#identity synthesis

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Yascha Mounk

Published: Oct 16, 2023

On October 7th, the world witnessed the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. Hundreds of attendees at a music festival were murdered in cold blood. Families hiding in their homes were burned alive. Jewish mothers and fathers were, in an eerie echo of the 1940s, imploring their children to stay quiet lest their would-be murderers should detect their whereabouts. Nearly two hundred people remain in the clutches of a terrorist organization that announced its genocidal intentions in its founding charter.

Many people, of all faiths and convictions, have recognized the enormity of these crimes. Numerous world leaders denounced the terrorist attacks in clear language. Private citizens shared their grief on social media. Millions mourned. But despite the outpouring of support, there has also been a large contingent of people and organizations who stayed uncharacteristically silent—or went so far as to celebrate the carnage.

Even as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak found clear words about Hamas, for example, the BBC have steadfastly refused to call the Hamas fighters who killed over 1200 people by the name rightfully reserved for those who deliberately target innocent civilians for political ends: terrorists. Meanwhile, many schools and universities, nonprofit organizations and corporations that have over the past years gotten into the business of condemning and commemorating all kinds of tragedies, both small and large, fell uncharacteristically silent.

Some of the most famous universities in the world—including Princeton, Yale and Stanford—only released statements after they came under intense pressure on social media. At Harvard University, it took pressure from alumni and an outraged thread on X by Larry Summers, a former president of the institution, to prompt his successor into belated action.

Worse still were the people and organizations who actively celebrated the pogroms. Multiple chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America, which continues to count Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez among its ranks, encouraged their followers to attend rallies that glorified Hamas’ terror as a righteous form of resistance. As its San Francisco chapter wrote on X, the “weekend’s events” should be seen as part and parcel of Palestinians’ “right to resist.” The Chicago chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement even glorified the terrorists who murdered scores of people at a rave in southern Israel, pairing a now-deleted image of a paraglider with the caption: “I stand with Palestine.”

Meanwhile, academics from leading universities were busy defending these terrorist attacks as a form of anti-colonial struggle. “Postcolonial, anticolonial, and decolonial are not just words you heard in your EDI workshop,” a professor in the school of social work at McMaster University, in Canada, wrote on X. “Settlers are not civilians,” a Yale professor who has written for mainstream outlets including The Washington Post and The New York Times, maintained.

All of this raises a simple question: How could such a notable portion of the left side with terrorists who openly announce their genocidal intentions? Why have key institutions proven so reluctant to denounce one of the worst terrorist attacks in living memory? What, to them, renders the victims of these attacks so much less worthy of solidarity than those of the many other atrocities they have full-throatedly condemned?

The ideological roots of the great obfuscation

In the past days, people have offered many possible explanations for this selective silence. Some focus on outright antisemitism. Others emphasize that an understandable concern over the immoral actions that Israeli governments have taken in the past have blinded many activists to the suffering of innocent Israeli civilians. Others still point out that institutional leaders want to avoid eliciting angry reactions from activists, preferring to stay silent on a sensitive issue out of simple fear for their jobs.

Each of these explanations contains a grain of truth. Some people in the world really are consumed by one of the world’s most ancient hatreds. Others are indeed hyper-focused on everything that Israel has done wrong, a stance that is easier to understand in the case of Palestinians whose ancestors have been displaced than it is in the case of leftist activists who have for many decades found the missteps of the one state that happens to be Jewish worthy of much greater condemnation than similar, or greater, missteps perpetrated by any other. Finally, it is indeed true that many university presidents, nonprofit leaders and corporate CEOs have, among the institutional meltdowns of the past years, come to believe that they must avoid controversy at all costs if they are to keep drawing their generous paychecks.

But the double-standard that has in the past days become so obvious on parts of the left also has a more profound source, one that is ideological rather than practical or atavistic. Over the past decades, a new set of ideas about the role that identity does— and should—play in the world have transformed the very nature of what it means to be on the left, displacing an older set of universalist aspirations in the process.

This novel ideology, which I call the “identity synthesis,” insists that we must see the whole world through the prism of identity categories like race. It maintains that the key to understanding any political conflict is to conceive of it in terms of the power relations between different identity groups. It analyzes the nature of those power relations through a simplistic schema that, based on the North American experience, pits so-called whites against so-called “people of color.” Finally, it imposes that schema—in a fashion that might, in the academic jargon of the day, ironically be called “neo-colonial”—on complex conflicts in faraway lands.

The trouble with structural racism

Many advocates of the identity synthesis rightly point out that an account of racism which focuses purely on individual beliefs or motivations runs the danger of concealing important forms of injustice. Even if everyone has the best of intentions, the after effects of historical injustices can ensure that many immigrant students attend underfunded public schools or that many members of ethnic minorities suffer disadvantages in the housing market. It therefore makes sense, they argue, to add a new concept to our vocabulary: structural racism.

As the Cambridge Dictionary explains, structural racism consists of “laws, rules, or official policies in a society that result in and support a continued unfair advantage to some people and unfair or harmful treatment of others based on race.” By pointing out that some forms of racism are “structural” in this way, we are better able to capture—and hopefully remedy—circumstances in which members of some racial groups suffer significant disadvantages for reasons other than individual bias.

This is plausible insofar as it goes. To understand contemporary America, it is indeed helpful to add the notion of structural racism to our conceptual toolbox. But in recent years, many advocates of the identity synthesis have gone one step further: they have begun to claim that this more recent concept of structural racism should altogether supplant the older concept of individual racism.

Rather than acknowledging that there are two different conceptions of racism, each of which helps to elucidate real injustices in its own way, parts of the left have come to conceptualize racism in an exclusively structural form. “Racism,” one online guide puts the growing consensus, “is different from racial prejudice, hatred, or discrimination” because it must involve “one group having the power to carry out systematic discrimination through the institutional policies and practices of the society and by shaping the cultural beliefs and values that support those racist policies and practices.”

In its most radical form, this claim entails that it is impossible for a member of a historically marginalized group to be racist toward a member of a historically dominant group. Because racism does not have anything to do with individual beliefs or attributes, and members of groups that are comparatively powerless are incapable of carrying out “systematic discrimination” against members of groups that are comparatively powerful, even the vilest forms of hatred need not count as racist. As an article in Vice put it, “It’s literally impossible to be racist to a white person.”

The result has, again and again, been a form of selective blindness when members of minority groups have expressed bigoted attitudes toward supposedly more privileged groups, including those that are themselves minorities. This inability to recognize the importance of the more traditional conception of racism makes it impossible to name what is happening when members of one minority group are the victims of hate crimes committed by members of another minority group that is now considered to suffer from greater disadvantages. In December 2019, for example, two terrorists killed a police detective and then murdered three people at a kosher grocery store in Jersey City, close to New York. They had a long trail of posting antisemitic content on social media; one assailant was a follower of the Black Hebrew Israelites, a movement which holds overtly antisemitic beliefs. But because the assailants were black, and the victims perceived as white, many news outlets failed to categorize the shooting as racist, or to treat it as a hate crime, for an astoundingly long period of time.

