#LIKE A DIFFERENT KIND OF INSANITY

[whetstonefires]

You know what I realize that people underestimate with Pride & Prejudice is the strategic importance of Jane.

Because like, I recently saw Charlotte and Elizabeth contrasted as the former being pragmatic and the latter holding out for a love match, because she's younger and prettier and thinks she can afford it, and that is very much not what's happening.

The Charlotte take is correct, but the Elizabeth is all wrong. Lizzie doesn't insist on a love match. That's serendipitous and rather unexpected. She wants, exactly as Mr. Bennet says, someone she can respect. Contempt won't do. Mr. Bennet puts it in weirdly sexist terms like he's trying to avoid acknowledging what he did to himself by marrying a self-absorbed idiot, but it's still true. That's what Elizabeth is shooting for: a marriage that won't make her unhappy.

She's grown up watching how miserable her parents make one another; she's not willing to sign up for a lifetime of being bitter and lonely in her own home.

I think she is very aware, in refusing Mr. Collins, that it's reasonably unlikely that anyone she actually respects is going to want her, with her few accomplishments and her lack of property. That she is turning down security and the chance keep the house she grew up in, and all she gets in return may be spinsterhood.

But, crucially, she has absolute faith in Jane.

The bit about teaching Jane's daughters to embroider badly? That's a joke, but it's also a serious potential life plan. Jane is the best creature in the world, and a beauty; there's no chance at all she won't get married to someone worthwhile.

(Bingley mucks this up by breaking Jane's heart, but her prospects remain reasonable if their mother would lay off!)

And if Elizabeth can't replicate that feat, then there's also no doubt in her mind that Jane will let her live in her house as a dependent as long as she likes, and never let it be made shameful or awful to be that impoverished spinster aunt. It will be okay never to be married at all, because she has her sister, whom she trusts absolutely to succeed and to protect her.

And if something eventually happens to Jane's family and they can't keep her anymore, she can throw herself upon the mercy of the Gardeners, who have money and like her very much, and are likewise good people. She has a support network--not a perfect or impregnable one, but it exists. It gives her realistic options.

Spinsterhood was a very dangerous choice; there are reasons you would go to considerable lengths not to risk it.

But Elizabeth has Jane, and her pride, and an understanding of what marrying someone who will make you miserable costs.

That's part of the thesis of the book, I would say! Recurring Austen thought. How important it is not to marry someone who will make you, specifically, unhappy.

She would rather be a dependent of people she likes and trusts than of someone she doesn't, even if the latter is formally considered more secure; she would rather live in a happy, reasonable household as an extra than be the mistress of her own home, but that home is full of Mr. Collins and her mother.

This is a calculation she's making consciously! She's not counting on a better marriage coming along. She just feels the most likely bad outcome from refusing Mr. Collins is still much better than the certain outcome of accepting him. Which is being stuck with Mr. Collins forever.

Elizabeth is also being pragmatic. Austen also endorses her choice, for the person she is and the concerns she has. She's just picking different trade-offs than Charlotte.

Elizabeth's flaw is not in her own priorities; she doesn't make a reckless choice and get lucky. But in being unable to accept that Charlotte's are different, and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with Charlotte.

Because realistically, when your marriage is your whole family and career forever, and you only get to pick the ones that offer themselves to you, when you are legally bound to the status of dependent, you're always going to be making some trade-offs.

😂 Even the unrealistically ideal dream scenario of wealthy handsome clever ethical Mr. Darcy still asks you to undergo personal growth, accommodate someone else's communication style, and eat a little crow.

[fleetways]

finally. the chimera baby super form

due to her particularly strong chaos powers, mira can obtain a mini super form with less than 7 emeralds. depending upon the number of emeralds, her appearance and personality can change quite drastically. this is her with either five or six.

obligatory poll link

[arthursfuckinghat]

"I was gonna say you're like a son to me.. but you're more than that."

"It ain't that complicated!"

How quickly that shoulder pat of comfort turned into a condescending one.

