#Authentic Fitness Corporation

[lemonhemlock]

i find this obsession with stealth wealth that's been brought about in the wake of succession so funny bc ........... as a lady myself i found the female characters' outfits so monumentally boring like i wouldn't be caught dead wearing whatever dull lifeless arid pieces they put on no matter how expensive. also the ugliest fucking jewelry i've seen in my life

[theshift]

The Deal Part 2 (Reuploaded)

The first week as Lukas was pure exhilaration. For years, Marco had been weighed down by responsibilities—running a business, maintaining a crumbling marriage, and keeping up appearances in the upper-class world. But now, in Lukas’ lean, agile body, Marco felt untethered, like he had shed the chains of his old life. Every movement, every glance in the mirror, reminded him of his newfound freedom. He couldn’t get over how effortlessly Lukas carried himself—how easy it was to slip into a life without strings attached.

Lukas’ job at his office was simple, almost mind-numbingly so, but that suited Marco perfectly. No stress, no high-stakes decisions, just a few hours a day of mundane work. But the real thrill came at night.

Marco found himself drawn to bars, nightlife, and dating apps—anonymously exploring the side of his sexuality he’d buried for so long. He indulged in hookups with men and women alike, basking in the freedom to be someone else. He reveled in the casual, unburdened encounters, the excitement of living without the weight of his old life’s judgment. Every morning he would wake up feeling more like Lukas and less like Marco.

Yet Marco's initial thrill at living in Lukas’ skin had morphed into something more complex. The simplicity of the life he had borrowed was no longer enough. He craved the power and control he had in his real life, but wearing Lukas’ face had given him something different—access to people who didn’t see him as the calculating businessman but as someone unassuming, approachable. It opened doors to the kind of men he had never encountered in his high-stakes corporate world. The tension between them was delicious. Marco had met rugged men in the bar who smelled of sweat, leather, and cigarettes, the kinds of men who didn’t give a damn about luxury but commanded respect in a different way. There was something raw about them that Marco found deeply attractive. These men were real, unrefined, and authentic in ways he hadn’t allowed himself to be in years. Vincent, though, had been the turning point. He was sophisticated, ambitious, and had taken a liking to Lukas—well, to Marco wearing Lukas’ skin.

Vincent had approached Marco at Luka's company's late night casual networking event, drink in hand, eyes scanning the room before landing on Marco-as-Lukas with a smile that was equal parts charm and calculation.

Vincent: "There you are. I was beginning to think you'd slipped away again." His tone was playful, but there was an edge to it, the subtle challenge of a man used to getting what he wanted.

Marco (as Lukas) turned, offering a boyish grin that felt foreign on his face, but fitting for the persona he’d adopted. Vincent was every bit the kind of man Marco used to conquer in business, but tonight, the game was different.

Marco: "You think I'd sneak off without saying goodbye? That’s not my style." His voice was lighter, teasing, playing into the role of the carefree, younger man Vincent thought he was. "Besides, you’re the most interesting thing here. Why would I leave?"

Vincent chuckled, the sound rich and smooth, like the bourbon in his glass. "You flatter me, Lukas. But I’ve seen you watching everything, soaking it in like someone who’s never been in a room like this before." He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough to make the conversation feel intimate. "Tell me, what do you really think?"

Marco leaned against the bar, keeping his posture relaxed, easygoing—nothing like the power stance he would’ve taken as Marco. "Oh, you know..." he began, feigning innocence, "it's a lot bigger than what I’m used to. Flashy. Expensive." He paused, locking eyes with Vincent and letting his smile turn just a shade darker. "But it’s not the room that makes the night interesting, is it? It’s the company."

Vincent's eyes gleamed with interest, clearly taken with the charm. He swirled his drink, considering the words. "You’re different from the others, Lukas. Most guys in this town don’t even know what they’re missing, but you... you seem curious. Like you want something more."

Marco shrugged, his expression mischievous. "Maybe I do. Maybe I’m tired of the same old thing. Figured I’d let someone like you show me what else is out there." He let the words hang, perfectly calculated, knowing exactly how Vincent would interpret them.

Vincent took the bait, leaning in, his gaze intense. "I can show you things you’ve never even dreamed of, Lukas." His voice was low, dripping with intent. You’ve got potential—could be so much more than what you are now."

Marco suppressed a smirk, playing into the role of the eager protégé. "You really think so?" His voice softened, feigning vulnerability. He let a brief silence pass, before adding with just the right amount of edge: "I mean, it’s not like I’m completely green, Vincent. I can handle myself. But... I wouldn’t mind someone showing me the ropes."

Vincent’s smile widened, clearly enjoying the game as much as Marco. "I bet you can handle yourself just fine. But a little guidance never hurt anyone." He reached out, his hand resting casually on Marco’s arm. "You’ve got the charm, the looks—everything you need to make it big. Just need to play your cards right. Stick close to me, and you’ll go places."

Marco (as Lukas) tilted his head, the hint of a challenge creeping into his tone. "And what do you get out of it, huh? Guys like you don’t do things out of charity. You’ve got an angle. I can tell."

Vincent chuckled again, clearly amused by Lukas’ feigned boldness. "Oh, I like you even more now. Sharp, aren’t you? Well, let’s just say I enjoy investing in the right people. And you... you're an investment I’m willing to make." He leaned closer, voice dropping to a near whisper. "But only if you’re up for the ride."

Marco let his lips curl into a knowing smirk, the predatory glint of the real man shining through just for a second. He leaned in slightly, their proximity intensifying the moment. "I think you’ll find I’m full of surprises, Vincent. You might be biting off more than you can chew."

Vincent’s eyes flashed with excitement, oblivious to the hidden meaning in Marco’s words. He saw a young, hungry man ready to be molded, and that was exactly what Marco wanted. "I like a challenge, Lukas. Don’t let me down."

Marco raised his glass, clinking it lightly against Vincent’s. "Oh, I won’t. But remember, it’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for."

As the night deepened, the tension between them thickened, the air filled with promises of secrets and power. Marco, playing the role of Lukas, had Vincent hooked, all while hiding the truth beneath a mask of youth and ambition. It was a dangerous game, but one Marco knew how to play better than anyone. And Vincent, despite his confidence, had no idea he was dealing with a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Something darker began to brew inside of Marcos. The more he tasted this freedom, the more he realized he couldn’t—wouldn’t—go back. A voice in the back of his mind whispered, “Why should you?” He ignored it at first, but with each passing day, the temptation to stay in Lukas’ body grew stronger, irresistible.

--

Lukas had crafted a morning routine that had become his sanctuary amid the chaos of Marco’s life. He would rise early, allowing the soft glow of dawn to spill into the room, illuminating the contours of his reflection in the mirror. Each day began with a ritual: a splash of cold water on his face to shake off the remnants of sleep, some light running in the morning, followed by edging session playing with his new borrowed member. Each stroke getting Lukas horny from the sight of seeing Marco's body pleasuring itself. Something he could only have hoped to imagine when he fantasized about being with Marco, but now it was his reality.

As he stood before the mirror, he couldn’t help but admire the features that had been borrowed from Marco—strong jawline, sculpted muscles, and that enchanting beard that seemed to whisper of adventure. He snapped a quick selfie, the camera capturing a glimpse of the man he had momentarily become. He traced his fingers along his cheeks, reveling in the unfamiliar sensation of confidence that washed over him. There was something undeniably attractive about Marco, a magnetic charisma that seeped into Lukas' very being, leaving him both enthralled and envious.

He relished the sound of Marco's voice echoing in his mind—the way it rolled off his tongue, thick with an accent that made even the simplest words feel like poetry. It was a voice that commanded attention, and in those fleeting moments of quiet, Lukas felt a thrill at the thought of embodying such presence. But as the day wore on, that initial allure began to fade, and he was faced with the harsh reality of the life he was now navigating.

Lukas was drowning. Marco’s life was a far cry from the easy-going world he had known. Running a business felt like trying to steer a ship in a storm—meetings, deadlines, pressure mounting with every passing day. The people around Marco were sharp, watching Lukas with keen eyes, expecting him to perform. Every moment was a struggle to keep up, to pretend he knew what Marco knew.

But it was Marco’s family that terrified him the most.

Serena, Marco’s wife, seemed distant, almost cold, though Lukas couldn’t tell if that was how their marriage had always been or if she was starting to suspect something. But it was Marco’s two sons, Ethan and Daniel, who posed the real challenge. They were home for winter break, and Lukas was thrown into the deep end—expected to be their father, to navigate years of inside jokes, shared memories, and father-son dynamics he had no grasp of.

