#deflationary

[rethinking-the-dollar]

Car Dealerships & Auctions Are Dropping Prices | Auto Industry Faces a Deflationary Spiral. Get the full story from this weeks Morning Check-In: https://www.youtube.com/live/JEZgH8_S-rY

[geopolicraticus]

TODAY IN PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY

David Hume and a Deflationary Philosophy of History

Tuesday 07 May 2024 is the 313th anniversary of the birth of David Hume (07 May 1711 New Style, 26 April 1711 Old Style, to 25 August 1776), who was born in Edinburgh on this date in 1711.

Hume’s reputation as a philosopher only continues to grow with time, but during his life he was a failure as a philosopher though found success as an historian. Hume’s distinctively empiricist and skeptical philosophical views provide little in the way of a positive philosophy of history, but they can be understood as a deflationary philosophy of history that gives us a robust principle of selection for history.  

Quora:              https://philosophyofhistory.quora.com/ 

Discord:           https://discord.gg/r3dudQvGxD

Links:               https://jnnielsen.carrd.co/

Newsletter:      http://eepurl.com/dMh0_-/

Text post:         https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/david-hume-and-a-deflationary-philosophy  

Video:               https://youtu.be/D91ilZJx_Xo  

Podcast:          https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/7VZ9mD9LpJb

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Metaontology

Metaontology is a branch of philosophy that examines the nature, methodology, and foundations of ontology itself. Ontology is the study of what exists, the categories of being, and the relationships between entities. Metaontology, therefore, addresses questions about how we should approach ontological questions, what methods are appropriate for determining what exists, and what it means for something to be considered part of reality. Here’s an in-depth exploration of the philosophy of metaontology:

1. Key Questions in Metaontology

What is Ontology? Metaontology seeks to clarify what ontology is about, exploring its scope and limits. It asks whether ontology is about listing all the entities that exist or about understanding the fundamental structure of reality.

How Should Ontological Disputes Be Resolved? Metaontology investigates the methods and criteria for resolving disagreements about what exists. It questions whether ontological disputes are substantive or merely verbal disagreements.

What Are Ontological Commitments? This branch of philosophy examines the commitments we make when we assert the existence of certain entities. It explores how language, logic, and theoretical frameworks influence these commitments.

2. Approaches in Metaontology

Quinean Metaontology: W.V.O. Quine, a significant figure in metaontology, argued that ontological questions should be framed within a scientific and empirical context. He famously said, "To be is to be the value of a variable," suggesting that our ontological commitments are tied to the variables in our best scientific theories.

Carnap’s Framework: Rudolf Carnap proposed that ontological questions are internal to linguistic frameworks. According to Carnap, ontological disputes are often about choosing a convenient framework rather than discovering objective truths about reality.

Neo-Fregeanism: Neo-Fregeans, like Crispin Wright and Bob Hale, argue that certain abstract objects, such as numbers, can be said to exist based on their necessity for our best explanatory theories, particularly in mathematics.

Modal Realism: David Lewis's modal realism posits the existence of a plurality of possible worlds, treating them as just as real as the actual world. This view brings metaontological discussions to the forefront by challenging conventional notions of existence and reality.

3. Substantive vs. Deflationary Ontology

Substantive Ontology: This approach asserts that ontological questions are meaningful and substantive. Proponents believe that there are objective facts about what exists and that ontology aims to uncover these facts.

Deflationary Ontology: Deflationists argue that many ontological questions are not substantive but rather hinge on linguistic or conceptual frameworks. They suggest that resolving ontological disputes often involves clarifying language and concepts rather than discovering new facts about reality.

4. Ontological Commitment and Language

Ontological Commitment: Metaontology explores how our language and theoretical frameworks commit us to certain entities. For example, using terms like "numbers" or "universals" in scientific or mathematical theories involves an implicit commitment to the existence of these entities.

Reference and Existence: The philosophy of metaontology examines how the reference of terms in our language influences our ontological commitments. It questions whether referring to something implies its existence or if reference can be understood in a more flexible way.

5. Methodological Considerations

Naturalized Ontology: This approach, influenced by Quine, suggests that ontological questions should be addressed using the methods of natural science. It emphasizes empirical evidence and scientific theories in determining what exists.

Conceptual Analysis: Some metaontologists use conceptual analysis to clarify and resolve ontological questions. This method involves analyzing the concepts and categories we use to talk about existence and being.

6. Contemporary Debates

Realism vs. Anti-Realism: Metaontology engages with debates between realists, who believe that there are objective facts about what exists, and anti-realists, who argue that existence is relative to conceptual schemes or linguistic frameworks.

Ontological Pluralism: This view holds that there can be multiple, equally valid ways of describing what exists, depending on the context or framework. Ontological pluralists argue that reality can be understood in various ways without privileging one over the others.

The philosophy of metaontology is a rich and complex field that delves into the foundations of ontology, examining the nature of existence, the methods for resolving ontological disputes, and the commitments we make when we assert the existence of various entities. From Quinean naturalism to Carnap's linguistic frameworks, metaontology offers diverse approaches to understanding the nature of being and existence. It challenges philosophers to consider the deeper implications of their ontological commitments and the methods they use to explore the fundamental structure of reality.