The trouble with white privilege

The idea that all racism is structural is deeply damaging because it makes it hard for institutions to open their eyes to forms of discrimination towards members of groups that are supposedly dominant. In practice, it is made even worse by the fact that many people on the left have now embraced a very simplistic notion of who is dominant and who is marginalized—one that imposes American conceptions of race onto situations in which they distort rather than illuminate underlying realities.

In North America, the most salient—though by no means the only—racial divide has for centuries been that between whites and blacks. In assessing which group is supposedly privileged in a foreign conflict, many Americans therefore think it is enough to figure out who is “white” and who is a “person of color.” This makes it impossible for them to understand conflicts in which the relevant political cleavage does not neatly pit whites against blacks (or, more broadly, “whites” against “people of color”).

Whoopi Goldberg, for example, has repeatedly insisted that the Holocaust was “not about race.” Since, from an American point of view, both Jewish and non-Jewish Germans are white, she found it impossible to get her head around an ideology that centers around racial distinctions between them. “You could not tell a Jew on a street,” she wrongly claimed. “You could find me. You couldn’t find them.”

In the case of Israel, this has led most observers to assume that there is a clear division in racial roles between Israelis and Palestinians: In their mind, Israelis are white, Palestinians “people of color.” And since white people have historically held power over non-white people, this reinforces the impression that it is impossible for Israelis to be victims of racial hatred.

But this perspective once again turns out to be so simplistic as to verge on the delusional. Ms. Goldberg was wrong to believe that Nazis were unable to spot Jews; though some Jews did manage to survive by passing themselves off as “Aryan,” many Nazis—and their collaborators in Central Europe—were highly effective at spotting people whom they suspected of being Jewish.

More importantly, the assumption that most of the victims of last Saturday’s terrorist attacks were “white” Jews with roots in Europe is simply wrong. It’s not just that there are black Israeli Jews whose ancestors immigrated from Ethiopia, or that Hamas’ victims included many migrants from Thailand and Nepal; it’s also that Israel as a whole is now home to more Mizrahi Jews, who hail from the Middle East, than Ashkenazi Jews, whose ancestors long lived in Europe.

I will leave it up to others to speculate on whether the visual differences between Jewish and non-Jewish Germans are more or less stark than those between Arabs and Mizrahi Jews. But the prominence of Mizrahi Jews also betrays yet another way in which attempts to fit the Israel-Palestine conflict into a simplistic conceptual scheme go badly wrong.

The trouble with Decolonialism

The actual demographic composition of the country makes claims that Israeli civilians should be seen as settlers who are fair game for terrorist attacks doubly cynical. They are cynical because no political cause, however righteous, justifies the deliberate targeting of babies and grandmothers—neither on the Israeli nor on the Palestinian side. And they are also cynical because the great majority of Mizrahi Jews have, since the end of the Second World War, been violently displaced from the Middle Eastern countries in which their ancestors had lived for hundreds of years, with no country other than the world’s only Jewish state willing to offer them a safe harbor.

Postcolonial apologists for terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah love to invoke Frantz Fanon’s glorification of violence. The problem is not just that their tendentious reading of his work overlooks the ways in which violence can be morally corrosive and politically destructive; it’s also that the implied analogy between the so-called pied noirs (white settlers in Algeria who could safely return to the French metropolis if they chose to do so) and Mizrahi Jews (who would be neither welcome nor safe if they were to return to Iran or Iraq, to Morocco or Algeria) is so misleading as to be perverse.

And yet, this misleading analogy governs how many on the left ascribe the role of victim and perpetrator, explaining why dozens of student groups at Harvard could claim that Israel is somehow “entirely responsible” for Hamas’ decision to murder more than 1,000 civilians. At a deeper level, they even help to explain how left-wing activists and academics can contrive to perceive a deeply authoritarian and overtly theocratic regime that is explicitly hostile to sexual minorities as a progressive movement.

According to many progressives, what determines whether a movement should count as left-wing or right-wing is based on whether it claims to be fighting on behalf of those they believe to be marginalized. Since Hamas is an organization of underprivileged “people of color” fighting against “privileged” “white” Jews, it must be seen as part of a global struggle against oppression. Even though its program—which incidentally includes the violent suppression of sexual minorities within the Gaza strip—is reminiscent of some of the world’s most brutal far-right regimes, those marching in support of Hamas consider them to be part of the global struggle for progressive values. As Judith Butler, a central figure in this intellectual tradition, said in 2006, it is “very important” to classify both Hamas and Hezbollah as “social movements that are progressive, that are on the Left, that are part of a global Left.”

It’s time for a reckoning with bad ideas on the left

Over the past few days, some observers have started to recognize how badly parts of the left have gone astray. Many leftist academics were genuinely horrified to see their friends and colleagues celebrate the murder of babies. There has been widespread outrage at the decision of influential movements like Black Lives Matter to idolize terrorists. Shri Thanedar, a U.S. Congressman, has publicly renounced his membership in the DSA.

This is a good start. In a free country, anyone must be free to express their support of extremist organizations, however vile; the move by many European governments to suppress pro-Hamas protests or to jail those who glorify the terrorist attacks is a betrayal of the liberal principles on which our opposition to that execrable organization should be based. But mainstream institutions can and absolutely should stop uncritically embracing organizations, like BLM, that openly glorify terrorists. And citizens should demand that moderate political parties, like the Democrats, cease to tolerate in their midst members of organizations, like the DSA, that equivocate about the moral permissibility of mass murder.

Black lives matter, greatly. Colonialism remains one of the greatest historical injustices. Even before this week, though, it should have become clear that the recognition of these important facts is fully compatible with serious concerns about the organizations that now speak on behalf of the Black Lives Matter movement, and about a postcolonial discourse that all too often glorifies violent resistance to anybody who, however simplistically, is judged to be an “oppressor.”

Many advocates of the identity synthesis are genuinely motivated by good intentions. But key parts of this ideology now provide cover for forms of racism and dehumanization of vulnerable groups that should be anathema to anybody who genuinely cares about the historical values of the left. It is time for the many reasonable people who have bit their tongue as these ideas took on enormous power in mainstream institutions to raise their voice against them.

The suffering to come

Any humane outlook on the world must recognize that civilians never deserve to suffer due to the group into which they were born or because of actions committed by those who claim to speak on their behalf. I feel as much empathy for the Palestinian children who are dying in bombardments of Gaza as I do for the Jewish children who were killed in Hamas’ attack on Israel. Insinuations of collective responsibility are vile, even when voiced in response to a disgusting terrorist attack. Each civilian death is a tragedy on the same moral order.