The tension came to a head one evening at dinner. Ethan had been quiet, but Daniel watched him closely, eyes sharp. Then Daniel asked, seemingly innocently, “Dad, remember that fishing trip we took a few summers ago? When we caught that massive bass?”

Lukas felt his stomach drop. His mind raced—he didn’t remember anything about a fishing trip. He scrambled, piecing together bits of information Marco had casually mentioned, but it was like fumbling in the dark.

“Oh, yeah… that was a good one,” Lukas mumbled, trying to sound convincing. He forced a laugh, but Daniel’s eyes didn’t leave him. There was a flicker of doubt in his son’s gaze, a knowing look that made Lukas’ pulse quicken. He had to be careful. One more slip-up, and the illusion would shatter.

That night, Lukas lay in bed, his heart pounding. He couldn’t do this anymore. Marco’s life was suffocating him. He needed out.

The only plus side were at events and high-profile gatherings, Lukas, wearing Marco’s skin, found himself gravitating toward men Marco would have likely brushed off in another life. Among these men was Richard—a sharp, ambitious figure who wielded power like a weapon. Lukas could see it in the way Richard moved through a room, his presence commanding attention and respect. Yet, there was something else about Richard, something that softened behind closed doors.

Richard had been watching Lukas-as-Marco for weeks. His glances lingered just a little too long, and his smile held a certain knowing edge. Lukas, under the pressure of maintaining Marco’s image, had mostly avoided him, understanding the dangerous game that flirting with one of Marco’s powerful business partners could become. But tonight was different. Lukas was tired of carrying the weight of Marco’s responsibilities, and Richard’s eyes were burning into him from across the room.

Lukas decided to play along, just for tonight

As the event wound down, Richard approached, his gaze piercing through the crowd. He sidled up next to Lukas, drink in hand, and a cigar in his mouth, his tone smooth and suggestive. "Marco, you’ve been keeping your distance lately. Starting to think you’re avoiding me." His smile was coy, eyes glinting with challenge.

Lukas turned, letting the faintest smirk play on his lips. "Avoiding you, Richard? Now, why would I do that?" He sipped his drink leisurely, tilting his head just enough to meet Richard’s gaze head-on, the flicker of mischief evident.

"You tell me." Richard’s voice lowered, laced with innuendo. "You’ve been...different lately. Bolder, I’d say. I like it."

Lukas let the compliment hang between them for a moment before responding, his voice casual but dripping with flirtation. "I’ve found there are some advantages to stepping out of the box. Keeps things... interesting." His eyes danced with amusement as he leaned a little closer, just enough for Richard to catch the subtle shift in energy.

Richard raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Is that so? Well, I’ve always appreciated a man who knows how to keep things interesting. But you—" He gestured with his glass, "—you’ve been a bit of a mystery lately. And I do love a good mystery."

Lukas chuckled, a soft, knowing sound. "A mystery? Me? I thought I was an open book, Richard. What you see is what you get." The lie tasted delicious on his tongue. He knew he was playing with fire, but for the first time in weeks, it felt good—liberating, even.

Richard’s gaze sharpened, his smirk deepening. "Oh, Marco, you and I both know that’s far from the truth. There’s always more beneath the surface with you. And I like uncovering secrets." He leaned in, his breath warm as he added, "What’s changed? What’s made you loosen up all of a sudden?"

Lukas shrugged, pretending to be thoughtful. "Maybe I’ve just learned to stop taking things so seriously. Life’s too short for all that, don’t you think?" He let his fingers brush the edge of Richard’s sleeve, a calculated move that sent a silent message.

Richard’s eyes flicked down to the touch, a spark of something darker flashing in them. "I couldn’t agree more," he murmured, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "But something tells me you’ve got more on your mind than just living in the moment."

Lukas smiled, all charm and mystery. "Perhaps," he said, leaning back casually, "but some things are better left unsaid. Keeps people guessing."

Richard chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the game. "You’re good, Marco. Very good. But don’t think I won’t find out what you’re really after."

Lukas raised his glass, his eyes locking with Richard’s. "I wouldn’t dream of stopping you."

The tension between them simmered, charged and electric. Lukas could feel the thrill of the game pulsing in his veins, the subtle dance of power and attraction intoxicating. For a moment, he forgot he was in Marco’s skin, forgot the risks—this was his release, his way of letting off steam from the crushing pressure of being someone else. It was exhilarating.

But Richard, ever the predator, wasn’t one to let his prey slip away so easily. "You know," Richard said, his voice dropping an octave, "I’ve always had a soft spot for men who keep me on my toes. It’s rare to find someone who can play at my level."

Lukas leaned in, his voice low and teasing. "Maybe you’ve just been playing with the wrong people, Richard. Some of us are just waiting for the right moment to strike."

Richard’s eyes gleamed with amusement, but beneath it was something hungrier. "Is that a challenge, Marco?"

Lukas let a slow, deliberate smile spread across his face. "It’s whatever you want it to be."

Richard paused, studying Lukas with a new intensity. "Careful, Marco," he warned, though his tone was laced with approval. "Play too hard, and you might find yourself in over your head."

Lukas tilted his head, unfazed. "I think I’ll take my chances."

The air between them crackled with the unspoken tension, both men pushing and pulling in a game neither wanted to lose. For Lukas, this was his outlet, a moment to let go of the suffocating role of Marco and indulge in something riskier, more thrilling. But Richard was dangerous. One wrong step, and Lukas could unravel everything.

Still, as the night continued, Lukas couldn’t help but savor the adrenaline coursing through him. For now, he was winning the game, and that was enough.

--

After a month of silence, the day came when Lukas and Marco were supposed to swap back. Lukas arrived at Marco’s house, jittery with anticipation. He was desperate to shed this life, and to return to his own body. Marco, in Lukas’ body, seemed eerily calm. Too calm.

They went upstairs, the house quiet except for the ticking of the clock. As Lukas reached to peel off Marco’s skin, a wave of relief washed over him—but it didn’t last. No matter how hard he tried, the suit wouldn’t budge. Panic surged through him.

"Marco, it’s not coming off," Lukas’ voice wavered, his hands trembling as he tugged at the skin suit.

Marco, still wearing Lukas' body, stood back, watching him with an unsettling calmness. "Try again," he said, his tone too casual.

Lukas pulled harder, but it was useless. The suit had fused with him, like a second skin. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as the realization dawned on him. He turned to Marco, eyes wide with fear.

“What the hell is happening?”

Marco sighed, finally stepping forward, his expression hardening. "I didn’t want it to come to this, Lukas. But there’s something I didn’t tell you."

Lukas felt the world tilting. "What do you mean?"

"I had the ability to lock the suits. From the moment we swapped, I made sure we couldn’t undo it unless I wanted to."

Lukas’ breath hitched. His blood ran cold as Marco’s words sank in. "You—what?" he stammered, his voice rising. "Unlock it. Now."

Marco shook his head slowly. "No, Lukas. I’m not going back."

Lukas’ legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the bed. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the betrayal. "You planned this the whole time… You never wanted to switch back."

Marco laughed, shaking his head. “You wanted this, remember? You wanted to know what it felt like to be me. Don't lie and admit that you enjoy being me And I... well, I got a little attached to being you.”

Lukas lunged forward, grabbing Marco by the collar. The strangeness of seeing his own face reacting with surprise only fueled his rage. “You don’t get to just decide this!” Lukas shouted, his grip tightening.

But Marco only smirked, calm and collected. “What are you going to do, Lukas? Beat yourself up?”

Lukas faltered for a moment, realizing the futility of his aggression. 

Marco’s gaze darkened, his calm facade finally breaking. "I can’t go back. You don’t understand. My life—it’s a cage. And this, being you, it’s the only freedom I’ve felt in years." He stepped closer, towering over Lukas. "You’ll get used to it. You’re smart. You’ll figure it out," Marco said coldly.

Lukas felt his world spin. Could he really let this happen? Marco, living his life indefinitely, while he remained trapped in Marco’s skin, playing the role of someone he wasn’t?

“I’ll... I’ll tell Serena,” Lukas stammered, grasping at straws. “I’ll tell everyone what you did.”

Marco’s eyes narrowed, his grin fading. “You think they’ll believe you? I’m you now. You look like me. You sound like me. Who do you think they’ll believe?”

The reality hit Lukas like a punch to the gut. Marco was right. He was trapped in Marco’s body, and no one would believe him if he tried to tell them the truth. Marco had all the power now, and Lukas was helpless to stop him.