[ultragamerz]

2024 The Wild World of Meme Coins: A Look at 12 Popular Tokens

New Post has been published on https://www.ultragamerz.com/2024-the-wild-world-of-meme-coins-a-look-at-12-popular-tokens/

2024 The Wild World of Meme Coins: A Look at 12 Popular Tokens

The Wild World of Meme Coins: A Look at 12 Popular Tokens

$DOGE $FLOKI $SLERF $DUKO $MFER $PENG $BOME $CANDLE $TROLL $MUMU $Hege $Mong

The cryptocurrency market can be a serious business, but there’s also a lighter side fueled by internet humor and virality. Enter meme coins – cryptocurrencies inspired by internet memes and online jokes. While they may lack the perceived utility of other crypto projects, meme coins can experience explosive growth thanks to community hype and social media trends. Let’s take a deep dive into 12 of the most popular meme coins, exploring their origins, functionalities, and potential:

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Which one will you Buy during this dip?<a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24DOGE&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$DOGE</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24FLOKI&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$FLOKI</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24SLERF&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$SLERF</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24DUKO&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$DUKO</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24MFER&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$MFER</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24PENG&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$PENG</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BOME&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$BOME</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24CANDLE&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$CANDLE</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TROLL&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$TROLL</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%24MUMU&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>$MUMU</a></p>— Elon Musk (Parody) (@ElonMuskPDA) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ElonMuskPDA/status/1783102815017308291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

1. Dogecoin (DOGE) – The OG Doggo Coin (https://dogecoin.com/) Dogecoin, the granddaddy of meme coins, features the iconic Shiba Inu dog from the “Doge” meme. Launched in 2013 as a joke by Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, Dogecoin gained mainstream popularity with tweets from Elon Musk and garnered a passionate community known as the “Doge Army.” DOGE has limited functionality beyond being a medium of exchange, but its cultural significance and strong community backing have fueled its success.

2. Floki Inu (FLOKI) – Taking Over for Doge? (https://floki.com/) Capitalizing on the Shiba Inu theme, Floki Inu claims to be the “son of Doge” and has gained traction with its association with Elon Musk’s dog of the same name. FLOKI aims to be more than just a meme coin, offering features like an NFT marketplace, a play-to-earn game, and a charitable arm. However, its long-term success hinges on the execution of its development roadmap and maintaining community interest.

3. Slurp ($SLERF) – All About the Memes (https://blockworks.co/) Slurp embraces the meme culture with a constantly evolving mascot, often featuring internet-famous characters and references. The project prioritizes fun and community engagement, hosting regular contests and giveaways. SLERF has limited real-world use cases beyond being a community token, but its focus on fun and lightheartedness could attract users seeking a more light-hearted crypto experience.

4. Ducky Inu (DUKO) – Quacking its Way into Crypto (https://www.duckychannel.com.tw/) DUKO features a cute duck character and aims to provide a fun and easy entry point for new crypto users. The project offers a decentralized exchange (DEX) and a staking platform within the Binance Smart Chain ecosystem. However, DUKO faces stiff competition from established DEX platforms, and its long-term success relies on attracting and retaining a loyal user base.

5. Mothership (MFER) – Bringing the Memes to DeFi (https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/mothership/) MFER takes a different approach, utilizing the “Mfers” meme within a Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ecosystem. The MFER token grants access to a platform offering various DeFi features like staking, governance, and potential future NFT integration. While the project holds promise for DeFi enthusiasts, its success hinges on attracting users who value both the meme aspect and the DeFi functionalities.

6. Penguin Finance (PENG) – Waddling into the Market (https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/penguincoin-old/) PENG features a penguin mascot and focuses on building a decentralized exchange (DEX) within the Binance Smart Chain ecosystem. Unlike some meme coins with limited functionality, PENG offers a real-world use case for users seeking alternative trading platforms. However, the success of PENG relies heavily on the overall adoption and liquidity of its DEX platform.

7. Bombshell (BOME) – Making a Big Bang (https://www.wsj.com/articles/bitcoin-blockchain-hacking-arrests-93a4cb29)

BOME utilizes a sexy anime character as its mascot and aims to create a fun and engaging community around its token. The project has plans for an NFT marketplace, a play-to-earn game, and its own anime series. However, BOME faces criticism for its reliance on a potentially exclusionary mascot and the ambitiousness of its development roadmap.

8. Candle (CANDLE) – Burning Bright in the Memeverse (https://www.candlestick.io/)

CANDLE features a simple candle chart as its logo and focuses on building a sustainable meme coin through a deflationary token model. A portion of every transaction is burned, reducing the total supply of CANDLE tokens over time, which some believe can increase its value. However, the effectiveness of this model in a volatile market like meme coins remains to be seen.

9. TrollCoin (TROLL) – Feeding the Online Antics (https://www.coinbase.com/price/trollcoin)

TROLL uses the “trolling” meme as its inspiration and aims to create a fun and engaging community for internet pranksters. The project has limited real-world use cases beyond being a community token, but its focus on humor and lightheartedness could resonate with users seeking a more playful crypto experience.

10. Mumu the Bull (MUMU) – A Bovine Take on Meme Coins

Mumu the Bull (MUMU) takes a unique approach to the meme coin space by featuring a bullish character instead of the more common dog theme. Inspired by the “Mumu the Bull” meme, popular within the crypto community as a symbol of bullish market sentiment, MUMU aims to capitalize on this positive association.

The project has plans for a decentralized exchange (DEX) and a yield-generating mechanism for MUMU holders. However, the long-term success of Mumu the Bull hinges on the execution of its development roadmap and attracting users who see value in its specific meme and its functionalities.

11. Hege Coin (HEGE) – Inspired by a Controversial Figure (https://coinmarketcap.com/dexscan/solana/CJcu7ciRHBHu4BDnpLgAUm1A6iSp9RuhJMG36rjjrxnd/)

HEGE is a more controversial meme coin, inspired by a historical figure. While the inspiration can be a source of community engagement, it can also raise ethical concerns and potentially limit its mainstream appeal. It’s crucial to conduct thorough research on the project’s background and community before investing in HEGE.

12. MongCoin (MONG) – Bringing Memes to the Real World (https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/mongcoin/)

MONG aims to bridge the gap between the meme coin world and real-world applications, focusing on charity and social good. The project partners with various charities and donates a portion of its transaction fees to support them. MONG offers a unique approach within the meme coin space, potentially attracting investors seeking to combine meme culture with social impact.

Important Note: Meme coins are inherently risky investments due to their high volatility and lack of underlying utility. Always conduct thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency, and consider your risk tolerance. The information provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.

