#the tyranny of evidence-based practices!

[bellshazes]

reading a document that alludes to the "ACEs epidemic." as if i could forget that the concept of adverse childhood experiences and the larger child-serving systems' conception of trauma was borne first out of a fucking obesity clinic. so of course samhsa-vouched frameworks which are otherwise fairly unobjectionable (given, [waves hand at known systematic, epistemological issues]) can't not pathologize adverse experiences. while i do believe in improving long-term health outcomes thru structural change it is always unpleasant to be reminded that that, too, is often a mere euphemism for medical oppression and subordination of othered bodies and lives.

[poorrichardjr]

An open letter to Congress

(I know only a small handful of people will ever read this, but I think more than a few Americans feel this way)

America has been a constitutional democratic republic for almost 250 years now, the age at which most such experiments fail. Part of the reason we have lasted this long has been because of the belief that our constitution would steer us in the right direction. One of the founding elements held within was the belief that no branch of government should have too much power. Checks and balances were put in place to keep tyranny or progressivism in check.

I have heard all my life that Republicans were the people who "loved" the constitution and the country the most. However, right now, all I see are a group of wealthy individuals lining up to kowtow to a man they have proclaimed the new messiah. They seem more than happy with installing a king and forgetting that their job is to represent the people and protect the constitution's checks and balances. More than a few congressmen are decrying longstanding practice of vetting executive appointees and the Senate's role of advise and consent.

These people are being as hypocritical as they can be. They would never let a democratic president pick whomever they wished despite not having qualifications for a position. No man should be in a position of power if they have no experience or knowledge of the duties of that job. I don't care how smart or how much they seem to love the new president. An unqualified applicant is still unqualified and therefore unfit for the role at which they aspire. You don't hire a welder to be a brain surgeon even if he is a great guy or smart as a tack. The person lacks a fundamental understanding of the task at hand. In the same vein you do not let a fox guard the henhouse. Sure, the fox is cute and playful, but if you want any chickens at all, you don't put someone in charge who is likely to violate the trust you put in them.

This is where Congress becomes involved. We already know that far too many congressmen are going to violate their oaths to the constitution and just do whatever the president tells them to. They are not taking their duties seriously. These people do not care about the country or the constitution. They are only there to get head pats and go on television to defend anything they are told to do. These people are simply loyal henchmen who have given up their own choices simply because they are afraid that the man in power is going to say something bad about them.

The rest of you, and I hope that is a majority, though that looks like an over estimation at times, need to hold fast to the principals of the constitution. We do not elect kings. A president, no matter how much you like them, isn't entitled to appoint any unqualified individual he wants to help him run things. Let me just point out a few of the biggest problems I see in the people he has so far chosen to help run things.

Tulsi Gabbard has been credibly accused of being too close to Vladimir Putin and Victor Orban. If you wouldn't trust Hunter Biden to run a foreign office because you believed he had ties that were too close to China and Ukraine, you cannot let someone like Gabbard into the position for which she has been nominated. Will she really be working for the American people or will she let slip important national security information to our global enemies because she just likes them?

Pete Hegseth has never been a high ranking member of the military and has serious problems of self control. His drinking problems and womanizing are just warning signs that the man doesn't have the experience or character to tell the people with the most powerful weapons in the world what to do on a daily basis.

Robert Kennedy Jr is supposed to lead a government office where science is relied on heavily, but he doesn't believe in many facts based on scientifically proven evidence. Linda McMahon has no educational experience, though she is going to be in charge of the department of education. I could go on and on about how almost every single pick for the cabinet is either unqualified or has massive conflicts of interest where their judgement in running that office would make a rational man question their every decision. And I am not even going to start with the DOGE run by Elon and Vivek simply because they cannot be vetted or affirmed by Congress, though their suggestions should be suspected almost immediately.

Almost none of these people should be in the positions they have been nominated for. Their only qualifications are that they are wealthy and are willing to do what Donald Trump wants. Those are not true qualifications, and you would not hire someone to run your own businesses if they were this unqualified.

So, the American people look to you to do your job. Do what is best for the country. Not your party. Not you personally. And not anything the president asks simply because he is president. You have a duty to uphold, and we are all waiting to see whether you will take those responsibilities seriously or whether or not you are going to be the cowards and cravens we all believe you to be. The people of this nation who worked so hard to help create and defend it are watching and judging your next moves. Will you be a Clay or Webster or will you be a McCarthy?

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Enlightenment

The philosophy of Enlightenment refers to an intellectual movement in 17th and 18th-century Europe that emphasized reason, science, individualism, and the pursuit of knowledge as the means to challenge traditional authority and improve society. The Enlightenment thinkers, known as “philosophes,” believed in the capacity of human reason to understand and reshape the natural world, human behavior, and social structures, seeking to cultivate human rights, progress, and freedom.

Key Concepts in Enlightenment Philosophy

Reason and Rationality: Enlightenment thinkers believed that human reason could understand the universe and uncover truths about nature, humanity, and society. Rational inquiry and empirical evidence became central to developing knowledge, opposing the uncritical acceptance of tradition, superstition, and dogma.

Scientific Inquiry: The Enlightenment emphasized the scientific method, which applied empirical observation, experimentation, and analysis to uncover natural laws. Influenced by figures like Isaac Newton, Enlightenment thinkers saw science as a tool to demystify the universe and unlock practical knowledge for human betterment.

Human Rights and Individual Freedom: Philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that individuals have inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and property. They advocated for a society where government derives its authority from the consent of the governed, promoting individual freedom as essential to a just society.

Secularism and Skepticism of Authority: Enlightenment philosophy sought to separate church and state, emphasizing secular governance and questioning religious authority. Philosophers like Voltaire and David Hume criticized organized religion’s influence over politics and its discouragement of independent thought.

Progress and Perfectibility: Enlightenment thinkers believed that humans and societies were capable of continuous improvement. They emphasized education, social reform, and moral development, seeing each as pathways toward a more just, knowledgeable, and equitable society.

Social Contract: Building on ideas of individual rights and justice, thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau developed theories of the social contract. This theory posits that people consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to form governments that protect their rights in exchange for certain responsibilities, providing a framework for democratic governance.

Equality and Democracy: Many Enlightenment thinkers advocated for greater equality and democratic ideals. Rousseau, for instance, emphasized that legitimate government represents the “general will” of the people, an idea foundational to modern democracy. Thinkers promoted the idea that social and political structures should not be based on birth or privilege but on merit and rational principles.

Prominent Figures and Their Contributions

Immanuel Kant: Known for his essay "What Is Enlightenment?" Kant argued that enlightenment is the process of an individual’s release from self-imposed intellectual immaturity, encouraging people to "dare to know" and think for themselves.

Voltaire: An advocate for freedom of speech, religious tolerance, and social reform, Voltaire was a vocal critic of religious dogma and the absolute power of monarchies.

John Locke: Locke’s theory of government based on natural rights influenced the American and French revolutions. His social contract emphasized individual liberty, limited government, and the right to property.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Rousseau’s ideas about the social contract and direct democracy influenced political thought, promoting the concept that government authority should represent the collective will.

Baron de Montesquieu: Montesquieu’s idea of the separation of powers provided a blueprint for modern democratic governance and the prevention of tyranny.

Enlightenment’s Impact on Society

Political Revolutions: The Enlightenment laid the intellectual groundwork for the American and French revolutions, promoting the ideas of individual rights, self-governance, and the rejection of absolute monarchy.

Education and Literacy: Enlightenment thought encouraged education as a means for personal and social improvement, leading to an increase in literacy rates and the spread of ideas through pamphlets, books, and public debates.

Development of Modern Democracy: Enlightenment principles contributed to the establishment of democratic institutions and legal systems based on equality, justice, and respect for individual rights, setting the foundation for many modern governments.

Advances in Science and Medicine: The scientific approach of the Enlightenment fostered progress in areas such as medicine, physics, and technology, setting the stage for the Industrial Revolution and improving human understanding of health and the natural world.

Human Rights and Social Reforms: Enlightenment ideas advanced the causes of social reform, including the abolition of slavery, prison reform, and gender equality, based on the belief in universal human rights and dignity.

Criticisms and Limitations

Over-reliance on Reason: Critics argue that the Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason undervalued emotions, intuition, and cultural diversity, leading to an overly rationalistic worldview that can neglect the complexities of human nature.

Colonialism and Eurocentrism: Some Enlightenment ideas were used to justify colonialism and the spread of European dominance, as the values of "civilization" and "progress" were often imposed on other cultures.

Environmental Impact: The Enlightenment’s focus on mastering nature contributed to the view of the environment as a resource to be exploited, laying the groundwork for environmental degradation.

Legacy of the Enlightenment

The Enlightenment continues to influence contemporary society, shaping democratic governance, human rights, scientific progress, and secular ethics. While it has faced criticism, Enlightenment philosophy remains central to modern values and institutions. The movement’s call for rational inquiry, individual liberty, and social progress endures in efforts to address global challenges and strive for an informed, just, and progressive society.