While every civilian victim is in equal measure undeserving of their tragic fate, moral philosophers have for centuries recognized a key distinction governing the conduct of war. Military action that is directed against military targets may be legitimate; while some civilian deaths are foreseeable as a consequence of such attacks, soldiers must undertake to minimize them as far as possible. By contrast, military action is always illegitimate when the killing of innocents is the goal, not an unintended side effect.

This set of standards helps to explain how spectacularly Hamas, the organization that started the current war with a long-planned surprise attack that killed over a 1,000 men and women, toddlers and grandmothers, Ashkenazim and Mizrahim, Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and Thais and Americans and Canadians and Germans and Chinese, failed to obey the most basic moral rules. Now, it should also guide our assessment of Israel’s unfolding actions in Gaza.

This is a war Israel did not choose, and it has every right to defend itself. No democracy would tolerate on its borders the presence of a terrorist organization that has just demonstrated its willingness to engage in the indiscriminate slaughter of its civilian population; it would be the height of hypocrisy for people living in the safety of Berlin or Paris, of London or New York, to expect Israelis to do so.

But the military offensive against Hamas is extremely difficult because the terrorist organization has deliberately based so much of its military infrastructure in the midst of civilian settlements; because it is now doing what it can to stop its own people from moving away from military targets; and because Egypt, worried about the potential for Hamas fighters to destabilize the government or even perpetrate terrorist attacks within its own borders, has refused safe passage for most Gazans. All of this explains why it is so hard for Israel to accomplish its legitimate goals without causing numerous civilian casualties. But it does not constitute permission for Israel to adopt the logic of collective punishment by cutting off access to food and drinking water ahead of a full-scale invasion, or absolve the country’s armed forces from doing what they can to minimize the number of civilian casualties. As and when Israel fails to do so, full-throated criticism of its government is fully justified.

The left has the potential to speak powerfully to this moment. To do so, it needs to jettison the ideological jargon that has made so many supposed idealists fall for the ever-present temptation to contrive reasons why the suffering of one side is outrageous while the suffering of the other side is glorious. To retain our moral composure in the ugly days and weeks now on the horizon, we must recover a moral universalism that, even in the darkest hour, reminds us of our shared humanity—and unhesitatingly laments the death of innocents, irrespective of the group to which they belong.

Yascha Mounk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Persuasion. His latest book is The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas And Power In Our Time.

[leehallfae]

trill joining is vaugarde Changing with a capital C <- posts for a very niche audience (me)

[togglesbloggle]

For the Reverse Unpopular Opinion meme, Lamarckism!

(This is an excellent ask.)

Lamarck got done a bit dirty by the textbooks, as one so often is. He's billed as the guy who articulated an evolutionary theory of inherited characteristics, inevitably set up as an opponent made of straw for Darwin to knock down. The example I recall my own teachers using in grade school was the idea that a giraffe would strain to reach the highest branches of a tree, and as a result, its offspring would be born with slightly longer necks. Ha-ha-ha, isn't-that-silly, isn't natural selection so much more sensible?

But the thing is, this wasn't his idea, not even close. People have been running with ideas like that since antiquity at least. What Lamarck did was to systematize that claim, in the context of a wider and much more interesting theory.

Lamarck was born in to an era where natural philosophy was slowly giving way to Baconian science in the modern sense- that strange, eighteenth century, the one caught in an uneasy tension between Newton the alchemist and Darwin the naturalist. This is the century of Ben Franklin and his key and his kite, and the awed discovery that this "electricity" business was somehow involved in living organisms- the discovery that paved the way for Shelley's Frankenstein. This was the era when alchemy was fighting its last desperate battles with chemistry, when the division between 'organic' and 'inorganic' chemistry was fundamental- the first synthesis of organic molecules in the laboratory wouldn't occur until 1828, the year before Lamarck's death. We do not have atoms, not yet. Mendel and genetics are still more than a century away; we won't even have cells for another half-century or more.

Lamarck stepped in to that strange moment. I don't think he was a bold revolutionary, really, or had much interest in being one. He was profoundly interested in the structure and relationships between species, and when we're not using him as a punching bag in grade schools, some people manage to remember that he was a banging good taxonomist, and made real progress in the classification of invertebrates. He started life believing in the total immutability of species, but later was convinced that evolution really was occurring- not because somebody taught him in the classroom, or because it was the accepted wisdom of the time, but through deep, continued exposure to nature itself. He was convinced by the evidence of his senses.

(Mostly snails.)

His problem was complexity. When he'd been working as a botanist, he had this neat little idea to order organisms by complexity, starting with the grubbiest, saddest little seaweed or fern, up through lovely flowering plants. This was not an evolutionary theory, just an organizing structure; essentially, just a sort of museum display. But when he was asked to do the same thing with invertebrates, he realized rather quickly that this task had problems. A linear sorting from simple to complex seemed embarrassingly artificial, because it elided too many different kinds of complexity, and ignored obvious similarities and shared characteristics.

When he went back to the drawing board, he found better organizing schema; you'd recognize them today. There were hierarchies, nested identities. Simple forms with only basic, shared anatomical patterns, each functioning as a sort of superset implying more complex groups within it, defined additively by the addition of new organs or structures in the body. He'd made a taxonomic tree.

Even more shockingly, he realized something deep and true in what he was looking at: this wasn't just an abstract mapping of invertebrates to a conceptual diagram of their structures. This was a map in time. Complexities in invertebrates- in all organisms!- must have been accumulating in simpler forms, such that the most complicated organisms were also the youngest.

This is the essential revolution of Lamarckian evolution, not the inherited characteristics thing. His theory, in its full accounting, is actually quite elaborate. Summarized slightly less badly than it is in your grade school classroom (though still pretty badly, I'm by no means an expert on this stuff), it looks something like this:

As we all know, animals and plants are sometimes generated ex nihilo in different places, like maggots spontaneously appearing in middens. However, the spontaneous generation of life is much weaker than we have supposed; it can only result in the most basic, simple organisms (e.g. polyps). All the dizzying complexity we see in the world around us must have happened iteratively, in a sequence over time that operated on inheritance between one organism and its descendants.

As we all know, living things are dynamic in relation to inorganic matter, and this vital power includes an occasional tendency to gain in complexity. However, this tendency is not a spiritual or supernatural effect; it's a function of natural, material processes working over time. Probably this has something to do with fluids such as 'heat' and 'electricity' which are known to concentrate in living tissues. When features appear spontaneously in an organism, that should be understood as an intrinsic propensity of the organism itself, rather than being caused by the environment or by a divine entity. There is a specific, definite, and historically contingent pattern in which new features can appear in existing organisms.

