#Core Banking System

[nihararay]

Core Banking System (CBS): Meaning, Working, and Its Importance in Modern Banking

In today’s fast-moving digital economy, customers expect banking to be available anytime, anywhere — whether through a mobile app, ATM, or physical branch. Behind this seamless experience lies a powerful technology called the Core Banking System (CBS). In this blog, we’ll explore what CBS is, how it works, and why it’s the backbone of the banking industry.

What is a Core Banking System?

A Core Banking System (CBS) is a centralized platform used by banks to manage and process all banking operations — such as deposits, loans, transactions, and customer information — in real time across all branches.

CBS stands for Centralized Online Real-time Exchange, enabling customers to access their accounts and perform transactions from any branch or digital channel, not just the one where the account was opened.

 How Does CBS Work?

CBS connects various service channels like:

Bank branches

ATMs

Mobile banking apps

Internet banking portals

UPI and IMPS systems

When a customer initiates any request — like transferring funds or checking balance — the CBS immediately validates and processes it, updates the central database, and sends the response back in real time.

Key Features of a Core Banking System

Centralized Database All customer and transaction data is stored in a single, secure database accessible across branches.

Real-Time Processing Transactions are updated instantly, ensuring accurate and up-to-date account information.

Multi-Channel Access Supports various banking channels like mobile, internet, ATM, IVR, and in-branch systems.

Automated Operations Routine banking tasks such as interest calculation, EMI tracking, and report generation are automated.

Regulatory Compliance Built-in tools for RBI reporting, audit logs, and integration with government portals like UIDAI, GSTIN, and CRILC.

Importance of CBS in Banking

Anywhere Banking Customers can access banking services from any branch or digital platform — creating a unified experience.

Improved Customer Service With real-time access to data, banks can offer faster and more accurate services.

Cost Efficiency Reduces operational cost by automating tasks and eliminating data duplication.

Scalability Banks can easily expand services, launch new products, or open new branches without major infrastructure changes.

Enhanced Security CBS platforms offer encrypted transactions, access control, fraud detection, and disaster recovery mechanisms.

Popular Core Banking Software Providers in India

CBS Provider

Banks Using It

Finacle (Infosys)

SBI, Canara Bank, Union Bank

TCS BaNCS

HDFC Bank, Bank of India

Oracle Flexcube

Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank

Temenos

Global fintechs and digital banks

InfrasoftTech

NBFCs, Co-operative Banks

These providers offer powerful features like cloud-based CBS, API integration, mobile-first interfaces, and AI-powered automation.

CBS and Digital Banking

Modern CBS platforms are now:

Cloud-native for scalability and cost reduction

API-driven for fintech integrations (like UPI, Bharat BillPay, and credit bureaus)

Modular and microservice-based, allowing faster innovation

Compatible with AI, ML, and analytics for personalized banking and fraud prevention

The Future of Core Banking Systems

With evolving customer expectations, CBS is transforming into a smarter and more agile system. Some trends shaping the future include:

AI-powered decision-making for loans and credit scoring

Blockchain-based ledger systems for transparency

Open banking APIs for better third-party integrations

Voice and chatbot banking for customer support

Instant onboarding and KYC using Aadhaar and PAN APIs

Conclusion:

The Core Banking System is the technological core of every modern bank. It not only powers day-to-day operations but also enables innovation, compliance, and customer satisfaction. As digital banking continues to grow, a flexible and future-ready CBS will be the key differentiator for banks and NBFCs alike.

For More information Visit Us:

[yethiconsulting]

Cybersecurity in Banking: Protecting Data with Advanced Solutions

Introduction

Discuss the critical importance of cybersecurity in the banking industry.

Highlight the rising threat of cyberattacks and the need for advanced protection measures.

Key Cybersecurity Challenges in Banking

Phishing and Social Engineering: Explain how attackers exploit customer vulnerabilities.

Ransomware Attacks: Highlight the growing trend of holding core banking data hostage.

Data Breaches: Discuss the risks associated with sensitive customer data exposure.

Advanced Cybersecurity Solutions

AI and Machine Learning: Explain how predictive analytics detect and prevent fraud in real time.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Describe how MFA adds an extra layer of security to customer accounts.

Blockchain for Secure Transactions: Highlight the use of blockchain for tamper-proof record-keeping.

Cloud Security Measures: Mention secure storage and disaster recovery in cloud environments.

Strategies for Banks to Enhance Cybersecurity

Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing.

Invest in employee training to identify and mitigate cyber threats.

Collaborate with cybersecurity firms for proactive threat management.