[tyote]

since politics has been on my (and probably everyone's) brain a lot lately i took a shit-ton of political compass tests and averaged them all together, then fed them to a LLM (running locally) to specifically create a profile of people i probably wouldn't get along with politically, lmao.

and wouldn't ya know, me being true neutral once again means many people (at least on the internet) would probably not like me too much, ha

full report of my nemeses under the cut, 'cause it's thorough

"Tyler, with his unique blend of political philosophies, would likely find himself at odds with individuals who hold extreme or uncompromising views. Here's how he might view these perspectives:

Far-Left Extremists: Tyler respects the desire for equality and fairness that drives many on the far left. However, he believes that radical socialism or communism often overlooks the importance of personal property and small businesses, which he sees as vital for a healthy economy. In Tyler's view, these extreme ideologies can lead to the concentration of power in the hands of the state, stifling individual initiative and innovation. He worries that such systems can result in economic inefficiency, a lack of personal freedom, and even oppression, ultimately harming the very people they aim to help. Tyler sees these systems as potentially leading to authoritarianism under the guise of equality.

Far-Right Extremists: While Tyler understands the importance of national identity and community values, he strongly opposes the exclusionary and xenophobic policies promoted by far-right nationalists or supremacists. Despite his nativist tendencies, Tyler believes that a thriving society benefits from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. He sees extreme nationalism as a dangerous ideology that fosters division, hatred, and violence. Tyler's brand of nativism is about valuing community heritage and ensuring that immigration policies are compassionate, economically viable, and practical, balancing the nation's capacity to accept immigrants with the need for a straightforward, fair, and legal process.

Authoritarians: Tyler appreciates the need for strong leadership, but he firmly believes that power should be distributed and checked to prevent abuse. He opposes authoritarian figures like Joseph Stalin or Pol Pot because they centralize power and suppress individual freedoms, which contradicts his commitment to representative democracy and the rule of law. Tyler believes that a healthy democracy requires transparency, accountability, and the active participation of its citizens to prevent the rise of tyranny. He sees checks and balances as essential to safeguarding freedom and justice. Authoritarian regimes, in his view, are oppressive and detrimental to human rights.

Libertarian Extremists: Tyler recognizes the appeal of minimal government intervention and personal freedom championed by extreme libertarians. However, he believes that a completely laissez-faire approach can lead to economic inequality and social disparity. Tyler supports a balanced economic system that combines individual freedom with ethical principles and community responsibility. He thinks that some level of regulation is necessary to protect the vulnerable and ensure that everyone has a fair chance to succeed. In his view, a mix of personal liberty and social welfare creates a more equitable and just society.

Populists: Tyler understands the frustration that drives populist movements and the desire for change. However, he is wary of leaders who use divisive rhetoric and offer simplistic solutions to complex problems. Figures like Bernie Sanders and Hugo Chavez, who appeal to broad, sweeping changes, might clash with Tyler's centrist and pragmatic approach. Tyler believes that effective governance requires nuanced policies and thoughtful deliberation, rather than quick fixes and polarizing tactics. He values evidence-based decision-making over populist promises. Populist leaders, in his view, often exploit people's emotions and fears for political gain, leading to instability and poor governance.

In essence, Tyler values moderation, a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints, and ethical governance. He believes that extreme, uncompromising, or authoritarian views, regardless of their position on the political spectrum, often fail to address the complexities of society in a balanced and fair manner."

[47burlm]

It is true that Donald Trump is a pathological liar. But he has been remarkably honest and transparent in his desires and plans to become America's first dictator and unleash a reign of revenge and tyranny. The coup attempt on Jan. 6 was just a trial run for a much larger and successful attempt to end multiracial pluralistic democracy here in America.

according to Dr. Lance Dodes

Trump's latest threats to place opponents in jail, including President Biden, fit with the limitless nature of psychopaths. Lacking a conscience or morality to limit his sadism, and believing in his worth above all others, leads Trump to think he has the right to destroy anyone who does not submit to him. Without the innate capacity for empathy toward others and a sense of right and wrong, Trump is an extreme outlier in human psychology. His success is possible by his ability to convince large numbers of people, with the help of his party and some in the media, that he is not what he is.

"We should pay very close attention whenever we see these kinds of rhetorical tricks."

How can people be conned in such large numbers? Starting in childhood, we all wish for omnipotent heroes, the magical stars of childhood stories and myths who will avenge our grievances and protect us from harm. While most grow beyond this, there is still a piece of that wish inside as seen in the popularity of action-hero movies and other heroic figure fiction. There are clearly enough vulnerable people for whom the wish for a self-styled strong man leader is powerful enough to overcome rational evidence against it. This may be due to naivete based on denial of the sadism in others, rage at personal unfairness that overwhelms normal concerns for others, or simply enough dishonesty and immorality to go along with a malignant leader. They are easy prey for the Big Lie as practiced by tyrants like Trump.

[jacobin-gossack]

The Ink-Splashing Incident on Xi Jinping's Portrait

The ink-splashing incident on Xi Jinping's portrait refers to an event in July 2018, when a woman using the Twitter handle “feefeefly” live-streamed her protest in front of the HNA Building in Shanghai. She voiced her dissatisfaction with the one-party dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and criticized the CCP’s practice of “mind control” oppression. During the livestream, she splashed ink on a portrait of CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping, drawing widespread attention. The woman was later identified as Dong Yaoqiong, from Xiejia Ping Village, Taoshui Town, You County, Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province, who worked as a real estate agent in Shanghai.

The ink-splashing video quickly spread across the internet and resonated with many netizens. Some shared photos of themselves throwing ink or mud at portraits of Xi Jinping to express their discontent with the CCP.

On July 4, 2018, the day after the incident, which was still July 4th in Los Angeles, the U.S.-based nonprofit “Alliance for the Protection of American Values” launched the first “704 Ink-Splashing Festival.” Since then, on every July 4th, Chinese expatriates and some local Americans gather in front of Chinese consulates in the U.S. to conduct ink-splashing activities. They splash ink on pre-printed images as a way to vent frustration toward Chinese dictatorship.

WHAT HAPPENED

At around 6 a.m. on July 4, 2018, Dong posted a video on twitter declaring in front of the HNA Building in Shanghai : “…(I) oppose Xi Jinping’s dictatorship and tyranny, oppose the CCP's mind control oppression against me… (splashes ink on Xi Jinping's portrait at this moment) I hate him to the core… See this? This is my act, opposing Xi Jinping’s authoritarianism and tyranny, opposing the CCP’s mind control. I call on international organizations to intervene. I will cooperate with the investigation. Because evidence of mind control persecution requires expertise to uncover… Yes, I splashed ink on him today. Let’s see what he can do to me. Xi Jinping, I’m right here waiting for you to arrest me. I stand alone, opposing the CCP and its dictatorship. I am right here. Come and get me. Behind me is the HNA Building—your property, Xi Jinping. I splashed ink on your asset, on your ugly face. See it?”

At around 3:30 p.m., Dong posted what would be her final tweet before her account was deactivated by unknown parties: “There are people in uniforms outside my door. I will change clothes and go out soon. I am not guilty. The ones guilty are those who hurt me and the organizations behind them.” After that, her tweets were deleted, and she lost contact with the outside world. Chinese dissident artist Hua Yong speculated that Dong’s Twitter account was erased by those who had taken control of her. Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that their journalist had contacted Dong via Twitter, but she refused an interview. Shortly thereafter, her account was shut down, and her whereabouts became unknown. The term “ink-splashing” was banned online.

Hua Yong found Dong’s father, Dong Jianbiao, a coal miner in Hunan. He revealed that Dong Yaoqiong had been arrested by the authorities for “attacking the national leader.” Dong Jianbiao expressed support for his daughter, saying, “If it were me, I’d splash ink too. What she did was good. She wasn’t doing it for herself—she represented the grassroots. What she said was true. My daughter might not survive this. Xi acts like an emperor—offending him used to mean death for your whole family…” He added, “If she’s sentenced to death, I’ll take her place. If I can’t, I don’t want to live either. I just want to save my daughter’s life.” Hua Yong and Dong Jianbiao were later arrested by the police while broadcasting the situation and calling on the world to support free speech.

Government Response

Domestic security officials from Shanghai told Dong Jianbiao that his daughter’s ink-splashing act constituted an “attack on a national leader.” RFA published a report titled “Outrageous? Ink Smearing as an Attack on National Leaders.”

When questioned, the Shanghai Public Security Bureau claimed ignorance of the incident. However, on July 22, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported that Dong Yaoqiong had been diagnosed with a mental illness by doctors from Shanghai and Zhuzhou Third Hospital. On July 16, she was sent back to her hometown in You County, Hunan, by the police. There, she briefly reunited with her mother and brother before being admitted to Zhuzhou Third Hospital. Her mother called for an independent medical evaluation. RFA contacted the hospital, which stated that Dong had been admitted as a "political prisoner." Dong Jianbiao tried to visit her with a lawyer but failed and was later placed under house arrest.

On January 2, 2020, Dong was released from the hospital. Her father noted that she had become withdrawn and uncommunicative—very different from her once lively personality.

Dong Yaoqiong was re-admitted to psychiatric hospitals twice more—on May 20, 2020, and again in late January 2021. In February 2021, she was institutionalized for a third time, and has not been heard from since.

On July 5, anonymous netizens uploaded photos showing a giant promotional portrait of Xi Jinping in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, splashed with mud.

