#all I do is consume without contributing anything to society

[insignificantfailure]

im so fucking useless

[orriculum]

Because you can read something that is written specifically as a way to criticize the capitalist society in which suffering is consumed as entertainment without endorsing said suffering and violence. And if you feel like you're the spectator of the Hunger Games, rather than identify with the tributes, then maybe the book message isn't going to do anything for you.

i get what you're saying, but i feel a little like you're misinterpreting me. maybe i didn't express well enough that i'm impressed with the book in how emotionally harrowing and yet pointed it is, or you took my post more literally than i meant it, but think that's the area where something got lost.

i'm not saying that buying the second book is endorsing violence, but i am saying that the book does a good job making you consider your own relationship to viewing violence for entertainment. and the hunger games, as a book series, is entertainment, because no one forced me to read it. i don't have a strong stomach for violence in media, i can barely sit through horror movies. but i'm not saying any "don't read it bc it's violent" kind of bullshit as if i think the characters are real people. i don't.

i think it's ironic that a book with zero subtlety about violence in media became massively successful, in part, because it leans into gore as entertainment. people like blood and guts, shocker. no one's making the ones who walk away from omelas into a blockbuster feature.

i think i disagree with you on that second sentence though. it's the easier option to identify with the tributes and rail at the system, because then the book never makes you question your own compliance within it.

i think we all want to identify more with the tributes, but just because they're the teens in a book aimed at teenagers, but because they're the underdogs, they're not "on the side" of the oppressive power system. but i think you really do miss something if you don't think about the fact that you are more like the capitol's spectators than you want to be, not because you're reading a violent book, but because in real life, you probably do contribute to the oppressive systems in place in someone else's life.

[knickynoo]

Hello there! In one of your episode reviews, you said that Doc seems to base his self worth off of how people see his intelligence. Did you have any more thoughts on that?

Hi! Some additional thoughts for you:

So, I'm going to separate Cartoon Doc and Trilogy Doc while discussing my thoughts for this, since the characters are so different. But, yes, the "Retired" episode of the cartoon is entirely centered around Doc falling apart at the seams when a malfunction in one of his inventions informs him that he's used up nearly all of his brain power.

In just the span of a few hours, he comes to the conclusion that he's useless to his family, and they'd all be better off without him. In his mind, he's a burden if he can no longer use his intellect to create inventions that better the life of his family, and it pushes him to make the decision to leave altogether. Big thumbs down to Doc for abandoning his family.

BUT! It does say a lot about who he is if he thinks that not being "smart" equates to "having no purpose." And it's very clear that Doc thinks this way specifically about himself–not about other people. All the love and support he gives to his family apparently isn't enough on its own. Very sad! I can only assume that this dysfunctional line of thinking stemmed from the way he was raised and treated as a child and that he was only treated as if he had value when he was using his brain to contribute something. As far as I know, Doc's father isn't mentioned in the cartoons, but as I (jokingly) mentioned in my episode review, I can only assume Cartoon Erhardt is to blame here.

As far as Trilogy Doc goes, I don't really see him as having many insecurities tied to his intelligence. At least, not to the extent that Cartoon Doc does. Trilogy Doc doesn't strike me as someone who cares at all what other people think of him, and I definitely don't see him being duped by some silly brainpower machine that tells him he's used all his thoughts up.

I can, however, picture him reaching a point of giving up if pushed enough. Let's say, for instance, that the time machine hadn't worked that night at the mall. (I mean, assuming the speeding car didn't just plow into Doc and Marty, of course) If it hadn't run at all, or if it had malfunctioned in some other way, I think that'd be a crushing blow to Doc. He's poured decades into trying to harness the power of time travel. The process of exploring the science behind it and actually building the flux capacitor and making modifications to the car has consumed and bankrupted him. Doc's built a lot of nifty things over the years, but this is The Big One. He's been waiting all his life for this very moment! To have it all result in failure would do a number on him, I'm sure.

I could see him struggling with the aftermath. Maybe concluding it had all been pointless, and he'd given so much of his time to something that isn't even possible. Perhaps he'd just return to making little gadgets for around his garage or running his "scientific services" business, where he takes the occasional job fixing someone's television. This is where I think there could be some overlap between Cartoon Doc and Trilogy Doc–at least in the realm of not feeling smart enough or good enough to contribute anything meaningful to society. This also is where the information we have on Doc's father could for sure come into play and lead Doc to wonder if maybe his dad was right, and he should have given up science long ago.

Trilogy Doc is hardy, though, and I like to believe that he'd find a way to pick himself back up even if his biggest experiment ever didn't work. Maybe after taking some time to sulk (which would be understandable!) he'd buckle down even harder and be all the more determined to figure out how to get that DeLorean to travel through time. Besides, he's got an impressionable young friend who is lacking in the self-esteem department as it is. What message does it send Marty if the one guy who is always hammering in the "you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it" message decides to abandon a goal after a failure? It'd be a hard teaching moment for sure, but I don't put it past Doc to be able to regroup and soon have a new game plan.

Thanks for the ask!

[alphaman99]

Tomas Estevan it all a damn ruse....

From a California school teacher:

I am in charge of the English-as-a-second-language Department at a large southern California high school which is designated a Title-1 school, meaning that its students average in the lower socioeconomic and income levels.

Title-1 schools are on the free-breakfast and free-lunch program. When I say free breakfast, I'm not talking about a glass of milk and a roll, but a full breakfast and cereal bar with fruits and juices that would make Marriott proud. The waste of this food is monumental, with trays and trays of it being dumped in the trash uneaten. Well over 50% of these students are obese, or at least moderately overweight. About 75% or more have cell phones. The school also provides daycare centers for the unwed teenage pregnant girls, some as young as 13, so they can attend class without the inconvenience of arranging for babysitters or having family watch their kids.

I was ordered to spend $700,000 on my department, or risk losing funding for the upcoming year, even though I had little need for anything. My budget was already substantial, but I ended up buying new computers for the Computer Learning Center, half of which, one month later, were carved with graffiti by the appreciative students, who obviously feel humbled and grateful to have a free education in America. I have had to intervene several times for young substitute teachers, whose classes consist of many illegals here in the country less than 3 months, who raised so much hell with female teachers, calling them putas (whores) and throwing things, that the teachers were in tears.

Free medical care, free education, free food, free day care, free housing, etc. Is it any wonder they feel entitled not only to be in this country, but also to demand more rights, privileges, and entitlements? To those Americans who point out how much these illegal immigrants contribute to our society, because they happen to like their gardener and housekeeper, I say: Spend some time in the real world of illegal immigration and see the true costs to American taxpayers. Higher insurance, medical facilities closing, higher medical costs, more crime, lower standards of education in our schools, overcrowding, new diseases, etc. are the real costs of illegals.

