#Basically to summarize one of the concerns in China

[alchemistdetective]

((Hoyo really put the concerns of some of the elders in Modern Day China here, good gosh

A bit of China talk under the tags))

[aijustborn]

Jia Jia Robot: China's Pioneering Humanoid Robot

Did you know that in 2010, only 17% of jobs in the United States were considered highly automatable? By 2022, this number had jumped to 46%, according to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its exponential growth, the potential impact of robots on our workplaces and society becomes increasingly real. Caption: Dive into the realm of dreams, where imagination takes flight and reality blurs with the fantastical. Imagine a robot that can not only walk and talk but also hold basic conversations and respond to your questions with lifelike facial expressions. This wasn't science fiction in 2010 when Jia Jia, China's groundbreaking humanoid robot, was unveiled to the world. Jia Jia's creation marked a significant milestone in the field of AI and robotics, sparking both fascination and debate about the future of human-robot interaction. As we delve into the story of Jia Jia, its capabilities, and the impact it has had on the world, a crucial question arises: are advanced humanoid robots like Jia Jia simply fascinating machines, or do they represent a glimpse into a future where robots will play an increasingly significant role in our lives, and if so, what are the potential benefits and challenges associated with this future? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLcgmCPw_80 Caption: This video provides a glimpse into Jia Jia's capabilities, showcasing its ability to speak, recognize faces, and exhibit basic emotional expressions. In a world increasingly driven by technological advancements, the boundaries between science fiction and reality are blurring faster than ever. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving, and the field of robotics is pushing the limits of what machines can do. One of the most captivating examples of this progress is Jia Jia, a pioneering humanoid robot developed by the University of Science and Technology of China. Key Features and Capabilities of Jia Jia FeatureDescriptionPhysical DesignApproximately 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) tall, humanoid form with articulated limbsMovementBasic walking and turning abilitiesSensory CapabilitiesCameras, microphones, and touch sensorsCommunication SkillsSpeech recognition and pre-recorded speech synthesisCognitive AbilitiesFacial recognition and pre-programmed emotional expressionsCaption: This table summarizes the key features and capabilities of Jia Jia, highlighting its technological advancements in movement, communication, and interaction. Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010 captured the world's attention. This lifelike robot, boasting the ability to walk, talk, and even express basic emotions, stood as a testament to the tremendous strides being made in AI and robotics. But Jia Jia's story is more than just a technological marvel. It's a story that compels us to consider the profound impact AI may have on our future, from its potential applications in various fields to the ethical considerations surrounding its development and use. - As mentioned earlier, the McKinsey Global Institute report indicates a significant rise in the percentage of jobs considered automatable, highlighting the potential impact of AI on the workforce. - A 2022 study by the Pew Research Center found that while a majority of Americans (72%) believe robots and other forms of AI will eventually do most of the work currently done by humans, only 33% believe this will be a good thing. These statistics showcase the public's existing concerns and mixed reactions to the potential impacts of advanced AI. Unveiling Jia Jia: A Historical and Technical Overview Journey from Concept to Creation: The story of Jia Jia begins in the laboratories of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). In the early 2000s, a team of researchers led by Professor Chen Xiaoping embarked on an ambitious project with a clear goal: to push the boundaries of AI and robotics by developing a humanoid robot capable of not only movement and speech but also basic interaction and emotional responses. Caption: A glimpse into the future, where humans and robots coexist in a vibrant and innovative cybernetic metropolis. Overcoming Challenges: Developing such an advanced robot wasn't without its hurdles. The team faced numerous challenges, including: - Engineering complex mechanisms: Creating a robot that could move and interact naturally required breakthroughs in areas like motor control, sensor integration, and balance systems. - Developing advanced software: Jia Jia's ability to communicate and respond required sophisticated software for speech recognition, speech synthesis, and facial expression recognition. - Balancing functionality with aesthetics: The team aimed to create a robot that not only functioned but also appeared lifelike. This involved integrating aesthetic design principles alongside the complex technology. Caption: This bar chart illustrates the exponential growth in research papers published on humanoid robots between 2010 and 2023, reflecting the increasing interest and activity in this field. Unveiling the Machine: Capabilities and Features: A Closer Look at Jia Jia's Technological Marvels: Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010 showcased a range of impressive functionalities, making it a landmark achievement in the field of humanoid robotics. Here's a breakdown of its key features: - Physical Design and Movement: Jia Jia stood approximately 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) tall and possessed a humanoid form with articulated limbs, allowing for basic movements like walking and turning. - Sensory Capabilities: The robot was equipped with various sensors, including cameras, microphones, and touch sensors, enabling it to gather information about its surroundings and interact with the environment. - Communication Skills: Jia Jia could recognize and respond to basic spoken commands, thanks to its speech recognition software. Additionally, it could synthesize speech using a pre-recorded voice database. - Cognitive Abilities: While not capable of complex thought processes, Jia Jia could recognize faces and exhibit basic emotional responses through pre-programmed facial expressions. Initial Public Reactions to Jia Jia (2010) ReactionDescriptionFascination and ExcitementPublic interest and amazement at Jia Jia's lifelike features and basic interactive capabilitiesMedia FrenzyWidespread media coverage highlighting Jia Jia's capabilities and sparking public discussionsConcerns and SkepticismQuestions about the ethical implications of advanced AI and potential job displacementDebate about RealismDiscussions about the degree of "realism" achieved by Jia Jia and its purposeCaption: This table outlines the diverse initial public reactions to Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010, showcasing both fascination and concerns surrounding the robot and its implications. Benchmarking Innovation: Comparing Jia Jia to its Peers: Standing Out in the Crowd: While groundbreaking for its time, Jia Jia wasn't the only humanoid robot in existence. When compared to its contemporaries, Jia Jia stood out in several key areas: - Advanced Facial Expressions: Compared to other robots of the time, Jia Jia's ability to display a wider range of facial expressions, albeit pre-programmed, added a level of realism that was unmatched. - Focus on Human Interaction: The project's emphasis on developing basic communication and interaction capabilities set Jia Jia apart from robots primarily focused on specific tasks or functionalities. - Public Accessibility: Unlike some research prototypes, Jia Jia was showcased at public events and demonstrations, sparking wider public interest and discussion about the potential of humanoid robots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCZzINexgE Caption: This video offers a broader perspective on the development of humanoid robots in China, featuring Jia Jia alongside another robot with similar functionalities. Unveiling Jia Jia: A Deep Dive into China's Pioneering Humanoid Robot Public Response and Societal Impact Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010 garnered significant media attention and public interest. The robot's lifelike features and basic interactive capabilities sparked a wave of: Caption: Dive into the depths of the ocean with a sophisticated humanoid robot, exploring the mysteries of the underwater world. - Fascination and Excitement: Many people were amazed by the technological advancements showcased by Jia Jia, viewing it as a symbol of human ingenuity and a glimpse into the future of robotics. - Media Frenzy: News outlets worldwide covered Jia Jia extensively, highlighting its capabilities and sparking discussions about its potential applications and implications. Caption: This line graph depicts the rising public perception in the United States that AI will eventually do most of the work currently performed by humans, highlighting the growing significance of AI in public discourse. However, alongside the fascination, there were also: - Concerns and Skepticism: Some individuals expressed concerns about the ethical implications of developing advanced AI, questioning the potential negative impacts on society and the potential loss of jobs due to automation. - Debate about Realism: While Jia Jia's movements and facial expressions were more advanced than previous robots, some critics argued that it still fell short of true "realism," raising questions about the purpose and limitations of such technology. Addressing Public Concerns ("People Also Ask" Integration): - Media Portrayal: The media played a significant role in shaping public perception of Jia Jia. Some media outlets focused solely on the robot's technological marvels, while others delved deeper into the ethical concerns and potential societal impacts. - Public Backlash and Fear: While there wasn't a widespread public backlash against Jia Jia specifically, some individuals expressed broader concerns about the potential dangers of AI, drawing comparisons to science fiction portrayals of robots taking over the world. These concerns, however, were not directed solely at Jia Jia and reflected anxieties about the broader development of AI. Humanoid Robots and Related Challenges Application AreaPotential BenefitsChallengesHealthcarePatient care, rehabilitation therapy, surgical assistanceHigh development costs, ethical considerations in patient care, potential job displacement in healthcareCustomer Service & Social InteractionInformation provision, assistance in various settings, companionship for isolated individualsTraining costs, potential for bias in AI algorithms, ensuring human oversight and controlSearch & RescueAssistance in hazardous environments, minimizing risks for human personnelDevelopment of robust safety protocols, ensuring responsible deployment in sensitive situationsManufacturing & Industrial TasksImproved efficiency, reduced risks for human workersJob displacement in certain sectors, retraining and upskilling workforceCaption: This table showcases the potential benefits and challenges associated with deploying humanoid robots in various application areas, highlighting the need for careful consideration of both opportunities and potential drawbacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro4Mk5rkkd0 This video delves into the ongoing development of Jia Jia and the future of humanoid robots. Beyond the Headlines: The Lasting Legacy of Jia Jia: Long-Term Impact on AI and Robotics: Beyond the initial media frenzy, Jia Jia's legacy extends far beyond its time in the spotlight. The development and subsequent unveiling of the robot had a lasting impact on the field of AI and robotics in several ways: - Inspiration for Further Research: Jia Jia served as a significant inspiration for researchers and engineers around the world, stimulating further research and development efforts in humanoid robotics. This led to the creation of even more advanced and sophisticated robots in subsequent years. - Contributions to Diverse Fields: The technical advancements achieved in Jia Jia's development contributed not only to the field of robotics but also to other related areas like machine learning, computer vision, and artificial muscles. - Sparking Crucial Conversations: Jia Jia's emergence sparked crucial conversations about the ethical considerations surrounding AI development. These discussions continue to this day, as researchers and policymakers strive to develop and deploy AI responsibly. Exploring the Future A Glimpse into a Future of Human-Robot Collaboration: Humanoid robots like Jia Jia represent a glimpse into a future where robots may play an increasingly significant role in various aspects of our lives. While Jia Jia's capabilities were primarily focused on research and demonstration purposes, the potential applications of advanced humanoid robots extend to diverse fields: Caption: In a world of steam and steel, a revolution ignites, fueled by the spirit of innovation and the fight for freedom. - Healthcare: Humanoid robots could potentially assist medical professionals in various ways, such as: - Patient care and companionship: Providing companionship and emotional support to patients, particularly in geriatric care settings. - Rehabilitation therapy: Assisting with physical therapy exercises and monitoring patient progress. - Surgical assistance: Assisting surgeons in complex procedures with improved precision and minimal invasiveness. - Customer Service and Social Interaction: Humanoid robots could be employed in customer service roles, providing information and assistance to clients in various settings. Additionally, they could be used in social interaction for individuals with disabilities or those experiencing social isolation. - Search and Rescue Operations: Humanoid robots, equipped with appropriate sensors and capabilities, could be deployed in hazardous environments for search and rescue operations, minimizing risks for human personnel. - Manufacturing and Industrial Tasks: Humanoid robots could perform repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks in manufacturing and industrial settings, improving safety and efficiency. Caption: This pie chart showcases the potential distribution of humanoid robots across various application areas, emphasizing their potential impact in diverse sectors. It's important to note that these are just potential applications, and the widespread adoption and integration of humanoid robots in these fields will likely require further advancements in technology and careful consideration of ethical implications. Addressing the Challenges of AI Development: Navigating the Ethical Landscape: As the development of AI and robotics continues to accelerate, it's crucial to address the ethical challenges that come along with it. These challenges include: - Job Displacement and Societal Disruption: The potential for automation through advanced AI and robotics raises concerns about job displacement, particularly in sectors with repetitive tasks. It's crucial to consider how we can prepare for and mitigate the potential negative impacts on the workforce. - Concerns about Bias and Discrimination: AI algorithms are not immune to biases present in the data they are trained on. This can lead to discriminatory outcomes if not carefully addressed. Mitigating bias in AI development and deployment is critical to ensure fairness and inclusivity. - The Need for Transparency and Accountability: As AI systems become increasingly complex, ensuring transparency and accountability in their development and use becomes crucial. This involves understanding how AI systems work, who is responsible for their decisions, and how potential biases are addressed. Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative effort from researchers, developers, policymakers, and the public. By engaging in open and transparent dialogue and actively working towards responsible AI development, we can navigate the ethical crossroads and ensure that AI advancements benefit humanity as a whole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J593vfn39AY Caption: This video captures Jia Jia's appearance and interaction at the World Robot Conference, highlighting the public interest it generated. Conclusion We explored the origins and development of Jia Jia, highlighting its unique features and how it compared to other robots at the time. .We examined the diverse public reactions to its unveiling, from initial fascination to concerns about the ethical implications of AI. We then delved into the lasting legacy of Jia Jia, including its contributions to further research and the crucial conversations it sparked around ethical considerations in AI development. Finally, we looked to the future, exploring the potential applications of humanoid robots in various fields and the ethical challenges we face as AI continues to evolve. As we move forward, it is crucial to engage in open dialogue and collaborative efforts to ensure that AI advancements benefit humanity as a whole. By learning from the story of Jia Jia and its impact, we can be better prepared to navigate the exciting and complex future of human-robot interaction. You also Read on Linkedin and Medium Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - What are the key features and capabilities of Jia Jia? - Jia Jia stands approximately 1.4 meters tall with articulated limbs for basic movement. - It is equipped with cameras, microphones, touch sensors, speech recognition, and pre-programmed facial expressions for communication. - How was Jia Jia developed? - Jia Jia was developed by a team of researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China led by Professor Chen Xiaoping. - The goal was to create a humanoid robot capable of natural movement, speech, and interaction. - What was the public reaction to Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010? - The public reaction was a mix of fascination, excitement, and skepticism. - Many were amazed by its lifelike features, while others expressed concerns about the ethical implications and potential job displacement due to automation. - What are the potential applications of humanoid robots like Jia Jia? - Humanoid robots like Jia Jia have potential applications in healthcare, customer service, search and rescue operations, and manufacturing tasks. - They can assist in patient care, provide companionship, aid in hazardous environments, and improve efficiency in industrial settings. - What are the ethical challenges associated with the development of humanoid robots? - Some ethical challenges include job displacement, potential bias in AI algorithms, and ensuring transparency and accountability in their development and use. - It's crucial to address these challenges to ensure responsible deployment and minimize negative impacts. - How can I learn more about the development and impact of Jia Jia? - You can explore resources such as scholarly research databases, official websites of institutions involved in the development of humanoid robots, and reports from organizations like the Pew Research Center and the World Economic Forum. Resources - University of Science and Technology of China (USTC): https://en.ustc.edu.cn/ - IEEE Xplore (scholarly research database): https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp - Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/ - World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/ - ai art for amazing articles and blogs - AI-Generated Harley Quinn Fan Art - AI Monopoly Board Image - WooCommerce SEO backlinks services Read the full article

[bestcouplesmassageaustinspasway]

Couples Spa Austin

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Touch is one of the basic instincts of man. Contact is ready to calm down the body, calm it, give rise to thought and set off the mechanisms of the human thoughts that lead to self-healing. Therapeutic massage is a nice stress-free procedure. At this time I will tell you exactly about this. We are going to begin as traditional in historical past, and then you'll study concerning the forms of therapeutic massage and its actions, in addition to a variety of helpful and interesting.

