#and tell me it's not a statement that can define the current world

[howtofightwrite]

Most traditional boxing instructors will tell you that if the opponent is taller than you, has longer arms than you, or is heavier than you, you're fucked and you need to stay extremely aware and work really hard to compensate for all the advantage he has over you.

In a recent forensic survey, it was determined that most traditional boxing instructors who get into real world altercations die when they're shot in the head.

This is the problem with a lot of these kinds of arguments. No one practices traditional boxing. At least, no one does so publicly. How do I know this? Because traditionally boxers fought in the nude. Yeah, we're not seeing that, are we? Now, maybe they meant bare knuckle boxing, but really no one does that either, these days. Boxing without safety equipment is not a particularly good idea, for fairly obvious reasons.

The only reason the word, “traditional,” is in the ask is to lend their statement unearned credibility. It's an attempt to make their statement sound more authoritative, without offering any evidence to support the statement.

Who said that?

“Traditional people did.”

Okay, but, 'traditionally,' people cleaned shit off their ass with a stick. So, maybe appealing to Hellenic sports isn't the best gauge of how a fight will play out.

Also, I know I just said it, but, who are these authoritative sports guys? Because they're not named. We're simply told, “most,” of them agree. Which starts to sound a lot like “four out of five dentists agree.” Who are these instructors? What do they teach? Why are the currently in prison for indecent exposure? And how much did you pay them to get their uninformed opinion? Salient questions which may need to be answered, if the original question wasn't invalid on its face.

Why do I say it's invalid?

Because boxing isn't fighting.

Boxing is a sport.

Boxing has rules.

Kick your opponent in the groin, or shin, and you're punished.

Step on their foot, push them, and watch them tumble to the ground before you start stomping on them, and you'll be punished.

Throwing your opponent will be punished.

And of course, as mentioned at the top, pulling out a gun and expanding your opponent's mental horizons is extremely frowned upon.

These are all things that can happen in a real fight.

These are all things that do not benefit from increased height or reach.

There is one genuinely accurate statement. In a fight, you do need to be very aware of what's going on around you. Everything else is the product of someone who's been punched in the head repeatedly until the CTEs got them thinking that boxing is analogous to a real fight in any way. (And, statistically, will probably end their career sitting in a jail cell over an aggravated assault charge, because their emotional self-control was completely destroyed by those same head injuries.)

The rules that boxers need to follow are designed to (somewhat) protect the participants. It reduces the dangers of a boxer being killed in the ring. In an observation that I would hope to be self-evident, those rules don't exist in actual combat.

It's also amusing, because the original Asker had to go so far as to single out an ill-defined, “traditional” boxing, because no other martial art they checked gave them the soundbite they wanted.

And, of course, women box. Historically, you could say, “traditionally,” there were even boxing matches between men and women. It wasn't until the 1880s that women were excluded from competitive boxing in the UK. (I'm not sure of the exact date when women were banned from boxing in the US, though that prohibition lasted for less than a century, before the modern return of women to the sport.)

So, either these “traditional instructors” don't know the history of their own sport... which doesn't sound particularly “traditional” to me, or they're full of shit.

My advice to everyone would be, maybe, don't take the advice of a sports coach about how he's secretly an absolute badass in all the delusional fantasies he's cooked up about how he'd like to inflict violence on others because they wouldn't date him.

-Starke

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[sophieinwonderland]

Addressing the recent anti-endo stance of the "Alterhuman Things!!" Discord server and misinformation.

The events were covered in more detail by a member of the server here.

Discrimination against endogenic systems isn't new. Especially on Discord. And not just in system or even alterhuman spaces. I've seen people talk about endogenic systems being witch-hunted and banned across Discord servers that have nothing to with systemhood or alterhumanity. This is just the latest in a long line of discriminatory servers.

Although it's especially frustrating here given the close links between the alterhuman and plural communities, and how both groups are often fakeclaimed and have our identities dismissed and invalidated.

Even more so when it's from a server which touts morals of respecting the beliefs of others, and claims to be friendly to anyone exploring their identity.

I'm not going to go over the entire controversy. I wasn't a part of it and can't confirm the full context. But I do want to address the inaccurate and defamatory statements made against endogenic systems.

There are two main points I want to address here. One is the psychological basis for the experience of endogenic multiplicity, while the other is on the terminology.

Current Theories on Non-Disordered Plurality.

While the owner of the server says they don't think people are "inherently invalid" in their experiences, they also suggest at the same time that the only way to have headmates is to have trauma-formed dissociative disorders.

This is untrue.

The ICD-11, which is the primary diagnostic manual around the globe and is created by the World Health Organization, describes alters as "personality states." It also makes it clear that having multiple "distinct personality states" is not inherently pathological.

In addition, the creators of the Theory of Structural Dissociation, the current lead theory in the origin of dissociative identity disorder, have also noted that being interpreted as spirits in mediumship may be "self-conscious dissociative parts of the personality."

Both the creators of this theory and the World Health Organization acknowledge that other forms of multiplicity exist. Or at least could exist, in the latter case. Some forms of non-disordered psychological multiplicity is actively being studied, such as tulpamancy. This research is still ongoing but is believed by researchers to be a real psychological phenomenon.

Non-disordered plurality has also been written about by psychiatrist Eric Yarbrough in his book Transgender Mental Health.

Who can call themselves plural?

The second big issue with the above post is claiming that calling ourselves plural is just a "misuse of vocabulary," which frankly, is even grosser to me than the pseudo-fakeclaiming.

So let's just set the record completely straight here: "Plural" is OUR word!

The first systems to refer to themselves as plural were doing so as a rejection of "multiple" and the medical model of multiplicity.

And there is a truth to that last line that holds true even today. That the power to name is the power to define and describe reality. It's why anti-endos try so hard to claim exclusive rights to terms they didn't create like "plural," "headmate," "fictive," "factive," and others that originated from non-disordered plurals.

These are attempts at stealing our power to name ourselves and define our experiences.

It's incredibly frustrating to me to be part of a community that coined terms to describe our experiences and then have people try to tell us that we're using the wrong vocabulary.

Additionally, Pluralkit, like Simply Plural and most other apps, spaces and organizations that use the term plural, is pro-endo and open to be used by any systems.

A Choice On Discrimination

We've established that experiences of non-disordered plurality is a real psychological phenomenon according to multiple psychiatrists and the World Health Organization. We've established that the term plural originated first with non-disordered plurals.

These facts are not in dispute.

What matters now is what you choose to do with this information. Not just the people who run this particular server, but those who run any servers with systems present.

There is an army of bigots out there who will demand that you discriminate and ban people for neurodivergences or their spirituality. If this were merely one server, I could have simply sent this in a DM and called it a day, but it's unfortunately an epidemic that constantly places people, often singlets, into these difficult positions where they feel they need to make these choices. Often with incomplete information if not just outright disinformation fed to them by anti-endos.

So this is it. You have the information necessary to make an informed decision. Your choice is that you can support a marginalized community that faces backlash often just for existing, a community with a strong overlap with the alterhuman community... you can uphold the values you claim to have of respecting people's beliefs and supporting those exploring their identities...

Or you can take the side of bigotry and discrimination. Join in those who want to discriminate against a marginalized community for our crime of existing.

In the end, the decision is yours to make.

Thank you for your time.

[scoutpologist]

none of thats fucked up, honestly i think its natural and makes a lot of sense to feel as a trans/nongendered person in this environment. no apologies necessary

i think its not really a controversial statement to say that the world would be better off without these ideas of gender weve built for ourselves because yeah it kind of would. gender can for sure be beautiful in the ways people interact with or change it but thats not really gender itself i guess but more the interpretation. the current idea of gender itself to me is a divisive thing that was mainly used to oppress people. i mean maybe if colonialism hadnt happened wed have a different popular form of gender that was built on celebrating and worshiping differences and that would be really cool but as it is i dont really see anything wrong with personally wishing it didnt exist so that it wouldnt have to apply to you.

also i dont think youre a girl just because youre often interacted with as one. as a multigender person whos constantly the brunt of misogyny i get why it might feel easier to just "accept" girlhood since thats how people want to label you but like, nah. you dont have to.

and even if youre totally fine being seen as a girl that doesnt mean you have to be one on the inside too. your gender can just be your own special thing if you want.

this was way too much talking but basically do whatever you want forever. its okay to hate gender its okay to want no part in it. its okay to try to escape it by dressing like a bog monster or really emo but its also okay to stay exactly the same and just tell people youre not really a girl. its all up to you

i wish you luck

thank you so much for sending such a long and in-depth response!!

you're right in that it's not fucked up. looking at it with a clear head i know it's not.

"gender can for sure be beautiful in the ways people interact with or change it but thats not really gender itself i guess but more the interpretation. the current idea of gender itself to me is a divisive thing that was mainly used to oppress people."

^^^ this is roughly how i feel about it but i was struggling to put it into words. i also hesitate greatly at times to say that gender is a tool of oppression because even though that's true, that line of thinking can very easily be misconstrued as trans people being oppressors forcing gender onto others, rather than victims of the social oppression. it's the reason i haven't really brought this up before as well. i'm very relieved to find that people have understood what i meant lol.

"also i dont think youre a girl just because youre often interacted with as one. as a multigender person whos constantly the brunt of misogyny i get why it might feel easier to just "accept" girlhood since thats how people want to label you but like, nah. you dont have to."

very true (and thank you for this <3). i think i feel the way i do because identifying that way used to be a very core part of my identity. and it always comes back to me as something that's difficult to let go of. i feel a kinship with other people who had the same formative experiences as me or who are going through them now.

i guess what gets me is that i understand and feel that gender is social, but i'm socially labeled a girl. so... technically that could make me a girl, in some way. and that's what i can't buck off - the fact that i'm seen that way means i have some connection to it that's socially definitely there. i'll never be able to get rid of my past and my childhood, too, and i wouldn't want to change those either. so does this make me a girl?

in my case specifically? it might, in some way defined solely by experience. and if it does make me, in some sense, a girl, what does that matter for how i view myself and my gender? it really would only matter for peace of mind and acceptance of how people see me. it's something different from my internal perception of myself. so i don't know. i'll have to think about it. but you've really got me thinking.

i think that people's internal perceptions of themselves and the outside perception are very different things, but they can interact to a certain extent based on the person. some people might not care at all and some do care. so it's a very individual thing that i'm talking about.

"and even if youre totally fine being seen as a girl that doesnt mean you have to be one on the inside too. your gender can just be your own special thing if you want."

very true. everyone do whatever you want forever <3

and as for the screenshot, yeah, i believe that gender is entirely social and made up as well. so do whatever the fuck you want. be free. maybe i should take that advice.

thanks again for the response, it means a lot, and i'm super happy to have this convo. talking about this is very freeing and it's always helpful and enlightening to hear others' thoughts!!

[sixtynineinchnails]

top 5 opinions that define you ok go

so @enterblognamelater idk if this is what you meant, or if these really define me, but these are my top 5 most strongly held opinions*

1. All people** deserve the basics of human survival: clean water, food, adequate shelter for the climate they live in, mental/physical/emotional healthcare, etc and they deserve these things for free. No one should have to pay to survive.

2. All people deserve the right to freedom and autonomy of their own body and lifestyle. This includes (but is in no way limited to): freedom to get abortions, surgeries, etc.; freedom to practise whatever spiritual beliefs and forms of expression a person has as long as those practises do not cause harm to or interfere with the freedoms of other people; freedom of romantic/sexual/marital relationships between any number of consenting adult humans. Basically everyone should be able to live however they want as long as they’re not inhibiting other people from doing the same.

3. Colonialism and capitalism are the root causes of most of the current social, political, environmental, etc issues the human world currently faces. The way forward is through decolonial and anticapitalist action, which I believe includes, among other things, removing colonial governments, law enforcement, prison systems, borders, etc and removing capitalist economy (including money itself) entirely.

4. Humans are not superior to other animals or to the land itself, we are all equal. Animals and land (plants, minerals, water, etc) deserve to be treated with the same respect as humankind. This doesn’t mean not killing/using animals and land, it means there must be a give and take relationship wherein humans both take and give back to the land in as equal measure as they can rather than using the land and animals as a resources.

5. Education and critical thinking is the first step towards a better world. All people deserve to know how to take care of themselves, of other people, and of the land. All people deserve to know what is happening in their world, what rights they have, and how to keep themselves safe. Critical thinking and reading (viewing, etc) comprehension is extremely important. We must be able to understand the information we are given and think critically about what it is telling us, explicitly and implicitly. We cannot make better a world we do not understand.

*while I consider some of what i’ve said to simply be facts, clearly many folks do not agree with me and therefore i’m calling all of these statements opinions

**I use the term people/humans to include everyone, regardless of race, class, age, sex, gender, sexuality, etc. There are absolutely no exceptions in any of the above circumstances.

[halfseoulco]

“Black Eye” — VERNON: A review

Published Friday, December 23rd, 2022 — Hello. If you are reading this right now, I am writing this review from the afterlife.

Introduction

Vernon is the latest member of SEVENTEEN to release a solo record this year, following Woozi, The 8, Hoshi (although they still won’t put “Tiger” on Spotify for reasons I cannot fathom), and Jun—and boy, does he know how to make a statement.

Prior to its release, Vernon revealed that “Black Eye” leans more towards the pop punk genre. Now, genre is very fluid in the current landscape of the music industry—especially in KPOP, where producers and composers are constantly blending different genres together and experimenting with sound to create something totally unique. However, pop punk as most people in my age group who maybe grew up going to Warped Tour and all-ages shows in small, packed venues with mosh pits know it has a very strong sonic identity as a genre. As a matter of fact, the first artist that came to mind when I heard the overall sound of this song was The Story So Far, whom I was actively listening to circa 2013-2017—alongside other well-known pop punk groups such as Knuckle Puck, Neck Deep, and Real Friends, just to name a few. Although Vernon has lived most of his life in South Korea, his collaboration with fellow Korean-American member, Joshua, “2 MINUS 1″, proves that he is still very much in touch with genres that are considered more Western—including pop punk. “2 MINUS 1″ was a beautiful deviation from what SEVENTEEN is known for and it is so thrilling to see Vernon continue to pursue those veins of sound in his own work.

The Sound of “Black Eye”

“Black Eye” has the kind of the sound that can only be described with certain words and phrases: “summer break”, “driving on empty streets with the windows rolled all the way down at midnight”—you know the kind of vibe. It also screams teenage angst, which is relatable and dare I say tangible, even to those who have long since left their teenage years. The music video itself is relatively simple conceptually—and too short for my liking—but it invokes the kind of nostalgia that I think most twenty-somethings are still holding onto. Personally, my favorite thing about “Black Eye” is that Vernon is singing. As a member of SEVENTEEN’s hip-hop unit, he’s largely considered a rapper—but Carats know that the unit doesn’t define or limit the individual member’s capabilities—and we also know that Vernon is a fantastic singer. I’ve always liked his singing voice—and his voice in general. It’s deep but not too deep, a nice, even timbre that feels warm and a little husky—which helps him lean into the genre very easily. Honestly, if I had no idea who he was, you could tell me that he was the lead singer of a band and I would ask when they’re touring.