“You’re stuck, Lukas,” Marco said softly, his tone almost pitying. “We both are, in a way. But we can make the best of it. You keep living my life, I keep living yours, and maybe—just maybe—we both come out better for it.”

--

Had to continue the story since so many of you requested. Should I do part 3? Let me know.  - The Shift

[inchidentally]

Lando's eyes always sparkle when he looks at Oscar and it captures my heart every time. You can see that Lando likes Oscar very much and his eyes don't even hide it. God, their relationship is so intimate that sometimes it's hard to watch without feeling like a third wheel. Oscar, I don't know how you did it, but as a Lando fan, I'm grateful that I get to see this version of Lando every time he's around you.

straight up anon, the shift in Lando when he got a teammate who exists on the same natural wavelength as him has been a thing to behold ??

like, Lando is someone who goes through life looking for romance and he so easily gets a crush on anyone who populates his world with something special or beautiful. that's what has made Oscar such a unique relationship for Lando because Oscar doesn't consider himself or his life at all in the world of romance or fantasy. he considers himself extremely practical, "low frequency" and enjoying the simple things in life. he's not at all a typical heroic figure like Carlos or a big camera-ready personality like Daniel. Lando's interest in Oscar has been a slow but steady curiosity that has grown even without Oscar initiating a joint hobby or going on outings together or playing up a bromance for fans. Lando was definitely a little unmoored by the lack of all of that for a while!

the only two aberrations in Oscar's calm and cool are his pursuit of F1 and his fascination with Lando, which we know to have been intertwined as early as him moving to the UK at 14. there is serious romance in the way they ended up as teammates and major drama of Oscar's determination to get that seat.

but! then there's Lando saying how he sees them as similar to each other back in July 2023! bc Lando had always used self-mockery to interrupt his moments of earnestness and in a lot of ways was always striving to be Just A Guy to fit in with the guys in his life. his creativity would pop out very occasionally but mostly he became known for being naturally funny and able to click with just about anyone by matching their energy and adapting to their humor. he even took great pride in The Lando Effect - which ironically was more about Lando changing to suit Carlos and Daniel, who he has almost separate versions of himself with. he was the baby brother as always, wanting to hang out with his older brothers and wanting to fit in.

and then he gets Oscar as a teammate who seems content to just stay back and watch Lando and observe Lando and learn everything about Lando he doesn't already know. who seems to have no limit when it comes to handling the full range of Lando's personality and never tells - or even jokes - that Lando should change a single thing, even when it directly impacts Oscar. Lando doesn't have to match Oscar's energy and it turns out! they both like it best when Lando doesn't try!

which is when we started seeing lando.jpg reemerge and 7 podiums and a new hunger for even more and higher expectations of himself and a calmer, more authentic - less cartoonish - Lando on camera in challenges and social media. he even said how Oscar taught him by example the importance of "keeping calm and being yourself". of course silly, fun Lando is still there! he's still little brother to Carlos and Daniel and George and Alex! but those are now some of the many facets we've gotten to see in the past 14 months!

the winter break was a revelation because Lando spoke to fans solely through his camera lens and the reflections of the beautiful world he saw as he traveled. no goofing, no pretense, no corporate. his chosen pose for all his photos was partly in fun, partly symbolic of his confidence that he didn't need to sell these photos as selfies for them to blow up all over social media.

and all the while Oscar was quietly on his own down time and training, liking Lando's posts and saying "you went everywhere!" and listening to Lando recount it all.

then Lando came back to work this year and everything about him wore a new sheen of beauty and romance to it, including him having grown more beautiful. he's used his beauty more consciously when modeling and even LN4 and Quadrant took on a more stylized look. his new McLaren contract announcement was an entire aesthetic complete with a short film.

like, obv this whole post is me going off on a whole stupid thing but just. Lando was always meant to live his life in a unique way and he was always meant to see things through romance and art and music. he wasn't supposed to apologize for enjoying racing as a means of attaining perfection one day. and there's Oscar who reflects back to Lando all the quirks and things that make Lando unique that he's memorized over the years, listening to Lando's music in place of the usual silence in his own driver's room, helping Lando navigate unknown food and new lengthy words and knowing when Lando is comfortable to take the lead in public speaking and when Lando needs Oscar to step in and handle it. pushing Lando all the time as a teammate and the whole friction creates the pearl analogy.

idk it's just not as huge a leap as I thought last year to say that Oscar's comfortable, placid life has long had a splash of color in it at last in some part because of Lando and that Lando has become the most authentic and brilliant version of himself at least in some part because Oscar is there to always appreciate it.

like this little moment of Lando giving Oscar a nickname and Oscar finding it the best thing he's ever heard and Lando's half-stunned and delighted smile at being able to do that to Oscar is just all of that distilled:

Oscar's confidence has returned and he's smoothing over the awkward PR duties while Lando is relaxed and confident and the little quips like this just come so naturally. (the way Lando actually wriggles in his chair with delight over Oscar's reaction !!) like, Lando doesn't have to try ! he doesn't have to try to be anyone but himself ! there's someone here at work with him all day and every day who is delighted by him no matter what !

and what's even better is apparently! now that they both understand and exist on that wavelength together, they've returned from winter break circling around each other and looking for each other more than they ever have <3

[sgiandubh]

The telling hashtag

So S is willfully disclosing his LHR location, with a story and a post to boot, as expected:

📌at Bourne Offices, 11 Richmond Buildings, in Soho:

Literally round the corner from Soho House, on Dean Street. Of course:

Also, this - very telling:

#gifted. Before *urv starts her demented Fitness at Dawn - The London Hyrox Edition fanfic, let's unpack:

S chose to wear, in this post, one of the sunglasses models from David Beckham's eyewear collection. Price tag is a bit steep (twice my Ray-Ban Wayfarers), but still democratic:

But why the #gifted hashtag? Before you think C or Scottish Xena lovingly picked those up the shelf for his birthday, you might like to check a bit around for context. You see, all dbeyewear collections are manufactured by a single Italian producer based in Padua, Safilo Group. Hashtagged accordingly in his post, by the way.

A couple of days ago, Safilo Group and dbeyewear's commercial partnership reached a new, very important milestone:

[Source: Safilo Group press release, https://assets.ctfassets.net/cmstik7jzbvm/2lwJmoKJR7x3ydijfpi7c6/9870e11fbb2c040a89a6d8acb4ed25ea/20240502_Safilo_firma_un_accordo_di_licenza_perpetua_per_l-eyewear_di_David_Beckham.pdf]

On May 2nd, Safilo Group and Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the corporate side of Eyewear by David Beckham signed a 'perpetual licensing agreement, replacing the current one that would have ended in 2030'. Authentic Brands Group and Safilo Group have been working together since 2019, when Beckham started to design his own eyewear collection. Now, they are taking their collaboration one step further, with ABG (or the licensor) granting Safilo Group (the licensee) perpetual (unlikely to be retired, unless something goes really, awfully wrong along the way: breach of contract, etc.) exclusive right to produce, use, advertise, sell its merchandise.

Something like this needs proper promotion, so Safilo Group and/or ABG graciously sent S those sunglasses, in the hope he will sport them in one of his posts with a potential 3+ million subscriber views.

A word on the UK pretty obscure regulations on promoter advertising and the use of the #gifted hashtag. There is not one, but two competent national regulatory authorities: the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The ASA is a bit more lenient in its approach and they clearly say that if the promoted product has been sent to the influencer on a no strings attached basis, then it is ok to use that #gifted hashtag. They will not pursue, based on the lack of #ad, however they will name and shame you - not a pretty picture, after all:

[Source, heh: ASA's Influencer Guide to making clear that ads are ads, https://www.asa.org.uk/static/uploaded/3af39c72-76e1-4a59-b2b47e81a034cd1d.pdf]

But the CMA is way more vigilant. They consider that any freebie can and must be monetized, based on its retail value and as such, must be clearly labeled as an #ad, when promoted on socials by an influencer. And yes, they can and might pursue, at any given moment: that must be proportional with the offence and in S's case, it might simply mean being served with a cease and desist notice or a removal and prohibition order. I'd rather not be in those shoes, mind you:

[Source: CMA's guide Hidden ads: Being clear with your audience, 2022; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guide-for-influencers/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers]

If he wants no further headaches, he should simply edit that post and add the right hashtag. It will be interesting to see if and when he will do it.

As for Fitness at Dawn, well... not even sorry.

Gracias a ti, ❤️. Siempre.

[tortadimignoli]

Will they still care if we're alive on July 1st?

Pride was never a party, it was always a protest.

It was always intersectional.

