I think in general people are too impressed by "paradoxes" and "unintuitive truths" and stuff from science and mathematics, e.g. Gödel's incompleteness theorems, the Banach-Tarski paradox, quantum mechanics...
This is part of my whole "people believe too much" thing. People commit themselves to too many strong general principles and too many implications between ideas. The average person should be more "passively skeptical". That is to say, they don't need to go out of their way to doubt or debunk things, they should just in general take a more "I dunno" stance towards the world; they should be more inclined by default to suspend judgement on things, including on the truth per se of ideas that they have decided to adopt as working best-guesses at the truth.
Coming at this the other way: in practice, life requires us to commit to all kinds of beliefs in order to figure out what to do in various circumstances. But I feel like a vastly underrated observation is that you don't have to really believe these commitments in any deep sense. You can be more casual, more willing to say "this seems like the most likely thing at the moment, so I'll go with it for now, but idk if it's really true". This is more of a posture towards ideas than a proposition in itself. Most people are willing to entertain the concept of doubt, but it's almost about... how fluidly you entertain it? Anyway, I think this posture of casual skepticism has many epistemic benefits.
The point I was making about "paradoxes" and so on, though, is like... ok, it was reasonable based on what was known about physics in the 19th century to adopt this view of the world as made up of little billiard balls with definite positions and momenta and all that, progressing according to clockwork rules. I think if I had been alive then, I too would have adopted that as my working best guess about how the world is. But I don't think I would've have been that committed to it. I mean it's purely an empirical thing, right—"huh, sure looks like the world is made up of little billiard balls progressing according to clockwork rules". And anyway, I don't really think any of the concrete claims of quantum mechanics are that unintuitive or philosophically troubling or whatever, unless you start out weirdly committed to this billiard ball idea. If you had a more casual stance towards it to begin with, I don't think QM would have been such a shock.
I mean, I guess I do think QM was (probably) justifiably surprising, but not for the reasons most people think that. Not because of its "deeper philosophical implications" or whatever, which again I think are not that big a deal. Just for the reason that the billiard ball idea worked really well for a long time and seemed to have a lot of success and (potential) explanatory power, so seeing it overturned, if you're a specialist familiar with the area, seems like very reasonable cause for a "whoa moment". But anyway, in light of this, I'm tempted to call it "surprising in a mundane way" rather than surprising in a deep way. And I guess my further feeling is that with a sufficiently causally skeptical outlook, there isn't very much that actually should be surprising in a deep way. Most surprising stuff should just be like "oh huh".
So anyway the fact that people keep getting deeply surprised at these scientific revelations suggests to me that maybe they have too many commitments.
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Been thinking about MoShang and the question of how they would handle SQH ascending, because depending on how the world works (which we don't really know based on canon tbh) the heavens might be a completely separate plane of existence you can't easily come back from if at all. Also what about BingQiu? Bingge or Bingmei, he would raze everything to the ground, kill everyone and salt the earth if he got separated from his Shizun.
I know the easy answer is MBJ's teleportation powers or SQH pulls some author nonsense, but hear me out:
Heavenly demons are called that because they were originally kicked out of heaven. Probably primordial deities of sorts. So technically it should be possible for them to ascend again.
So clearly the best way to make MBJ eligible for ascension is to turn him into a heavenly demon. Do they borrow the heavenly aspect from LBH who can ascend either as a heavenly demon or just a regular cultivator? Do they go through a bunch of wacky hijinks ft. TLJ? (“It’s a bit like mold, divinity. You only need to give a little and if the target cultivates the right way it will spread and he will become a proper heavenly demon over time. I’ll help him get started!”) Who knows, I haven't thought that far, this idea starts and ends with 'what if heavenly demon MBJ ascending with his husband?' actually.
Also if they decide that LBH should ascend through his heavenly demon ancestry, then he would need to actually better himself and sort out all his insane neuroses which sure would be An Event. Shen Yuan trying to very belatedly instill Good Morals (any kind of morals, really) in his husband would be a trashfire. MBJ can cultivate towards detachment or something, he has the temperament for it, but LBH can't and it would bug him so much that MBJ is beating him in something. All the while TLJ is giving Advice (Wrong Answers Only) from the sidelines because he put off trying to ascend until ZZL gets reincarnated, but that doesn't mean he can't be involved in the proceedings and have fun.
And once they are all gods there can be some extra shenanigans, because I always thought that it must be one hell of a time to sort the twelve peak lords/new gods out and this batch comes with two extra. Transmigrator and Airplane reveal? Sure, why not. Shen Jiu waiting for them there because he lived Shen Yuan's life (got all the therapy he needed, bettered himself and worked off his karma) and then the universe short circuited and he got pulled back here ages ago and he's kinda pissed that his martial siblings took this long? Hell yes (QiJiu are my blorbos, Do Not Separate).