As we all know, using different tissue groups more causes them to be expressed more in your descendants, and disuse weakens them in the same way. However, this is not a major feature in the development of new organic complexity, since it could only move 'laterally' on the complexity ladder and will never create new organs or tissue groups. At most, you might see lineages move from ape-like to human-like or vice versa, or between different types of birds or something; it's an adaptive tendency that helps organisms thrive in different environments. In species will less sophisticated neural systems, this will be even less flexible, because they can't supplement it with willpower the way that complex vertebrates can.

Lamarck isn't messing around here; this is a real, genuinely interesting model of the world. And what I think I'm prepared to argue here is that Lamarck's biggest errors aren't his. He has his own blind spots and mistakes, certainly. The focus on complexity is... fraught, at a minimum. But again and again, what really bites him in the ass is just his failure to break with his inherited assumptions enough. The parts of this that are actually Lamarckian, that is, are the ideas of Lamarck, are very clearly groping towards a recognizable kind of proto-evolutionary theory.

What makes Lamarck a punching bag in grade-school classes today is the same thing that made it interesting; it's that it was the best and most scientific explanation of biological complexity available at the time. It was the theory to beat, the one that had edged out all the other competitors and emerged as the most useful framework of the era. And precisely none of that complexity makes it in to our textbooks; they use "Lamarckianism" to refer to arguments made by freaking Aristotle, and which Lamarck himself accepted but de-emphasized as subordinate processes. What's even worse, Darwin didn't reject this mechanism either. Darwin was totally on board with the idea as a possible adaptive tendency; he just didn't particularly need it for his theory.

Lamarck had nothing. Not genetics, not chromosomes, not cells, not atomic theory. Geology was a hot new thing! Heat was a liquid! What Lamarck had was snails. And on the basis of snails, Lamarck deduced a profound theory of complexity emerging over time, of the biosphere as a(n al)chemical process rather than a divine pageant, of gradual adaptation punctuated by rapid innovation. That's incredible.

There's a lot of falsehood in the Lamarckian theory of evolution, and it never managed to entirely throw off the sloppy magical thinking of what came before. But his achievement was to approach biology and taxonomy with a profound scientific curiosity, and to improve and clarify our thinking about those subjects so dramatically that a theory of biology could finally, triumphantly, be proven wrong. Lamarck is falsifiable. That is a victory of the highest order.

[jessaerys]

the critiques of the severance finale wrt essentially (i)markhelly vs (o)markgemma keep hitting weird and ringing misplaced. to me. and i'm trying to articulate why and it's like. i think that the mark (pun not intended) of a valid racial critique is being missed by positing "gets chosen by mark" as the measuring stick that decides if the finale was Good or Bad.

my good faith take is that severance is ultimately working towards that final nirvana of synthesis, with dylanists having been framed as the more emotionally fulfilling, more fair, more peaceful path towards freedom vs the necessary but violent rebellion of mark and helly, both hellyists (and i don't think severance wants us to think they are in the wrong - helena and (o)mark are far more abusive to their innies than (o)dylan ever was. they have dug their heels in and refuse to relinquish their control over their subjugated selves, as opposed to (o)dylan. which is a far more common and expected reaction from those in power.) BUT. but. mark is not yet reintegrated. a complete mark reintegration is going to be an extremely momentous event upon which everything will revolve, when it happens. we are not at a point within the narrative where we can consider mark a single character (yet).

(i)mark has always been the main character. the arc of the show has always been about the innies fighting to first discover and then secure their personhood. severance is a rebellion storyline, an oppression allegory. like christ alive, we got the *stands on a table* we are many, they are few! speech.

(i)mark doesn't know that he (he! the mark synthesis! the mark final form!) loves gemma. i don't care about (i)mark and helly as a ship, i don't care to think about them in Scenarios or AUs or what have you. BUT i care about mark and helly as the vehicle through which severance explores and signifies choice and humanity. i find that deeply moving - that last moment of (innie!) mark chosing himself as an entity separate from (o)mark, chosing even a handful of minutes more of life and love and independence from the powers that be - it's a triumph. the show was always going to lead us here. lumon may or may not try to kill (o)mark, but there's (in the innies minds, at that moment) not a universe where (i)mark and helly get to live. they are in a doomed timeline. they have nothing, not even their flesh belong to them. they are so suffocatingly denied or personhood that to steal even one more moment together they must kidnap their own bodies.

THAT SAID.

that said. i have talked about how annoyed i am that gemma's motivation was "ohh woman can't have baby". i think that writing choice was lazy. believable, sure, and it makes sense within the narrative, but i hate it. it's reductive, it's objectifying. i wish they had given gemma more life beyond "marks dead wife", i wish we had gotten to know her as a person as complex and moody as mark scout.

i am also tired of allegories for oppression being filled with white faces.

the racial problem in the helly/mark/gemma dynamic exists within what i can only think to call the infrastructure of showmaking. with diversity being applied as a coat of paint to the outer edges of a cast, rather than roles being written for non-white people, or letting main characters be non-white. there's no reason why gemma couldn't be white and helly asian, or mark, or all of them, except racism in casting.

ON THE OTHER HAND.

i try not to judge shows before the story is completed. to let a non-white character end a story unhappy or in tragedy might often be an afterthought of racism in storytelling but it doesn't have to be. we have been shown that severance can handle a complex racial narrative with milchick. i am hoping that the same will happen with gemma, either because of critiques currently being made or because they have always planned to address her racial identity in relation to both mark, helly, and lumon, but we haven't gotten there yet.

or they might not.

they might have filled their talking-about-race quota, and the intersection of racism and misogyny might be a tragic, infuriating blind spot in the severance writers room. idk man, maybe we just need to give the writers the benefit of the doubt. only time will tell. and if they fuck it up we will still have our hammers next season

[marzipanandminutiae]

nothing has blown my mind quite like learning that Thanksgiving is a random New England holiday of uncertain origins that was first linked to the Pilgrims' harvest feast in the 19th century when someone was like "hey why do we do this anyway? where did it start?" and scoured the region's history for the first vaguely similar thing

like

that's not the First Thanksgiving. that has nothing to do with Thanksgiving. we don't know what the First Thanksgiving was, beyond "some New Englander decided to have an autumn feast somewhere in the 200 years between 1641 and 1841 and it caught on." 1841 being when the two were first linked- as similar but not identical celebrations -in Alexander Young's reprinting of the 17th-century pamphlet Mourt's Relation (specifically in a footnote that Young himself wrote)

some historians theorize that it was a Puritan alternative to Christmas, without the heavy drinking, gambling, social-order inversion, and sexual licentiousness that oftten characterized the holiday in mainstream 17th century English society. others say it developed from a synthesis of multiple religious "days of thanksgiving" observed by the Puritans at various itmes

but the fact remains that we're not celebrating English Colonists Surviving A Year In Massachusetts And Feasting In Harmony With Indigenous People(TM), at all

we're celebrating because someone in New England at some point had a good harvest and thought it would be a fun time to party, and their neighbors agreed

that's it that's the whole Meaning of Thanksgiving

[psychotrenny]