It never had any tolerance for a medicalized, cishet, eurocentric dominion. Pride cannot exist without it being antiracist, antiableist, non-elitist, and unsupportive of any form of oppression.

It always gave voice to the oppressed.

Trans people whose healthcare is being denied, who feel the pressure of fitting in a cis-perisex society, who lose friends and family for being themselves, who feel tired of defending their right to exist in a a restrictive world.

Lesbians whose sexuality has been exploited in the porn industry, sanitized in their daily life, who made queer history yet are often still left behind.

Intersex people whose right to exist without HRT, therapy or gender reassignment surgeries is being erased in the name of nature.

People who reject the oppression of a gender system, neurodivergent people who have a complex relationship of gender and/or cannot relate to it, people who have been unweaving the dogmas and rules of gender that the beauty and medical industry along with our society and religions have created.

People whose a/sexuality has been sanitized, diagnosed, medicated, prayed away, rejected, made immoral and illegal, and finally, people who lost their life in an attempt to live an authentic life.

It was always about rejecting exploitation.

Is favorite rainbow brand leeching off of our struggles? Do we need to rely on influential figures in order to make justice for ourselves? Do not let corporate greed invade our spaces of safety and protest. They are not inclusive, they know we need a place to feel safe for this month and they will give it to us- until July 1st.

Take what's yours, don't settle for time limited scraps. Have a fruitful Pride Month.

[amive2567]

Ingredients: Suna Rintaro x gn!reader, Kenma x gn!reader, Kuroo x gn!reader, Ushijima x gn!reader

Contains: headcanons, social media, mentions of social media apps, not proofread

Type of order: macarons (headcanons),

Suna:

he always takes pictures, on dates, at the gym, during training, and even at home 

His Instagram is a great priority in his life 

There is no day without a post and a story 

One of those influencers 

His fans should always be update 

And even at games he takes pictures and uploads them hem on Instagram 

He also uses twitter pretty often, he makes his dad joke there and uses it to annoy Atsumu 

If he gets hate comments he just blocks the person instantly, but if someone makes a bad comment about you it is over for the person they will get humiliated during an Instagram lifestream. No one will be mean to his s/o

He will roast the fuck out of everyone who will talk bad about you 

The haters are crying on the floor 

Will send you snaps all the time, your flames are really high 

His snapscore, therefore is astronomical 

You're on almost every post of his and you're not people get suspicious and form theories about your breakup 

Fangirls/boys are always sending him some weird dms so he has to be creative with his way of answering those terrible pickup lines 

Kenma:

his job is social media, but he is still a streamer by heart 

He is daily streaming on twitch, even when he has an important game to play 

Will announce his streams on Twitter and Instagram 

He sometimes uploads cute couple pictures of you on Instagram 

His viewers want to see him and you play different games, so you set up a day where both of you game together like animal crossing, stardew valley, phasmophobia, and other stuff. From horror to casual everything 

Mario kart is still a heavy topic because it almost caused and an insane argument 

Just like suna, he will not be nice to any haters he will make fun of every hater in his chat 

When someone bullied you in chat or on Instagram he will bring hell upon them, they have chosen death 

He will report them and they will lose all their social media status and dignity 

Has multiple corporations and sweepstakes 

He is one of the most famous influencers in japan 

But he will not tell everything on his social media, some things are still private like the engagement or the wedding 

Kuroo:

his Twitter account is filled with chemistry puns/memes/jokes 

He will brag about you on every platform 

Makes occasional tik tok likes pranks or educational 

He once pranked you with the salt spoon prank and you never let him back into the kitchen even though it was a prank 

He doesn't do extreme pranks like breakups or injuries, but he still tries to get you mad on purpose 

He thinks it's kinda hot 

Just has fun on social media 

Isn't as active as his friends but he still shares parts of his life with his fans 

A big part of his life is you so you will be in almost every picture 

Whole japan is shipping you because of Kuroo's cheesy captions 

Ushijima:

thinks social media is a waste of time 

Wants to spend his life in a reality where not everything is perfect and photoshopped 

Still has to use some platform to be present as a celebrity he is 

Only uses Instagram to share his gym experience 

He is one of the fitness influencers 

He gets used to social media and uses it quite frequently 

Pictures of him and you are limited because he doesn't want to use your relationship for cloud 

But every time he posts a cute couple picture everyone is over the moon about how cute the both of you are 

Charity galas are often mentioned in his posts and he even has links so you can donate for multiple fundraisers 

His post are authentic and real

[illicit-astrology]

Pluto in Aquarius: The Rise of Individualism

Where's Pluto? Now, it's in Capricorn, giving power to wealth, classism, the corporate world, traditional societal roles, relationships that serve the status quo, and the privileged.

However, it will move to Aquarius, the edgy rebellious sign, soon... Actually, very, very soon. What does that mean? Quite a lot.

First, Pluto influences a whole generation, so it stays in a sign up to 30 years and brings complete cathartic transformations. What was before Pluto, will never be the same or even exist after Pluto. Pluto, often called the planet of sacred destruction, destroys foundations at its core, in the goal to build something more authentic, better, leveled up and more powerful. It's scary at the begining, but oh so beautiful and poetic at the end.

With Pluto entering Aquarius; it will be very difficult to maintain anything that compromises your indiviuality. That corporate job you accepted to gain hierarchical power? It will feel like hell until you quit. That relationship you were pressured into to fit in and costed you a lot of your individuality? It will crumble. That marriage or pregnancy you agreed to, due to family or societal pressure? it will taste like regret everyday. Everything you susbcribed for, that was against your authentic desires, and that compromised your indivduality and independence, will either crumble or feel emotionally taxing until you take the decision to course correct.

It's no surprise that Pluto in Aquarius, will give power to individuality. We are already witnessing a lot of people quitting their corporate jobs, being deinfluenced by celebrities, owning their individulaity, leaving relationships, getting divorced, deciding not to have kids...etc. These are going to increase even more when Pluto settles in Aquarius.

Also, we will witness the minorities and group of people who were once outcasted by upper social hierarchy, rising to power. As long as those people don't subscribe to the current status quo, or values that goes against their true authentic self, and maintained their individuality.

Bottom line: Pluto favors and gives power to what feels authentic. In the sign of Aquarius, you have to be authentic & loyal to your own indivduality and not take any decision that compromises your true identity, indiviuality or independence. Falling into peer or societal pressure will be deemed foolish during this long transit.

[ethicalarcana]

Tarot// Temporal Temperance

Personal philosophy is in many ways synonymous with integrity. A person who always tells the truth has integrity. Lineages with a family-first attitude give their offspring a pretty simple mental framework to check in with from childhood. When there is a dispute about a solution to a problem, modern society asks for scientific proof established through experiments, peer review, and wide acceptance. Corporations grow in ways consistent with their shareholder's best interests. It's all pretty straightforward.

When it comes to ethics, morality, and optimal happiness, this card is primarily philosophical. While there are many branches of philosophy, each claims to offer a final resting place for the unity of thought action, and progression through life; as well as an ability to overcome petty societal problems, either through personal or governmental means. Types of philosophies offer types of peace. Rather than negotiate with life as a series of disjointed events, the philosopher groups problems and the people and natural consequences into large categorical swaths. The categories can be dealt with in a unified methodology or approach. The values in philosophy arrive in the person's life and stay there to warden off chaos. The simpler the better.

Spiritual traditions put forward there is an ever-lasting soul or soulfulness that exists inside people, animals, and even places and things. Therefore the events of life and the navigation of those events must serve a unifying spirit and honor the value of the spirit of others. The preservation of life and humility before all its mysteries guide spiritual people. Religious traditions help and challenge this simplicity. Religion breaks a spiritual belief down into ritual, hierarchy, and groupthink. Petty squabbles and the corruption of money and power acquired by religions disrupt the simplicity of spiritual life. The solution to this is for religious people to become accountable to a mission. This mission should protect souls and soulfulness at the center of their faith, lest they be judged by the creator of the kingdom they seek to rule. Religions must temper their use of capitalist, lustful, and materialistic motives to restore their connection to world spirit.

Absurdism is the belief that life is fleeting and almost without meaning so things can be handled in any way that one sees fit. ChatGPT describes it as follows:

“Absurdism is a philosophical concept that explores the inherent tension between seeking meaning in life and the apparent meaninglessness of the universe. It suggests that humans continually seek meaning and purpose in a world that lacks any inherent meaning or purpose.

The term "absurdism" was popularized by the philosopher Albert Camus in his essay "The Myth of Sisyphus" and his novel "The Stranger." Camus argued that life is absurd because it is characterized by the inability to find any rational or logical meaning in the face of an indifferent and irrational universe.