Just a whole pile of "We ascended to heaven and it was only a medium-sized disaster, actually".
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I am genuinely so impressed by how you are juggling so many projects. What is your writing process like for that? I remember you sharing about how you romanticize the process but like how much time is given to each project? Is it based on where the dopamine leads you during the day? How do you maintain the discipline? How much of a project is mapped before you start drafting and editing? It is so hard to create and i just *genuinely* admire your work ethic so much.
Hi, oh thank you so much, that's really kind of you! So, juggling multiple projects is still new to me, I've only ever had 1 or 2 at once before but the last year has taught me a LOT about how to manage it, how to roll with the punches and the importance of balance.
TL;DR this became a ramble so I summarised:
3 hours a day
dopamine led but with consistent rewards in place
discipline countered with indulgent self care
embracing change and new inspiration
not comparing to others
making work space very pleasing and comfortable
trust you will do it because you've done it before
romanticise
stay open to the universe
you've never failed unless you give up completely - it's fine to miss a deadline, life is very short and it's better to be healthy, happy and inspired than burnt out and sick. take it slow, enjoy it, work when you can and reward yourself CONSTANTLY.
So, time wise, I will try to dedicate at least 3 hours a day to one single project and I'll try to keep it one project per week otherwise my head is all over the place. It's usually dopamine led as following joy is key to my energy levels, but I have also learnt the past year to discipline myself and adapt to a constant flow of creation.
I maintain the discipline by treating myself as wonderfully as I possibly can. I still and always will romanticise everything I do and make it fun; all frills, self indulgent and lovely. Having a space I love that's set up well is hugely important for me. My desk area is amazing now that I've worked on it for well over a year.
One of the best things for crafting discipline but not losing the joy is the THRILL of achievement. When I complete something, i feel amazing and that spurs me on. I cultivate multiple ideas as indulgently as I can and expose myself to a lot of new inspiration. If something doesn't work or feels not good? I give myself the freedom to change it up and the confidence to know that no matter what, it'll work out beautifully so long as I keep going because it always has. There were times during Touched I would CRY it was so hard to write and I was so distracted.
Knowing you can do something because you've already done it is an incredibly powerful little power up that I use often to give myself a boost.
But honestly, overall, I really do romanticise my life in general. I make beautiful things, I love what I write, I'm so grateful for everything and always open to new ideas and I never close myself off by comparing, doubting or clinging too hard to what felt good before. I give myself space to realise that I'm constantly changing and growing and that my writing reflects that which is SO exciting!! I think honestly, I'm my biggest fan. I hype myself, reward myself and treat writing like a blissful escape, which it is, even when it's 7 hours non-stop for a story I am very ready to be done with.
The most important thing about maintaining this level of output (for me) is giving myself space to mess up a little, to miss a deadline, to delay posting and not feel awful. 'You're Divine' is one of the greatest writing lessons I've ever learned, in that just because you can physically write 25k+ a week doesn't mean you SHOULD. Towards the end I had made myself very ill. I won't ever do that again. It's never a failure, unless you give up completely. Life is very short, it's difficult to feel inspired when you're hard on yourself. Treat yourself like the person you love most in this world. Be a little selfish, lean in where you're weird and praise it to the skies.
Thanks so much again!
Love, Az
💜💜💜
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What I think your Hazbin Hotel fav says about you
Pt. I ; Charlie, Vaggie, Alastor, Lucifer, Angel
A/N: these are entirely my opinions based on what each of the characters have meant for me. i’m a psych major and like doing lil analysis of things so it’s for funsis nothing else XD and i’m writing these with adult personalities in mind ! just fyi
it’s kinda long, fair warning, lots of text.
—• TAGS: none, completely sfw
ᯓ፥Charlie ꪆ
Starting off with the MC herself; I can see her being a fav bc you are the sunshine coded individual that likes to do things diplomatically first, handles situations with words first and foremost as well as enthusiasm and optimism. You’ll always see the bright side of things and like to see the good in people.
So probably relate a lot to her.
You have a tendency to put others way above yourself and your own needs, most of the time unconsciously so.
Maybe you’re the mom-friend of the group. You’re the most caring and giving out of your surrounding friends or family.
Which kinda makes me think you may have a mix of daddy and mommy issues.
However sometimes your kindness is taken for weakness and naivety when that couldn’t be further from the truth. You’re not unaware of the world around you, in fact you’re probably someone who understands a little too good, so you choose to give positivity to the sea of negativity.
You’re highly emotionally intelligent, mature and likely find yourself always taking the reign in things. You’re a doer, determined to see everything you put your mind to to completion, lots of initiative in many aspects.
