stop-making-investment-jokes

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hi op! I understand this is just a short text post that you probably didn’t put much thought into, so please know that I’m not solely blaming you but a spreading fandom culture.

kaz calling inej an investment was crucial to the plot’s development with inej’s spiralling later on when she’s nearly tortured and is deeply hurt by him saying that, and kaz makes up for it eventually. but can you see how a brown teenage girl who was sold into human trafficking being called an investment is extremely dark, and making lighthearted jokes about it constantly is even darker? especially when it promotes lightheartedness around human trafficking and “being owned” in fandom spaces, which are heavily occupied by real life sexual assault survivors, and it becomes less of a safe space for them. so for you to make this joke and then go on to say his “favourite investment” can be “free”, that is extremely dehumanising and wrong.

Kaz protects his investments. But also uses all his money so his favorite investment can be a free pirate queen that hunts slavers

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I’ve seen a lot of people saying to stop claiming Kanej is toxic because of the “I will have you without armour” line.

I’ve also seen a lot of people screaming into the void asking people to stop romanticising the “Investment” line.

What I haven’t seen is people claiming Kanej is toxic or people romanticising the “Investment” line.

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I find it so interesting that the general fandom take on the investment line is that it was attempt at a confession from Kaz, even amongst those who know it was it was a terrible thing to say, bc I always read it as denial of his feelings for her. He’s trying to convince himself, in that moment, that only reason he cares about her being dead or alive is bc she’s valuable asset, he is distancing himself, he could’ve said “I protect my crew” or something of the sort but he chose instead to use something that renders her as only something useful, because anything else makes it clear he does care her about and that is weakness he cannot afford.

(This is no way defending Kaz, what he said was terrible no matter the reason.)

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to celebrate the 10th anniversary of six of crows in 2025 can we stop romanticising the fucking investment line

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hi op! just wanted to point something out.

while carrying a half-conscious inej, who is currently bleeding out in his arms after being near-fatally stabbed in the stomach, seconds after nearly witnessing her kill herself and trying to keep her awake and conversing with him, kaz says a shitty joke about protecting his investments to intentionally annoy her and keep her taking to him. this was not meant to be romantic or cute or flirty. he was not carrying his best friend dying and thinking “oh this is a good time to try and flirt with her” he was panicking and scared. this is clear especially in the next chapter. I think if kaz had actually meant that romantically, it would be quite problematic and toxic seeing as inej is a brown teenaged girl who was kidnapped and sold into a brothel, so then referring to her as something bought to make profit off would be especially awful.

Wylan: I protect my investments.

Jesper: Excuse me?

Wylan: What? Kaz said that's how you say 'I love you!'

Jesper: Oh. Oh waIT A SEC---

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hi op! I understand this is just an incorrect quote and you don’t mean anything by it, but I just wanted to mention how “haha kaz is so daft he called her an investment” jokes are getting pretty out of hand in the grishaverse fandom and they’re actually a very awful thing to joke about as if *kaz was trying to be romantic to the girl he likes and failed. when in reality, that line in the book was there because it was crucial to the plot’s development with inej’s spiralling later on when she’s nearly tortured and is deeply hurt by him saying that, and kaz makes up for it eventually. but either way, a brown girl who was human trafficked being called an investment is dark, and making lighthearted jokes about it constantly is even darker. especially when it promotes lightheartedness around human trafficking and being owned in fandom spaces, which are heavily occupied by real life sexual assault survivors, and it becomes less of a safe space for them. I’m calling out a whole trend of jokes, not just you, but thought it was vital to bring it up when I see it.

*I think it’s also important to note that both kaz and inej are children with no guidance who make mistakes and sometimes say things they don’t mean, and that kaz did not intend for his words to have such a detrimental impact on inej, so kanej is not toxic as a ship and is actually very beautiful.

kaz: SAINTS why isn’t inej getting the hints i’m dropping

also kaz: calls her an investment

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aww, buying a brown girl who was sex trafficked with the intention of making a monetary profit off her to suddenly seeing her as a human being and falling in love with her!! 🥰 the best trope. so romantic.

hi op! I know you probably meant this as a harmless joke and I just want to make sure you know I am not blaming you solely but rather a spreading fandom culture. I'm just bringing to light the toxicity of the investment joke, which is in fact not harmless, and trying to stamp it out when I see it.

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I won't screenshot but sorry, but seriously defending Kaz on the investment scene is not it

Not saying not forgive him for it, Inej did, but no, it was not okay and there´s no light side to it. Because it´s simply not true. If Kaz ever saw Inej as purely an investment, by the time the rescue comes he is way far ahead from that. Kaz TELLS himself he sees her as investment, but even he knows it`s no longer true. He didn't have to and would only do it as last resourse but he would absolutely take the fall if it means Inej will be safe.