America, we need to wake up. The "guest" worker program will be a disaster, because we won't have the guts to enforce it. Does anyone in their right mind really think illegals will voluntarily leave and return? It does, however, have everything to do with culture: A third-world culture that does not value education, that accepts children getting pregnant and dropping out of school by age 15, and that refuses to assimilate; and an American culture that has become so weak and intimidated by "political correctness," that we don't have the will to protect ourselves.

Cheap labor? Isn't that what the whole illegal immigration issue is really about? Business doesn't want to pay a decent wage; consumers don't want expensive produce. The phrase "cheap labor" is a myth, a farce, and a lie; there is no such thing as cheap labor. An illegal qualifies for Section-8 housing and subsidized rent; he qualifies for food stamps; he qualifies for free (no deductible, no co-pay) health care; his children get free breakfasts and lunches at school, where they get a free education; he requires bilingual teachers and books; he qualifies for relief from energy bills; if he is, or becomes aged, blind, or disabled, he qualifies for social security income; once qualified for SSI, he qualifies for Medicare; he doesn't worry about car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance; taxpayers provide Spanish language signs, bulletins, and printed material; he and each member of his family receive the equivalent of $20.00 to $30.00/hour in benefits, whereas Americans are lucky to have $5.00 or $6.00/hour left after paying their bills and his; American taxpayers also pay for increased crime, graffiti, and trash clean-up.

Cheap labor is such a ruse it is laughable.

---Sarah Jones

[vavandeveresfan]

"‘Barbie’ is bad. There, I said it." Thank god, someone I can agree with!

Opinion by Pamela Paul for the NYT, January 24, 2024.

We can all agree 2023 was a good year for the movies. Critically and commercially, several movies did well, and only one of those successes took place within the Marvel cinematic universe. Even the 10 Oscar nominees for best picture, announced Tuesday, included nine actually good films.

Is it safe now to call “Barbie” the outlier? Can I say that, despite winsome leads and likable elements, it didn’t cohere or accomplish anything interesting, without being written off as a) mean, b) old, c) hateful or d) humorless?

Every once in a while, a movie is so broadly anticipated, so welcomed, so celebrated that to disparage it felt like a deliberate provocation. After “Barbie” so buoyantly lifted box office figures, it also felt like a willful dismissal of the need to make Hollywood solvent after a season of hell. And it felt like a political statement. Disliking “Barbie” meant either dismissing the power of The Patriarchy or dismissing Modern Feminism. You were either anti-feminist or too feminist or just not the right kind.

Few dared rain on Barbie’s hot pink parade.

Those who openly hated it mostly did so for reasons having to do with what it “stood for.” They abhorred its (oddly anachronistic) third-wave feminist politics. They despised its commercialism and dreaded the prospect of future films about Mattel properties such as Barney and American Girl dolls. They hated the idea of a movie about a sexualized pinup-shaped doll whose toy laptop or Working Woman (“I really talk!”) packaging couldn’t hide the stereotypes under the outfit.

For those who hailed it, there was a manic quality to the “Barbie” enthusiasm, less an “I enjoyed” and more of an “I endorse.” How fabulous its consumer-friendly politics, its I-can’t-believe-they-let-us-do-this micro-subversions, its prepackaged combo of gentle satire and you-go-girl gumption. They loved it for reclaiming dolls and Bazooka-gum pink, its Rainbow Magic diversity, its smug assurance that everything contained within was legitimately feminist/female/fine. They approved of the fact that Weird Barbie’s quirks could X out Stereotypical Barbie’s perfection on some unspoken political balance sheet. That by being everything to everyone, a plastic doll could validate every child’s own unique and irrepressible individuality. To each her own Barbie!

And now there is a new Barbie cause to rally around: the Great Oscar Snub and what it all means — and why it is wrong. Neither Margot Robbie nor Greta Gerwig was nominated for best actress or best director, respectively. “How is that even possible?” one TV host exclaimed.

“To many, the snubbing of the pair further validated the film’s message about how difficult it can be for women to succeed in —<em> and be recognized for </em>— their contributions in a society saturated by sexism,” CNN explained. Ryan Gosling, nominated as best supporting actor for his role as Ken, issued a statement denouncing the snubs and hailing his colleagues.

But hold on. Didn’t another woman, Justine Triet, get nominated for best director (for “Anatomy of a Fall”)? As for “Barbie,” didn’t Gerwig herself get nominated for best adapted screenplay and the always sublime America Ferrera get nominated for best supporting actress? A record three of the best picture nominees were directed by women. It’s not as if women were shut out.

Every time a woman fails to win an accolade doesn’t mean failure for womanhood. Surely women aren’t so pitiable as to need a participation certificate every time we try. We’re well beyond the point where a female artist can’t be criticized on the merits and can’t be expected to handle it as well as any man. (Which means it still hurts like hell for either sex — but not because of their sex.)

Robbie had far less to do in “Barbie” than she did in “I, Tonya,” for which she justifiably got an Oscar nod. In this movie, she was charming and utterly fine, but that doesn’t make it a rare dramatic achievement.

With “Barbie,” Gerwig upped her commercial game from acclaimed art house to bona fide blockbuster. She was demonstrably ambitious in her conception of what could have been an all-out disaster. She got people to go back to the movies. All of these are successes worthy of celebration. But they are not the same as directing a good film.

Surely it is possible to criticize “Barbie” as a creative endeavor. To state that despite its overstuffed playroom aesthetic and musical glaze, the movie was boring. There were no recognizable human characters, something four “Toy Story” movies have shown can be done in a movie populated by toys.

There were no actual stakes, no plot to follow in any real or pretend world that remotely made sense. In lieu of genuine laughs, there were only winking ha-has at a single joke improbably stretched into a feature-length movie. The result produced the forced jollity of a room in which the audience is strenuously urged to “sing along now!”

A few reviewers had the gall to call it. The New York Post described it as “exhausting” and a “self-absorbed and overwrought disappointment,” a judgment for which the reviewer was likely shunned as a houseguest for the remaining summer season.

In our culture of fandoms, hashtags, TikTok sensations, semi-ironic Instagrammable cosplay, embedded anonymous reviews, sponsored endorsements and online grassroots marketing campaigns, not every critical opinion is a deliberate commentary on the culture or the virtue-signaling of an open letter. Sometimes an opinion isn’t some kind of performance or signifier.

There’s a crucial difference between liking the idea of a movie and liking the movie itself. Just as you could like “Jaws” without wanting to instigate a decadeslong paranoia about shark attacks, you can dislike “Barbie” without hating on women. Sometimes a movie is just a movie. And sometimes, alas, not a good one.