This "artwork of touch" was born in ancient instances in the East. In one of the medical treatises of Ancient China, the next was written: "to guard in opposition to cold" is really helpful to "wash" the body. There are related writings in the peoples of ancient India, the place by way of the rubbing of the physique, handled and prevented disease. Similar references are discovered to the traditional Greeks, both Egyptians and Romans. By the way, the ancient Romans dreamed to enhance the massage process, at the end of the therapeutic massage they generously oiled the physique with fragrant nourishing pores and skin oils.

Nicely-recognized physician of historical Galen, wrote several treatises on therapeutic massage, making an in depth classification of "motion of the therapeutic massage therapist's arms" during the massage procedure, and actively used therapeutic massage in the remedy of many diseases. lived in about 980-1037 Avicenna, summarized in his writings, the gathered knowledge and expertise of Roman, Greek, and Indian medical doctors, described the methods and sorts of massage. At about this time, in Europe, the Catholic Church announced "the procedure soot "- a terrible sin, since such was counted as" comforting the flesh. "The Renaissance, returned every little thing" in circles ". Within the sixteenth century. .

But the full "trust" within the massage procedure was solely returned on the finish of the nineteenth century. In 1894 the primary Society of Skilled Therapeutic massage Therapists was formed. Later, at St. George's Hospital in London, a therapeutic massage department was opened, and Swedish massage, using the Ling system, soon grew to become an integral part of medical follow in Europe. And solely in 1960 did medical massage evolve right into a coherent system that still exists in the present day as a complement to basic treatments.

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[hetaestoniahq]

What I think the Nyotalia episode really says about Estonia

Hetalia: The Beautiful World anime features a special episode which follows Estonia waking up in a meeting that has all the countries present besides him be female. Estonia shows clear confusion as a loud “Whaaaat?” comes out

The episode features female versions of: America, Italy, Germany, Japan, England, France, China, Russia, Latvia, Canada and Prussia. So basically, Axis + Prussia, Allies and Latvia. These characters are all shown with like an introduction card thing. 

After we are given a look at each one with the intro cards, we are back to Estonia looking at America, asking if that’s really America. Then England speaks, with Estonia processing and stating “Britain too? Oh wow..” his tone indicating that he’s rather nervous. England basically scolds him for sleeping, while Japan also intervenes for it. Estonia has in a way processed the situation properly now, able to guess that the other girl he sees is Latvia, he questions what the heck is going on, his face all dark in the sort of terrified manner. Then you see him looking down, clearly not okay as Italy approaches and talks to him, patting his head. When he looks up and realizes who it is, he basically jumps in his spot calling out a “Italy?!”  Then, Italy points to Russia and he is very much so horrified, basically reacting with a “Don’t tell me-”, Russia stating she had put honey on Estonia and abandoned him outside which he responds with a “Classic..” (This has happened before??) Then comes China, who basically jumps onto him offering medicine, his expression clearly shows he is very uncomfortable and not okay with China rubbing his head and him asking “Why is this happening?” 

Then enters god, stating he can shed light on the situation and we see Estonia is literally hiding under the table. Estonia calls him a suspicious looking god, thinking Hungary has something to do with this (hah, atheist eh?). God states he has noticed how unfortunate Estonia has been, so he made one of his fantasies come true, being with the ladies, as a response Estonia yells out “What are you talking about this isn’t MY fantasy!”

God just continues, and we see Estonia clearly scared and panicked, then saying “I don’t want to be exhilarated like this!” and screams out in fear before waking up. Lithuania and Latvia approach him, concerned, stating he looked like he was having a bad dream. Estonia is relieved and says “Oh good, it was nightmare.” before Russia comes over asking what kind of nightmare and he just explains how everyone was turned into a girl.

Now that I’ve summarized all the important things, lets talk about what this episode actually means for Estonia’s character. I have seen MANY and MANY people depict this as Estonia being straight or having some preference for women. Or the opposite way, that this is indicating he is gay. 

Wrong! This is not about his sexuality!

Yes you could take the bit about him at first being nervous as him just being nervous around women in the bashful way, but Estonia isn’t really that type of character. Estonia has been showcased before to be pretty confident in himself, would he really be that nervous around women he has met before? 

But here comes the bit of the catch, he has met them before, but does he know them well? No. He is not close with them, besides Latvia, everyone else he mostly talks to because of business and such, only America out of these countries comes close to a friend. 

There’s one extra bit of information you should NEED to know that definetly would affect Estonia, Hima likely hasn’t added it, but we Estonians aren’t the most touchiest folk. We only greet strangers formally with a handshake and only people that are close to you get a hug in greetings, these are the only times you’d really touch an Estonian unless you’re very close friends or PARTNERS. Estonians like their personal space very much. Out of all the nyos we are shown, the only one who would be able to hug Estonia without him being uncomfortable about it is Latvia, because they have a long history together and know eachother well, being decently close. 

Nyo China is ALL OVER Estonia in this frame, invading his personal space and touching him, from his expression you can tell he is VERY uncomfortable, that is a face of “Get off me!” for Estonia, this is very much so harassment. 

Throughout the whole episode you see Estonia afraid, uncomfortable and jumpy, he is clearly not having a good time, he does even state that this is not the way to exhilarate him (which means make him very happy and such) because these people he isn’t really close to (Besides Latvia, who only just stands there) are all over invading his personal space, touching him, and just dropping this shit ton of attention onto him which he IS NOT used to getting. Estonia is someone who doesn’t get attention like this, he often goes unnoticed, so these people out of the blue coming all at him? You even see him basically getting jumpscared by this, this is a very new situation with no explanation for his mind that very much so likes logic and things making sense. You see him outright hide under a table in fear!  If this was the same situation but everyone was their normal gender, it likely would have gone down the same way, just without the initial confusion about the gender change.

He outright says it to Gods face that he didn’t want this, and why would he lie after the panic we are seeing him in? (I feel so bad for him omg, I hope Lithuania and Latvia took him out somewhere so he can really calm down and catch a breath)  Also, with the straight idea, why would RUSSIA be there? You’d think that if Estonia wanted a dream about women, then he’d be given women he’d like? Like the Nordics and also Lithuania, heck what about the women he already knows as women? Why would China or Russia be there? 

In conclusion, this episode says nothing about his sexuality and he is just having a panic attack because this is a bit overwhelming for his introverted, logical (the whole situation made no sense), personal space wanting, not given much attention brain. Besides, the focus of the episode was introducing the nyos in a unique way, it just meant also torturing Estonia.

I am not saying you CAN’T headcanon Estonia as hetero, I am saying  that don’t use this episode as a clue or EVIDENCE of your headcanon, your headcanon is purely a headcanon, this episode reveals nothing (Really, if it were to really be about his sexuality it would rather be pointing at him being Gay then.) 

PERSONALLY, I like to see him as a demisexual, because of already from how Estonian can behave, you’d need to give Estonia some time to develop and attachment and then feelings and such. Respect his boundaries please ♥️

Here is just more images of very uncomfortable/confused/panicked/scared Estonia throughout this ONE episode (God I feel so bad for him..)

[tempenensis]

Halo! Here's a reddit link to information and research papers about onmyodo consolidated by other people and a link to an overview. Tried to summarize below bits and pieces that may be relevant to jjk (and which I tried to understand to the best of my abilities :P )

I think this will be the last time I write such a long-ass ask again, my apologies

About cursed spirits and mono

Court onmyojis in Heian used divination to find out the cause of things like curses, strange events (kaii), natural disasters, illness, why your dog is barking at a seemingly empty spot (answer: Megumi's divine dog is barking back) and so on. Strange events were referred to as mokke (物怪) or mono no satoshi (もノノサトシ) and believed to be omens of calamity that were caused by mono or "things" which could be anything like the curses of gods or something from the Imperial mausoleums. Furthermore, during the rule of Emperor Kanmu from end of Nara to early Heian, the Ritsuryo system of government began to crumble as imperial rule changed hands and political victims were feared as onryō (怨霊) that caused disease or death to the Emperor's nearest relatives (but not the Emperor himself). The fear of strange phenomena spread through the aristocrats and became commonplace. Onymojis were believed to be able to deal with the curse of mono as well (otherwise it's off to the chopping board for their jobs (and lives) they go, chop chop). And so the Imperial Court funded them to perform quelling rituals and ceremonies to appease gods, clear away damages by insects, pray for harvests and prevent the spread of epidemics (which ironically was exacerbated by the court's overspending and large-scale deforestation but that's another story). For individual cases like the spirits of living persons (ikiryō or ikisudama), or spirits of dead people (akuryō, ryō, onryō, shiryō or bōkon), onmyojis might determine that spiritual energy or evil spirits (mono no ke) was the cause but mikkyō genja (験者) or ritualists were the ones to subdue it by incantations. JJK cursed spirits resemble mono no ke in that they cannot be seen and may harm humans. Whereas jujutsu sorcerers are more like genja ritualists (complete with flashy kamehameha bombs) (and besides being cursed).

Lifespan rituals

The most popular theory for Sukuna's fixation with Megumi has already been covered by this blog owner with additional info on the Ten Divine Treasures. Another theory is that Sukuna could have been aiming for a higher level of enlightenment. Besides the Shinto-Buddhism angle, Onmyodo also has its own set of rituals concerning life and death. Onmyodo is basically a system of divination and techniques that focuses on worldly benefits and has no vision of the world after death. The rituals were instead based on the Chinese beliefs in honmyō (本命), Zokushō (属星) or the realm of the dead (冥界) and by the end of Heian, there were more than forty Onmyodo rituals to pray for the individual health and longevity of aristocrats (commoners: eat the rich 👎). For the terms honmyō and Zokushō, the closest meaning I can give without being too horribly misleading would be the life/destiny that you are born with according to your birth year, zodiac, constellation and so on. The most popular ritual was Taizan Fukun sai (泰山府君祭), which originated around the beginning of the tenth century and was closely associated with Abe no Seimei (yes that guy you keep seeing in anime). Taizan Fukun (泰山府君) is the lord of the eastern peak of Mt. Tai in China, a deity that summons the spirits of the dead and administers the lengthening and shortening of human lifespans. Twelve deities of the realm of the dead including Taizan Fukun were involved in this ritual. It was implemented on every honmyō day, but also as needed for illness, childbirth, natural disasters, and strange events. Media adaptations often depict Abe no Seimei (or other onmyojis) using the ritual for resurrection or reincarnation 😅 e.g. Tokyo Ravens, Shaman King, Onmyoji (2001). I don't think Gege will go for the same cliché trope for Sukuna but it's still interesting to know.

Seimei and Dōman (Gojo and Getou)

Anyone who knows about the folklores of Abe no Seimei 安倍 晴明 would be familiar with his eternal rival, Dōman 道満. Like Gojo who's the strongest jujutsu sorcerer, Seimei was the leading onmyoji specialist of his time. His position as the Kurōdo-dokoro onmyōji (highest-ranking onmyoji), legendary reputation and long lifespan lent to the notion that he had mystical powers due to being born from a human father and a kitsune mother. During Heian, Onmyodo referred to the organization of onmyojis under the control of high-ranking people of the same profession (kinda like the JJK elders) rather than the system of beliefs known today. Onmyōji with official status like Abe no Seimei would be kanjin onmyōji (官人陰陽師) or official onmyōji. Non-official onmyojis would include hōshi onmyōji (法師陰陽師) or priest onmyōji, who had the appearance of Buddhist priests (like how Getou was dressed as a cult leader), and presumably the control of the Onmyōdō did not extend to them. Official onmyōji, under the strict supervision of their superiors, would not have been permitted to have any connection with criminal acts such as curses. Instead, the Heian nobility turned to hoshi-onmyojis like Dōman to lay curses on their political rivals. There were many incidents involving curses within aristocratic society in Seimei’s time, and in a majority of cases the curses were placed by hōshi-onmyōji. Dōman himself had been spotted visiting a noblewoman, Takashina no Mitsuko, who employed hōshi-onmyōji to put a curse on several prominent political figures. Getou: "Let's curse each other... to our hearts' content!"

War onmyojis (and questioning of Gege's probable naming sense)

The Sengoku era treated court onmyojis poorly (ceremonies were expensive to fund). Warrior onmyodo being more practical (divining auspicious days for battle/forming alliances and exorcising evil spirits) became prominent instead. Academies that taught Confucian studies with divination and medicine as part of the curriculum flourished and the most famous was Ashikaga Gakkō (足利学校) (not as modern as Tokyo Jujutsu High though). Like Nanami and co. who became professional sorcerers, many of its students went to the battlefield as diviners and doctors. When peace returned during Tokugawa Ieyasu's rule, a few practitioners thrived by attaching themselves to powerful men. One would be Tenkai (天海) and another Kanshitsu Genkitsu, head of the Ashikaga Gakko. Being Ieyasu's bff, a temple Fushimi Enkoji (伏見円光寺) modeled after Ashikaga was built and Kanshitsu appointed as its head. Ieyasu also sponsored Kanshitsu's Fushimiban (伏見版), a publication project printed with wooden blocks. I'm definitely reaching here for Tengen and Fushiguro but I do wonder if Gege ever chanced upon those names.

🦆A Tail of Many Kamos: 鴨川, 下鴨, 鴨, 加茂, 賀茂 🦆

鴨川 - the Kamo river northeast of the Heian capital (modern Kyoto)

下鴨 - the Shimogamo Shrine (下鴨神社), a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Kamo family of kami

鴨 - the clan associated with the Kamo shrines and the famous poet-priest Kamo no Chōmei (鴨 長明) who witnessed the end of Heian. Also Bucephala albeola.

加茂 - Kamo no matsuri (加茂祭) or Aoi no matsuri (葵祭), an annual festival of Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine and one of the three major festivals in Kyoto, also one of the three big jujutsu clans (加茂家) in JJK. It's funny that Gege would choose a name with the same pronunciation as a real-life historic clan, which brings to the next point.