Kaz loves what Inej does for him, he appreciates how her abilities have helped him but the core of his feelings for Inej are admiration, she goes against everything he believes. Thats why he loves her, because he sees her as this strong person that keeps a good heart despite everything she´s been throught. She inspires him.He loves the person, not what the person does for him, otherwise he wouldn't even try to search for a change of her to be away.

And not to say he can't think of people as investments while caring at the same time, Nina? of course. Wylan? yes, Jesper? grey area, Matthias? man is more investment that anything. But with Inej it just feels like denial and figthing against his own feelings because he would be letting himself be weak.

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I have like a half-formed spiel that only exists in my head about the character growth that exists between “I protect my investments” Kaz* and “liquidated all his assets to ensure Inej’s freedom” Kaz

*not cute, not sweet, just harmful

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oh I see, then we certainly have the same sentiment that it’s a toxic and overrated joke. thanks for sharing your point of view.

I just want to mention that while I can see why one might like kanej less because of this tired dehumanising joke, it is the fault of the fans and not the ship itself. kaz makes an inappropriate joke about protecting his investments, intending to irritate inej rather than convey any romantic or endearing sentiment; it was likely the last thing on his mind at that moment. and although she initially seemed unfazed, this remark deeply troubled inej during her kidnapping and near-torture in the subsequent book, as it led her to believe that kaz viewed her merely as an asset and would not come to her rescue. this dynamic is thoroughly examined in the narrative, with kaz recognizing that his comment was out of line and reassuring inej of her significance and worth as a person, affirming that he would always be there for her. while these events are crucial to the plot’s development and said by two traumatised children who aren’t perfect, they should not be romanticized by the fandom. it’s important to note that both kaz and inej are children with no guidance who make mistakes and sometimes say things they don’t mean, and that kaz did not intend for his words to have such a detrimental impact and would never call inej that in the future, and certainly not joke about it.

investment to lovers

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“He was afraid for you.” “Kaz isn’t afraid of anything.” “You should have seen his face when he brought you to me.” “I’m a very valuable investment.” Nina’s jaw dropped. “Tell me he didn’t say that.” “Of course he did. Well, not the valuable part.” “Idiot.” “How’s Matthias?” “Also an idiot. Do you think you can eat?”

Six of Crows- Chapter 16 (Leigh Bardugo)

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buying a brown girl who was sex trafficked with the intention of making a profit off her to suddenly seeing her as a human being and falling in love with her 🥰

hi op! I know you probably meant this as a harmless joke and I just want to make sure you know I am not blaming you solely but rather a spreading fandom culture. I’m just bringing to light the toxicity of the investment joke when I see it to try to stamp it out.

investment to lovers

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Maybe Inej wasn't just hurt that being called an investment meant Kaz saw her as an object and not a person, maybe it also hurt because that's what she was to Tante Heleen

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ugh who tf made another kanej investment joke

Some silly goose on here

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survivors of human trafficking and exploitation are real people, and inej ghafa is very important representation to us. making constant investment and other objectifying jokes about her is giving part to the alienation and lack of empathy towards said survivors in online spaces, and making light of the real-world issues related to human trafficking and the severity of it. it’s essential to recognise that these jokes can deeply reinforce damaging notions and cause real world harm, and have basic human empathy. also that was really immature like wtf where you trying to say lol

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this isn’t amusing or witty. for one, this exact joke had been made excessively already, so you’re just recycling an overused meme everyone has already made, and secondly, it’s demeaning and dehumanising to inej to continue to make this joke about one line in the books that not only was in very bad taste but also deeply harmed her psychologically.

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Okay, I thought this was old news, but apparently people still think Kaz calling Inej an investment was cute and romantic. My friends, this is not a safe, sane, or consensual way of thinking!

Kaz Brekker, my guy… I love him, but in this moment, he’s not at a point in his character arc where he is willing to except his own feelings beyond begrudgingly platonic. Even later on the Ferolind, he describes the voice in his head that goes You, Inej. You. as unwelcome.

“But he’s Kerch!! Good investments are important and valued to the Kerch!!”

The merchers value good investments, I’m sure. But those are the people Kaz Brekker mocks, sneers at, and looks down upon.

And he’s smart. He knows exactly what to say to push people away, to rile them up, to create distance because distance is safe. Inej had been taken and sold and sold and sold and sold, and she just shortened his carefully maintained distance with the words You came back for me (love that foreshadowing btw). So he pushes back, he reinforces his armor, he knows what being reduced to monetary value means to Inej. He knows that she had been Heleen’s investment and that the result of that was deeply scarring.

Tldr; once again reducing a former sex slave to a monetary value isn’t sweet. It was meant to push her away and we shouldn’t advocate for such behaviors just because they’re coming from a pretty white boy.

Tagging @ilov3b00kss0much as per request and @daughter-of-skylark just because