Looking at the Lyrics

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the soundscape of “Black Eye” but let’s talk about the lyrics. Carats know Vernon to be the kind of person who speaks his mind; and he has admitted that he speaks rather bluntly. He doesn’t let other people define him—he does what he thinks is right and doesn’t care what others think of him. This approach to life is embodied in the chorus, in which Vernon sings, “I’m on my worst behavior. How you like me now? Put a muzzle on me, I’ll spit in your mouth. Wake me up from this nightmare, please. A scar and bruise with a black-eyed face.” He is also considered one of the more reserved members of the group, keeping to himself at times and getting lost in his own world, as illustrated by the lyrics “I got a couple friends, just me, myself, and I. We play with fireworks all night. I’m okay.” There’s a certain layer of self-deprecation here, if you will, that is prevalent in many songs of this genre—the belief that one is self-destructive and will destroy anyone or anything who gets too close. Keeping people at arm’s length is a form of self-preservation and as much for one’s own protection as it is for others, which is an interesting idea to consider, since Vernon is so full of love for the other members of SEVENTEEN and for Carats.

Conclusion

Anyway, please excuse me while I try to wrap my head around this gift that we’ve been given.

GENIUS LAB USA RATING: Let’s dance all night long.

[ciyapaofficial]

How Printed Hoodies Became a Fashion Staple

Hey, you fashion freaks!!

Winters have arrived, and so does the season to flaunt your hot and fashionable hoodies. And as I have noticed, our Bollywood celebrities are in love with printed hoodies nowadays. You can easily catch them wearing hoods during flights and casual hangouts with friends or family. 

The path the printed hoodies fashion trend has taken from simple sportswear to a cultural phenomenon is intriguing. From the perspective of the dynamic world of Indian fashion, it is one of the most comfortable yet stylish casual wear in winter.  

Throughout the years, Bollywood, which is considered to be the beating heart of Indian cinema, has been an essential factor in the formation of design trends. This article investigates the interesting rise of printed hoodies to the position of a fashion staple. 

The research delves into the cultural transformations brought by the history of printed hoodies. Also, I will tell you about Bollywood influences that have contributed to the broad appeal of popular printed hoodie styles across the diverse landscape of India.

Bollywood Fascination with the Rise of the Printed Hoodie 

As a symbol of informal, street-inspired fashion, printed hoodies, originally only worn on athletic tracks and during gym sessions, have seamlessly transitioned into everyday wardrobes. Graphic hoodies have become a symbol of everyday fashion. 

This shift has been largely driven by Bollywood, which has influenced Indian culture in an unmatched way. This trend has been launched by celebrities wearing fashionable printed hoodies in movies, promotional events, and informal outings. 

This printed hoodies fashion trend has resonated with a large number of people. The adaptability of printed hoodies has been embraced by Bollywood stars, frequently regarded as fashion icons. They have effortlessly combined comfort and glamor in their hoodies. 

These fashion-forward choices have invaded the public consciousness, making printed hoodies more than simply a wardrobe staple; they are a fashion statement. This era of fashion evolution of hoodies has marked an important place in the history of clothing. 

Whether Ranveer Singh donning a vivid, printed sweatshirt with whimsical designs or Alia Bhatt oozing casual style in a monogrammed hoodie, these choices have entered the public consciousness. Now, you, me and every other person is just crazy about this cozy attire. 

The Shift in Cultural Norms with this Casual Cool 

The panorama of fashion in India has witnessed a dramatic cultural transition, with an increased emphasis on comfort and individual expression. Printed hoodies are the perfect example of this ever-evolving trend because they offer a canvas for individuals to express themselves through distinctive designs, slogans, and images. 

Bollywood films have shown individuals in relevant and daily circumstances, and they have done so while wearing printed hoodies. This has made the characters accessible and relatable to a large readership. Hoodies are now a defining trait of current Indian fashion to combine comfort and style, and printed hoodies are at the forefront of this movement with their innovative approach.

In films like "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" and "Kabir Singh," the characters' casual, laid-back style, which frequently featured printed hoodies, struck a chord with the younger generation. This style further promotes the printed hoodies fashion trend as a sign of contemporary, urban cool. 

Collaborations with Bollywood and Fashion Lines 

Many Bollywood actors have collaborated with fashion firms to launch clothing lines, including popular printed hoodie styles. This demonstrates that Bollywood's influence on fashion extends beyond the box office. 

Fans can imitate the fashion sense of their favorite celebrities thanks to these collaborations, which smoothly bridge the gap between the real world and the world of film. For example, when Kartik Aaryan launched his clothing line in collaboration with a well-known fashion brand, the line featured various printed hoodies. 

This attracted admirers who were anxious to adopt the actor's trademark style. Printed hoodies have been further thrust to the forefront of Indian fashion due to the convergence of celebrity influence and the accessibility of fashion.

Printed Hoodies worn at Bollywood Fashion Events 

However, the love affair that Bollywood has with printed hoodies is not limited to the realm of movies alone. There have been instances of celebrities wearing printed hoodies at red-carpet events, fashion exhibitions, and promotional activities, which has elevated these sweatshirts to high fashion. 

Bollywood has become a canvas for individuals to express their personality via hoodies, including designs ranging from bold and large prints to delicate and nuanced patterns. When Bollywood celebs are on promotional tours or appearing at airports, they are frequently seen seamlessly matching printed sweatshirts with fashionable accessories. 

The significance of printed hoodies in fashion resonates with followers nationwide. This combination of ease and elegance, which Bollywood superstars have displayed, has been a crucial factor in the broad acceptance and adoption of printed hoodies in India's fashion industry.

Beyond the Seasons Printed Hoodies 

One of India's most striking features of printed hoodies is their capacity to be worn throughout the year. Because of their lightweight and versatile nature, patterned hoodies are a stylish choice that can be worn throughout the year due to varied climatic circumstances. 

As a result of the fact that Bollywood celebs are aware of the practicality of printed sweatshirts, they have been seen adding them to their off-duty ensembles regardless of the season. This further solidifies that printed hoodies are an essential fashion component.

Buy Stylish Printed Hoodies at Ciyapa 

Stay comfortable and stylish with Ciyapa's printed hoodies. Hoodies with one-of-a-kind patterns and designs are available in various styles and fabrics. Whether you're searching for a laid-back street style or a striking statement piece, Ciyapa has you covered. 

Our printed hoodies are made from high-quality fabrics that will last a long time and keep you comfortable. Discover the ideal sweatshirt to showcase your style, with options ranging from bold designs to understated patterns. 

Discover the perfect blend of style and comfort at Ciyapa, where you can express your individuality. Shop our trendy printed hoodies now to spruce up your closet! Visit www.ciyapa.com today and get the most exciting offers. 

Conclusion

The fact that printed hoodies went from being a practical piece of sportswear to becoming a highly sought-after fashion staple in India is evidence of the transformative influence that Bollywood has had. 

Printed hoodies fashion trend continues to be an enduring emblem of casual cool. They are accepted by a varied audience eager to include a little of Bollywood glamor into their everyday wardrobes. It is because the silver screen continues to inspire sartorial choices. 

The enduring nature of the trend is illustrative of the mutually beneficial relationship between Indian cinema and fashion. Film and fashion are inextricably intertwined in this relationship, resulting in lasting fashion legacies.

Original Source : https://www.ciyapa.com/blog/post/how-printed-hoodies-became-a-fashion-staple

[0613magazine]

201122 Esquire

The Boundless Optimism of BTS

The biggest band in the world has ascended to the peak of pop, redefined fame, and challenged traditional masculinity. These are the twenty-somethings behind it all. And this is what they want now.

IT IS THE MORNING OF CHUSEOK, A KOREAN HARVEST FESTIVAL akin to Thanksgiving, and the members of BTS would normally be spending it with their families, eating tteokguk, a traditional rice-cake soup. Instead, Jin, 28; SUGA, 27; j-hope, 26; RM, 26; Jimin, 25; V, 24; and Jung Kook, 23, are working. Practicing. Honing their choreography. In a few days, the biggest musical act in the world will perform in the live-stream concert that, for now, will have to stand in for the massive tour they spent the first part of this year rehearsing. At this moment, they’re seated inside Big Hit Entertainment headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, the house they built, dressed mostly in black and white, ready to answer my questions. They’re gracious about it. And groggy.

Before I’m done speaking with them for this story, BTS will have the number-one and number-two songs on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat that’s been achieved only a handful of times in the sixty-odd years the chart has existed. Their next album, Be, is weeks away from being released, and speculation about the record, the tracklist, the statement, is rampant across the Internet. BTS are, to put it mildly, huge.

There is something about complete world domination that can really cement a friendship. What jumps out at me as I connect with the members of BTS is their level of comfort with one another. Tension has a way of making itself evident—even over Zoom, even through a translator. There’s none to be found here. They are relaxed in the manner of family. Lounging with their arms around each other’s shoulders, tugging on each other’s sleeves, fixing each other’s collars. When they speak about one another, it is with kindness.

“Jimin has a particular passion for the stage and really thinks about performance, and in that sense, there are many things to learn from him,” j-hope says. “Despite all the things he has accomplished, he still tries his best and brings something new to the table, and I really want to applaud him for that.”

“Thank you for saying all these things about me,” Jimin responds.

Jimin turns his attention to V, explaining that he is “loved by so many” and describing him as one of his best friends. SUGA jumps in, sharing that Jimin and V fight the most among the group. V replies, “We haven’t fought in three years!” They tell me this distinction now belongs to Jin and Jung Kook, the oldest and youngest members. “It all starts as a joke, but then it gets serious,” Jimin says.

Jin agrees and recounts what their arguments sound like. “Why did you hit me so hard?” he says, before mimicking Jung Kook’s response: “I didn’t hit you that hard.” And then they start hitting each other. But not that hard.

Since the start of their careers, BTS have shown a certain confidence in their aesthetic, their performances, and their music videos. It’s right there in the name: BTS stands for “Bangtan Sonyeondan,” which translates to “Bulletproof Boy Scouts,” but as their popularity grew in English-speaking markets, the acronym was retrofitted to mean “Beyond the Scene,” which Big Hit has described as “symbolizing youth who don’t settle for their current reality and instead open the door and go forward to achieve growth.” And their affection with one another, their vulnerability and emotional openness in their lives and in their lyrics, strikes me as more grown-up and masculine than all the frantic and perpetual box-checking and tone-policing that American boys force themselves and their peers to do. It looks like the future.

“There is this culture where masculinity is defined by certain emotions, characteristics. I’m not fond of these expressions,” SUGA tells me. “What does being masculine mean? People’s conditions vary day by day. Sometimes you’re in a good condition; sometimes you aren’t. Based on that, you get an idea of your physical health. And that same thing applies mentally. Some days you’re in a good state; sometimes you’re not. Many pretend to be okay, saying that they’re not ‘weak,’ as if that would make you a weak person. I don’t think that’s right. People won’t say you’re a weak person if your physical condition is not that good. It should be the same for the mental condition as well. Society should be more understanding.”

When I hear these words in October 2020, from my house in a country whose leader is actively trying to make the case that only the weak die of COVID-19, well, it sounds like the future, too.

IF YOU ARE JUST NOW CONSIDERING GETTING INTO BTS, IT IS natural to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff. It’s a bit like saying, right this second, “Let’s see what Marvel Comics is all about.” In the streaming age, BTS have sold more than twenty million physical units across fourteen albums. Their multi-album concept cycles, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Love Yourself, and Map of the Soul, have unfolded over multiple records and EPs. There are collaborations with brands, including a BTS smartphone with Samsung. There is a series of short films and music videos, called BU, or BTS Universe, and an animated universe called BT21, in which they’re all represented by gender-neutral avatars. Their fan base, known as ARMY, is a global cultural movement unto itself.

“Dynamite,” their first English-language single and their first American number one, is pure, ecstatic pop. Shiny and joyful. What sets them apart from many of their peers, and many of the pop acts who achieved worldwide fame before them, is what came earlier. Beneath the sheen and the beats has always been an unflinching examination of human emotion. Their lyrics seek to challenge the conventions of society—to question and even denounce them. BTS’s first single, “No More Dream,” unveiled at their debut showcase in June 2013, concerns the intense pressure South Korean schoolchildren face to conform and to succeed. According to SUGA, lyrics about the mental health of young people were mostly absent in Korean pop music. “The reason I started making music is because I grew up listening for lyrics that speak about dreams, hopes, and social issues,” he tells me. “It just came naturally to me when making music.”

SUGA’s early ambition of making music didn’t involve him being in a group at all. About a decade ago, in his hometown of Daegu, the fourth-largest city in South Korea, he started recording underground rap tracks under the name Gloss, listening to and learning from the early works of songwriter and producer Bang Si-hyuk, known as Hitman Bang. Bang is the founder and CEO of Big Hit Entertainment. In 2010, SUGA, a junior in high school, moved to Seoul to join Big Hit as a producer and rapper. Then Bang asked him to become part of a group, envisioning a hip-hop act with fellow new Big Hit recruits RM and j-hope. The guys call this “season one” of their development.

“There is this culture where masculinity is defined by certain emotions, characteristics. I’m not fond of these expressions.” - SUGA

“At that time, I don’t think our label exactly knew what to do with us,” RM says. “They just basically let us be and we had some lessons, but we also just chilled and made music sometimes.”

It got more intense. The family grew, occasionally by accident.

V accompanied a friend to a Big Hit casting call in Daegu for moral support and ended up being the person chosen from those sessions.

Jung Kook was signed in a feeding frenzy after being dropped from the talent show Superstar K, fielding offers from numerous entertainment companies before settling on Big Hit because he was impressed by RM’s rapping.

Jimin was a dance student and class president for nine years running at his school in Busan; he auditioned at the behest of his teacher.

And then, to hear him tell it, Jin got picked up off the street. “I was just going to school,” he says. “Someone from the company approached me, like, ‘Oh, this is my first time seeing anyone that looked like this.’ He suggested having a meeting with me.”

“Season two is when we officially underwent hard training,” j-hope says. “We started dancing, and that’s how I would say our team building started.”

School in the daytime, training at night. “We slept during classes,” V says.

“I slept in the practice studio,” j-hope counters.

Hitman Bang kept the pressure comparatively low. And he encouraged the guys to write and produce their own music, to be honest about their emotions in their lyrics. SUGA is on record saying that no BTS album would be complete without a track that scrutinizes society.

And yet for their new album, Be, they’re putting that aside. Even this has a greater purpose that relates to mental wellness: RM, the group’s main rapper, says, “I don’t think this album will have any songs that criticize social issues. Everybody is going through very trying times right now. So I don’t think there will be any songs that will be that aggressive.”