[conyersmooney]

Deflationary (DEF) Coming February 2023

Deflationary (DEF) is at https://www.deflationarytoken.com/ the native utility token for the DEFswap Finance platform. DEF is a true deflationary token and can also be used to purchase DEF NFTs directly from the NFT store. Converting DEF token into fiat is not required before making online purchases at most retail platforms like Shopify and more. Inflation is a lifetime problem and $DEF has a lifetime deflationary solution.

[max1461]

I guess you can take roughly two attitudes towards human endeavors (in a very broad sense "the things we make"):

human endeavors are valuable insofar as they provide pleasure (etc.) to humans

human endeavors are valuable in their own right; they are imbued with value by those who endeavor for them

I think view (1) is more philosophically elegant, but I don't think it really "works" when applied to actual human life. I think taking view (1) seriously requires contorting ourselves pretty significantly from our natural inclinations, indeed from many of our most productive (even in the sense of view (1)) inclinations, for the majority of people. It may not be so for certain personality types overrepresented on this corner of the internet.

But like, imagine being an artist, and trying to actually live and work according to the maxim that your art should produce maximum pleasure in your audience. Where does this lead? Does it in fact lead to art that accomplishes that goal? Or does "making new and interesting art is valuable for its own sake, even if it displeases people. Improving my artistic abilities is valuable for its own sake, even if it is difficult" lead to better art? I think it's very probably the latter in most cases.

I just think that most people, even most people who argue for a deflationary view of value as in (1), would sort of be miserable if they actually took it seriously. They pay lip-service to it as a justification for their actions, but they don't actually think that hard about whether their actions really advance it, and they don't live by it, and they would be less happy if they actually tried!

[argumate]

Are you a Money Understander (or do you at least play one on the internet)? Why is deflation risk a big deal? Can the People's Bank of China not simply Brrrrrr the money printers until the price stickers on stuff are bigger than they were last year? And then they have a load of extra money to do whatever they want with.

you can print more money but its effect on inflation will depend on exactly where it is spent, I think.

spending more money on infrastructure that cuts the cost of doing business while continuing to suppress consumption by holding down wages or exchange rates or deposit rates just means that prices will drop, which is deflationary and not inflationary.

spending more money on people should drive consumption and raise prices, presumably, but a lot of governments find it easier to spend money on industry than people.

[transgenderer]

i feel like i "get" what art made of words or depicting things is doing. like i understand whats going on there. how it affects you. it makes you think of / experience scenarios. the mind of the art responder (the reader, the viewer) responds to scenarios, just like in real life.

but art that isnt doing those things, i feel like...i dont understand. it affects me, but i dont understand why. this is i believe is the "fiction brained" outlook, as some on here have described it. im not sure how to go about understanding it. or if anyone understands it

i mean, theres a cynical, deflationary understanding, that theyre, idk, just input that happens to stimulate the system. a glitch, almost. and this might be true but if its true its sufficiently unilluminating that whats the point in believing it if we cant determine it certainly

[sibblank]

I love this deflationary move right at the "all is lost" moment of everyone just silently passing around and looking at the drawing of laios' cringe oc

[st-just]

So if idk lets say Argentina actually all in full dollarization, would that be, like, deflationary in the US? Like it's a sudden increase in demand for dollars without any real increase in supply, right?

Or is 'have a bunch of your savings/investments in USD' such universal conventional wisdom that the effect's already priced in here?

[sapphicscholar]

wait can you elaborate on your tag about the conditional tense a couple tags ago i’m so curious

Oh sure! For posterity's sake when my TL gets too long to scroll back, this is the post/my tags (link)!

So okay, in the left hand column we've got this absolutely touching, lovely scene of Ava telling Deborah, "I knew you would" (that is: I knew you'd get the late night host gig). And imo that's something that Ava can believe and feel and experience as true, but it's 100% not the way Deborah lets herself feel--and, more importantly to me, not the way Deborah as we know and love her in canon finds pleasure. Hers is an existence that is, in so many ways, affectively opposed to the pregiven and the easily won. The pleasure comes in the fought-for and the hard-won (akin but not identical to the way JPL describe Ava's S3 challenge to Deborah as arousing and a turn-on, which I fear would spin me off in other directions).

I'll preface this by saying: I don't think this was always the case! The young Deborah we glimpse during her meteoric rise to stardom was absolutely filled with joy and wonder at making it. Yes, she was good, but she was also lucky--something she's better able to recognize by the time we get to canon where she can recognize that Ava might be good, but know better than to think that it'll ever be enough. Young Deborah dared to believe there was an indexical relationship between talent/effort and rewards. She knew she was good, she knew her pilot went well, and she didn't (wouldn't!) dream of it all collapsing the way it did. Older Deborah knows better than to ever think things will come that easily. Because she knows (whether or not we agree with it) that things that come too easily can all too easily be ripped away from her, the rug pulled out from under her feet all over again.

So instead she adopts this defensive posture of always needing to be chomping at the bit for the next big thing. (Her white whale is an ever-moving target!) It's why she tells Ava in S2 that she'll be working til she's 107. It's why Ava tells Deborah in S3 that she's bored, rather than luxuriating in the afterglow of the special's success, because she always needs something to fight for (and, imo, also against).

Deborah needs the uncertainty inherent in the conditional tense - the feeling that there's something she could have, but no guarantee she'll be given it, so she has to fight and work hard and often also play dirty (erasing Susan's name, blackmailing Marty, etc.). And she likes it that way! Because if something is won too easily, it gives way to this anticipatory rehearsal of the pain of losing Late Night all over again. And so even if it works out, it's a deflationary kind of happiness, fleeting and not quite satisfying. But if she's clawing and fighting for it, she's in control. While the opportunity may be theirs to ultimately bestow or deny, the fight is always on her terms, not theirs.

Anyway, this is already so many paragraphs lmao, so I'll stop now! But I'll just flag that (for whenever I get around to fully writing and posting), this is why my post-s3 fic takes the shape that it does! Because I think this attitude bleeds out into so much of Deborah's life!

