#changed my mind no one should watch marvel movies because it increases the chances someone will try to talk to me about marvel movies

[jughead-is-canonically-aroace]

elaborate on kitsch and mass culture in the 50s? i'm interested 👀

oh yeah so i picked this book up at the secondhand store from the 1$ rack like 5, 6 years ago or something and only just got around to reading it, it's flight maps: adventures with nature in modern america by jennifer price and it's about america's changing relationship with conceptions of nature. i'm only halfway through but i'm really enjoying it.

it was on the 1$ rack because the prev owner had done a LOT of underlining, tho curiously not on this chapter, which of course has me acting in suit. the chapter in question is "a brief natural history of the plastic pink flamingo", i.e. the tacky king of lawn ornament kitsch. i'd recommend the whole chapter really (the whole book really), but in particular, re:the post i left that tag on, page 134, where i left the comment "my tumblr dash about marvel movies" in the margin in reference to basically the entire page.

here's a few choice quotes:

Greenberg warned that kitsch "[drew] its life blood" from real Culture and Dorfles now lamented that the "vampire kitsch" had evolved into "one of the crucial problem sin the history of art and aesthetics."

Critics had assailed the mass-produced arts for many decades, but the evils were multiplying as fast as plastics, and from Right and Left, the new Jeremiahs fulminated against mass art, fiction and movies -- and were on the verge of uniting against the nascent sins of television.

"Mass culture threatens... to cretinize our taste."

Mass culture, Macdonald feared, "voids... the deep realities," and "substitute[s] for the... originality... of real life." Greenberg had attacked kitsch as "vicarious experience and faked sensations" and "the epitome of all that is spurious in the life of our times." Dorfles agreed: it "killed all ability to distinguish between art and life."

now obviously some of this is a bit more dire than people tend to talk about marvel, but it's definitely following a long tradition of moral panic about mass art and mass culture - the idea that watching these shitty ass movies is eroding our ability to appreciate good art and preventing or harming the ability for good art to be created and appreciated by ruining our abilities for critical thought

honestly vis a vis marvel and critical analysis i think it's probably kind of the other way around - people are complicated and the culture is complicated and i think it's more likely that people enjoy marvel movies because they don't have critical thinking skills because of a variety of things going on in our society (school systems which teach to the test rather than actually teaching, the internet making it really easy to encounter a lot of information from a variety of sources of various repute with no way of telling which are actually reliable & allowing you to form long-lasting and relatively insular communities and form echo chambers, puritanism) than that people watched marvel movies and their critical thinking skills immediately shrivelled up and died.

but that's also not to say marvel movies are a neutral entity - just that they're not solely responsible for the death of all art or anything, they just suck ass, aren't good, and also are military/imperialist propaganda. which is the real reason why no one should watch them

(tho honestly if you wanna watch braindead propaganda drivel fuckin whatever. if you're aware and not internalizing the harmful messages like. who give a shit. it's your time to waste. the harm comes not from the consumption of media itself but from the lack of critical thought to prevent you from internalizing the bullshit, and the resultant actions you take)

(just dont pay for it for gods sake)

[kalimagik]

Hello Lovelies! I know I have been kind of MIA recently other than responding to asks, but I hit this pretty fantastic milestone of 1.3k followers and have been wanting to do a writing challenge for some time! (I’ve had my prompts written for about a month, but I wanted to post it when I was getting less busy) 

I cannot thank you all enough for the continued support and love on here. I appreciate every single one of you <3 I hope to get back into writing soon, but until then, I think I can fill myself with reading for submissions to my writing challenge! 

With the holidays coming up and my love for the Christmas season, I’m giving my challenge that type of theme, but do not feel obligated to use a holiday theme for your writing :)

So let’s get to it! 

RULES: 

When you finish, please tag me [ @kalimagik ] and tag #maggieswinterwritingchallenge

Please reblog to increase its reach and participation

If you write more that 1k, please use the “Read More” or “Keep Reading” function

The Usual: Two prompts per person and no more than 2 people per prompt! 

For Tropes and Winter Holiday Scenarios, no more than two people for those either and try to only take one if you use them (You can do this in addition to prompts if you’d like!) - Of course, you can utilize a trope in your work even if you don’t claim it, I don’t mind! 

Send me an ask with your chosen prompts, scenarios, or tropes, as well as the character you wish to use. 

Can be Character X Reader or Character x Character - it doesn’t matter 

I primarily write for the Harry Potter fandom, but if you would like to write for Marvel or ATLA or LOK, I will most likely read those because I’m obsessed with both of those universes as well! 