In February 2021, Dong Jianbiao had a dispute with his ex-wife over their daughter’s forced hospitalization. On February 12, he reportedly brought gasoline and “threatened” to burn her house down. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

On September 24, 2022, the rights group "Weiquanwang"("Rights Defense Website"),a Chinese-language human rights website and information platform, reported that Dong Jianbiao had been beaten to death in prison the day before. His body showed multiple injuries and anal bleeding. According to, Chen Siming, a Chinese pro-democracy activist known for his outspoken criticism of the CCP and his efforts to commemorate in China the Tiananmen Square massacre, the family received a notification and rushed to the morgue, where they saw the injuries. Authorities demanded that the body be cremated within five days. After Chen posted the news, he was taken away by state security. RFA reported that Dong's son, under pressure from authorities, signed the cremation consent form. The body was cremated on the 24th (only five days after his death), and family members were required to surrender their phones before entering the crematorium. That evening, the urn was returned, and the government demanded immediate burial. Access to the Dong residence was restricted, and visitors were required to hand over their phones. Provincial officials insisted the urn be buried by the 26th.

[jaimendonsa]

Voluntary Servitude: A Discourse on Freedom and Tyranny

How to combat modern VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE?

Elias Callon

VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE is a concept that dates back to the essay "DISCOURSE ON VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE" by Étienne de La Boétie, written in the 16th century. La Boétie argues that servitude only exists because people consent to submit to the power of a tyrant or system. This concept can be adapted to understand modern forms of VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE, where people accept or even promote systems that limit their freedom, such as excessive consumerism, technological dependence, and social conformity.

This book offers ways to combat modern VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE:

• Encourage people to question social and political norms, which can be done through education that promotes critical thinking, analysis of arguments, and evaluation of evidence.  

• Understanding the history of VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE and its manifestations over time can prevent the repetition of past mistakes.  

• Encourage autonomous decision-making, where people make choices based on their personal values ​​and interests, rather than blindly following what is socially imposed.

• Meditation, personal reflection, and therapies can help individuals understand their own motivations and desires, allowing them to live in a way that is more aligned with their own will.

• Promote conscious consumption, where people make purchases based on real needs rather than on impulses or social pressures.

• Focus on sustainable living practices that respect the environment and communities, rather than following a model of overconsumption and waste.

• Encourage active participation in politics and civil society, through voting, protests, and involvement in community groups that promote positive change.

• Defend human rights and fight against systems that perpetuate inequalities and oppression.

• Teach people to use technology critically and responsibly, understanding how digital platforms can influence opinions and behaviors.

• Promote digital security, helping people protect their personal information and understand the impact of data collection and digital surveillance.

• Form communities that support individual autonomy and freedom by providing emotional support, resources, and encouragement to resist oppressive systems.

• Collaborative Practices: Encourage collaborative and supportive practices, such as cooperatives, where people work together to achieve common goals in an equitable manner.

• Celebrate and protect cultural diversity and thought, resisting cultural homogenization and the imposition of dominant cultural norms.

• Use art as a form of resistance and expression, allowing people to explore and share their ideas and experiences creatively.

Combating modern VOLUNTARY SERVANT requires a continuous effort to promote critical education, personal autonomy, civic engagement, and sustainable practices. Through individual and collective actions, it is possible to build a society that values ​​freedom and human dignity above oppressive systems. This process takes courage and commitment, but the benefits of a life lived with freedom and awareness are immeasurable.

Bonus edition: full text of “DISCOURSE ON VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE”, by Étienne de la Boétie.

eBook Kindle: How to combat modern VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE? (English Edition) https://amzn.to/4gJtFbx

Como combater a SERVIDÃO VOLUNTÁRIA moderna? (Portuguese Edition) https://amzn.to/4gtB5ji

¿Cómo combatir la SERVIDUMBRE VOLUNTARIA moderna? (Spanish Edition) https://amzn.to/4iQdpYg

[the-hem]

"The Essential Perception." From the Maha Upanishad, the Exploration of the Mysteries of the Atman.

IV-73-75. The creation (of the world) is assumed (projected) by God starting from the vision and ending with Entry (from Generation to Dissolution) in the form of Jiva, Ishvara etc. The nature of the animate and the inanimate worldly life from waking to liberation is projected by Jiva.

Schools from the Trinachiketa (the threefold Nachiketa path) to the Yoga depend on Ishvara’s illusion (on the still lower level); from the Lokayata (direcet perception) to Sankhya (nature and God are unique) the schools depend on Jiva’s illusion.

Hence, the aspirants to liberation should not consider these schools (being illusory) but the (essential) truth about Brahman is to be considered with steadiness.

The Nachiketa Path is based on the journey of the Self to the land of death where it is able to practice three different ways to find Realization. The structure is based on Na- negation, Chaitanya, consciousness, and Ya, the arrival.

Lokayata connects reality to the Self through immediate realization, the Sankhya path distills the life giving essence, Purusha, from the inert matter and laws of nature called Prakriti.

Krishna said this about the former:

"No one can remain without performing actions even for a moment. Every creature is helplessly made to perform action by the forces born of nature." (BG 3:5)

The moment the Life Spark touches matter and creates a place for a soul to inhabit we are bound by nature. We have to eat, drink, pee, shit, climax, sneeze, our heart beats our lungs fill with air, we become subject to heat and cold. To deny the role of one's nature is not a path of wisdom or realization. This is done through discipline rather than denial.

With a steady focus on the ways nature enacts itself upon us and the ways the mind perceives the reaities, one is able to dispel all illusion and delusion and enter a steady state of realization of the concept of the Self.

Man has to yet to understand how God was born or why He made this place quite the way He has. We know we must contend with it but we resist. We have decided not to discipline our desires and ignore the causes and effects of nature.

We have allowed strangers with strange stories on their minds to run our lives into the mouth of madness. Now we have to turn things around using the logic found through intelligence instead and quickly before many more millions die.

There is no evidence whatsoever that Islam tells us to hate Jews. The opposite in fact is true. Anti-Semitism was forbidden long ago by the Prophet Muhammad.

There is no evidence scripture can modify sexual orientation, or that Grace is found through cheating, tyranny, rape, murder, or sex with minors, no matter one's interpretation of the ink on the page. The crusades against nature have and this life of illusion have to come to an end. The Upanishad says the essential truth, if considered with steadiness will lead the way. This news should not trouble one single human being.

[thottacelli]

I'm asking specific questions because the hypotheticals werent addressing the issues I'm having with y'all's rhetoric. You're the one that's accusing Marxists of only dealing with non tangible situations (pudding worlds), I'm trying to bring the conversation into reality and you tell me to leave?? Sorry but this is where the conversation is happening. Maybe don't make (or comment on) posts explicitly condemning Marxists if you don't want them to come on the post and ask you questions about your theory in turn.

I'm not arguing with some nebulous "anarchist future", you have explained your position that you don't think people should HAVE to do labor if they don't feel like it, I'm asking how that will translate into situations where very specific actions are required to save lives. If we can't tell others how and when they work, how will we tell a doc how and when they perform healthcare.

We have ways of administering care that are safe and effective, but that requires docs and nurses to work under the authority of evidence based practice organizations, licensing boards, and the legal ramifications for people dying under their care. If the sheer nature of someone having authority over another is tyranny and can not be allowed, how will we ensure that the people preforming our healthcare are reaching acceptable standards of care?

Good healthcare doesn't just happen, it has to be fought for and constantly enforced. That's why I bring up maternal mortatality. The research has been done on the best ways to stop maternal death, there are hospitals that have established amazing standards of care for their maternity wards that have dropped their death rates. And dispite this knowlage, healthcare providers are still killing women constantly by not treating preventable complications. Standard procedures as simple as mandatory pad weighing after every change could save countless lives, and yet, most hospitals don't do it because it's not enforced by anyone.

But back to your comment, my concern in this particular matter is not about epinephrin's production, but it's administration. The fact that you think I'm talking about a situation where someone could administer their own epinephrin (or could even know that it was epinephrin they needed to make before hand) goes to show how out of touch you are with the procedures and science I am concerned about. It can not be standard practice that people administer their own cardioversion medication when in cardiac arrest because most people go into shock or pass out when it happens. Also it's not just one shot and you're done, some cardioversion medications must be re-administered at certain minute intervals as long as the arrest continues. There are situations where people will not be able to administer their own life saving medication so others must do it for them.

I'm not trying to be rude here, but maintaining standards of care is a massive blindspot in anarchist theory and no one wants to grapple with that issue, all I'm ever told is that standards of care are either 1) not necessary or 2) dont need to be enforced by anyone to happen. Sorry but that is not good enough. I don't just say this as a Marxist, but also as someone who is close to the healthcare field and those that provide it. Ensuring good healthcare is hard and complicated to orchestrate, but it stops so many preventable deaths that we have to enforce it. What's the point of building a better future if we don't alleviate death and suffering when we do it?

If there are texts that explain how anarchists intend to create and enforce evidence based practices without an authority to research the practices and enforce their use, I would love to read them. But as it stands, I haven't found any and all the anarchists I've asked haven't given me any either, they just call me a fascist for asking how we will keep wounds from getting infected.

When a person collapses from cardiac arrest, whether the people around them are mustache twirling villains that do nothing cuz they like suffering or well meaning people that want to help but don't have the training to administer the care needed, it's all the same to the person with the heart attack, they're dead either way.

What I've learned communists are afraid of today:

A classless, stateless society

Communism

Any society that doesn't rely on compulsory labor

Liberated workers

The absence of the bourgeoise dictating worker's actions

The laborers themselves working for their own liberation

The state withering away

Anarchists that want communism

Labor camps disappearing

Communists that disagree with them

[reblogging-yourself-should-be-ok]

Another Twitter essay. Yay, I guess?