[blimpixels]

To counter your argument of there being "too much piracy" as you stated on twitter, if it wasn't for piracy there would be so much media out there that'd lost forever. I'm surprised you feel that way about this especially these days as we witness multi-billionaire companies nuke different media off the face of the earth that wouldn't survive if it wasn't for piracy. A lot of cultural contributions and their value would be lost forever. To use an example of the library of alexandria, Eratosthenes' most important work Geographika would not have survived at all if it was not for the fact that Strabo preserved many fragments of his work through quotations. While this isn't necessarily the same as piracy, the core concept is still the same. We are witnessing attempts at eradicating third spaces and what they offer for free to their users such as libraries, for example through censorship and defunding. Piracy is becoming more relevant and even more important than ever before, specifically because of the rot capitalism forces on society. I can understand why you might feel that there's too much piracy going around, but please consider why that might be and the importance of preserving culture and the cultural items that come with it.

“so you hate waffles?”

This isn’t countering an argument I made, it’s making up an argument I made because you have worms in your brain and you can’t read the word “piracy” without going on a tirade about digital preservation when they aren’t actually the same thing, despite the overlap.

Maybe ask me about the context of my tweets before going on anon and sending me essays about shit I also already talk about. I could’ve been talking about anything.

Obviously I know and care about digital and physical media preservation, I tweeted that literally coming home from the library yesterday. But that’s not the same as piracy.

Maybe I was talking about how hundreds of artists and SWs personal subscription sites are being regularly stolen and consistently updated and the creators can do nothing about it short of shutting down their patreons and OFs. Obviously it sucks that people even have to have middlemen like this to be financially supported online but people stealing their content isn’t preservation, it’s theft.

As a creator it pisses me off when cumbrained, porn addicted consumers feel entitled to people’s creative and sexual labor. Even when it’s only $5 a month to actually support them.

You should’ve asked me what originally prompted my tweet. I was in a comic book store yesterday and I felt guilt after seeing how full some of the shelves were and seeing books that I’ve read online for free that I could’ve bought and supported the creators with. I try to buy physical media when I can because I hate how streaming services and gaming companies have a disgusting amount of needless control over the content they just so happen to “own”. I’ve talked about this before.

But then of course you’d retort “but most of that money doesn’t go to the creators, it goes to people on top” and I’d say “so what?” I’m not talking about who fully gets the money (though it’s very important), I’m talking about people taking from modern media producers without giving anything back. It’s an unfair exchange. Even if comics were 100% owned by the people creating and printing the books, piracy would still be just as big. Because it’s not about “preservation” for most people, it’s about getting content for free.

Being anticapitalist doesn’t mean not compensating people for their work.

Of course, opinions are nuanced and that tweet wasn’t. But it’s a tweet. They aren’t nuanced. It was barely a sentence. So next time hop off anon and own your words like an actual human being. This isn’t even everything I want to say about piracy and media preservation but I have stuff to do today.

I’m glad you’re passionate about this. It’s important. I actually agree with you on most of the things you said. But also shut the fuck up.

[vlyteng]

Fast fashion is out, Slow fashion is in!

The detrimental effects of the fast fashion business on the environment and society have come to public attention in recent years due to social media. Fast fashion is the activity of mass producing inexpensive, trend-driven apparel that encourages consumers to buy more in a short time span and soon discard it due to the garment going out of style or because of its poor condition after a few washes. As a result, there is now a culture of wasteful fashion consumption, which is terrible for the environment. One of the biggest fast fashion companies of our time, SHEIN, reported an eye-dropping revenue of USD 22.7 billion in just 2022 (KrAsia 2023). This can be due to the influence of microcelebrities and how quickly people jump on to new trends without thinking about where their products are coming from. As consumers are becoming more aware of the origins of their products, companies are also starting to implement more sustainable and eco-friendly fashion to their businesses. Some companies that are working towards a more sustainable fashion industry include Monki, H&M and Levi’s. I believe many people have already explained what slow and fast fashion is, so I will be sharing some ways to minimise waste and to make more sustainable fashion choices!

Recently, thrifting has also become a trend! Thrifting refers to the act and process of purchasing old products from secondhand shops (Okafor 2022). However, thrifting can be done online now such as through Carousell and Facebook Marketplace. According to ThredUp’s Annual Resale Report from the previous year, thrifting is developing into a global phenomenon and is anticipated to increase by 127% by 2026 (Quick 2023). Thrifting has become popular since users on social media have started regularly posting their thrifted gems online such as TikTok and Instagram.

To be able to thrift, we need people willing to sell, or even donate old clothes, which is also a sustainable way to participate in fashion. We may not notice this issue but there are a lot of people that do not have access to basic necessities such as clean clothes, running water and food, the things that most of us take for granted all the time. Donating clothes to the needy and those living in poverty is not only a meaningful and kind gesture to those that need your help but it’s also good for the environment! Your old clothes or pieces that you don’t wear anymore won’t end up in landfills but will be relayed to someone that needs it more than anything.

Don’t be afraid to play around with old clothes! After a certain period of time, we may find a piece of clothing boring or not suitable for our aesthetics or taste. To spice things up, we can experiment with tie dye, bleach, embroidery and more on old pieces. If you’re handy with sewing, you can even take apart old clothes and turn them into completely new creations such as tote bags, blankets, pillow covers and more! How cool would it be to have your very own blanket made out of a bunch of old clothes?

This is more on the obvious side but buying less clothes can directly help protect the planet and those suffering due to unfair labours. Oftentimes we get the feeling that we “don’t have anything to wear” or “don’t have enough clothes” but this is far from the truth. On average, clothing is typically worn for seven times until they’re disposed of (Nizzoli 2022). In 2022, the population is buying 60% more clothes compared to 2022 (Nizzoli 2022). This results in an 18.6 million tonnes of textile waste and clothing to be thrown away globally each year (Nizzoli 2022). Whether we subconsciously think that we do not have enough clothes or are peer pressured into fitting in or catching up with trends, this can severely affect the environment as we are contributing to a large amount of waste for absolutely no reason. Before you purchase anything, think about where this product comes from and whether you really need it. If you don’t, put it back, the planet and your wallet will thank you!

Last but not least, wash your clothes correctly! I cannot stress this enough, a good pair of jeans can last you a good five years but only if you wash it properly and take care of it. Clothes come with wash instructions on the back or on the tag and it is recommended that we follow the given instructions. The best way to keep your clothes in tip-top condition is through hand washing but obviously it’s hard to do that in the 21st century due to how busy our schedules are. Some tips to take note of are to wash them less frequently (but not until the point where they stink), avoid drying clothes in the dryer as it strips the colour of your clothes faster and to avoid using hot water when cleaning.

While I understand that some people have no choice but to choose fast fashion options, it is so important that we are mindful when choosing the clothes we buy and not take it for granted. Quality over quantity is the most important tip, choose clothes and accessories that are timeless or compliment each other so they can be worn for many years to come no matter the occasion.

References

KrAsia 2023, Shein’s Growth Threatened by Multiple Challenges, KrAsia, viewed 10 June 2023, https://kr-asia.com/sheins-growth-threatened-by-multiple-challenges.

