#I took intro course to Psychology- Sociology & Anthropology in High School

[a-sad-mage]

Rewatching Slugterra lately, I find it has such untapped potential. I understand it is meant for younger audiences, but if it were instead for from young adults on, it could have truly turned out beautifully, and I'd just like your opinion on that.

First of all, Eli as a character could be much more layered, conflicted and interesting. We have this hero burdened with a legacy he doesn't even fully know the details of, seing the world in black and white terms, but realizing his father operated in a grey area at times, and struggling to understand his own place in all that. Darker sides of him would for sure surface at times, including self doubt which is hardly ever explored.

Also, the dynamics within the gang and its members themselves could have been much more complex. Racism and trolls for example, the whole idea of Pronto leaving his kindgom behind, and some backstory for Trixie which we didn't have. And about that, I honestly think it would be natural for her and Eli to get involved sooner or later. Too many interests and traumatic experiences shared, adding to the fact that the Shane gang would hardly casually go on dates with other people when busy literally saving the world. I see them having something similar to what hiccup&astrid have (I'm referring to the httyd franchise) in a near future.

Also, countless other characters have such great potential in terms of more mature storylines. For example giving Twist a redemption arc, exploring all the shadiness about will shane, the balance between business and darker interests for Black, just to name a few. I also find the Game Master a very interesting character, potentially taunting the gang in a squid game fashion.

Besides, slugs are well and good, but what about real harm? Ghouls are more powerful, but would Black go as far as using them to kill people?

I also find the whole idea of legacy, for eli but also for many of his antagonists, very intriguing and potentially leading to complex plots.

There are definitely so many shows out there, but I definitely feel like, if slugterra was meant for older audiences, it could really have been something, I'm talking Hunger Games-like fame, which was liked by both teens and adults. Other shows similar to Slugterra don't have the same potential imo. For example, Storm Hawks doesn't have that many realistic premises (the binding of capitalistic interests and darker deeds for one). I already mentioned it before, but I find it could have been as known as how to train your dragon (a cartoon liked by basically all ages, each group of which grasps different levels of complexity): the bonds between creatures and their riders/slingers are there already, as well as a tight-knit group having each other's backs, with a gentle giant, a comic relief, a badass no-nonsense female second-in-command, and a reckless protagonist male character (I know many would hate this idea, but I find Junjie's character pointless in a situation where so many other things could have been explored before going to the other side of the world).

Since you seem to have so many interesting takes on slugterra generally, I would like yours! Long message I know, but unexpressed potential taps right into unmentioned things.

Long rants how I missed thee-

also, swears near the end becase I started ranting lmao

Anon, all phenomenal points, that are on point.

Eli is one of those characters who, in my opinion, had a lot of right to get like, extremely angry and lash out justifiably on several occasions, for multiple reasons.

Kid needed, and quite frankly needs to be an angsty, moody, angry at the word teen but was essentially forced to be an adult.

And you may argue yes, Eli made the choice to follow through and take The Drop at 15, but you also kinda have to acknowledge, he like every Shane before him, for as long as they where acting as protectors, was basically groomed to become Slugterra's Protector from a young age.

Said it once, I'll say it again, Eli is justified to have a crash out, and even pull a Spider-Man and quite being Protector for however long he wants, till he genuinely wants to go back to being The Shane. If at all.

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The relationship and dynamics of the Shane Gang are important and im tired of pretending it's not.

Four very different individuals, a Moleinoid, Cave Troll, Human male and Human female, all live under the same roof, all with different experiences, issues, baggage, and stories as to why they ended up the way they are.

In less than a month they are living together, and it's only hinted at briefly in the first handful of episodes that the shift to all of them living at the Hideout was difficult. They have clear house rules about what not to do in the house, the food preferences the building of small team tradition like a big dinner before an important mission, and so many other little things.

I mentioned briefly in another older post, but you can only take so much living with the same people for so long, no matter how well you all get along. Hence, all the pranks.

Pronto clearly has some self-worth issues, hence his need to be the center of attention.

Kord relies on being the tech guy, because if he's not that, than what is he?

Trixie, while I lover her, her need to film and make it big one day as a real director and not a Slinger implies her want to leave something tangible, and real behind so she is remembered as more than just a Slug Slinger or a member of the Shane Gang. To be more than a foot note in history like many other Slingers.