According to absurdism, humans must confront the absurdity of existence and create their own meaning and purpose in life through acts of rebellion, passion, and living authentically. This may involve embracing the absurdity of existence without succumbing to despair or nihilism, and finding fulfillment in the pursuit of personal goals and values despite the lack of any ultimate meaning.”

Temperance manages the lofty goals of serving life with the human impulse to see all action as silly and inconsequential. Somedays we are heroes and other days we are non-player characters. As each day bleeds into the next, internal balance is the goal of the Temperance archetype.

[djvpensayosehistorias]

Should James Somerton be exonerated? - A 3500-word essay on plagiarism and ownership

Should James Somerton be exonerated?

Who even is this guy?

I had not heard of James Somerton before Hbomberguy’s video on Plagiarism and You(Tube). He is the main target of the video, as he has demonstrably plagiarized the content of his videos from other content creators, allegedly being hostile to them when they called him out for it. These accusations don’t interest me much; they are gossip from old Hollywood, and we should not turn the private conflicts of individuals into content. What I find deeply compelling and attractive about this case is that James Somerton became fairly successful by pretending to be a YouTuber. 

Content mills

As more people acquire a grasp on the basics of video making and start professional-looking channels more easily, and as more content is called “video essays” regardless of how the label fits, the bar for quality increases. Everyone is a YouTuber now, sure, but not everyone is a good YouTuber. Before, only people with camera-presence could run YouTube channels. Now, and for some time already, newcomers bet on running faceless YouTube channels and producing videos out of stock-footage, only providing a voiceover as the evidence of their presence. This is probably because so many people have been “exposed”, had their turmoil turned into microcelebrity gossip, become a liability for their companies, that being a corporate brand instead appears to be the preferable, smartest option. Lord knows what would be the current fate of James Somerton if he didn’t prominently show his face in his videos: Internet Historian, someone else who was demonstrated to have plagiarized an article for his channel, hasn’t had hordes of people go after him, perhaps because he uses the likeness of András Arató as his own channel mascot and because he’s never pretended to be a particularly moral individual. I personally have a preference for those who show their face in their YouTube content, even if it’s of poor quality, because they defend it with their life.

The danger of faceless channels is that they emulate, impersonate, corporate media that passes through quality control and is therefore professional and trustworthy, at least in the case of didactic entertainment. The amateurs immediately blow their cover when they say something out of place, something that would not fly in the worst, most biased fake news outlet, or they omit any references to their sources, as is common on YouTube. James Somerton is a rare case because, while he showed his face, he often presented conjectures as fact, and most importantly he rarely cited anything. That is precisely why he fascinates me. 

Embodiment of the simulation 

James Somerton, pre-cancellation, was a simulacrum of a video-essayist. He played the part to a tee. He spoke confidently, dressed up, and discussed the same things that the consumer demographic of video-essays enjoys. Perhaps it was the quality of his videos what impeded him from partnering with the independent platform Nebula; they looked the same as the videos of more prominent YouTubers who engage in queer cultural analysis, but their content was often either plagiarized or factually incorrect. They couldn’t get past a relatively simple threshold. Cultural analysis of popular media and the queer experience doesn’t necessitate much research; it’s precisely the type of discipline that can thrive on conjecture and subjectivity. The only thing his videos needed was proper citation and, perhaps, more rigorous investigation. I’ve seen the videos that are currently on James’ channel - the ones that do not feature plagiarism or flagrant misinformation according to him. I must say, these actually meet the threshold of quality for YouTube essays; they are authentic YouTube videos. No plagiarism, no misinformation. When he puts his mind to it, the man can craft a good video. (Note: James produced many videos in collaboration with writer Nick Hergott, who is quoted in a video by Todd in the Shadows from a post on James’ Discord server, “But that said…a lot of the claims [at least that I make]...are kinda based on just raw observation. I’m kinda fucking lazy and don’t WANT to look things up so I just kinda take something and ruminate on it.” Other, more succinct confessions of his are “Of course not because I don’t read,” and “I don’t do research.” It is clear that he is culpable for much of the incorrect information on the James Somerton channel.) 

To pardon James

I’m willing to put James Somerton’s plagiarism behind him. Since the beginning, I thought that all that was needed to avoid every single instance of plagiarism in his videos was to cite his sources. Had he done that, nobody would have cared, even if he didn’t ask permission to any of the writers and content creators referenced. It is courtesy on YouTube to ask for permission or let others know when you’re referencing their material, but in the doctrine of fair use that is irrelevant. If all of his plagiarism showed me anything, it’s that James is a good reader. It is crucial to be a good reader to be a good writer. A bad plagiarist (and keep in mind that James was a bad plagiarist) cannot demonstrate that he understands what he stole or that he learned anything. I listened to James’ podcast, where he spoke off-the-cuff, without any script, and he is knowledgeable. He has learned from all that he’s read. Under the definition I just gave, he’s more of a “bad copier” as Roberto Bolaño once defined them, “...those who simply plagiarize”, than a truly bad plagiarist. He has the potential of doing good, non-plagiarized content. 

Good Plagiarists vs. Bad Plagiarists

Let’s continue on what I said about bad plagiarists, or truly bad plagiarists. James was a bad copier because he didn’t hide what he stole. However, there are good plagiarists, and widely celebrated by our culture, at that. We claim to abhor plagiarism while celebrating it at its most shameless. Here is the difference between a good copier and a bad copier: a good copier will transform and even surpass the original, whereas the bad copier will never go beyond simple appropriation and therefore never seriously challenge the existence of the original. To give a contemporary example, Greta Van Fleet became very successful off their first two EPs and debut album in which they emulated a specific period of Led Zeppelin’s career, while Led Zeppelin creatively spun everything they stole into products that are distinct from their influences, whoever they are. The funny thing is that bad copiers will deny that they borrowed from their influences. The members of Greta Van Fleet said that their inspirations for those early records were not Led Zeppelin, but rather AC/DC and Aerosmith. While the complexity of Greta Van Fleet compositions resembles AC/DC’s more than Led Zeppelin’s, the excuse is ludicrous. Everyone knew what they were doing, and the band just played it off. To be clear, a copier is not necessarily a plagiarist, which is a legal category, but plagiarists of course react similarly when they’re caught - No! It wasn’t me! It was the one-armed man! 

Artistic plagiarism 

The YouTuber TomSka posted a video titled TomSka’s Guide to Plagiarism (The Somerton Scale) in which he posits that “plagiarism exists across a spectrum of severity”, which he structures in a scale baptized after James Somerton - the Somerton scale. It consists of ten steps: no correlation, parallel thinking, subconscious appropriation, inspiration, influence, reference, allusion, derivative, imitative, cloning, and freebooting. The only categories that might plausibly qualify as plagiarism are the last three: imitation, cloning and freebooting - TomSka himself says so in the video, calling them “the danger zone” of the scale. His conclusion is that we all build off from the work of others and that originality doesn’t exist and therefore we shouldn’t fall into despair if we find out that our work resembles someone else’s by accident or coincidence and that if we are inspired by someone it doesn’t hurt to differentiate our stuff from the source. All of these are sensible conclusions, but they’re almost not at all related to the James Somerton situation. What TomSka is referring to with his video is artistic plagiarism, which does not exist. How come it doesn’t exist? It is the acceptable form of plagiarism. 

Academic plagiarism

The unacceptable form of plagiarism is academic plagiarism. Plagiarism in academia is extremely easy to detect, especially now that there are multiple plagiarism-checkers that schools utilize; schools also have access to the databases of scientific repositories which feature publications protected by copyright law. Because it is easily traceable, academic plagiarism doesn’t serve its purpose as plagiarism. Plagiarism only works if it replaces the original; it succeeds as long as it goes unnoticed. If you are found to have plagiarized portions of your grade thesis, for example, you get reprimanded; it doesn’t matter if it was a little bit or a big bit. Only if you become a politician you might be immune to any sanction. Returning to the purpose of plagiarism, if the goal is to make money off stolen work, academic plagiarism is the least optimal option, because academic writing does not make money, or at least not enough to be stolen and republished or resold. And just from a philosophical perspective, it is also futile to plagiarize an academic publication, especially if it is research on a hard science, such as medicine, physics, math, chemistry, and so on. Social sciences, such as history, economy, and philosophy, are more up in the air. The point is that there is not much merit in being the owner of a work on the discovery or inquiry on a fact. Facts are facts. Your subjectivity is of little importance to the objective world. The earlier you are on a scientific discovery, the more incorrect you are about it. The fight for originality is not fought in the realm of science. The fight for recognition is worthwhile (looking at you, Rosalind Franklin), but what matters about science is that it is done, not who does it. People will be wrong, but facts will only be right. So that is academic plagiarism: easily spotted, functionally unnecessary, unprofitable, and ultimately useless. But no one defends academic plagiarism. Besides, when it is proven, it is most often punished, which is why nobody considers it a pressing issue. Academic plagiarism is not a problem, because it is unacceptable. 