Nizzoli, G 2022, How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!), Project Cece, viewed 11 June 2023, https://www.projectcece.com/blog/506/how-many-times-do-we-wear-our-clothes/.

Okafor, J 2022, What Does It Mean To Go Thrifting?, TRVST, viewed 10 June 2023, https://www.trvst.world/sustainable-living/fashion/what-does-it-mean-to-go-thrifting/.

Quick, C 2023, Here’s Why Thrifted Style Is One Of The Biggest Fashion Trends Right Now, Her Agenda, viewed 10 June 2023, https://heragenda.com/p/thrifting-becoming-popular-among-millennials-and-how-to-shop-second-hand/.

[orossii]

the rat utopia experiments are basically a meme at this point but in summary, it was an experiment where a 2,000-rat-strong society was created and studied in a laboratory. the rats were given everything they needed-- food, shelter, water, waste management, etc, without having to do anything to maintain or procure it for themselves. the population exploded initially but over generations the mice became duller, more docile, more despondent, and stopped breeding entirely before slowly dying out. the conclusion the malthusianists reached was that over-population causes social collapse. but it’s really a much better illustration of how a society that’s alienated from the construction of that society eventually collapses, as is the case in the rapidly decaying largely de-industrialized western countries. in america we rely on outsourced labor for production while the domestic consumer class works meaningless bullshit jobs that contribute nothing aside from helping finance capitalists move numbers around. the people who do do the essential labor of society-- the cooking, the cleaning, the care work, the technical and factory work-- are undervalued socially and treated with outright hostility in many regards. the exploited nations are similarly degraded and maligned in the eyes of the western citizen, deepening their sense of separation from the act of production

US society has produced individuals that are so alienated from their day to day lives, their bodies, their possessions, and the people around them that i think it’s safe to say we’re facing the widespread consequences of being a general populace that is no longer capable of collective stability and psychological wellness. our self-definition comes predominantly from what we consume or believe in individually because it can no longer come from what we do to contribute to this society that we have no great visceral connection to anymore. each generation born into this dynamic gets more and more anti-social and chronically insecure, reliant on consumption for identity. i think this is in some way by design, or at least, was anticipated to prepare society ahead of time for each new stage of decline so that the ruling class can avoid accidentally killing the host too soon. experiments like this, performed by establishment psychiatrists in the era of social control measures like electroshock and the lobotomy, prove that intentionality to me. the publicly stated conclusion was some cynical malthusian bullshit built on a false premise, but if you understand its true function as a way of studying the management of human society like one would a factory farm it couldn’t be more salient

but that said, my anti-black pill disclaimer is that i have faith in the US because i have faith in humanity, and in the inevitable overthrow of imperialism. life in this country can be so miserable, especially for the majority of us that are both struggling to get by while also battling the same free floating misery all of us at this point recognize even if we can’t quite articulate what it is. it doesn’t take a social scientist to pick up on the pervasive sense of doom that hangs over american society like an evil cloud. one day soon we’ll fix this, reclaim our autonomy as workers, and build society off of our own labor and not off the backs of our comrades in the global south. we may need to wrestle with some serious contradictions before that happens, but it will indeed happen. the rupture is already apparent, our triumph is a historical inevitability that will force us to rise to the occasion one way or another

[divine-nonchalance]

∞

The 9D Arcturian Council, Channeled by Daniel Scranton

“Greetings. We are the Arcturian Council. We are pleased to connect with all of you.

We are very impressed with the way that humanity continues to evolve, continues to grow spiritually, and we continue to look for all the various ways in which you are improving yourselves and becoming your fifth-dimensional higher selves. One of the ways that you do this is by focusing within yourself and looking for that which is good, that which is love and light, when there is something going on outside of you that is not to your liking. When you know that looking at a particular problem, or certain information, is going to bring you down, and then you choose not to look in that direction, and instead you choose to feel for the truth of who you really are, you grow. You become more of your true self.

You demonstrate to all who are paying any attention that you know you are unconditional love. You can be the love that you truly are in any and all circumstances and conditions. You don’t need to wait until there is someone standing in front of you who is lovable to get you to that place. You don’t need to wait until some cute, furry animal crosses your path to feel that love inside of you. You definitely don’t have to wait until love is being showered upon you before you feel it. Trust us when we say that love is constantly being showered upon you, but you don’t always feel it.

You’re not aware of how much love there is for you most of the time, and yet you can still go within and find that love at the portal to Source that exists at the center of your heart, and you can do that no matter what’s going on in the outside world. Anything that you want to be happening in your life that isn’t happening is not an impediment to you being the love that you truly are. Anything that you are experiencing in your life that is an issue, a problem, anything that is troubling to you, none of those things are a good enough reason to take your attention off of the truth of who you really are as unconditional love. When you come across some upsetting news, some world event that could get all of your attention and that could bring you down, you must choose love over fear, worry, or sadness. When you are choosing love, you are also choosing compassion.

And so, if something truly bad is happening out there to other people and you become aware of it, you don’t have to turn away, not completely. You can feel your compassion and send your love without making it the new topic that you are following obsessively on your phone or computer. You can be aware of problems that are going on in the outside world and still live your life without letting those problems consume you. If the amount of plastic that is currently in your oceans was on your mind constantly as you went about your day on dry land, you would have a hard time living your life joyously or contributing anything to society, because you would be in that lower vibration that focusing on that particular issue is sure to put you in.

And so, you must take care of yourselves if you are going to be of value. If you are going to be of service to others, you must take care of your vibration so that every person you meet throughout your day is uplifted by you and your presence. Someone you know in your life right now might be mourning. They might be going through the hardest thing they’ve ever had to go through, and you can still be there for that person without going there vibrationally with them. You don’t have to try to cheer them up or convince them that there is a better way of looking at the situation or thinking about it. You can allow someone else to be in their sadness without joining them in that sadness.

Your compassion can come from a place of just feeling okay, because certainly having a lot of sad people around you could bring you down, and you just have to ask yourself the question of, ‘Is it really going to help them if I join them in their sadness?’ You can do more good for those around you who are suffering by not suffering, because you will subtly and unconsciously be sending them an invitation to join you in a better feeling place.

The world needs balance. And so, if one person is sad, there has to be another person who is happy. The happy feeling person doesn’t have to feel guilty that they too are not sad, because they will have their turn to be sad. Everyone will get the opportunity to feel everything at some point in their lives. And once you all do feel everything there on Earth, then you have the capacity to choose.

If there is something going on in your life right now, or in the world outside of you, that could get your attention and could cause you to worry about it, you have to ask yourself whether worrying about it has ever helped. You certainly can think of instances in your life when not thinking about the problem has been precisely what was needed to bring the solution. Remember that the next time you start to go down a road that would take you to a lower-vibrational place, and remember that you always have a choice, especially on a world like Earth where there are so many choices. We support you no matter what you choose, and yet we always invite you to the light, to the love that you truly are, and we nudge you in the direction of joy.