Conclusion

Emphasize the importance of adopting advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect customer trust and ensure compliance with regulations.

[heroes-fading]

thinking a lot about how the last of us and andor almost serve as foils to one another, and andor overall just has so much better execution to me. the last of us presents problems as individual and interpersonal. it's a long string of feuds / revenge / back and forth. whereas in andor that element of infighting isn't nonexistent, but it's able to acknowledge that these problems are NOT just individual, but structural!

tlou presents a pretty fascist, authoritarian government that they COULD do a lot of interesting things with. instead, they're more a backdrop that's accepted and shrugged off rather than reconciled with. characters can find happiness in silos, walled off from the rest of the world (bill and frank, jackson) or accept that community living that is open at all has to be authoritarian and brutal in some nature (FEDRA, KC, the Fireflies).

i've been trying to figure out why tlou 2 just leaves such a bad taste in my mouth beyond the tragedy inherent in it. i loved andor, and andor is inherently incredibly tragic! but it's tragic and earned. there are interpersonal fights and struggles, but there is also an understanding of the systems that oppress us that are worth dying to stop.

whereas in TLOU death is mostly either random or vengeful! bites or accidents or revenge quests. they sort of lampshade what COULD be interesting (FEDRA literally rounds people up and kills them, canonically! people call them fascist but do nothing with it!) but they leave it there as if it's the least interesting thing there! but we're meant to believe that suffering is either interpersonal or random!

the fireflies are meant to be our rebels but they're rendered completely uninteresting and without nuance or competence. you don't believe they could make a cure (even if TBTB say they can) and you don't believe they can accomplish much at all because you're not SHOWN any degree of competence from them! you aren't rooting for them! who cares!

whereas in andor what TLOU tries to refer to vaguely and implicitly is made explicit and front and center. the enemy is a fascist, authoritarian government. people love and lose and do everything they can to stop it. it is tragic and worth it and earned. there are individual evil people but also a very evil system that molds them in its shape.

TLOU -- for as much as it claims to be anti-fascist and "oh get it the one functioning society is kinda communist haha" -- has no teeth when it comes to any of this. you shrug at the system. you kill each other. it's all so incredibly pointless. why dream of better? keep your head down and look out for yourself and your own. nothing else matters.

whereas with andor, it actually asks you to dream bigger, to want more, that sacrifices can mean something even if not immediately and it all feels so incredibly earned. there is something bigger, and it's worth it.

[sw5w]

Anakin Swoops In

STAR WARS EPISODE II: Attack of the Clones 00:16:14

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Bob White, in a spirited defence of Westpac's investment in CS90, wrote in his memoirs:

With a huge network of branches connected to a central computer, we envisaged a sophisticated communication system which could be used to transmit many kinds of information and instructions and which was related to more than just banking. I was all for it . . . Core System 90 had the potential to revolutionise the delivery of financial products thereby increasing the bank's overall capacity to do business while holding down operating costs.

"Westpac: The Bank That Broke the Bank" - Edna Carew

[maybanksprincess]

satisfy you

warnings: 18+, smut, cheating, p in v sex, pet names, kissing, squirting, drinking.

summary: reader is dating rafe, and he isnt satisfying her needs, jj offers to help.

pairings: nice!kook!reader x pogue!jj

you attended this big bonfire that everyone went to every single year in the outer banks.

if you lived in the outerbanks you knew that bonfires were the core place that drama started.

usually you would go to drink one or two beers, have fun, and dance with your friends a little. but this time that wasnt the case.

Rafe had been getting closer with this bartender from the country club, and it was really starting to weigh down on you.

you tried to ignore it at first, but he had started going to the country club a lot more often, more than usual. and he stopped touching you all together.

first he stopped fucking you as often, but then it quickly turned into just no attention or affection from him at all. and it really hurt.

you went to this party to get wasted, and forget about all your problems, even if it was temporary.

you drunk a few beers, and downed a couple shots, now a bit tipsy from the alcohol floating in your system.

you were sitting in the grass, knees pressed up to your chest, back up against a oak tree with a few carvings on the bark of it.

your just staring at everyone partying and having fun, zoning out and just lost in your thoughts.

your snapped out of your thoughts as you see a fit blonde walk in your direction, stopping beside you.

"sup, can i sit?" the blonde asks

"yeah, of course." i look up at him and scoot over, making room.

as he sat next to me in the grass i smelled a mixture of alcohol and weed on him.

"so, what are you doin' alone at a bonfire?" he asks while giving you a once over, admiring the sight of ur curves in that dress.