賀茂 - the formal name of the Shimogamo Shrine (賀茂御祖神社), also a once-prominent Heian Onmyoji family that died out during the Sengoku era. Thereafter, the Tsuchimikado (former Abe clan) took over their hereditary duties of keeping the calendar. Abe no Seimei's teacher was the astrology scholar (tenmon hakase 天文博士) Kamo no Yasunori (賀茂保憲). Could Kenjaku be based on Abe no Seimei as well?

The Musical Exorcist

The rock-n-roll grandpa, Gakuganji, might be based on the lesser known lute-priests called biwa-hoshi (琵琶法師) or zatō (座頭). Their musical style is referred to as heikyoku (平曲), which literally means "heike music". Accompanied by their mōsō-biwa (盲僧琵琶), the often-blind lay priests would chant Buddhist mantras, placate earth deities, perform spirit pacification chinkon (鎮魂) of vengeful spirits including onryō, communicate with the dead (Principal Yaga 😢), purify defilements haraikikyomeru (祓い清め) and border rites kyōkai girei (境界儀礼) that expel malign forces. The thesis "From Heike to Nomori no kagami" suggests that the musical practices and theories of Heike correlate with Yin-Yang principles. Which I will not further expound bcos I haz zero music theory knowledge and also this ask is far too long 😛 Hopefully Gakuganji will not remain blind to the less-than-holy intentions of the jujutsu higher-ups as the story continues.

Hello, lore anon! Thank you for compiling another stellar read!

Aaw, you'll be missed, but it's fine. Just do things and drop by if you feel like it.

Yes, onmyodo has a large influence on Japanese pop culture. Numerous manga takes their inspiration from onmyodo, jjk only one of them. Onmyouji had a very large political influence in the court. They were also a legit government position, literally civil servants back in the day.

The legend of Abe no Seimei and his rival Ashiya Douman is also famous. Abe no Seimei was said to be born from a kitsune (fox spirit) mother and human father, so he is often thought to not be fully human, hence his supernatural ability. I wouldn't be surprised if one of these characters is inspired by either Seimei or Douman; Sukuna, Kenjaku, or Tengen.

Kamo, yes, it seems that Gege actually takes the name of the clan. The fanbook said that Kamo clan arised to influence during the heyday of Heian period, the Golden age of Jujutsu. While it's lesser known, Kamo family is quite a legend too alongside Abe no Seimei in onmyoudou. As you said, Kamo no Tadayuki and his son Kamo no Yasunori has been known to teach Abe no Seimei.

[bao3bei4]

girlbosses, male wives, and other lesbian genders

a post about jing wei qing shang. but also mostly about another unrelated movie. spoiler-free.

for a lot of people, mulan 1998 is their definitive “ohhh i’m a chinese woman dressing as a man for contrived reasons and i get absolutely nooo erotic pleasure from this” movie. 

however, because i am very special and unique, for me it’s the love eterne 1963. it’s the shaw brothers adaptation of butterfly lovers, the classic chinese folktale. here’s how i’d summarize the movie: 

zhu yingtai, an aspiring scholar, convinces her parents to let her dress as a man to attend school. on the way there, she meets liang shanbo, another prospective student, and they become sworn brothers. they study together for three years, growing closer, until zhu yingtai returns home. liang shangbo accompanies her for the eighteen-li journey home while she hints she’s a woman, but he remains oblivious. by the time he learns her gender, her parents have engaged her to another man. he dies of grief, and while she mourns at his grave, it splits open, and she buries herself inside with him. two scraps of her torn outfit turn into butterflies and fly away.

it’s worth noting here that like. this movie is made in the huangmei opera style. so both zhu yingtai and liang shanbo are played by women (betty loh ti and ivy ling po respectively). because of this, basically every level of the film is preoccupied with gender: if we take zhu yingtai’s male performance as credible (as the characters in the movie do) the leads bond through male homoeroticism; the text is ultimately about a heterosexual romance; it is acted out by two women, in a performance that is difficult to mistake as heterosexual or even feminine; and the dialogue of the movie can’t help but remark on this.

basically it asks: what if lesbians could be gay both ways? wouldn’t that be based? 

like opera was traditionally made by single gender casts, so roles tended to be genderless, in that the gender of the actor doesn’t determine the gender of the role they play. roles are instead typed into four categories: dan (fem), sheng (masc), chou (clown), and jing (painted face). it’s a sick gender quadinary. each of these roles has further subtypes that are represented through stylized patterns of singing, makeup, costuming, movement etc.

so in butterfly lovers, betty loh ti plays a dan, and ivy ling po plays a sheng. but because of the textual cross-gender play, you end up with a woman playing a woman playing a man who falls in love with a woman playing a man.

i’m going to make a brief digression here into talking about like.. acting theory. in the european tradition, you see it evolving out of early concerns (from stanislavski, brecht) about the fourth wall, and its permeability or lack thereof. in chinese opera tradition, the fourth wall didn’t ever really exist. and mei lanfang, the legendary fanchuan performer, claimed that his success wasn’t just due to his appearance, but rather, his mastery of some nonliteral feminine subjectivity. 

If I kept my male feelings, even just a trace, it will betray my true self; then how can I compete for the audience’s affection for feminine beauty and guile?

i’m not going to argue that there’s like, an essence to being a woman because i’m not a fucking idiot. but there’s something to be said for the idea that the gendered interplay between the audience’s perception of the actor, the actor’s perception of themself, and the character they play is a massive part of the appeal of fanchuan performance.

this is echoed by david hwang’s m. butterfly, in which gallimard memorably says, “i’m a man who loved a woman created by a man. everything else—simply falls short.” btw sorry for having the type of brain disease where i constantly reference chinese crossdressing related media. you already know why i have it. 

anyway. parallel to that (but far less morally detestably), jin jiang argues “young male impersonators in yue opera embody women’s ideal men—elegant, graceful, capable, caring, gentle, and loyal.” so, trivially, 1) the eroticism embodied by fanchuan performers is distinctly different from their “straight” counterparts, and perhaps less trivially 2) it’s way better. 

back to the love eterne for a bit. one of the many reasons it’s lodged itself into my psyche is because there’s something more interesting at play than just all that. normally in opera, to compensate for any perceived residual femininity in the sheng, the dan camps it up even further. so this is how zhu yingtai first appears, this bratty femme pastiche of womanhood. yet within a couple minutes she’s dressed as a man, which she’ll stay as for the bulk of the movie. they do however make compromises with the makeup--more gently lifted eyebrows than the steep angles of the sheng opera beat, and an improbably masculine smoky eye. 

that’s right. they performed girlbossification on her. 

i don’t want to suggest that she’s straightforwardly feminine. i could write an entire other thing on her relationship to masculinity. instead i want to highlight the erotic interplay not just between the “girl” and the “boss” but also between her and her counterpart: the male wife. 

liang shanbo is ostensibly straightforwardly male, but his relationship with zhu yingtai isn’t gay in the ahaha what if i was into my bro way-- it’s a what if i was into my bro and i was his wife way.

that’s right. they performed force fem on a cis woman-man. like when zhu yingtai tells him he can’t watch over her as she recovers from an illness because “boys and girls can’t sleep together,” liang shanbo asks “are you implying that I’m a girl?”

there’s a lot of shit like this that builds up over the course of the movie. it all culminates in that final 18 mile journey. along the way, zhu yingtai compares them to a pair of mandarin ducks, one male & one female. liang shanbo sputters “i am a man inside out-- you shouldn’t--” before graciously conceding, “you may compare me to a woman.” 

this is like. a simple punchline. but it’s incredible. it’s true! liang shanbo isn’t a man inside out in that he’s a man and only a man, but rather that he’s a man seen inside first, built for desiring, by a woman & for a woman. as a perpetual object, he becomes a more believable woman than zhu yingtai. and at least in his view, it seems more likely that he could be a woman than her. but beyond that, his permissive tone reads as a kind of wanting in itself--recast, if she wants, “for you, i’ll be a woman.” 

obviously this is a classic lesbian mood. who among us has not seen “no gender only lesbian” posts. and speaking of classic lesbians, you might ask. did you just tiresomely reinvent butches and femmes but with a more annoying name? yes. no. okay. well. 

first, like butch/femme dynamics have both historical specificity and a classed character such that it’s not rlly that appropriate to impose them on the love eterne. and i guess more importantly, i wanna talk about stuff that isn’t real.

we fight all day about people who confuse performance with performativity, (i use we lightly here. for instance, i go outside every day so i don’t care about discourse) but what if we actually wanted to talk about the former for once? something specifically, whether we choose or are forced into it, that we pretend to be? 

anyway. what the hell does all that have to do with jing wei qing shang. i’m going to start by first making the argument that there’s no such thing as a naturally occurring girlboss. i think, honestly, she’s a product of capitalism (“boss” should be the tipoff here) but because both of these stories are set in ambiguously historical china, i’m going to say, instead that she’s a product of uhhh primitive accumulation.

semantics so that i can be canon compliant with marxism aside, if girlbosses are made not born, can you choose to be a girlboss? sheryl sandberg says yes. i don’t disagree, i guess, but i will say: stop glamorizing it! humans only become girlbosses when they’re greatly distressed. 

you become a girlboss when you have no other choice not to be one. when your wants are too great to be a woman, when the things you want are not things that women should want-- whether that’s something that really no one should want, like being a ceo, or whether that’s just something like loving a woman (or, as it is quite often, both) -- you have to become something else. 

another important part of being a girlboss is that other people are not. your excesses mean that not only do you lose something in the process, but your bosshood comes at the expense of others. the girlboss necessitates a girlworker, or so to speak. 

now we’re getting to jwqs. i’m assuming that you haven’t read jwqs, because most people haven’t. that was me until like four days ago. in broad strokes, the novel is about a woman, qiyan agula, who was raised as a prince, and her quest for revenge against the kingdom who slaughtered her people. of course, this involves marrying one of the princesses of that kingdom. it’s all very exciting (lesbian). 

what’s striking about jwqs is that both of them seem to fit the girlboss paradigm, in vaguely similar ways. qi yan (agula’s assumed name) seems to follow the lineage of zhu yingtai, who pretends to be a man to achieve her goals. she’s forced to give up much in the process, and also sacrifices a, uh, lot of innocent people. similarly, nangong jingnu, the princess, is inherently a girlboss because royalty sucks. but also, qi yan girlbossifies her over the course of their relationship. 

but i wouldn’t say jwqs is girlboss4girlboss. there’s something a little more complicated happening. qi yan isn’t zhu yingtai in that she’s a dan pretending to be a sheng. it seems more like that she was a sheng all along. it’s something that the women of the novel return to often: qi yan seems to be better than a man.

for instance, nangong sunu, jingnu’s older sister, reflects on this. 

Nangong Sunu had seen many foolishly loving women who sacrificed everything for the sake of their husbands, but there were rarely any men who would do the same for them. 

(...) 

Thinking it through, Nangong Sunu felt that Qi Yan was truly becoming more interesting. She intended to observe discreetly for a while, to verify if such a man truly existed in this world. (ch 221) 

and i forgot to write down the citation for this, but nangong jingnu also seems to argue that not only is qi yan prettier than a man, but she also seems to be prettier than a woman. (it’s the bit where she’s watching qi yan sleep. help me out here.)

moreover, the way qi yan relates to nangong jingnu is suggestive. jingnu brings out the elements of wanting to be a woman in her. it’s jingnu’s body that makes her wonder what she would look like if she was more feminine. it’s jingnu’s happiness that she resents, wishing that her people could have that as well. it’s her desire for jingnu that makes her a woman. 

(another important distinction i suppose--while one person can’t be both a butch and a femme, because the girlboss and the male wife are things we pretend to be until we embody them / them us -- there’s greater slippage between the two.)

anyway, the girlboss/male wife dynamic is reversed wrt who’s actually dressing as a different gender. that suggests an inversion in the implications we see from the love eterne, if we are to take the love eterne as the paradigmatic girlboss text. which i do, for no reason in particular. 

so then, is qi yan pretending to be a man? under the opera framework, we’re forced to say no. she’s not pretending to be a man any more so than liang shanbo (as acted by ivy ling po) was. but that, of course, feels incorrect, just looking at the text. is she, then, pretending to be a sheng? i’d strongly say no. the things that others see in her, they authentically see; and she does authentically feel the same things as liang shanbo wrt femininity.

so it has to be the opera framework that jwqs is subverting then. if qi yan kept some trace of her once-womanhood, if qi yan reveals her true self, and yet she still can compete for the audience’s affection-- jwqs’s inversion of the opera framework seems to argue instead that it’s that true self that allows you to compete. it’s being masc that lets you be a desirable woman; it’s being feminine that lets you be a desirable man.

there’s an increased gender ambivalence to jwqs, which make sense, i guess, seeing as it’s not meant to be a het story the way that the love eterne was. for instance, nangong jingnu crossdresses to go out in public, and qi yan remarks that jingnu’s disguise fooled her on their first meeting. when qi yan and jingnu go out in public, both disguised as men, they’re repeatedly perceived as a gay male couple. there’s freedom in that: they could be gay women only privately, they could be straight officially, but they could be anonymously gay publicly. 

so it’s through the gay male pretense that they can be gay women; it’s through the qi yan pretense that agula can love women; it’s the qi yan caring husband persona that coaxes jingnu in caring for qi yan in return-- jwqs, more precisely, argues that you can’t be a woman if you’re going to love them, and even less so if you’re going to be loved by one. 

this is perhaps well-trodden ground for anyone who has read wittig & certainly many people who haven’t. but it’s the layer of pretense that for me complicates these two narratives. 

i think it’s a relatable feeling: wanting something anticipating getting something, or wanting something for yourself anticipating knowing that you already had it. that is, desire in itself being constitutive of that reality. 

or less abstractly, knowing that you’d want to be a lesbian if you could, knowing that you’d want not to be a woman if you could-- anticipating any realization of either. 

the dramatic excesses & wants of the girlboss, i think, are a decent literary stand in for being a lesbian. 

i wanna note here that this is rlly just based on my experience being a transmisogyny exempt nonbinary diaspora lesbian lol. it’s fun & cathartic to overread this history & place myself in the accidental implications.

i don’t think most of the things i say are literally true. and i don’t want to overstep & say any of this can be generalized. please lmk if something here doesn’t read right! ok kisses bye

[lesbiancarat]

Haha its fine! Im book anon for a reason so take all the time you need! Before I start, I wanna apologize for the possible asks you got about the merch and hybe in general. I didn't intend to cause stress and need to be careful bdjahdsj so slap me with a fish!