“What you see is just pure star power. Pure talent. Immediately, I thought, Oh, this is everything. It transcends language.” - Jimmy Fallon

Though the new rules of COVID-19 mean they can’t come here and promote Be, its first single might not have happened in the first place but for the pandemic. “ ‘Dynamite’ wouldn’t be here if there was no COVID-19,” says RM. “For this song, we wanted to go easy and simple and positive. Not some, like, deep vibes or shadows. We just wanted to go easy.”

Jin agrees. “We were trying to convey the message of healing and comfort to our fans.” He pauses. “World domination wasn’t actually our plan when we were releasing ‘Dynamite.’ ” World domination just happens sometimes. You get it.

MAP OF THE SOUL ONE AIRED VIA THEIR ONLINE FAN PLATFORM and attracted almost a million viewers across 191 countries. The guys say they tried not to think about the enormousness. j-hope adds, “I felt a little bit more nervous knowing that this was being broadcast live. I actually feel less nervous performing live at a stadium.” Jin replies with a smile, “j-hope, born to perform at a stadium.”

The graphic layout of the title throws a colon between the final N and E, which makes it look like Map of the Soul On: E, and as I watch it live, as I do in my office at 3:00 a.m. with noise-canceling headphones and a steaming pot of coffee, it feels a lot like I’m watching Map of the Soul on E. It is an explosion of color and fashion and passion, over four gigantic stages, from the boozy swagger of “Dionysus” to the emo-trap introspection of “Black Swan.” Not a step, not a gesture, not a hair is out of place. If there were nerves, they didn’t come through.

There is also, at the end of Map of the Soul One, an intimate version of their 2017 track “Spring Day,” which encapsulates what’s really made BTS stand out. On the surface, it’s about nonspecific love and loss, about yearning for the past. “I think that song really represents me,” says Jin. “I like to look to the past and be lost in it.”

Fair enough, but there is an undeniable allusion, in both the song’s video and its cover concept, to a specific incident in recent South Korean history. “Spring Day” was released just a few years after the sinking of the Sewol ferry, one of the country’s biggest maritime disasters, in which a poorly inspected, overloaded ferry toppled in a sharp right turn. Hundreds of high school students drowned, having obeyed orders to stay in their cabins as the boat was going down. According to some reports, the South Korean government actively tried to silence entertainers who spoke out against it, with the Korean Ministry of Education fully banning the tragedy’s commemorative yellow ribbons in schools. I ask whether it was about a specific sad event, and Jin tells me, “It is about a sad event, as you said, but it is also about longing.” The song kept the disaster front of mind for young Koreans and for the media, indirectly leading to the impeachment and removal of then-president Park Geun-hye.

If an overburdened, undermaintained, slow-moving vessel capsizing because of a reckless rightward turn strikes you as somehow symbolic of the country in which BTS are about to explode even further, you won’t hear it from them. “We’re outsiders—we can’t really express what we feel about the United States,�� says V. But their actions speak volumes; in the wake of the George Floyd murder and subsequent protests in America, the group made a $1 million donation with Big Hit Entertainment to Black Lives Matter, one that was matched by BTS ARMY.

The fans offer a fascinating inversion of stan culture: Rather than bullying rivals like many other ardent online fan bases do, ARMY have put the positive message of the music into action. Their activism goes deep. Through micro-donations, they’ve regrown rain forests, adopted whales, funded hundreds of hours of dance classes for Rwandan youth, and raised money to feed LGBTQ refugees around the world. Where pop fans a generation ago might have sent teddy bears or cards to their idols for their birthdays, where five years ago they might have promoted a hashtag to get a video’s YouTube viewer count up, for RM’s twenty-sixth birthday in September, international fan collective One in an Army raised more than $20,000 for digital night schools to improve rural children’s access to education during the COVID-19 crisis. ARMY may have even entered the conversation around the 2020 presidential election when hundreds of thousands of Tulsa Trump rally tickets got snapped up online in June. The event’s actual attendance was pathetically low. No particular person or entity claimed credit for this top-notch trolling, but a video urging BTS fans to RSVP to that rally did get hundreds of thousands of views. We have no choice but to stan this fan base.

The relationship is intense. “We and our ARMY are always charging each other’s batteries,” RM says. “When we feel exhausted, when we hear the news all over the world, the tutoring programs, and donations, and every good thing, we feel responsible for all of this.” The music may have inspired the good works, but the good works inspire the music. “We’ve got to be greater; we’ve got to be better,” RM continues. “All those behaviors always influence us to be better people, before all this music and artist stuff.”

Yet for every devoted member of BTS ARMY, there is someone who’s looked right past BTS. Jimmy Fallon, whose Tonight Show hosted the group for a full week this past fall, was one of those people. “Usually if an artist is on the rise, I hear about them ahead of time. With BTS, I knew they had crazy momentum, and I’d never heard of them.”

Here’s a thought that used to be funny to me: There were members of the live audience of The Ed Sullivan Showon February 9, 1964, who weren’t there to see the Beatles. Elvis was in the Army, Buddy Holly was gone, and the three number-one albums in the months before Meet the Beatles! were an Allan Sherman comedy record, the West Side Story original cast recording, and Soeur Sourire: The Singing Nun. America had left rock ’n’ roll behind for the moment, and with the culture aimless and fragmented, it wasn’t quite sure what to pick up in its place. It is possible to imagine that a youngish, reasonably hip, and culturally aware human being might cop a ticket to that week’s show, settle into his seat, and say, “Bring on a medley of numbers from the Broadway musical Oliver! and banjo sensation Tessie O’Shea.”

The instinct is to laugh at that guy, and it’s a good instinct, because what a dope.

And then you become that guy.

Sometimes there is a whole universe alongside your own, bursting with color you’re too stubborn to see, bouncing with joy you think is for someone else, with a beat you thought you were finished dancing to. BTS are the biggest thing on the planet right now, yet the job of introducing them to someone new, particularly in America, seems like it’s never done. Maybe it’s because they are adored by screaming teenagers and we live in a society patriarchal enough to forget that screaming teenagers are nearly always right. Maybe it’s the cultural divide, in a moment when our country is unashamed enough of its own xenophobia to get openly bent out of shape when it has to press 1 for English. Maybe it’s the language barrier, as though we understood a single word Michael Stipe sang before 1989.

Whatever the reason, the result is that you might be missing out on a paradigm shift and a historic moment of pop greatness.

IF BTS SEEM A BIT CAUTIOUS WITH THEIR WORDS PUBLICLY, IT’S because—perhaps more than any other massive pop act in history—they have to be. Shortly after our second meeting, BTS were given the General James A. Van Fleet Award by the U. S.–based Korea Society for their outstanding contributions to advancing relations between the United States and Korea. In his acceptance speech, RM said, “We will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together, and the sacrifices of countless men and women,” as seemingly diplomatic and innocuous a statement as he could have made. But because he didn’t mention the Chinese soldiers who died in the Korean War, it didn’t go over well. The Samsung BTS smartphone disappeared from Chinese e-commerce platforms, Fila and Hyundai pulled ads in China that featured the group, the nationalistic newspaper Global Times accused them of hurting Chinese citizens’ feelings and negating history, and the hashtags “BTS humiliated China” and “there are no idols that come before my country” began trending on the social media site Weibo. The pressure is not small.

Even as the number-one pop group in the world, even with their hard work day in and day out, even with tens of millions of adoring fans redefining the concept of “adoring fans” by literally healing the planet in their name, these guys still suffer from impostor syndrome. RM explains, “I’ve heard that there’s this mask complex. Seventy percent of so-called successful people have this, mentally. It’s basically this: There’s this mask on my face. And these people are afraid that someone is going to take off this mask. We have those fears as well. But I said 70 percent, so I think it’s very natural. Sometimes it’s a condition to be successful. Humans are imperfect, and we have these flaws and defects. And one way to deal with all this pressure and weight is to admit the shadows.”

The music helps. “When we write the songs and lyrics, we study these emotions, we are aware of that situation, and we relate to that emotionally,” j-hope says. “And that’s why when the song is released, we listen to it and get consolation from those songs as well. I think our fans also feel those emotions, maybe even more than us. And I think we are a positive influence on each other.”

If there’s one thing they’re sacrificing, besides free time and the ability to speak freely without the Chinese foreign ministry releasing an official statement, it’s a love life. I ask about dating, broad questions like “Are you?” and “Is there time?” and “Can you?” and the answer to all of them is pretty clear: “No.” “The most important thing for us now is to sleep,” Jung Kook insists. SUGA follows right up with “Can you see my dark circles?” I cannot, because there are none, because flawless skin translates even over Zoom when there’s an ocean between us.

So they’re not, at least publicly, having romantic relationships with anyone. If there is a strong relationship that’s guided their journey into adulthood, it’s with Big Hit. “Our company started with twenty to thirty people, but now we have a company with so many employees,” RM says. “We have our fans, and we have our music. So we have a lot of things that we have to be responsible for, to safeguard.” He considers it for a moment. “I think that’s what an adult is.”

“Our love life—twenty-four hours, seven days a week—is with all the ARMYs all over the world,” RM adds.

In a world that is determined to sand down anything that isn’t immediately recognizable to the average pop-music fan, when it comes to acquainting you with Korean culture, BTS very much do not wanna hold your hand. While the first song on night one of their Tonight Show week was a joyous but expected take on “Dynamite” with Fallon and the Roots, they took some chances during their second performance.

As a friend of mine, a thirty-three-year-old BTS fan in Los Angeles, told me, “The second song they performed was ‘IDOL,’ ” from 2018’s Love Yourself: Answer, “and it celebrated their Korean identity. They performed it in Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. They wore clothes inspired by traditional dresses called hanboks; it was almost entirely in Korean, so it felt super subversive. As a fan, I read it as: ‘Dynamite’ was an invitation, and this is who we are and this is our home.”

“I think the Grammys are the final part of the whole American journey.” - RM

“I was a little concerned that people might not understand,” Fallon says. “I was like, ‘There’s nothing in English here.’ But what you see is just pure star power. Pure talent. Immediately, I thought, Oh, this is everything. If you’re that powerful, it transcends language.”

American popular music in the twenty-first century is more fragmented than it has been since . . . well, since Allan Sherman, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and the Singing Nun battled for that number-one spot. The monoculture that the Beatles helped bring on has breathed its last breath. Each of us is the program director for our own private radio station, letting our own past habits and streaming-service algorithms serve up something close to what we want. Which is great, except that huge moments can whiz right past our ears. Each of us, even if we’re more clued in than our parents were when they were our age, can miss some era-defining, excellent shit. Particularly if the radio is our Spotify Discover Weekly, or the Pandora channel based on the band whose T-shirts we wore in college. We can let a moment pass us by if prime time is a Netflix binge, and the Tonight Show hour is spent on one more episode before bed. But we shouldn’t. “Honestly, I think it’s history that we’re living through with BTS,” Fallon says. “It’s the biggest band I’ve seen since I’ve started late night, definitely.”

THERE IS ALSO THE SMALL DETAIL THAT, UNLIKE THE BEATLES AND literally every other worldwide sensation to break in America, BTS don’t particularly need to go to the trouble. They are massive all over the world. Thanks to the recent IPO of Big Hit Entertainment, of which each member is a partner, they are all now incredibly wealthy. (Hitman Bang is the first South Korean entertainment mogul to become a billionaire.) What good is a culture in decline to a pop act this much on the ascent? “When I dreamed of becoming an artist, I listened to pop and watched all the awards shows in the United States. Being successful and being a hit in the U. S. is, of course, such an honor as an artist,” says SUGA. “I feel very proud of that.”

They’re breaking out in a country that either worships them or fails to notice them. So do they feel like they’re getting enough respect in America? “How can we win everyone’s respect?” Jin asks. “I think it’s enough to get respect from people who support us. It’s similar everywhere else in the world. You can’t like everyone, and I think it’s enough to be respected by people who really love you.”

SUGA agrees. “You can’t always be comfortable, and I think it’s all part of life. Honestly, we are not used to getting a ton of respect from when we first started out. But I think that gradually changes, whether it be in the States or other parts of the world, as we do more and more.”

There is, without a doubt, one colossal, unmistakable sign of respect for a musician: a Grammy. They’ve been nominated only once, and even then it was for best recording package. But their sights are set on a big one next year. RM puts it out there: “We would like to be nominated and possibly get an award.” Dragging the hoary, backward-looking, and Western-focused Grammys into the gorgeous, global world of the present through sheer force of will, talent, and hard work? Stranger things have happened. “I think the Grammys are the last part, like the final part of the whole American journey,” he says with a smile. “So yeah, we’ll see.”

The Recording Academy’s seal of approval is one thing. But BTS have already conquered the world, clowned tyrants, inspired individual fans to perform the small and achievable acts of activism that have collectively begun to save the planet, challenged toxic masculinity by leading with vulnerability, and, along the way, become bajillionaires and international idols. Whether the Grammys are paying attention matters about as much as what an Ed Sullivan audience member expected to see that night in 1964. BTS have already won.

Source: Esquire

[doingthedirtydishes]

Beaten with a pipe, left for dead and found under an inner-city train; Waking up in a trauma bay with a priest at my side: The fate of becoming an author and writer.

Never did I imagine I would become a writer. If you had asked me two years previous I would have bet the house against you. At the time, educated and world traveled, CEO of a consumer finance firm with well over seven digits in sales our first year, I thought I had found some answers in life. That was the first mistake on a long road of many, starting with a journey that would bring me from the apex of business success in the business district of Philadelphia, to living out of a tent in a wheelchair, homeless for a year. Oh, how wrong I was: Life had some surprises in store for me, including becoming homeless again.

Having just returned from living two years in South Asia, with my export/import business waning due to my lack of knowledge in contemporaneous fashion trends, it was time to find a new venture. Just a short time thereafter is when I ran into an old Irish Catholic friend from childhood, Dan Sheehan. In time, another local mutual friend, who ran his own successful company at the Jersey Shore, while at a Philadelphia NFL game, warned me to stay far away. He stated, “Dan is poison, he will outwit you and cause you tremendous trouble if you do not back out. Steven, get out of the deal while you’re still able.” Little could I have known the prescience of his statement to me that fateful chilly fall evening!

At this same time, being a supposed “spiritual” person, a big supporter of one’s inward journey, on a profound quest to the soul, an old friend whom I met on a flight to Tokyo in the late 90s, currently a Vedic Astrologer, Alexia, decided to try out her newly minted chart reading skills on me. This reading was not unlike others in the past, common themes of which I was already aware. But this one concluded with her telling me, “Steven, unsure what to make of this, but you will be off your feet if you do not heed the universe; or else, it will be a lesson that you will never be able to avoid or ever forget.”