"jus' trying to get my mind off things, you know?" i look up, finally locking eyes with him.

"yeah? things like what? i bet ur pretty little kook life is awesome." he says as he brings the joint between his fingers to his lips, taking a puff out of it.

"kook life really isnt all that great jay. not as great as you think" you say with a hint of vulnerability behind your words.

"it actually sucks," you continue "all the girls are mean. all they care about is money, and their boyfriends fancy cars. and all the kooks are assholes."

he puffs out the smoke, exhaling and listening to your rambling.

"i just feel like..im stuck in bubble wrap sometimes. i dunno if that makes sense" you put your head down, feeling like you said too much.

he turns so hes sitting in front of you, his face in front of yours.

"y'know its okay to get outta the bubble wrap sometimes..." he says, his eyes trailing to the hint of exposed cleavage from ur dress.

you dont know if it was the alcohol in your system or the way he was looking at you, but damn, he was so hot.

you find yourself staring, and look away, until he uses his index finger to tilt your chin back so your face meets his.

you felt a familiar pooling between your legs, but it wasn't like the pooling that happened when rafe was around.

you barely got turned on by rafe by the way he treated you, literally having to beg him to touch you most of the time. he couldn't commit to one woman, and the better of you knew that. you just couldn't seem to let him go.

i involuntarily clench my thighs, and it doesn't go unnoticed by jj, his eyes dart down to the exposed skin on your thighs.

his cargo shorts start to tighten, as if he wasnt already hard when he first approached.

you and jj start to pass the blunt, and eventually the tension becomes too much, the weed and alcohol is floating in your systems, and you find yourselves leaning into eachother.

your lips eventually meet, and it only escalates from there.

at first it was sweet and slow, but then it quickly got hot and heavy, your tongues tangling together.

you straddle his lap, grinding your clothed core against his bulge that was straining in his shorts. his hands start to grope your ass, as his dick seeks more friction from you.

he groans, and his arms hook under your thighs, he pushes himself off the ground, supporting your weight easily.

he carries you over to the twinkie, all the other pogues are still occupied out at the bonfire partying.

he uses one hand to open the sliding door, and lays you flat on your back on the surface of the backseat. he shuts the car door and he wastes no time in connecting your lips with his again.

in between kisses, he mutters out "'m gonna fuck you so good, ya gonna forget rafe exists."

following his words, he unbuckles his shorts and slides them down his legs, kicking them to the side, along with his boxers.

you look down at his dick and your eyes widen. you've never took dick that big before, fuck you were panicking.

he smirks at your reaction, and he slides your dress down your thighs, and off, tossing it where his boxers were. he lowers his face to angle it down with yours, his arms on either side of your head.

he strokes his hard cock, his tip leaks salty white precum on your thighs. his hands go down to the waistband of your panties and he hooks his fingers into it.

"can i take these off, pretty girl?" he asks, his ocean blue eyes boring into yours.

you nod, breathing getting heavy, the pool between your legs intensifying by the second. you were really about to get fucked by jj maybank.

you almost couldn't believe it, you both came from totally opposite sides, he grew up in the cut and you didnt. it was weird, but in that moment you didnt care.

all you cared about was getting his dick inside of you.

with the fingers that are hooked in ur panties, he slides them down your thighs with. he tosses ur panties and his eyes zero in on your spread pussy.

he groans, his cock jumping at the sight. he spreads your thighs some more, and the sudden feeling of a warm substance hitting your pussy shakes you out of your thoughts.

you look down to see his cock leaking precum onto your clit.

he spreads his precum on your folds with his tip, you both moaning at the situation. he lines his tip with your entrance and he pushes himself in.

as he slowly pushes in, he dips his head down to kiss your neck to soothe the slight pain from the stretch of his thick, girthy, cock.

he whimpers against your neck at the feeling of your tight walls fluttering around his member.

he starts to slowly thrust in and out, before his thrusts become faster and deeper. you grab onto his shoulders as a leverage, even though you weren't going to fall.

as he continues to thrust in and out of your sopping pussy, he speaks, his voice muffled by your neck. "mm what a fuckin' shame. that kook passed up the chance to fuck this pussy?"

you moan at his words, the stretch of his dick, the sound of his voice, the way his hand comes down to rub your clit, its all too much.

you start to see stars as you throw your head back, pussy clamping down on his cock. your moans and his groans fill the twinkie. the car rocking with every thrust, due to however old the junk was.

his tip nudges the spongy spot inside your pussy that makes you squirm, you start to whimper and let out long moans, signaling your close.

jj can tell by the way your clamping down on him, and the way your eyes roll back, that your close. he starts to thrust into you at a relentless speed, rubbing your clit rapidly, meeting your lips in a heated kiss.

you shout into his mouth "fuck jj!"

he smirks against your lips, pulling away for a brief moment to speak, his speed never faltering "cmon baby; tell me i fuck you better than rafe." he breathes out

i moan, tears flowing out of your eyes "fuck yes, so much better!" your eyes roll back again

he feels your nails scratching at his back, desperately trying to hold onto something. "yeah? who do u belong to now, hm?"