[jetaloen]

volo meeting rohan's dad

[thenobleprincex]

sometimes i just start thinking about the twelfth doctor and i just.... *screams*

[lesbiangiratina]

Genuinely why do people seem to feel so threatened by the concept of aromanticism

[mandalora]

Stolen from amidonexor, no one asked me either

[martyryo]

js paint art from class

[sawvhs]

seriously doubt adam or lawrence had any close/trusted friends which just makes their relationship in the bathroom that much more weirdly emotionally charged. codependency bait to the max

[layla-carstairs]

I hate reading the eah fandom wiki tbh. some takes/interprets on there are awful & something blatantly untrue like 😭 anyway I was looking at raven's main page & came across this little gem

"the only one" what??? I love Raven but since when was she the only one undertaking actions that directly oppose her destiny.

Hunter is vegetarian & spent his entire summer before legacy year sabotaging his dad's traps (and is, you know, dating Ashlynn). Darling is... well, Darling and is breaking every damsel in distress rule in the book. There's Ashlynn, who doesn't really care for her happily ever after and is dating Hunter against her destiny. And those are people who are conscious of the fact they're going against destiny, and are choosing to be themselves anyway. On the other hand, you have someone like Faybelle who loves cheerhexing, something that doesn't exactly scream Dark Fairy but she still actively wants her destiny.

What makes Raven different isn't that she does things that contradict her destiny but that she doubts the system itself. For someone like Hunter or Darling, fully abandoning their destiny isn't really an viable option since it doesn't occur to them Grimm isn't telling the truth. For Raven, is does.

She's in a unique position where she's one of the very few to know the Evil Queen isn't dead, which is what Grimm says happened to the general public, but rather trapped in the mirror prison. She knows Grimm has lied and isn't always truthful, the possibility that he's done so more than once isn't impossible. This doubt (and general dislike of her destiny) leads her to something more powerful; hope. Raven is again one of the few people who know about Bella Sister's unsigned page. Even though Grimm does everything in his power to squash her hope, it survives in a gnat, an inconsistency and what Giles tells her (through translated riddlish)

She's operating on more information that her classmates are and because of that is aware of that other possibility. She doesn't have any real proof or certainty about what will happen, but it's enough for her. She's willing to take that leap of faith, for that chance to be herself without compromise. That's why she doesn't sign.

[evelynpr]

Hoyoverse's children in a nutshell

Fly me 2 the moon: First and oldest child, long gone RIP. Their legacy is having the first ever Kiana Kaslana

Zombiegal Kawaii: basically dead, hardly anyone even knew about her

Houkai Gakuen 2 (aka Gun Girls Z; GGZ): Next child, oldest, small and niche but dedicated fanbase, still going in CN server. Very gay and depressing, incredibly convoluted lore.

Honkai Impact 3rd: Took after GGZ a lot then became the favorite child. Still gay and depressing but more hopeful. Definitely a lesbian. They also really like flashy combat, philosophy, and science fiction.

Genshin Impact: The popular kid, and spoiled brat. They're very bisexual and very into religious themes and every culture and myth imaginable.

Tears of Themis: Probably the only cishet male child. Their fans are fewer but well fed and satisfied. (I dont know nearly enough about their story and themes to know its personality tho)

Honkai Star Rail: Takes a lot from big sis hi3rd (depressed but hopeful gays), and probably genderfluid. Ppl love it, theyre popular but it doesnt get into their head as much compared to Genshin. They're also really into exposed shoulders and internet memes.

Zenless Zone Zero: New kid on the block with furries and cyborgs. They are the youngest, most punk, and definitely into western action rpgs more than their older siblings.

[rabbitcrimes]

Have been rereading some of my favorite old wangxian fics and its actually fucking insane the extent to which the wangxian writers of this beautiful fandom INVENTED chemistry. Like jesus christ nothing compares, I'm so ensorcelled by the extent to which wangxian 1. think the other is interesting and fun 2. want each other 3. the TENSION of that

[mirrorhouse]

as the combination of joy and sorrow, ocelot is indifferent

[septimus-heap]

Can't stop thinking abt marcia and simon!!!! They're the same person!! They're the same person except marcia got the apprenticeship and simon didn't!!! Marcia worked hard for years and then it all paid off but simon worked hard for years and then everything came crashing down around him. Of course he went insane

[tricoufamily]

no ok we finished episode 2 what they have done to katara is unforgivable. they have completed zapped every ounce of her personality away. why. why. look how they massacred my girl