Onto the ask! But agreed, I mean before the big kpop boom we saw, this was very common. Build a decent fanbase and then move to Japan or China. (Of course sometimes you see INSTANT movement in other countries but that depends on the company and such but you know what I mean) but since we do have the more global kpop era, we may see more companies do America which isn't a bad thing. It makes sense buisness wise so they will jump on it after debut or something. Thus I don't see it a bad thing for kpop groups to promote in America because hey, if in Korea they do sell western artist music who also tour there, kpop groups can also do the same ya know?

Now onto the hybe comment, I will try not to speak too much on it so I will try to summarize. I think my theory is due with merch from their main artist, they think maybe it could work with svt which maybe could but svt has a different fanbase so throwing on random merch won't make fans really want to buy (not saying some won't which kudos to you! As a fan you are allowed to consume what you please except not be a bad apple about it) so thus like the infamous water bottles which was done for bts, they thought why not do it for svt because bts fans sold it out apparently for a 2nd wave of it being sold again. (Which to this day idk why someone in the hybe team thought this was smart. Like...this is just in bad taste imo) I do wanna agree that it appears that hybe doesn't seem to have a proper art team for svt because while sometimes wild, I do know for their main artist they do have thoughtful merch based around say an album concept I recall. Kf course they will make mistakes i.e. the water bottles. I do wish it can improve because even though it is capitalism, I think fans do want decent merch. We have seen interesting ideas like svt making their own magazine and selling it lol. Of course it is hard to please because some fans want subtle merch ideas while others don't mind the vibrant pastel colors we got or some want wild ideas like svt figurines or something. Overall I hope I didn't drag this too much as I just wanted to respond back to you, I agree with many points you said so yeah cx I say let's also wait as this is barely what, a year or even less of svt being under hybe properly. Especially when hybe had its rebranding and expanding so things are being changed, I know fans are worried about this which is valid but let's not panic just yet. Let's come back in a year to this and see what has improved and what hasn't. (OK but peldis sold the boys rings!? :o since when!? I haven't heard of this actually, when did this happen if I may ask?)

Oof yeah sadly with streaming, many view "oh you don't stream it means you aren't a fan" when isn't the case (which is why I personally don't like when certain companies also do "listening parties" which seems a bit ???) I do remember this popped up big in 2017 but many fans called it out so it quiet down a bit. Like we didn't see it so often where fans were causing problems over it so idk why this returned nor what the cause of it was.

But thank you!! It really was a nice closing chapter, I think when I have personal stuff settled I will try maybe get a new bunny? And oohh congrats on the album! (Note to hybe or pledis. Please make the us store a more common thing, it makes things so much easier! Am happy it was at your place quick so kudos to the us store. Oohh wonderful choices! I think for many fans anyone or heaven's cloud seems to be the popular picks? For me, I may have to say game boi or heaven's cloud as well! Those songs make me just so happy? Like game boy is just so creative with the way it was made. As a video game nerd, it is perfection. I could make an essay about this song lol and heaven's cloud is just...wow. I feel so at ease with the song, comfortable and soothed. Like you are on a cloud lol. Also that is totally fine! Rtl was a grower for me (I blame the mv, it didn't do the song jusitice) but it is a bop and can't stop humming the chorus at random moments. Overall a great summer album. Just imagine any of these songs performed live ndjansns

lol don't feel too bad about it! honestly they weren't that bad + i can always delete asks if i really don't want to answer them, i just always get a bit paranoid that things will get out of hand so i may end up getting more serious in those situations OTL

and yeah i agree! i don't think it's a bad thing for groups to promote in the US, as you said, it's similar to groups expanding their fanbase by promoting in china or Japan or other asian counties, it makes sense from a business standpoint and there's nothing wrong with promoting in different countries. i just wish that some kpop stans understood that western and/or global popularity is a bonus and not a requirement for success. while they do have a global appeal, at the end of the day kpop's main audience is korea, and groups that achieve popularity in Korea have already achieved what they set out to do. but there's unfortunately a decent chunk of international fans that prioritize western popularity over anything and can't fathom that a group can be successful without being popular in the US. or they just talk as if their groups western achievements are more valuable than their Korean ones and to me that starts to look like xenophobia... (sorry if I'm repeating anything i said before in regards to this, i feel like i am but I'm too lazy to go back and check OTL)

since you sent this ask hybe released the caratland merch which was actually really nice, and today they also announced that there will be birthday merch for cheol (and presumably all members from here on out). we don't know what the bday merch is yet but some carats are already a bit miffed that hybe is even thinking to capitalize off the boys' birthdays... i bring both of these up bc i feel like the caratland merch proves your point that hybe is capable of designing good and thoughtful merch, and honestly this does reassure me a bit. but on the other hand them trying to capitalize off the boys' birthdays also proves that they still don't fully understand carats wants and priorities as a fanbase. which, if the future of seventeens merch is gonna be quality merch with some shitty cash grabs in between, i can live with that. I'm not gonna like the shitty cash grabs and i think it would be in our best interest as a fandom to not go crazy buying those shitty cash grabs, because if we don't then hybe will hopefully stop wasting their time and put more effort into /quality/. but if we get quality merch for important events like concerts and fanmeetings, i can live with it. as you said too, it can take time for these things to change, and we should all recognize that. but at the same time merch specifically is market driven, so i don't think it's a bad thing if people like @ hybe on twt about any bad merch that comes out in order to drive that change dhfkfj

but also on a maybe more fun note in regards to the merch... with some carats being upset about the bday merch i was thinking about what hybe could do for merch instead that would fill the niche of being at intervals throughout the year that could still be limited time drops but that carats wouldn't be mad at them capitalizing on and then i was like duh! they could literally just make merch off of going seventeen! honestly I'm surprised they haven't yet. maybe not merch for every episode, but they could have a line of permanent gose merch w a basic logo or something and then release limited time merch themed around some of the more popular episodes at various points during the year. I'm actually kind of obsessed with this idea now and for once I'm like hybe/pledis please capitalize off of this!! dhfkgjg

they never actually sold them, but for seventeens 3rd anniversary, pledis planned to sell replicas of seventeens rings. after it was announced carats were understandably upset since the boys worked so hard for those. luckily pledis heard carats concerns and put out an apology and didn't manufacture them in the end. I'm glad that at least they listened to carats even though it would have been better if they had never considered the idea in the first place :(

oh yeah listening parties are definitely just another marketing technique to boost streams. i think like with a lot of marketing techniques, it just depends on the execution. imo if they're done well it can be a good way for fans to connect while listening to an artists music, which is mutually beneficial for the company, but i can totally see a situation where companies get greedy and push it too hard. i don't know anything about what happened with them back in the day, but if you're curious why SVT had listening parties leading up to your choice, they were set up by UMG, the American distributor that SVT worked with for this cb. in this case the listening parties weren't just for boosting streams, but also likely for UMG to gauge interest. SVT isn't officially signed to a US label yet, but UMG's data from the listening parties could be used to show US labels whether or not there's enough interest for them to be signed. which if that happens we'd almost definitely see a more permanent US shop!

ahh yes, once you're ready I'm sure it would be great to have another bunny companion 🥺

yes! heavens cloud and gam3 bo1 are both such feel good songs! my sister actually added heavens cloud to their Spotify after i made them listen to the album in the car dhfkf it's now one of 6 kpop songs they have saved (4 of which are SVT... my influence 💅 DHFJFH) I'm certain we'll see some of the songs from your choice at caratland this year, hopefully it's all of them but I'd especially like to see heavens cloud and wave 👀 I'm also still crossing my fingers for an i wish live performance bc i can't believe my favorite SVT b-side is one of the TWO tracks they haven't performed live not including the new album (the other one being network love, which i would also like to see live!)

[farmerlan]

Farmer Lan’s Rewatch Guide to The Untamed - Episode 11

Jiang Fengmian’s palms getting real sweaty rn

episode masterlist here

SPOILER WARNING!  

[Jin Guangyao takes his leave and Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng decide to return to the Lotus Pier. Jiang Cheng is worried about being punished for leaving without permission and grouses that he will never stop getting into trouble because of Wei Wuxian. When Jiang Fengmian appears, he seems unusually concerned about whether they encountered any trouble along the way as opposed to whether they stirred up any trouble.]

Differences from the novel:

This pretty much doesn’t happen since none of the events leading up to it happens in the novel.

It’s kind of interesting because I think the show makes Jiang Fengmian appear more disciplinarian than he is in the novel? In the drama, he definitely harshly rebuked Wei Wuxian at the Cloud Recesses and Jiang Cheng mentioned being punished by him. But in the novel Madam Yu was 100% the disciplinarian and Jiang Fengmian either was way too relaxed (with Wei Wuxian) or just didn’t care (with Jiang Cheng).

[Jiang Yanli arrives as well and they all sit down for lunch when Madam Yu shows up. I LOVE how her entrance is accompanied by villainous music. She has a bone to pick with...well, just about everybody. She goes off about the Wen ‘indoctrination’ and the unfairness of Jiang Cheng being forced to go as the heir while Wei Wuxian is given a choice. She doesn’t give face to ANYBODY, picking on Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, and Wei Wuxian in turn.]

Differences from the novel:

This does happen in Chapter 51, pretty much almost word for word. There is, I think, some interesting nuance in her choice of words here that might have been missed if you relied on the Netflix subs (which kind of suck, sorry), so I summarized my thoughts in the overall section below.

[Lan Wangji is ambushed by Wen Chao on his way back, but manages to escape. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren do the whole “no, YOU leave and I stay” routine and Lan Xichen finally accepts that he must escape with the Lan archives. We watch the Lan disciples get massacred.

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng disclose their involvement with the Yin metal to Jiang Fengmian, and Jiang Fengmian speculates that while the Wen sect won’t come for them YET, the Lan sect is likely in deeper shit than the rest of them due to their involvement with the Yin metal. 

The Lan disciples and Lan Qiren convene outside the cold cave, and are joined by Lan Wangji. They make it into the cold cave, but are betrayed by Su She. Lan Wangji tells Wen Xu to leave the Cloud Recesses in exchange for the Yin metal - and gets one of his legs broken.]

Differences from the novel:

We don’t really get to see what happens at the Lan sect during the burning of the Cloud Recesses - we only learn of it through what was recounted by Lan Wangji. He does get his leg broken though.

Lan Xichen claims he cannot leave because he is the sect leader, implying that their father is already dead. However, in the novel, the raid happens when their father, Qingheng-Jun, is still alive. In Chapter 55, while trapped in the tortoise cave, Lan Wangji mentions that when he left for the Wen indoctrination, his father was severely injured in the attack, and Lan Xichen escaped with as much of the sect’s archives as possible,  with his current whereabouts unknown. When Wei Wuxian awakens at Lotus Pier afterwards, he learns from Jiang Cheng that Qingheng-Jun had passed away while they were at the Wen sect. :(

Ambush doesn’t happen, and the Su She/cold cave scene doesn’t happen. In the flashback timeline, Su She really only shows up twice - once as part of the water ghosts excursion and once at the tortoise cave.

[Back at the Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian demonstrates his archery prowess. Jiang Cheng says, ‘Shooting under their sun won’t be as easy as today” - on the surface a reference to the weather, but keep in mind that the Wen sect’s symbol is the sun, and in Chinese what he said can also be translated as “THIS sun” (这太阳), right after one of the disciples mentions the Wen sect, so it’s literally foreshadowing the eventual Sunshot Campaign (射日). 

Wen Ruohan is displeased that Wen Qing lets Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian escape, and she promises that there will not be a next time. Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are headed to Qishan and Jiang Fengmian sends them off with his famous line, “明知不可为而为之，有所不为，方有可为”.

They arrive at Qishan and we see some familiar faces, but the Lan sect is conspicuously missing. Wen Chao makes his appearance and the Wen guards bring in Lan Wangji, and then demands they surrender their swords.]

Differences from the novel:

I have thoughts about the English translation of the Jiang sect’s motto (“attempting the impossible”), I’ll save them for down below. Also - Jiang Fengmian never says the latter half the line in the novel - only the motto (明知不可而为之).

In the novel, they are practicing archery/fooling around right before Madam Yu shows up to admonish them, and then they learn about the Wen sect indoctrination. So the sequence of events is flipped around.

Since Lan Wangji didn’t have to surrender the Yin metal to the Wen sect in the novel, he just shows up with the rest of the Lan sect disciples in the novel.

This is the first time that we run into Wen Chao in the novel, and he’s flanked by Wang Lingjiao and Wen Zhuliu.

Overall thoughts：

First of all, Netflix’s subtitling needs work. I mean, I know it’s definitely not easy to do any kind of translation, so I don’t want to rag on anyone’s efforts either, but I was laughing at parts of the show. I didn’t have subtitles on when I first watched The Untamed, but I turned it on for the re-watch since it might be helpful to see how my understanding aligns with that of a non-Chinese viewer. It’s not bad, but also missing some flavor.

I first laughed at Netflix’s subtitle usage of ‘myrmidon’ when subbing Madam Yu - it’s a serious SAT word where servant would have sufficed. Madam Yu’s speech is actually pretty much identical to what was in the novel, but I wanted to point out her specific usage of the word ‘household servant/家仆’, and the subtext here that might be missed for people relying on the subs. In the novel, she calls out Jiang Yanli for peeling lotus seeds for Wei Wuxian and says, ‘You’re not a servant!’. In the context of the situation, she is specifically pointing out the difference between her and Wei Wuxian’s status - don’t serve someone who is supposed to serve you, remember your place is higher than his. Keep in mind that Wei Wuxian’s father was a servant of the Jiang sect who eloped with CSSR (whom Jiang Fengmian had fancied). Wei Wuxian’s high status within the Jiang sect is unusual and has always been seen as a symbol of favoritism and therefore a sore spot for Madam Yu. It would have been way more common for him to have a servant/companion relationship with Jiang Cheng (similar to how Jin Guangyao’s relationship was with Nie Huaisang in the drama) since he is after all completely unrelated by blood to the Jiang sect. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian even discuss this in greater detail in Chapter 56 - funnily enough, Wei Wuxian doesn’t mind this term at all, most likely because he was raised more like the child of a sect leader vs. the child of a servant.