Artistic plagiarism, continued 

But artistic plagiarism is of importance to the public. The public doesn’t read scientific publications for leisure. They consume art: film and television, music, literature and poetry, theater, and a long etcetera. What the youth nowadays consumes, for it is an immediate form of entertainment, is content - creative content. That is what James Somerton did, creative content. I mentioned before that social sciences don’t have the same inherent protections against academic plagiarism because, although they employ the scientific method, their analysis is highly dependent on subjectivity. Art criticism is arguably the easiest form of critical analysis possible, because the literary world is a dimension separate from the scientific world. One doesn’t need to rely on fact to perform an engaging critical analysis of art. Of course, literary critique, art criticism, social commentary, however one prefers to call it, is enriched by maintaining a contact with the scientific world, and it borders on being scientific if it is compatible with scientific consensus and historical record. Still, what matters about art criticism is that it be truthful rather than factual. That’s why sometimes writers say wild things without justifying them, and we give them a pass. That’s why Nick Hergott felt completely comfortable admitting that he never researched for the James Somerton channel and still felt righteous in distancing himself from James despite contributing to bad information in their videos. Unfortunately, on YouTube and every other social media platform, it is not only in art criticism and social commentary content that we see this flagrant nonchalance about uncited information. It is still interesting that despite both being featured in Hbomberguy’s video, people resent James Somerton and fellow YouTuber Blair Zón or “iilluminaughtii” for different reasons. Zón actually engaged in academic plagiarism, ripping off (much more in volume than James ever did) documentaries and news articles, yet the criticism directed at her is all about personal drama with co-workers and former colleagues that I cannot be assed to care about. Nobody cares about her plagiarism. Perhaps because they don’t actually dislike plagiarism unless they are told. People dislike James Somerton because he plagiarized art criticism from other queer content creators, many of them freelancers and independent workers (and two passed away). Had he plagiarized the right type of content, maybe he would be written off as lazy, but he would still have a platform. 

On copyright law 

Andy of AtunShei Films once joked that the collection of content creators affectionately nicknamed Breadtube were “liberals who make YouTube videos.” It is incredible that one of the most prominent YouTubers making anti-capitalism content is such an ardent defender of copyright law. Copyright law serves to give creatives control over the value generated by their labor; however, it also exists to screw people over in abusive, petty ways. The lawsuits that have happened over music are the most outrageous example.

The Marvin Gaye estate successfully sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over the song Blurred Lines being too similar to Got to Give It Up, so they tried their luck again with a lawsuit against Ed Sheeran for supposedly copying Let’s Get it On to make Thinking Out Loud. Fortunately, they lost the second case. Similarly, a no name Christian rapper won a lawsuit against Katy Perry, whose song Dark Horse allegedly used the same riff from his song, whatever it was. Recently, that decision was overturned after Katy Perry appealed. One last case, that of Neil Innes, illustrates how one can be frivolously sued over a creative work and come out an authoritarian, an enforcer of and believer in the system. After he was sued by ATV Music for his Beatles parodies and forced to split the revenue with the company, Innes sued Oasis for eight notes of their song Whatever. He believed he was owed credit and compensation for a bar in a six-minute song. He had no empathy to spare for fellow artists. That is the ideology promoted by copyright law.   

It is ludicrous to uphold a mechanism that exists so that malicious agents can squeeze large amounts of easy money out of more successful people (and sometimes less successful people) while setting precedents to stifle creativity under the excuse of ownership.

Plagiarism vs. Copyright infringement

To clarify, plagiarism and copyright infringement are different things. You can plagiarize something that is not copyrighted, to define the distinction through an example. Plagiarism is a claim of authorship: the seller of pirated movies doesn’t claim to have produced the films himself. Legally, it is easier to find someone guilty of copyright infringement than of plagiarism. The easiest way to determine an occurrence of copyright infringement is when copyrighted material is unlawfully distributed in its entirety, representing losses in the earnings of the copyright holder. Pirated movies, music, books; bootleg recordings of concerts or live theater. Episodes of television uploaded to YouTube. The material is reproduced, and the copy may not generate money, or it might generate money to the incorrect person. That form of copyright infringement is the easiest to find and litigate. However, if a copy is not a reproduction, a clone, but a new entity that somewhat resembles the original, claims of copyright infringement become shaky. If as much of a single atom of a copy is different, the accusation of copyright infringement is no longer completely solid, so it is safer to decry plagiarism, and at that point there is nothing that can (or should) be done about it.    

a brief manifesto on combating artistic plagiarism

As I see it, the problem of artistic plagiarism should be treated the same way as with copyright infringement: whether the copy threatens the original market. The threat should be quantified in practice: if a creative sees a dip in revenue that can be proven as caused by imitators, the imitators shall split the revenue with the original creative. Otherwise, imitators should be allowed to exist, for their right to earn money under the capitalist mode of production and for their right to free speech.  

The absurdity of ownership

Private property is a highly contested concept in ideologies such as communism and anarchism, and intellectual property, or intellectual private property, should be perceived with the same skepticism. Intellectual property is as preposterous as immaterial labor. We cannot own an idea. An idea is immaterial. We cannot prevent others from using an idea. That is the crux of the problem of ownership. Anything that is good should not be deprived from others. An idea is an inexhaustible resource, an infinite commodity. What is the use of limiting its distribution? You don’t have the right to have my idea. Who is any of us to dictate to others what they can or cannot do, with an idea or in general? While the discussion hitherto has focused on artistic and academic literature, intellectual property extends to inventions. How much progress for the benefit of humanity has been hindered by patent protections? To give an example, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to develop new vaccine technology to provide vaccinations to the population and lessen the debilitating and potentially fatal emergency. The distribution and rollout of vaccines was slowed down by Bill Gates’ refusal to waive patents on vaccines produced by his company. Patents on inventions are obviously a device to make rich people more money, but trademarks and copyright law help artists keep the money they make, right? No. Most of the money generated by the labor of artists is kept by the real copyright holders: publishers. Publishers, record labels, movie studios. In our current day, publishers are trying to devise methods to pay less and less royalties, with music and entertainment streaming and refundable digital books. The artist earns a wage as any other worker.

If intellectual property does not provide complete ownership of their labor to creatives, it probably does not merit the ardent defense of any creative. If intellectual property prevents access to knowledge, it probably does not merit the appreciation of anyone who values the utility of knowledge. That is why anarchists pay hosting fees on websites to distribute anarchist literature for free: they are committed to the spread of ideas, the education of the masses, rather than to privatizing their knowledge for profit and the prestige of ownership. Intellectual property is antithetical to the democratization of knowledge.  

Harry Brewis, the Hbomberguy, says on his Plagiarism and You(Tube) video, “On YouTube, if you have an original idea, if it’s good, it won’t be yours for long.” Good.

Conclusion & Call to action to the reader

After the fallout of the James Somerton spectacle, YouTubers are becoming bold and publicly calling out smaller YouTubers who copy - but not infringe on their copyright - their work. This is bad. People are not upset at content theft. People don’t care about quality content, or originality, or any of that bullshit. Nobody believes in that. What they are upset about is that some have found the solution. Nobody is angry at the copiers for doing things “the easy way.” Everybody wants to do things “the easy way.” Nobody likes to work. Everyone wishes to earn as much money as possible with the least labor. Those upset at James Somerton and other copiers are upset at the fact that some people found a way approved by the administrators of capital to make money. They, like every liberal, are angry at capitalism while believing in it and supporting it. Is there a solution for them? There are plenty. To ignore the copiers is a good first step; after all, the free market regulates itself and consuming quality content will create a demand for quality content. If you are more interested in the enrichment of the intellectual landscape, of common discourse, than in petty drama, my advice is that we all become active consumers. Passive consumers don’t question what they consume - they read something and believe it. Even if you think that the present essay is total horseshit, at least engage with its arguments, even if you disagree anyway. That is my advice to you: read. Read more. Learn to evaluate and critique sources. A list of references is not just a display of intellectual honesty: it’s the evidence of the quality of your research. Become an active viewer, an active reader, an active consumer, a participant in the discourse. If you are a good reader, you might recognize from where I borrowed the structure of this essay, and I’m sure he would not mind. And if you’re really desperate about the low bar for quality for video-essay content on YouTube, I suggest you graduate and start reading books. 