A WORKAHOLIC. Completely unaware of that aspect tho. Or just unintentionally so. Bc you are so determine on projects you give 120% and don’t stop until it’s completed.
You probably find comfort in her character in some ways; either bc you see yourself in her or strive to find a person like her who will see your redeeming qualities when you can’t, and want to help you grow as a person.
You aren’t a strict planner or someone who sticks 100% with a plan but do like to have an outline at least. Even if you have to improv further down the line at least you have an idea of wtf you’re doing.
So you can also roll with being spontaneous, you can easily think of a loose path to follow and roll with it whenever.
You’re very enjoyable company !! Smile and laugh is contagious, it’s impossible to not feel good around you.
ᯓ፥Vaggie ꪆ
You struggle a lot with imposter’s syndrome so let me be the one to tell you; you deserve good things, you belong in good places and with the people you love and love you back.
You’re likely the person everyone turns to for a voice of reason.
Ms./Mr./Mx. Hyper-Independent™️
You’re very headstrong, you’re the decision maker in whatever circle you run.
You’re likely also the mediator. Are you the middle child in your family?
You’re a perfectionist to a fault, and fear failure. Sometimes you need a little reassurance.
However, you’re an exceptional lover. You’re loyal, attentive, your love language might be acts of service and/or words of affirmation.
You greatly value those around you and just want to help them be successful.
Sometimes you’re too strict with yourself, even with others but you mean well.
Despite anything though, you have a pretty firm grasp in your sense of self, you know who you are and what you want in life.
You stand up for yourself, you don’t let anyone push you around; you’re the scary dog privileges.
And even if you sometimes come across as hard around the edges, you’re quite soft on the inside. You still choose to act with kindness even if someone doesn’t deserve it. But you’re good at killing with kindness.
You give me Taurus energy. And despite the bullet-point above you have made grown men cry. You’re kind but you are capable to hurting with your words if you so choose.
ᯓ፥Alastor ꪆ
I’ll just get it out of the way: raging daddy issues
But the kind of daddy issues that come from resentment and anger at a fatherly figure or men that remind you of that fatherly figure.
You neither want fatherly comfort nor find someone that is a good fatherly figure. You don’t need it, you’ve been this long without it so what’s the point ?
Maybe you’re likely even the type of person who comforts others but don’t want/let others comfort you. You don’t need others, others need you.
You value your privacy, very reserved about your personal life. Keeping everything close to the vest do to the load of trust issues you carry.
Definitely into older partners (more specifically older men)
Unless don’t you do dating or physical relationships. In this case you maybe find yourself being the older friend of a group of friends.
You don’t have a parental bone in your body but you have this innate need to make sure others never feel the way you did; alone, helpless. This whether you admit it or not.
Much like our resident Radio Demon you have an appreciation for the entertainment and may take some sadistic pleasure in watching the people you don’t care for fail (especially those who have wrong you in the past).
But if not giving a fuck was an olympic sport you’d be a gold medalist. You are winning the 'idgaf war' every time, bc you don’t need to retaliate immediately when someone does do you wrong either, remaining unbothered knowing that person will do themselves in.
You like to play the long game in some situations, waiting for the right time to make a move.
You don’t have time for bullshit, time costs and yours comes at a high rate. You rather get to the point than run circles. And the biggest pet-peeve is getting lead on in any way just to ultimately waste your time and get nothing out it.
In most circumstances you don’t do anything without receiving a benefit from it unless it’s the people you truly care about. Everything has a price, a lot of things you do are for self fulfillment (Not in a negative way. You value yourself and know your worth)
You’re also a go-getter. Not waiting around for opportunities to just fall on your lap you go and make your own opportunities and open your own doors.
However one of your biggest flaws is overestimating yourself which ultimately leads you to feel like you failed at something when really you didn’t, you didn’t reach the intended goal even if the outcome was fine. Pride comes before the fall, for sure (And you’re trying to work on it. Kinda).
But you do have an issue with feeling like you’re absolutely invincible no matter what.
You have your own skeletons in the closet. Things you don’t like looking back on, decisions you regret to this day bc they shaped more of your life than you intended. But here you are persevering in one piece. If maybe a little jaded to the world around you, but in one piece. Good job.
ᯓ፥Lucifer ꪆ
You and Alastor fans are two sides of the same coin but with marked differences.
Daddy issues here too, but the ones who actually want a good fatherly figure. One you often find from a mentor or someone to give you affection and/or guidance.
You’re less likely to seek these out in romantic relationships as really what you want is to heal your inner child.
You heard More Than Anything, cried bc it’s beautiful song than cried harder wondering why couldn’t someone love you like that.