[arizonaconservativegal]

what if the government were to just. burn the tax money it collects from its citizens. like literally burn it. would that combat inflation? (i am half joking)

Unironically, yes. It would shrink the size of the money supply quite a bit. It would have a lot of other consequences that would suck a lot but it would be deflationary (assuming they didn't just print more).

[antinegationism]

spicy machine learning discourse just dropped xDOTcom/CorralSummer/status/1823504569097175056

All learning of any kind is compression.

Whether or not that sounds deflationary hinges on whether your mind jumped to boring Shannon information style compression, or exciting intractable Kolmogorov complexity style compression.

The guy arguing that there is no compression format that can compress that many images into 2GB is thinking in terms of Shannon information (where you need to find the minimally redundant static representation of a string). But Kolmogorov style compression would let you in principle (presuming determinism) compress the entire universe into an initial state + the fundamental laws of physics. From which you could just chug through the numbers until you end up generating the earth, the library of Alexandria, the Sistine Chapel, and as much as you care to of every work of art that has ever been or will be. Less controversially, it at the very least lets you compress the infinite intricate non-repeating complexity of the Mandelbrot set into the very portable string "Z_n = Z_n-1^2 + c" and a handful of instructions telling a readwrite head which direction to move some tape.

Most of the work on compression is distinctly of the Shannon flavor. I think probably because minimizing Kolmogorov complexity gets real intractable real quick.

But the fact that the bulk of the research on lossy compression has been limited Shannon information is, I think, mostly just a historical artifact. The tractability of Kolmogorov style compression under some tolerance for error hasn't been very well studied at all -- but it's about to be.

[triviallytrue]

I am thinking about doing something crazy (trying to pick up and read a macroeconomics textbook, just because.) yeah I know what a differential equation is, *that's* not what's crazy about this. rather: I am just tired of being economically illiterate. posts blowing up on this webbed site about how everyone is jealous that China is experiencing deflation, and I "know" deflation is "bad" but can't explain why. I am maybe sort of afraid of accidentally consuming "neoliberal" (ugh) propaganda but, like, I am far more afraid of just drifting along and uncritically consuming vibes-based financial wisdom from tumblr dot com until I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about. so. yeah

this is a good idea i think - there are a lot of leftist economics types who are critical of what you might describe as neoliberal consensus economics, but i think to properly understand these critiques you need to first understand the base assertions they're criticizing

also some of it is in fact correct

anyway the deal with deflation is that it incentivizes holding on to your money and not spending it, because your money will be worth more in the future, whereas low levels of inflation incentivize spending it

consumption/investment are both generally good for the economy, so you want individuals to be incentivized to spend their money. in the worst case, a deflationary spiral happens when people stop spending, demand/consumption falls, and this starts hitting the supply side, so workers start getting laid off. then these workers don't have money to spend, and it's self-reinforcing.

in theory good government policy bails you out of this - if a country controls its currency they can print more money, intentionally inflate their currency, and ideally distribute that money in a way that stimulates consumption, but that can be hard to do

[magicshopaholic]

The Boyfriend (Namjoon x OC)

Summary: You use the boyfriend card to get out of a sticky situation.

Pairing: Namjoon x OC

Genre: Smut, some fluff

Word count: 5 K

Rating: 18+

Warnings: dirty talk, making out, fingering, oral sex, unprotected sex, doggy style, lots of insinuations

A/N: Smut. Just shameless smut. Set around six months after Seoul and can be read standalone.

Tagging: @bbl32, @quarter-life-crisis2, @margopinkerton, @faearchives, @whoisbts, @purpleseoul7, @kflixnet (if you want to be added to the taglist, lmk)

Listen to: “i wanna be yours” by arctic monkeys

namjoon masterlist | main masterlist

“So, based on what we’ve just talked about, which of these would be the best decision in a deflationary economy if you’re advising a crude oil giant?”

Answers pop up in a garble of voices, some educated guesses and some plain incorrect. There’s only one who seems to be completely confident in her answer.

“Jane, go for it.”

“Regulating supply to Q-1 until it hits the kink on the curve and the price rises to P-1.”

Before Kaya can respond, a student behind her wrinkles his nose.

“In a deflationary economy? So manufacturing and transportation costs can increase even more?”

“You want prices to increase so there’s greater investment in the economy -”

“How does investment help when there’s -”

“Alright, that’s enough,” calls Kaya, somewhat amused. Both students roll their eyes and each other and face forward. “You’re both right… theoretically. Who can tell me why?”

There’s another mess of answers and she chuckles, her gaze moving instinctively to the back of the class. There’s her thesis advisor, observing her teaching the class. He nods encouragingly behind his glasses, sharing her amusement. Behind him, in the last row, is that student again, the one with the baseball cap still on his head tilted low. 

In spite of it, she can’t miss his eyes behind his glasses finding hers, and her heart stutters. 

She averts her gaze instantly and takes a step backwards, reaching inside the bowl on her table. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor brings the class to relative silence.

Jane raises her hand again, pushing her glasses up with her other hand. In front of her, the open pages on her notebook are filled with scrawls in black ink of diagrams and text. Feeling a vague sense of kinship, Kaya points at her.

“Increased crude oil prices lead to greater investment in the shale oil space,” she answers immediately, and the guy behind her closes his eyes and sighs, evidently having forgotten this rather important detail. “This leads to an influx of cash in the economy, leading to more jobs and employment. As for the increase in costs,” she adds, turning around conspicuously to look at him, “that’s a side effect that can’t be helped. Those companies would be better off moving from consuming crude oil to shale oil.” Satisfied, she looks back to Kaya.

“Near perfect answer,” she confirms, tossing her a candy.

Despite the compliment, Jane frowns, absently catching the candy. The bell rings then and there’s a rustle as everyone begins standing up and gathering their things.