[credosavvy]

Before and After

Once upon a time, in a realm of digital deception, there lived a man named Daniel. Daniel had journeyed through the labyrinthine corridors of life as a once-portly soul, imprisoned within his own corporeal fortress. His path was paved with the heavy footprints of insecurity, and his heart ached for a transformation that seemed as elusive as a flickering mirage.

In the ethereal expanse of the internet, where illusions masqueraded as reality, Daniel stumbled upon the enigmatic figure of Maximus Fleximus. Maximus was the embodiment of Daniel's dreams, a fitness virtuoso whose sculpted form graced Instagram, captivating the masses. The 'before' and 'after' photos shared by Maximus were like beacon lights in the abyss, promising hope and change.

With trepidation coursing through his veins, Daniel embarked on a quest to seek out the mythical Maximus Fleximus. He yearned to unlock the secrets of his transformation, to glean wisdom from the one who had conquered the realm of weight loss and emerged victorious. The anticipation of meeting his virtual idol twisted Daniel's stomach into knots as he prepared to confront his insecurities head-on.

Upon their meeting, Maximus Fleximus greeted Daniel with a warm smile that concealed a hidden truth. Beneath the veneer of confidence, there was a bulging secret that Daniel could not have anticipated. As they exchanged pleasantries, Daniel's keen eyes detected a discrepancy between the man before him and the digitally immortalized figure.

Maximus had once been a rotund man himself, but the 'after' portrayed on social media bore little resemblance to reality. The bulging muscles had deflated into flabby folds, and the chiseled jawline was now obscured by layers of fat. Daniel's heart sank as he realized that Maximus had perpetuated a web of deceit, a facade of fitness crafted through photo manipulation and selective angles.

Bitter disappointment welled up within Daniel, not for Maximus's transformation, but for the betrayal of trust. The lessons he had hoped to learn from his fitness guru lay in ruins, crushed beneath the weight of deception. Maximus, now an obese man attempting to hide his own vulnerabilities, had misled not only Daniel but countless others seeking inspiration.

In the end, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows on their uncomfortable encounter, Daniel discovered a different kind of inspiration. He realized that true transformation wasn't about the superficial facade of 'before' and 'after' photos. It was about inner strength, honesty, and the resilience to confront one's own weaknesses.

As he left Maximus Fleximus behind, Daniel carried with him a new understanding, one born from the ashes of shattered illusions. He was determined to embark on his own journey of self-improvement, not defined by digitally altered images but by the authenticity of his own efforts. In this tale of unmasking, Daniel found that the pursuit of true change began with an unwavering commitment to honesty and self-acceptance.

[venus-is-in-bloom]

not starting discourse on the post itself bc i want it to spread unbothered... but like, ok, so you think pride is "important"... is it important because it, say, stops the police from beating and arresting us for being gay or trans? obviously not, since they do that just fine the moment we try to protest the imperial war machine being operated in our nations or funded by our nations. in fact, the same cops who brutalised a sister of ours for protesting a war convention are marching alongside us at pride, proudly acting as if they're our allies.

is it because pride gives us publicity, and publicity equals support? that's interesting, because down here in auckland, aotearoa, in february of 2020, the lgbt+ community divested from cops and corporations in order to do a more authentic pride march not beholden to the interests of the powerful. there were thousands of us there, filling the streets. you know what the media said about that? nothing. they reported as if there had been no pride march at all that year. so as soon as we oppose the way things are, our "publicity" goes away.

is pride important because, as you might say, "the first pride was a riot"...? because even though it might not be revolutionary today, it was before? if you look at the actual stonewall riots, or listen to the words of people who were there—i recommend miss major speaks for one of the most prominent voices today—you hear that pride is not at all related to the stonewall riots. at most it co-opted them. the riots were about police brutality and violent repression that was racist as well as homo- and transphobic. on the other hand, the pride flag was invented by a white us army veteran, the pride marches are organised with the blessing of governments worldwide, and police brutality not only around but within pride events reigns unchecked today as it did in 1969, having only slightly changed its targets.

if pride is really so powerful just because people show up en masse and make ourselves visible, then why is it that when people show up en masse for palestine, to oppose genocide, to ask our governments to divest from israel and to sanction the state that bombs and purges civilians in the most brutal of ways, it does nothing? not a peep from our government down here in aotearoa, not a peep from the u.s. government, nothing. our voices have no power and we are being shown that in real time. we are being shown that the "power" of pride is a sham.

if they let us have our rights, let us have our community, let us have our marches, it's not because we have some sort of power. we are like a circus of dancing animals. as long as we behave, we get to have our little display... but this illusion fades like morning mist when we run up against the leash, when we tug on the unbreakable cord of our masters' will.

we could celebrate. after all, even though many of our cousins and fellows are being brutally killed with the support of our governments, at least we have what we want, and shouldn't we be grateful for that? shouldn't we be grateful that our generous masters see fit to grant us the same rights they take away from gay palestinians, the same futures they rip from the bodies of trans children in the drc? those are our kin, our fellow human beings, but do we care?

all i am doing is taking a moment this year to question if our celebration, if our acting joyful at this historic moment, would serve a different cause from ours. if it would enable our unfaithful governments to proclaim that nothing is wrong and they are worthy of our support. if it would show that we are complicit in their pinkwashing. if we could instead spend our energy on protests and organising for our true community, which is not local, not restricted to us and our neighbours nor to the global north, but international.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Moochers Par ExcellenceA Deep Dive into the Carparkles' Visit to Costa Rica in December 2023. by u/BuildtheHerd

Moochers Par Excellence…A Deep Dive into the Carparkles' Visit to Costa Rica in December 2023. Photos and video of H&M and their rarely-seen child Lilibet on a family holiday in Costa Rica started appearing in the media on December 21, 2023 …just in time to compete for media attention with the Princess of Wales, whose Royal Carols: Together at Christmas was scheduled to air on Christmas Eve.Given that the Carparkles are known to regularly take advantage of the generosity of others by wrangling free stays at mansions and transportation on private jets, I've been curious about who financed this family trip to Costa Rica. After some internet sleuthing, I've figured out where the Carparkles stayed and who provided them with free accommodations and possibly private jet transportation, too.The resort where they stayed is Zapotal Golf and Beach Club, located in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. The company's website provides the following description of the resort, "Spanning miles of untouched coastline and thousands of acres of pristine tropical forest, Zapotal is a true retreat with 240 residences on the edge of one of the world’s five National Geographic Blue Zones where residents are quantifiably happy, healthy and enjoy an increased lifespan. Enjoy adventures on sea and land or a leisurely round on the 18-hole Tom Fazio golf course. Delight in a tasty locally sourced organic meal. Indulge in a spa treatment or a heart pounding workout. Ground yourself in the lush rainforest for an escape from the day-to-day. At Zapotal, your days are yours- and only yours." "Zapotal is one of Discovery Land Company’s more than 35 exclusive, members-only international communities. Discovery properties are uniquely designed to capture the spirit of the land and local culture, providing members with endless opportunities to curate their most authentic lifestyle." (It sounds like Meg might have advised the resort's marketing team on their word choice, doesn't it!) Here's the link to the website where you'll find photos, videos, and additional descriptions of the resort: https://ift.tt/HoU1M9b might recognize the name of Zapotal Golf and Beach Club's parent company: "Discovery Land Company." It's Jack Brooksbank's employer (Jack Brooksbank is Princess Eugenie's husband). BTW, the Harkles visited another Discovery Land Company property in Portugal called CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club after attending the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf in September 2023. Here's an article from the Daily Mail about that visit (archived and unarchived): https://ift.tt/1sqNIQm Founder of "Discovery Land Company" is Michael Meldman, who also was partners with George Clooney and Rande Gerber in Casamigos, the tequila company that they sold for approximately $1billion. Sinners might remember that Casamigos tequila was served at the H&M's wedding after party and that Jack Brooksbanks was previously a Brand Ambassador for Casamigos.Perhaps Michael Meldman even flew the Carparkles down to Liberia Airport in Costa Rica on the corporate jet, a 2001 Dassault Falcon 2000 (tail number N250DL). On the tail of the jet is the Discovery Land Company logo and on the side is the Casamigos logo (see attached photo).***The Carparkles MUST have planned to be photographed at this resort.**\* Zapotal Beach Club is a very private property that caters to uber wealthy people, so you can imagine that security is tight. Tourism is the main source of income in Costa Rica (Source: Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington, D.C. website); therefore, keeping tourists safe is taken extremely seriously. I've stayed at a similar resort on nearby Papagayo Peninsula, which required passing through two security checkpoints to enter…I would expect that Zapotal Beach Club is similar. It is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that paparazzi just sneaked onto this property. This all fits the Carparkles' modus operandi.Discovery Land Company - Casamigos Corporate Jet​ post link: https://ift.tt/4pHB7lg author: BuildtheHerd submitted: March 04, 2024 at 07:06AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[hometownrockstar]

One of my interesting but woefully underdeveloped story ideas was one where i wanted to tackle the common individualism portrayed in some stories with "anti-capitalist/establishment" themes, bc i dont like the focus on "oh the establishment is taking away our individuality and turning us into mindless crowds of people, the solution to this is having one plucky chosen one to stop the corporations" i wanted to do a collectivist take on it and show how individualism is sold to people to keep them isolated from others and to squash resistance.