If you would like to choose a Winter Holiday Scenario, but do not see a tradition or holiday that you celebrate, please let me know and I will add it! I would love to see everyone’s traditions, but I do not know all of them, so please share them with us all <3

NO SMUT PLEASE! I just haven’t been in much of a smut mood, so I would like to keep this happy and for everyone! 

NO INCEST OR TEACHER/STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS PLEASE! If you write one, I will most likely read it, but I will NOT be reblogging it. 

If you have any triggers at all, please make sure to use them so everyone knows what to expect. 

There is currently no end date for this! 

1. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you” 2. “What are you bloody talking about? This is brilliant!”

- @pregnant-piggy : Blaise Zabini x Reader 

3. A: “I can’t do this” B: “Let me help you then”

- @protect-remus : Zuko x Reader

4. A: “You didn’t!” B: “I did” 5. “Don’t be so daft” 6. “That looks really nice on you” 7. “WAIT! Don’t go in there!” 8. “Voilà! I was right” 9. A: “You let me win, didn’t you?” B: “The smile on your face was well worth it” 10. “I’m too cold. From my nose to my toes” 11. “He/She looks just like you”

- @angelinathebook : Harry Potter x Reader

12. “Don’t scare me like that!” 13. “That smells reeeally good. What is it?” 14. “Can’t someone just show up with a cookie or something?” 15. “Why hasn’t my Mr./Ms. Right shown up yet? I am a catch after all” 16. “Wait up! I wanted to thank you for everything you said back there”

@starkidpotty​ : Harry Potter x Reader 

17. “I can’t imagine anything better” 18. “Why does this always happen to us?” 19. “Let’s hide here and avoid everything else” 20. “You can’t possibly do all that, can you?” 21. “See, you never had to be anything more than yourself” 22. “I can’t wait for the next adventure” 23. “And this happens all the time?” 24. “I don’t know what you expected from me” 25. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’ll be fine”

1. A: “Us being together. Liking each other. It just doesn’t make sense!”     B: “Love, what’s meant to be doesn’t always make sense. It just is”

- @the-moon-and-the-book : Sirius Black x Reader : It Just Is 

2. “Can you kiss me already?”

- @liilyevanss​ : Harry Potter x Reader 

3. A: “Everything is so beautiful” B: “You’re beautiful” 4. “You’re so cute when you talk about what you love” 5. “I want to spend my life making everyday for you better than the last” 6. “My arms are always open for you, you know that” 7. A: “Smell this.”  A/B: “it makes me feel so warm inside” 8. “How did you know that this is what I wanted?!? I love it! Thank you” 9. “Can you just cuddle me now?” 10. “You smell nice” 11. “Let’s get married. I love you and you love me. That’s all there has to be to it”

- @remmyswritings : Regulus Black x Reader 

12. “I think I just won our bet, love” 13. “You can do it, darling. I promise I’m not going anywhere” 14. “You’re cute when you’re mad”

- @pregnant-piggy : Blaise Zabini x Reader 

15. “I honestly get lost in your eyes every time” 16. “You make me feel safe”

- @angelinathebook : Harry Potter x Reader

17. “I didn’t have a home until I found you” 18. “Do you want me to shout it from the top of the Astronomy Tower? Because I will. I LOVE (insert name)!”

- @the-moon-and-the-book : Sirius Black x Reader : It Just Is 

- @shaynawrites23 : Remus Lupin x Black!sister

19. “Just knowing I was coming to see you is what got me through the day” 20. “We can run away, just don’t look back.” 21. “I want to love you today, tomorrow, and everyday from now on if you’ll let me.”

- @iliveiloveiwrite : Fred Weasley x Reader : Love Me Now, Love Me Always

22. “I would choose you all over again” 23. “Sleeping next to you is always so much more comfortable” 24. “I can’t picture being here without you” 25. “You are my sunshine” 26. “My whole heart belongs to you” 27. “I would love to have my heart broken by you” 28. “Don’t get too excited, there’s more where that came from” 29. “You are literally my favorite person ever” 30. “How did I not know you during school? You’re impossible not to notice”