“Good class, everybody,” says Kaya, doing the same. “Don’t forget your pre-read for Wednesday’s class.”

There’s a murmur of assent as everybody begins heading out through the side doors in front of the class, passing by her desk to do so. Jane bounds up to her.

“Um, just asking for future reference,” she begins, “what was… not perfect about my answer? Because according to my notes,” she says, leafing through her notebook, “it was exactly what you said.”

Kaya winces internally, knowing that while teaching the class requires days of preparation, this is the hard part. Straightening up to face her, she sighs.

“Your answer was perfect,” she admits gently. “The gloating was not. Trust me, I’ve been there. Learnt it the hard way,” she adds honestly when Jane’s shoulders deflate and she trudges out with the rest of the class.

There aren’t too many people left in the class now. Another student, the same one who was caught unawares by Jane, stops by her desk. “I should’ve realised it was the shale thing,” he mutters, sounding disgruntled. “I don’t know how I missed it. I missed another thing last class. I don’t know why… is it possible - I mean…” He shuffles uncomfortably. “Do you… do you tutor?”

Hell no. “You don’t need tutoring, Jakob,” she answers instead, hoping she sounds encouraging. “You just need to pay a little more attention.” Kaya turns to switch off the projector, effectively ending the conversation. She doesn’t turn around until she hears footsteps behind her again, and her smile fades when she sees the student with the baseball cap, his hands in the pockets of his open hoodie. His glasses frame his face, and she sees blond hair peeking out from under the cap.

“I was going to ask the same thing,” he says after a moment, voice deeper than Jakob’s. “About the tutoring.”

Kaya swallows, her eyes darting around at the remaining few people still packing up. “My answer is the same as well,” she says shortly. “You don’t need tutoring.”

“I don’t?”

“No. You just need to pay attention in class.”

His gaze travels down her figure, from the slim white top to the pencil skirt she’d worn in hopes of being professional. The way he’s looking at her, though, is anything but. “You don’t make that very easy.” 

She pauses, her heart racing. Still aware that they aren’t alone, she bites her lip. “I have a boyfriend,” she murmurs, too low for anyone else to hear.

There’s a shadow of a smile under the cap. He takes a step closer and she catches a whiff of his familiar cologne. He’s taller than Jakob, too… “That’s what you said last time,” he reminds her.

Kaya’s cheeks grow hot but before she can respond, someone else comes over. 

“Kaya,” calls Adam, smiling. “Great class. You’re a natural,” he says, coming over and giving her a friendly one-armed hug.

She chuckles in relief, momentarily diverted. “Thank you. I tried to do everything you told me - notes and all,” she tells him. 

“You nailed it,” he assures her, patting her shoulder encouragingly. In contrast to the previous conversation, Adam speaks at a regular volume. Tall and lean in his mid-thirties, he adjusts his laptop bag and a file of papers in his other hand. Behind him, the other student has smoothly stepped back and is leaning against Jane’s desk, pretending to pay attention to his phone even though his thumb isn’t scrolling.

“It was… fun,” she admits. “Kind of like a high.”

“The good ones are,” agrees Adam. “The students really respond to you. Keep it up and I can start unloading even more of my classes onto you,” he jokes, pushing glasses up his nose in a move identical to Jane’s.

“Can’t wait.” Kaya grins and waves as he exits the lecture hall, feeling the unique calmness of relief. She waits until he’s well out of sight, leaving only one other person in the room.

“Was he asking about tutoring, too?” he asks, voice a little dryer than before.

The relief still seeping through her veins, she shrugs. “No. He was complimenting my class, as I’m sure you heard.”

“I was going to do that, too.”

She chuckles. “I appreciate it, but Adam is my thesis advisor,” she tells him, now giving him her full attention as he approaches her. “In this case, his opinion matters the most.”

He nods, jaw hardening slightly. “Well, good thing I’m not your boyfriend or that would actually hurt a little,” he tells her, now standing right in front of her. His hand strokes her hip and she gasps softly, grabbing it to move it.

“Not here,” she whispers. “Anyone could walk in.” When he smirks, presumably in anticipation of exactly that, she deliberately shoves his hand away. “And there are cameras.”

“Afraid your boyfriend’s going to see? You weren’t this worried the last time.”

“That’s because the last time we did this, it was in the privacy of your studio,” she reminds him, slipping out from in front of him and grabbing her bag. “How did you even get in here? Didn’t anybody see you?”

“Um… no, actually,” he answers, shaking his head. “I literally just gave my name at the gate and walked in. Security’s not great here, now that you mention it,” he informs her, now at a more normal volume.

Kaya frowns, not expecting this. “Seriously? What - you just said your name is Kim Namjoon and just… walked in?”

“Oh, no, I gave a fake name, obviously,” he says as they walk out together. “But it still worked. No one gave me a second look,” he adds, sounding almost uncertain. “Quite surprising. But a good thing.”

“That is surprising,” she agrees in a low voice, hoping it stays true for the short walk to her office as well. Namjoon is taller than average; even wearing heels, it feels like he’s towering over her, shielding her whole figure. Still, the clothing probably works, for no one seems to pay them any attention. She’s thankful it’s a Sunday - the number of people on campus is fewer than usual. They reach her office in relative silence and it isn’t until they’re both inside and she’s shut the door that she finally relaxes.

“I don’t allow hats and hoods in my class, by the way,” she tells him pointedly, grinning when he takes the hat off. “Don’t make me give you detention,” she warns.

“I can handle detention,” he says easily, running a hand through his hair. Kaya allows herself to admire him freely now, leaning back against her table in the small, air-conditioned office. 

“What are you doing here?” she asks him finally, tone softer than before.

“It’s your first class; I wanted to be there,” he answers, coming up to her and placing his hands on her hips again, tracing the shape in the pencil skirt. “And you were amazing. So confident and sexy,” he murmurs, tilting his head and brushing his lips against her collarbone.

