#Meta Monday

[greenthena]

Why then was this forbid? Why but to keep ye low and ignorant

(If evil, why tasty?)

In the Garden (the one in Eden, not in Tadfield or Berkeley Square), Aziraphale is tasked with protecting the Tree of Knowledge. He is, as he says, "On apple tree duty," that day when Crawly suggests to Eve that the fruit might be extra delicious, and worth a rather significant gamble.

And about that fruit...what was it that was so corrupting to humanity that they had to be cast from paradise after consuming it? Aha! You just fell victim to one of the classic blunders. You thought I was here to argue theology. Even I'm not that much of a masochist. What I will say is this, the fruit gave them knowledge--specifically, the knowledge of Good and Evil--which made them like God. In Paradise Lost, where (let's be honest) Western Christians get most of their context for the Fall of Man, Milton describes humankind's experience prior to that Original Sin as being fully Good. Good (as defined by the Almighty) is available to Adam and Eve from their conception. But Evil can only be known by disobeying God...by eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. And, oh, does does that Wily Old Serpent entice Eve to eat the fruit. The Serpent's temptation is a hefty stanza, but my most particular favorite part is this,

Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe, Why but to keep ye low and ignorant, His worshippers; he knows that in the day Ye Eate thereof, your Eyes that seem so cleere, Yet are but dim, shall perfetly be then Op'nd and cleerd, and ye shall be as Gods, Knowing both Good and Evil as they know.

(Milton, Book 9, lines 703-709.)

Ah, Crawly, you did such a good job. "Get up there and make some trouble." And you certainly did.

So knowing, knowledge...theologically these are heavy themes in the Eden narrative. Once Eve and Adam partake of the fruit (oh, spoiler alert...sorry...yah, they eat the apple) their eyes are opened and they realize that they are naked and everything changes. They're exiled from paradise, never to return to the sanctuary of creation's womb.

Remember what Aziraphale was doing that day? Well, what he was supposed to be doing, anyhow... Guarding the Tree, yes? Guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden, but also Steward of the Tree. Keeper of the Knowledge. Hold that thought; I'm going to need you to come back to it in a bit.

Crawly...well, Crowley and Aziraphale spend the next six millennia on earth addressing the assignments given by their respective Head Offices and eventually forming their Arrangement. And through this time, Crowley introduces Aziraphale to a vast array of different types of knowledge: the knowledge of what food tastes like in the definitely-not-a-temptation form of ox ribs; the knowledge of what wine does to an angel's corporation; the knowledge that he has more free will than he realizes and can lie directly to Heavens' Supreme Archangel; and, perhaps most impactfully, the knowledge that he has a friend hereditary enemy who will keep his secrets safe.

As Aziraphale experiences existence on earth, he accumulates volumes of knowledge that other angels will never have, and even begins to collect this knowledge for himself in the most human way imaginable.

He acquires books. Little storehouses of knowledge in which people express their ideas, ask questions, and perform humanity in a way that is really only possible because Eve took the apple and defied her Maker. If they'd stayed in the Garden, there would be no questions, no new ideas, no sushi restaurants, and no dusty little bookshops where angels keep their precious hoards of human knowledge.

Remember that little thought I asked you to hold onto oh, say two paragraphs ago? Here's where it fits. A.Z. Fell & Co. is the New Eden. It's a safe haven containing a vast store of knowledge guarded by the angel of the Eastern Gate. Even the physical design of the bookshop mimics the walls of the Garden.

Just as in the original Eden, where the angel gave the demon the shelter of his wing, the bookshop provides a true home for Crowley (especially in S2, when we see him consistently remove his sunglasses upon entering the shop as an act of vulnerability.)

And like God in Her Garden, Aziraphale is covetous of his Knowledge, refusing to sell his books just as the Almighty denied the breeding pair of humans access to the fruit.

(Also, I literally asked God, and She said that Aziraphale will get mad if you try to eat his books.)

[mel-g-posts]

I redrew an old post of mine

[saintmichale]

What's happening on instagram?

So basically Meta has announced that on June 26th, they’re going to start allowing ai software to begin sweeping over their apps to begin training those programs. In European countries, instagram users were given a choice to opt out and not allow meta to use their accounts to train AI, but so far American users do not have an option to say they own the copyright of whatever content they post to instagram.