Well, nothing at that time could have convinced me different; in my mind, I was on top of the world. Having just turned thirty-seven, and having lived and traveled the world many times over, creating a nascent wildly successful finance company, it appeared to me I was about to come into my own – that this was I had prepared for my whole adult entrepreneurial life, success was soon to be mine. Unsure if I even knew how to define success at that time, no matter how crude or disillusioned my self-import. 

“On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.”

—  Michel de Montaigne

But first a little background needs be injected into the story for proper reference and context. Up to this juncture, thinking I was a “spiritual” person, I thought I understood my purpose and direction in life. As with all events in life the benefits of hindsight allow us later to see connections that were preceding unseen and unknown. Though without any real clarity or vision on life, I could not focus on the red neon warning signs flashing in front of me  – the lessons of life, the illusion of self-will – and all its confusing options and confounding choices, the branches of life that carry us on our journey can be misleading.

It seemed to me that everything was as it was supposed to be in my life. And it was, however, just not how I had imagined it in my self-constructed reality – and without my knowing. Our minds are masters or deceit and trickery, often keeping the ‘self’ in the dark. Little do we understand how the mind works, even after endless years of neurological toil, research and boundless longitude studies. Life, as well the universe, is merely a reflection – what we see in others we also see in ourselves. The cosmos is forever mirroring back to us lessons through the multiple obstacles and people we meet daily. After all, earth is a school, a place for spirits to ascend their vibration, thus allowing them entry into higher dimensions.

The ability for humans to [re]create their own reality through emotion and memory is utterly astounding. Our minds readily create totally new and previous non-existent events and memories to fit the narrative of our self-designed new reality – the one that fits the image of the projected life we are all living out on a screen virtually. Little did I know at the time I was where I was supposed to be – we always are – there are not mistakes in life. We need what we get and get what we need, as it is said – insipidly, it is true.

As it goes in life, we have our agenda but life has its own. And whose do you think wins? Not yours – life always comes out on top. Life as we expect it to go usually almost never plays itself out as we planned or originally anticipated. Alexia was in touch with the Vedic astrology charts, suns and moons and cycles of my birth chart, looking ahead at possible roadblocks to my self-imagined future. It was time for me to change, but was I ready? It was not long after when an old wise friend stated: “Steven, never tie a bow around it – a sure way to disappointment.” It was a lesson that would prove harder than any in the past.

Six months later Alexia received a phone call from my sister early on a Christmas week Saturday morning. She was calling from the trauma ward of Jefferson University Hospital in the city of Philadelphia. She jokingly said to me while on speaker phone: “Well, Steven, we now know what off your feet meant.” We both laughed. Finally, after four hours in the trauma bay they stabilized me. I had been beaten with a pipe and then found under an inner-city moving train. My first lucid memory after getting into the taxi the night before was waking up in a cold dark sterile hallway with a priest at my side. It was a bad night.

Later I would be transferred into the ICU unit, with five nurses caring for me, twenty-four hours a day, for eleven days. In the hospital a total of four months, including time farmed out to a shockingly horrid nursing home (to heal my bones) and a world-class rehabilitation hospital. Magee, as well as Numotion Mobility Company, were both key components in my recovery. I am forever grateful to my surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Rihn of Rothman Institute, my head therapist, Elizabeth Watson DPT of Magee Rehabilitation, and full-time cheerleader and recovery DC, with the 76ers 25 years, Dr. Neil Liebman of Advanced Chiropractic Center.  

“Let us meet with bravery whatever may befall us. Let us never feel a shudder at the thought of being wounded or of being made a prisoner, or of poverty or persecution.”

—  Seneca

Often, while living in Bali, Indonesia, a local holy man would tell me that all roads lead to the same place, no matter where we find ourselves in life that is where we are supposed to be. Do not fight it – accept what life serves you, with a big smile – that only we can control our perspective and reaction to life. The sooner we give up control, the sooner we are happier, he often quipped to me at the local temple. Even though I had awakened a quadriplegic, that was my cross to bear, and the earlier I accepted that branch of my life the sooner I could begin recovering my body and healing my mind. All healing comes from within.

If life is a plethora of different potential roads, each with their own infinite individual reality, all leading to the same destination, although under the illusion of self-will, then I was on the proper path.  I was fully engaged in my quest – a profound voyage into the soul for answers. Surely, I was on my way, but to where? Though it was the greatest gift in my life, I did not choose the method, it chose me. And it was the express train to boot. Thinking I had picked a prudent direction (as if that means anything – if only to the mind of disillusioned maniac) but life was quick to point out, after many missed signals, and finding myself on live tracks, that I had taken a detour, and though still on the right path, control was not mine.

Here I was under the impression I had chosen the road less traveled. It was less traveled – it was mine, all alone. Little did I know my true journey and purpose would soon make themselves known – they were hiding right in front of my eyes the whole time. But isn’t that often in life how it goes, the most obvious storyline is right in front of us but ethereal life is too complicated a puzzle for our newer, rational brains to crack. It is only through living, in facing our scariest struggles head-on, by Doing The Dirty Dishes of life, getting our proverbial hands incessantly dirty in our vaulted existence, do we produce any growth of integral maturity in life. The sweats of our labor yesteryear are the fruits that we will reap of tomorrow.

The bigger questions started to rumble below the surface, my sub-conscious was churning like an upset undulating sea. Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Was this my fate? What would I do now? How would I move forward? How much free-will did I have in deciding my future, if any – or was I scheduled for another, even sterner life altering lesson to make it all clearer – or was the train enough? One of my initial healers, an intuit, friend and world renown nutritionist, Paul Pitchford, to whom I am eternally grateful for his sage wisdom and sensible guidance, told me, “Steven, I am not so sure even a train was enough to knock you down. Your biggest tests will be patience and control.” He was spot on.  

“Whatever happens to you has been waiting to happen since the beginning of time. The twining strands of fate wove both of them together.”

—  Marcus Aurelius

Over the next few years I embarked on an adventure, an extensive quest into the heart, which lead me to my soul, the darkest annals of childhood trauma and all the damaging mental baggage we collect on our way to our own personally gifted crisis. After all, aren’t these crisis our own [internal] creation, didn’t we agree to them before we were born into bio-cosmic [human] form on earth as part of our pre-birth planning session – where we agreed to every detail and aspect of our life? Why else would we ever get a feeling deep inside our gut that all will be OK – that soft, reassuring loving voice that comes to us when we think we have reached our final limit – a cosmic message sent to you by a spirit or angel guide.

It was not long after my accident, while trying to keep my struggling finance company afloat, when my childhood friend alighted me of ninety-three thousand dollars in cash, causing me to close the company and declare a total loss. It was only a result of such a process, being broken on more fronts than aware, that got me to the point of considering becoming a writer. Writing was always a labor of love for me; I did not enjoy doing it – I loathed it. With time and practice, it soon became cathartic, allowing me to extrapolate further life lessons, illuminating and elevating positive in all situations, even those tragic and seemingly intolerable – and if telling the story of my internal psychological battles, after ten years of hell, to others so that they too may extract meaning and lessons from my utter tragedy, than I was all-in.

It was also through the help of extraordinary therapists such as Dr. Julie Roberts and Dr. Rodney Napier, among other friends and professionals that helped me begin down the long arduous road to healing. Humans are psychosomatic: the mind and body are directly related. The power of being heard, the power of speaking ones heartfelt inner truth, the power of human connection reserves with it tremendous possibilities of hope and promise. Human connection, starting from the time we exit the enveloped safety of the mother’s warm womb, is everything to our development, it is what results in agency.

Only after the continued harassment of some friends who were well established published authors, who eventually guided me to realizing and understanding what power my story and recovery and healing held for others, how my perspective having suffered a traumatic life-altering event and subsequent tremendous (doctors would call it miraculous – but, of course, they know not of healing) recovery could help others who are suffering in life with struggle, fighting a disease or affliction, if only I were willing to write about it, to share it with others. It was then that I decided I would attempt to write my first book.

“My hat is in the ring; the fight is on and I’m stripped to the buff.”

—  Theodore Roosevelt

After a Sunday afternoon of football with some friends at a local bar it was decided that the title of the book would be: Unbreakable Mind, Channeling your Survival Instincts after Catastrophic Injury. Knowing that the title could make some think it only had solely to do with catastrophic trauma it was kept as is, the most accurate portrayal of what happens when shit hits the fan, when all hell breaks loose in your life. Survival, once we get through the acute emergency phase, takes on a whole new and unfamiliar meaning to us. As we change and become a new being, a new self, so too do our surroundings and friends – those we associate with, and those who influence us – as does our story, our new virtual reality.

The book, written over a period of two years, with the last seventeen chapters being pounded out by divinely inspired key-strokes in six weeks, through the journey of my accident and recovery, serves as a story for anyone in life with struggle. It also serves as a tremendous story of inspiration and motivation – the triumph of man, the man who faces his biggest struggles in life, the man who faces his apocryphally agreed upon pre-destiny and foreboding fate. He is the true modern hero. The book has been a great success, sold in audible, electronic and print formats, helping countless others throughout the world.

Having shed the pseudo title of being spiritual, now matching my actions with my words, having forever journeyed into the darkness of the soul in order to discover my light, and meaning in life, understanding that in order to acquire anything of substantial integral value in life it requires hard work, inspired by a Buddhist altruism and analogy for life, I started a new company in order to help others: Doing The Dirty Dishes – one must till his hands in the soil of living, one must live life and all its experiences to the max, with all its trials and tribulations, ever remaining present and mindful, filling your garden with flowers.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

—  Confucius

Soon after, public speaking, consulting and coaching followed. Though at present, other than mentoring younger men and women, and providing therapy where and when needed, my essence remains focused on writing. Once again able to board a plane and sustain the treacherous trans-oceanic flights, and all that travel entails, I started flying around the world again, resulting in a Travel Blog – thereafter also starting a Spiritual Blog. One is directed to those for whom travel is a challenge in life and the other for those whom are insightful and introspective, respectively. Both are read in over eighty-four countries.

Never did I plan to be a writer but those were the cards life dealt me. And what was I to do? Sit and sulk, curl up into a ball and cry, dejected, lacking all interest and passion for life, becoming a depressed victim of life’s unwarranted [yet to be seen] paradoxical fortuitous circumstances?  Life is so hard, you might as well fold your hand and exit the game – or, also one has the choice of becoming an unceasing survivor – a relentless persevering warrior on the inner-self-quest to slay his dragons, with each new dawn’s rising sun a fresh choice of slate of wonder and chance anew, abound with endless unimaginable possibilities.

“Think of the life you have lived until now as over and, as a dead man, see what’s left as a bonus and live it according to Nature. Love the hand that fate deals you and play it as your own, for what could be more fitting? ” 

 — Marcus Aurelius

No one ever summated Mt. Everest from their couch. Anything in life that comes easily is not worth having; anything worth having does not come easily. No pressure; no diamond. It is far easier to see fault in others, to pass judgment, than to dig in and deal with “our stuff,” delving into the internal abbesses of our emotion filled psyches and what needs paying attention to most, healing. The biggest bully you will ever face you see in the mirror each day; we are our own biggest critics. But if we allow love and healing into our hearts our dynamic changes, in every facet. The only person who we ever shall judge is our-self – and pray that we are a better person than who we were the day prior.

Aside from currently working on a second book, Unbeatable Heart (part of a trilogy – third: Unstoppable Wheels), will explain what the heart is and what is its true function, how to enter into the chambers that lead to the soul, and what do to what with what you find there – how to turn that into a meaningful life, replete with purpose and happiness. Plans are in the process to restart Doing The Dirty Dishes Podcast in the coming months. There are plans also for more travel blogs in the winter & spring, Covid-19 travel permitting.

In my single digit years I thought one day I would be a farmer (though the irony that we all till the soil of the earth is not lost on me), in my teen years I thought I would be an international photographer for Nat Geo, then in my twenties I was sure I would end up living abroad as a businessman, rounding out my thirties thinking I would become a CEO of a large company, so when my forties arrived, to my greatest initial dismay and utter surprise, after suffering a tragic mid-life trauma that turned every angle and aspect of my life upside down, it turns out I have become a writer. It was my fate – and I am grateful.

For, without the aberrant aberrations of life, the dreams that funnel to us through our inner-self, our conscious, the myth we spin in the web of the mystery of life, it is life itself, living, that truly gives us meaning in life, happiness. And only through living by extolling others, with life as our mirror and truest teacher, by tilling our garden of joy, understanding and acquiescing we have no control over life, but only our reaction and attitude, seeking out meaning through a dark and horrific inner journey of the soul, welcoming the quest into the heart, molding our present from the infinite cosmic clay of self-reality, of ultimately, as a result of aforementioned, finding what we love, our passion, our purpose. 

Funniest irony, the magik of the trail, as an old friend, Knud, would say, is that if asked my friends would tell you it was always my obvious path to become a writer and speaker. I still find it surprising. But hey, we all create our own reality – go create yours. All roads [eventually] lead to the same destination – where you are meant to be. In due time, with attentive introspection and indulgent curiosity, along with a little love and light, you too shall reach your intended journey’s end. Perhaps, upon close enough thorough inspection, you may discover [too] that you are already there – where you are supposed to be at this moment – embrace it, live in the now, get into the flow, the Chi of life. Teeth to the wind!

Travel Blog: Click here.

Spiritual Blog: Click here.

Book: Unbreakable Mind. (Print, Kindle, Audio)

Doing The Dirty Dishes Podcast: Watch or listen to episodes and subscribe: Spotify, Apple Podcast, Buzzsprout.  Also available on Google Podcast, iHeart, Tunein, Amazon Alexa and Stitcher. 

Doing The Dirty Dishes YouTube channel – watch and subscribe.

Social Media links: Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin.

Travel Blog links: Covid-19 stranded in NYC JFK and Maine – also travel stories on Ireland, Spain, Sweden,  Belgium, Iceland, Colombia (Espanol version), Amsterdam, Germany, New Hampshire, TN and NYC.

Personal Website link where you can also find my book, photos of my travels and updates on current projects.  

Thank you for your love and support.