Personally, while I ship Eli and Trixie, I also do just enjoy them being platonic best friends, as i genuinely love good, well-built friendships with members of the opposing gender without romance, especially since romance was not the focus of the show.

hot take, but romance for the sake of romance is shit and can ruin a character especially if it ends up becoming a main focal point and fuck up a character, especially the 'woman' in the relationship.

[I love HTTYD, it's awesome but the Race to the Edge ep Mi Amore Wing pissed me the hell off because of what it did to Astrid.

While yes, season 5 and 6 had a focus on Hiccup and Astrid's relationship, and how it affects not just them, but the team a whole, something that was carefully developed, but having Astrid becomes self conscious, insecure just because her relationship with Hiccup isn't all lovey dovie was like Mala and Dager's, causing her to act like a brat while they where dealing with something arguably more important, in the middle of what's essentially a war and race to find the King of Dragons was stupid and just drama for the sake of not explicitly having it. it was such a dumb reason for Astrid to be angry at Hiccup I'm sorry. like I get it was also about Hiccup needing to be able to pay attention to the people in his life, and not zero-in and hyperfocus and communicate, but there where just so many better ways to do that,- ]

Not to say I hate romance or no to it entirely, or the idea of Eli and Trixie becoming cannon/getting together. it, like everything needed to be handled carefully, and not rushed, trauma bonding be damned

That's why Aerrow and Piper's relationship felt so organic and natural in Storm Hawks, it was never the main focus, but it was hinted at, the affection was there, and real, and had a purpose. Because yes, a relationship in any story needs a purpose outside of just 'getting to together to the sake of getting together'. Romance outside a romance Story has to have a meaning, hell even Romance's in a Romance have to have substance, out side of the pairing being lead boy and girl, boy and boy, girl and girl or so on and so forth. And while Eli and Trixie have chemistry, it very surface level to me, nothing that tell's me they care about each other more than friends and teammates. but that's just my interpretation of their relationship.

But yeah, the development of their and the rest of the Shane Gangs relationship as a whole is important. And I wish we had more-

And FUCK YES- RACISM BETWEEN CAVERN RESIDENTS- its real, it's so freaking real because of stereotypes and preconceived notions- HOLY FUCK MAN- CONFLICT!

Don't get me started on Twist and EVERY OTHER MINOR VILLAIN/CHARACTER-

Twist's redemption would have been grate as the seeds were planted with the looks of hesitant on his face. I have mentioned it before with him being the Azula to Blakk's Ozai but give him Zuko's redemption arc. And would elevate his character. for me at least I don't know about others-

More and more Blakk Industries workers and highered marks slowly realizing Blakk is a nutcase who had become obsessed, and trying and failing to leave.

Game Master is Jig Saw but rated E for everyone.

As a Caustic main in Apex Legends, and a Toxzon from MaxSteel(2013) sympathizer, I have a special love for Blite.

And just, so many other minor villains/antagonists in the show who, quite frankly where done dirty, like Saturday and his Smoothie obsession. The show introduces so many cool characters but doesn't use them to their fullest of potentials.

And a lot of that has to do with run time, and them making more specialized characters than the story necessarily needs, and giving them complex stories and concepts without the proper help that is minor exploration of the character threw showing up again.

we see this in Storm Hawks. it's a fairly large main primary cast, for the main hero's you have 6 of them, 4 main villains, and serval minor supporting secondary characters and antagonists that all make reoccurring apparencies, with tertiary characters who appear once to fulfill a particular role, for a given storyline that they can't reasonably exist outside of. Like Princess Perri.

Slugterra's problem is that all its secondary and tertiary characters can exists out of their debut episode and relevant story lines, and have reasonable excuses for them to be present in almost any episode.

Also the noticeable lack of 'villain focused' episodes/segments. Storm Hawks had an episode dedicated to the Cyclonians, multiple scene with them to build of their characters, and dynamics as well.

sure Slugterra had it's villain scean's, but they where not all that insightful outside of a few instances, and didn't serve much of a purpose, outside of showing some details, some of which where never followed up on. like Twist's hesitance.

thus leaving a lot be desired in terms of character development and world building. especially when you have to deal with a PG/Teen rating to maintain.

You can very much to talk/reference more mature topics and dynamics with media like Slugterra, and have it be able reach all preserved age groups, while still being tasteful about it.