We are the Arcturian Council, and we have enjoyed connecting with you.”

[storm-dragoness]

I'm so fucking mad at like HBO and all these fucking people who remove content from the internet so that the only way to have it is to pirate it

I Hate Subscription based services, and I hate that the model is increasingly moving away from ever actually having a hard copy of a thing, because ultimately these corporations don't want you to ever own ANYTHING because if you own it, if you have it, it's in your pocket, it's on your bookshelf, they don't control it, and they want. Total control over, well. Everything, as near as I can tell, but mostly like. The product they are in the market of.

like look art is super extremely important and i think that that was an idea that was super reinforced for a lot of people over the last 2-3 years especially at the beginning and height of the pandemic in 2020-2021, like. We all were locked in our home with nothing to do, and we were slowly losing our minds and the saving grace that a lot of people found was in art. For some people, a lot of people, that meant like ACTUALLY MAKING THINGS like, baking, making bread and stuff, painting, writing, cartooning, etc. (for those people who weren't forced to be on the front line as "essential workers" with their whole life hanging in the nerve wracking balance because they were poor and expendable, although i think some/many of them found solace in art when they went home as well)

But for even more people, even if the solace wasn't found in MAKING art, it's certainly found in, for lack of a better word, consuming art. and like! that's what all this shit is! cartoons! Video games! Movies! Tv shows! Hell, even netflix original series! like. Fuck, a lot of the time, arguably all of the time, they're produced by these shitty megacorporations, yeah, and i don't support that. I loved gravity falls, but man, fuck the disney channel right? but like they're NOT actually produced by megacorporations! they're produced by people! artists! even if you don't like the media that is produced even if you don't like the ART that is produced, you should at least respect and understand that there are real people who put their heart and soul, blood sweat and tears into that shit! Into the Act of CREATION which is far nobler and far more important than anything that happens in the office buildings at Fucking HBO or whatever. like. God DAMN the fact that Dana Terrace can't watch Owl House without pirating it? that's fucked up. the fact that a megacorporation who produces and contributes nothing has somehow managed to gain the power and ability to wipe years of a person's life, work, and soul off the face of the earth is fucked up i hate it it makes me want to scream murder and set things on fire. Like. okay yeah pirating things is an option, and yeah, I'm SO thankful that piracy is still an option, and frankly, I think it's so incredibly important, but i think whats more important is pirating these things and burning them onto physical copies so that HBO can't just. Scrub them from existence like! fine! stop production but like the power to erase the Backlog? imagine if someone broke into your house and stole all of your Sailor Moon VHS tapes, because they don't want them in circulation anymore! imagine if someone stole EVERYONE's Sailor Moon VHS tapes! there would be riots! people have! the RIGHT to this stuff! the right to enrich their souls with art and media, for creators to create and share their product with people. With their Children! the next generation! and the fact that we've progressed to a society where some bitter lemon souled individual whose only thought, only care, only desire in life is to make money, and possibly to hurt as many people as possible along the way up that golden stepladder can simply STEAL everyones Copies of Sailor Moon (analogically speaking) is a fucking nightmare! HBO should be burned at the stake! they've apparently RUINED people's careers, because being able to point to your name on the credits of a show, was an important part of their animation portfolio! imagine if the industry you worked in suddenly said "oh by the way you have no access to fully 3/4ths of your resume, so good luck ever getting a job that isn't with us who has it already" It's it's preposterous. It's terrible it's actively evil Streaming came in as an option for people to have access to MORE things, and it has suddenly become a nightmare land, where people are paying constantly, with money and with blood, and they have no control over what they have access to, they can never again share the pieces of Art that they loved. Rant not over necessarily but like im gonna start tailspinning soon. so. im done

[batteryoperatedtrashcan]

scared of posting this on reddit or w/e but I have some Thoughts about Ms. Swift.

Before we begin, a few things can be true at the same time:

1. Celebrities are not who we as a society should be looking to for political guidance.

2. Some celebrities (including Taylor Swift) have at one point or another opted to engage in a political discourse with their fans.

3. This can create an expectation on the part of fans of future engagement in political discourse on the part of the celebrity (regardless of whether or not we "should" have that expectation).

These things being said, I am extremely disappointed in Taylor's lack of public acknowledgement of the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Here's why I'm disappointed that Taylor hasn't said anything:

- Through her past words and actions, she's made it clear that engaging in political discourse is important to her, regardless of potentially alienating fans.

- Regardless of political affiliation, it's pretty clear to see that tens of thousands of people are dying, and there's an extremely large scale humanitarian crisis happening right now.

- Even if she's privately supporting humanitarian aid causes, the impact that a public statement from her would have is undeniable. She has the power to mobilize Swifties and influence the cultural discourse, and she's not using it.

The combination of these things just has me really disappointed. The way that Swifties online are uncritically consuming so much Taylor related media (all her appearances at football games, pics of her and Travis, the stupid hat discourse), without acknowledging that she has some responsibility to her fans in this regard is also disheartening.

Taylor not calling for a ceasefire or an end to the humanitarian crisis or talking about how she's contributing to do her part to help, when in the past she's been vocal about supporting other causes, is sending the message that she cares more about not alienating her fans (and, cynically, her potential customers) than she does about doing the right thing. And to me, that's cowardly shit, and it sucks to see an artist I've loved for so long out herself like this. And she's really painted herself into a corner here, because given her whole "reclaiming my narrative" story she's been telling for years, no amount of post-hoc "oh I really wanted to speak out but my management/record label/family didn't let me"-type excuses will hold up. The only one responsible for her actions (or lack of!) right now is her.

[thoughts4all]

Day 328: Inspiring

Hold on I need to structure this. The title is currently "inspiring" however it will probably change.

Batman (parenthood): People want to do good for others. They want to protect others and help humanity at the cost of their suffering. It is a satisfying path to accept that you are not meant to chase your own happiness. It is satisfying knowing you are meant to help others. It is blissful knowing you have not failed yourself if you are not happy since happiness was not the thing you were pursuing.

Batman (resources and free time): In the Dark Knight trilogy, Bruce Wayne has lots of free time and resources. He does not work or have responsibilities. He can do what ever he wants on his free time. On top of that, he has Fox to build him whatever tools or resources he wants. Plus, he has Alfred to be his assistant in everything. Meaning, he has resources, money, time, and a servant/friend. These are immense luxuries we do not posses. This is how he can achieve so much. He can learn things, build things, do things, essentially live more.

Lack of Free time: I want to do so much. I want to read a lot. I want learn to write well. I want to cook intricate healthy meals. I want to workout and become physically healthy and strong. I want to learn to code and create projects. I want to play sports.