"you jayjay.." you barely manage to get out with the tears flowing out of your eyes.

he kisses your forehead gently, still slamming into your pussy. "cmon, give it t'me princess. cum for me baby."

following his words, you feel a unfamiliar gush of liquid come out of your hole. you've never done that before. it feels different but it feels so damn good.

you scream out, continuing to squirt on his cock.

he thrusts a few more times, groaning and moaning as he cums on your tummy, "your mine now. my fuckin' girl."

after he comes down from his high, he pulls his phone out, and snaps a picture with the flash, adding a text to it that says "jus made your girl squirt, looks like shes mine now, kook 😎"

he sends it to rafe, and then he helps u back into ur dress, then puts his shorts back on after.

"y'know i meant what i said, ur mine now." he seals his words with a quick kiss.

[midnitetech]

🎉 Classic Career Overhauls—Batch #1 Now Available!

Per your votes, I’ll be releasing my Classic Career Overhauls in batches of 3–5 at a time! These careers have been recreated from scratch to work with the latest game versions. (I've rejigged things to include my Real Estate career in this batch to keep posts at a minimum.)

✨ Included in This Batch:

💻 Cybersecurity Hacker – Break into systems (legally) and keep networks secure.

🏡 Real Estate Agent - Seal the deal on dream homes and skyrocket to mogul status.

👔 Workforce Management (HR) – Recruit, train, and navigate workplace drama like a pro.

💰 Banking – Manage money, approve loans, and climb the corporate ladder to financial success.

📌 What’s New?

✅ 10-Level Career with Progressive Pay & Realistic Hours ✅ New Custom Interactions ✅ Daily Task & Custom Promotion Objectives ✅ Includes NPC Coworkers, Career Layoffs & All Up-to-Date Features ✅ Fully Integrated with Base Game Career Systems ✅ 100% Maxis Match

📂 More Classic Careers Coming Soon!

⚠️REQUIRED⚠️ 🌐Lot 51's Core Library 📁midnitetech_modlibrary

📌 Want to know how career updates are handled? Check out Career Updates – What to Expect for details on how older careers are being updated!

📂 Explore More Careers! You'll be able to find the full collection of career mods here, as I update them: Classic Career Collection.

Download to C:\Users\....\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Mods Don't forget 🌐Lot 51's Core Library and 📁midnitetech_modlibrary—script files must be no more than 1 folder deep.

PATREON (free)

[taskforce420]

tap out. simon 'ghost' riley

it didn't take a genius to know that simon riley, had been through hell. no family, close to no friends outside of his line of work. he was the shell of a man, a living ghost if you will; but people knew he was not one to be taunted or made fun of. sure he was a broken man, but he'd never take disrespect.

it did take a genius to know that you, had been through hell. no family, close to no friends outside of your line of work. you were quiet, always kept to yourself, never caused much trouble, unless you were on the field getting your hands dirty- bloody even. no one knew about your past, your story. but you liked it that way.

so, here you and ghost stood. arms behind your back, standing at ease, looking straight ahead.

as of right now, a common army tradition was ongoing, 'tap out' it was called, where the soldiers stood at ease as they waited for their loved ones to tap them out, letting them move, talk, interact with their family etc.

your gaze slowly shifted from the ground, to the families crying tears of happiness as they saw their son or daughter again after months or years of them being gone. mothers held their sons close to them, fathers cheered and praised their daughters for their accomplishments.

and you? well, you stood there, wishing to yourself, that maybe seeing your mother and father pass away was all a dream and that you'd see them walking over to you any minute, with wide smiles and excited cheers.

and ghost? well, he didn't care about the fact that no one was there to see him, to congratulate him; he cared that you, his closet friend since the beginning of training, was stood there. alone.

he didn't understand why, but he could probably guess. nonetheless, he watched as you uncomfortably shifted your weight from one foot to the other. he noticed you didn't want to be there, didn't want to have to listen to the laughs and 'hellos' of mothers and fathers.

ghost could relate, he let out a deep sigh; letting his arms drop to his side, he moved from his spot. he knew full well that he was breaking rules but as of now, he didn't care. not one bit. he walked over to you, eyes meeting with yours almost instantly.