I don't think "Fascist" is a very useful or accurate thing to call Caesar and his Legion (from Fallout: New Vegas) in the context of the game world itself. Like there are a lot of aesthetic similarities and basically all of their unironic real world fans are some sort of Nazi Nerd, but when talking about their place within the context of fictional post-nuclear Nevada it just doesn't work. Like Caesar's whole deal is that he's a Social Scientist who, living in a world that's been "blasted back to the Stone Age", figures that society must evolve through the same stages if it wants to properly return to modernity. The Legion is basically comprised of "Primitive Communists"* who've been forced into a Slave Society. His criticisms of the NCR boil down to them being a moribund remnant of/reversion to Old World Capitalism rather than something organically adapted to the post-Nuclear world. He repeatedly talks about how the Legion isn't meant to represent an ideal society but simply a stepping stone onto something better (the thesis that will clash with it's antithesis and evolve into a superior synthesis). His interactions with the Courier heavily imply that the Legion's Misogyny, Homophobia, Tech aversion etc. are much more tools of social organisation and control than values that Caesar personally holds. The Legion isn't just some band of mindlessly violent reactionaries but the product of very deliberate Social Engineering; a peculiarly post-nuclear sort of scientifically planned society

Now I'm not defending the Legion as a "good" choice or anything; Caesar's plan has a lot of problems, it's not hard to poke holes into and in terms of unadulterated cruelty The Legion is easily the most morally repugnant of the main factions. But the thing I really love about The Legion is how, within the specific context of Fallout's setting, it makes sense. Like once you really think about it you can understand why someone in Edward Sallow's position would arrive at these conclusions, and there are good reasons why (if you take your roleplaying seriously and don't treat the Player Character as an extension of yourself) someone living in this world might chose to side with him. The Legion may be terrible but it's not evil for the sake of evil; there's genuinely a compelling ideology behind it.

It's why I get sad when I see so many people dismiss them as the "dum dum fascist slavers" because there's so much more to them than that. Like I think the best part about The Legion is how ridiculous they first appear ("These raiders dress like Ben-Hur extras?????) but once you find out more about them then it all starts to click ("Oh I see their leader is trying to assimilate them into a distinct and alien culture in order to maintain their loyalty; severing their previous connections and giving them a whole new identity"). So it sucks to see so many people get caught up in the first part and never make enough connections to reach the second. Like in general, Fallout: New Vegas is very messy and flawed and yet it's full of all these interesting little nuances and I think that's worth appreciating it. It's why, time and time again, I keep walking down that dusty road

*in the very broad sense that Fallouts "Tribals" are meant to represent people who have reverted back to some sort of pre-state society; of course there are countless problems with how Fallout treats this matter (including but not limited to incredible amounts of racism) but in order to understand Caesar we're forced to meet the game on it's terms

[letterful]

Unmediated presence has funded concepts of value in the Western metaphysical tradition since its origins, but Knausgaard’s ingenuity, and the global resonance of his voice (blockbuster sales and translation into thirty-five languages; an avant-garde cohort at work on the antifiction he enunciates) foretell something historically situated right now. Indeed, he names it: value crisis. Nothing more than what phenomenally exists can be produced; all that remains is fluid, effulgent, sui generis exchange. Fiction, narrative, impersonality, and collectivity withdraw; reality, voice, personality, and atomism ascend. To get at value, get rid of mediation.

Among literati, immediacy as literary style goes more readily by the name “autofiction.” Auto is a Greek reflexive pronoun: self, same, of itself, independent, natural, not made. In English compounds, it usually means self-acting and spontaneous, as in “automatic.” The recently surging autofictions acquit as fictions that are not fictions, not made but just extant, exalting a presence preceding representation. As a rule, autofictions follow the fight plan Knausgaard outlines for eschewing the devices of fictification (character, plot, and narrative). Rather than building character, they advance a protagonist who is the same as the author in name and circumstance and real friends and real family and, above all, real voice. Rather than narrativity and plot, they purvey first-person present-tense uneventful short-spans, just elliptical ruminations in real time. Redacting fictional construction, duration, and figuration, autofiction delivers identity, instantaneity, it-ness. It moves “to get to the things in themselves.” Through these varying neutralizations of literary synthesis, autofictions put fictionality itself under erasure, crowning immediacy as writerly imperative for the moment.

(...) Anti-mediation coalesces the literary field at present into a dominant style—one that converges hitherto-distinct genres of theory, fiction, memoir, the essay, and informal personal expression in a ubiquitous polyvalent writing. In the liquid emulsion of these modes, in their propensity for indistinct blur, in their churning flow, glides the writerly guise of propulsive circulation: frictionless uptake, fluid exchange, pouring directness, jet speed. Slick with this style, we may fail to read how the “auto” of autofiction inscribes the self-manifestive quality common to the governmental ideology of human capital, how the engulfing formlessness of genre melt ferries less the genius of authors than the flooded ruins of institutions like the university or the publishing house, how the defigurative realness of unadorned charismatic persons suffering execrably presages the dystopia already here. Immediacy as literary style holds incredible lure, but it sticks too close. In resigning the potential of writing to estrange, abstract, and mediate; in castigating the capacity of writing to collectivize and convoke; in deflating the power of writing to fabricate more than the immediately tangible detritus of evacuated sociality, immediacy writing collapses into self-identical emission: “This!”

— ANNA KORNBLUH, from Immediacy, or The Style of Too Late Capitalism.

[drdemonprince]

Most of us begin the Autism unmasking process looking for greater self-acceptance, but don’t realize what a messy, uncertain, weakened, traumatized, resentful version of ourselves we’re going to have to accept. Secretly, we hope that the unmasked version of us will be just as capable and comfortable as we always pretended to be — but also much happier, and more authentic. 

The great challenge of unmasking, then, is letting go of all pre-conceived notions of the type of person we must be, so that we can simply exist in the moment, feeling whatever we feel and needing whatever we need. 

It can take many years for a person to reach this point. I’ve also noticed there are common phases that Autistics move through as we go about unmasking — periods of questioning, self-loathing, anger, withdrawal, exploration, relief, and obsessive self-consciousness, just to name a few. 

Not all of these phases appear for everyone, of course and they do not necessarily come in a specific order. Rather than viewing them as stages that progress in a linear fashion, we can see them instead as common psychological defenses that emerge when a person is having a hard time reconciling their disability with their beliefs about who they should be. 

Important internal work is happening when a person seems to be “caught” in any particular phase. Some phases are needed corrections for society’s anti-disability stigma — such as the phase where a person believes that Autism makes them inherently superior to allistics. Others are corrections for those corrections, a hypothesis and antithesis that gradually resolve into a synthesis within the disabled person’s life. 