Jobs. create jobs business idea. In movies, I always wondered why criminals work for the bad guy when they are ruthless and kill their henchmen anyways. It is because there are no jobs. They will starve otherwise. Same thing how people built the pyramids. Most of the people were slaves. I wondered why the guards would help the Pharaohs keep the slaves in check. It is because there are no other opportunities. Maybe this way they have comfortable resources and could create a family easier.

Duolingo (ethical business idea): Duolingo's story is one many people dream of. People like me. We want to be rich and create something ourselves. At the same time, we do not want to worsen the world. It is easier to get rich off other people's misfortune. Gambling, junk food, polarizing media, porn. These industries gain a profit by hacking the negative parts of the human brain. We do not want to contribute to the things harming society. For instance, I am hard on myself because I am not doing anything valuable. I am wasting my life consuming media. Thus, I do not want to create media since it will assist the rotting of other's brains. I do not want to contribute to the same disease that is plaguing me. At least if I have an ethical purpose at the core of my idea, like Duolingo, I can continue to build something for myself without the guilt of worsening society.

Why am I under so much pressure. What I want is so unrealistic. Why did I have to be plagued with wanting to become an entrepreneur. Why did I have to be plagued with having to find a high paying satisfying job. Why can't I just be happy working at the local mine and raising a family simply because I have to. All this choice and all this pressure on myself that every bad outcome and missed opportunity is my fault. There is nothing wrong with the world. The world is being kind and providing me with all of these opportunities. I don't know why I am so in my head. I think my issue is internal rather than external. I cannot blame the world hacking the addictive components of my brain. It is providing so much. I need to learn to control my thoughts. Not to be successful. But to be content.

Side note, I am probably upset because I am losing. Not putting in the work in the gym, in my career, in myself. Is this my fault or society's? I have so little free time after work. I am exhausted mentally. Mental exhaustion is more of an issue than time. Most of my time is at work, the rest is exhausted and there goes all the days. I have little time to be productive. Is this my fault for not being strong enough?

[pamelaabegail]

That Time When Printing Press Was Invented

Blog II: Appreciation of Print Publishing

A creative human can immortalize anything and it is indeed a blessing once the art is made as it saves and keeps the whole humanity sane. But the question here is, how can someone preserve the art’s  original form that can last for centuries? Keep it hidden somewhere? Write it on a piece of paper? Surely, one’s handwriting can fade and break in the next few years. Or perhaps, carved it on caves and stones? However, an out of date practice will not be an effective solution since we’re already in an era where technology is the lifeline of many. So again, how can humans conserve their precious arts in the easiest way possible?

To our luck and with technology by our side, print publishing was invented. While ancient civilizations grew, humans' way of life evolved as well, resulting in the numerous machines to be created such as Johann Gutenberg’s printing press. This printing press triggered the development of publishing and because of it, the dissemination of knowledge, literacy, and discoveries became much easier. Through this printing press, information about everything quickly spread, it reached a wider audience that made individuals become more intellectual and wiser which helped societies improve and flourished. From hand-written religious manuscripts to printing machines, it certainly contributed to what the world is right now. Imagine a world without books that contains the knowledge we have, do you think we are what we are right now? Wouldn’t that leave us all in misery?

Luckily, books were published and the world of academia expanded dramatically; people got an easier access to education which also bridges the gap between rich and poor since they have the equal chance to learn something from the books they can have once they enter schools or universities. However, discrimination and unfair treatment are still observed even in today’s modern society. Going back to the main topic, print publishing didn’t just grant the public the education they need but it also provided them entertainment and this is where fashion, fictional novels, non-fiction books, and news enters the scene. 

First and foremost, print publishing gave many creatives a chance to showcase their talents, practice their creativity, and most importantly bring their arts to life while being able to pay their bills and put food on their tables. But of course, there is no such thing as “easy” in this world. Artists, writers, and other creatives have to put all their best into a single page of a book, magazine, newspaper, etc. For some people, it may come off as a “simple single page” but for them, it is a single page of their blood, sweat, and tears as they went into a difficult process of brainstorming, conceptualizing, editing, and printing before the public consumes it. As someone who is into reading and writing - a bookworm and a writer, I can attest how necessary print publishing is as well as the people who are working behind the scenes because without books, I am not what I am right now. 

08/30/23

written by: Pamela Abegail

[maanimationblog]

On the 16th of November, I visited the Manchester Animation Festival. I previously attended the festival in 2019, and it was great to go again.

The films I watched included:

Little Things stood out to me since I no longer eat meat for the same reasons highlighted in this animated film; factory farming not only destroys land but is also cruel to animals such as cows, chickens, and pigs. I believe that by employing a somewhat 'cute' visual style and transitioning to incredibly mortifying scenes of the cattle being force fed grain and herded into packed areas, this film did an excellent job of demonstrating how atrocious these practises are.

The antagonist is depicted as a large looming shadow that rakes through the forest with its fingers, this symbolises humankind's destruction of nature. Through the use of its angular and dark shapes it conveys an ominous sense of threat whilst emphasising the idea of humanity as something separate from nature itself. As the protagonist travels down through the woods, she is forced to abandon her friends as they feed on the grains planted by the humans. This demonstrates how the human-animal relationship has been exploited to benefit society without regard for what happens to those who are affected by these practices. When the protagonist finally reaches the edge of the forest, she finds herself standing on a cliffside, overlooking a bloody river and destroyed trees. This scene highlights how mankind continues to exploit the natural world despite knowing the devastating effects it will inevitably cause. By juxtaposing images of forests full of life against one of them being cut down to make way for new farmland, the viewer is reminded of the consequences of their own actions.

Despite being upsetting to watch, I believe it is an excellent approach to educate people who consume meat on why it is so vital to check where it is produced. Purchasing from large corporations that do not care about the environment or the welfare of animals is detrimental and contributes to the deterioration of the planet.

The second film that stood out to me was

As someone who loves dogs and has disabilities, this film was a breath of fresh air. I admire how the golden retriever develops from his bicycle accident to finally overcoming his fear when he becomes a guide dog. The screenwriters' understanding and passion for this is apparent, and the CGI animation is extremely expressive. This is my favourite film that I saw.

This film's lighting is vibrant, especially during scenes featuring the golden retriever playing with his mother or the scene where he is training alongside the other dogs; these colours help create a sense of wonderment as well as add depth to each shot. For example, there are many shots showing the sun shining on their fur, which gives off a warm feeling while also giving us insight into the character's personality: Andy is a playful and caring character. Furthermore, the background music adds another layer to the emotional experience by helping convey certain emotions through subtle changes in tempo. These aspects contribute towards creating a more heartfelt environment, allowing audiences to sympathise with Andy's situation.