[gduncan969]

Gospel Grinches

Psalm 2:1-3 “Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”

OK, that’s it!  I’ve had enough!  Now that the woke crowd has labeled me and all of my white friends as racists under their Critical Race Theory, they are well on their way to taking over the world and are now pushing for all kinds of retribution and cash compensation for the racist crimes committed by our forefathers—or in their terms, fore-parents or, even better, fore-birthing people, over the last several hundred years.  I’m done with it!  This past week I read that the governor of California is proposing that any person of African descent whose fore-birthing people were subject to slavery, be paid the sum of $30,000+ US dollars as compensation.  Of course, deciding who will get the money creates the same problem for Governor Newsom as it did for Adolf Hitler who had to decide who should be regarded as Jewish and thus marked for extermination. The woke crowd has been very busy all over the western world making sure that we, the masses, admit our guiltiness and prove our repentance by coughing up the funds to finance their new world utopia which will bring us happiness while we own nothing.  Their insanity knows no bounds.  A film-maker in Norway was recently charged with hate-speech for saying that trans-women (who are biological men) cannot be lesbians.  In nearby Finland a Lutheran Bishop and a Finnish MP were similarly charged with hate-speech for simply quoting the biblical texts on sexual sin.  The word “sin” was deemed to be a particularly hateful term.  A teacher in Idaho has been forced to resign for refusing to use her students’ gender-preferred pronouns and one recent media headline asked the question, “Do Unvaccinated People Need to Be Counseled to Drive Slower?”, a question undoubtedly worthy of top priority at the United Nations.  Here in Ontario, a high school teacher is showing up for work dressed as a woman and wearing gi-normous prosthetic breasts under a see-through slip while he teaches classes in workshop skills.  Complaining students and parents are being told by the school board that they fully support the teacher’s right to do so!  These and countless other examples like them leave me asking how long can this go on before our entire society collapses under the weight of all these new “individual rights”.  A modern translation of Ecclesiastes 1:1 would be: “Insanity, insanity, all is insanity”!  It amazes me how far we have fallen into this chaos of confusion but my amazement is not so much with the questions being asked as it is with the fact that such inane, insane and self-evident questions are not only being asked but worse still, willingly being discussed by normal, intelligent people who might as well spend their time debating if the earth flat or if the moon is really made of green cheese!   What possible discussion is needed to refute the statement that a man cannot be a lesbian and what degree of narcissism does it take to be offended by such a viewpoint?  Who among us, other than the mentally ill, is running around looking for someone to tell them how to define a woman or how men can become pregnant?

So, what can I do about all of this?   For a brief moment I thought of starting a legal action against the Scottish government to seek compensation for the vast amount of Scottish land seized from my ancestor, King Duncan who was killed by Macbeth only 800 years ago—a mere blip in the chronology of the earth—and maybe I could include compensation from William Shakespeare for stealing the rights to the story for his play, “Macbeth”.  Of course, I shouldn’t have to prove I’m King Duncan’s descendent  because, according to the current official viewpoint, it is sufficient that it is “my truth” even if it doesn’t match anyone else’s “truth”.  However, if you are in any doubt, I can offer clear proof of my claim: I was born in Scotland, so there!  What other proof would you possibly need? Based on all the lawsuits going on around us these days, I suspect I might just win my case and pocket a few million dollars to boot.  

How do we explain this madness?  Have governments lost their collective minds and are so far into this new woke culture they cannot find their way back to common sense?  Are they just too fearful of the woke crowd and its insidious hidden power to speak out against their hell-bent effort to destroy civil society and replace it with a one-world government having control of everything and everyone—except them?  On second thoughts, there’s a much deeper and more insidious motive at the heart of all of this and it has nothing to do with claiming rights, whether it be the pronouns or gender of our choosing , or compensation for whatever wrongs we think we have endured or whatever rights we might invent for ourselves.  The heart of this problem is plain and simple rebellion—rebellion against God and His authority as revealed in His book, the bible!  God has clearly shown us what He requires of humanity in Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”  However, the rulers of this woke world and their followers have rejected any notion that there is a God who should be recognized and glorified for who He is and they have replaced His authority with their own.  Tragically, many in the churches in the west have followed them. They have mistakenly believed that being a Christian in today’s world is all about obeying the rules whether they be of God or government  but they have failed to understand Jesus’ only command to us was not to obey the rules but to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).  We will never succeed in obeying God’s rules until we first know Him and trust Him for who He is, our Father, our Friend and our Savior.  Trying to obey rules without first having a walking, talking relationship with the Ruler leads only to sterile religiosity which in turn leads to cold-hearted legalism that knows only how to criticize and accuse others.  Religious zeal for rules can never substitute for a living, breathing relationship with the Ruler, the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is able to rescue us from ourselves through the new life He gives us as we surrender to Him.  So many people reject the Gospel message because they see it only as form of religious obedience to rules for good behavior rather than a vibrant relationship with a Person who loves them completely and who empowers them to love others as themselves.  As one wise man once told me, being a Christian is not about what you say you believe, it’s about WHO you know!  Many years ago I listened to a guest speaker at a Christian conference give a talk on Psalm 68:1 “Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.” and then went on to ask us, “Who and where are God’s enemies?”.  The answer he provided to his own question was eye-opening: “God’s enemies sit in the front rows of many churches glaring at the pastor because they hate God”. The reason they hate Him is because life has not been kind to them and they blame God for their suffering, perhaps the loss of a loved one or a divorce or an illness or a financial difficulty.  The reasons are many but the result is the same: since joining the church they have tried their darndest to serve Him by obeying all His rules but never felt the warmth of His touch or saw the brilliance of His glory. God never seemingly came through for them so they continue to attend church knowing that He is God and must be obeyed but they hate Him for it! While remaining locked up in a spirit of bitterness, their sole purpose in church is to oppose any move of the Holy Spirit that seeks to destroy the traditions of men that they have become accustomed to.  They have become “Gospel Grinches”, stealing the enthusiasm of God’s people for worship, deliverance and fellowship. Jesus warns all of us who have believed in His name that He is the vine and we are the branches and that without Him we can do NOTHING (John 15:5). Countless lives have been lost by those who grabbed hold of the bible’s rules for living and ran with them but forgot the relationship that alone gives us the power to obey them.  The insanity we are witnessing is the result of rebellion “against the Lord, and against His Anointed” (Psalm 2:2) which has led to the decision to discard any notion that God’s rules are for our benefit, not our destruction. Verse 3 puts it this way: “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” In other words, let’s unstrap ourselves from all these rules that are impossible to keep and let’s do our own thing.  This decision has led to the “Me Generation” where it’s all about me-my-and-mine but God in Isaiah 53:6 describes this generation this way: “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”  How sad it is to see whole denominations of the Church adopt the world’s standards of righteousness as they go about blessing same-sex marriages, homosexual behavior, mutilation of the body to change gender and medical assistance in dying even for those who are mentally ill.  That’s bad enough but they are also actively opposing those who disagree with these things who are making a stand for righteousness’ sake.  

Thankfully, the rest of Psalm 2 gives us reason to rejoice.  God is still in control:

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”

7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Are you ready to “kiss the Son”? Please know that you will not survive Christ’s return if all you have to offer is blind obedience to the rules of the faith.  You must enter into fellowship with the Ruler who will give you His Holy Spirit to lead you and comfort you and best of all to empower you to live the new life God has promised you.  You will also be able to pass on to others what you yourself have received just like Peter and John did at the temple gate when the crippled beggar  asked for alms: “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6).  Ask yourself ,“What do I have to give?”  If your answer is “a bunch of rules for holy living”, then you really have nothing worth having.  If you haven’t entered into this vibrant relationship with the Lord Jesus, you can simply by asking Him to forgive your past failings and fill you with His Holy Spirit.  Believe that He will and He will!  This could be a whole new Christmas for you as you celebrate the birth of our Savior.  Have a Merry Christmas.

[datascienceassignmenthelp]

Practical statistics for data scientists

Statistician and data scientist

A data scientist is only as good as his questions. They should ask probing questions:

Does our money grow as we get older?

How much do I have to pay for this phone?

How can Google "guess" my search query?

Statistics is the art of adding numbers to these questions so that the "answers" evolve! Establishing quantitative connections with mostly qualitative questions is essential for statistics. I'd like to share one of my favorite descriptions of a data scientist: "A data scientist is someone who knows more statistics than a programmer and more programming than a statistician." Data science is a great spot that fits neatly into the domain of computer programming, statistics, and analysis.

Statistics is a set of principles and parameters for obtaining information for decision making in the face of uncertainty. When someone asks me, "What kind of statistics do I need to know to be a good data scientist?" I would say, "Please don't really worry about learning or knowing statistics for "data science" sake, just learn statistics because it is really the "art" of discovering the secrets hidden in data sets."

As data scientists, we are solving a problem or helping someone make a decision based on the available data. So what do we do as data scientists to achieve this?

We define the problem statement (by asking the right questions).

We then collect the right type of data to perform our analysis.

We try to explore the data to see what it tells us.

We use various techniques to draw conclusions from data or predict some answers to a problem.

Finally, we confirm that our guesses/predictions are quite accurate (by scientific methods of course!).

To further investigate the “right type” of questions and data, let's take an example. Suppose we are trying to answer a research question "How will the world's educational landscape change in the next 30 years?" Now, to get the answer to this big question, we need to ask smaller questions like:

What is the current scenario of education worldwide?

What is the percentage of people who finish high school or college?

What are the latest trends in the global labor market and how will they affect the education sector?

Next, we need to collect the correct data and information to answer these short questions. For example, to understand the current landscape, we may collect data from the UNESCO and UNICEF websites and we may use LinkedIn to collect some data on the latest trends in the labor market. Please note that most of these data sets are available as open source. Therefore, defining a problem statement gives us clarity on how to approach and solve the "big" question in a systematic way.

To do all of the above, a data scientist needs to have an adequate idea of the domain to which the problem statement belongs. For example, if a data scientist tries to answer the question "Why is this particular summer so hot compared to the last 50 years?" They must have a solid understanding of climate change and environmental science. Second, except for the first step, all other steps involve handling large amounts of data in digital form. A data scientist must be able to acquire data, clean it, read it, analyze it, and apply methods to get answers, in a very short period of time. To do this they must have knowledge of computer programming. All listed steps are not performed directly by the data scientist, but are performed from the computer as directed by the data scientist.

By Creating data science project report Data scientist can study the overall project and showcase there idea

[girlqueens]

Week 7

Assignment #1

Watch the Van Gogh Soup incident videos and respond to the question posed on TikTok: Is She Right? What is your impression of this form of activism? is it effective? Did the action have the intended impact? (one sentence for each)

I have mixed feelings regarding this incident. While I understand the point they were trying to make and they stated they did it knowing the painting wouldn't be harmed I still wonder what would have happened if there may have been a crack in the class and part of the painting accidentally did get ruined in the process, you really can never be too sure of what may happen. And in the TikTok she mentioned how this is not the first time they have done this and they have even went as far to glue themselves to paintings before. While I think this form of activism grabs attention, I think it causes people to become more angry than anything else. Art is a major piece of history that is important that we preserve so risking ruining it is alarming but then again their point is without a planet there will be no art, let alone people.

Assignment #2 Required reading: A Bigger Picture by Vanessa Nakate and No One is Too Small to Make a Difference  by Greta Thunberg

"A Bigger Picture" chronicles Nakate's journey as a black climate activist in Uganda. The book begins by telling the story of Nakate being cropped out of a photograph that featured her and 4 white women activists from Europe while attending the 2019 World Economic Forum. She went into detail about how this was a defining moment for her in realizing the inequality and lack of representation that is engrained within the global climate movement. In the book, she discusses how the Global South is currently effected the most by the climate crisis yet those who live in those regions voices are constantly silenced and not heard. She emphasizes how Western/American culture constantly labels climate change as a thing of the future but doesn't recognize that it is happening NOW because many voices are being silenced.

Nakate also goes into detail about her personal experience growing up in Uganda and recounts the struggle to gather basic essentials for human life such as water and being able to breathe clean air. She also discusses gender roles in her country and how not only did they limit her and other girls from being able to partake in movements and protests but they also were caused by climate change itself. The precarious conditions financially caused by climate change created a need for more gendered roles specifically since money was tight. Climate change hinders an area's economics substantially there for also creating less access/funding for education in some regions.

"No One is Too Small to Make a Difference" is compilation of 19 year old Greta Thunberg's most notable speeches she has made at different climate rallies within the last 4 years in the climate activist spotlight. In many of her speeches throughout the book, such as Almost Everything is Black and White and Im Too Young to Do This she brings attention to the fact that the Climate Crisis is not being spoken or taught about enough. That is needs to be broadcasted on TV constantly and in all the newspaper headlines so people know that it is real and it is happening. She talks about how the solutions to the problems are already worked out by many scientific leaders, but these solutions are not being implemented. Instead, people are silenced and no one talks about it.

Thunberg states "To me that is black or white. There are not grey areas when it comes to survival. We either go one as a civilization or we don't." This is one of the most bone-chilling statements in the book, simply because of it's raw truth. She discusses how everything is cause and effect, and one of the most important themes she discusses is equity. She simply states that if the countries that have everything don't care about the climate crisis, then how can we expect that countries who have nothing and are effected the most to care. This question brings up a good point about the morals we have of a society and how we can overlook the suffering currently being experienced by our fellow brothers and sisters in other countries already experiencing drastic effects of climate change.

Assignment #3

What challenges did they overcome to become leaders? What is unique about their career paths and offerings? What solutions and innovations do they offer? Why do you think they are among so many women leading the charge on climate?

Leah Penniman is the owner of Soul Fire Farm and author of the book Farming While Black. Penniman spent most of her adult life living in a food desert, a region where access to nutricious and healthy foods that are affordable are limited, these areas also don't have food markets nearby making grocery shopping difficult at times. Tired of seeing her community struggle she bought her own farm outside of the city where she started focusing on regenerative farming. In her journey, she focused heavily on healing the soil. Utilizing different methods of composting and increasing the biodiversity in the landscape she was able to produce soil rich in nutrients that also did its part in housing proper amounts of CO2 reducing GHG emissions. She also focused on teaching the youth POC in her community by creating a program that allowed them to learn how to work on the farm and emphasized the importance of connecting with the soil and following ancestral methods of farming. Food produced on the farm would be portioned and given to members of the community, helping to fight against the problem of food deserts. Regenerative farming helps to fight against greenhouse gas emissions that the traditional agricultural farming methods are responsible for. It eliminates the toxic fertilizers and chemicals these farming methods use and utilizes natural methods instead. Penniman has spearheaded a movement that is educating the youth and communities in so many different important areas. She has experienced the effects of the climate crisis first hand which qualifies her to take charge and teach from her experience.

