

Manifestations: Religious fervour, creatures obscured in the dark, blindness, the cold, shadowy figures.

Character Example: Natalie Ennis

The Desolation

Aliases: The Lightless Flame, The Devastation, The Blackened Earth

Fear: The fear of suffering, loss, burning, and destruction without a cause

Symbolism of Fear: Destruction for destruction’s sake, burning through too much of yourself. Losing those you love/sudden loss for no apparent reason.

Character Traits: Carelessness, anger, having a lot to lose, being burned out (because of this fear), hopeful. The more you have to lose the more the Desolation will love you.

Manifestations: Fire, wax, burns, destroyed potential. 

Character Example: Jude Perry

The End

Aliases: Terminus, The Coming End That Waits For All And Cannot Be Ignored

Fear: The fear of death itself- cold, calculating, and inevitable. It all ends eventually. 

Symbolism of Fear: We cannot stop death. No matter what we do, it comes for us regardless. Giving up, because there is no escape.

Character Traits: Trying to run from mortality, feeling helpless, paranoia toward disease, self-diagnosing.

Manifestations: Bones, skeletons, corpses, “corpse roots”.

Character Example: Oliver Banks

The Eye

Aliases: Beholding, Ceaseless Watcher, It Knows You, The Great Eye

Fear: The fear of being watched, exposed, or followed. Having your secrets made public. An obsession with knowledge to the point of your own destruction.

Symbolism of Fear: We fear having our privacy stolen or our secrets laid bare. Everyone can see you and is judging you. You can’t hide a thing no matter how hard you try. Everyone knows.

Character Traits: Insecurity, being Jonathan Sims, self-loathing to the max, need for approval, hungry for knowledge, probably more than a bit nosy. Paranoia.

Manifestations: Extreme paranoia, eyes, security cameras, libraries, an unknown figure that Knows you.

Character Example: Jonathan Sims

The Flesh

Aliases: Viscera

Fear: This fear is particularly interesting as it is borne from animals. The fear of being bred for meat, the human realisation that we are meat.

Symbolism of Fear: Sometimes it manifests in an obsession with being useful. More often it manifests in anorexia, a need for accomplishment, pushing yourself past your limit. Never being enough. Self-hatred.

Character Traits: Yet again, self-loathing at the root. I’m really seeing a theme here. A constant need to be better than what you are, never being satisfied, body dysmorphia, a horror of your own flesh, often people who struggle with self-harm, eating disorders, or excessive exercise.

Manifestations: Cannibalism, meat, corpses, guts, body horror, unnaturally twisted, disfigured, or butchered bodies.

Character Example: Tom Haan

The Hunt

Aliases: Blood

Fear: The animalistic fear of being chased or hunted. The fear of being prey.

Symbolism of Fear: When you understand how the food chain works, you may develop a sudden terror of being a part of it. Being chased by something bigger than you are, often metaphorical. Also manifests in a need for purpose.

Character Traits: A need to follow through, strong executive function (even if it is for murder), struggles to just be because they want to be doing something. A drive for accomplishment. Very set in their ways. Has a hard time maintaining relationships because they’re probably a workaholic.

Manifestations: Predators, vampires (but like really creepy), animal instinct presented in humans.

Character Example: Alice “Daisy” Tonner

The Lonely

Aliases: Forsaken, The One Alone

Fear: The fear of isolation or being alone. The fear of being disconnected from society.

Symbolism of Fear: Depression, self-hatred, suicidality, feelings of worthlessness or depression impairing your social life. The feeling that others are better off without you. Lack of communication.

Character Traits: Depression, suicidality, loneliness (duh), self imposed isolation, emotionally unavailable, feeling forgotten or left out to the point of doing it to themselves before anyone else can, unsure of themselves, generally a miserable person.

Manifestations: Fog, large rooms, suburbs, silence, crowds of faceless people.

Character Example: Martin Blackwood

The Slaughter

Aliases: None

Fear: The fear of unpredictable unprovoked violence. 

Symbolism of Fear: Never knowing when pain will come. Unexpected destruction. Betrayal. Being unable to stop the suffering that is to come. Being unable to control yourself in bursts of anger.

Character Traits: Anger, refusing to feel helpless, refusal to give up, often self-righteous, strong sense of morals even if they’re a bit skewed, life has probably kicked their ass.