"come on, luv." he said, as comforting as he possibly could. he raised his hand to your shoulder, officially tapping you out. he could see the hurt in your eyes.

"thanks, si" he nodded as you thanked him, he felt horrible knowing your pain.

you let your hands come to your sides, subconsciously, you started to fidget. your rough fingertips played with the hem of your t-shirt. "its not fair that they make us do this.." you said softly, head hanging low, watching your feet as you both walked back into the base, knowing you had nothing better to do.

"mhm" is all ghost said as he looked down at you, clearly seeing your defeated mood. "i wouldn't dwell on it, sweetheart. i know what your thinking" you nodded, not really bothered to speak. you appreciated ghost walking with you though, keeping you company.

"your family is here now, us, me...soap, gaz, price. the whole force, your brothers, your sisters" ghost spoke. you knew he was right, you got along incredibly well with the members of Task Force 141, there were many years full of core memories with the lot of them.

like the time when you and soap got bored one night so you snuck out of the base and found yourselves at a water bank, completely soaked from jumping in. you both laughed uncontrollably as you splashed one another.

or even when you and price sat in his office, having a deep conversation about previous missions, his past, life in general. you two agreed that you had bonded, ending the night with a simple hug.

or that time when you and gaz decided to go a nearby bar, its safe to say that you both got absolutely hammered from the mixed alcohol in your system. you laughed with one another as you stumbled back to base, holding onto one another. laughing even harder as price and soap caught you in your drunken state.

or...or even the time with ghost.

when you two lay on his dishevelled bed, your back to his chest, his arm lazily thrown around your waist, holding you against him for comfort. his hand traced the scars on your waist, your hips, your legs. you stared out the window, smiling to yourself. nothing serious had happened...you both just adored the company of one another, which is why you found yourself falling asleep to the feeling his breaths on your shoulder, and his hand caressing your skin. "you okay?" he had asked you, moving to lie on his back. you had turned to face him. smiling when you saw him already looking at you, his arm rest behind his head. "mhm, always" you had softly spoke.

you smiled to yourself as you finally walked into the base, simon still by your side. "yeah..you're right" you said looking up at the large man. he happened to look down at you, you swear you could see him smile beneath his mask.

"i know..."

lemme know if you guys would like a pt. 2 :)

[max1461]

I've said this before but gender equality will never be achieved until we completely legally decouple marriage from finances. The direct legal coupling of personal finance to the preeminent cultural institution for codifying and structuring romantic love is basically antithetical to the genuine and free expression of the latter and for this reason I regard the financialization of marriage as quite monstrous in itself, almost the quintessential example of a monstrous institution. Beyond that I think it's fair to say that now and throughout history the financialized marriage has been the institutional and ideological core of patriarchy.

Co-ownership already does not require marriage, you can get together and buy joint property with ten of your friends if you want. You can start a joint bank account with anybody you want. There is, I venture to say, absolutely no reason to tie marriage to co-ownership of assets in the way that society and our legal system have. The problems that come with it are obvious and known to everybody, feminists and anti-feminists alike, and the solution is straightforward. Definancialize marriage! Now!

[yethiconsulting]

Dynamic vs. Static API Security Testing: Key Differences

API security testing is crucial for identifying vulnerabilities, and it can be performed through two distinct approaches:

Dynamic API Security Testing (DAST)

DAST evaluates APIs during runtime, simulating real-world attacks to uncover vulnerabilities.

Focus: Detects issues such as injection attacks, misconfigurations, and access control flaws in live environments.

Tools: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP.

Benefits: Offers real-time insights into security risks, replicates actual threat scenarios, and ensures API security testing behave securely under various conditions.

Static API Security Testing (SAST)

SAST examines the API’s source code or design before deployment.

Focus: Identifies vulnerabilities like insecure coding practices, logic flaws, and improper error handling.

Tools: SonarQube, Checkmarx.

Benefits: Detects issues early in the development lifecycle, reducing remediation costs.

Key Differences

Timing: DAST occurs post-deployment, while SAST is pre-deployment.

Scope: DAST tests live behavior; SAST analyzes code structure.

Output: DAST focuses on runtime flaws; SAST addresses coding-level issues.

Conclusion

Both approaches complement each other. SAST prevents vulnerabilities during development, while DAST ensures robust protection in production environments. Combining them provides comprehensive API security.

