#deconstructions

[tempoaryblogformightyjensblog]

I feel like people should realize how the chosen one is just another trope. It's not an inheritantly bad trope, it's just a trope.

You can have it be deconstructed or subverted or whatever. But you can also just put your own spin on it.

Luz Noceda is, IMO, an example of the chosen one trope. She does not have a special lineage nor was it something decided before her birth. However the fact that the Titan is sapient seemingly confirms that the Titan was indeed guiding her on her journey so that she could defeat Philip Wittebane.

She's still a version of the Chosen One. It's simply based on her own character rather then something decided beforehand. She seem d like a good witch with how kind she was and how she cared for his son so the Titan decided she was the right one. And that's not uncommon either, 'only the who is pure of heart can do X' or a protagnist proving themselves worthy of something great through their own goodness are not unheard of versions of it either.

Hell, you could write it so that it is a case of 'destiny' however it's something the protagonist wants. But might not achieve if they make the wrong decisions and such. That way it still involves agency and so forth.

You can write it so that a higher power is giving the protagonist nudges in the right direction but the ultimate decision to be q hero and do the right thing is up to them.

My point with all this is that the chosen one is simply another trope. Deconstructions or subversions can be fun, but that's not the only thing your allowed to do. Some seem to think that subverting it is the only thing you could do or that it's something you should avoid. When it's not, you can play it straight or simply put a spin on it if you'd like. It just depends on how you write it

[lilithfairen]

So what makes for a good deconstruction then?

No really, this ain't rhetorical. I'd like to know your thoughts.

You have to fundamentally, actually understand and analyze what you're deconstructing.

Because most "deconstructions", rather than analyzing a trope or genre conventions and addressing them, rely entirely on three things:

Plot contrivances of their own design that have nothing to do with the trope/genre in question.

Derision of the trope/genre, and often its target audience, from a position of arrogance.

More so for genre "deconstruction": oversimplification of a genre, ignoring the variance and complexity of different works in the genre.

So instead of actually deconstructing a trope/genre, many "deconstructions" simply create a strawman of said trope/genre based on their condescending and shallow attitudes towards it, then beat up said trope/genre strawman and act like they've written something that's so smart and deep.

For example, to contrast the common "deconstruction" tropes in edgy magical-girl "deconstructions":

Girls are often depicted as incapable of getting along and frequently coming into conflict with each other (which is just misogynistic stereotyping)

Girls are portrayed as incapable of understanding the severity and consequences of their circumstances (again misogyny, and basically out of the belief that teenage girls can't grasp concepts present in cartoons made for kids)

The magical-girl genre is one where fighting monsters and villains is treated as fun and carefree (when the burdens of doing so are an iconic part of the genre)

Being a magical girl is often framed as a form of exploitation and manipulation (when many magical girls understand the fight they're getting into and accepting that burden, and many magical girl works where the mascot is deceptive/manipulative already existed before PMMM)

Girls are incapable of being heroes (again, le misogyny)

...with the kind of things I'd address if I were to write a deconstruction of edgy magical-girl "deconstructions":

Addressing how the suffering and victimization of girls is used as a hook in these stories. (I had one idea where the first sentence of a story was the narrator saying how her magical-girl sister died...then the following paragraph immediately points out how screwed-up the idea of being interested in hearing about/seeing girls die really is.)

Acknowledging how these stories believe that girls are incapable of getting along and cooperating, and the contrived plot elements they often utilize in order to incite conflict between girls.

Addressing the "better than other girls" themes these stories often present with their main characters, coupled with how such main characters are often extremely privileged yet these stories shame less-privileged girls for how they suffer and want due to their circumstances.

Contrasting the portrayal and treatment of female characters with male characters in these stories—the propensity for female characters to suffer and die while male characters remain unharmed, male characters and their emotions and desires being treated as more valid and worthwhile than female characters', and even stories where male characters with no powers are treated as more competent and capable than the empowered heroines.

Frankly, a lot of the best deconstructions are things that didn't set out to be "deconstructions" or act like they were smarter than particular other stories—they just sought to tell a story, and handled a theme/trope differently than some other stories. For instance, James Ironwood from RWBY is a fantastic deconstruction of the "well-intentioned extremist" type of character, but I doubt the idea of "deconstruction" was in the writers' minds; they just decided on a character and their story, and developed that plotline based on the character they conceived rather than "tropes" or thinking they were smarter than other stories.