[sierratitta]

Fable 4 game

Fable 4 game series#

Fable 4 game free#

I can tell this game is going to be goofy as hell and I’m all for it. The trailer opened with some dialogue about how “The world is filled with stories of legendary heroes and treacherous villains, of fantastical creatures and wondrous places, where nature and magic live in perfect harmony.” At this point, a frog swallows a fairy. However, the trailer did give us an idea of the style Playground Games is going for, which is in the same goofy spirit as the original Fable games. We don’t even know if this game takes place in Albion, the country where the Fable trilogy took place. Given the ambiguous state of this new Fable game’s continuity, it is difficult to even speculate what the story is going to be about. “It’s like the challenge of making a new Star Wars movie-there’s stuff that everyone wants you to bring along, but then you’ve got a responsibility to that, to new places and I trust Playground has a good vision for that.” Fable story “With any kind of franchise like that, where you’ve had existing versions, there’s always that balance between what you’re going to bring forward, what still stands up, and what you want to add that’s new,” Booty explained. In an interview with The Guardian, Microsoft head of studios Matt Booty talked about the challenges of creating a new Fable title with a completely different studio. It’s entirely possible that Fable is going to pull a God of War, dropping the number but continuing as a sequel. Xbox and Playground Games have defined the latest Fable game as a "new beginning" for the series. At least that’s not what it’s officially called. No, the latest Fable game is not Fable 4. Industry insider Jeff Grubb (opens in new tab) stated that Fable will launch in 2023, so even if he's right, it's still at least a year away.įorza Horizon 5 is just around the corner, launching on November 9, which means that Playground Games will have all of the time to work on Fable for the next few years. Recently, game developer TonyArt took to Twitter to clarify a statement, writing that "I can't wait for the fans to see the game once Playground is ready to show it I love what the team has done, I never confirmed a showcase soon, never said it will be on E3." So we can probably count out Fable's appearance at E3. Recently, head Christopher Ding spoke on VGC's Off the Record podcast (opens in new tab) and stated, "I've had few conversations with friends at Xbox Games Studios.Everwild, Perfect Dark, Fable are so far away, as in, they might even be in a new Xbox by the time these games come out." That's pretty wild if true, but don't take it as gospel. While it's been generally quiet on the news front, we do know that Anna Megill (opens in new tab), writer on the Control team, is joining the Fable 4 development team as a Lead Writer, which is exciting. We do know that Turn 10 is currently developing the latest Forza Motorsport game, so it's interesting to see the developer's attention turned elsewhere. It isn't too far fetched, but it's unclear where that leaves the next Forza Motorsport game. Pick up my sci-fi novel series, The Earthborn Trilogy, which is now in print, online and on audiobook.According to the LinkedIn profile of Turn 10's most senior designer and creative director, Bill Giese, Turn 10 might be assisting with the development of Fable (via VGC (opens in new tab)). Stay tuned.įollow me on Twitter and on Facebook. I've reached out to Microsoft for comment, but I'm guessing they're not going to want to talk about this yet. Sea of Thieves looks fine, but I’m worried about Crackdown, so I’m hoping that something like this could come along and really upend things, something I think Halo 6 or Gears 5 wouldn’t accomplish. Microsoft has obviously not confirmed the existence of Fable 4 yet (or else you would have heard a lot more about it), but this could end up being a big E3 reveal this year, which could be potentially show-stealing if handled correctly.

Fable 4 game free#

Fable 3 lost its way a bit, and I was bummed when the Fable IP started turning into things like Kinect games or MOBA/Hero titles like Legends, but hopefully things get back on track with a full-on sequel, free of Molyneux’s craziness and the ham-handed idea to mash it into a different type of game entirely.

Fable 4 game series#

This is extremely exciting to me as someone who loved the Fable series as its peak, with Fable 2 in particular being one of my favorite games of that era.

[latin-dr-robotnik]

As a Spanish speaker myself, I grew up with a lot of respect towards the song, be it in its original Portuguese form or its many Spanish tributes. And, let’s be honest, it’s still such a great, current song.

[africanization101]

Métissage

There's a French word called métissage which literally translates as (physical) miscegenation and can technically be used in a negative way, but its more common meaning is positive and refers to the process of cultural mixing, also known as métissage culturel. We know this latter concept as "cultural diversity" nowadays, but in the specific French context, it goes back a lot further: when the French colonized other parts of the world and made their new colonial subjects learn the French language and French history, that, too, was seen as a form of desirable métissage, but it clearly was a one-sided affair.

But even though this concept was often applied in one direction only, it still became part of French identity: the idea that the French nation isn't defined by ethnic or racial categories, but rather by a set of universal ideals and a shared culture to which everyone contributes.

It is from this sociological vantage point that former French president Sarkozy exhorted the French several times to engage in more "miscegenation" (or métissage). In most other countries, it would be unusual for a head of state to tell you to mix it up, but the context here was that back in the 2000s, France was having a public conversation on how to better include its growing share of citizens with non-European heritage, so Sarkozy (a conservative, funnily enough) forcefully reminded everyone that France was all about métissage and maybe the (white) French should do more of that in order to improve society.

The titillating thing here is that this concept is vague enough for the audience to draw their own conclusions. Should they show more interest in people from other backgrounds? Should France develop a Halfrican hybrid culture? Should artsy French college girls get hung African boyfriends and make lots of mixed Parisians? It would all be perfectly compatible with the concept of métissage, so by declaring your support for this idea, you're inevitably stirring people's imagination.

France hasn't seen much debate on this issue since Sarkozy told everyone to mix more, but not because the idea has become unpopular; rather, it has become self-evident enough for further discussion to be unnecessary. Current president Macron has adopted a "show, don't tell" approach on the issue and likes to present himself in cute settings like this one, essentially suggesting to everyone what a great time they could have with a bit more métissage-ing:

Obviously not everyone enjoys this kind of cultural mixing as much as he does, but that brings us to the last and perhaps most hilarious point in all of this.

Yes, France has a fairly large far-right party that is able to steer the discourse to some extent, but they, too, are ultimately beholden to the French national identity I alluded to above. The idea of a "white France" simply does not exist in the context of this identity, so instead, they demand a "French France". And of course you can have a French France that is not a white France. I'm sure many sympathizers of this far-right party would get a little squeamish over that statement, but unless they wanted to abandon the French identity they are so vocally in favor of, they couldn't exactly disagree.

So basically: liberty, equality, fraternity and miscegenation. Sounds like a good time to me, and I'm sure the increasingly sun-kissed population of Paris would concur.

[appleflavoredkitkats]

Manipulation of the Most Vulnerable

An Analysis of Fundy’s Dream in Las Nevadas Episode 3

i. INTRODUCTION

This essay is going to be analyzing the entirety of Fundy’s portion in Las Nevadas’ third episode. Like always, do not view this essay as gospel as I am not a flawless human being; I am merely giving my own personal opinions and thoughts about the scene. Additionally, all the people referred to in this essay pertains to the content creators’ fictional counterparts on the Dream SMP.

If you enjoy the essay, or just want to support me in general, reblogging the essay will mean so much to me! I work hard on these essays, so I do hope you get to enjoy them.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: manipulation, mentions of past violence, terrible mental states, possibly c!Quackity critical, insecurities, and self-worth issues

ii. QUACKITY’S BLATANT MANIPULATION AND THE DREAM SEQUENCE

What is a Legacy?

Legacy (ˈle-gə-sē)

“Something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.”

As we begin discovering one’s purpose in life, naturally, we do anything in our power to fulfil them. But as we begin to do more, to get closer and closer to achieving our sense of purpose in this world, sometimes we have to ask ourselves: Is it enough? How much have I truly changed and impacted through my life’s purpose? Will what I do be deemed worthy enough for people to remember me by? Is this my legacy?

What is a legacy?

If you are a Hamilton fan like me, you might look at that and respond with “it’s planting seeds in a garden we never get to see.” But truly, what is a legacy? Can our legacies simply be defined by everything we’ve achieved in our lifetime no matter how big or small they might be, or is it defined by creating notable shifts in society that people will remember you by for centuries and centuries?

[full essay is under the cut! it’s 7k words :0]

To Quackity, your legacy is what something history remembers you by. Quackity is a very caring man, and at first, he believed he could guarantee his safety through pacifism. But after his conversation with Wilbur, he realized that the only way he can gain peace is through power, and to gain power, one has to be violent. That is the only way he could make a change in the Dream SMP, to guarantee his safety. He has to make as much noise as possible before he can finally lay low and rest.

And if his plans do succeed, if he can finally bring peace in the SMP despite achieving it through very torturous means, then he can have a wondrous legacy people can remember him by. To me, I’m not exactly sure if he prioritizes his safety through gaining power or his legacy more, but either way, a great legacy may be a byproduct of his plans for peace if executed correctly.

If he succeeds in creating a positive legacy for himself, a positive legacy for Las Nevadas, then there is a chance that he may guarantee that other people who join him may have a similar legacy as well. 

This is what he promises to Foolish, Purpled, and Fundy. These three, in Quackity’s eyes, are people with the potential of being something, but have stayed on the sidelines for too long. So, knowing that the entire SMP has lacked recognition and respect for these three members, Quackity gives them a misleading ultimatum: Join Quackity and have a chance to finally be highly recognized in the SMP, or deny his request and become nothing.

The truth is, our legacies as human beings don’t have to be defined by how remembered we are if we don’t want it to be that way. But with Quackity’s charm and with how vulnerable Foolish, Purpled, and Fundy are, it’s easy for Quackity to make them believe whatever he tells them to believe. 

Fundy’s Low Self-Worth

Out of the three, I think Fundy established his low sense of self-worth for the longest time. Ever since L’Manberg, it’s evident that Fundy didn’t like being infantilized by anyone. Despite this, Fundy is seen to appeal to any bout of recognition he can get. Whether it’d be Quackity giving him more recognition than Wilbur during the Elections, or Schlatt complimenting him on his hard work for Manberg, or him appreciating anyone who claims they want to adopt him, Fundy will easily appeal to recognition and praise. I’d even argue that he dictates his own self-worth depending on how much people give him recognition. 

And now, with Fundy being the most isolated and alone he has ever been, he is very much vulnerable to, well, anything, really. If Quackity decides to manipulate Fundy to join Las Nevadas, he doesn’t have to do much. Even the smallest bouts of recognition, the smallest threats, the smallest anything can be enough to push him to do whatever Quackity wants because, again, Fundy is currently at his lowest state possible.

While I’ll discuss more on Quackity’s manipulation tactics later, we can easily denote how little Quackity did to make Fundy feel pressured enough to agree to his request. Fundy’s entire portion was literally thirteen minutes long. As much as Fundy stuttered and protested a bit when Quackity told him he didn’t matter, Fundy was mostly silent during the last few scenes. 

Fundy depends on other people to dictate his self-worth, so when he’s the most alone he’s ever been, of COURSE he clings onto the first opportunity he gets to finally be remembered once again. No matter how many times he’s been warned by Phil and his dreams, no matter how much he can protest against Quackity, Fundy realizes that this is the best opportunity he can get to receive even an ounce of recognition.

Even if it is, well, fake. It’s better than nothing, he supposes.

Was the Quackity We Saw Real?

From what I’ve understood, I think that it is heavily implied that Fundy’s dream sequence will become a reality. At 1:16:42 of Quackity’s stream, Dream!Quackity says, “Fundy! My good ol’ friend, how’ve you been?” which is exactly the same thing the real Quackity says in 1:25:57. 

Additionally, a lot of Quackity’s word choices in Fundy’s dream sequence make so much more sense if you applied them in real life. This is how I believed the entire dream sequence could be applied to reality: Fundy wakes up in the same home with Quackity outside of his door. They stroll through nature for a while before approaching the remains of L’Manberg. While their conversation about the decorations might’ve been done above the crater, I think that the entire Camarvan scene was set in Eret’s museum, something not too far away from the crater. Afterwards, the last scene takes place they return back to L’Manberg, entering Eret’s abandoned tower.

I’m going to list down everything said that could possibly hint that this dream sequence will happen in real life. There’ll also be some additional notes for certain quotes I’d love to expound on.

“Take a walk with me, take a little walk with me. Don’t you enjoy the fresh air? Don’t you enjoy the beautiful outdoors? I sure do.” - Quackity, 1:16:52-1:17:01

If we substitute the current scenery with where Fundy’s home actually is, I do think it makes a lot more sense as Fundy kind of lives in the middle of the woods.

“What do you mean ‘how am I here’, Fundy? I found you! It’s exactly what I wanted to do- was to find you. And you know- you’re a hard person to find. But I’m glad I found you!” - Quackity, 1:17:16-1:17:27

Fundy has recently built a new house in the middle of the woods and has not told anyone in the SMP about his whereabouts. Again, if you substitute the current scenery with Fundy’s actual home, then what Quackity’s saying makes a lot more sense.

“Fundy, don’t you enjoy the great outdoors? It feels so free! It feels so full of life, full of energy, don’t you think, Fundy?” - Quackity, 1:17:37-1:17:49

Something something, substitute the scenery with the forest Fundy lives in, something something.

“What is this place?” 

“Fundy, you should know this place better than anyone. You should know it better than anyone, Fundy, what do you mean ‘what is this place’? You should know it better than anyone else, Fundy. You and me, actually! You don’t remember what this place is, what it means? Come on, don’t tell me you already forgot.” - Fundy and Quackity, 1:18:03-1:18-26

If this was set above the crater, this piece of dialogue also makes sense. 

“What is all of this doing here? It was gone, it was blown up-”

“This was home, Fundy, it was home! No, Fundy, it’s always been here, we’ve always been here. You and me, we’ve always been here.” - Fundy and Quackity, 1:19:48-1:20:01

To explain the Camarvan- I do think that there’s a possibility that they entered Eret’s museum and viewed it from there. Additionally, Quackity’s response can still be applied in the real world if you interpret his statements as “Well, it’s blown up, but we still consider this place as home! ‘Home’ still exists, you know?”.

While we can’t fully confirm whether Fundy’s real meeting with Quackity went as it did in the dream, I do think that something would have happened in a similar fashion. After all, we did see Fundy at the end of Foolish’s stream “Las Nevadas - Dream SMP (LORE)” at Las Nevadas. Maybe he was also manipulated and offered the same thing Dream!Quackity offered in real life?

Quackity’s Manipulation

Here comes the juicy bit. If we assume that what Quackity did in Fundy’s dream will also happen in real life, then I will refer to everything in that dream as fact, okay? Now, I think it’s clear to everyone that Quackity is a really good manipulator. He is meticulous with his word choice and can make his statements sound believable through his charm. 

I’ll try explaining all the tactics he uses here, then later, I’ll list down everything Quackity says and try to connect it back to different manipulation tactics I’ve mentioned.

The tactic Quackity uses the most is how he uses pronouns. When Quackity refers to himself with the “I” pronoun, he always seems to present as a good friend to Fundy, as Fundy’s savior. This can also be applied when he uses the “we” pronoun as he implies that certain accomplishments were only achieved when Fundy did it WITH Quackity. When he refers to Fundy using the “you” pronoun, he always does it to remind Fundy of certain mishaps and mistakes. As if to say that these awful situations were Fundy’s fault, not Quackity’s. This tactic is mostly used for victims of manipulation to believe that their manipulators are their saviors, that their manipulators can do no wrong. At the same time, they begin to doubt their own selves as their manipulators continuously associate these victims with negative words.

Another tactic Quackity uses is praise and speaking on behalf of Fundy. It doesn’t happen as much as the first tactic, but at certain parts, Quackity seems to be instructing Fundy what he’s feeling. That he doesn’t matter, that he won’t be remembered; you don’t even notice that Fundy barely even spoke in the dream sequence because Quackity mostly spoke on his behalf. Additionally, during the L’Manberg scenes, Quackity continuously praised Fundy. Not only does the constant praise butter Fundy up, but it also preys on Fundy’s insecurities. If Fundy depends on others to dictate his self-worth, then of COURSE Quackity praising Fundy could be easily seen as manipulation as Quackity uses Fundy’s insecurities for his own advantages.