[trustttechnology]

India's Digital Transformation and What It Means to Banking

For the longest time our banking systems did not cater to the entire population, banks largely catered to the urban middle class. Bank branches did not extend much beyond cities, despite RBI’s efforts towards financial inclusion. The cost of branch-based banking services was high and was only feasible to extend services to the urban middle class, which had sizable deposits in their bank accounts. 

[mesetacadre]

There are very few things I find more sinister than liberalism's consistent refusal to acknowledge reality outside of the world of their ideals. We sometimes pass around the more egregious examples of this and ridicule the disconnect, but at its core it's something very unsettling.

To the reality of a normalized systematic violation of people's dignity and life, liberalism's only answer is to close its eyes, recite the 1949 declaration of human rights or whatever other document it finds more suitable, and declares those transgressions to be illegal. Where is the inalienability of the right to shelter or food when struggling workers are evicted and left homeless to die of exposure because the bank or the landlord did not get paid? Where is the equality of every human at birth when more than half of the earth's population was condemned at the moment of their birth to forever toil for a foreign or national capitalist extracting their land's wealth? Where is the right to equality under the law when each and every judicial system so clearly favors those who provide the courtroom's electricity? Where is the right to freedom of expression when the bourgeoisie's media conglomerates slander every organized member of our class and forever maintain the monopoly of debate? Where is the representation in electoral systems without any accountability measures beyond a choice every 4-5 years and which consistently defends the interests of a class foreign to our own?

You see, every single one of these examples is simply a glitch, a fault in the perfect liberal system. And it does not matter how permanent these supposedly incidental flaws are, because the system is supposed to work for everyone. Things really aren't that complicated, you unruly worker, you traitorous agent. Why don't you keep on producing value like a good little laborer and let our analysts and economists tell you how good your life really is?

Liberalism's school of thought requires disdain for the social majority, because it also requires a total indifference to the unrelenting pain and indignity our class suffers, especially in the imperliazed world. The way in which that indifference manifests is vile too. Not only does liberalism cause, protect, and worsen the exploitation on which it stands, it also cries crocodile tears at its own inhumanity. It offers a myriad of solutions, based on its nominal ideas of an incorporeal justice and freedom. But the same hand it offers us is the same hand with which it pushes us down further into the sea of injustice that it created.

And what happens when the subjects become tired and aware of this game? The patina of compassion and justice is scrubbed off, revealing the intricate structure of capital. It will use every resource avaliable to slander, sabotage, mutilate, rape, traumatize, torture, murder every single worker who dares to build a world for themselves. In spite of the sheer brutality deployed every time, sometimes it's not enough and we win. And it makes sure every other worker either forgets it ever happened, or creates an vilified image of it. Afterwards, of course, the mask of normalcy returns.

There is no endgame for liberalism, no ultimate real purpose. The normal affair of things will continue to function as they always have, the same interests will be defended, the same threats and punishments will be levied against the working class, the same things will continue to worsen, and capital will continue to reproduce. No one is less aware of what liberalism defends than liberals themselves. And at the same time, no one else has such a sharp intuition of exactly what they are supposed to defend. No common liberal will ever willingly tell you that they support the violence we suffer constantly, but oh will the hairs at the back of their necks stand up when you ever dare to question their status quo.

[sizzlingcloudmentality]

thoughts about this fandom, dbf tropes and patriarchy

So... there is this huge mass of people on here, treating tumblr like any other social media platform. They are probably very young and it shows. Young meaning <25 and don't hate me for saying that, babes, because once you're reaching my age you'll see it the same way.

Corona and lockdown fucked with my brain and I can't imagine what it does to someone in their formative years, when a huge part of socializing and human interaction was happening on tiktok and ig. And believe me, I was on tiktok, too. Some creators and the algorithm helped me massively with my life (I'm one of those 'tiktok diagnosed me first' adhders).

But what exactly happened that it turned you into patriarchy's bootlicker? It's known that the general state of the world politics and economics leads to more conservatism. And it always has been the same with women uniting and rising: the other 50% of the population can't have that. They feed the young those rules and morals of women having to look a certain way, having to act a certain way. Having to act age appropriate. (I think we've all read this or something similar on here in the last days/months: "You're in fandom at the age of thirty? Why are you not married and having kids? Pathetic. Get a (conservative) life. Behave accordingly (so you're not a threat to men)")

Women turning against women. This is patriarchy's wet dream. You know how to control 50% of the population? Divide them. Divide them into even smaller groups. And then give them ammunition so one group can control the other. If you haven't heard about Foucault and the panopticon, you should look into it.