The third film that stood out to me is

This film, like Little Things, emphasises the importance of land preservation and research. Nobody would be able to hear the recordings of the last known Kauai O'o A'a bird if it weren't for John Sincock. Although the true story on which it is based is heartbreaking as the Kauai O'o A'a bird is now extinct, I feel animation and cinema are vital in educating people about history. I had never heard of this bird before watching it, so I learned something new, and it also made me want to research more about the species.

The final film I wish to speak about is

When I first saw this, I thought it was an awareness campaign for something, but there was no information at the end. Despite it being impressive from an artistic standpoint, I did not enjoy this one. This film was memorable because of how uncomfortable it made me and I wonder if that was the director's intention.

There were a large collection of films that were all amazing in their own right, but all of these films stood out to me the most. They also helped me to understand on how long it would take me to produce my animated film as I will be most likely making quite a lot of models.

[metis-inn]

Having boundaries doesn’t mean we have to take on their emotions as our own, it also doesn’t mean we can’t help them carry the burden by being 💯% present for them as they share their story.

While this is time consuming and difficult to endure at times - the immeasurable cost benefit of being a witness or a caring ear to someone else’s struggle without judgement or even advice (I’m bad at that for sure) is tantamount to healing and establishing

The Thread of Connection.

We are all called to become a part of the fabric of our society. We do this by

• asking for their story

• making time to experience it

• by not adding our anything (sorry I do that)

• interrupting

• or giving advice

To create, make or fabricate a tapestry it takes countless threads. Each thread has its own color which is created by our time, efforts and actions through our lives.

Each of these decisions, moments, conversations all add up to our breadth of knowledge and experience. This is what it means to bring color into this world.

Before we can make a tapestry we must first know what threads we have before us. But if we ONLY choose to see the threads as lines on paper or credits on a CV then we miss the greatest points of our development , of our achievements or of our character.

I say our greatest contributions in life are not our successes but the how, what and why of our mistakes and our challenges.

By sharing victory over adversity or humility over arrogance, we share joy.

I’m looking for Joy Slingers to join me in my quest to share joy, open hearts and eyes and hopefully usher in a new sense of connection, acceptance and real belonging.

Belonging that comes from the real truth that by proximity alone we should learn to get along. Even if it’s just surface.

[flickeringart]

Neptune in aspect with Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto and Chiron

(Read my other posts 1: Neptune aspecting Sun & Moon, 2: Neptune aspecting Mercury & Venus, 3: Neptune aspecting Mars)

It is always difficult to interpret aspects of generational planets to other generational planets because they are such big forces and encompasses such broad complexity that it would take a genius to accurately convey their impact through the Mercurial function; verbal and written communication. The social and collective planets are describing the bigger picture of what is going on a societal and global scale – but they do matter in the personal natal chart because they indicate the overall collective climate that one was born into and will inevitably color the personal life experience. When I refer to “collective tendencies” in describing these aspects I’m therefore also referring to “personal tendencies”.

Neptune in aspect with Jupiter

With the harmonious aspects this would translate into a time of deep collective faith and belief in the transience of the world as well as a faith in the ability to be redeemed through the correct attitude and positive expectations. This is a typical aspect of “follow your heart and your dreams” which is often considered extremely naïve by more “realistic” people. With this aspect forming at a point in time, there’s a greater collective tendency to take chances and put one’s luck in the hands of the universe. This aspect lends itself to big dreams and visions, a freedom to pursue spirituality and let go of inhibitions, to pursue freedom with complete abandon of boundaries, to enjoy culture and contribute to it in order to feel closer to the divine. In case of the hard aspects, belief systems may be dissolving and reconstructed, the future might seem obscure; the erosion of culture and lost sense purpose might cause people to pursue religion or spiritual doctrine more vigorously than ever. People could attempt to escape from it all through distraction and dissociation, to cling to illusions in order to cope, or take to drugs in order to numb the sense of meaninglessness and desperation that permeates the social-societal fabric. The hard aspects could indicate disillusionment and disappointment in religious doctrine, an abandonment of belief and collective spirit. People could feel betrayed and deceived by thought leaders and visionaries leading them astray instead of enriching their lives. In any case, these two planets together combine the yearning for something sacred and transcendent with the symbolic expressions of meaning in culture and social life.

Neptune in aspect with Saturn

With the harmonious aspects this combination of planets, the collective might try to create a system of protection for the less fortunate, to provide a container for the unformed and passive souls that are helpless in the face of existence. It might also lend itself to collective fantasies of the ideal state with an ideal structure. Hard work and duty might be glorified and seen as the height of goodness. There could even be a great sense of bliss in restricting and depriving in order to chip away at a distant goal. It could also mean that there’s romanticizing and mythologizing of authority, a deep need to idealize paternal figureheads and put faith in tradition. This aspect forming at a specific point in time could generate a tendency to expect to be taken care of by society, for the powers that be to provide and coddle its citizens. There could be an expectancy to be redeemed through putting noses to the grindstone and get rewarded in this (or the next) life for doing the right thing, for believing in the system. With the harmonious aspects this might not be such a disastrous preconception to live by but with the harder aspect it becomes another story. With the hard aspects, Neptune-Saturn might express ad deep guilt and regret in not pursuing worldly goals or becoming successful – there could likewise be a sadness of not being receptive enough to have dreams and longings because of too much realism. There might be great defensiveness collectively against chaos as to make people paranoid to not loose control. Counter to what is desired; this fear might cause more disorder and a collapse of defense systems through the very effort of keeping them intact. Saturn has to do with boundaries and Neptune has to do with dissolution, which might indicate collective experiences of trying to keep things in but being unable to. Avoiding the “swamp” whatever form it comes in, would be the dilemma of these people’s lives and for the greater collective at this specific point in time. Escaping responsibility causes guilt and disorder and taking responsibility will cause guilt and disorder, whether it’s mental or physical or both. There’s dysfunction present at both ends. There would possibly be an undermining of authority taking place and simultaneously a stronger defensiveness around authority in order to not fall prey to the temptation of chaos.

Neptune in aspect with Uranus

With the harmonious aspects, this set of planets will combine themselves to create a common experience of looking to the future for redemption. That which is new is idealized and welcomed with open arms – change might seem like an appealing concept. Dreams of a utopian society where every individual is accepted and harmoniously coexisting without the necessity of rigid rules and structure might be prevalent. Faith in humanity and its capacity for genius to solve all its problems might come with this planetary contact. In fact, Neptune is sextile Uranus at this point in time, pointing to a longing for change and the opportunity to create something new that saves humanity from the “dark” past and elevates it to new heights of spiritual and scientific excellence. This is a highly idealistic combo that can produce genius solutions that are in line with the yearnings of the collective. The hard aspects can create tremendous despair and incapacity to pursue progress, without feeling like there’s an abandonment of the potential for redemption. These are the aspects that will sabotage any new endeavor and model in favor of remaining in a state of nebulous undifferentiated potential. New discoveries and insights made during the time of the hard aspects might produce great hurt and disillusionment in the collective. The new discoveries will seem to threaten that which is perceived as pure and sacred, the romantic ideals of humanity will be crushed in favor of breaking free from the limits of the status quo. The collective might polarize into people who want to jump on the band wagon of more advanced thought and the people who can’t abandon the “way things are” because of sentimentality and feeling ties. Either way, with the hard aspects there will be a conflict of the glamorous, timeless and bittersweet and the push to break out of the confines of old society. Neptune often symbolizes the urge to regress or transcend to reach a state of unity; Uranus symbolizes radical rebellion and revolution. With the hard aspects, there’s no way to have both. Uranus is too aggressive and might push people into emotional chaos, Neptune is too receptive and might consume and confuse people as to what is really going on in terms of thought advancement to ever come outside of their current mental framework.