Manifestations: War, soldiers, bagpipes.

Character Example: Melanie King

The Spiral

Aliases: Es Mentiras, The Twisting Deceit, It Is Not What It Is

Fear: The fear of madness or the world being wrong. The fear of lies or your senses deceiving you.

Symbolism of Fear: Not being able to trust anyone or anything, not even yourself. Everyone is lying to you. Losing yourself. Mental illness, basically. Hopelessness. Constant change. Often manifests in schizophrenia or insomnia.

Character Traits: Very mentally ill, trouble sleeping, dissociative, confusion, generally uncurious, very creative, lack of identity, feeling untethered, probably a bit suicidal.

Manifestations: Fractals, mesmerizing patterns, doors, hallucinations and illusions.

Character Example: Helen Richardson

The Stranger

Aliases: I Do Not Know You

Fear: The fear of the unknown or uncanny. The sense that something isn’t right but you can’t put your finger on it.

Symbolism of Fear: Loss of identity. Insecurity. Not knowing if those around you are who they say that they are. Nothing is what it seems.

Character Traits: Lack of identity, insecurity, two-faced, ever-changing, ungrounded, feeling like you are someone else, feeling like a fraud (John Proctor would be a victim of The Stranger’s whims and I will die on that hill), imposter syndrome

Manifestations: Circuses, mannequins, wax figures, taxidermy, masks, human skin.

Character Example: Nikola Orsinov

The Vast

Aliases: The Falling Titan

Fear: The fear of heights, falling, or large open spaces. Agoraphobia.

Symbolism of Fear: Our fear of our own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. Losing oneself in the scale of the universe.

Character Traits: Feelings of worthlessness or insignificance, nihilistic or apathetic, feeling like nothing matters, depression, (even more) suicidality, pensive, hopeless, untethered

Manifestations: Vertigo, falling, outer space, infinite space.

Character Example: Jan Kilbride

The Web

Aliases: The Mother of Puppets, The Spider, The Spinner of Schemes, The Hidden Machination

Fear: The fear that you are being controlled or being unaware of your own entrapment. The fear of manipulation. Also just the fear of spiders, straight up.

Symbolism of Fear: Not being able to trust those around you. Fear of being gaslit or manipulated. Not having truly free will. Often manifests in being stuck in the cycle of addiction.

Character Traits: Feeling helpless, addictive type of person, lack of self-control, often these avatars and/or victims seem to stick to a strict routine, a desperation to escape even if you aren’t sure what you’re trying to escape, easily manipulated, unwilling to admit to your own manipulation.

Manifestations: Spiders, spiderwebs, tape recorders, puppets.

Character Example: Neil Lagorio

BONUS! The Extinction (Dekker’s Addendum)

Aliases: The Terrible Change, The Future Without Us, The World Is Always Ending

Fear: The fear of catastrophe or change. The fear of destruction of nature and Earth and our own humanity.

Symbolism of Fear: We fear that we have destroyed ourselves. There is no one to blame but us. Humanity is its own demise.

Character Traits: A longing for Before (whatever that is), desperation, helplessness, general terror, reverence for the Earth, feeling like you have nothing going for you

Manifestations: Human technology such as radios, codes, computers, visions of what comes after humanity.

Character Example: None

[bumbled-bees]

Lily's Impulsive Nature

Lily’s biggest flaw—the one that ties into every single one of her behaviors—is her inability to think ahead. She doesn’t strategize, doesn’t plan, doesn’t consider the long-term consequences of her actions. She’s purely reactionary. She only cares about winning the moment, getting the last word, "owning" someone right now—even if it means shooting herself in the foot in the process.

That’s why her lies fall apart so easily. She never builds a foundation for them. She says whatever is most convenient at the time without considering that her audience has heard her say the opposite before, that archives exist, that people can check and verify. She banks on the idea that her fans have short memories, that if she declares something loudly and confidently enough, it becomes true. But because she’s not thinking ahead, she doesn’t realize that every time she does this, she chips away at her credibility. More and more people notice the inconsistencies, and the people who do remember start putting the pieces together.