The system of power (patriarchy, and its undergroups with the names of capitalism and racism, oh, and government, just to name a few) uses you, dear eager young woman, to their advantage. Every time you post something or send an anon that is judging women, tone policing them, shaming them for simply existing in this space, your humping the bloody boot of patriarchy, just to be called a good girl. But honey, the boot your humping and licking is already stepping on your throat.

They are actively taking away your rights. They treat your body like it's theirs. They take your autonomy away so you're forced to birth more tax payers and soldiers. Forced to birth more women who control other women.

You, eager young woman, anon or not, are supporting the downfall of women, even though it seems like it is not a big deal. Because it's just a silly post on tumblr, right? A little trolling never hurt nobody. A little hating on people you don't know is fine, right? Policing them because they do something you don't like but doesn't harm you in any way is the way they taught you, right? Babe, congratulations, you're a sock puppet for the government you claim to hate.

Listen, idgaf about dbf tropes. I don't like it, so I don't read it. But the second an easy to control group of eager young women is setting their mind on yucking someone's yum? No. Because you are actively restricting a woman expressing herself. And I don't care about if it's nudes, writing or painting certain tropes, being openly queer, a bipoc. I WILL ALWAYS DEFEND WOMEN EXPRESSING THEMSELVES. (Including trans women, and other marginalized groups, too, duh)

Because we have to stay united. All the women before us, millenia of women fighting for the right of education, of being able to vote, to own their own bank account, being taught reading and writing, they didn't do it so you go and judge someone for being active in fandom. Or for loving their body. For writing stories that are, at the core, about being loved and accepted.

I know that barely anyone will read this, especially not those I want to address with this. And even if they read it, they won't be able to reflect on it. Because patriarchy fucks you good, honey, I know. Just know that I will even defend you, when someone comes your way and judges you for something you enjoy but isn't up patriarchy's alley (except being a bitch)

[inkformyblood]

moonlight reflection (SVSSS)

Pre-Relationship Shen Yuan x Shen Jiu, Canon Universe, Canon Divergence (SJ is SY's reflection) (prev)

Shen Qingqiu flicks his fan out in front of his face, regarding Shen Yuan beneath the pinch of his lashes. His reflection in the wavering surface of the pond stretches out further than he typically can in the confines of standard mirrors, the gleam of Xiu Ya, and there’s a bite of satisfaction in his eyes, the very edge of his sharp grin. “This master is delighted that his instruction is not going to waste.”

“They were amazing.” Shen Yuan’s hands ache, the matching bloodless pulse of pain in his thighs. His body may be used to this level of exertion—barely, given the reputation the Shen Qingqiu had pruned and maintained—but Shen Yuan is not. His thoughts trip over the torn silk from his robes, the splash of moonlight across the bank of the pond that stops at the pile of tangled limbs and thick fur; the flash of Shen Qingqiu’s gaze peering past the now-tangled braid they wear to track their passage.

“And what—“ Shen Qingqiu snaps his fan closed, resting it against his lower lip as he speaks. “—does your floating box say?” His gaze isn’t focused on Shen Yuan, deliberately tilted in the close quarters to his left. The system bounces merrily to Shen Yuan’s right, unconcerned, the typical message of ‘Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations’ drifting from corner to corner.

Shen Yuan leans closer to the surface of the pond, the dry grass rustling against his legs and scratching his exposed skin. Shen Qingqiu mimics the movement, ethereally graceful even when inflicted with Shen Yuan’s shortcomings, studying him like an ant that had crawled onto his boot. The added height only adds to the illusion, the moonlight catching on the water until Shen Qingqiu shines.

“The floating box didn’t tell me anything. Is it so hard to believe that I know about Giant Moon Wolves all by myself?”

Shen Qinqiu scoffs, the drag of his gaze slow and deliberate, as he rakes it over Shen Yuan. “If this master didn’t know better, he would have thought you had been brawling in the street with those brutes.”

‘Those brutes’ could cover any variety of people from their shared martial siblings to the vast sprawl of everyday people their conjoined lives brush against. Shen Yuan takes his best guess regardless.

“This student hopes his master would be aware that if they were sparring with Bai Zhan Peak students, then he would be as exactingly devastating as would be befitting a master of Qing Jing Peak.”

Shen Qinqiu doesn’t laugh, but the edges of his gaze soften, his head inclined slightly to one side. He folds his hands in his lap, the torn hem of his robes only transforming the action into a deliberate work of art. “Better.”

Shen Yuan grins, relaxing the tight threads of control pierced through his lips, the pinch of his brow, just for a moment. Everything had taken adjustment, a pot forced to contain far more than it had ever been meant to handle, but they had settled into an uneasy equilibrium, Shen Yuan piloting their body through the world and Shen Qingqiu, his judgemental beautiful reflection.

