i genuinely don't care how good a piece of ai generated art or writing looks on the surface. i don't care if it emulates brush strokes and metaphor in a way indistinguishable from those created by a person.
it is not the product of thoughtful creation. it offers no insights into the creator's life or viewpoint. it has no connection to a moment in time or a place or an attitude. it has no perspective. it has no value.
it's empty, it's hollow, and it exists only to generate clicks (and by extension, ad revenue.)
it's just another revolting symptom of the disease that is late stage capitalism, and it fucking sucks.
whenever i've worked in retail it has always been emphasised that the Thing To Do when a customer comes in is to approach them and do a big smile and go "hi, how are you!! do you need help finding anything today?" (or something similar).
i thought it was universally agreed that nobody enjoys this, but my friend informs me that apparently this line not only works but noticeably improves sales. so, poll:
First impression Law vs. actual Law is so crazy cause when we first meet him, he's this asshole(affectionate) who makes whimsical little torso tornados and travels with a bunch of dudes in jumpsuits, and then you meet him for real and he's some... edgy twink with a friend group that consists of a furry and bunch of dorks, and an inability to play nice with people who're at the same skill level as him.
[A sad violin song plays over an image of a sad hamster]
Pac: This doesn't have anything to do with me – I wear a blue sweatshirt, you're crazy, this mouse doesn't even have a sweatshirt, this hamster! [Reading chat] Am I a depressed hamster?
[ Transcript continued ↓ ]*
–
Pac: Actually– that's fine! I embrace that idea – of course I'm going to be depressed, are you crazy? [He hits his desk, then starts counting off people on his fingers] Fit is gone, Richarlyson is gone, Ramon is gone, Bagi and Empanada who were always there when we were there are also gone, I haven't seen them! It's just me and Tubbo, and sometimes Philza shows up.
Pac: I lost Chume Labs, I lost the Favela, I lost Murder Mystery, I lost Ilha Chume Labs, it's crazy! Look at how much I've lost, and I've gained nothing! Of course I'm going to be depressed, are you crazy?! How am I supposed to be happy?!
Pac: [Reading chat] "You have us Pac," that's true, thank you. No, that's true, sorry.
* NOTE: Please note that this is an incomplete transcript, as I was primarily relying on Aypierre's translation mod at the time and if I am not confident of the translation, I do not include it. As always, please feel free to add on translations or message me corrections.
category 5 Devil's Minion San Fran '73 moment ('it'll feel like a bath. rest. like honey on your tongue.') vs category 5 Loumandiel Dubai '22 moment ('what's he taste like?' 'i didn't ask that.' 'you were thinking it.' 'stay out of my head.' 'honey and pineapple. he stuffs himself with both for days before he offers himself to me. would you like to sample?')
this is about the spolia opima that crassus was robbed of lmao. like, yeah okay octavian could've asked him not to claim it, but nevertheless. a kind of theft happened there.
Fact and Fiction: Crassus, Augustus, and the Spolia Opima, Catherine McPherson
Your bubble propoganda came in the form of putting him in a letter with cute decor, glitter, stickers, stamps, and cursive, and slipping him under my door.
I grieve the timeline where you never drew Carnival Bubble. I would be absolutely DEVASTATED if he never made it in the au... IM SO SORRY IVE COME TO LOVE HIM SO MUCH... CAINE WOULD N O T BE THE FUCKING SAME IN HIS WRITING WITH OUT HIM.
Wehehe 💖💖 I gave you an offer you couldn't refuse >:3
It always makes me happy seeing people in the comments going "BUBBLE IS SO CUTE!!" Everytime I see a drawing of Carnival Bubble I kick my feet and giggle and point and go "Ahaha! I did that!" It always brightens my day UwU
I have partly to thank my sibling who encouraged me to DIY my own Carnival Bubble after I was in shambles to see my favorite little guy missing from the line up
Anyway enough rambling I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU DO WITH THEM I KNOW YOU GOT SOMETHING PLANNED I KNOWWWW 🫵
BUBBLE LOVERS REJOICE!! WE'RE IN THE GOOD TIMELINE!! YIPPIE!!
shoutout to lan wangji and luo binghe for being endlessly tormented by their love interests' mixed signals, reaching their breaking point, and then proceeding to never be normal about their (always reciprocated) crushes (turned husbands) ever again.
"Why doesn't John talk about Arthur that much in the epilogue?"
He admitted to Mary-Beth that although he doesn't talk about Arthur, he still thinks about him a lot, even eight years later. John was grateful for Arthur's sacrifice and tried to honour that by killing Micah, but he was determined to put the past behind them so they could focus on the new life they had built for themselves. Here, he doesn't say that he wants to forget Arthur, he just doesn't want to dwell on what was a painful time in their lives.
After Cyn's done tryna kill him, she'll eventually relent and they can get to work... whatever that is.
I didn't do the outfit any justice, but the second i saw the Cowboy!Curt mega @ricky-mortis made i was literally like, "yes, that is IT."
no but actually. the parallels to other Twins in different nations of teyvat in relation to the traveler and their desire to reunite with their own sibling makes me a little bit bonkers. like.
diluc and kaeya as what the traveler has and fears, after we will be reunited [separation born from conflict that seemingly cannot be mended; they both care for each other but ultimately their opposing ideals mean they cannot be at each other's side in the same way that they used to, and no longer have the close bond they once did]
ei and makoto as what the abyss sibling experienced [a crushing loss not just of one's twin but the last remaining friend they had and the safety and security of their nation, coming out the other side traumatized, cold and jaded and making decisions that will ultimately hurt the people they claim to want to protect for the sake of an unattainable goal]
and lyney and lynette as what the traveler and the abyss twin used to have before they were separated [never apart for long, home is wherever we are together], what the traveler wants [their separation brief and quickly amended, continuing to be inseparable after they reunite], and also the choice they'll have to make [the twins being together in an organization the traveler inherently doesn't trust - does the traveler want to be by their sibling's side badly enough to throw their lot in with the abyss, and turn their back on everyone else they've met on their journey so far?]