It also explains why she’s so aggressive. Because she’s not logical or calculated, she doesn’t see conflict as something to manage or de-escalate—it’s just about winning right now, by any means necessary. She doesn’t have the patience for a long game, so she just lashes out, insults people, calls for mass reporting, encourages dogpiling—anything that feels like a short-term victory. She doesn’t think about how it’ll look later, how it’ll affect her reputation, or how it’ll make people doubt her. She only realizes it’s a problem after it blows up in her face. That’s why she backpedals, deletes streams, and rewrites history—she thinks she can “fix” her mistakes after the fact by pretending they never happened, but by then, the damage is already done.

And of course, this ties into how she handles her community and social media presence. Instead of planning for the future, she constantly nukes bridges and reinvents herself, assuming she can always just rebuild. Whether it’s suddenly changing her username to “CD-Call” or deleting and rewriting history, it’s all spur-of-the-moment, panic-driven behavior. She assumes that if she erases enough of the past, she can dodge accountability and start fresh—but the reality is, the baggage always follows her. She doesn’t cultivate loyalty; she bleeds followers constantly because she alienates people the moment they question her. Her tactics aren’t sustainable. They work briefly—hence why she keeps using them—but long-term, they create a steady stream of ex-fans who have seen through her bullshit and are willing to speak out.

Her impulsiveness is also why she struggles with media literacy. She doesn’t have the patience to sit with ideas, to analyze subtext, to consider alternative perspectives. She rushes to form a take, often based on incomplete information, then refuses to adjust when she’s proven wrong. She’s not interested in depth, in understanding, in nuance. She rushes through things, button-mashes through dialogue, ignores major plot points and worldbuilding, and then confidently misrepresents what she just consumed. She’s not absorbing information, she’s grabbing whatever surface-level take will let her make a smug point, whether it’s actually accurate or not. And because she thinks her immediate opinion is always correct, she won’t go back and re-evaluate, even when she’s blatantly wrong.

This even ties back into her performative leftism. She’s not actually committed to any ideological stance; she just says what she thinks will win her the most social capital in the moment. That’s why she’ll call other people out for saying the "r" word while still clearly wanting to use it herself—so instead, she twists herself into knots finding alternatives that are technically not slurs but are still just as demeaning. That’s why she preemptively makes excuses for why her case files don’t exist and why Tara Callie is supposedly in federal prison—she doesn’t actually care if the lie is plausible, she just needs it to work right now.

Lily isn’t some master manipulator playing 4D chess. She’s not even a competent liar. She’s just impulsive, emotionally driven, and too arrogant to realize how self-destructive she is. Every single controversy she’s been in? She made it worse for herself. Every lie she’s told? She’s contradicted it later. Every bridge she’s burned? It was her own fault. She’s so obsessed with immediate gratification—getting that one-up, winning that argument, shutting down that critic—that she completely fails to consider the long-term consequences. And that’s why, no matter how hard she tries to spin things, her own actions always come back to bite her.

[kopiicryptid]

Can you yap about Squidwashing?

Oh my god OP you're gonna so regret this/lh

SquidWashing AU: LORE EDITION‼️

CW: Spoilers for Mouthwashing and Season 2 of Squidgames, mentions of death, assault, what you can typically expect from these two medias.

Gonna start by discussing the world-building then hop to the characters!!

So in this universe, Pony Express is still a giant company, although far from financial ruin. They're actually more of monopoly if anything, just consuming more and more business enterprises. While the company itself isn't majorly relevant to the plot, I like to think the people up top are somewhat involved as VIPS or sponsors of the game. Part of me is tempted to say that Polle is also an actual person in this AU as the one in charge of the games or even as player 001 in season 1.

In addition, the layoffs are still relevant in this AU. With the rise of AI and technology, they ended up dismissing a huge portion of their workforce to cut costs and because human labor has become unnecessary. However, the real ulterior motive here is that they laid off employees that they knew were financially struggling a.k.a. most of the lower-working class in their company, which in turn creates more fodder for the games. It's a coincidence that Pony Express just can't help but to take advantage of.

The games themselves are held on a massive ship in space, called the Kraken. It travels far from where usual transport lines cross so there's little chance of the contestants being found. It's only close enough to some lines just for the sake of importing materials and things needed on board, otherwise, you can argue that all the contestants are practically stranded in space. Given that rich people are investing in this, there's enough money for them to build giant rooms and decks on this ship, along with utilizing technology like simulators, holograms, etc for the games.