Steve Silberman - @stevesilberman · 7h Mind-blowing phrase from a right-wing doctor in my inbox this morning pushing ivermectin for what he calls the Wuhan virus: "The tyranny of evidence-based medicine." #medtwitter #COVID19

Fundamentalism has been railing against empiricism - the idea that you can learn about the world through observation/evidence and make improvements based on what you learn - since before I started following/studying them. In that context, this is predictable. Why? Mostly because their worldview is contradicted by it. but also because their view religiously and culturally is that truth is inherited from a better past, handed down from ultimate authority, maintained through authority. “received knowledge,” essentially... from god. And they like it that way. any change is a threat to their authority as holders of that received truth. so of course they push against it, obviously. (Many of them say/said western culture lost its way with the Italian renaissance - because that marked a “turning from god.”) Mind you: it’s all bullshit. their beliefs are much younger than the renaissance, centuries younger, no matter how much they insist it’s eternal unchanged truth. But it’s bullshit they believe. And one of the reasons - one of the attractions - is that you don’t have to think. just react. Andrew the racist dickhead Sullivan may be a racist dickhead, but he made a cogent observation years ago about his own side: most conservatives really don’t like having to think. Whoever wrote Frank Burns in MASH and had him say, “I don’t think, I know,” was, sure, setting him up for a punchline (“I don’t think you know either”) but like a lot of good jokes, it’s pointing at a reality. Frank Burns was a Christian conservative, in the text. He didn’t want to have to think. not critically. he just wanted to already know - or be handed down the “truth,” whatever that was, which he’d accept as long as it didn’t offend other received “truth.” Or his wallet. (of course.) So as surprising as this “doctor” railing against “evidence-based medicine” might seem to be, it’s really kinda... not. It’s bad, fuck, of course it is. But it’s not surprising. It’s what they are. If reality offends received knowledge, it’s not received knowledge at fault. it’s reality that’s the problem - and which must be denied or attacked. And in that context, all it takes is the right kind of evil opportunism to make a crisis into a disaster. And with the GOP more than happy to become a literal party of sedition and plague to keep power, well. The crisis became a disaster, exactly as you’d expect - if you’re willing to think about it. Which they aren’t. Not if they can help it. It’s genuinely two different theories of knowledge at war here. if you wonder how they can reject reality so consistently and in real time, well, this is how. And they have lots of practice at it. So it’s easy.

----- added later -----

If you’re wondering whether the explicitly fascist slogan of “reject modernity, embrace tradition” is connected? yes. it is. it is exactly the same thing, lightly rephrased just with more explicit emphasis on racism and patriarchy. not that either faction is light on either.

[pirepoumon]

started reading bateson's steps to an ecology of mind and in the introduction i'm already having what could be most accurately compared to a religious experience. things that are going to change me fundamentally.

this isn't even the passage that started the feeling but this is literally down to the BH specification what i would call at work the tyranny of evidence-based practices, which are necessary but as a framework are deeply unsatisfying and self-defeating without attention to systems-thinking, which would presumably be analogous to bateson's much better articulated ecologies.

and his description of being linguistically/epistemologically isolated from his peers and students, unable to express some concept he had always been working toward and describing around. good LORD

[averytiredfanfictionwriter]

Sic Semper Tyrannis

A syndicate x Platonic! Reader/ Technoblade x Reader

Warnings: murder, kidnapping, blood, a somewhat graphic depiction of getting stitches

Word count: about 2800

Ao3 Link: wow.

I’m excited to share this. I did write a version with an angsty ending, which is up on my Ao3 account here if you want to read that one as well. Fair warning though, while writing it I found myself dying inside so I don’t know how you guys would feel. It was the original way I wanted to take the story but as I was writing I also created this one which is an alternate, fluffier ending. Reader is a raccoon hybrid in this one. Don’t forget to like and follow for more. Enjoy!

It almost seems to be a mistake, Techno thinks. The woman- no girl- standing in front of him never struck him as the anarchist type. She was always too soft, too nice for any of it. Yet here she stands next to Philza, shivering from the chill of the cave and rubbing her bare arms. 

“This is the new recruit I was telling you about.” The winged man smiles at Techno.

“She seems… soft.” He mutters, taking in her shivering form before handing her a cloak.

She only nods, accepting the cloak gratefully and clipping it around her neck with ease before burrowing into the thick material. 

“Trust me. You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew her how I do.” Phil mutters, rubbing at his shoulder.

“Fine. But do you swear to uphold the values of the syndicate? Do you promise that you’ll help in our mission to destroy the corrupted governments that threaten the freedoms of its citizens?” Techno stands over her, red eyes practically glowing.

She nods hastily under his seven foot tall frame and he seems satisfied as he backs away. “Okay then. Come take a seat. We have a lot to talk about today.” 

Techno makes his way up the stairs to the table behind him, taking a seat facing the entranceway. Y/n looks up at Philza and he only shakes his head. 

“Don’t worry about him. He seems scary but he won’t hurt you. In fact, that’s the nicest he’s been to someone that’s tried to join yet.” Philza says before walking towards the table.

“Wait- what do you mean ‘tried to join’? Phil, what happened to them?” Y/n says in a panic.

“We don’t talk about them.” Ranboo chimes in. “Now, come on. Don’t want to be late to your first meeting.” 

Y/n scurries up to a chair at the table, taking the one across from Phil and next to Ranboo. She sits furthest from Niki and Techno who both seem to be scrutinizing her every move.

“Now, let’s get this meeting started. First things first, we have a new recruit. This is Y/n. You all know her, but she’s going to be joining us. You’ll need a codename.” Techno states, and Y/n thinks a moment as they stare at her.

“Dolos. I’ll go with Dolos.” Techno nods, eyes flashing with an unknown emotion before returning to their usual blankness.

“Okay. Now that that’s over with, is there anything in particular you guys wanted to discuss? Any new information or governments?” 

Phil nods, standing as he stands from the chair and speaks to the group. Y/n zones out a little for the rest of the meeting, nodding along but not really listening. Soon, it’s time to go and they’re all standing, the sound of chairs scraping on the floor loudly and Ranboo’s laughter at something Niki said echoes through the small space.

“Y/n, can I speak to you alone.” It’s not a question, and the woman swallows thickly as she follows the piglin hybrid into a small room that connects to the main one.

“So why Dolos? I mean, of everything you could’ve chosen, why’d you choose Dolos?” He asks, standing against the door to the room, blocking her in.

“Ah, well- you see, I’ve been told I’m good at deceiving people and that I’m so good at it, no one ever knows until I tell them, and even then they don’t believe me. I think that it’s a good codename, that’s all.” She stutters out, and Techno’s eyes narrow.

“I’m not easily fooled. If you’re lying, or you’re here as a spy, I’ll figure it out. And then not even Phil will be able to save you. Do you understand me?” He grunts out, standing over her with his sword held in his hand.

She nods and all but teleports out of the room to get away as quick as possible. He looks after her, seeing the disappointed look on Phil’s face outside and the confused glances from Niki and Ranboo. He steps out of the room as well and leaves the meeting hall without another word. 

It’s a week before anyone hears directly from Y/n again, and when they do it’s not for reason they would have ever expected. 

“I need your help.” Techno takes in the sight of the blood soaked clothing that covers the young woman.

“What happened?” He’s bewildered, the first time he’s been surprised in a long time.

“It’s not my blood. Most of it’s from the people we were fighting, but some of it’s his.” She points behind her where Phil stands, holding up a severely injured Tommy.

“Come on.” Techno grunts, ears twitching. The voices chime in, but he pushes them aside. 

“Set him on the couch.” Phil lays him down gently and gets to work brewing potions for the young boy. 

Y/n sits next to him, clutching his hand tightly with one of hers as she continues putting pressure on the gaping wound in his stomach. Her striped tail swishes nervously on the floor behind her and the large black ears lay back against her head.

“Get his shirt off. I need to sew it up.” Techno has his sleeves rolled up to the elbow as he comes over with a small first aid kit.

Y/n uses her sharp nails to cut away the stomach section of Tommy’s shirt, revealing the ugly looking gash. She pales at the sight of it, getting up and running to the bathroom to most likely vomit. Techno only sighs as he gets to work, wiping off the dried blood around the wound and starting to stitch it up. Tommy shifts uncomfortably on the couch, crying out at the needle threading in and out of his skin. 

Once done, Phil shoves the healing potion in Tommy’s face, which he drinks and then promptly passes out. Y/n comes back from the bathroom, hair tied back from her face.

“What happened?” Techno asks, standing in front of her.

“We were running through the woods, having fun- y’know, kid things- when we came across a small group of people. They started to attack us, and we started to fight back, thinking there weren’t anymore of them. Well, we were wrong. Very wrong. We wouldn’t have escaped if it wasn’t for Phil. Before we got away though, they said something like ‘down with the order’. I don’t know what they meant though. It was hard to understand them through their masks.” Y/n spews out and Techno only stares at her.

“‘Down with the order’? That sounds like they know something. What did they look like? Any distinct markings for kingdoms or anything?” Techno says softly.

She shakes her head. “Nothing that I could see, unless I missed it. I could probably lead you back to the place we fought at. I don’t know if more came to collect the bodies or not.” 