Another tactic Quackity uses is that he constantly brings up their past of working together to make it seem like it’s them versus the rest of the world. Never has Quackity looked like the flawed person in the conversation. Never has Quackity brought up the fact that they’ve fought multiple times in New L’Manberg . Quackity made it seem like that the others were in the wrong, that they were both victims of unfortunate circumstances, but Quackity always remarked that they were able to make it through everything together.

Lastly, this is less frequent, but at certain parts of the sequence, Quackity outright ignores questions uttered by Fundy and changes the subject to talk about something else. Literally just ignored him. Do I even have to explain why Quackity ignoring Fundy could possibly be a manipulation tactic to make Fundy feel more inferior?

Now, there are probably more manipulation tactics I’ve missed, but granted, I am NOT in any way an expert and wouldn’t know the specifics when it comes to gaslighting. Even then, we can all agree that Quackity is, indeed, manipulating Fundy, and to further expound on this, I’m going to list down every single line or action done by Quackity and explain why they could be considered as manipulation.

I do want to mention that, when viewing some of these lines alone, they may not SEEM to be manipulative, but we also have to consider that successful manipulation and gaslighting is a gradual process. A single, harmless-seeming line can be damaging when you view the full scope of things. 

“Fundy! My good ol’ friend, how’ve you been?” - Quackity, 1:16:42-1:16:46

A lot of the quotes here are going to follow the first tactic I’ve mentioned where Quackity continuously uses first-person pronouns to make Fundy think positively when it comes to Quackity, but uses second-person pronouns to antagonize Fundy.

“What do you mean ‘how am I here’, Fundy? I found you! It’s exactly what I wanted to do- was to find you. And you know- you’re a hard person to find. But I’m glad I found you! I think that’s the most important thing: that we are here together now. And I am finally speaking to you- I think that’s the greatest thing!” - Quackity, 1:17:16-1:17:35

This, I think, is the first comment from Quackity that screams “SUS.” While we can interpret it in a literal sense, we can also view it in a metaphorical sense. Quackity is claiming that Fundy is hard to find, but despite the difficulty, Quackity found him! Amongst everyone in the SMP, it’s Quackity who is the first to find him! That’s what Quackity wants Fundy to believe: that Quackity is his savior for finding him, that it’s better for Fundy to even be here WITH him. The “greatest thing”, apparently, is Quackity being able to speak to Fundy, and nothing else.

“Fundy, don’t you enjoy the great outdoors? It feels so free! It feels so full of life, full of energy, don’t you think, Fundy?” - Quackity, 1:17:37-1:17:49

While I’m not sure if this counts, I do think Quackity’s insistence that Fundy enjoys the great outdoors kind of implies that Quackity is speaking on behalf of Fundy. Additionally, he doesn’t even let Fundy reply to his question? At the beginning, he repeatedly asks Fundy how he is, but he never gives Fundy an opportunity to reply. Either Fundy seems too dazed out of thought, or Quackity immediately interrupts Fundy and says something else.

“Fundy, you should know this place better than anyone. You should know it better than anyone, Fundy, what do you mean ‘what is this place’? You should know it better than anyone else, Fundy. You and me, actually! You don’t remember what this place is, what it means? Come on, don’t tell me you already forgot.” - Quackity, 1:18:03-1:18-26

Now we get to the “you” pronouns. Quackity repeatedly insists that Fundy should have known better, or Fundy should have had better memory. This adds onto the idea that Quackity attributes positive ideas to himself, but whenever something’s wrong, he blames it on Fundy. 

“You’re telling me you don’t remember that place right there? When we had the huge elections? Or how about… Fundy, do you remember when we tried to kill Technoblade and we failed? That’s where I got my scar! What about the festival? Do you remember the festival, Fundy? The balloons and the decorations. I never had anything to do with the decorations, Fundy, I- I just… sat back and watched people do it because I’m not good with decorations but… you know.” - Quackity, 1:18:29-1:19:05

Now, Quackity begins to remind Fundy about their joint past together. While not seemingly manipulative, Quackity is basically trying to remind Fundy that there are multiple instances in the past where they were allies, implying that now, they must still be allies. Quackity is trying to remind Fundy that they worked best when they were together, giving Fundy the impression that Quackity is someone to be trusted. It doesn’t help when later on, we realize that Quackity is doing all this sweet talk only for him to convince Fundy to join Las Nevadas. Additionally, during Quackity’s spiel, he continues to ignore a lot of Fundy’s remarks and questions.

“What about the elections? You were part of the elections, do you remember? You were- you ran for president too!”

“I did! And I got the worst votes. I did not even get close…” 

“But you tried and I think that was the most important thing. You ran with Niki and you made the Coconut party.”

“Yeah! We tried.” - Quackity and Fundy, 1:19:14-1:19:36

Quackity’s buttering him up. Most people tend to ignore Fundy and Niki’s party in the elections, and I think this is the first time I’ve seen someone acknowledge it in a positive manner? Again, Fundy thrives when receiving recognition, so complimenting him is an easy way for Quackity to get Fundy to trust him. But of course, he has to keep compliments to a minimum because he doesn’t want Fundy feeling too confident about himself.

“Is that what I think it is? It’s the van, Fundy! Do you remember all the great memories we had in the van?”

“What is all this doing here? This is crazy!”

“No, this is home, Fundy! This is home.”

“What is all of this doing here? It was gone, it was blown up-”

“This was home, Fundy, it was home! No, Fundy, it’s always been here, we’ve always been here. You and me, we’ve always been here.” - Quackity and Fundy, 1:19:41-1:20:02

Quackity is asserting that a lot of good memories were born from the van. Granted, he does acknowledge that they’ve had some arguments in the van later on, but their conversation seemed too… optimistic. Quackity convinces Fundy that they’ve shared a lot of good experiences when they were in the van together even if we KNOW that in NLM, most of the time, they only used the van when they had to discuss an awful issue. But Quackity here is convincing him that them working together in this van was HOME to Fundy. He’s convincing Fundy that he can always find a home in their friendship when we know that’s probably false.

“The amount of times we came here when we were incredibly stressed, but we always- we always figured out a way, I mean, I guess.”

“We always figured out a way, Fundy, we always figured out a way.” - Fundy and Quackity, 1:20:15-1:20:26

And see? The manipulation is working. Fundy’s beginning to look at his past with a positive light because Quackity’s trying to convince him that all the experiences they’ve shared together are great. And Quackity agrees to Fundy’s statement! Again, he’s building up Fundy’s trust in Quackity by convincing him that their moments together in the past were all sunshine and rainbows.

“Oh that brings back memories- I mean, I don’t know if they’re good memories- It’s literally a drug lab, but… yeah, you know-”

“Everything is good memories, Fundy. All the experience and everything we did together. You know I wasn’t here for the start but I was sure part of everything, you know, towards the end, when it was all, you know, just blatantly destroyed. But it’s here now! That’s what matters is that it’s here, and that it’s never actually gone.” - Fundy and Quackity, 1:20:41-1:21:09

And here’s Quackity reaffirming that yes, every experience we had in the past is good, and that we should acknowledge them as good memories. Fundy seemed like he was going to doubt the goodness of his memories, but Quackity immediately interjects, convincing him that it is. He tells Fundy that their moments together is really all that matters. These so-called “good memories” still exist, and Quackity implies that these memories can still live on because their friendship is still as stable as it was in the past. Something something, Quackity convinces Fundy that their friendship is good so he can build trust and get Fundy to do whatever he wants later on, something something.

“Fundy do you remember when- when L’Manberg was destroyed? It was blown up to pieces!”

“Everything was gone. It was done multiple times. Every time it was reb-”

“There was nothing we can do about it. There’s nothing we can do about it- unless you can do something about it.” - Quackity and Fundy, 1:21:22-1:21:41

Now here’s where Quackity begins to ask something from Fundy. Here, Quackity’s seen leading Fundy to Eret’s tower, so you know things are about to go down. Here, Quackity implies Fundy can do something about this cycle of violence, but what Quackity wants Fundy to do seems kind of… vague. He’s leading Fundy on, motivating Fundy he can do something, but not mentioning what he can actually do. This is so that afterwards, when Quackity presents his plan, Fundy may believe that it may help stop the cycle of violence in the SMP. Additionally, Quackity implies that all of this depends on Fundy, so Fundy may feel obligated to accept the plan, but in reality, Quackity may be possibly recruiting Fundy for his own benefit.

“Look, look up! It’s a tower.”

“The amount of battles we’ve fought from up here… down on Dream and Technoblade as well.”

“Yeah, Fundy! You remember that, right?”

“Yeah, I do!”

“Remember all these things we did for our country. It was great!” - Quackity and Fundy, 1:21:52-1:22:13

This is like the millionth time Quackity asks if Fundy remembered a certain “good” experience they had, as if he really wanted Fundy to believe that they were genuinely good memories. And here, we finally see Fundy respond positively, now fully believing that these memories were, indeed, great. It seems like Quackity has finally gotten Fundy to trust him completely by this point.

“But you know what, Fundy? Those memories don’t matter. None of that matters, Fundy. All these structures, all these things we’ve built together- it’s here now, but it’s really gone! And none of it matters, nor will it ever matter. Fundy, if you think about it, YOU don’t matter.” - Quackity, 1:22:18-1:22:46

Here we go, boys. Quackity begins to reveal his true intentions to Fundy. Here, he practically confirms that he doesn’t actually think highly of those past experiences as much as he claimed he did earlier. Again, all of it was a ploy for him to get Fundy to trust him, and now, Quackity begins to reveal his true plans. Additionally, Quackity begins discussing legacies again, or I guess, his perception of what a legacy is. This view on legacies is honestly quite an awful perspective for Fundy as he already has trouble finding a sense of self-worth on his own. Now that Quackity is telling him that he’s nothing unless he does something about it, Fundy’s perception on self-worth will become even more skewed.

“Along with all these structures and everything in ‘em, you’re gonna fade away just like it. Do you see how the sand in the winds slowly deteriorates the structure that we stand upon right now? That’s what’s gonna happen to you, but it’s not gonna be sand and wind, it’s gonna be time, Fundy. It’s gonna be time. You don’t matter, Fundy, that’s what you have to realize. You WON’T matter if you don’t change things up. That’s why you’re in the position that you’re in right now.” - Quackity, 1:22:49-1:23-26

Again with the same legacy talk. As much as we know that Quackity is a master manipulator, I still wonder if he genuinely wants to provide Fundy a real legacy, or is trying to use Fundy to benefit his own legacy. Either way, no matter how genuine Quackity’s concerns are, this perspective on self-worth is still a toxic philosophy for someone like Fundy who needs to learn that self-worth depends on yourself and not some other factors like other people and legacies.

Also, gotta mention that he’s doing the pronoun switch again. He didn’t say “I think you don’t matter,” he says, “YOU don’t matter”. It’s very subtle, but Quackity switching pronouns means he’s trying to emphasize that these horrible things Fundy is experiencing is Fundy’s fault entirely.

“But, you know what? It doesn’t have to be that way, and I can help you. I have big plans, Fundy. I have big plans… and, you know what? As a fellow cabinet member, I wanna bring you in on these plans because I know the experience you have. I know what you’ve been through because I’ve been through it as well. You can change things and be something. You don’t have to end up like this structure: alone, destroyed, nothing else to it. Fundy, Fundy, all you have to do is join me. Join me in my projects. I’ll give you the tools to succeed. I’ll give you the tools to finally be someone because you’re nobody right now. Nothing’s gonna happen if you let time take you away, Fundy. I can help you be someone. You can join me, Fundy. You can join me in the things that I’m doing. And I know you have the capacity to do big things, but the way things are right now, you’re not gonna be anything. You’re never gonna be anything. You’re gonna end up just like this building. You’re gonna end up alone. You’re gonna let time take you away. You’re going to die, and no one is going to remember you… just like it happened in L’Manberg. You understand now what I’m saying Fundy?”

“What do you expect me to do? What do you expect me to do?”

“Take the tools that I’m giving you, Fundy. Take the tools and do something big. I’m offering them to you right now. You can have ‘em. You can be someone else. You can be someone big. Fundy, I’m gonna give you ten seconds to decide.” - Quackity and Fundy, 1:23:46-1:25:31

And this is quite long, but notice the shift in pronouns. When using “you” like in the previous quote, Quackity attributed it with something negative, but now he’s using “I” and he’s attributing it to something positive. He claims that while Fundy might be in a terrible position, Quackity can save him, can help him. 

Additionally, Quackity is trying to speak on Fundy’s behalf once more. He claims that he understands, describing what Fundy might possibly feel like in thorough detail. Now that Fundy trusts him, Fundy can’t protest. Sure, he did utter a few murmurs, but by the end of Quackity’s spiel, he somewhat agrees.

And he offers him the misleading ultimatum: join Quackity, or you will be nothing. With the amount of times Quackity has planted that Fundy is the cause of his own demise and the amount of times Quackity poses as a solution to Fundy’s own problems, of COURSE Fundy feels pressured to accept the offer. Even if he was warned by the book, even if Fundy is possibly smarter than what he leads on, Fundy was extremely gaslit to the point where he thinks accepting the offer is the most ideal choice. And that’s what he (presumably) does. He accepts it.

iii. POSSIBLE SYMBOLISMS

Just like Fundy’s first Las Nevadas lore stream, this stream is also littered with possible symbolisms. So, I’ll try my best to explain them all.

Experience Points and Numbers

Now, I want to emphasize that as much as I am a mathematics nerd, I may be calculating this incorrectly. But anyway, Fundy is seen to have two different levels: 3 in the overworld, and 7 in his dream.

Let’s focus on the overworld first:

So, as much as I’d like to dig into the number 3, I do think we have to take note of the EXP more than the level Fundy’s on. To get to the third level, you’d need 27 EXP. To calculate for the remaining, we have to denote that he needs 13 EXP to get to the next level. We have to note down that approximately 15/18 bars are filled, so 15/18 of 13 is approximately 11. I can get more into detail about the extra few bars filled, but trust me, it results in the same number when we round it off anyway, so we don’t need to explain that. Anyway, 11 + 27 = 38. 38 is a very familiar number, don’t you think? It’s the number of potatoes Fundy had in the “Fundy’s Mind” stream! 

According to angelnumber.org, the number 38 means the following:

“The combination of these two numbers makes the number 38 a number which signifies joy and optimism, courage, finding creative ways to materialize abundance, reality, etc.

The essence of the number 38 in numerology are different kind of relationships, such as romantic ones, business partnerships, teamwork, cooperation, diplomacy, etc.