“List the properties of the pelts for this master,” Shen Qingqiu says. He’s uncharacteristically relaxed in the reflection, his fan folded and resting against his cheek, moonlight dappling across his skin and turning his eyes pale.

Shen Yuan clasps his hands in his lap, his shoulders square. He can’t see his own reflection with Shen Qingqiu wearing their face so he has no way of knowing the devout gleam that settles over his features, a student worshipping at an altar he built with blood and tears. “The pelts of the Giant Moon Wolves are unique for their colouration, typically being shades of pale grey that is close to silver, and for their cultivation properties. It is thought—and this is only partially correct—that wearing the pelt for nine days will steady an unstable core.”

Shen Yuan pauses, looking out across the surface of the lake and letting his vision blur. Like this, the world fragments into shards of bisected silver and he could almost be back in his world, shivering slightly in the early evening chill as he bleeds his intention through his phone, his rage at the sheer potential lost in the chapter update of Proud Immortal Demon Way. “It’s the blood of the wolf that offers the greatest benefit and drawback as it’s highly toxic when untreated. Exposure can stabilise a core but it could also—“

A beep of warning echoes from the System, Shen Yuan turning towards it. There’s a moment as he stares at the words without understanding them, text splayed over the screen in bold letters. 

Mandatory Quest ‘It’s Behind You’ activated.

The grass rustles behind him, the immediate heavy press of eyes locked onto his back, the fragrant evening air sour with rotting meat. No time to move, barely enough time to breathe, and Shen Yuan turns to Shen Qingqiu. He doesn’t know why, only that he’s glad he isn’t dying alone this time.

Silver blurs past him, sharp enough to slice the air and the sound isn’t a scream, it’s a snarl, the sound of furious desperation that rips from a human throat and leaves blood behind. The wolf is huge, the coat dark in the shadows that cling to, and it howls as the disembodied hands claw at its face, thumbs pressed through the soft swell of its eyes. It’s a messy kill, wretched and final.

“Don’t move.”

Shen Yuan obeys, his gaze locked on the gently steaming maw of the dead wolf, blood splattered across it’s teeth. Shen Qingqiu draws the messy braid free, carding spectral fingers through it. He works carefully, barely tugging at the tangles as he weaves the strands back together.

“Now, this student is presentable,” Shen Qinqiu murmurs as his touch falls away. In the pond, he peers around the edge of the fan, a smear of blood over the curve of his thumb.

[pinene]

The USA is on the brink of complete cultural disintegration. It has been rotting for years now. Nobody knows their neighbors because they know they’ll probably need to move soon anyways. Many people can’t read and most just refuse to. Those with remaining patriotism essentially take pride in their own exploitation. Those without it are aimless and afraid because this machine demands blind faith.

I guess this is the way of all colonial projects and empires. But to me there’s something uniquely hollow and creepy about this one—the US commits genocide on the people who had lived on the land for generations, constantly incentivizes people to move closer and closer to its bloating border. offers people from other countries the chance to be part of the splendor of the imperial core if they just come here and deal with awful conditions quietly, they can hope to have children who will hate speaking their native language, American children. And their children could be millionaires. Just keep working, keep your head down. When the rich get richer that just means our future’s brighter.

If we are to suppose the American dream was once achievable, it certainly isn’t anymore. There’s bipartisan acknowledgement of this, and partisan explanations and solutions. But they always neglect the fact that the American dream isn’t sustainable under capitalism lol like, after a few generations, everyone would be pretty well off if all it took was hard work. But if everyone was well off, then some people couldn’t be ultra rich, and a few couldn’t be richer than god. Wealth has to grow, profit has to increase, or it all falls apart. The money is trickling upward and pooling around the rich, and most of the country is still operating under the impression that this is a good thing.

not to mention how racism and intolerance get worse when the economy does, how moral panics sooth financial anxieties. the rich and the money-seeking have so clearly bait n switched us. valorizing wealth leads us to blame anyone but the rich, blame anything but class. and now it’s reaching a point of further consolidation and openly squeezing more and more out of the 99%. They don’t have to even pretend anymore because most people are fine with it. tv shows about the wealthy are really popular. We are such an aimless people, prideful and tribal about the square borders of ruined land we live in, proud to suffer for the chance to get to give the bank and the government most of your paycheck to live somewhere and almost own a big car to traverse the emptiness. Angry that it’s all so hard, but forbidden to blame the system. Bleh