1. “Don’t go, we can work on this! I swear!” 2. “It isn’t working anymore. I think it’s best if you leave.” 3. “I wish I could forget everything and be with you, but I can’t. I’m sorry” 4. “Please take this anyways. It was for you after all...” 5. “You’re like a beautiful dream, but dreams end and I have to wake up sometime” 6. “Let me kiss you one last time and then I’ll go” 7. “You hurt me, (insert name)! You hurt me and I won’t be able to forget that!” 8. “Just leave me alone” 9. “I never want to see you again” 10. “Give me a second chance, please! You won’t regret it” 11. “Please, please, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen” 12. “Don’t cry, you’re making it so much harder for me to say what I need to say” 13. “I watched you change to be what they wanted you too, but this isn’t the you I fell in love with” 14. “You’re being a prick and I don’t like it”

@starkidpotty​ : George Weasley x Reader : Should’ve Known Better

15. “But I trusted you” 16. “GET OUT! GET OUT RIGHT NOW!” 17. “Life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. There’s a real darkness out there. There’s a darkness in me” 18. “I’m not talking to you right now” 19. “I am so mad I could snap my wand” 20. “Go away before I hex you” 21. “Just know I will always love you, even if you don’t love me” 22. “I tried so hard to be your friend, but you make it so difficult for me” 23. “Can you just sit with me for a bit?” 24. “It’s odd. I should be crying, but I can’t. I’m content with my decision” 25. “We’ve been through so much. You can’t just throw it all away!” .... “Yes I can because it’s better for me” 26. “You have to let me go. It’s the only way to move on” 27. “I’ll never forget you”

- @snitches-at-dawn : Cedric Diggory x Reader 

28. “Don’t doubt my love for you” ... “I’m trying not to, but it’s so hard” 29. “I can’t keep being strong for both of us. It is wearing me out.”

- @heloisedaphnebrightmore : Charlie Weasley x Reader 

30. “It’s me or him/her. I can’t handle feeling like a second choice anymore”

1. Opening presents 2. Baking cookies 3. Picking & decorating the tree 4. Going Caroling 5. Going to a Holiday Party (office party, family party, a Yule Ball, your choice!) 6. Christmas Shopping 7. Watching Holiday movies together 8. Seeing Christmas Lights 9. A day of lighting the Menorah (whichever or all of them, you choose!) 10. Introducing a character to your holiday 11. If you have any holiday traditions of your own you would like to incorporate, please do! I would be happy to add them

1. Soulmate au

- @liilyevanss​ : Harry Potter x Reader 

2. Roommates au 3. Coffee Shop au 4. Bookshop au 5. Best Friend’s Sister/Brother

- @shaynawrites23 : Remus Lupin x Black!Reader 

6. Enemies to Lovers 7. Friends to Lovers

- @iliveiloveiwrite : Fred Weasley x Reader 

8. Unrequited Love 9. Fake Dating au 10. Dating because of a bet

Tagging Some Mutuals to see if y’all would want to participate, but are in no way obligated to 

@iliveiloveiwrite @heloisedaphnebrightmore @teheharrypotter @pregnant-piggy @weasleysflowr @dogweedanddeathcaps @remmyswritings @shaynawrites23 @acciotwinz @angelinathebook @with1love1anu @poppin-potter @birdie-writes @nebulablakemurphy @theweasleysredhair

[bendthekneejon]

My self-care routine for the Jonerys fam

I’ve had anons and private messages of people telling me they feel physically sick from this whole Jonerys situation or that they’re falling into depression. Fear is consuming many people here. So I wanna give out some advice for your mental health.

It hasn’t even been a week and the wait has been torturous. So we got 10 more days to endure this. I’d rather spend them hopeful, EVEN if it’s wishful thinking (I don’t think it is, but well). Because when I’m hopeful, I’m in a good mood. And when I’m in a good mood, I have more energy and vitality, I feel better, I sleep better, I can focus on other things in life. So yes, I’d rather be hopeful and spend this following week and a half in a healthy way. If GOT ends tragically, I’ll cry on May 19th (and beyond), but why should I start torturing myself with pessimism from now? Am I gonna change anything by doing so?

Now, about self-care. My mental health used to be a fucking mess, I was medicated and wasn’t getting better. But I have changed my way of life to get better, and it’s working really, really well. Some things about this may sound weird to some of you (especially for the Westerns), like energetic healing and stuff like that. But give it a try. I believe in it 100% when I used to think it was bs just some years ago. Try to trust it--you lose nothing and can gain much. 