“Take me there. But first, go get cleaned up. We don’t need you walking around drenched in blood.” Techno says, nodding to the bathroom. 

One shower and change of clothes later, the pair are on their way to where Y/n and Tommy were attacked. Techno notices her fidgeting more than usual, constantly looking around them and watching as she jumps at the smallest of noises. He chalks it up to having been just attacked and they continue walking.

She stops in a clearing and he stands beside her. No sign of bloodied bodies is anywhere to be found. In fact, there’s no evidence a fight even occurred here. No blood spots on the ground, no scrapes in the ground, no disturbance of wildlife.

“Are you sure this is the place?” He turns to look at her, but she’s gone. Suddenly, something hits him from behind and the last thing he sees is Y/n, crying softly as someone holds onto her.

Techno slowly opens his eyes, registering the cold metal against his wrists and multitude of people surrounding him. The voices scream out in rage- rage at Y/n for getting them captured, rage at himself for allowing this to happen, anger for not trying to stop him and Y/n from being captured. They’re angry at a lot of things, and he grunts as he feels a headache coming on.

Y/n stirs in the chair across from him, whimpering softly and her tail waves behind her slowly. “Where-”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you need to tell us who the rest of the members of your little club is, or else you both die. Tell us, and you live. It’s that simple.” A voice speaks out, a young man with brown hair and light eyes.

He rests a sword on Y/n’s shoulder and looks Techno in the eyes. He says nothing, glaring at the man instead.

“Are you going to tell me? If not, then I guess I’ll need to encourage you to do so.” The young man sighs, and takes out a knife, grabs hold of Y/n’s tail and presses the knife against the base of it.

Y/n screams loudly, and Techno hates the sound of it more than any other sound he’s heard. The voices seem to hate it as well, yelling at him to just tell the man the names of the other members to end it.

“Fine.” Techno gives in. 

The young man smiles, dropping Y/n’s tail and wiping the knife off on her shirt. “Oh good! That’s very good.” 

“Don’t do it. It’s not worth it. My life’s not worth it.” Y/n mumbles, tears falling down her face as she clenches onto the armrests of the chair tightly.

“You might know one of them. His name is Zephyrus. Has black wings, wears lots of green. Another one is named Lethe. He’s half enderman. Good luck catching him though. The last one is Nemesis. You might never find her though. She spends most of her time underground.” Techno states and Y/n almost laughs at the use of the codenames.

“You’re lying.”

The young man holds the knife to Y/n’s throat and presses gently, causing a small trickle of blood to run down her neck. “You have one more chance to tell me their names before I kill her and then you. I’ll give you to the count of ten. Ten…” Techno growls at the man before him, the sight of his knife pressed against the woman's throat more than angering.

“I told you. Those are their names. It’s not my fault if you don’t believe me. Now let her go. I don’t even like her. Killing her wouldn’t get me to reveal anything.” Techno says calmly.

The man considers this, pausing his counting. “You’re still lying. I saw you help her and her friend, the blonde. I’m surprised the cut didn’t kill him, to be honest. I think I’ll have to go back to your cabin when I’m done here and finish the job.” 

Steam is basically pouring out of Techno’s ears and his eyes glow a bright red. “Don’t fucking touch him.” 

“Yes! I will, unless you tell me the real names of the other members of your little club.” He releases Y/n’s head from his grip, and pulls his knife away from her neck. 

“Phil, Niki, and Ranboo. Those are their names. Now let her go.” Techno growls and Y/n shakes her head.

“He’s lying. Those aren’t their names. There’s not even more than one other member of the group. The third member of the group is named Dream. He’s currently in prison for killing several people and blowing up a country not once, but twice as well as manipulating kids. He’s the only other member of the group.” Y/n says, hoping that they don’t know she’s lying and buy her bluff. 

The god currently sits in prison, waiting out his days monotonously. They would definitely all die the minute they try and kill him- if they even do get to him, considering Sam would kill them the minute they step foot in the prison.

“Finally, someone here is telling the truth. You’re going to give me the exact coordinates of where the prison is, and then you two are going to stay here while we go kill him.” Y/n gives him the coordinates and the man is almost bouncing in joy. “For your sake, we better not be walking into a trap. Let’s go boys.” They leave the room and Y/n sighs, her head hanging forward heavily, as if her neck can’t hold itself up anymore.

“What was that?” Techno asks and she shrugs.

“I told you. People don’t believe I’m capable of lying to them. They’re all going to die trying to get to Dream, or he’s going to kill them himself.” Y/n yawns.

“Yeah, and we need to get out of here in case some of them survive.” Techno says, struggling against the restraints holding him to the chair and eventually manages to break them.

“Alright, let’s get you out of here.” Techno mumbles, picking the lock on Y/n’s restraints and lifting her up easily in his arms.

The maze of hallways is nearly impossible to escape, but they do it somehow and step outside to a snowy tundra. The wind blows frozen ice shards through the air and it bites at their skin. They were stripped of gear and their cloaks. The cold is no match for Techno, who produces enough body heat to stay warm enough, but Y/n shivers in his arms and presses her face against his chest in an effort to keep warm.

Techno’s communicator beeps as it regains signal, and he works it out of his pocket, seeing the messages from Phil and quickly shoots one back with their coordinates and a request for blankets.

Looking around, the only shelter Techno can find until Phil arrives is the building they came out of but that’s not an option in case the people come back. Techno settles for sitting on the ground and hugging the woman to his chest, doing his best to protect her from the wind and cold. 

“Oh my god…” Phil says as he lands in front of the pair, quickly grabbing Y/n and wrapping the cloak around her.

“Take her back to my cabin. She needs to get warmed up and is going to probably need stitches in her tail.” Phil nods, passing his sword to Techno.

“Will you be fine walking back? I can zip right back here to get you. Tommy’s healed and can look after Y/n while I do so.” 

Techno shakes his head. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. After all, you need to check on Ranboo and Niki. Make sure they’re okay. We’re not extremely far from the cabin, I’ll make it back before the end of the night. Now go already.” Techno says and Phil nods, taking off quickly with Y/n.

He looks back at the building they were in, and heads back inside. If there’s anyone left here, they’ll pay for what happened.

It’s a few days before Techno comes back and Philza spends the time either worrying over it or about the worsening condition of Y/n, who seems to have developed a bad cold or flu or hypothermia or all of it, really, as well as making sure Tommy doesn’t rip his stitches trying to do stupid stuff. When Techno does come back, he’s covered in blood and doesn’t even stop to talk to the members of the syndicate sitting in the living room or even wash up, instead going straight for the room where Y/n is sleeping and peeking in.

“She’s not doing well at all. I stitched her tail up, but she’s developed a fever and is still freezing cold all the time and isn’t getting any better, even with a ton of healing potions. I don’t know if she’s going to make it.” Phil mutters beside Techno and he only nods.

He steps out of the doorway and leaves to take a shower, taking extra care to scrub the blood out of his hair and changes into comfortable clothes. Peeking into Y/n’s room again, he sees her shivering underneath the blankets. Well no wonder she’s sick, she’s still freezing cold, he thinks to himself before opening the door further and stepping into the room. He climbs under the covers and Y/n instantly curls up to him, soaking in his natural warmth.

“Thank you, for getting me out of there.” She mutters, before falling back asleep.

“Anything for you.” He whispers, holding her tighter against him in an almost protective manner. 

Phil watches from the doorway, smiling as he watches Techno fall asleep curled up with her.

Tagged: 

@thegeekisheere

[maaarine]

Persons and their Minds: Towards an Integrative Theory of the Mediated Mind (Svend Brinkmann, 2017)

“The capability of organizing his life and daily projects goes against the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, where having “trouble organizing tasks and activities” and “is often forgetful in daily activities” are central.

Tom is aware of this himself, but explains it by saying that “it is in order to avoid the chaos” that he has a high level of organization.

In other words, he compensates so well – by using calendars and to-do-lists (mental technologies), and perhaps also his marihuana – that many of the symptoms of disorganization in fact disappear.

The crucial question then becomes: If the symptoms disappear, is the diagnosis then still warranted?

Diagnostic psychiatry has since 1980 (with the introduction of DSM-III) been based on an assessment of symptoms (rather than, say, an understanding of the etiology and underlying psychodynamics of the person),

so, strictly speaking, it means that a disorder is only there if and when the symptoms are present.

Paradoxically, this seems to imply that people’s compensatory actions will remove the pathology. (…)

To simplify: Essentialists on the one side will say that if one has ADHD, then one has ADHD all the time and everywhere, because the disorder is constituted by certain core neurocognitive deficits.

Most social constructionists on the other side will say that ADHD is a socially constructed category that medicalizes and pathologizes problematic behaviours, and they thereby seek to deconstruct all pathological “essences” associated with the diagnosis. (…)

Researchers have found, for example, that a child’s date of birth is a very powerful predictor of whether or not that child will get the ADHD diagnosis:

Studies from the US show that a boy born in January has a 70% higher risk of being diagnosed than a boy born in December, because of the cutoff for being assigned to a grade. 

What happens is that a child’s relatively immature behaviours are pathologized as ADHD within the social practices of today’s schools.