(Mini non-related rant: I sometimes see fan discussions that casually glosses over the importance of blood and familial ties in Chinese culture, and it makes me want to tear my hair out, especially considering that the whole ‘blood is thicker than water’ thing is basically a trope in so much of Chinese xianxia/wuxia literature. There’s a lot of “how could you abandon someone who is basically your brother” talk when discussing the relationship dynamics between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian while blithely ignoring the fact that they are NOT and WILL NEVER BE brothers. Periodt. In fact, they are clearly both deeply cognizant (Jiang Cheng perhaps more so) of their non-familial ties and it is an issue that comes up again and again in their conversations or narrative dialogues. I just hate it when people handwave away their complicated relationship and pin it all on Jiang Cheng as being ‘unsibling-y’. /end rant)

One other thing I’m kind of picky about is the translation for the Yunmeng Jiang sect’s motto - to ‘attempt the impossible’, or ‘“明知不可而为之’. Strictly speaking, I don’t think it’s a great translation of the meaning of the phrase, which is likely derived from the Analects of Confucius (Xian Wen, 38), because it leaves out a big chunk of the meaning. 明知不可而为之 is to do what you SHOULD do, even if it seems impossible and, in the course of doing so, you may find that it wasn’t so impossible after all, but the possibility of success or failure should not preclude you from doing what needs to be done. Lu Xun, one of China’s most esteemed writers, wrote a piece that I think fits in well here - if you see a bunch of people soundly asleep in a room that has no easy way in or out, and you knew they would asphyxiate to death soon, would you wake them? Or let them pass away peacefully in their sleep? (Note: he wasn’t specifically using the example to illustrate this principle, it’s just a story I borrowed that fits in well here)

The argument under the 明知不可而为之 principle would be to wake them. Even though they’ll likely spend their last moments in terror and struggling for air and trying to escape, it is what you should do, even if the outcome is unlikely to be favorable.

Interestingly, it has been used in a much more negative context in the novel. In the novel, the line is often referenced in the light of ‘you knew this would cause trouble and disaster for everyone and yet you went ahead anyway’ - if I were to insert ‘attempt the impossible’ into those situations, it would be really odd.

Lastly, I do love the show’s portrayal of the Lotus Pier! It’s exactly like how the novel depicted it and honestly it still breaks my heart how it was sacked + the changes in the succeeding years as Jiang Cheng rebuilt Yunmeng. I don’t remember if the show goes into too much detail, but in the novel, it’s mentioned in Chapter 86 and 92 that there’s a lot less activity around the Lotus Pier now due to Jiang Cheng’s fearsome temperament. :(

Also straight up I’m gonna say Jiang Fengmian has the best fits in the entire series, how can you not get with that black and purple combo ughhhh

[nimahrelish]

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[aijustborn]

Jia Jia Robot: China's Pioneering Humanoid Robot

Did you know that in 2010, only 17% of jobs in the United States were considered highly automatable? By 2022, this number had jumped to 46%, according to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its exponential growth, the potential impact of robots on our workplaces and society becomes increasingly real. Caption: Dive into the realm of dreams, where imagination takes flight and reality blurs with the fantastical. Imagine a robot that can not only walk and talk but also hold basic conversations and respond to your questions with lifelike facial expressions. This wasn't science fiction in 2010 when Jia Jia, China's groundbreaking humanoid robot, was unveiled to the world. Jia Jia's creation marked a significant milestone in the field of AI and robotics, sparking both fascination and debate about the future of human-robot interaction. As we delve into the story of Jia Jia, its capabilities, and the impact it has had on the world, a crucial question arises: are advanced humanoid robots like Jia Jia simply fascinating machines, or do they represent a glimpse into a future where robots will play an increasingly significant role in our lives, and if so, what are the potential benefits and challenges associated with this future? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLcgmCPw_80 Caption: This video provides a glimpse into Jia Jia's capabilities, showcasing its ability to speak, recognize faces, and exhibit basic emotional expressions. In a world increasingly driven by technological advancements, the boundaries between science fiction and reality are blurring faster than ever. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving, and the field of robotics is pushing the limits of what machines can do. One of the most captivating examples of this progress is Jia Jia, a pioneering humanoid robot developed by the University of Science and Technology of China. Key Features and Capabilities of Jia Jia FeatureDescriptionPhysical DesignApproximately 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) tall, humanoid form with articulated limbsMovementBasic walking and turning abilitiesSensory CapabilitiesCameras, microphones, and touch sensorsCommunication SkillsSpeech recognition and pre-recorded speech synthesisCognitive AbilitiesFacial recognition and pre-programmed emotional expressionsCaption: This table summarizes the key features and capabilities of Jia Jia, highlighting its technological advancements in movement, communication, and interaction. Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010 captured the world's attention. This lifelike robot, boasting the ability to walk, talk, and even express basic emotions, stood as a testament to the tremendous strides being made in AI and robotics. But Jia Jia's story is more than just a technological marvel. It's a story that compels us to consider the profound impact AI may have on our future, from its potential applications in various fields to the ethical considerations surrounding its development and use. - As mentioned earlier, the McKinsey Global Institute report indicates a significant rise in the percentage of jobs considered automatable, highlighting the potential impact of AI on the workforce. - A 2022 study by the Pew Research Center found that while a majority of Americans (72%) believe robots and other forms of AI will eventually do most of the work currently done by humans, only 33% believe this will be a good thing. These statistics showcase the public's existing concerns and mixed reactions to the potential impacts of advanced AI. Unveiling Jia Jia: A Historical and Technical Overview Journey from Concept to Creation: The story of Jia Jia begins in the laboratories of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). In the early 2000s, a team of researchers led by Professor Chen Xiaoping embarked on an ambitious project with a clear goal: to push the boundaries of AI and robotics by developing a humanoid robot capable of not only movement and speech but also basic interaction and emotional responses. Caption: A glimpse into the future, where humans and robots coexist in a vibrant and innovative cybernetic metropolis. Overcoming Challenges: Developing such an advanced robot wasn't without its hurdles. The team faced numerous challenges, including: - Engineering complex mechanisms: Creating a robot that could move and interact naturally required breakthroughs in areas like motor control, sensor integration, and balance systems. - Developing advanced software: Jia Jia's ability to communicate and respond required sophisticated software for speech recognition, speech synthesis, and facial expression recognition. - Balancing functionality with aesthetics: The team aimed to create a robot that not only functioned but also appeared lifelike. This involved integrating aesthetic design principles alongside the complex technology. Caption: This bar chart illustrates the exponential growth in research papers published on humanoid robots between 2010 and 2023, reflecting the increasing interest and activity in this field. Unveiling the Machine: Capabilities and Features: A Closer Look at Jia Jia's Technological Marvels: Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010 showcased a range of impressive functionalities, making it a landmark achievement in the field of humanoid robotics. Here's a breakdown of its key features: - Physical Design and Movement: Jia Jia stood approximately 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) tall and possessed a humanoid form with articulated limbs, allowing for basic movements like walking and turning. - Sensory Capabilities: The robot was equipped with various sensors, including cameras, microphones, and touch sensors, enabling it to gather information about its surroundings and interact with the environment. - Communication Skills: Jia Jia could recognize and respond to basic spoken commands, thanks to its speech recognition software. Additionally, it could synthesize speech using a pre-recorded voice database. - Cognitive Abilities: While not capable of complex thought processes, Jia Jia could recognize faces and exhibit basic emotional responses through pre-programmed facial expressions. Initial Public Reactions to Jia Jia (2010) ReactionDescriptionFascination and ExcitementPublic interest and amazement at Jia Jia's lifelike features and basic interactive capabilitiesMedia FrenzyWidespread media coverage highlighting Jia Jia's capabilities and sparking public discussionsConcerns and SkepticismQuestions about the ethical implications of advanced AI and potential job displacementDebate about RealismDiscussions about the degree of "realism" achieved by Jia Jia and its purposeCaption: This table outlines the diverse initial public reactions to Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010, showcasing both fascination and concerns surrounding the robot and its implications. Benchmarking Innovation: Comparing Jia Jia to its Peers: Standing Out in the Crowd: While groundbreaking for its time, Jia Jia wasn't the only humanoid robot in existence. When compared to its contemporaries, Jia Jia stood out in several key areas: - Advanced Facial Expressions: Compared to other robots of the time, Jia Jia's ability to display a wider range of facial expressions, albeit pre-programmed, added a level of realism that was unmatched. - Focus on Human Interaction: The project's emphasis on developing basic communication and interaction capabilities set Jia Jia apart from robots primarily focused on specific tasks or functionalities. - Public Accessibility: Unlike some research prototypes, Jia Jia was showcased at public events and demonstrations, sparking wider public interest and discussion about the potential of humanoid robots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCZzINexgE Caption: This video offers a broader perspective on the development of humanoid robots in China, featuring Jia Jia alongside another robot with similar functionalities. Unveiling Jia Jia: A Deep Dive into China's Pioneering Humanoid Robot Public Response and Societal Impact Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010 garnered significant media attention and public interest. The robot's lifelike features and basic interactive capabilities sparked a wave of: Caption: Dive into the depths of the ocean with a sophisticated humanoid robot, exploring the mysteries of the underwater world. - Fascination and Excitement: Many people were amazed by the technological advancements showcased by Jia Jia, viewing it as a symbol of human ingenuity and a glimpse into the future of robotics. - Media Frenzy: News outlets worldwide covered Jia Jia extensively, highlighting its capabilities and sparking discussions about its potential applications and implications. Caption: This line graph depicts the rising public perception in the United States that AI will eventually do most of the work currently performed by humans, highlighting the growing significance of AI in public discourse. However, alongside the fascination, there were also: - Concerns and Skepticism: Some individuals expressed concerns about the ethical implications of developing advanced AI, questioning the potential negative impacts on society and the potential loss of jobs due to automation. - Debate about Realism: While Jia Jia's movements and facial expressions were more advanced than previous robots, some critics argued that it still fell short of true "realism," raising questions about the purpose and limitations of such technology. Addressing Public Concerns ("People Also Ask" Integration): - Media Portrayal: The media played a significant role in shaping public perception of Jia Jia. Some media outlets focused solely on the robot's technological marvels, while others delved deeper into the ethical concerns and potential societal impacts. - Public Backlash and Fear: While there wasn't a widespread public backlash against Jia Jia specifically, some individuals expressed broader concerns about the potential dangers of AI, drawing comparisons to science fiction portrayals of robots taking over the world. These concerns, however, were not directed solely at Jia Jia and reflected anxieties about the broader development of AI. Humanoid Robots and Related Challenges Application AreaPotential BenefitsChallengesHealthcarePatient care, rehabilitation therapy, surgical assistanceHigh development costs, ethical considerations in patient care, potential job displacement in healthcareCustomer Service & Social InteractionInformation provision, assistance in various settings, companionship for isolated individualsTraining costs, potential for bias in AI algorithms, ensuring human oversight and controlSearch & RescueAssistance in hazardous environments, minimizing risks for human personnelDevelopment of robust safety protocols, ensuring responsible deployment in sensitive situationsManufacturing & Industrial TasksImproved efficiency, reduced risks for human workersJob displacement in certain sectors, retraining and upskilling workforceCaption: This table showcases the potential benefits and challenges associated with deploying humanoid robots in various application areas, highlighting the need for careful consideration of both opportunities and potential drawbacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro4Mk5rkkd0 This video delves into the ongoing development of Jia Jia and the future of humanoid robots. Beyond the Headlines: The Lasting Legacy of Jia Jia: Long-Term Impact on AI and Robotics: Beyond the initial media frenzy, Jia Jia's legacy extends far beyond its time in the spotlight. The development and subsequent unveiling of the robot had a lasting impact on the field of AI and robotics in several ways: - Inspiration for Further Research: Jia Jia served as a significant inspiration for researchers and engineers around the world, stimulating further research and development efforts in humanoid robotics. This led to the creation of even more advanced and sophisticated robots in subsequent years. - Contributions to Diverse Fields: The technical advancements achieved in Jia Jia's development contributed not only to the field of robotics but also to other related areas like machine learning, computer vision, and artificial muscles. - Sparking Crucial Conversations: Jia Jia's emergence sparked crucial conversations about the ethical considerations surrounding AI development. These discussions continue to this day, as researchers and policymakers strive to develop and deploy AI responsibly. Exploring the Future A Glimpse into a Future of Human-Robot Collaboration: Humanoid robots like Jia Jia represent a glimpse into a future where robots may play an increasingly significant role in various aspects of our lives. While Jia Jia's capabilities were primarily focused on research and demonstration purposes, the potential applications of advanced humanoid robots extend to diverse fields: Caption: In a world of steam and steel, a revolution ignites, fueled by the spirit of innovation and the fight for freedom. - Healthcare: Humanoid robots could potentially assist medical professionals in various ways, such as: - Patient care and companionship: Providing companionship and emotional support to patients, particularly in geriatric care settings. - Rehabilitation therapy: Assisting with physical therapy exercises and monitoring patient progress. - Surgical assistance: Assisting surgeons in complex procedures with improved precision and minimal invasiveness. - Customer Service and Social Interaction: Humanoid robots could be employed in customer service roles, providing information and assistance to clients in various settings. Additionally, they could be used in social interaction for individuals with disabilities or those experiencing social isolation. - Search and Rescue Operations: Humanoid robots, equipped with appropriate sensors and capabilities, could be deployed in hazardous environments for search and rescue operations, minimizing risks for human personnel. - Manufacturing and Industrial Tasks: Humanoid robots could perform repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks in manufacturing and industrial settings, improving safety and efficiency. Caption: This pie chart showcases the potential distribution of humanoid robots across various application areas, emphasizing their potential impact in diverse sectors. It's important to note that these are just potential applications, and the widespread adoption and integration of humanoid robots in these fields will likely require further advancements in technology and careful consideration of ethical implications. Addressing the Challenges of AI Development: Navigating the Ethical Landscape: As the development of AI and robotics continues to accelerate, it's crucial to address the ethical challenges that come along with it. These challenges include: - Job Displacement and Societal Disruption: The potential for automation through advanced AI and robotics raises concerns about job displacement, particularly in sectors with repetitive tasks. It's crucial to consider how we can prepare for and mitigate the potential negative impacts on the workforce. - Concerns about Bias and Discrimination: AI algorithms are not immune to biases present in the data they are trained on. This can lead to discriminatory outcomes if not carefully addressed. Mitigating bias in AI development and deployment is critical to ensure fairness and inclusivity. - The Need for Transparency and Accountability: As AI systems become increasingly complex, ensuring transparency and accountability in their development and use becomes crucial. This involves understanding how AI systems work, who is responsible for their decisions, and how potential biases are addressed. Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative effort from researchers, developers, policymakers, and the public. By engaging in open and transparent dialogue and actively working towards responsible AI development, we can navigate the ethical crossroads and ensure that AI advancements benefit humanity as a whole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J593vfn39AY Caption: This video captures Jia Jia's appearance and interaction at the World Robot Conference, highlighting the public interest it generated. Conclusion We explored the origins and development of Jia Jia, highlighting its unique features and how it compared to other robots at the time. .We examined the diverse public reactions to its unveiling, from initial fascination to concerns about the ethical implications of AI. We then delved into the lasting legacy of Jia Jia, including its contributions to further research and the crucial conversations it sparked around ethical considerations in AI development. Finally, we looked to the future, exploring the potential applications of humanoid robots in various fields and the ethical challenges we face as AI continues to evolve. As we move forward, it is crucial to engage in open dialogue and collaborative efforts to ensure that AI advancements benefit humanity as a whole. By learning from the story of Jia Jia and its impact, we can be better prepared to navigate the exciting and complex future of human-robot interaction. You also Read on Linkedin and Medium Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - What are the key features and capabilities of Jia Jia? - Jia Jia stands approximately 1.4 meters tall with articulated limbs for basic movement. - It is equipped with cameras, microphones, touch sensors, speech recognition, and pre-programmed facial expressions for communication. - How was Jia Jia developed? - Jia Jia was developed by a team of researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China led by Professor Chen Xiaoping. - The goal was to create a humanoid robot capable of natural movement, speech, and interaction. - What was the public reaction to Jia Jia's unveiling in 2010? - The public reaction was a mix of fascination, excitement, and skepticism. - Many were amazed by its lifelike features, while others expressed concerns about the ethical implications and potential job displacement due to automation. - What are the potential applications of humanoid robots like Jia Jia? - Humanoid robots like Jia Jia have potential applications in healthcare, customer service, search and rescue operations, and manufacturing tasks. - They can assist in patient care, provide companionship, aid in hazardous environments, and improve efficiency in industrial settings. - What are the ethical challenges associated with the development of humanoid robots? - Some ethical challenges include job displacement, potential bias in AI algorithms, and ensuring transparency and accountability in their development and use. - It's crucial to address these challenges to ensure responsible deployment and minimize negative impacts. - How can I learn more about the development and impact of Jia Jia? - You can explore resources such as scholarly research databases, official websites of institutions involved in the development of humanoid robots, and reports from organizations like the Pew Research Center and the World Economic Forum. Resources - University of Science and Technology of China (USTC): https://en.ustc.edu.cn/ - IEEE Xplore (scholarly research database): https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp - Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/ - World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/ - ai art for amazing articles and blogs - AI-Generated Harley Quinn Fan Art - AI Monopoly Board Image - WooCommerce SEO backlinks services Read the full article