Kaya feels goosebumps appear on her skin. “That’s… really sweet. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well…” Namjoon straightens up. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get in,” he admits. “And I didn’t want you to be nervous. Wanted you to focus on nothing but the class.”

She nods, biting her lip and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she says softly, leaning up before stopping abruptly. “Wait, what fake name did you use? I need to know who I’m making out with in my office.”

He raises an eyebrow. “And cheating on your boyfriend with?”

“Exactly.”

Namjoon rolls his eyes but tugs her hips closer to his. “I said my name was Jackson. It was the first one that popped into my head.”

“Jackson?” Kaya frowns, something stirring in her memory. “Don’t you have a friend called Jackson? Didn’t we - hang on, didn’t we go to a party at his house or something?”

“No, that wasn’t Jackson. Jackson was the one who sent me flowers and soup when I got a cold, remember? I think it was May,” he says vaguely.

“Oh, yeah, I remember you told me about that. He was a better girlfriend than me,” she teases, leaning up again.

“You still edge him out just a bit,” he mutters, pulling her closer and kissing her. She sinks into him instantly, the day’s stress, anxiety and relief disappearing in his taste and his scent. She feels his hands roaming her body with ease, running down the curves of her top and skirt, the pads of his thumbs pressing into the flesh, and she can tell here a restrained intake of breath.

“Don’t you think it’s unfair?” Namjoon murmurs, trailing kisses across her jaw. He takes a step forward and backs her into the table.

It takes Kaya a moment to respond. “What is?”  she asks, eyes still closed. 

“Expecting your students to concentrate the whole time when you’re up there looking like this,” he answers calmly, softly sucking the skin under her earlobe.

She almost rolls her eyes at this line but the feel of his body pressing up against hers makes it difficult to do so. “If they want that grade, they’re going to have to,” she says instead, tugging at the bottom of his hoodie. “Take this off,” she whispers, running her hands up to his shoulders and slipping it off.

He pulls away slightly. “What else can they do for a grade?”

She grins. “What can they do…” Hooking her fingers through the belt loops on his jeans, she pulls herself closer. 

“... or what can you do?” 

Being a famous person, presumably, is fraught with the possibility of scrutiny and inappropriate invasion of privacy. Namjoon seems to be an unwilling expert at it, knowing the ins and outs of using disguises, fake names, timed outings and secret exits. 

Being with a famous person, at least for Kaya, is a black box. It sounds dangerous and mysterious, like the depths of Tartarus with the sounds of cameras clicking echoing from inside it. She doesn’t do well with not knowing, but this is one area where she’s restrained herself from Googling more than she should, for she knows the kind of stories she’s bound to stumble across. 

In a somewhat insane attempt to cope, she’d convinced herself that as long she doesn’t see them, there’s a chance her mind is exaggerating and they don’t exist at all, like Schroedinger’s paparazzi. She hates the phrase, doesn’t believe in it - but Ignorance is bliss seems to be the safest option in this case, letting Namjoon take the lead when it comes to navigating a relationship in secret.

A good thing that’s come out of it? The desire to take advantage of every situation that presents itself, even at the most inopportune moments.

The last time Kaya had been in Seoul, she’d made a calculated decision to ask Hoseok to sneak her into the Big Hit building so she could find Namjoon in his studio. 

“With respect, Hobi,” she’d said carefully on the phone, biting her lip, when he’d asked her curiously why she wanted to do this, “don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to?”

It had taken Hoseok a full minute to understand what she might be referring to, during which time she wished very much that Yoongi wasn’t out of town at this time. Still, Hoseok had been kind enough to help her out and she’d smoothly made her way inside and knocked on her boyfriend’s studio, hoping the lace wouldn’t start chafing before it could be taken off.

To her horror, Namjoon hadn’t been alone. His eyes had widened in shock and she’d been ready to turn around and run, but whoever it was with him had frowned and pointed at her, asking Namjoon something in Korean.

Namjoon had stuttered out a response, tacking on “an intern” at the end in English, she knew, for her benefit. There had been some conversation after that which Kaya could make no sense of, following which Namjoon had handed her a folder filled with papers and a pendrive, apparently waving her away.

Fortunately, his companion had also left then, leaving only Namjoon and the intern in the studio.

“I’m sorry,” he’d said instantly, seeming a little confused, “but, what are you…”

“Obviously, since I’m an intern here,” she’d begun wryly, “I am doing my job. I’m… interning.”

“M-hm.”

There had been a moment where they’d met each other’s eyes and it occurred to Kaya that her surprise visit could unearth more than just a quickie in his studio. 

“Anything else you need?” Namjoon had asked after a moment, taking a seat in his chair, elbows resting on his thighs and feet flat on the ground.

He was playing along. Kaya’s heart had raced in excitement and she’d tried to suppress her smile. “I’ve always admired your work,” she’d ventured, feeling just the tiniest bit ridiculous. But she’d tried to push the thought out of her mind and stay committed to the bit. “Could you teach me something?”

Namjoon hadn’t responded for a moment and she’d cringed, hoping it hadn’t gone from sexy surprise to average porno in three seconds straight. But then he’d cleared his throat and gestured for her to come closer. “Sure. I can teach you.”

Kaya had walked over and once she’d reached him, pretended to look around the studio. “Um… there’s no other place to sit,” she’d said, ignoring the four seater sofa and armchair. “From where I can see the monitor,” she’d added quickly.

He’d nodded thoughtfully and simply leaned back in the chair, gazing up at her calmly. Even sitting down, he was almost her height, torso long and broad, jeans stretching over his thighs and making his lap look most inviting.

“Have a seat.”

Her toes had curled inside her shoes and she’d nodded mutely, carefully resting on his knee while his hands lightly guided her hips. The slightest touch made her heart palpitate, as though sitting on his lap wasn’t one of the most natural parts of her days with him.

“Are you comfortable?” he’d asked.

Kaya had nodded. “Yeah. I mean,” she’d shrugged, going where her inspiration took her, “my boyfriend won’t like it, though.”