My tips:

Take care of what you eat. This is always my #1 advice. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. They are excellent to detox the body, which you need to do if you have fear and stress stored inside. Try not to eat red meat at least for these days. If you can afford organic foods, go buy ‘em. Watch out for coffee, it can increase your anxiety. Eat one bar of dark chocolate a week (minimum 75% cacao) for the serotonin, preferably one without milk. Try to consume vitamins C and D (for D, let the sun rays embrace you! for C, consume citric but if you have the chance to get a vit C shot in your area, go for it, it’s vitalizing as hell and lasts for a month). PLEASE no fast foods no shit foods they are terrible for emotional balance!

Work out. Guys, this one is a MUST. I’ve always been sedentary as fuck. Picture a lion chasing a zebra. If the zebra runs away and saves itself, it will start shaking—this is nature’s way to take out all the emotions of fear and stress that are stored inside an animal’s body. But when we human beings get scared, we freeze, which is exactly the opposite of what we must do lol. We gotta take those toxins out and the best way to do so is by moving the body. Dance, run, do some hot yoga, but you gotta SWEAT. Every day. Our bodies generate toxins EVERY DAY.

If you do yoga, try to do balance poses, they help with your actual inner emotional balance as well.

Shower more than once a day: morning and night. If you can in the afternoon, do so as well (my apologies to planet earth). Water is extremely purifying. The water should be preferably cold, at most, a little warm. If you loooove to shower with hot water, when you’re done, let one COLD water jet fall on the center of your head. Yes, it’s not fun, but it helps to neutralize emotions marvelously. Also, do NOT get into bed without showering first. You’re carrying a shitload of toxins and negative energy from the people outside and getting them into your most personal place. Again, at least for these stressful days, try to believe in energies if you don’t.

Try to be around people. Don’t lock yourself away. Try to laugh with them to release serotonin and dopamine and all that. Try to hug as many people as you can. Go to a friend and fucking HUG THEM. You have no idea how healing hugs are, even physically (dopamine and all that stuff). Cuddle with your partner if you have one (or with your mom, brother, etc), tell each other I love you. LOVE. IS. HEALING. AS. FUCK.

Now this is gonna sound cheesy as fuck (but believe me, it’s important): try not to have casual sex with someone you don’t love, much less with someone who isn’t close to you and you don’t know too well. If you really want to have sex, I strongly advise for you to make love with your partner (yes sex in general is great to chill the fuck out but trust me with this one).

Get a plant, preferably a bonsai, and take care of it. Caring for another being is extremely healing. If you have pets, give ‘em some love as well.

Keep your room clean with very very few things in it. Yes, Marie Kondo was right. That shit is healing as fuck. Tidiness and organization in your personal space give you a sense of internal organization and balance as well.

Try not to watch the news nor any violent movie/tv show (YES EXACTLY AVOID GOT, at least when it’s not a sunday night lmao)

Write your feelings down. All of them. Discharge them. If you bottle them up, they will leak through your day through exhaustion and bad mood.

During panic attacks, like when you’re afraid your characters will die, make an attempt for reason to overcome emotions. eg. Read a list of reasons why they would survive (i literally made my jonerys list to read it to myself during these moments of despair).

Keep your mind busy. Try not to have many moments without doing anything. This way, your mind will focus more on your real life and the activity you’re doing than on the fictional characters in your mind.

Avoid alcohol, tobacco, drugs in general.

And the most valuable advice I can give you: LOG THE FUCK OUT OF TUMBLR. LOG OUT. DUDE. WHY ARE YOU TORTURING YOURSELF LIKE THIS. LEAVE THIS FUCKING HELLSITE. Look, I’m here only to answer my friends’ messages, not even looking at my dash (i’m only using tumblr for desktop, i deleted the app) bc I KNOW others’ pessimism will intoxicate me. Now, if you really want to stay here to look for more evidence on why the leaks are FALSE to calm yourself down, then that’s completely valid but please be careful, eg. unfollow and block the pessimistic blogs or try to only look at the ones who share the reasons why the leaks are false (this is not marketing for my own blog i swear lol, it’s def gonna help you to only follow the optimistic ones). AND LOG OUT OF REDDIT TOO BISHES FUCKING YEET THAT SHIT AWAY.

And if you STILL feel like shit at night, take a sleeping pill (last resort…try to keep your body free from chemicals for now).

Anyway, if I remember more I’ll add them. If someone has more tips, you’re more than welcome to share them.

PS: For these things to actually make a difference in you, you gotta be constant and disciplined. It’s not just about going out for a run once or drinking an orange juice once. It has to become part of your daily life to change your mindset and the way you see the world and yourself.