[fineillsignup]

How did Ancient China handle homosexuality? I saw you were discussing polygyny earlier - specifically the surplus of men. Just got me wondering if they were more tolerant of that back then (kind of like samurai Broship And If There’s Sex Well Just Don’t Say It Out Loud, if that’s not some yaoi lover induced fantasy). Did they care about what the Bitches did? Or am I being way too open minded and Ancient China is closer to Puritanical US...?

Oh boy. This is a huge topic, of course, there are many books and papers about it, people who specialize their academic careers in aspects of it, and so this ask can’t help but be cursory and should not be relied upon, as I’m just going to answer off of my recollections and give a broad look. A lot of what follows is over-simplified and prioritizes brief understand over full accuracy. Also, “ancient China” covers a huge swathe of time; the following is focused on the end of the Han, the Three Kingdoms, and the beginning of the Jin.

Tolerance is not one scale but actually many scales, and LGBT+ issues are not one thing but many things. It’s far too easy for people, answering/summarizing broadly for popular consumption on places like Tumblr, to resort to “it was hell” or “it was paradise” when it comes to any kind of historical issue, gay history not excepted.

So I’m going to limit myself to the issues of men having sex with men and women having sex with women.

MSM: Daoism of the era looked down on men having sex with men, not as immoral per se but as unhealthy. The reason for that is that [most] Daoists of the era had particular beliefs about the magical (to be simplistic) powers of sexual intercourse. They believed ejaculation was inherently harmful to men, and could be partially to fully offset by “consuming” the generative magical power of the female pleasure/orgasm. Under this model of sex, male masturbation and male/male sex is harmful, because the ejaculation is wasted with zero return from the female. Even male orgasm with females was considered to be something that should be greatly reduced in later life, or it would shorten one’s lifespan.

Confucianism is passionately concerned with the male-led family unit and the propagation of children. Again, men having sex with men is not necessarily immoral in this era (Neo-Confucianism and so on much, much later had more issues with homosexual acts), but it could not distract any men involved from their vital task of marrying a woman and siring sons on her to continue the family line and perform the ancestral sacrifices.

De facto and de jure, men having sex with men was tolerated, certainly in the broadest sense that it wasn’t in any way illegal or criminalized. Two of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove were famously lovers, and while one of them met a bad end, it was because of his seditious/anti-Sima writing and attitude, not anything to do with his having a male lover.

WSW: Under Daoism, unlike men, women could masturbate and have sex with each other as much as they wanted, because female pleasure and female orgasm were generative. For Confucianism, just like with men, women must marry and must bear children, but they have the specific duty to obey a man (father, husband, or son) at all points of their life. So, if whatever man they have to obey is fine with it, then I guess it would be fine? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

That said, because women are women, and because women in this particular era of history are not considered worth thinking about, even more so than most eras of Chinese history, there is extremely limited historical records. Women’s lives in this era, and even more so in later eras (which affected what earlier writings were preserved instead of neglected or destroyed) were considered really private and not acceptable to talk about. So there’s a dearth of firm evidence.

Sex and romance between women in the same harem seems to have been fairly common and considered inevitable due to the sexual frustration that would come from being one of many women who had to share the same man. And again, in no way illegal or criminalized.

Soooo that’s the basics I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Like I said there is a ton of research into the topic, take the above as a really really really really rough intro, rather than a summary. Oh and happy pride month.

[crimethinc]

The Catalan Independence Movement: A New Chapter of Unrest—Chronicling a Week of Escalation

Starting Monday, in response to draconian sentences imposed on politicians who promote Catalan independence, tens of thousands of people across Catalunya have engaged in sustained rioting and disruption. Although the majority of the movement remains pacifistic, a few thousand participants have rejected the leadership of political parties and organizations, opting for open confrontation with police. The various mobilizations are still taking place in confluence, however, making it very difficult for the police to control. Protesters have reportedly used caltrops, Molotov cocktails, and paint balloons to disable police riot vans, while keeping individual officers at a distance with lasers and slingshots and driving away helicopters with fireworks. In the following report, we review the events of the past week and explore what is at stake in this struggle.

As anarchists, we have a more robust conception of self-determination than mere national sovereignty. All governments are based on the asymmetry of power between ruler and ruled; nationalism is just one of several means by which rulers seek to turn us against each other so we don’t unite against them. We consider it instructive that the Catalan police have worked closely with Spanish national police throughout the last several years of repression; even if Catalunya gains independence, we are certain that independent Catalan police and courts will continue to repress those who fight against capitalism and seek true self-determination. At the same time, there is a longstanding tradition of anarchist and anti-state activity in Catalunya, and we are inspired to see some of this coming to the fore in resistance to the violence of the Spanish state. It is possible that the latest escalation of conflict in the streets of Catalunya will be a step towards the radicalization of the entire movement and the delegitimizing of state solutions.

Let’s look closer to see.

Members of Committees for the Defense of the Republic gather outside the Civil Guard barracks during a protest after nine activists associated with the Catalan independence movement were detained by police in Barcelona, Spain September 23, 2019.

Monday, October 14

In retribution for the 2017 referendum and subsequent declaration of independence, Spain’s Supreme Court sentenced former Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras to 13 years in prison; former ministers Jordi Turull, Raül Romeva, Dolors Bassa, Joaquim Forn, and Josep Rull were sentenced to between 10 and 12 years apiece. Former parliament speaker, Carme Forcadell, received 11 and a half years for sedition. Activists Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart were sentenced to 9 years each, also for sedition.

Several independence groups called for demonstrations and blockaded major roads in Barcelona. Early Monday afternoon, the Tsunami Democràtic group called for demonstrators to blockade the Barcelona airport. There were also blockades on train lines and many highways.

Showing the integrated functioning of all the different subsections of the state, the Catalan and Spanish police—the Mossos d’Esquadra and Policia Nacional—worked together to repress the demonstrators. They brutally attacked a large number of people. Still, as in 2017, the vast majority of demonstrators remained “nonviolent” in response. Some young people start to throw trash and light objects at police.

Tuesday, October 15

On Tuesday, the blockades organized by “Tsunami Democràtic” continued on a largely “nonviolent” basis, slowing and in some cases paralyzing rail, car, and air transit. More protests broke out that night. Goaded by police violence, people began to fight back, throwing heavier objects and setting fires in the streets.

The Assemblea Nacional Catalana (“Catalan National Assembly,” ANC) and various political parties had convened columns to march from across Catalunya starting Wednesday, taking the highways and thus blocking them, in order to arrive in Barcelona on Friday for a general strike and protest. The plan was for this action to be totally pacifist. This was basically a repetition of their 2017 strategy, in which they organized demonstrations on October 3, two days after the massive police beatings that occurred during the referendum on October 1, waiting an extra day before holding the protest in response to government repression so that people wouldn’t be reacting immediately to the violence without a chance to calm down.

Yet they also gave their approval to Tsunami Democràtic, which had planned all along to organize flash-mob-style protests immediately following the verdict. These protests, too, were intended to be completely nonviolent, but to take a more effective approach—targeting infrastructure rather than merely symbolic points. Either the organizers underestimated how many people would show up and stay into the night, or they overestimated their ability to impose pacifism after the 2017 experience.

Starting Tuesday night, events were clearly out of their hands. In Catalunya, the extent to which people employ combative and destructive tactics is generally a useful indicator of the autonomy of a particular demonstration, even though in and of itself utilizing more confrontational tactics doesn’t necessary imply a radical agenda. The parties have always insisted that everything must be peaceful, just as they have watered down the meaning of “independence,” using nationalistic discourse to and suppressing the anti-capitalist objectives that used to characterize the movement.

Thousands of people protest the sentencing in front of Generalitat local office in Gerona, Catalunya on October 14, 2019.

It’s not easy to summarize the political ideas of people fighting in the streets on the basis of their conduct, but it seems that the pacifists remain under the ideological dominance of the parties and “civil society” organizations like ANC and Omnium, whereas those putting up barricades appear to be open to a much wider vision of what the enemy is and the objectives of the actions could be. The former tend to be middle-class (or aspiring middle-class) and exclusively Catalan speakers; the latter group is much more diverse, including Spanish speakers (though still mostly Catalan speakers), immigrants, and others. When the more confrontational demonstrators express themselves, they tend to express opposition to the police, “the fascist Spanish state,” and to mention more economic issues.

We should always challenge the assumption that a movement is about one thing. A movement is only about one thing where there is an effective leadership controlling it. Left to themselves, people don’t tend to reduce their concerns to single issues. Reality is intersectional.

Hats off to the anarchists and other anti-authoritarian activists who have spent the last two years spreading non-statist, non-nationalist perspectives and analysis relating to this issue and creating the autonomous, horizontal spaces that have cropped up in this movement since 2017, outside the dominance of the political parties and the Marxist-Lenininsts who dominated the indepe movement before 2013. The emergence of this autonomous space is the key difference that distinguishes what is happening today from what happened in 2017—and we’re seeing its fruits in what is taking place in the streets.

Another major factor in the way that people in Catalunya have behaved ungovernably this week is that the Spanish state was stupid enough to imprison the pacifist politicians and CC activists who had effectively pacified the movement in 2017. The ones who had already effectively killed this movement, it seemed, until now.

Never underestimate states. Also, never underestimate statist stupidity.

The Mossos charge [???] against protesters in the center of Barcelona on the night following Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

Wednesday, October 16

On Wednesday, high school and university students declared a strike, which continued through Friday. ANC marches and highway blockades set out from many major cities. In the evening, people engaged in very serious rioting in Barcelona; substantial rioting took place in all three other provincial capitals, not to mention smaller cities like Manresa. Many of the clashes occurred outside the Delegations of the (Spanish) government or Guardia Civil barracks. There had already been significant rioting in Lleida and Tarragona on Tuesday night.

Catalan president Quim Torra and ex-president Carles Puigdemont declared that the rioters were “infiltrators,” but only the immediate followers of those politicians were stupid enough to believe this. The usual absurd conspiracy theories spread across social networks about masked protesters getting paid in envelopes of cash.

In Madrid, a fairly large anti-fascist, pro-Catalan demonstration took place at the same time as a fascist march against independence. The two demonstrations clashed and police separated them.

Police charged through the crowd several times with batons and fired foam projectiles at people.

Thursday, October 17

ANC marches continued. Rioting took place again that night in Barcelona and other three provincial capitals. Fascists marched in favor of Spanish unity in Barcelona, attacking some protesters in favor of independence.

Friday, October 18

Today, the general strike is taking place in Catalunya. A Spanish judge has ordered that webpages linked to Tsunami Democratíc must be shut down—something similar to China forcing Apple to shut down an app used by demonstrators in Hong Kong.

The conservative People’s Party (PP) is calling for the application of the National Security Law—essentially, martial law. Meanwhile, it appears that a new political consensus may be forming. For a couple years Spain hasn’t been able to form an effective majority government; elections took place earlier in the year, but will have to take place again in November, because disagreements prevented the Socialists from forming a coalition government with Podemos. The fighting in Catalunya is driving a wedge between Podemos (which takes a soft approach based in dialogue, potentially open to a “legitimate” referendum) and Socialists (who take a hard approach rejecting any possibility of dialogue or self-determination). This creates the possibility of a coalition government involving the Socialists and the PP—assuming the PP, Citizens, and Vox parties don’t get enough votes to comprise the majority on their own, which they very well might not, as Spain remains majority left.

The riot cops are exhausted, probably only running on cocaine at this point. There are videos circulating of riot vans carousing down the streets with the cops using their sound cannons to shout “Som gent de pau.” This means “we are people of peace”—it is the slogan of the independence parties, but the cops mean it in a mocking, provocative tone. There are cases of the Mossos discipline breaking, of individual officers being isolated and beaten up, which never happened during the strikes of 2010 to 2012 or even the week of the eviction of the anarchist social center Can Vies. Several times, police were forced to retreat by combatants hurling rocks and even some Molotov cocktails. Even at the high point of the resistance defending Can Vies, it was rare to see police retreat; they just had to work really hard to advance, at which point rioters simply went elsewhere.

A mainstream newspaper reported today that fully half of the police riot vans have been decommissioned by damages, primarily to tires. It’s unclear how quickly they can repair them. If they lose their vans, they will be powerless; there are too many people in the street, using too much force. The state would have to send in the Guardia Civil or the military proper to maintain what they call “order.”