Because of this, a lot of artists specifically are very worried that their art is going to be stolen and used to train AI without their consent. Many people are trying to fight this by posting on their pages saying they own the copyright and do not consent, but there’s no guarantee that meta will honor that declaration.

On Monday there’s going to be a boycott, asking meta to discontinue this program. Many Instagram users are moving over to the anti AI app Cara in an attempt to avoid being stolen from by AI.

[zaphiyy207]

Meta Monday

After training shenanigans nap.

I am not getting off the 'Meta Knight trains Bandana' train. You're not dragging me out of this seat

[consistentsquash]

5 meta recs for monday

the humanity of creators by @danpuff-ao3

A brilliant short essay on parasocial relationships/separating creator and art.

Creation is such a personal, vulnerable experience. Art, music, writing, etcetera. Creation itself is deeply personal, but so is the experience of those creations. It creates a point of connection, in a way. Connection to the creator, connection to other fans. But experiencing these works does not mean you know the creators. You know a piece of them, perhaps, but not the whole of them.

 

Must-know for Japanese fandom: the meaning of "proship" and the concept of "proshippers" in Western fandom by Maromi

Really well-written essay about Maromi's experiences with antis. Especially love the perspective of cultural differences and how folks can use literally anything to harass you if you are making some problematic art. Link is English translation of Maromi's actual essay in Japanese.

Proship-antis (hereafter referred to as "antis") began to claim that the "pro" stood for "problematic," and expanded their scope beyond a specific ship war to instead begin attacking all "proships." As the definition of the word became muddled, the number of young antis increased, especially among teenagers, who would attack people who supported any kind of problematic ship. This has sometimes escalated to bullying, to the point that one might become a target for harassment if they don't prove that they aren't a proshipper, or might be ostracized for not putting "proship DNI" in their profile. It's also used as a tool for racism―asking someone whose primary language isn't English whether or not they are a proshipper, and if they can't prove that they aren't, they may become a target for harassment. (This is what happened to me.)

  Mumbles by eldritcher

A really poignant look at fandom changes esp HP slash fandom changes. Incisive and resonates a lot.

LJ fandom was criticised often for its cult of nice that was a facade hiding all manner of nonsense. There’s truth to that, but what I’ve seen in the days after I find magnitudes more unappealing. The polemics of identities conducted so effectively and continually in modern fandom and fandom-adjacent publication genres is quite extraordinary. It's wicking out voices and stories, and it’s become an exercise in walking on eggshells. New authors, or new to English authors, or authors unfamiliar with or uninterested in Anglosphere cultural discourse, may not be able to do what I could do in the aughts, because of everything they’ll have to fear tripping on. 

  House elf plotline: A Critique of Author Choices by @ashesandhackles

HP meta in 2023??? Trust me! I really liked this meta and definitely recommend reading it even if you don't normally go for meta. It's just an incredible summary + observations of the worldbuilding. Definitely one of the most objective metas I have read in HP. You should actually think about posting it on AO3, @ashesandhackles.

With a character that had this much thought and agency in Chamber of Secrets specifically because of what it meant for house elves as a whole (and one whose presence made Hermione excited in GOF and hope that other house elves look at his example), one must ask ourselves: why?

  cringe by lierdumoa

The Revenge of the Pearl Clutchers That's what "cringing" is. It's pearl clutching. When the pearl clutchers turned cringe into an adjective, they turned a reaction into an accusation. The pearl clutchers don't want to take responsibility for their own kneejerk emotions. They want to blame YOU.

I feel like there's a lot of folks who are trying to reclaim cringe. But some newer folks are kind of missing the history context behind a lot of fandom vocabulary like this.

[melancholic-pigeon]

man, it's rough when you love a character and you love the arc they have but virtually everyone else you've come across who loves the same character hates their arc with a seething passion

and I get why people hate it but like... I like it. I think it's a good choice. I think it follows with his character development, it makes sense within the greater narrative, and it fulfills his potential in a beautiful, aching, poignant way. It hurts, but it feels like it's supposed to. I like it and I think it's good and it made me love Blorbo more. Honestly, since rereading...I see hints to how this arc would end from the very beginning of his introduction.

Just feels bad when everyone is harshly, viciously criticizing one of your favorite arcs because they hate the parts you liked best.