(don't ask how I know this, I just watch a lot of old cartoons, read a lot and know a weird amount of random shit-)

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Junjie is love, Junjie is life, I cherish my emotionally unstable Champion of the East, but I fully understand your point, because I'm similar with Tad Blakk. That being said;

Junjie in a lot of ways mirrors both Eli and Twist.

Eli for obvious reasons and Twist for his desire for revenge against the Emperor, as compared to Twist's desire for revenge against the Shane's. Junjie, like Twist, let's his anger get the better of him on a few occasions during the first Eastern Caverns Arc of the show. Do the others draw him back to his senses?

Sure but he has his moments. If the Gang was not there to keep Junjie in check he would be acting impulsively, and making dumb choices, just like Twist. and yes, Twist make's dumb, impulsive choices, even if we see him like, three times-

love my disaster boiz, but DEAR GOD THEY ARE TRAMATIZED IDIOTS

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Blakk as a character has always been my favorite.

for the simple reason being he came from nothing. and made a name for himself. and the best part, he kept his fathers name and the insignia of the Viggo Dare. The two men who treated him like shit, and out did them in both Slinging, leading and Business, keeping both name, Blakk, and insignia as a massive fuck you.

he became better then them, but also way worse, and I love that for him.

I know it doesn't seem like it, but I am a villain apologist/sympathizer

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but yess, Anon thank you for sharing! your points where very interesting and I very much so enjoyed reading and overanalyzing it, and everything else!

as always, floor is open to the opinions of others in the community to discuss, add to or just talk about in general!

✧˖°. ⋆｡˚(✿ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)｡･:*˚:✧｡

[read tags]

[hylianengineer]

I think it would be good if everyone took one introductory course in as many fields as possible because a) it changes the way you think about the world and b) you have no idea how often information and skills transfer.

Your English teacher told you you have to obey the grammar rules; linguistics teaches you that language is alive and fluid and free. The only rules that matter are already embedded in your brain anyways (and you can break those too). People who use unusual slang and have different accents and phrase their sentences differently are correct actually, it’s just dialect variation. Which is amazing and beautiful and deserving of respect.

Anthropology’s core tenet is cultural relativism (aka not judging people just because you don’t understand) and you also won’t get an intro class that doesn’t debate it’s limitations too. There is nothing quite like realizing that thing you thought was universal is really, really not. And that thing you thought was universally bad is really not.

Statistics will teach you how numbers can explain the world, and how people will try to manipulate them and you.

Literature is literally about the human experience, and I don’t know what more you could want from a class. Also great for honing your critical thinking skills. Being able to analyze the media you consume is generally a great skill to have.

Sociology teaches you that everyone has a perspective and how to be aware of yours. Also if you aren’t aware of systemic inequalities yet the realization will smack you in the face. (I have know people this has happened to.)

Chemistry is cool. It also has basic lab safety practices that transfer to any STEM field and also some other things. I’m taking a metalsmithing class right now and it’s surprising how much transfers. Eye protection, tying back long hair if you’re working with fire, cleaning up chemical spills, using ventilation when you’re doing stuff that produces fumes, there’s even an eyewash station and a book of Safety Data Sheets in the studio.

Physics is surprisingly practical. In high school physics, I learned (among other things), that taking slower steps on ice will reduce your chances of falling, and if you need to pull something heavy it works better at a slight angle. We tested that last one with a rope and the teacher’s truck, I can confirm it works.

I haven’t taken psychology but I kinda wish I did because I have had to figure out how my brain works the hard way. I’m still learning.

As an environmental science major who’s more interested in emissions than wildlife, I thought biology would be useless to me. Now I’m working on a project about wetland methane emissions, and guess what? Molecular biology is the only reason I understand what’s going on.

If nothing else, learning the basics of computer programming will teach you that while it’s initially not as incomprehensible as it sounds, code does weird shit sometimes. Have some empathy for the programmers, they don’t understand it all either.

Economics is a fun counterpoint to sociology, and I suspect that putting experts in these fields in a room together would be either very entertaining or end very badly. Possibly both. The worldviews clash so much. But it’s also useful stuff, and it can help you understand how lots of people make decisions- including the politicians you vote for.