Now onto the players!

Curly - #456

It's obvious that he of all people plays our main lead, player 456 in place of Gi-Hun. He's won the game before so now he's back to save people and put an end to it. His first time in the games was mostly people he didn't know aside from a couple of coworkers he's known for quite some time and people from long ago. Either way, it's enough for him to feel such survivor's guilt that he can't just sit back and do nothing.

As to why he's in the games, it's partially similar to Gi-Hun's. Years ago he participated in a worker's strike against Pony Express, one that got violent and left him with some PTSD. Ever since, he's been struggling to hold a job due to how technology-driven their world is, most piloting jobs are done by automatic systems so he ends up doing odd jobs here and there, small deliveries and such for cheap. However, losing his job from PE left him with crippling debts that have yet to be paid, and it doesn't help either that he had a habit of loaning money to less fortunate friends of his, so there's not much for him in the bank.

After the first games, Curly, like Gi-Hun, spent his money and time investigating the games, but it all boiled down to him knowing that it'd be near impossible to take it down from the outside. He'd have to do so within the games themselves. During his investigations, he also discovered the potential involvement of Pony Express, yet there's still not enough evidence for him to present...

Anya - #222

Although this was another obvious choice, I'd like to say there's a lot of change in terms of Anya's story and that of #222's/Jun-Hee's. Anya is still pregnant in this AU and yes it's Jimmy's (I'll get to that in a bit), but instead of wanting the money so that she can raise the baby, it's so she can afford the abortion and have money left over for medical school because of how the procedure would take all the money she has left.

Now for the pregnancy, I still wanted to make it Jimmy's because I didn't want to erase that from the source media after all. The two know each other only because were coworkers at some minimum wage job, but they weren't that close. You might ask why doesn't Anya tell the others about Jimmy, she can't. In this AU, all of them are strangers to each other except for Curly, Jimmy, and Swansea, and Swansea only knows Curly. She wouldn't feel comfortable just dropping that bomb onto a bunch of strangers, it’s not an easy thing to confess something so personal to someone you just met. Especially when she realizes that Curly and Jimmy are close friends. Not to mention, I don't think she'd want this to define her, Anya would try to focus on the games themselves without causing further unnecessary drama. She knows this team is the only group she can rely on to survive, so she's taking advantage of it all she wants, even if it means dealing with Jimmy. There's no point in bringing up something that could tear them all apart or worse, put her on Jimmy's hit list.

In a way, these two have a mutual understanding that the r*pe is something they're keeping under wraps because Jimmy knows Anya has the power to tear him down with it, and doing so is Anya's way of keeping Jimmy in check. A way for her to regain some kind of control over him, if you will.

Jimmy - #001

Jimmy's story is the most different from his character here, and I envision his storyline and personality being a mix of #218/Sang-Woo from S1 and #001/Frontman from S2. He went to piloting school with Curly and was fairly good at it. He and Curly were close friends, although they slowly drifted after graduation due to their jobs. Jimmy fell from grace when he kept screwing up jobs and got reported at work one too many times, that and a few problems in his personal life like getting into fights, picking up bad habits, etc, going from a dependable pilot to a washed-up nobody leeching off of all his connections.

It should be obvious why Jimmy's in the games but what's less obvious is why he's a traitor. Rather than being the Frontman, Jimmy's working with the Frontman. After hearing that Curly was coming back to the games to stop them and then finding out that Jimmy used to be a close friend of his, the Frontman struck a deal that they'd guarantee Jimmy moderate assistance in the games, in exchange for keeping Curly in line. And of course, Jimmy took the deal with no hesitation, but in reality, he's just another pawn on the board.

And like #222's ex in the show, Jimmy at one point goes to Anya and tries to convince her to keep the baby, that their money combined will be enough for them to start a family. Obviously, this is just a tactic for Jimmy to control most of the finances and it's him fooling himself, thinking that he could 'turn a new page' by pursuing a 'normal' life. Anya declines, and rightfully so.