With this, of course, I do not mean to imply that children really have ADHD because of their date of birth,

but this finding certainly makes it evident that ADHD is co-constituted by norms about concentration and unobtrusiveness in modern society and specifically schools. (…-)

For Tom, as I have tried to demonstrate, it is quite clear that his symptoms appear as problematic only outside the strongly organized context of the military,

when he has had to lead an independent adult life, deciding every day what is to be done, when, and how.

Modern life in the West has been described as involving a “tyranny of choice”, celebrating the autonomous, reflective decision-maker in numerous social practices,

and this may create ecological niches in which people are prone to being diagnosed with ADHD if they do not live up to the norms of constant free choice.”

[ryuukenden4]

Alright everyone, it's time for Ryuu's crackpot theories once again.

So I've been doing a lot of thinking about Kamisato Ayato a lot lately. I'm really curious to see if/when/how Mihoyo introduces him as a character, and I have my own theory about what could be possible. Again, this is a theory based on some general evidence, but I like thinking of theories and I hope this makes some sense.

Okay, so a big part of Ayaka's character story was that no matter what she does, her actions will reflect upon the Yashiro commission and the Kamisato clan. And obviously, the commission wants to be in Baal's favor.

We also know from snippets of voice lines and even Mihoyo's Twitter a few important things about Ayato:

1. He rarely goes out in public so not many people know what he looks like.

2. He has a secret organization working under him, the Shuumatsuban. They presumably gather intel but on what is unclear (Sayu is one such character).

3. He's constantly busy and overworking himself. If anyone knows this best it's Ayaka, though she never says what he's working on. It can be assumed it's the paperwork and diplomacy of the commission, but I find that hard to believe is taking up practically all of Ayato's time.

Here's what I think: Ayato is the true ringleader of the Sangonomiya resistance.

It's been said before he's a bright young man who's kind and helps people. Why would he not want to help all of Inazuma against Baal's tyranny? He also is constantly busy, half with Yashiro Commission stuff and half with resistance matters. He employs the Shuumatsuban to dig up intel on the Tenryou Commission and Baal's forces, which is why with so few people they've been able to fight in places that would give them a higher chance of winning.

If he's the one pulling the strings, he needs another person to be the cover of the resistance so no suspicion is on him. Hence, Kokomi Sangonomiya, the Priestess of Watatsumi Island. I'm guessing he and her made a pact to use her island and give her the spotlight as the leader of the resistance (of course she still has a lot of control...she's like the active leader while he just organizes it from the shadows).

He runs the resistance in secret to protect his clan's name and to protect Ayaka from Baal's fury. He decided to use his kindness and power to do something good for everyone on Inazuma rather than just acting as the Yashiro Commissioner.

My theory is he'll be introduced either in 2.1 or 2.2 as someone affiliated with the resistance, and that's when we'll finally learn his true identity. I feel like maybe his model hasn't been leaked yet because Mihoyo hasn't made him a playable character yet. I'm worried he's gonna be a random NPC but he seems too important for that tbh.

I've also seen the board post that says he's "younger than expected" so I'm also a bit worried he's gonna be a shorter male character versus a taller husband everyone is getting hyped over, but then again this isn't fully set in stone. We may never actually see him either.

Whatever the case, this is my theory and I'm sticking to it until proven wrong. I hope it makes some sense and I'm willing to discuss it.

[my-writings-and-musings]

I have another lovely commission to share with you all! An awesome person wanted a super cute bit of interaction between Springload and Quillfire, so here it is!

Quillfire tried to keep the frown on his face from appearing too off putting as he left the base behind, keeping pace with Springload but ensuring the two of them had considerable personal space at the same time. To the benefit of their mission Earth's forests offered ample cover all around, ensuring neither had anything to fear in regards to detection. Though, to the anarchist, potential discovery was the least of his concerns. His last parting with the other mech had been under less than amicable terms, so he was fully anticipating a very unpleasant mission. In fact, he wouldn't have been surprised to learn Springload was planning to ditch him at the nearest opportunity. Such a prediction seemed more likely than not considering how the amphibicon had a tendency towards the dramatic. Was he going to be accused of defying invisible spirits, or sullying important signals from some great deity before he was exposed to corrosive attacks? It all seemed equally probable...

Frowning a little harder, he watched Springload hop ahead of him and wondered if this mission would end in failure like the last. They'd been up against considerable odds, and things weren looking much better. Steeljaw had been very insistent on them teaming up, so he had a bit of hope this would go well, but-

Crossing his arms, he huffed quietly to himself as he abandoned the train of thought, plodding along behind his chosen partner all the while. Why should he be the one to mend things? More importantly, why did he want to? There were a million other activities he could be doing at the moment, all of them more conducive to speeding up a revolution than this! Just imagining all the injustice on this backwards planet made his quills twitch with unease. Oh, how he longed to tear down the tyranny that was evident around every corner-

"Can you move more swiftly?" Springload barked back at him unexpectedly, hopping along through the forest at a pace few could match with a mere walk. Admittedly though, Quillfire was lagging behind as he mused over his unhappy thoughts. The amphibicon fixed him with an impatient glare. "The sooner this mission is completed, the sooner I may return to my quest!" 

Quillfire obeyed with a gulp, a reaction so out of character for himself he didn't know what to make of it. For some unfathomable reason, he wanted to make peace with this bot, and he was stuck with that. Perhaps he just didn't want to endure an entire mission tainted by awkward silences and angry glares, but what could possibly make things amicable between them? This bot wanted nothing but the treasure of a fabled city that didn't exist, how was he supposed to provide anything like that? Perhaps��� just some conversation might do the trick? If only to lighten the mood...

As they came to a road that marked the next leg of their mission, he made an effort to think of something to say as the amphibicon pondered their map, as well as the instructions they'd been given.

"Steeljaw instructed us to wait here and construct an ambush site. When the human transport arrives, we are to steal their cargo…" he said, finishing the statement with a most distasteful croak. Clearly, his fellow bot was not especially interested in the mission either, and likely was imagining countless other ways his time could be better spent. Such was a common feeling at their rank, and he did truly share most of the frustration. With that as a starting point, Quillfire imagined they may have some common ground after all. 

"I will keep watch on the road, so that you might strike at the most opportune time!" he declared boldly, emphasizing his faith in the others skills. It wasn't even a stretch, as he firmly believed the other was more than capable of getting this done. Looking up and down the simple paved path to ensure he had a good vantage point, he found one in the form of a sheltered outcrop. Looking to Springload for a reaction the entire time, he smirked confidently and clamored up to the flat bit of earth above the road, gesturing to the wide field of observable forest as he did so. "We will claim our quarry with a single attack, and return victorious!"

Springload merely observed him with a blink of apathetic consideration. "Yes, indeed." he said simply, hopping into position and making sure to face away from his teammate when he did so. Pulling out the holo of his supposed map, he began to study it as he always did, scanning the runes for what had to be the millionth time. A terse tone made his feelings on any future reconciliation clear. "Then I may continue my quest for Doradas, alone."

The anarchist's quills sagged at the turn of events. While he hadn't been expecting immediate friendship, he also hadn't anticipated that the other mech would be so openly hostile to any kind of amicable teamwork, and found himself quite disappointed by the lack of success. For whatever reason, he just wanted Springload to like him, and failing at that was bothering him. I'm fact, it was bad enough that some part of him just refused to accept the defeat. There had to be a way he could earn the other's camaraderie. Considering how much time they still had left before their mission began, he had a good window in which to ponder a solution. 

Sitting back on the soft grass, he put a hand to his chin in intense thought. Springload himself only openly cared about one thing, and he didn't know him well enough to be aware of any other likes or interests… Casting a glance at the amphibicon, he felt his processor buzzing at the strain of thinking so hard to produce no results. He simply didn't know anything about geography, archeology, linguistics or any other topic which might help the other mech in his quest. The thought that he might not be able to do anything ate at him much more than it should have. It was enough to make him sigh sadly to himself at the hopelessness of it all.

"Do you see something?" Springload asked, mistaking his small sound for a potential signal. Embarrassed and surprised, Quillfire coughed and babbled out an excuse as fast as he could come up with one.

"Ah… no! I simply mistook a… an organic being for the target!" he explained lamely, not even believing himself. Springload arched an optic ridge, looking as incredulous as he did frustrated at the false alarm. Quillfire laughed awkwardly to clear the air, shrinking down beneath the edge of the outcrop to disappear from view. A dissatisfied croak let him know the outburst was thoroughly not appreciated. 

Frowning miserably to himself, the anarchist occupied his lonesome by doodling in the dirt at his pedes, practicing his signature mark as he often did while thinking. What was he supposed to do? Apologies were not in his nature, least of all because he didn't want to give them. As a loner he just didn't have much practice saying he was sorry to anyone. Ordinarily he was busy disrupting systems of power, overthrowing tyrannical systems, or freeing trapped souls with no one else to save them… Thoughts and feelings like these were too new for him to know what to do with them.

Thinking hard, he tried to come up with something he could do to earn the favor of the other mech, but still came up short. It was frustrating enough to make him draw more aggressively, because deep down he was certain there had to be a way to succeed. Springload wasn't too different from himself, after all. A lone mech, seeking his goals, using his natural gifts and weapons to take down those who opposed him…

Just as he was about to growl to himself at his failure to be inspired, his digit bumped against something in the soft earth. Without anything better to do, he slowly went about digging the object free. A flash of a white, shiny exterior motivated him to continue. Briefly forgetting about his troubles, he dug until a dirty but visibly solid object began to reveal its shape. Round and about the size of his palm, a glossy white stone came from the dirt without too much fuss, and he smiled at the small accomplishment. It was a rather lovely treasure for such a simple planet.