More than anything (ba-dum-tsss) you crave to be protected, you can do it yourself, you have been. But you’re tired. You want someone else to do it for a changed, see you for who you are and love you unconditionally.
I have the feeling you’re the oldest child of a broken home that had to be a 3rd parent at a young age to your even younger siblings and it hurt like a bitch having to leave them once you were able to get out of your parent’s house. But you couldn’t stay there a second longer.
It’s also likely in your upbringing you were seen as the black sheep of the family, whatever the reason may have been. That’s something that still hurts to this day even through the no-contact you’ve likely established.
You have a lot of love to give but often don’t know how to express it or measure it. In the sense that you love too hard or too little, but you care so much. You really do.
And this is why you probably have a lot of people coming to your for a shoulder to cry on, because what you will do is protect the ones you care about the way you wish someone did you in your worse times. This is where your over abundance of love comes the most handy.
BUT behind all of this there’s also a high spirit that can be the life of any party. You have a unique magnetism and easy going personality despite anything that makes people gravitate towards you.
ᯓ፥Angel ꪆ
You have likely been through some awful shit (I’m sorry you had to go through that, me too 🫂) and that has shaped you a lot as a person today.
Probably came out of those experiences a hyper sexual that has to constantly advocate for those of us who don’t cope the same ways others do.
Angel is like a breath of fresh air because for once you get to see a representative whose bad experiences aren’t romanticized or glamorized.
The level at which you relate to him when he yelled “It’s not an act! It’s who I need to be!” was spiritual and it left you a little broken bc you likely use your persona as a shield bc if you don’t laugh you’ll cry
You don’t like letting your past define you but the line between who you are and who’s the persona built for the public keeps thinning more and more.
The trust issues you carry are so deep sometimes you accidentally push people you care about and who care about you away.
Because you do care, so much but it’s hard to let people in not knowing who’s truly going to treat you well.
Sometimes the only was you let in are the ones who go above and beyond to climb the tall thick walls you’ve put around yourself.
But life has made you strong, resilient. You know how to defend yourself and you take no shit from anyone.
You either want Angel’s rambunctious confidence or you have it and know how to work it. (work it 💅)
Don’t forget you’re more than what you can offer people. There’s genuine value in you as the person you are, not for what you can offer.
a/n: thank you for reading. i’ll probably take a while to upload the next parts tbh !
—
© 2024 the-xolotl — all rights reserved. do NOT alter, translate, or repost my works on any platform without my consent, do not claim my content as yours.
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Hello GTC,
I was re-reading Lionheart yet again and realized Draco first met Theodore on the boat to Hogwarts. Does that mean Draco didn't have any friends growing up?
What's a kid with no friends even do in that manor all by himself, except for his mum and a house elf?
I can't help but think of sad things when I try to imagine how his childhood was. What do you make of it?
That's an interesting inference to draw — you could read it that way. On the other hand, Draco knows both Crabbe and Goyle from previous interactions, and there are a few references throughout the early books to interactions with Vince and Greg that happen before the start of the fic. Of course, you still can't really call them friends, based on their train interaction — the vibes are more "playdate vets whose moms made us hang out, deciding now if we want to be friends on our own terms at school" — but as his sole parent in the pureblood sphere, Narcissa would have been the pilot of Draco's social life until Hogwarts. Meeting Theo on the boats tells you Narcissa elected not to introduce Draco to the Notts (nor the Greengrasses nor the Parkinsons, as we see later).
Her judgment here is worth a mention — Crabbe and Goyle Senior were both Death Eaters, so it's clearly not a matter of principle. But Narcissa also speaks with extreme derision about the Crabbes and the Goyles, and when she speaks of the Notts and Greengrasses (and to a lesser extent, the Parkinsons, once she's met Pansy) she treats them with much more dignity and respect. (She welcomes Theo and Pansy with her on vacation!) In general, you get the idea that Narcissa isn't threatened by the Crabbes and Goyles, neither of whom are S28, and so is comfortable using them as playmates for Draco, because she knows she holds all the power in that relationship. That can't be said for the Notts or the Greengrasses.
That said, you're right that the aristocratic life is a pretty lonely one for kids compared to, say, Hermione's or Ron's. Draco's summers are mostly spent reading, flying, and practicing whatever magic he can without a wand, which gives you some idea of what he might've been doing before he had schoolfriends to write to and visit. Daphne references "parties in London" as the main way she got to socialize with others, which is not something Narcissa would've done, considering she basically puts them into seclusion from Society as soon as Lucius dies (a political move that isn't quite the same as going full Hermit; it's basically withdrawing from major social events during the season and refusing to expose Draco as a player in the pureblood world until he's of school-age).
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