History! You can’t understand the present if you don’t know how we got here, but that’s far from the only point of this class. A good history class can improve your writing skills, reading comprehension, and ability to back up an argument with sources.

Government / civics: know how the government works so you can understand why the news is so weird all the time. And be an informed voter and stuff. But seriously, this stuff does affect you and it’s good to know how it works. Heard about the filibuster in the news lately? Supreme court nominations? Constitutional rights? It’s all here. (Sorry I know this is obviously for an American perspective and the examples won’t apply elsewhere, but the utility of knowing how things works will always transfer.)

The best thing any art class can teach you is that you can just do it. It doesn’t need to be perfect, you don’t need to be an expert,  and people will both like it and dislike it no matter what it is. Seriously. Go read about the artist who taped a banana to a wall and sold it for $120,000. But wait! It gets weirder. You don’t buy the banana, you buy the rights to reproduce the work and the instructions for making it. Which makes sense because the banana would rot. But it sounds kinda like a proto-NFT now that I think about it. Anyways, the point is that art is literally whatever, the meaning is what you make it, and nobody knows that better than art people. There was an art movement where you didn’t even have to make stuff, you could just find stuff and go “I think this is art” and that was that. Look up “Fountain” by Marcel Duchamp. It’s a urinal turned sideways with “R. Mutt” written on it. That’s it. Duchamp described the phenomenon as "everyday objects raised to the dignity of a work of art by the artist's act of choice.” Art is what you make it and that is so cool. Embrace the chaos.

[studiesing]

Hi! How did you choose Sociology? Do you like it? :)

hi! i went into university as a history major, but that was just a placeholder. at that time i had no idea what i wanted to do, so i just chose something that i enjoyed

because of that during my first year i took a bunch of different electives one of course being sociology. i had taken an intro class to psychology, anthropology, and sociology in high school in grade eleven and i really liked it back then, but i completely fell in love with it in university, so much so that i switched majors and now i pretty much only take sociology classes

[wherefunsurvives]

Hi!!! Could you do a little intro post about yourself? What year are you and what are you majoring in? What are you passionate about? Could you tell your UChicago story of how it all came to be? You seem super sweet and I’d love to hear more about you and your interests.

Well, hello! This is really sweet! So i’m Britt, and i’m a second year in the college. My plan is to major in psychology and minor in human rights studies which are two areas i’m super passionate about! i occasionally dabble in electives in anthropology, sociology, French, and such. Outside of academics, i’m really passionate about activism, painting, photography, writing, Parks and Rec, musicals, public transportation, disability rights, genuine human connection, and service. i love peanut butter, cats, and Criminal Minds, and write snail mail as often as i can.

i guess my UChicago story (CliffNotes version) is something like this:

i first heard about UChicago’s prompts and that caught my interest. After going to the high school Model UN conference they held my sophomore year, and hearing other students talk about UChicago, i thought i might want to apply. i continued to look into the school and little by little fell in love. i spent weeks writing my Uncommon Essay. i toured the school and felt at home. To my complete and utter shock, i was accepted. i then proceeded to spend five straight months agonizing over the financial decision until financial aid pulled through and a series of strange “signs” reaffirmed that UChicago was where i was meant to be (that’s a story in and of itself) and where my heart was. i went on the admitted student overnight in the spring, where i had a great time, and it only made me love the school more. At 6 PM, on May 1st, i accepted my offer of admission. That night happened to be my school’s NHS induction night so all the seniors had to show up to welcome the new members and i remember walking into the room and a classmate ran up and demanded to know what i’d chosen. i told her, and she turned around and screamed, “Hey, Britt’s going to UChicago!” Everyone literally cheered and hugged me, and i was really overwhelmed as people came up and told me they were excited for me. (It was a small, close knit, all-girls school). Several people who had supported me when i said i thought i was going to choose the state school said, “secretly i wanted to tell you to go to Chicago, but i wanted you to feel good about your choice.” Then of course, life took a little detour when five days before OWeek my knee destroyed itself and i ended up taking a gap year to have 3 surgeries and learn how to walk all over again. i maintained penpal status with a lot of people from that year though, and it was really great to meet them in person when i finally got to campus! It hasn’t quite been the way i expected my college experience would be, but i’m really grateful for the community i’ve found here.