Number 38 people have a talent for dealing with people in a caring and creative way. They are born team-workers. They need interaction with other people to fully enjoy their lives. They are usually optimistic and have a gift of inspiring others to action.”

Needing interaction from other people, they say? Interactions that even come from people like business partners? And afterwards, they can materialize abundance, like financial success?

Besides that, if we connect the number 38 to gambling, 38 is very prominent in a game of roulette as in the American style of roulette, there are thirty-eight pockets in one wheel.

Now, what about Fundy’s level in the dream?

We can think of 7 as somewhat of a lucky number when it comes to poker as it connects to the lucky number 7 in slot machines.

If we want to look more into this, we gotta calculate for the EXP. To get to the seventh level, we need 91 EXP. To calculate for the remaining EXP, we have to denote that we need 21 EXP to get to the eighth level. Approximately, 8/18 bars are filled up, so we have to find the 8/18 of 21. 8/18 of 21 = 9.33333, or rounded off, it’s 9. Add 9 to 91, we get the perfect number 100. 

According to angelnumber.org, the number 100 means the following:

“The angel number 100 signifies infinite potential, self – determination, isolation, wholeness, self – sufficiency and independence.

People who resonate with this number are very independent and self –sufficient.

They enjoy exploring new things and gaining knowledge. They don’t mind being alone and doing the things they enjoy. This number brings them leadership qualities and openness.”

This is interesting because the meaning here completely contradicts the meaning of the number 38. To me, I feel like this represents how Fundy is able to heal and to overcome his self-worth issues. He may feel like he needs to depend on other people, but in reality, Fundy’s self-worth can completely be honed by himself. This represents a Fundy who is finally able to find the true worth in himself without depending on other people’s input. But for now, this reality remains in Fundy’s head, in Fundy’s dreams, and he needs to find a way to make this become his true reality.

Additionally, going back to the gambling motif, 100 is the highest possible poker chip one can have when gambling. This can direct back to Fundy’s connections to Quackity, the person with the highest authority in Las Nevadas.

Color Symbolism (The Importance of Orange)

I’ve established this in an essay in the past, but orange is an important color to Fundy. If I remember correctly, cc!Fundy’s favorite color is orange, so I’d like to believe that, for Fundy, orange would represent “happiness” or “safety”.

The first time we see orange in his portion is actually outside of his dream: his bed.

And it’s quite interesting because in Fundy’s “Fundy’s Mind” stream, these three beds all used to be orange. From my understanding, these two extra beds were meant to represent two other people Fundy may consider as friends. In the “Fundy’s Mind” stream, Fundy showed that only Ranboo and Niki were online, implying that the two extra beds were for them. If orange is meant to represent happiness, then it's implied he viewed Niki and Ranboo as his source for happiness.

But now, the two beds next to him are white, implying that he lost his sources of happiness. As if he had stopped communicating with Niki and Ranboo entirely.

Other places we see orange are in the dream itself.

Instead of the typical yellow sand desert we expect from Fundy’s dreams, we see a badlands biome. Yes, the name of the sand is “Red Sand”, but I don’t care because it just LOOKS orange, okay? It’s interesting that instead of yellow, the desert poses as Fundy’s favorite color. Orange is a safe color for Fundy, but we also have to remember that this is still a desert. Under the guise of Fundy’s favorite color is something that represents isolation and loneliness - fitting for a stream that’s about manipulation, no?

Additionally, on the way to the ruins of L’Manberg, Fundy and Quackity are guided with blue lanterns.

Blue is orange’s complementary color. We can think of it as orange’s opposite, representing everything that orange does not represent for Fundy. So, if blue can represent something that isn’t happiness and safety, and Quackity is leading Fundy to follow these blue lanterns, then these blue lanterns can be seen as a sign of deceit, of danger. And Fundy follows them anyway.

Entering the Camarvan

This was incredibly subtle, but I find it interesting that Quackity was able to open the Camarvan’s doors when Fundy has mentioned he was never able to do it in his own dreams. This can lead back to the idea that Quackity wants to present himself as someone great, as someone akin to a savior to Fundy. Because if Fundy can’t access the Camarvan in his dreams, and Quackity can, then he might view Quackity as superior in some way. He’s weak, he can’t do anything, but Quackity can, so naturally, he thinks of him as superior.

In the Shadows

This one is the most obvious, but by the end of Fundy’s portion, Quackity is seen slowly inching closer and closer to the shadows. To me, this represents that Fundy isn’t going to be uplifted by Quackity’s offer at all. Quackity is literally dragging him into the shadows even more, which is ironic considering the fact that he stated that he will help Fundy become more recognized. But the metaphor speaks volumes: Quackity is going to pull Fundy into a dark, dark place. His offer isn’t as nice as it sounds, and Fundy needs to be incredibly careful.

Hiding His Inventory

When Fundy wakes, he completely hides his inventory. He does this a lot throughout the stream, and while I don’t want to overanalyze since I know this might just be a cinematic choice, I can’t help but feel like this is a metaphor for Fundy losing himself. We don’t see his hand, we don’t see his inventory, his health or anything, we just see his surroundings, and most importantly, we see Quackity. Only Quackity.

iv. HARKENING BACK TO THE “FUNDY’S MIND” STREAM

As much as we still have many questions about the semantics of Fundy’s dreams, I do think there are a few things from this stream that did clarify certain aspects of the first stream. If not, there are at least certain parallels that we can’t exactly ignore either.

Quackity is the Forewarned “Him”

Do not join him.

Whatever he asks of you.

Do NOT join him.

his plans aren’t as nice as they sound.

his intentions aren’t what you think they are.

he will use you

he will destroy you

everything you ever loved

everyone you ever cared about

do not join him

This one is pretty self-explanatory. At this point, I do want to think that Quackity is, indeed, the “him” being referred to here. I do want to keep my mind open for future possibilities as the Dream SMP is littered with red herrings, but for now, it just makes the most sense that the book is referring to Quackity.

Additionally, from what the book mentions, it seems like Quackity doesn’t genuinely want to help Fundy. To be fair, we can’t fully be sure that Quackity’s intentions are purely evil, but the book does imply that Quackity only views Fundy as another pawn.

The Dangers of Sleeping for Too Long

The signed book in Fundy’s first dream seems to imply that there are consequences to staying in the dream world for too long. In my opinion, Fundy’s dream in Las Nevadas’ third episode shows what might possibly happen if Fundy stays for too long. The more Fundy uncovers the truths about his future, the more he gets exposed to traumatizing experiences like the one he had with Quackity.

Additionally, it’s been hinted by Fundy that when he wakes, he can’t exactly remember what his dream is about, but he can recall the emotions he’s felt while having them. So, if Fundy can only remember what he felt while dreaming, then the dread and horror he felt while witnessing nightmares pass over. The main con of this is that even if Fundy witnesses these future-predicting events in his dream, he won’t be able to avoid them when he wakes because he can’t remember them. So, all his dreams can do is literally traumatize him. No matter how many times it can warn him about Quackity, Fundy won’t even remember them. All he can remember is a sense of dread which only makes him more vulnerable in real life as his mental state worsens.

Hooded Figure

This kind of fits under the symbolism category, but to me, it’s interesting that both the hooded figure in the first dream and Quackity in the most recent dream kind of have the same blocking. Fundy goes outside and a figure waits for him, standing directly across Fundy’s door.

If the hooded figure is Quackity, it is interesting that they chased Fundy as if intending to murder him. Again, another warning for us to not trust Quackity.

v. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FUNDY?

In the middle of writing this, Fundy decided to do a lore stream where he finally joins Las Nevadas, so we kinda know what’s going to happen. That lore stream was pretty interesting because a lot of the manipulation tactics I’ve mentioned earlier were used by Quackity once more to further convince Fundy to stay in Las Nevadas.

That’s not to say Quackity doesn’t genuinely believe in all the words he’s said to Fundy. I do think Quackity does believe in his statements on legacy and loneliness, but the thing we have to question is whether Quackity genuinely cares about Fundy’s wellbeing wholeheartedly. Because, let me be frank: if Las Nevadas ever gets terrorized, and Fundy’s life would be in danger, I don’t think Quackity would genuinely want to save him. It’s already heavily implied that Fundy is going to be used by Quackity, but I’m genuinely curious as to why. We know Quackity does want him to work there, but what are the specifics? What specific role does he want Fundy to play? Why is he going so far as to give Fundy a plot of land just for him to stay? What does Quackity specifically want from Fundy?

Again, I’m not sure, and all will be revealed in the future, but just know that I do not trust Quackity at all. He may have some true intentions but we know Quackity will do anything as long as it benefits whatever plan he has up his sleeve.

And I have to emphasize that if Fundy ever has a breakdown or experiences a traumatic event, it is NEVER going to be his fault. Because as much as we can say that “Fundy is bringing his own demise,” we have to remember that Quackity is the real mastermind behind anything that happens in Las Nevadas. Believing Fundy or any of Las Nevadas’ coworkers are at fault for something Quackity enabled is exactly what Quackity wants us to believe. 

Again, if any of the Las Nevadas members ever have a mental breakdown, or lose a canon life, there’s a good chance that Quackity knew this was going to happen and allowed it to happen in the first place. All coworkers at the moment are victims of Quackity’s manipulation, and we always have to keep that in mind.

vi. CLOSING REMARKS

Like I mentioned earlier, I am not a saint, so please do not view this essay as gospel. If you do enjoy it, feel free to like, reblog, and share it to other people! I’d appreciate any amount of support I get! If you want to discuss this topic further, feel free to message me or reply to this post!

Special thanks to Fundy, Quackity, and everyone else who participated in this lore stream. Additional special thanks to Alyssa for beta reading! :D

[it-fits-i-ships]

Combing through every single episode of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous for Yasammy moments to write meta analysis about part 3 (parts 1, 2, and 4)

Brooklyn asking Sammy if she has a crush on Yaz gives me life! Brooklyn doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would joke about something like that and genuinely wants to be better friends with the other people in the group so trying to bond with Sammy by having her confide in Brooklyn about crushes, this suggests to me that Brooklyn has been picking up on signs of Sammy’s interest in Yaz, based on the things I’ve already talked about I have to agree with Brooklyn: at this point Sammy has caught feelings for Yaz but she hasn’t consciously realized it yet, possibly due to growing up on a ranch in Texas where she may not have been exposed to the concept of queer people in a positive light (if at all) and almost certainly because she has never been in love before When they are building up the fort defenses against the scorpius rex Sammy comments on what a good team she and Yaz make, I think that she has been thinking more about her feelings toward Yaz and trying to really define them since Brooklyn asked about crushes (but it’s hard to thoroughly sort through your feelings when you’re running for your life all the time and come from a sheltered background), meanwhile Yaz is shutting down again because Ben got in her head about the group’s likelihood of splitting up after they get back home, here is possibly the first person Yaz has trusted enough to let into her personal life, someone she can show her drawings to and talk to and joke with, someone she knows isn’t going to abandon her or be cruel to her, someone who will support her but also encourage her personal growth, someone she can trust with her life (and possibly her heart?) but then Yaz realizes that external forces (aside from the obvious ones like being killed by dinosaurs) could pull Sammy away from her and she simply can’t handle that idea Notice the tears in her eyes and the resignation on her face as Yaz decides it’s best to push Sammy away now so that it won’t be as painful later, so that she’ll at least have some semblance of control, she clearly doesn’t want to cut ties with Sammy but Yaz is so used to taking the lead and handling things on her own and we know for a fact that she doesn’t have a well-developed set of healthy coping mechanisms, notice how she can’t even look Sammy in the eye when she’s saying all of this stuff about their friendship having an expiration date and them having nothing in common, she knows on some level that it’s not true and that she’s really hurting Sammy by saying these things but fear has gripped her so tightly she pushes past her better judgement, when Sammy says, “You’re my best friend” we can hear Yaz gasping softly and we can see a change in her face that suggests she is questioning her decision to push Sammy away, clearly such a blatant statement of affection from Sammy means a lot to her but in the very next sentence Sammy reminds Yaz of her fear and Yaz doubles down I would also like to point out that the term “best friend” has definitely been used in children’s media, especially with same-gender pairings, to hint at a closer relationship without explicitly stating that it’s romantic (think Applejack and Rarity in Equestira Girls) or to hint that the relationship might develop into a romantic relationship (think Catra and Adora in She-Ra), it's also very common in fiction as well as in real life for young queer people to develop feelings for their best friends while they are figuring themselves out, so it’s little wonder that this whole scene has that "couple going through a rough patch" kind of vibe However, we can instantly see the regret that Yaz feels about pushing Sammy away so strongly and that feeling only intensifies after Sammy gets stung by the scorpius rex, Yaz sees this happen firsthand and immediately calls out to Sammy without hesitation, she has abandoned her plan because (once again) she has decided that Sammy is more important, notice that when Sammy is fading out of and back into consciousness we see and hear things from her perspective and Yaz’s voice is the last thing she clearly hears before

she passes out and the first thing she clearly hears when she wakes back up, this suggests that Sammy was paying the most attention to her, Yaz’s expression has so much concern in all of these scenes, she is terrified (again) that she’s going to lose Sammy, unlike the more abstract fear of losing Sammy that arose after they thought Ben died this is a very tangible and immediate fear, Sammy has venom pumping through her veins and if they don’t do something she will die, when she tells Sammy that everything is going to be okay she is talking as much to herself as she is to Sammy Yaz has to run to the lab and get the antidote, this is an interesting plot point because of course Yaz is a track star so it makes the most logical sense for her to run to the lab but she is also the first one to volunteer, look how she just shoots up from Sammy’s side, she is chomping at the bit to make things better, she literally says, “I don’t care what’s out there, I’m saving her,” as in she doesn’t care if she gets hurt or chased by dinosaurs or scared out of her wits as long as she gets that antidote to Sammy (and through her journey to get the antidote we learn that it’s not just Sammy’s health she wants to remedy but their relationship), she wills Sammy to hang on long enough for her to return After Yaz falls into the river and nearly drowns she decides to take a second and catch her breath against a tree, she’s clearly feeling low and even a little hopeless, this is when we start to see Yaz remembering important moments with Sammy, she warmly remembers the first time Sammy reached out to her and it drives her forward, notice how the flashbacks are tinted orange, obviously they had to differentiate the flashbacks from the current action somehow but I think that the choice of orange is a little bit of an Easter egg, Yaz's "orange, orange, and orange" response has clearly become an inside joke between Yaz and Sammy so what if Yaz now associates the color orange with Sammy?

When Yaz is hiding from the scorpius rex outside of the lab and she’s terrified (it legit looks like she’s starting to have a panic attack) she remembers that one of the last things she said to Sammy before she got stung was, “We’re not best friends, we never were,” this fills her with determination, she has to push forward, to summon all her strength and push that fallen tree away so she can get into that lab and find the antidote, she has to get back to Sammy so she can make everything right and tell her that she didn’t really mean what she said (which I will talk about more in the next post)