[sweetlyobservantoblivion]

Indulge me, but there's something that drives me insane that the two best pieces of Star Wars media (Rogue One/Andor) both centre around a main cast of ordinary people.

They're not Jedis.

Not Sith.

Not royalty.

Not the 'chosen ones'.

They're just people. Trying their best to fight, even if it's just with their own two hands and a brick. What's more, they're ordinary people whose stories will quickly disappear into the bigger picture, who will have no medals or applause or even tombstones in the great expanse of history. They're the normal people who have always existed and will always exist, in every town and city and nation when power threatens to swallow us.

So maybe that's what it really is to fight back. Not being the one who destroys the Death Star, but rather being a pair of hands in a series of hundreds more that will help raze it. Being the one who inspires people to free themselves even if you know that you can't follow.

Or maybe it's just having the audacity, in the face of everything, to try.

[oxytocinatrocities]

Yet another comic about leaving the Mormon church that can be applied to a variety of things. I also plan to include some version of this in a graphic novel I’m making.

[jesusinstilettos]

I’m about to save you thousands of dollars in therapy by teaching you what I learned paying thousands of dollars for therapy:

It may sound woo woo but it’s an important skill capitalism and hyper individualism have robbed us of as human beings.

Learn to process your emotions. It will improve your mental health and quality of life. Emotions serve a biological purpose, they aren’t just things that happen for no reason.

1. Pause and notice you’re having a big feeling or reaching for a distraction to maybe avoid a feeling. Notice what triggered the feeling or need for a distraction without judgement. Just note that it’s there. Don’t label it as good or bad.

2. Find it in your body. Where do you feel it? Your chest? Your head? Your stomach? Does it feel like a weight everywhere? Does it feel like you’re vibrating? Does it feel like you’re numb all over?

3. Name the feeling. Look up an emotion chart if you need to. Find the feeling that resonates the most with what you’re feeling. Is it disappointment? Heartbreak? Anxiety? Anger? Humiliation?

4. Validate the feeling. Sometimes feelings misfire or are disproportionately big, but they’re still valid. You don’t have to justify what you’re feeling, it’s just valid. Tell yourself “yeah it makes sense that you feel that right now.” Or something as simple as “I hear you.” For example: If I get really big feelings of humiliation when I lose at a game of chess, the feeling may not be necessary, but it is valid and makes sense if I grew up with parents who berated me every time I did something wrong. So I could say “Yeah I understand why we are feeling that way given how we were treated growing up. That’s valid.”

5. Do something with your body that’s not a mental distraction from the feeling. Something where you can still think. Go on a walk. Do something with your hands like art or crochet or baking. Journal. Clean a room. Figure out what works best for you.

6. Repeat, it takes practice but is a skill you can learn :)

[seraphimfall]

there is an insane amount of antisemitism floating around right now.

i just want to say:

this blog loves and supports jewish people.

this blog does NOT conflate the israeli government, or the atrocities it commits, with jewish people.

this blog is disgusted with those who use or express antisemitism.

this blog knows that if someone needs to invoke antisemitism, they do not actually care about helping palestine or the palestinian people.

this blog will do its best to ensure that it remains a safe space for all.

[alienbycomics]

Content Warning: religion and transphobia⚠️

Happy Trans Day of Visibility 🏳️‍⚧️ I made a comic reflecting on my church upbringing as an eXvangelical trans person. The Jesus conservative Christians claim to represent looked lot more like many of the LGBTQ+ friends I know and love. Just some food for thought 💖

[glorious-spoon]

i'm very picky about tv shows, but my pickiness has only an incidental relationship to whether or not a show is "good". it needs to scratch a particular itch in my brain at the right moment. do i know what the right moment is? no. do i know what the itch is? also no. i can be relied upon to get instantly bored of 85% of tv shows and then turn the remaining 15% into a central facet of my personality for 3-5 business months and even i am incapable of predicting which one it'll be ahead of time.

[escaping-amish]

I love how he finds the words to describe the concepts that float around my head daily ❤️❤️❤️❤️ love him!

[the-jesus-pill]

Teaching children thinking bad thoughts about someone is the same thing as murdering that person is fucked up. 