She’d felt him stir then, just a bit, underneath her. The next moment, he’d leaned forward so his chest was touching her back and his nose brushed her hair. 

“Jackpot,” he’d whispered.

Kaya had only gone over with the intention of surprising her boyfriend during a busy week, maybe making out for a while like they had in his home studio years ago, maybe sneaking out to go grab a coffee. Unearthing a rudimentary fantasy that neither of them knew existed had not been part of the plan, but they’d rolled with it to achieve vastly satisfying results.

Now, Kaya feels similar stirrings low and deep in her abdomen, the same impulse in response to how intensely Namjoon is gazing at her, almost amused, but mostly hopeful - and this time, on her turf.

“I’m sure I can offer you something in return,” he suggests after a moment.

She raises an eyebrow, trying to ignore the leap in her chest. “Are you bribing me for a grade?”

“I’m bribing you really well for a grade,” he corrects her, reaching for her hips and gently squeezing her arse. “Fuck, that’s tight,” he mutters, his eyes falling to her skirt.

Kaya gasps, feeling her core tingle suddenly. “So far, you’re only teasing me for a grade,” she retorts, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice. 

Namjoon grins, dimple popping and eyes darkening. Without another word, he lowers his head to kiss her again, slipping his tongue into her mouth instantly. He squeezes her arse again before bringing his hands up higher, his fingers tightening on every curve and quietly grunting in pleasure when he reaches her chest. 

“Have I mentioned how much I love this top?” he murmurs against her lips, squeezing her left breast and swallowing her sigh. “It makes your boobs look so sexy. I couldn’t look away the whole time,” he adds quietly, running his thumb over her nipple. Even through her bra, he can feel it hard and straining against the fabric.

“I can take it off,” she offers, struggling to keep her legs pressed together and her wits about her amidst his body up against hers. She fumbles in the chiffon ruffles for the string and tugs at it, loosening the top and feeling the tops of her breasts exposed to the cool air conditioner. She moves to take it off but he stops her.

“Keep it on,” he says, catching her wrist and bringing it down. “It’s too pretty to take off.” His lips move down her jaw to her neck, cupping her breast and thumbing her nipple again. 

Kaya finds herself torn between regretting and being glad that she isn’t wearing a padded bra today. She lets out a soft sigh as he thumbs it again, his hair brushing her neck as she drops her head back slightly. His lips move lower, sucking a mark above the hem of her bra and she waits eagerly for him to pull down her top, knowing he’ll take his time.

He never does, though, straightening up as his hands smoothly moving down her chest and to her hips.

“I hate you,” she groans softly, her heart fluttering at his chuckle next to her ear.

Namjoon reaches down and pulls her skirt up her thighs until he can slide his hand in between her legs. He places his palm against her cunt and squeezes it, feeling her soaked through her underwear. “No, you don’t,” he murmurs, swallowing her gasp.

He rubs her through her underwear, his palm at her clit and his fingers right at her entrance. Kaya’s hands fall backwards to land on the table, supporting her as her knees feel weaker by the second. Namjoon holds her to him, though, his other hand on her arse as he presses her into his palm.

“Take it off, take it off,” she whines, dropping her head on his shoulder and grabbing his forearm for support. She breathes a sigh of relief as he silently tugs her underwear down, feeling the fabric fall down her legs just before he resumes his position: his palm rough against her clit and his fingers slowly sliding inside her walls.

“How close are you?” he asks against her lips, his tongue teasing hers.

“So - so fucking -” She breaks off into a moan as he moves his hand in a circular motion, giving her exactly the friction she so desperately needs. “Yes, yes…”

Namjoon pulls her closer as she climaxes, kissing her exposed neck and holding her as she screws her eyes shut, breathing heavily as she comes down from her high. 

“Shit,” she whispers, eyes fluttering open after a few moments when she feels his hands slide off her. “That was - that was - wait, what are you doing?”

He simply raises an eyebrow as he unbuckles his belt and unbuttons his jeans, his erection straining through the material of his boxers. “What do you think?” he asks, wrapping an arm around her waist and hitching her up on the table. “I’m earning my grade.”

Kaya laughs breathlessly, her heart racing at his strength and the desire in his eyes. “You know this is my office, right?” she tells him as he gently spreads her legs and comes to stand in between them. “I work here.”

“And I work in my studio,” he replies, lowering his head to kiss her. “Didn’t mean I couldn’t take a break.”

It’s true, she agrees privately, kissing him back. The intern bit had gone on only for a few minutes before she’d felt Namjoon’s hand come up from behind her and slide in between her thighs, palming her until she’d silently unbuttoned her jeans in response. He’d fingered her there, too, muttering soothingly that her boyfriend would never find out - that, as his other hand reached up her top to squeeze her breast, her secret was safe with him.

His mouth is on her clit now, sucking softly at the swollen nub. The thought of him on her knees for her, here, in her office, only gets her wet again. His lips, soft and ample, glide through her folds as he holds her legs apart, hands gentle but firm on her thighs.

“God, I want you so bad,” he mutters, standing back up and wiping his mouth. Kaya tugs him closer by the t-shirt, kissing him while he lowers his boxers until she feels his tip on the inside of her thigh. She whimpers in anticipation into his mouth, their lips separating but brushing against each other as he eases himself inside her.

“Yes - oh, God…” 

Namjoon feels so big, so thick inside her that she doesn’t even register when he starts moving, his groan low and throaty. She leans back slightly, resting her elbows back on the table so he can get a better angle as he keeps going, his arm tight around her waist.

“Fuck, you feel amazing, baby,” he murmurs at her neck, his voice reverberating through her bones. His lips trail down her collarbone, to her breasts, partially uncovered and moving in rhythm with every whimper she makes. He grabs her other thigh, fucking her harder with each thrust.

“How am I doing?” he asks after a few moments, pulling her up to kiss her again.