(Buy products with my art) 

Neptune in aspect with Pluto

With the harmonious aspects, the Neptune-Pluto dynamic expresses itself through experience of unity through crisis. This might sound scary, but Pluto is after all representative of destruction and rebirth. With this aspect the collective longing for redemption stimulates the impulse to protect something that is necessary for survival. At this point in time Neptune is sextile Pluto, which makes sense considering the state of the world we’re in at the moment. There’s a sense of a need for survival in order to be able to guarantee a blissful destiny of humanity. The collective feeling tone is certainly categorized by fear and paranoia at this time, but also of greater oneness because the whole world is going through this pandemic. With the Neptune-Pluto sextile there’s a need for drastic measures in order to survive the pressure that is felt. The way to Eden is through the darkness. Pluto is in Capricorn, which suggests the desire to protect and control the structure of society at all costs – hard work and endurance is necessary for survival on a collective level. To ensure integrity of the building blocks of society becomes more important than anything else.

With the hard aspects between these planets, the picture becomes less appealing. The urge to merge and retreat into the world of pre/post existence to find healing and peace inevitably causes chaos and violent destruction. The collective would find that the fear and pressure that is experienced is too much to handle. Taking control and exercising power destroys all the hope of beauty and love in the world. This aspect could indicate a time of heart-breaking vulnerability and a lot of fear and need to escape into a dream of how things could be. People born around the years of 1814-1822 seem to have Neptune square Pluto in their charts if you look it up on astrotheme.com. These people would’ve been born into a collective climate of hopelessness and despair to some extent, of power wielded over the weak. There would’ve been a necessity to surrender to the threat of death, to accept the unacceptable and either give up power or use it at the expense of sensitivity and compassion. Karl Marx is a good example of an individual with the square aspect because it falls across two angular houses, Pluto in the 1st  house of self and Neptune in the 10thhouse of public image. The conflict between Neptune-Pluto is consequently evident in his persona. Publicly he’s known for his ideas about how the ideal society should be run (Neptune conjunct Uranus in the 10th). He argued that class tension and antagonism that developed under capitalism was unsustainable – the ruling classes controlling the means of production and the working class offering their labor in exchange for wages would not work in the long run in his opinion. The working class would eventually develop class-consciousness and conquer political power to establish a classless communist society. In this case, Neptune symbolizes the working class and Pluto the ruling class - in Marx’s experience these were at odds with each other (as reflected in his chart). His opinions certainly came from his inner personal tension of needing to identify as powerful (Pluto 1st house) and to offer a recipe of redemption as a part of his life’s work (Neptune in the 10th). I’m sure he felt powerful in himself, yet despairingly at loss when having to contribute to society. Undoubtedly, he felt like he had to give up his power to serve at the feet of the ruling class, to “give himself up”, like Neptune often nudges us to.

Neptune in aspect with Chiron

The harmonious aspects would translate into a peak experience through suffering, a sense of being touched by the sublime through the unintended infliction of pain, whether it’s physical or psychological. Redemption is inextricably linked with the misfortunes and wounding that can’t be cured with current scientific method. Suffering is somehow a vehicle for finding a sense of unity with the remainder of life, it makes for a transcendent experiences that allows for ecstatic bliss in conjunction with permanent damage and disability. At the point in time of the aspect’s formation there might be an unusual acceptance and romanticizing of disability, even to the point of elevating it to something divine and sacred. Knowledge and methods of healing are pursued as a means of redemption, a means of returning to Eden. Technique and skill to remedy the wounds of the collective are sought with a deeper emotional hunger. Compassion and unconditional love might be seen as the key component to healing. Artistry, creativity, music, drug use, alcohol, meditation, hypnosis and emotional surrender might be sought in the name of healing. There could be an effort to collectively spread as much knowledge and insight as possible in order to cure a little bit of the ignorance that causes so much trouble in society. Living with a permanent wound unites people, it connects the souls of the world in mutual longing to go “home”, to return to oneness. The wound stimulates a longing for fusion, which might express itself through a deep understanding of people’s suffering. Princess Diana is a perfect example of someone with the trine; she saw the universality of suffering and wasn’t hesitant to shower “love” on people with severe sickness or disability. She saw herself in people’s pain.

The hard aspects are more gruesome, as always. Personal wounds conflict with the need for fusion and a sense of oneness with existence. At the specific point in time of this aspect there might’ve been feelings in the collective of being fundamentally flawed and damaged to ever be redeemed and brought into the light of the eternal. There would’ve been great struggle to save people from irretrievable damage, yet the longing itself could cause more damage and additional feelings of insufficiency. There could’ve been a tendency to cover up the wound, numb it out and avoid looking at it in order to have a chance at something beautiful, pure and elevated. However, the escape and dissociation from it would only make it worse. The resistance to hope would potentially make the healing journey difficult. Great sympathy could be present yet it would be frequently cancelled out by stone cold realism. Chiron is the wounded healer archetype. He uses the mind and his practical skills to cope. When he’s in hard aspect with Neptune there’s going to be tension in the face of the possibility of redemption. It might only be an illusion after all, and the dark abyss of disillusionment is nothing to gamble with– consequently people would stick to the difficult but nonetheless, real, experience of pain in front of them. However when the pain of life becomes too much and one succumbs to the sweet escape through drugs, alcohol, food, tv, spiritual practices or any other method, it might backfire terribly and cause total disintegration and victimization. A good example of someone with the square is Oprah Winfrey with Chiron in the 1sthouse and Neptune in the 10th house. She’s widely known as a person of great compassion and insight – on a public level she embodies the role of the redeemer to some extent. Her identity however is that of someone who’s been wounded yet has come to terms with the burden and has learnt to live with it. She’s generally perceived to be very wise, similar to Chiron in myth. However, in her need to heal people she makes it into a show and molds the narrative to her liking or preference sometimes. She’s deeply compassionate, yet she can also expect people to live with the permanent burden of certain pains. Her Neptune draws the public in – promises redemption, but in person, she expects people to be realistic and strip their issues down without glamorizing or mythologizing.