Thought crime doesn’t exist. No one has ever been harmed or killed by someone thinking negative thoughts about them. 

You know what has harmed people though? Teaching them they are evil for things they can’t control. Especially those who have intrusive thoughts. 

Here’s for everyone who has been taught their thoughts make them evil.

Intrusive thoughts are not your secret desires. 

They are involuntary. 

You don’t need to be ashamed of them. 

They will pass.

You are not committing taboo. 

No one can read your mind.

No one will ever know what’s in your thoughts unless you feel like telling them.

No one can judge you for what you are thinking, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

Your thoughts are private

You are not a bad person.

[fashionsfromhistory]

I love this look HOWEVER looking at his shoes all I can think of is 'those are his hooves you bitch'

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Ghouls night out

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[dirtyheathencommie]

DEAR EDUCATIONALLY NEGLECTED HOMESCHOOLERS

I’ve gathered some resources and tips and tricks on self-educating after educational neglect. This is only what I did and what I know helped me. I’m about to graduate college with honors after having no education past the age of 9. I wouldn’t be here without the following. Everything is free, and at/well above the standard for education in the US.

The holy grail: Khan Academy. Nearly every course you could take is available here, in order and by grade level. Their open-source free courses rival some of the college classes I’ve taken. This is your most solid resource.

For inattentive types: Crash Course offers a variety of courses that are snappy, entertaining, and extremely rewarding. They work for my ADHD brain. They also have college prep advice, which is essential if you’re looking to go to higher education with no classroom experience.

To catch up on your reading: There are certain books that you may have read had you gone to school that you’ve missed out on. This list is the most well-rounded and can fill you in on both children’s books and classic novels that are essential or at least extremely helpful to be familiar with. You can find a majority of these easily at a local library (and some for free in PDF form online low key). There are a few higher level classics in here that I’d highly recommend. If it doesn’t work for you, I’d always recommend asking your local librarian.

*BE AWARE* The book list I recommend suggests you read Harry Potter books, and given their transphobic author you may or may not want to read them. If you choose to, I’d highly recommend buying the books secondhand or borrowing from a library to avoid financially supporting a living author with dangerous and damaging views.

TEST, TEST, TEST: Again, Khan Academy is your go-to for this. I don’t personally like standardized testing, but going through SAT and ACT courses was the best way I found to really reveal my gaps so that I could supplement.

Finally: As much as you can, enjoy the process. Education can be thrilling and teach you so much about yourself, and help shape your view of the world. It can get frustrating, but I’d like to encourage you that everyone can learn. No pace is the perfect pace, and your learning style is the right learning style for you. In teaching yourself, be patient, be kind, and indulge in the subjects you really enjoy without neglecting others. You are your teacher. Give yourself what others chose not to.

[sweetlyobservantoblivion]

I really thought Andor was going to try ' Yass queen girlboss ✨' Deedra and they did...just in the 'white superficial girlboss feminist that will step on the necks of anyone in the way to break the glass ceiling, irrelevant of who gets cut, and without asking whether the ceiling should exist at all or caring that everyone else has been left behind to suffer' way...

[oxytocinatrocities]

"The House," a parable I drew about leaving the Mormon church.

I've come to think this metaphor also applies pretty well to constitutional originalism and the absurd idolization by both U.S. political parties of a document written hundreds of years ago by men who didn't know about the carbon cycle and owned human slaves.

I want to include some altered version of this in the graphic novel I'm working on, as well :)

[iphigeniacomplex]

it’s very easy to tell the good satires and pastiches from the bad ones because the bad ones are too afraid to live within the form. like if you are doing work with fairy tales and you are refusing to look closer at the underlying logic and unspoken rules of what can seem at first to be a senseless form, you are not going to create meaningful work. to borrow a turn of phrase originally used by maria tatar, if you refuse to enter “the house of fairy tale” as anything more than a gawking tourist, you will miss the particular order to the way the table is set, the rooms that are locked vs the rooms that are simply difficult to enter, the set of the floorboards and the position of the furniture. whatever you build will then be a gilded imitation of how you believe the house of fairy tale ought to look, the table set according to your educated specifications and every door open. there can be no interrogation of themes from a writer who views the form as beneath them!