“What?” she answers absently, her hands reaching for his neck as she kisses him back. One of her hands glides through his hair and he grunts at the feel of her nails against his scalp.

“How am I doing?” he repeats pulling away slightly and picking up the speed. “Grade-wise?”

“Oh.” She chuckles, pulling playfully at his hair. He suspects she can barely focus on what he’s saying until she meets his eyes, her lips an inch away from his. “B-minus,” she murmurs, her body still moving from the intensity of his thrusts but her gaze steady.

Namjoon’s chest leaps. “Have to fix that,” he mutters, pulling out abruptly. Ignoring her momentary gasp, he picks her up to put her back down on the floor, before holding her shoulders and turning her around until she’s facing the table. She falls forward on her hands in surprise, feeling him sweep her long hair over one shoulder.

He kisses the other shoulder softly, one arm coming protectively around her waist. “Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?” he whispers clearly next to her ear, kissing her cheek tenderly.

Kaya nods, feeling his arm tighten around her and knowing the moment has passed. She bends forward a bit more as he enters her, trying to suppress her groan so it doesn’t carry out of the room but it’s too difficult. He feels incredible; the new angle allows him to hit every nerve ending he couldn’t reach before and he begins moving again, sliding smoothly in and out of her, his low grunts in sync with his movements.

Back then, in his studio, Kaya had been the one to change the tone, turning around on his lap and straddling him on his chair. Ground-breaking music swept aside, she’d rode him in the Big Hit building until they’d both cum together for the first time that afternoon. The walls were soundproof and there had been no fear of being heard; the sounds Namjoon had elicited from her less than hour later when they’d fucked on his couch had been unbelievable, leaving her with legs too shaky to walk herself out after that.

Now, in a quieter work environment, the air is filled with sounds of pleasure; her whimpers increasing in frequency and the soft sounds of skin on skin escaping in between. Namjoon’s hands are tight on her hips, holding her steady as he pounds into her. 

Kaya has no opportunity to warn him when she cums again, finally letting herself moan out loud as he hits the spot and she feels the the heat travel from her core to the rest of her body. She shudders and falls forward on her hands, trying to catch her breath as Namjoon keeps going, faster now, his grip on her hips tightening.

“Fuck, baby, I’m gonna cum…” Namjoon’s thrusts are harder, his hips slamming against her until he pushes forward with a muffled groan against her shoulder, followed by two more slower thrusts, emptying himself inside her. As he pulls out slowly, Kaya feels his seed drip down her legs; cringing slightly, she reaches for the box of tissues at the corner of her desk and wipes herself down as Namjoon pulls up his jeans and zips them up.

“Come here,” he murmurs, turning her around gently and capturing her lips in a kiss before she has a chance to respond. It’s less desperate this time, more loving. Kaya, still trying to breathe normally, kisses him back but pulls away quickly.

“I need a moment,” she says tiredly, leaning back against the desk and panting. He chuckles and nods, wrapping his arms around her waist and lowering his head to her shoulder.

“How about now?” Namjoon murmurs against her skin, stroking her back and pressing soft, lingering kisses to her neck. “Did I do better? Oh, hang on.” He notices something on the floor and kneels down.

Kaya’s forehead clears when she remembers. “Oh. I guess you talked yourself into an A,” she ventures, looking down when he taps her leg. It’s her underwear on the floor; a blush creeping up her neck, she awkwardly steps into it, her hands on his shoulders for support. He pulls it up her legs and she adjusts her skirt over it, biting her lip as he stands up again.

“Okay, an A plus,” she allows, giggling as he pulls her back into his arms.

He winks. “I thought so. Although, I really feel like I have to clear this up,” he adds, running a hand through his hair and taking a deep breath. “I was… I was a really good student. A grea student, in fact. I studied really hard and never skipped a class, so I never actually needed to go the extra mile or do anything that -”

Kaya laughs, pushing him away playfully and stepping away from the desk. “I never doubted you, honey. Don’t worry,” she reassures him, rifling through a stack of test papers before stopping. “I still have a quick meeting with Adam about the next class… do you want to wait? Or I can meet you at home?”

Namjoon frowns slightly before shrugging. “I can wait.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah.” He nods, linking his fingers with hers. “I’ll take you out to dinner after, at that place by the river,” he adds, tugging slightly and kissing her cheek.

Kaya chuckles. “You love that place. Alright, I’ll be back in about half an hour, I think.” With a massive effort, she steps away from him and grabs her bag.

“Alright, love you. Oh, wait -” He reaches forward and adjusts the sleeve of her top, covering the corner of a hickey on her chest. “There.”

“Stop it, you already got the grade you wanted,” she teases, walking backwards.

Namjoon grins. “Don’t let him keep you too long,” he warns her as she leaves, “or I might have to come find you and ask for another grade.”

—

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to drop a review :)

[darkmaga-retard]

Justin Hart

Aug 29, 2024

Below I’ve listed the master cheat sheet of key stats, metrics, comparisons, country-specific financial issues, reports, anecdotes, and trends from financial advisors I trust to tell me what’s happening in the economy.

Whenever you hear somebody say: BUT THE STOCK MARKET IS JUST AWESOME! You can respond with any and all of these points.BLS just revised jobs for 2023 down SIGNIFICANTLY. nearl 818K jobs GONE. POOF. All revised DOWNWARD

SPECIAL PRICING HERE FOR ALL STATS.

This all traces back to COVID. When the pandemic hit, the government’s stimulus checks artificially inflated incomes by 20%, sparking a massive spending spree. Prices naturally rose across the board as industries responded to booming revenue. But then, the government stopped the stimulus checks, demand faltered, and inflation surged as supply chains struggled to catch up.

Now, we’re seeing the consequences. Retail warehouses are full of goods, demand for shipping has plummeted, and oil prices are dropping as shipping companies go under. Companies are laying off workers, and the idea of a “soft landing” is quickly fading away. This deflationary trend isn’t a relief—it’s a warning sign of a much larger economic issue.

Anecdotes first!