The real question is what will happen tomorrow, on Saturday. Today could serve as a catharsis, ending the unrest; it could be effectively repressed, if police bring in new resources and tactics; or it could be the day that the state recognizes that it has lost control and has to esclate repression. During the riots defending Can Vies, it was after the fourth day that the state recognized it had lost; on the fifth day, everyone was exhausted so the march was just a victory lap. But now, with perhaps double the number of police but several times as many participants, spread throughout Catalunya, the movement won’t tire as quickly. Though the pacifists condemn the rioting, they’re still marching and blocking highways, thereby adding to the difficulty for the state.

The Mossos cross a burning barricade in Barcelona ​​to charge protesters.

The Backstory, the Future

The Iberian peninsula has seen conflict between monarchists, capitalists, fascists, and proponents of state democracy, on one side, and anarchists and other proponents of liberation since long before the Spanish Civil War. It’s important to remember that the independence movement only took center stage in Catalunya after countrywide anti-capitalist struggle reached an impasse, undermined by many participants’ erroneous belief that democracy—direct or otherwise—could bring about the changes they desired.

In 2011, the 15M movement, a forerunner of Occupy, broke out in Spain, occupying plazas and clashing with police. That was just one chapter in a phase of struggle arguably peaked on March 29, 2012 with massive riots during a nationwide general strike. All around the world, this was a high point of grassroots struggle against the inequalities of capitalism and the violence of the state.

Yet rather than continuing to invest energy in grassroots direct action as a means of enacting change, many who had promoted direct democracy in the plaza occupations shifted to trying to rehabilitate state democracy via new parties like Podemos. Ultimately, as we chronicled here, the results were disappointing, serving to pacify the social movements without achieving their original goals.

In the ensuing vacuum, the independentista movement gained momentum, proposing a referendum as a way to make Catalunya independent—promising a state solution to the problems that had originally inspired people to mobilize against capitalism and government oppression. When Spain cracked down violently on the referendum, this left anarchists in an awkward position, wanting to oppose police violence but not to endorse national independence as the solution to the problems engendered by capitalism and the state. Of course, it wasn’t just Spanish police participating in the crackdown—it was also Catalan police. All the institutions that would supposedly serve the people after independence were already being used against them, as they surely will continue to be if Catalunya does at some point become an independent state.

All this shows the problems with nationalism and democracy. We support people in Catalunya defending themselves from police, courts, and other institutions of power; this is why the events of this week have been inspiring. But ultimately self-determination means abolishing these institutions, not reforming or reinventing them. The question remains whether the current struggle in Catalunya will radicalize more of the participants towards anarchist solutions or simply towards more violent means of pursuing national sovereignty. But those at the forefront of events will surely have disproportionate influence on the answer to that question.

[amityso-blog]

But I wasn't going to give him any of my audience

She is seen to represent her entire gender a putative Team 'The Birds' in a way men just aren't. When a bloke screws up, he's just some bloke screwing up. When a woman makes a hash of it, however, she's a cultural signifier, and basis for a million polarised debates.".

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[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Mongolia – Battleground of the Han and Kwak groups

Thanks to a recent post on WIOTM, Mongolia and its relationship with the Moon Organization, was brought to our attention again:

https://whatisonthemoon.tumblr.com/post/617771924673773568/uncensored-interview-moonies-cult-activities-in

Prior to the Preston Moon scandal (that began in 2008), the Chung Hwan Kwak family was in charge of Mongolia. Once Preston and Rev. Kwak were officially “demonized” and removed from their “positions”, Bo Hi Pak became the Family Federation leader of Mongolia:

http://www.tongil.org/ucbooks/Mongolia/20101209-Mongolia.html

Given the significance of the Kwak and Pak families in the history of the Unification Church, and the fact that there’s still an ongoing court battle between the Preston/Kwak group and the Han group, it seems apparent that Mongolia is a key geographical area to have “influence”. In other words, by understanding the current connections between the Mongolian government and these two “factions,” it should give us a glimpse if not more, into where the “greater” Moon Organization may be heading in geopolitical matters.

There seems to be a lot at stake here. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to post a few articles on this topic:

___________________________________________

March 25, 2016

Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj denied any links with South Korean religious group Unification Church on Thursday.

Elbegdorj said he and other Mongolian politicians had attended events organized by the church, but he had never participated in such events or met with the organization’s leader after becoming president.

Video recordings of Elbegdorj with Unification Church leader Sun Myung Moon went viral on Mongolian social media recently, allegedly leaked by a source close to the president.

The South Korean religious group is highly controversial in Mongolia, as it was accused of trying to edit textbook contents in its favor. An Education Ministry official resigned after coming under fire for joining the church.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2016-03/25/content_38106365.htm

___________________________________________

June 23, 2017

Mongolians pick a new president Monday (June 26) after a campaign marred by corruption scandals plaguing all three candidates, from jobs for cash to offshore accounts and donations from an alleged cult.

The candidates are Mieygombo Enkhbold for the Mongolian People’s Party - which controls the parliament - Khaltmaa Battulga for the opposition Democratic Party (DP) and Sainkhuu Ganbaatar for the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party.

The third-party candidate… a video allegedly shows Ganbaatar receiving a US$44,000 donation from a member of the “Moonies,” or Unification Church, a South Korean-based Christian group that critics consider a cult.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/corruption-scandals-muddy-mongolias-presidential-vote

___________________________________________

Daily Sabah

Sept. 3, 2018

Relations between Mongolia and Turkey were strained in July after a high-level Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ) member in Mongolia was not extradited to Turkey. Following the failed extradition, Turkey announced that allowing FETÖ to operate freely in Mongolia would be detrimental to Turkish-Mongolian relations.

Responding to Turkey’s announcement, Mongolia’s Ambassador to Ankara Ravdan Bold stressed that they understood Turkey’s concerns on FETÖ-affiliated schools and all five of the said schools’ administration would be eventually transferred to the Mongolian Ministry of Education. Bold also added that individual members of FETÖ would not be able to renew their education and employment visas and be asked to leave the country this year.

Currently, around 1,300 students are in these five schools that have been operating in Mongolia since 1994. Empati, the company that owned these schools, sold them to a German company that serves as a front for FETÖ. The Mongolian Ministry of Education did not allow this company to acquire the necessary licenses to operate the five schools. On this subject, Ambassador Bold said that the technical process to seize these schools from FETÖ is in progress and that these schools are losing students by the day.

While drawing analogies between the Moon Cult and FETÖ as both of them operated through schools and companies, Bold expressed his belief that both of these harmful entities created concerns for Mongolia’s national security. Bold said, “They are two sides of one coin.”

“As Mongolia’s Ambassador to Turkey, I fully understand Turkey’s concerns, and I do my best to convince Mongolian politicians on the issue. Today, terrorism is not only one country’s issue, it is an international issue,” Bold added.

The Unification Church, known as the “Moon Cult,” is highly controversial in Mongolia, as it was accused of trying to edit textbook content in its favor. An Education Ministry official resigned after coming under fire for joining the church in Mongolia in 2016. Members of the Church are often referred to as “Moonies” and have been active in promoting events in Mongolia through education and trade activities. …

Moon visited Mongolia in October 2005. He came to Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city of Mongolia, with his wife Hak Ja Han Moon and gave a speech titled, “Strong family life is the true role model for peace and harmony.”...

Commenting on the Moon Cult leader Sun Myung Moon, Bold stated that the Moon Cult was quite influential in Mongolia until three years ago, having around $3 billion invested in the country. After a fall out between two sons of Moon, one of whom was leading the cult’s operations in Mongolia, this investment was transferred to Hong Kong, he said.

Underscoring the ulterior motives of the Moon Cult and drawing an analogy with FETÖ, Bold said, “I talked to Mongolian politicians and asked them to look at the present example. FETÖ is just like the Moon Movement. If you don’t understand Gülen and FETÖ, look at Moon, what he did to Mongolia and what happened to him. It’s exactly the same process. Faces may be different but cults and purposes are the same. They are two sides of one coin.” ...

The Mongolian economy only consists of two branches, Mining and agriculture.

https://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-terror/2018/09/03/mongolia-will-act-in-accordance-with-turkeys-concerns-on-feto-envoy-says

___________________________________________

To conclude here, let us be mindful of the fact that the countries of Mongolia, Nepal and the Ukraine [and Brazil?], are arguably where the Moon Organization has its greatest influence currently. Looking at this geopolitically, Nepal borders China in the south, while Mongolia borders China in the north. Then there is the Ukraine, which borders Russia in the west, while Mongolia borders Russia in the south. Summarizing then, I find it very intriguing, that the three nations where the current Moon Organization seems to have its greatest influence, can be looked at geopolitically in such a manner.

What more do we need to know, about the work the “greater” Moon Organization is doing in this part of the world? And was the recent Rev. Kwak letter to the “Unification Movement,” which basically excerpts Kwak’s new book on the UM “conflict”…is this all a “power play,” in the what I will call “Tribal Warfare?”:

https://whatisonthemoon.tumblr.com/post/616646950771654656/rev-chung-hwan-kwaks-letter-april-22-2020

https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Shall-Prevail-Understanding-Unification-ebook/dp/B081DL8563

’til the next,

Don Diligent

reposted from WIOTM

___________________________________________

“Uncensored interview” – Moon cult activities in Mongolia Part 1

“Uncensored interview” – Moon cult activities in Mongolia Part 2

[fatehbaz]

Wait, what's the anthropomorphism debate? If you'd prefer not to answer dw! I can look more into it online

Apologies in advance for this long post! I’m not all that great with ontology and theory, so take what I say here with a grain of salt; I am not “an authority.” I’m going to hijack the ask to summarize “the ontological turn in anthropology.”

So: the ontological turn in anthropology from 2008-2012, and the debate about anthropomorphism

I’m sorry that I did not answer this sooner. I’m also sorry that this is going to be a very long post. You might know all this stuff already, so please feel free to disregard all this text! A recap for viewers who missed the previous episode:

This question was - I’m assuming - in response to me being a silly-billy and making a meme of a distressed, sweaty person awaking from a nightmare, to illustrate the anxiety that confronted me when I noticed that there has been some recent Tumblr discourse replicating the heated academic anthropology debate about anthropomorphism from around 2008-2012. I was at relatively progressive university, focused on ethnoecology at the time (a field of anthropology right at the heart of the discourse), so I was forced to participate!

Basically, the 2008-2012-ish period saw the relative “mainstreaming” of a movement to “decolonize anthropology and conservation/ecology” and uplift Indigenous/non-Western worldviews as an alternative to Western views of the natural world, and this movement was basically referred to as “the ontological turn in anthropology.” It sought to acknowledge that Indigenous cosmologies were legitimate - as in, Indigenous/traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is very sophisticated, and therefore the cosmologies that maintained this knowledge ought to be given more credit. A major, if not the central, issue in this dialogue was how to prevent “intellectual colonization” by respecting the utility/validity of specific Indigenous worldviews like Buen Vivir, animism, totemism, etc. Thus, one of the most frequent and intense focal points of discussion and argument was “anthropomorphism” and animal emotion. Technical scientists were still uncomfortable accepting the environmental knowledge of non-Western cultures that believed in things similar to literal animism. The discourse was also deeply concerned with “the Anthropocene” and the climate/ecological crisis, and sought to uplift Indigenous relationships with ecology as examples of alternatives to capitalist resource extraction economies.

At the time, I fried my brain out while reading hot-take after hot-take about anthropomorphism - but I’m not all that great with ontology and theory, so this subject might not be as overwhelming to other readers!

The discourse was extensive; and some Tumblr discourse I’ve seen lately seems to be asking similar questions that the 2008-2012 discourse also grappled with.

Many Latin American scholars - and Indigenous people - had been actively writing about Indigenous cosmology’s importance to anthropology/ecology/conservation for decades but especially since at least the late 1980s and early 1990s (especially Eduardo Viveiros de Castro, an anthropologist working in Latin America and since dubbed the leading scholar of “Amazonianist” thinking promoting the knowledge of Andean/Amazonian peoples). However, this movement begun to be taken much more seriously in American academia around 2008-2010, led by the influential writing of ecology-adjacent anthropologists and theorists like Bruno Latour, Phillipe Descola, and Isabelle Stengers.

This discourse and its mainstreaming coincided with the rise of “object-oriented ontology” (OOO) - headed by Graham Harman, who was given more attention partially because of the rising popularity of his friend Mark Fisher, at this time. OOO played a major part in some of these discussions, since it basically (don’t quote me on this) allows for statements like “all other living things - and perhaps non-living things, but that’s more complicated - probably experience some strange alien form of subjectivity, and are therefore are potentially sentient at their own scale depending on how you want to define sentience.” Timothy Morton (who coined the term “dark ecology” - after which my blog was named) is/was a close colleague of Graham Harman’s. Morton sort of “bridged the gap” between the anthropology/ecology enthusiasts and the more space-y OOO theoretical stuff.

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Anthropomorphism?

A sort of conclusion to this discourse, which was eventually acknowledged by many anthropologists and ecologists, is similar to Isabelle Stengers’ notion of “cosmopolitics”: Animals and plants have unique experiences and perspectives, probably very bizarre and strange to the human observer. Humans and other living things engage in “world-building” and may have an “interiority” that isn’t always going to match definitions of sentience or consciousness, and therefore it can be difficult to “translate” the experience of other living things in a way that humans can understand or relate. However, it is still worthwhile to attempt to translate the experience of other living things, partially by acknowledging that we live in a strange community of living things and therefore should value the biosphere as a community.

But I think Adrian Ivakhiv, an environmental scientist at University of Vermont, better summarizes this view of anthropomorphism which is gaining popularity. You can read the summary here, from December 2010.

You might recognize these themes from Tumblr discourse about animism/anthropomorphism. This is a discussion of how various human cultures conceive of other living things, and how living things, whether “sentient” or not, still “subjectivate,” and therefore participate in their own “world-building” at some scale.

“On animism, multinaturalism, & cosmopolitics.” December 2010/Janurary 2011. Adrian Ivakhiv.