Swansea - #390

Ironically, Swansea is the most disconnected from #390/Jung-Bae in terms of personality, yet his story is quite fitting. Alongside Curly, Swansea was a participant in the PE worker strikes, which also meant that he lost his job and ended up with barely enough to support his family, especially with his looming alcoholism. On the brink of a divorce, Swansea joined the games in hopes that the money would convince his wife to stay with the kids and that he could afford rehab in the process. He's simply a man who wants to keep his family together, but deep down, there's a cynical part of him that just wonders what would happen if he let it all fall apart then and there.

Out of everyone aside from Anya, Swansea was the first to catch onto how suspicious Jimmy was, confirmed only when he witnessed Jimmy kill another player without hesitance, just like Jung-Bae did with the Frontman. On a different note, Swansea has the same slight parental instinct that Jung-Bae did to #388, who in this case, is obviously Daisuke.

In relation to Curly, Swansea is closer to Curly here than in the games, mainly for the fact that they were coworkers for years in Pony Express and kept some contact after the strikes. I like to think Swansea invited Curly to his home on occasion, and that his wife welcomed him too, pitying that such a nice man was struggling so much.

Daisuke - #388

After seeing so much fanart of Daisuke and #388/Dae-Ho, I had to watch S2 and jump on this AU, so thank that for the reason I'm even yapping. Daisuke's backstory is also different here, maybe a little drastically. Daisuke and his mom were refugees escaping a warring region when he was fairly young. Years later, they became citizens of the region they're in and are considerably well off in terms of career, yet his mom still has numerous debts to be paid from the process of citizenship and the years she spent on her education so that she could provide for Daisuke.

Daisuke decided to participate in the games to relieve her debt, and hopefully make her proud.

And yes, the warring region mention is relevant since Daisuke ends up having a PTSD episode similar to Dae-Ho during the player uprising. Also, it's partially me projecting my SE Asian background and history onto one of my favorites, sue me I guess. Daisuke likes to boast that he's a brave kid with a mean swing and how he managed to escape a war so the games are light work.

So if you've made it this far, congrats! I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas if you have any! I definitely have some more, but for now, I just wanted to make a basic post to establish the roles and world around it. If you guys make any content based specifically on my version of the AU, PLEASE TAG ME, PLEASEEEEE!! Also...

Bonus // Atlas - #120

Because why not? There's no harm in me inserting my Mouthwashing OC and plus, they actually really fit #120's/Hyun-Ju's character.

Just like Hyun-Ju, Atlas is a trans person, although their assigned birth gender is private and they're specifically a trans-nonbinary individual. Besides needing the money for the rest of their operations, Atlas is also impoverished and hopes to use the funds to finish piloting school. In this AU and their official canon, Atlas is ex-military; they worked in special forces as a unit captain and used the money to afford their surgeries. However, after an incident that caused them to voluntarily step down from service, they became severely indebted and eventually homeless.

Atlas is aware of Anya's pregnancy and knows Jimmy and Curly well through word of mouth in the few years of piloting school they attended, but they were hardly friends or acquainted with the two before the games. They're suspicious of Jimmy, however they're more suspicious of the Frontman and those in charge of the games. The games were a rumor in the special forces, and something about the Frontman seems familiar...

[collapsedsquid]

The Bank of England is struggling to bring inflation back to target because price rises are increasingly driven by people who are immune to the pressures of higher interest rates, a senior policymaker has said. Catherine Mann, speaking at a Financial Times event on Wednesday, said there was “a lack of consumer discipline” to rein in businesses’ pricing power in areas of the services sector where prices were often “sticky”, as they reflect conditions in the domestic economy rather than global shocks. People on higher incomes, who still had money for discretionary purchases even with higher mortgage costs, were spending “disproportionately” on travel, eating out and entertainment, Mann said. This meant that services inflation was not falling fast enough to bring inflation back to its 2 per cent target, even though energy prices were easing and goods prices essentially flat.

Hmm if only there were some way the british state could reduce the wealth of the richest citizens, sadly no such method exists. Maybe someday though....

[weaselandfriends]

Were SAO and Ender's Game just a coincidence, or are you deliberately seeking out stories about "gamers"? If it's the latter, would you consider Iain Bank's "The Player Of Games" to fit the brief?