Just as he began to dust some of the remaining dirt from the granite or quartz exterior, he was struck by an idea, one so foolish he had to wonder how it could work.  

Still, he was a champion of crazy ideas, so he dared to consider it. 

Springload was a mech who one could describe as… extravagant, both in mission and mind. He required one to go all out, as he never held back in regards to the quest that he'd dedicated his entire life to completing. Overall, he was just an unusual bot. Perhaps, if Quillfire was thinking this through properly, that meant he could be reasoned with through some unusual means?

Tilting the rounded stone in his servo, he dared to believe a simple yet unusual gift would be enough to at least get the two of them started on a path to mending their teamwork. If nothing else, he'd at least get to tell himself he tried. The hardest part would be working up the courage to begin, but hopefully after that things would be easier. He just needed to take that first step…

Peeking over the edge of the outcrop, he saw that the amphibicon was in the same place he'd last been, reading over his map and murmuring to himself. Despite having read it every day for eons, the dedicated bot didn't look the least bit uninterested in his work. If anything, he looked downright eager, as if on the verge of a breakthrough at any given time. Quillfire hoped interrupting him wouldn't cause an even greater rift to form. 

Clearing his vents, he found his pump pounding with unnatural anxiety as he forced his voice box to speak up, his servos almost trembling about the stone as he took a considerable leap of faith.

"S-Springload?" he finally croaked out, nearly losing his nerve when the other mech looked up to him with painfully obvious annoyance. Gulping, he overcame his anxiety to speak up and stand tall to appear more confident than he felt.  "Can you… come up here? There is something you must see!"

Brightly colored optics widened, then fixed him with a look equal parts incredulous and irritated. "Is it important?"

"Very!" he insisted, sounding honest because he truly meant it with all of his spark. What could be more important than mending his fued with a fellow teammate?

In a single hop, Springload tucked away his map and cleared the entire road, landing just before Quillfire with a graceful thud. 

"I, er…" he stammered as the silliness of what he was about to do hit him in full. Unable to remember the last time he had given or received anything, he was without a clue as to what to say, so he simply held out the stone in his cupped palms with an attempt at a smile. There was a perceptible tremble in his arms as he did so, but he remained strong. "I believe I'm supposed to give this to you!" 

Springload didn't immediately react beyond a raised brow, so he stammered forth more of an explanation, spark sinking in his chest. "As a s-sign of… teamwork."

"A white stone?" the amphibicon said at last, as if awakening from a light trance. Taking the rock carefully into his large servo, all while ensuring his acidic coat didn't touch the other mech, he held the item aloft into the light. Just seeing him interested made the anarchist dare to hope things might work out, but in his wildest of dreams he'd never have anticipated what happened next. Springload lit up like a mech beholding a Prime out of the blue, his optics turning away from the stone for just a moment. 

"Just the same as those that line the gates of Doradas!" he exclaimed in awe.

Quillfire didn't have any response for that, good or bad as it may have been.

"What?"

"The sacred text makes it clear!" he shouted in explanation, bringing forth his scroll of indecipherable runes as if it made everything make sense. Gesturing to the lines of what Springload saw as gibberish, he began to proclaim their meaning with enthusiasm, optics wide and wild. "You see, here?! The gates of the Holy City will be lined with pure stones to mark the way!" 

"I'm…" was all he could reply with, still a million miles behind the other mech in regards to understanding. While he'd hoped at most for appreciation or a mere thanks, Springload looked about ready to burst with excitement, and for reasons he couldn't even begin to comprehend. At the very least he figured he should be happy for the turn of events when he was surprised yet again. 

"But how could you know?" Springload pressed, catching him more than a little off guard. Holding up his servos in surrender, Quillfire tried to figure out what exactly he was supposed to have known, and how he might have gone about figuring it out. He'd just thought it was pretty and would make a decent gesture of peace! Fumbling for a response so as not to lose his progress, he was saved by another burst of revelation he had no part in.

"Of course, the spirits!" he exclaimed, almost dropping the rock in his excitement. Clasping his servos over the apparently precious gift, he explained his excitement more or less by simply talking aloud to himself. "They must have guided you, enabling you to find such a sacred object, so that you could gift it to me!"

Accepting he would never truly understand, Quillfire only smiled and nodded at the other's exuberance. More than happy things had turned out so well, he was content to let the other mech believe whatever he wanted, even if he didn't follow it. "Of course!"

"As to why they would do this… they must know you are key to my quest!" Springload continued, using an avid free servo to clasp the other mech's arm in a sign of commitment. More surprised than confused, the anarchist tilted his helm in shock at how fast things had changed between them. Just like that, everything that had happened was forgiven? More than forgiven, in fact, he was seen as a friend and ally? It didn't seem inaccurate to say he was also being looked at as a divine being at the moment. By the Primes, this bot was like no other!

"I was a fool! To think, I tried to push you away!" the amphibicon cried, deactivating his acid so he could better cling to the taller mech. Seeing the emotion in his eyes, Quillfire wondered if he might start weeping, and hoped it wouldn't come to such a show. Not only was he not the best at providing comfort, he didn't have any tissues… Mercifully, the big optics looking into his seemed to sparkle with jubilation rather than tears.

"Ah, it's really nothing…" Quillfire reassured, beginning to blush from the high praise. A spare servo massaged the back of his neck in an open show of bashful deflection. Such a small thing hardly felt worthy of this kind of praise, even for a mech as glory seeking as himself. Not that he was disliking this turn of events.

"It's everything!" Springload corrected, emphatic and no longer impatient. "You must have been sent into my life by the spirits themselves!"

Actively blushing at that, the anarchist looked away, rubbing harder at the back of his neck. He hadn't a clue what to do with this newfound respect and admiration. Perhaps the other bot was just having a momentary burst of affection, which would give way as soon as the next symbol or sign grabbed his attention, but at present such a turn seemed beyond doubtful. Quillfire was being regarded in a way typically saved for the most ancient and holy of altars to the Primes. In the depths of his spark, he wanted it to last.

A distant but heavy sound caught his sharp audials, just as the tremor sensitive Springload perked up in synchronized recognition. Something was rumbling its way down the primitive earth road. Recalling their mission so fast his quills flared in alarm, the anarchist stood up to his full height, catching a glimpse of a truck through the densely packed pines. Their target was approaching fast. Worse, they were in no position to intercept it as planned. 

Thinking fast, Quillfire pulled one of his namesake weapons from his back, preparing to strike as the unknowing human drove their way. 

"I shall block the path." he announced, redirecting their strategy from before to include himself. Business came first for them both, so each was ready in an instant. Springload crouched low on his powerful legs in anticipation of his orders, which came just as the truck began barreling down the final stretch in their direction, multiple tons on a solid course they needed to stop. "You, render it motionless once it is stopped."

An agreeable ribbit communicated hearty understanding in the final moments before their strike. 

While massive by earth standards, the truck was small enough for Quillfire to plan his moves without much of a risk. Still, he was careful in his timing, as the cargo was as valuable as it was delicate. Any great crash would render it useless. Their success hinged on him being precise more than cautious, so he waited for the perfect amount of distance to be between himself and his target before he leapt down into the asphalt below. 

Well practiced using his own weapons, he tossed his quill just ahead of the already braking truck, funneling their path to the point of nonexistence. With nowhere to go, the driver was forced to slam on the brakes and skid to a stop, not having the option to go around or turn back. Quillfire smirked in pride at the human's textbook reaction, and could have sworn he heard Springload give a cheer at his victory. Near victory, that was, there was still one crucial step for them to see through.

"Now!" he ordered as the multiple tire sets came to a stop just shy of him. With the speed of someone working on the same page, the amphibicon dove from his perch, shooting his tongue out like a whip. Acid and force popped the tires in rapid succession, filling the air with a series of bangs and creaks until the heavy machine collapsed onto nothing but it's hubcaps. Rubber flew in every direction and nothing even resembling tires remained to spin, leaving multiple tons collapsed on the asphalt. The truck would not be going anywhere. 

"A clean victory!" Springload declared happily, still clutching his gift as he hopped back beside Quillfire. "Truly, the spirits are on our side in full. You are their greatest emissary."

Beaming at the praise, Quillfire turned when he heard the door of the vehicle opening up. Both mech's turned just as the human driver jumped from the vehicle, landing in a heap on the ground as he did so. Catching their mutual gaze, the tiny being threw up his hands in surrender, wide eyed and terrified as could be. A gigantic, metallic frog and an even bigger metal porcupine had not been mentioned when he'd taken the job. 

"Look, I'm n-not paid enough for this!" he stammered, gesturing wildly to the trailer as he slowly stepped backwards on shaking legs. Giving up the goods completely for his own sake, he unknowingly earned the approval of a certain anarchist. Abandoning one's shackles for self preservation was a key tactic, and he smiled as the human gave them both full clearance, dropping his keys on the spot. "Just take the truck! A-all of it!"

"We shall, your cooperation is appreciated." Springload replied, sounding a bit haughty. In truth the human's cooperation meant little; either mech was fully capable of taking what they wanted without much effort. Happy just to see someone making the right choices, Quillfire praised and comforted the terrified earthling in what he considered to be the best way.  