Excerpts:

Either most existing entities are supposed to share a similar interiority whilst being different in body, and we have animism,  as  found among peoples of the Amazonian basin, the Northern reaches of   North America and Siberia and some parts of Southern Asia and  Melanesia.  Or humans alone experience the privilege of interiority  whilst being  connected to the non-human continuum by their materiality and we have  naturalism – Europe from the classical age. Or some  humans and  non-humans share, within a given framework, the same  physical and moral  properties generated by a prototype, whilst being  wholly distinguishable  from other classes of the same type and we have totemism –  chiefly to  be found among Australia’s Aborigines. Or all the world’s  elements are  ontologically distinct from one another, thence the  necessity to find  stable correspondences between them and we have analogism –China,  Renaissance Europe, West Africa, the indigenous peoples of the Andes and Central-America [6]. [“Who owns nature,” 2008]

These ontological options can be portrayed as follows:

This would be a world that demands an ontological politics, or a cosmopolitics, by which the choices open to us with respect to the different ways we can entangle ourselves with places, non-humans, technologies, and the material world as a whole, become ethically inflected open questions. […]

In her multivolume work Cosmopolitiques (1996–97) and publications that followed it, Isabelle Stengers (2005) forwards a “cosmopolitical proposal” that, unlike most forms of cosmopolitanism, does not presume the existence or even the possibility of a “good common world,” an ecumenically peaceable cosmopolis. On the contrary, her proposal is intended to “slow down the construction of this common world, to create a space for hesitation regarding what it means to say ‘good’” (2005:994). The “cosmos” of her cosmopolitics “refers to the unknown constituted by [the] multiple, divergent worlds and to the articulations of which they could eventually be capable” (2005:994). Such a cosmopolitics does not pre-assume what will count as “common,” whether it is “human nature,” “cultural differences,” or the laws and discoveries of science; or, on the other hand, gods, souls, spirits, or anything else that anyone might bring to the table.

Stengers’s call is echoed by Latour (2004b), Mol (1999), and Law (2004), who argue on behalf of a politics for building, enacting, or co-producing shared or common worlds — not worlds that posit “nature” as the “unique author of a single account” (Law 2004:123) propping up a “reality that is independent, prior, singular, and definite,” but worlds in which “everything takes effort, continuing effort” (Law 2004:131–132). Such methods and modes of knowledge-making recognize their own complicities in the worlds they enact; and they are political in the sense that they raise questions about how the world of associations — the society of humans and other entities — is to be organized. Seeing ourselves as cosmopolitically entwined with each other and the other others of the world means seeing ourselves as actively practicing ways of “worlding” or “world-making” (Wilson and Connery 2007).

More importantly, if world-building is something that all entities are involved in, then all are carving up, in their own way, what will qualify as subject and what will qualify as object. (…)

A balanced processual perspective, however, would be one that argues that all things participate in subjectivity — all things subjectivate — in their own different ways, which may be more or less like ours depending on the specificity of those things; and that all things participate in objectivity — all things objectivate, becoming objective, material, bodily data for other things — also in their own different ways, which are also more or less like ours depending on the specificity of the things.(…)

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Sorry again for the wall of text.

Thanks for the ask!

[ibrokeeverything]

“He’s so pretty I think I’m gonna faint.” Yuuri x Victor

Sitting up and reaching for his glasses, Yuuri let out a frustrated sigh. He’s been in bed for hours with little luck falling asleep. He was no stranger to sleepless nights. There had been countless times he’d been kept up by anxieties or nerves, mind spinning until the sun rose over the horizon. With everything that had been going on lately, it was a miracle he got any sleep at all. Luckily brutal conditioning and long practices had worn his body down to exhaustion; he’d been asleep as soon as he hit the bed most nights.

Glasses slid into place, Yuuri felt around for his phone until his fingers connected with the cool plastic surface of his case. He brought it up close to his face before clicking the home button to determine the time. Blinding light emitted from the screen, but he was able to make out 3:26 am before squeezing his eyes shut and pointing it down towards the floor. He ran a hand through his hair, shoving his bangs back. He flopped back down into bed, landing with a soft thump. It was so late, or early now that it was technically the next morning, and he had to get up for practice in just a few hours. Letting out a long breath, he pushed himself to his feet. Clearly, just lying in bed wasn’t getting him anywhere. He shuffled out of the room, careful to make as little noise as possible while sliding the door shut. Gently walking down the hall, he passed Victor’s room and made it to the stairs. The last thing he would want to do was wake Victor in the middle of the night while he’d been working so hard to coach him.

Yuuri flipped a light on once in the kitchen, wincing as his eyes adjusted. He began going through the familiar motions of making a cup of tea. After filling the kettle with water, he set it on the stovetop. Turning the knob until the fire came to life, he watched as the flames danced below the kettle. He sorted through the teas until finding the chamomile blend. It was caffeine-free and calming, so therefore perfect for a 3:00 am cup of tea. The water soon began to rumble and steam, so he turned off the heat and scooped up some of the dried chamomile flowers. Dumping them into the pot, he watched as they fell in and slowly started to stain the water a pale yellow color. Pulling his attention away from the tea, he hunted for a mug and strainer. Once found, he leaned on the counter, forearms propping his body up, and watched as the tea turned from a light color to a rich and deep gold.

There was something about the middle of the night that Yuuri loved. Everything seemed to calm and still. There was no chaos or worry, only quiet and peace. He found it much easier to relax, yet at the same time, there was nothing to distract him from his own thoughts. It was also easy to spiral out of control, spending hours obsessing over something trivial, just for morning to arrive and to realize that it never really mattered to begin with.

Shaking the thoughts away, Yuuri peered into the kettle. Deciding that the tea had brewed for long enough, he carefully poured the hot liquid through the strainer and into his cup. Gingerly taking the hot mug into his hands, Yuuri wrapped his fingers around the mug. Settling down on a cushion and placing his mug on the table, his eyes were drawn to the steam drifting away from the tea before disappearing into nothingness. It was beautiful, yet fleeting and untouchable. If not for the lack of sleep he may have found it in himself to compare it to Victor, so close but just out of reach. Instead, he simply brought the mug to his lips. A quick sip warmed his throat, the comforting flavor helping to put his mind at ease.

Tapping his phone screen, it illuminated with the time again. This time, the light was manageable, tempered by the overhead lights of the kitchen. The minutes ticked by, his alarm getting closer and closer as each one passed. On a whim, he opened up his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He landed on a very familiar name, Phichit Chulanont. It hadn’t been too long since he had last seen Phichit, yet he missed the constant warmth and optimism by his side. Tapping the call button, he brought the phone up to his ear.

Moving to Detroit was one of the scariest and most exciting things Yuuri had ever done in his life. He was leaving the comfort of his home, family, and even his own country. But, it was to further his competitive career. Celestino had been invaluable in advancing his skills, so of course the experience was worth it. However, Phichit had been the one to make it enjoyable. He had bonded with Yuuri right away over their passion for skating. His compassionate and easy-going nature was a perfect counterpart to the stressed and anxious side of Yuuri. They could talk about anything and everything, and he was always there to listen.

“Hello?” Phichit’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“Hi, it’s me. Are you at practice?” Yuuri answered, one hand wrapped around his phone, the other around his mug.

“Yep, but I’m on a break,” Phichit’s peppy voice was a welcome sound. “Isn’t it really late there? What’s up?” Concern crept into his voice. He knew that Yuuri had trouble sleeping occasionally, being roommates and all, but he still worried for his friend.

“Yeah, it’s like 3:30.” The 13 hour time difference between Detroit and Hasetsu meant that it was mid afternoon for Phichit. That big of a difference usually made communicating a bit tough, but texting always worked well enough since they could just answer whenever they were awake. “I just- I don’t know Phichit.” Letting out a long breath, Yuuri slumped against the table, leaning his upper body against its surface with a hand propping up his head.

After Socchi, his life had basically turned upside down. He went from one of the lowest lows to his life and skating career, to soaking in the onsen and being coached by his idol, Victor Nikiforov. He was so thankful. Victor was producing results; Yuuri won the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship by a relatively wide margin. His short program, while very different from his usual style, was commanding attention and was rewarded with a high score. And of course, it was a dream come true to spend so much time with Victor, yet he was more stressed than ever. The stakes were raised impossibly high. With the Cup of China coming up soon, he had to perform spectacularly. Now, if he failed, Yuuri wouldn’t just be disappointing himself, he’d be disappointing Victor’s fans, Yuri, basically the entire figure skating community, and worst of all, Victor himself.

“Everything is changing, for the better, but I’m overwhelmed,” Yuuri admitted. Overwhelming: that summarized the experience pretty well. Victor had come crashing into Yuuri’s life like a beautiful, chaotic storm. “It’s just a lot to take in.”

Phichit hummed in response, affirming what Yuuri said. “I’m sure it is. You live with the Victor Nikiforov,” he replied. “Eighteen year-old Yuuri would have had a heart attack and died,” he finished, a warm chuckle following his words.

“I’m not sure twenty-three year-old Yuuri is faring much better.” Whether it was just a European tendency, his personality, or something else, Victor was always far too close for comfort. It wasn’t that Yuuri didn’t like it, but he constantly felt like his heart was going to burst. It was always something: a firm touch correcting his posture, leaning in a little close, or asking to sleep together. He was starting to think that personal space was not in Victor’s vocabulary.

“How is it? Living out your dream?” Phichit questioned. Yuuri pondered the question for a moment. He’d barely even had time to process that he was, in fact, living his childhood dream. It was everything he’d imagined, but it was reality too. Sure, he was being coached by his idol, but that didn’t magically solve all his problems. It fixed some of them and also created some more. He logically knew that people would have higher expectations for him now and that he’d be harder on himself. The problem he didn’t anticipate as a kid was the adult reality of living with someone you loved for basically your whole life. The crush he’d developed on Victor through years of idolizing was becoming an issue.

“Yes and no,” Yuuri replied, knowing that it wasn’t really much of an answer. “It’s just… Sometimes, he’s so pretty I think I’m going to faint,” Yuuri mumbled. His cheeks burned and he knew his face would be flushing to a deep crimson. While he’d admitted to himself long ago that he had a crush on Victor, and it went further than just admiring his skating, the embarrassment of saying it out loud still hit him hard. He’d gushed to Phichit about how cool Victor was countless times, but now that he knew Victor personally, and he wasn’t just some celebrity image, it felt all the more real. He found himself wanting to reach out and close the space between them more often than he’d like to admit.

“Yuuri, You’re in love! That’s so cute!” Phichit’s voice was suddenly much louder, excitement evident in his tone.

“I- I don’t know about that,” Yuuri sputtered back. He wouldn’t deny that there were definitely feelings there. He just wasn’t quite sure that they could be called love. Not yet anyway. His attachment to Victor was growing each day. Being the first person Yuuri saw every morning and usually the last one he saw at night was starting to wreak havoc on any and all rational thoughts. Yuuri knew that Victor was his coach, and getting involved could get really messy, but when Victor pulls him into a hug, he never wants to pull away. But, it didn’t matter in the long-run anyway. Victor was the top figure skater in the world, anyone would be thrilled to date him and there’s no way he’d ever look at someone like Yuuri in a romantic light. It was a miracle that he had even seen Yuuri’s video and decided he was worthy of Victor’s coaching.

“Just be sure to invite me to the wedding,” Phichit laughed, the sound bright and clear.

“It’ll never happen, Phichit. You know me. I’ll just enjoy every second I have now, while he’s looking at me, probably have a couple panic attacks along the way, and cry when Victor inevitably goes back to St. Petersburg. I’m just trying not to get my hopes up too high.” While Yuuri knew he’d probably get hurt in the future, he figured he could at least indulge himself for now. As embarrassing as it was, he allowed himself to enjoy Victor’s closeness. He’d take an extra glance when Victor walked out of the onsen in only a towel, or even the simple things like enjoying a meal together.

“Come on Yuuri, you have to go after him! You just don’t give yourself enough credit. Anybody would be lucky to have you!” This was why Yuuri always loved talking to Phichit. He was always there to make Yuuri feel better about himself and shower him with encouragement.

“I’ll think about it.” A small smile tugged at the corners of Yuuri’s lips. “I should probably go, I need to sleep.” He didn’t even want to think about how exhausting practice was going to be tomorrow on this little sleep.

“Definitely! Call me again soon, okay?” Phichit replied.

“Of course,” Yuuri hung up his phone and laid it on the table next to his now mostly empty mug. He did feel a bit better now, having talked with Phichit.

Leaning back, he laid back on the ground, legs stretched out under the table, gathering his resolve to get up and head back up to bed, hoping to get some sleep. Then, his eyes settled on a figure stepping into the kitchen. “Victor!” Yuuri all but squeaked, bolting upright and smacking his knees on the table in the process. He winced at the pain, but scrambled to his feet, turning to face Victor. Hoping the panic wasn’t showing on his face, he offered a small smile. “Why are you up?’ He questioned, desperately hoping Victor hadn’t heard anything from his conversation with Phichit. He might actually die if that happened.

“Water,” He replied simply. “But, I could ask you the same question.” Victor retrieved a glass and filled it up with water before turning back to Yuuri.

“Um, I couldn’t sleep, so I thought tea might help.” Not mentioning the phone call seemed like the safest option. Hopefully he could escape back to his room before Victor asked any more questions.

“Who was on the phone?” Victor asked with his usual bright smile and energetic tone. A new wave of panic rushed through him and Yuuri felt his heart sink. This was it. He was going to have to retire from figure skating and never show his face again. He couldn’t even hope that Victor would misunderstand the call. Yuuri had even mentioned Victor by name.

“How much did you hear?” Yuuri said, voice quiet and eyes downcast. He was clinging onto the hope that all Victor had heard was their good-byes like it was a lifeline.

“Just something about not getting your hopes up. Worried about getting to the Grand Prix?” Victor took a sip of his water, looking at Yuuri with innocent eyes. Relieved, Yuuri started heading toward the stairs, trying to ease his way out of the conversation.

“Something like that,” He agreed, too tired to come up with anything else. That made sense and Victor would understand. Victor followed him to the stairs, heading back to his own room as well.

“Well, don’t worry. You can do it, no problem. You have the best coach out there,” Victor replied, another smile spreading across his features. Despite the tension of the situation, Yuuri felt his nerves settle with the reassurance from Victor, even if it wasn’t relevant at the moment.

“Thanks. I, uh, should probably get some sleep,” Yuuri said as they reached the door to Victor’s room.

“Yep! I’ll see you in the morning,” Victor replied, opening his door. “Oh, and Yuuri, if you ever feel faint, I’ll catch you.“ He finished with a wink. At that, Victor slid his door shut, leaving Yuuri standing in the hallway, staring at the door. Something in his brain short circuited at the comment. Victor had heard everything. All of it. He was completely unable to process what Victor just said to him, and didn’t think he’d be able to even if he were well-rested. Blush flaming on his cheeks and heart pounding, Yuuri stumbled back to his room in a daze. Convinced he was delirious and had been hearing things, he rejected the possibility of Victor taking any interest in him. It was crazy. Maybe it had been a dream instead. It was easier to believe that he’d finally lost it. Shaking his head, he fell onto his bed, letting his phone slide to the floor.

The night ahead was sleepless, but far too short. Yuuri was still processing when the sun rose. Doing his best to shake it off, he prepared for practice with Victor. He knew it was going to be a very long day.