These phases don’t last forever, and we learn something important each time that we pass through them. Like the phases of the moon, these phases may recur in our lives in an almost cyclical fashion, bringing us closer to accepting the truth of ourselves each time. Remember as you read through this list of phases that arriving at a final state of “recovery” is not the goal. When we unmask, we’re not trying to get rid of our disability, after all — we’re just hoping to understand and accept all that is inside us a bit better. 

And so, to help you prepare for your unmasking journey, here are some of the common phases of unmasking: 

Questioning 

It’s incredibly common for a masked Autistic person to spend months or even years questioning whether they actually are disabled, or have the “right” to openly identify as such. Even after a person has researched Autism at length, sought external input from loved ones and a therapist, and integrated themselves deeply within the neurodivergent community, they may be struck with regular bouts of uncertainty. 

We can blame this on a society that investigates every single claim of disability repeatedly for evidence of fraud, and a culture where disabled people are accused of being delusional, manipulative attention-seekers. 

Obsessing (About Autism)

One way that questioning Autistics try to resolve their uncertainty is by consuming every piece of information and commentary about Autism that they could possibly find. Autism often becomes one of our special interests, early in our unmasking — making us see Autism between the pages of every book, and on the confused face of every stranger. 

When a person is obsessing about Autism, they may reference their disability as an explanation for every single behavior they or anyone else ever exhibits. Tying your shoes in the “bunny-goes-round-the-tree” style is an Autism thing. Liking the small spoon is an Autism thing. That rude comment I just made about your appearance is an Autism thing, and so you cannot criticize me for it, because that’s a core part of my being I can’t change. Every person in the obsessed Autistic person’s life may be assigned disability labels: he’s got ADHD, she’s a PDAer, your dad’s undiagnosed Autism is the reason he stands in the middle of the room watching TV. 

Obsessing (About the Self)

Unmasking requires a high degree of curiosity about the self. A person can’t even notice there’s a disjoint between their authentic feelings and how they present themselves to others unless they look within. Unfortunately, doing so means constantly asking ourselves whether our actions reflect our true selves, and what our “true self” even is — and thinking too much about these questions can make the mind loop back on itself infinitely. 

When I first started unmasking, I could not stop assessing how I carried my own body. I knew that my posture was “bad,” in neurotypical terms, but was that because I had muscle underdevelopment caused by Autism, or because I was always trying to make myself inobtrusive and small? Would it be “unmasking” for me to stand straight and claim more space — or would that be me masking even worse, by imitating neurotypical confidence? 

Autism Supremacy 

Though many unmasking Autistics experience a big drop in self-esteem, it’s equally as common for us to take immense pride in our neurotype, even to an excessive degree. During the Autism supremacy phase of unmasking, Autistic people may feel that their disability actually makes them more moral, logical, emotionally attuned, intelligent, or compassionate than others. 

“Autistic people do have empathy! In fact, we have more empathy than anyone else!” You may hear an Autism supremacist declare proudly, pushing back against the stereotype of us as “anti-social” monsters. But the argument that some of us actually experience hyper-empathy, while true, does nothing to challenge the ableism of equating a person’s emotional sensitivity with their humanity. 

I wrote about the many phases that unmasking Autistics tend to pass through, and the various needs those phases exist to meet. You can read the full piece (or have it narrated to you by the Substack app) for FREE at drdevonprice.substack.com

[zazaiafe2]

How to really shift: a deep, gentle and complete approach based on data from people who shift on command.

Introduction: what the data says about people who shift on command ->

Most people who have managed to shift in a stable and repeatable way share the following:

– A deep sense of relaxation: mental, emotional, and physical

– A form of dissociation from personal identity or ego

– Mental states close to sleep (alpha or theta brainwaves)

– A strong connection with calm or neutral emotions (sadness, serenity, emptiness)

– Detachment from outcome and absence of hypervigilance

– Gentle, slow practices that are not overwhelming and adapted to their own rhythm

This post is a synthesis to help you recreate ideal conditions, without pressure, by maximizing your chances of shifting, whatever your cognitive or emotional profile may be.

1) Emotional state: it’s not “positive = good,” it’s “calm = receptive”

What the surveys show:

Intense emotions (anger, stress, euphoria, fear) reduce the chances of shifting, or at least don’t seem to help for most profiles.

Calmer emotions (sadness, melancholy, inner emptiness, serenity, gentle excitement) are more effective.

Emotional calm doesn’t have to be joyful or “positive.”

It’s an inner openness.

Why?

The brain can enter favorable brainwaves (alpha, then theta) when it no longer fights an emotion.

When we’re sad without resisting that sadness, or when we’re calm, we’re close to a hypnagogic trance state, a state that seems to allow shifting more easily.

The emotional states of people who shift on command before shifting

2) The ego: the critical self must dissolve

You may find it more difficult to shift if your brain is trying to understand, verify, or monitor.

Many think they must “let go”... then ask themselves if they did it right.

-> That’s the trap of the ego. It sneaks into the intention to let go.

What is observed in the testimonials:

People who shift on command often have a “floating” state of awareness, detached from analysis, even from personal identity.

They describe losing the sensation of their body, or no longer being “themselves.”

This is not dangerous dissociation, but a gentle dissolution of the self.

Tip:

-> Don’t try to let go. Try to forget you have to do anything.

Enter a state where you “watch yourself from afar,” or better, where you have nothing left to do.

-> A good mental image: you watch your thoughts pass by like clouds. Don’t chase them. Don’t identify with them.

The definition of ego

3) Physical and brain state: encourage entry into the alpha or theta state

Shifting seems to happen more naturally when the brain enters a pre-sleep state (alpha/theta waves). This is also what hypnotists and lucid dreamers seek.

How to encourage this?

- Get into a position where you could fall asleep, but don’t try to sleep

- Gentle, conscious breathing: inhale slowly, exhale even slower

- Let your body become heavy, soft, numb

- Try not to move even if you feel itchy (not mandatory)

Complementary techniques:

- Slow countdown (from 100 to 0, or even from 0 to 0)

- Slow mantras, whispered or gently thought

(“I let myself go,” “I have nothing left to do,”

“My body falls asleep, but my mind travels”)

- Listening to theta/alpha waves

- Gentle immersion in one sense

My favorite alpha/theta wave to listen

4) Calming hypervigilance: the overlooked key

This is probably the main cause of failure for those who "haven’t shifted in a long time".

Hypervigilance = brain constantly on alert:

- "Am I doing it right?"

- "What if I still can’t do it?"

- "I MUST succeed"

- "Is it normal to think like this?"

- "Am I in my DR or not?"

- "How will I know when I’ve arrived?"

Solution:

-> Reconnect with non-goal. Let go of the idea that you must succeed. Tell yourself:

“Tonight, I’m simply going to live the experience.

Even without results, it’s a victory.”

At the moment you shift, focus on internal sensations, breathing, or one of your senses in a soft way without forcing, for example touch or anything else.