It was a coincidence, actually. I reread Ender's Game recently to prepare to read Speaker for the Dead, its sequel, which I had never read before. Meanwhile, most of the anime I'm watching is part of a groupwatch group of webfic authors. One of the members of the group, Gazemaize, has never seen much anime before, and wanted to watch anime that were particularly influential. We started out by watching all of Evangelion, and then decided that Sword Art Online would also, in a tragic way, qualify as massively influential...

I haven't read The Player of the Games, so I can't comment on that.

I did cut an extended section from my SAO essay on the history of video games in media. This section is fragmentary, but here it is if you're interested:

When Nintendo revived the video game industry in America in 1985, it did so fighting an entrenched social stigma against the term "video game." Two years prior, Atari crashed the market by flooding it with barely-functional shovelware; on top of lingering consumer mistrust, many considered video games to be a fad past its expiration date.

Nintendo tackled this stigma primarily through deception. The Nintendo Entertainment System was marketed not as a "video game," but as a multipurpose electronic toy. As part of the trick, the company drew on its nearly century-long history as a (non-video) game and toy manufacturer, bundling the console with toy-like peripherals like R.O.B. and the Super Scope.

It worked. The NES was a massive hit. But its success came at a price, at least regarding the cultural conception of video games. During the arcade era, video games had primarily been a teen activity, with arcades not just a location to play but a place to hang out. Now, though, the overwhelming image of video games was as a toy for children.

This image was reflected in media about video games. The pre-crash Tron (1982), despite being a Disney movie, was rated PG (before PG-13 existed) and starred an adult Jeff Bridges in a plot revolving around corporate espionage. Not a single child character appeared in the film. But the post-Nintendo The Wizard (1989) starred a 12-year-old Fred Savage and a 9-year-old Luke Edwards. Nintendo would also license multiple Saturday morning children's cartoons, such as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show (1989) and Captain N: The Game Master (1989). Nintendo's kid-friendly mascot characters became the cultural face of video games, recognized by billions worldwide.

Slowly, though, the demographic reality of gaming and Gamers changed. By the mid-90s, hardware had advanced enough for sprawling, narrative-dense RPGs like Final Fantasy VII (1997) to replace the cute, mascot-driven platformers of the preceding generations. By the early 2000s, graphics were capable of depicting gritty, realistic warzones, and first-person shooters became explosively popular thanks to titles like Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2007). Teens once more became the core demographic, and adults who grew up with games were sticking around too.

But video games were still not taken seriously by the public at large. Either the kid-friendly image persisted, as through Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003), or video games got sent to the horror movie ghetto via a startlingly long series of cheap, critically-panned films: Resident Evil (2002), House of the Dead (2003), Doom (2005), Alone in the Dark (2005), BloodRayne (2005), Silent Hill (2006), Stay Alive (2006), and the equally-startling number of sequels those films collectively spawned. Most of these adaptations were only marginally faithful to the source material, as if even slasher horror was too good a genre to consider video games a worthy mode of storytelling.

[beardedmrbean]

A wave of protests over factory closures in China in recent weeks appeared to show the impact of U.S. tariffs on a highly exposed sector that employs millions.

The demonstrations, a reflection of the export-driven economy's early pain, came as Chinese officials quietly engaged with U.S. President Donald Trump's team weeks before last weekend's high-profile meeting in Geneva.

Why It Matters

The deal that emerged from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng has cut the countries' respective tariffs by 115 percent for 90 days.

The pause halted what was approaching a trade embargo—one that led to higher prices and recession risks in the United States and deepened deflationary pressures and a manufacturing glut in China.

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. via email for comment.

What To Know

Both sides had portrayed the other as more desperate to return to the negotiating table.

Trump hailed the interim deal as a win, calling it a "total reset" of bilateral ties. Hu Xijin, former editor of state-run outlet Global Times, called it "not only a win for China, but also a victory for international trade norms and the proper global order."

Yet despite the public posturing, a quiet meeting between the two governments had already taken place weeks earlier.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that Bessent and Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo'an met secretly in the basement of the IMF headquarters in Washington during the agency's annual spring meeting.

The talks came as protests erupted across China, where the loss of the U.S.—the country's largest single export market—was forcing factories to shut down. Hundreds of workers turned out to protest unpaid wages and what they described as unjust dismissals, Radio Free Asia reported.