[uniquewastelandmiracle-blog]

10:17-10:53 03/19/17

My rabbit’s birthday is/was today and he turned 3 years old and it was all good. I love him and I hope I have the ability to keep him safe, healthy, happy, and at peace. 

Unfortunately I cried three times for three different reasons.  I’ll speak of the one that is least personal to me, but still is personal enough. I did not get the grade I had hoped for in a class I only took for the fucking credit. That class was the hardest class I ever took in my life, besides another one. I wish I could curb stomp this sewer rat of an instructor’s face. I stayed up all night to get this work done. For midterms and finals, he basically asked for novels. For discussions, the total words had to be at least 1,500 for our shit to be considered as ‘excellent posts’, and you’d still only receive five fucking points, which was barely anything, but still able to hurt you if you didn’t fucking do it. And perhaps the best part was that this six week course required you to buy 500$ worth of books! How many? FUCKING FIVE. What the fucking kind of an arrogant demand is that? For a SIX WEEK CLASS, YOU NEED FIVE DIFFERENT TEXT BOOKS? Kill yourself. Now, had I done little to no work in a class and received a mediocre grade, I wouldn’t be here bitching about it because guess what? I fucking earned it. I never bitched about failing Japanese, or failing biology, or failing psychology or American history. I sure as hell never started shit when I flunked biology AGAIN, English, astronomy, or environmental science.

For the record in high school I failed a total of ten classes 😃 these are: Algebra II, AP human geography, AP biology, AP American history, AP psychology, AP English, Chemistry, Parental Care, Japanese, and Computer Programming, Yuppie Yup! While every other fucking Indian including my ‘brothers’ were acing there college level advance placement courses, I was failing every, single, one, I, took. Reason number 35 why I cannot relate with any other school obsessed Indian in this country. Fuck em for making me look even more bad than I was already making myself look.

And college was just as much as a mindfuck because that’s where I earned some D’s (Criminal Justice Law, Astronomy, Biology again, environmental science) and took some again and instead of doing BETTER than a D, I FAILED: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AGAIN, and BIOLOGY AGAIN FOR THE THIRD FUCKING TIME)

SO SERIOUSLY FUCK BIOLOGY. FUCK BIO MAJORS. FUCK YOU ALL. KISS MY NEOPOLITAN PUSSY FLAPS YOU BIOFUCKS. CONTRIBUTE TO ME AND WRITE A BIO ABOUT THE BIOTIFUL SALMA HAYEK YOU BIOCUNTS.

I hate this so much. So much. I like Entrepreneurial Business that adheres to fashion/retail industry! I liked learning about the world and social issues! And music production! And Political science in the name of India! I don’t want to learn American history because I genuinely don’t fucking care! I don’t want to write a five page essay on Percy Shelley or Walt Whitman because FUCK THEM. (ok  maybe except for walt he seems kinda cool) I don’t know who they are and I wish I gave a fucking fuck. I DON’T. I don’t want to learn about cells and mitochondria, I don’t want to learn about death and dying or have Asian thoughts by taking a fucking class literally called ASIAN THOUGHT. I mean, deep down inside I am an Asian thot already so what do I have to know more?

And when I do take classes that have to do with my passions, I do so good! In my music production class, music business, business management class, business writing, sociology, anthropology, film, intro to business, entrepreneurship, business law, creative writing, marketing, I’ve gotten all As’!! I don’t feel fucking stupid in them!! Why the FUCK do I have to take electives that have NOTHING to do with my: 1. Personality 2. Career 3. Future aspirations 4. What I even care about. Me getting a C+ (79!!!!) on a class called Death & Dying almost made me want to stop going for any degree, drop out, and deal for a living instead.  I have a five page essay to write on Percy Shelley, some dead white fuck that’s been a corpse for hundreds of years now and who also cheated on his wife with multiple women. And instead I managed to write 750 words here to spill my anger but haven’t written five for my essay and its 10:50 pm and its due tomorrow along with two more essays in that SAME FUCKING POETRY CLASS that are ALSO DUE TOMORROW. I hope I get shot tonight because I would indeed take part in Death & Dying (DEA5722) than deal with this fucking bullshit. That’s all it is. This isn’t a prestigious course at a private uni, no not at all. It’s fucking bullshit. I’d rather take a class that makes me smell horse shit all semester than do this. The last time I earned all As’ was in middle school. Ten fucking years ago.