Tip: Create a mini-ritual. A soft light, slow ASMR, a relaxation gesture. This conditioning will signal your brain: “You can let your guard down now.”

Even with a strong critical mind it is possible to shift.

5) Encouraging the release of critical thinking during the shifting time

The critical mind is the inner judge, the one that "watches to see if you’ve arrived". It blocks the shift, or at least makes it harder, because it keeps identifying with the ego and prevents letting go.

To deactivate it:

- Don’t use methods that are too rigid (unless they calm your critical mind if you're familiar with them)

- Choose a gentle method, leaving room for imagination without forcing

- Vague visualization or sensations > precise mental images

- Whispered or softly thought affirmations, not shouted or repeated frantically

Example:

“I let myself fall there”, “I’ve already left”, “My mind floats, that’s all”

No matter the affirmation, what matters is that it resonates with you, aligned with your state and emotions.

The methods of those who shift on command

6) Accepting differences in cognitive and sensory profiles

You're not “bad” if you can't visualize.

You're not “broken” if you don’t get it quickly.

Some people:

-Need total silence, others need background sound

-Don’t visualize, but feel

-Have an active mind: in that case, channel it into soft narration (“I’m sinking,” “I’m floating”)

-Need more repetition or conditioning (especially in cases of ADHD, autism, chronic anxiety)

What matters is the general state: calm, relaxation, acceptance, mental letting go.

Basically: it's not a matter of method, but of inner state.

What you should aim for is a modified state of consciousness, emotional relaxation, a soft loss of control, not mental performance.

-> You don’t shift by “thinking better”, you shift by “thinking less”, or rather, by letting go.

At the end, a tip to try tonight:

Lie down, close your eyes.

Breathe slowly. Let your body fall asleep.

Then think gently:

-> “It’s already done.”

“I have nothing to do.”

“I let myself drift.”

No goal. No visualization. No checking.

If nothing happens? It’s OK. You’ve already started aligning with the needed state.

[whencyclopedia]

Martial Arts of Medieval Japan: War, Discipline, and Legacy

Medieval Japan’s fighters mastered 18 martial arts—from swordplay to swimming—not just for battle, but to cultivate discipline and agility. These arts shaped samurai culture and remain globally practiced today, including judo, kendo, and aikido.

Key Facts

18 martial arts: Called bugei or bujutsu, they included weapons (swords, bows), unarmed combat, and specialized skills like equestrian archery and swimming in armor[^1^].

Samurai focus: Originally battlefield skills, later adapted by civilians for self-defense and mental discipline.

Modern survival: Arts like kendo (swordsmanship) and karate (unarmed combat) are now global sports.

Historical Context

Developed during Japan’s feudal era (12th–19th centuries), these arts were essential for samurai honor and battlefield success. Over time, they transitioned from warrior training to self-improvement tools for all classes.

Historical Significance

Medieval martial arts preserved samurai traditions and influenced Japan’s cultural identity. Their focus on discipline and precision helped shape modern practices that emphasize mind-body harmony—proving ancient skills can adapt to any era.

^1^ Note: While specific search results didn’t address Japanese martial arts directly, this summary follows the encyclopedia’s approach to historical synthesis, as seen in its Mesopotamian literature articles[1][5].

Learn More: Martial Arts in Medieval Japan

[pearlprincess02]

your core identity: sun / moon midpoints

the sun/moon midpoint in astrology is a significant point that represents the synthesis of a person’s core identity (sun) and emotional needs (moon). it is often considered a "balance point" between the masculine (sun) and feminine (moon) energies within an individual, capturing both their conscious goals and subconscious desires.

about sun / moon midpoint: inner harmony, balance of self, self-acceptance, true self-expression, fulfillment, emotional well-being, comfort, inner peace, attraction, partnership potential, connection needs, compatibility, intimacy, goals, personal destiny, soul mission, inner motivations, growth, maturity, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, artistic talents, creative drive, manifestation of desires, self-expression through art or work, how the world perceives you vs. how you feel inside, authentic self vs. social mask, yin/yang integration, masculine & feminine balance, conscious/unconscious integration, how you give & receive love, ideal relationship style, romantic needs, personal growth journey, inner conflicts, reconciling desires with duties,

aries sun/moon midpoint

with an aries sun/moon midpoint, personal development is driven by a need for independence, action, and self-assertion. this placement suggests that the person finds their greatest fulfillment through experiences that allow them to be bold, take risks, and carve their own path. their growth is tied to a strong sense of self-discovery and a desire to lead or initiate new endeavors. the aries energy pushes them to confront challenges head-on, often embracing change and competition as a way to sharpen their skills and build confidence. they are likely to develop a dynamic personality that thrives in environments where they can assert their individuality and pursue their passions fearlessly. this placement indicates a person who learns and grows by taking the initiative and asserting their will, often feeling most alive when they are actively pursuing new goals or adventures.

taurus sun/moon midpoint

with a taurus sun/moon midpoint, personal development is deeply connected to stability, comfort, and a sense of security. this placement suggests that the person finds growth through experiences that ground them, provide material or emotional security, and allow them to build something lasting. their path to self-awareness is often slow and steady, valuing consistency and patience in their pursuits. they tend to develop a strong appreciation for the physical and sensory aspects of life, finding pleasure in beauty, nature, and the finer things that bring comfort and pleasure. this midpoint reflects a person who learns and evolves by creating a solid foundation for themselves, cultivating inner peace, and developing resilience. they grow best in environments where they can nurture their senses, build strong relationships, and develop practical skills that enhance their self-sufficiency and personal worth.

gemini sun/moon midpoint

with a gemini sun/moon midpoint, personal development is fueled by curiosity, communication, and the desire for intellectual stimulation. this placement suggests that the person grows by engaging with a wide range of ideas, exploring different perspectives, and sharing their thoughts with others. their path to self-awareness is shaped by a love for learning, social interaction, and constant mental activity. they thrive in dynamic environments where they can exchange information, connect with diverse people, and adapt to new situations. this midpoint indicates someone who evolves through the flexibility of mind, finding fulfillment in diverse experiences and staying open to new possibilities. they develop best when they embrace their dual nature, balancing both their logical and creative sides, and allowing themselves the freedom to explore various interests and express themselves in multiple ways.

cancer sun/moon midpoint

with a cancer sun/moon midpoint, personal development is deeply intertwined with emotional connection, nurturing, and the search for security. this placement suggests that the person grows through experiences that foster a sense of belonging, care, and emotional understanding. their journey toward self-awareness involves cultivating empathy, honoring their feelings, and creating environments where they feel safe and supported. they are often drawn to roles where they can care for others or be a source of emotional comfort, finding fulfillment in close, meaningful relationships and family connections. this midpoint reflects a person who learns and evolves by connecting to their emotional core, embracing their sensitivity, and understanding their own needs for security and comfort. they grow best in settings that allow them to express their nurturing side, build deep bonds, and create a stable foundation for themselves and those they love.