One such company was Guangdong Shenzhen Weilixing Toys Co., a toy manufacturer based in Shenzhen. According to a video shared by @YesterdayBigcat, an X (formerly Twitter) user who frequently posts about China protests, the company abruptly announced its closure on May 6 after U.S.-bound orders ceased.

A notice visible in the footage stated that the company had been operating at a loss for some time: "We will do our best to address issues such as salary payments, social insurance, and other legally required responsibilities."

According to the account, some 400 workers gathered over two straight days to demand compensation.

China's official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key gauge of factory activity, dipped to a 16-month low in April.

The prospect of losing millions of manufacturing jobs—still central to China's economy—is what drove Beijing's swift willingness to enter talks, Trinh Nguyen, an economist with the research division of investment bank Natixis, wrote on X.

China's economy has already been grappling with a years-long property market crisis, high youth unemployment, and tepid consumer demand as the economy cools after decades of sky-high growth.

"The [tariff] pain will be immediate and it will hurt the most vulnerable. Full stop. And after years of economic slowdown already," Nguyen said.

"And this is why we got de-escalation. Not just Trump needing an off-ramp but also one that China cannot afford, unless tolerating pain is a strategy and pain on the U.S. side may or may not come as they can try to buy toys somewhere else."

What Happens Next

Markets jumped on the deal, and Goldman Sachs lowered its U.S. recession forecast to 35 percent from 45 percent. But analysts caution there's a long road ahead during the 90-day cooling-off period.

It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration can meaningfully reduce the nearly $300 billion trade deficit with China, which has been a long-standing grievance for the president.

[reasonsforhope]

"The Netherlands is pulling even further ahead of its peers in the shift to a recycling-driven circular economy, new data shows.

According to the European Commission’s statistics office, 27.5% of the material resources used in the country come from recycled waste.

For context, Belgium is a distant second, with a “circularity rate” of 22.2%, while the EU average is 11.5% – a mere 0.8 percentage point increase from 2010.

“We are a frontrunner, but we have a very long way to go still, and we’re fully aware of that,” Martijn Tak, a policy advisor in the Dutch ministry of infrastructure and water management, tells The Progress Playbook. 

The Netherlands aims to halve the use of primary abiotic raw materials by 2030 and run the economy entirely on recycled materials by 2050. Amsterdam, a pioneer of the “doughnut economics” concept, is behind much of the progress.

Why it matters

The world produces some 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste each year, and this could rise to 3.4 billion tonnes annually by 2050, according to the World Bank.

Landfills are already a major contributor to planet-heating greenhouse gases, and discarded trash takes a heavy toll on both biodiversity and human health.

“A circular economy is not the goal itself,” Tak says. “It’s a solution for societal issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, and resource-security for the country.”

A fresh approach

While the Netherlands initially focused primarily on waste management, “we realised years ago that’s not good enough for a circular economy.”

In 2017, the state signed a “raw materials agreement” with municipalities, manufacturers, trade unions and environmental organisations to collaborate more closely on circular economy projects.

It followed that up with a national implementation programme, and in early 2023, published a roadmap to 2030, which includes specific targets for product groups like furniture and textiles. An English version was produced so that policymakers in other markets could learn from the Netherlands’ experiences, Tak says.

The programme is focused on reducing the volume of materials used throughout the economy partly by enhancing efficiencies, substituting raw materials for bio-based and recycled ones, extending the lifetimes of products wherever possible, and recycling.

It also aims to factor environmental damage into product prices, require a certain percentage of second-hand materials in the manufacturing process, and promote design methods that extend the lifetimes of products by making them easier to repair.

There’s also an element of subsidisation, including funding for “circular craft centres and repair cafés”.

This idea is already in play. In Amsterdam, a repair centre run by refugees, and backed by the city and outdoor clothing brand Patagonia, is helping big brands breathe new life into old clothes.

Meanwhile, government ministries aim to aid progress by prioritising the procurement of recycled or recyclable electrical equipment and construction materials, for instance.

State support is critical to levelling the playing field, analysts say...

Long Road Ahead

The government also wants manufacturers – including clothing and beverages companies – to take full responsibility for products discarded by consumers.

“Producer responsibility for textiles is already in place, but it’s work in progress to fully implement it,” Tak says.