"Fear not, brother. You have been liberated from the bonds of oppressive labor!" he encouraged, presenting the human with a smile of reassurance. Reacting with what he presumed to be unfathomable joy, the tiny being turned about and began to sprint, disappearing into the trees with a considerable ruckus of breaking branches and fussing animals. Screams of jubilation began echoing out after he was long gone from sight.

Waving the lucky one off, Quillfire smiled at the impossible fortune this day had brought him, happy to share it with others. If humans could figure out the true way to live, perhaps there was yet hope for them. He dared to believe as much while shouting after the former truck driver. "Go forth, tiny earthling! Enjoy the freedom we have given you!"

Turning back to the work yet to be completed, he found Springload using his selectively acidic touch to melt through the lock of the truck's trailer, his gift still peeking out through his other servo's protective grip. Marveling at how the other mech seemed intent on believing his truth, Quillfire still decided to let it be. Though happy just to be friends, it was quite likely this was just how things worked for such a dramatic bot. He was surprised how he was beyond accepting of such a concept, and in fact, quite looking forward to it. 

As the doors opened, the two of them found a rather manageable cluster of boxes secured tightly to avoid damaging movement. Comfortable as the load would have been for two bots, it doubtlessly was too much for one, yet Springload began freeing it from its bonds with a smile. 

"Allow me to carry this burden, great one! It is the least I can offer!" he said eagerly, tucking his stone away into a subspace beside his spark. Cutting their payload free, he began to move the boxes happily outside, no doubt planning to pile them all into his altmode. While usually happy to get some time off, Quillfire didn't feel right about leaving the other mech to handle it all. Their new partnership deserved to get off to a much better start than that. 

"I can help." he reassured simply, taking his fair share of the boxes to carry in his hands. Though the smaller mech needed his altmode to handle his share, he didn't allow transforming to stop his eager chatting, and continued to extoll the virtues of his new ally as a happy pickup truck. 

"Such generosity!" he praised, putting along to leave the abandoned truck behind them. Though a little overwhelmed by the idea of someone seeing him as a bona fide gift from ancient deities, he allowed the other mech's chatter to fill the walk home, finding it to be far better than the awkward silence that had followed them here. Who ever would have been able to guess a mere stone could change so much? 

"I shall have to insist we are partnered together for future endeavors! As two individuals chosen by the spirits, our camaraderie can bring only success!" Springload gushed, turning about happily on his bouncing tires. "Would that please you, great one? I am certain riches will come to us both!"

Though he still had his own dreams, Quillfire didn't indeed find the idea of more missions like this very agreeable, so much so that he had no problem smiling in affirment. 

"Riches indeed, my new friend!" 

[foodreceipe]

A Brief History of Peanut Butter

The bizarre sanitarium staple that became a spreadable obsession

By Kate Wheeling | February 2021 Smithsonian Magazine

North Americans weren't the first to grind peanuts—the Inca beat us to it by a few hundred years—but peanut butter reappeared in the modern world because of an American, the doctor, nutritionist and cereal pioneer John Harvey Kellogg, who filed a patent for a proto-peanut butter in 1895. Kellogg’s “food compound” involved boiling nuts and grinding them into an easily digestible paste for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a spa for all kinds of ailments. The original patent didn’t specify what type of nut to use, and Kellogg experimented with almonds as well as peanuts, which had the virtue of being cheaper. While modern peanut butter enthusiasts would likely find Kellogg’s compound bland, Kellogg called it “the most delicious nut butter you ever tasted in your life.”

A Seventh-Day Adventist, Kellogg endorsed a plant-based diet and promoted peanut butter as a healthy alternative to meat, which he saw as a digestive irritant and, worse, a sinful sexual stimulant. His efforts and his elite clientele, which included Amelia Earhart, Sojourner Truth and Henry Ford, helped establish peanut butter as a delicacy. As early as 1896, Good Housekeeping encouraged women to make their own with a meat grinder, and suggested pairing the spread with bread. “The active brains of American inventors have found new economic uses for the peanut,” the Chicago Tribune rhapsodized in July 1897.

Before the end of the century, Joseph Lambert, an employee at Kellogg’s sanitarium who may have been the first person to make the doctor’s peanut butter, had invented machinery to roast and grind peanuts on a larger scale. He launched the Lambert Food Company, selling nut butter and the mills to make it, seeding countless other peanut butter businesses. As manufacturing scaled up, prices came down. A 1908 ad for the Delaware-based Loeber’s peanut butter—since discontinued—claimed that just 10 cents’ worth of peanuts contained six times the energy of a porterhouse steak. Technological innovations would continue to transform the product into a staple, something Yanks couldn’t do without and many a foreigner considered appalling.

By World War I, U.S. consumers—whether convinced by Kellogg’s nutty nutrition advice or not—turned to peanuts as a result of meat rationing. Government pamphlets promoted “meatless Mondays,” with peanuts high on the menu. Americans “soon may be eating peanut bread, spread with peanut butter, and using peanut oil for our salad,” the Daily Missourian reported in 1917, citing “the exigencies of war.”

The nation’s food scientists are nothing if not ingenious, and peanut butter posed a slippery problem that cried out for a solution. Manufacturers sold tubs of peanut butter to local grocers, and advised them to stir frequently with a wooden paddle, according to Andrew Smith, a food historian. Without regular effort, the oil would separate out and spoil. Then, in 1921, a Californian named Joseph Rosefield filed a patent for applying a chemical process called partial hydrogenation to peanut butter, a method by which the main naturally occurring oil in peanut butter, which is liquid at room temperature, is converted into an oil that’s solid or semisolid at room temperature and thus remains blended; the practice had been used to make substitutes for butter and lard, like Crisco, but Rosefield was the first to apply it to peanut butter. This more stable spread could be shipped across the country, stocked in warehouses and left on shelves, clearing the way for the national brands we all know today. The only invention that did more than hydrogenation to cement peanut butter in the hearts (and mouths) of America’s youth was sliced bread—introduced by a St. Louis baker in the late 1920s—which made it easy for kids to construct their own PB&Js. (In this century, the average American kid eats some 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before graduating from high school.)

Rosefield went on to found Skippy, which debuted crunchy peanut butter and wide-mouth jars in the 1930s. In World War II, tins of (hydrogenated) Skippy were shipped with service members overseas, while the return of meat rationing at home again led civilians to peanut butter. Even today, when American expats are looking for a peanut butter fix, they often seek out military bases: They’re guaranteed to stock it.

But while peanut butter’s popularity abroad is growing—in 2020, peanut butter sales in the United Kingdom overtook sales of the Brits’ beloved jam—enjoying the spread is still largely an American quirk. “People say to me all the time, ‘When did you know that you had fully become an American?’” Ana Navarro, a Nicaraguan-born political commentator, told NPR in 2017. “And I say, ‘The day I realized I loved peanut butter.’”

Though the United States lags behind China and India in peanut harvest, Americans still eat far more of the spread than the people in any other country: It’s a gooey taste of nostalgia, for childhood and for American history. “What’s more sacred than peanut butter?” Iowa Senator Tom Harkin asked in 2009, after a salmonella outbreak was traced back to tainted jars. By 2020, when Skippy and Jif released their latest peanut butter innovation—squeezable tubes—nearly 90 percent of American households reported consuming peanut butter.

The ubiquity of this aromatic spread has even figured in the nation’s response to Covid-19. As evidence emerged last spring that many Covid patients were losing their sense of smell and taste, Yale University’s Dana Small, a psychologist and neuroscientist, devised a smell test to identify asymptomatic carriers. In a small, three-month study of health care workers in New Haven, everyone who reported a severe loss of smell using the peanut butter test later tested positive. “What food do most people in the U.S. have in their cupboards that provides a strong, familiar odor?” Small asks. “That’s what led us to peanut butter.”

George Washington Carver’s research was about more than peanuts

By Emily Moon

No American is more closely associated with peanuts than George Washington Carver, who developed hundreds of uses for them, from Worcestershire sauce to shaving cream to paper. But our insatiable curiosity for peanuts, scholars say, has obscured Carver’s greatest agricultural achievement: helping black farmers prosper, free of the tyranny of cotton.

Born enslaved in Missouri around 1864 and trained in Iowa as a botanist, Carver took over the agriculture department at the Tuskegee Institute, in Alabama, in 1896. His hope was to aid black farmers, most of whom were cotton sharecroppers trapped in perpetual debt to white plantation owners. “I came here solely for the benefit of my people,” he wrote to colleagues on his arrival.

He found that cotton had stripped the region’s soil of its nutrients, and yet landowners were prohibiting black farmers from planting food crops. So Carver began experimenting with plants like peanuts and sweet potatoes, which could replenish the nitrogen that cotton leached and, grown discreetly, could also help farmers feed their families. In classes and at conferences and county fairs, Carver showed often packed crowds how to raise these crops.

Since his death in 1943, many of the practices Carver advocated—organic fertilizer, reusing food waste, crop rotation—have become crucial to the sustainable agriculture movement. Mark Hersey, a historian at Mississippi State University, says Carver’s most prescient innovation was a truly holistic approach to farming.

“Well before there was an environmental justice movement, black environmental thinkers connected land exploitation and racial exploitation,” says Hersey. A true accounting of American conservation, he says, would put Carver at the forefront.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-peanut-butter-180976525/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

 Tags

 African American History

 Food 

Food History 

Food Science