Anyways the reason its underdeveloped is bc my starting premise is a little... unintentionally topical. See, in the world of this story, its law that people must be wearing a mask in public at all times, but like theyre fashion pieces its not a covid thing, like helmets and big sunglasses count. The point is that the masks represent artificial individuality sold to people, its to make them alienated from others around them and not see them as fellow people with differences but ultimately sharing the same ideals and lives, but rather just see it as a status symbol and a facade you put on around others to keep up appearances. One exception is that you can show unmasked faces for filming movies and shows, so thats like a metaphor for the way intimacy, vulnerability, and authenticity is artificially created in media for consumption and viewing, but not allowed for the common person unless it is meticulously curated to fit a societal standard.

[waterfall-ambience]

Weighing up my options for how to actually go about making Perpetua because I do want to start executing it at some point this year:

Option One: Traditional Comic format (A4 pages)

Pros:

I'm more familiar with things like page layout conventions, and putting out a page a week sounds more manageable than putting out a whole webtoon 'episode'

Oppose the transition to having everything be on the phone. I hate when everything is on the phone (!!!!)

Opportunity to print it? Not that I envision selling books (we all know this story is too convoluted to be published) but it would be nice to have a physical copy?

Cons:

My characters are wordy and introspective (especially Damien, because I put so much of myself in him, sigh). They need space to monologue and I don't know if a traditional comic page will let them do that as easily. Story might move slower.

Option Two: Webtoon

Pros:

Greater control over narrative pacing.

Opportunity to have more 'cinematic' shot composition-- like that of an animation

Possibility of a wider audience and comment section means I have a greater opportunity to test the story against audience perception. The webtoon readers become 'the gods', and their criticisms and expectations of the characters can DIRECTLY affect them, especially from Arc 2 onwards.

Cons:

Webtoon is corporate as hell and that's antithetical to what Perpetua is about.

> It needs to be weird, and bad at fitting into categories. It has to be authentic and human before anything else.

Expectations are quite high on webtoon, I can't pump out 'episodes' on a regular basis without help.

While it's possible to turn a webtoon comic into a physical book, due to the differences in formatting the page layouts tend to be...bad. Trust me on this.

Option Three: Do whatever! Multi-media project mode.

(A comic most of the time, an animatic some of the time, written prose and scripts some of the time.)

Pros:

I'm not constrained to a medium and I can tell the story depending on what I think is necessary

It's insane and totally in-line with what Perpetua is thematically (unpublishable).

Cons:

Goodbye, any hope of a print medium!

I will have to learn so many different things and I don't know if I'll have the time (pro: I will have to learn so many different things!)

If the website goes down though its all over

oh god this is going to end up like homestuck isn't it

And a poll, because why not

[theangryjikooker]

Hi, TAJ! It's me again 😅 I know it's impossible to please everybody, but I'm seeing such extreme reactions to JK doing Seven (nvm Scooter and the whole payola - I honestly lack the knowledge about this to form an opinion) and the possible rumours of him having an all English album. I've mentioned how fun the mv was and I love listening to it bec it's a bop (for me). I wouldn't look down on JK if he does create/select English songs.

Should people criticize JK if he decides not to create a deep/reflective/emotional album? He's been doing covers of pop songs esp JB's. He was always vocal about his interest in Western pop music. May I ask your thoughts/opinions should he opt to go this direction? Thank you!

(For the record, you ask the most interesting questions. Thanks!)

There’s this prevailing idea that an artist who can insert a piece of themselves into their work is somehow more deserving of the occupation. The demand and expectation for vulnerability from an artist that may prefer not to give into it reeks of entitlement.

“But we’re the reason for his success! We have a right to x!”

Then don’t support him anymore? Move on. All good things come to an end at some point. (Though I believe any pushback from this is a result of sunk cost fallacy a bit.)

If all Jungkook ever wants to do is sing and explore genres, with his only contribution being in the selection process of songs that motivate him and sound good, that’s his prerogative. He could still be just as successful if he chooses to move in that direction, but could it possibly alienate listeners who are expecting more? Sure. Music is a subjective experience, but there are just as many people who don’t care, who love music for music and aren’t so interested in storytelling. To make judgment calls on others that don’t fit your idea of an ideal artist/music listener is so pretentious. It’s not wrong, just pretentious.

Of course, there’s a lot more authenticity and inspiration to be had from artists who write, produce, and/or play instruments for their own songs. It elevates them into a different category of artist, but that doesn’t make someone who chooses not to do any of that less than. And I say “chooses,” because we already know that Jungkook can write his own songs and melodies—that when he actually puts his mind to something (and if he were consistent about it) he can ace it.

But, rationally, even the above can also instill a sense of frustration and/or bitterness because if you have all this so-called talent, the question becomes why aren’t you utilizing it? Why do you get to reap success from “doing nothing” while your other members give their all and aren’t receiving the same kind of recognition (either from a corporate level or from the general public)?

The last question is especially pointed because it’s the current theme of ARMY ire these days. I’m not sure what it was this fandom was expecting. BTS was vocal about how they had to suppress their individuality (I believe in the vein of creative/musical direction) to prioritize the group. What Jungkook has said so far does not surprise me in the slightest; the fact that he has been more expressive about his desired trajectory and that said desires are self-oriented is neither shocking nor offensive.

Sometimes I feel like the OT7 mantra has been warped along the way to be extremely idealistic and, as a result, unrealistic. A lot of observant ARMYs have been aware of this for a long time, and these same people are living their best ARMY life, free of drama.

Anyway, back to the original question: should people be able to criticize him for potentially choosing a more “superficial” path with his upcoming album? Of course they can, but I also feel like this fandom’s response to Jungkook lately has been antagonistic because of how he’s been benefiting from his solo debut. And it’s fair to feel that way, but to then judge him for his preferences and the way he’s navigating his solo career because your fave(s) did more or abided by some arbitrary handbook of self-conduct that he’s not following to the letter is just pointlessly stupid.

There’s a difference between genuinely believing that it’s not the kind of path you were anticipating and that for him to opt for a more generic pop star route is cheating or even lazy, and feeling critical because of how your fave(s) was/were treated or not. It’s retaliatory and misguided, which is how a lot of people are moving right now.

I personally think it would be kind of lame if he does go that route, but only because I know what he’s done and can do, but I don’t care if that’s his choice. I’m also interested to see how far he pushes the boundaries in the genres he wants to sing anyway, so there’s still an element of interest there for me if he remains hands-off. And even then, that doesn’t mean he won’t want to make a more personal and intimate contribution in the future.

Ultimately, I’ve had no concerns with what Jungkook has said or done as of late (I do have a concern for him, but it’s speculative and unrelated to this post). People don’t have to like the direction he’s taking, but I find most of the discourse surrounding it disingenuous because they can usually be traced back to the defense of and anger for a different bias.

[isabelinlove]

Did anyone order more Romebel analysis? Well too bad here it is :)

I feel like one of the biggest aspects of our relationship is that we can be childish together… obviously a big part Roman’s character is that he acts very childish and is kind of stuck in that state of mind. And a lot of people would see me as the opposite because I’m a perfectionist and known for being responsible. But inside I do still feel very much like a child, and I think both of us have sort of struggled to fit in in the “adult” world. At its core, our dynamic is reminiscent of goofy elementary school kids on the playground or high school kids paired up for a project who didn’t expect to get along as well as they do. And it’s that sort of innocence that really sets our relationship apart from the world around us. Like sure we’re working at this big corporation, but we’re just silly kids when we’re together. And that’s when we feel like the most authentic version of ourselves