And the household waste collection process remains a challenge considering that small city apartments aren’t conducive to having multiple bins, and sparsely populated rural areas are tougher to service.

“Getting the collection system right is a challenge, but again, it’s work in progress.”

...Nevertheless, Tak says wealthy countries should be leading the way towards a fully circular economy as they’re historically the biggest consumers of natural resources."

-via The Progress Playbook, December 13, 2023

[ariel-seagull-wings]

@themousefromfantasyland @the-blue-fairie @thealmightyemprex @piterelizabethdevries

"I've always been a big fan of Ke$ha. The music of her early years was like a gateway for me letting myself to like Top 40.

I was a huge fan of her aesthetic of this flagrant shameless image... it was fun, it let you feel like being broke and young and partying all the time was aspirational.

It felt like a pass not to care about the world. At least as long as her music was on.

But then, years pass and it comes out that all of those party girl songs were made during years of physical and emotional abuse by her producer, that the party girl image was a construct that she didn't really have control over and maybe even didn't really like.

And knowing that in a world where otherwise I would still play the hell out of those Ke$ha early years music, it just doesn’t feel the same anymore.

I want to go back to the way her music made me feel in 2010, just unapologetic and dumb and glittery, but even though I want to, I can't.

Because now I know the circunstances under which that music was made.

And if you watch a piece of media, had an emotional reaction, whatever it was, and then learned that the context involved a certain level of exploitation, it changes the way you view the media, wheter you want it to or not.

Maybe Harper Lee's old age and deteriorating mental state were exploited by her publisher, in order to knock out a quick sequel to an American Classic before the door closed.

Maybe Ke$ha's party-girl image was carefully crafted by a sexually abusive iron-fist producer who had 100% control of her public image.

Maybe a lot of the art you consume, or even that you love, only exists because a person or people, or an entire island nation, were exploited by more powerful business interests.

But, that's capitalism.

Profit driven exploitation doesn't always have the last word.

Ke$ha's still locked into a contract with the label that enabled her abuser, but at least he's not there anymore?

And there are elements of the Hobbit Law that are up for repeal now that Labour is back in power, particularly the bit about outlawing collective bargaining, which to me is the most heinous part.

But these are only half measures, particularly the Hobbit Law repeal, which itself is no guarantee. I reached out to several people affiliated with the various New Zealand film guilds, but none are making comments to the media about the law until the law gets repealed.

If it does get repealed...

If you discover that a brand or company, like a bank or something, did something bad or unethical, it isn’t surprising. People just kind of shrug and go, yep that's how banks roll.

And maybe you'll close your account and go to a different bank, but the reality is that you probably don't care enough to even do that much, because unethical multinational corporations doing terrible things to people in the name of profit is just, kind of, the world.

You don’t have the brain space to care about all of them. We pay monopolistic cable companies for internet access, we have 401ks run by morally bankrupt hedge fund managers that we will never know, we still buy IPhones, we still buy cheap clothes while paying vague leap service to the knowledge that people are being exploited somewhere so we in America can boss Siri around.

In some ways we engage with a multitude of brands and corporations every day that someone, somewhere is getting exploited by, often cruelly so.

But media is different. Media is personal.

Media is designed to provide an escape, to stir emotions, to inspire.

The film industry is by no means the industry with the highest incidence of sexual harassment, but people care more about it when it gets exposed in the film industry, because the film industry creates media that hits emotional nerves.

And then when we find out that something we loved was made by someone who said or did bad things, it's like betrayal.

When people ask wheter is moral to separate art from the artist, or in this case, product from multinational conglomerate, what they're really asking is:

'How can I go back to consume media like I did when I was a kid? When the most context I had or cared about was who the author of my favorite book was, or why I like this actor, or what Ke$ha's real name and birthday is.'

But as an adult, you're expected to be an ethical consumer of media.

And it's somewhat inevitable that some people resent that, because consuming media the way children do is comforting.

Consuming media like The Hobbit as an adult is complicated and in this day and age, it's hard to do so innocently.

And I totally understand wanting to return to that innocence, and I don’t really have an argument against that worldview other than... that's adulthood."

(LINDSAY ELLIS: THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED AUTOPSY (PART 3/2)- THE DESOLATION OF WARNERS )