[yakkyrwhackr]

IT'S META MONDAY

If we got Waddle Dee Wednesday then would today be Meta Knight Monday

Rejoice!!

[girlbogg]

I find it interesting that Ganondorf is this kind of campy, hyper-masculine figure whose gender identity could only have formed in the context of being raised entirely by women. It lends a "drag" sensibility to traits that would be unremarkable in any other evil overlord type guy.

Like... You're told from birth that you are The One Man, The King. You are Special, and Different from everyone around you in ways that don't make much sense at first. But over time you learn what it means to be Man and King (at least in the eyes of your fellow Gerudo), and you learn the gendered signifiers that announce it to the world. And because you are Ganondorf and you have to be the best at everything, you dedicate yourself to being the Most Man and Most King That Anyone Ever Was. Whether or not this is authentic to who you are as a person... Who cares! Gender's a game and you're winning, baby!

[hermit-frog]

just saw someone on twt to point this out the shelves fall down because of the shockwave, from the blow against the wall that's going on the other side guys i can't do this

Daniel is not being attacked, there's a fight/assault happening in the other room, and it's not necessarily loumand though

[ladystoneboobs]

no, but the way, cersei brushes sansa's hair with her fingers after telling her ilyn payne will kill her if stannis wins his battle, so they can all die together. this intimate, almost maternal gesture following a death threat. and then later a similar gesture is used with her actual child, when intimidating the king himself, her youngest, after threatening to have his whipping boy brought in to be beaten before them. just as she scared sansa, she scares tommen, also thought to be meek as sansa was. cersei only knows how to rule through fear but in these certain cases, she can sometimes mix in acts of tenderness too for a particularly unsettling combination.

[galacticnovie]

i wonder why

[samijey]

Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson - Monday Night RAW 14/10/2024

[marinemeatmonday]

Marine Meat Monday is a casual creation challenge for the Warhammer 40k fandom.

The instructions are simple: Create something fun and/or sexy involving Space Marines and post it on a Monday!

Tag your creation "#marine meat monday" and I'll reblog your post here!

Every month, I'll post two new prompts to this blog to help us all get started.

DON'T feel forced to follow the prompts!

DO feel free to make whatever you like!

August MMM Prompts!!

SWEET: Casual Clothing

SPICY: Ritual sex, sex dedicated to the Emperor or Chaos Gods

Posting Date: August 5th, 2024 (Or any of the Mondays in August.)

July's Prompts were "It's raining outside" and "Canon-typical Night Lord/Blood Angel weird and kinkiness. Playing with knives and with blood." Feel free to use them for the rest of the month! (Or anytime 😁)

How to Submit Prompts

Submit more prompts here: https://forms.gle/rG5i5eC7tTNg2Zeh6

Prompts or images that could apply to any chapter or legion are more helpful.

For Image Prompts, please paste a link to the image in the box and if possible, write out the credit.

More Details Below

Please DON'T create Primarch-focused pieces for this. Primarchs are great, but this challenge specifically focuses on their sons!

You may create a spicy piece for a sweet prompt or a sweet piece for a spicy prompt.

You may use any artistic form you like, including writing. There is no minimum or maximum length for writing.

You don't have to, but please consider tagging stories and artwork with "#marine meat monday" so I can share them here.

Asks and submissions are open, so please send me links to your Ao3 based pieces if you're not planning to post them to tumblr yourself. Otherwise, I probably won't know they exist!

The prompts are just there to give you a springboard, feel free to disregard them and do your own thing.

I'm not 100% sure where it started, but this challenge was popularised by the one and only @tagedeszorns.

This particular format with the two prompts is an extension of a challenge we've had running on a discord server for a couple of months.

Your current mod is @two-reflections.

RNG Proof

[consistentsquash]

E has a pretty poignant, new post about their personal relationship with stats

My cousin is happy that he has more kudos on his fics than I’ve on mine in the same fandom

Re: Metrics

[melancholic-pigeon]

For today's Meta Monday, I present another entry for Why Don't I Have A Jason & Percy are Foils Tag Yet!

I feel like Jason was an angel baby. Always woke up giggling, rarely fussed, was easily soothed just by being picked up and snuggled for a few minutes, etc.

I feel like Percy was the kind of toddler who justifies the existence of toddler leashes.

[jojo-schmo]

Cozy 😴