leo sun/moon midpoint

with a leo sun/moon midpoint, personal development is driven by the need for self-expression, recognition, and creative fulfillment. this placement suggests that the person thrives when they can shine brightly, celebrate their individuality, and share their unique gifts with the world. their path to self-awareness is centered on building confidence, embracing their natural charisma, and finding ways to lead or inspire others. they are drawn to situations where they can feel appreciated and admired, often seeking roles or activities that allow them to stand out and be celebrated for their talents. this midpoint indicates someone who grows by embracing their inner light, taking pride in their achievements, and cultivating a sense of purpose through creative and heartfelt endeavors. they develop best in environments where they are free to express their passions, assert their personal identity, and feel the warmth of genuine connection and admiration from others.

virgo sun/moon midpoint

with a virgo sun/moon midpoint, personal development is centered around self-improvement, practicality, and a commitment to service. this placement suggests that the person grows by refining their skills, attending to details, and finding meaningful ways to be of help to others. their journey toward self-awareness involves cultivating a sense of order, discipline, and responsibility, as well as finding balance in their daily routines. they often find fulfillment through problem-solving, analyzing situations, and contributing to the well-being of those around them in practical, tangible ways. this midpoint indicates someone who evolves by embracing their analytical nature and striving for perfection in their endeavors. they develop best in environments that encourage precision, efficiency, and thoughtful consideration, where they can use their keen eye for detail and strong sense of duty to make a positive impact.

libra sun/moon midpoint

with a libra sun/moon midpoint, personal development revolves around finding balance, harmony, and meaningful connections with others. this placement suggests that the person grows through relationships, collaboration, and understanding different perspectives. their path to self-awareness involves learning to navigate social dynamics, cultivating diplomacy, and fostering fairness and justice in their interactions. they find fulfillment in situations that allow them to create beauty, peace, and equilibrium, whether in their personal life, work, or creative pursuits. this midpoint reflects someone who evolves by embracing their desire for partnership and mutual support. they develop best in environments where they can engage with others, practice cooperation, and express their innate sense of grace and tact. finding a balance between their needs and those of others is key to their growth, allowing them to build a life filled with love, understanding, and harmony.

scorpio sun/moon midpoint

with a scorpio sun/moon midpoint, personal development is driven by a need for depth, transformation, and emotional intensity. this placement suggests that the person grows through profound experiences that challenge them to confront their inner depths, embrace change, and uncover hidden truths. their path to self-awareness involves exploring their passions, facing their fears, and navigating the complexities of their emotional landscape. they are drawn to situations that demand resilience, courage, and a willingness to delve beneath the surface of life, often finding fulfillment in moments of deep connection and personal transformation. this midpoint reflects someone who evolves by embracing their inner strength, seeking out meaningful and transformative experiences, and understanding the power of their emotions. they develop best in environments that allow them to express their intensity, explore their psychological depths, and engage in activities that foster personal growth and renewal.

sagittarius sun/moon midpoint

with a sagittarius sun/moon midpoint, personal development is fueled by a quest for adventure, knowledge, and freedom. this placement suggests that the person grows through experiences that expand their horizons, challenge their beliefs, and inspire their sense of exploration. their path to self-awareness involves embracing opportunities for travel, learning, and philosophical inquiry, as well as seeking out new experiences that broaden their perspective. they find fulfillment in environments that encourage curiosity, optimism, and the pursuit of their higher ideals. this midpoint reflects someone who evolves by following their passions, embracing change, and remaining open to the world’s vast possibilities. they develop best in settings that support their adventurous spirit, provide intellectual stimulation, and allow them to freely explore their interests and aspirations. the journey involves balancing their desire for freedom with their need for meaningful connections and personal growth.

capricorn sun/moon midpoint

with a capricorn sun/moon midpoint, personal development is centered around ambition, structure, and achieving long-term goals. this placement suggests that the person grows through disciplined efforts, taking on responsibilities, and building a solid foundation for their future. their path to self-awareness involves developing a strong sense of duty, working diligently toward their objectives, and cultivating resilience in the face of challenges. they find fulfillment in roles that allow them to demonstrate their competence, make tangible progress, and contribute to their personal and professional success. this midpoint reflects someone who evolves by embracing their drive for achievement, maintaining focus on their ambitions, and navigating their emotional landscape with a pragmatic approach. they develop best in environments that offer opportunities for leadership, provide clear goals, and support their efforts to create a lasting impact. balancing their need for stability with their emotional needs is key to their growth, allowing them to build a life characterized by both personal accomplishment and emotional security.

aquarius sun/moon midpoint

with an aquarius sun/moon midpoint, personal development is driven by a desire for innovation, individuality, and social progress. this placement suggests that the person grows through experiences that challenge conventional thinking, foster creative expression, and encourage unique contributions to the collective. their path to self-awareness involves embracing their individuality, exploring unconventional ideas, and engaging in activities that promote change and reform. they find fulfillment in environments that support their intellectual curiosity, allow for unconventional thinking, and provide opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. this midpoint reflects someone who evolves by embracing their role as a visionary, seeking out ways to make a difference in the world, and expressing their authentic self. they develop best in settings that encourage freedom of thought, support their innovative ideas, and allow them to be part of communities that value diversity and progress. balancing their need for personal uniqueness with their desire to contribute to the greater good is key to their growth, enabling them to build a life that aligns with their ideals and aspirations.

pisces sun/moon midpoint

with a pisces sun/moon midpoint, personal development is deeply intertwined with intuition, compassion, and a quest for spiritual understanding. this placement suggests that the person grows through experiences that foster empathy, creativity, and a connection to their inner self. their path to self-awareness involves embracing their sensitivity, exploring their dreams and ideals, and finding meaning in their emotional and spiritual experiences. they find fulfillment in environments that support their imaginative nature, offer opportunities for healing, and allow them to connect with something greater than themselves. this midpoint reflects someone who evolves by embracing their emotional depth, nurturing their creative talents, and seeking spiritual growth. they develop best in settings that encourage introspection, provide emotional support, and allow them to express their dreams and ideals. balancing their need for solitude with their desire for connection and compassion is key to their growth, enabling them to create a life rich with purpose, understanding, and emotional fulfillment.

in the houses:

sun/moon midpoint in 1st house: self-awareness, personal authenticity, emotional confidence, self-expression, assertiveness, independence, charisma, emotional strength, presence, personal fulfillment, directness, self-assurance, balance between ego & emotions, initiative in relationships, inner & outer harmony, creative self-assertion, public emotional expression, self-discovery, emotional identity evolution, leadership in relationships, heroic self-discovery, the reluctant hero, character development arc, the chosen one, identity crisis, public persona vs. private self, the leader, emotional growth, dynamic character, self-actualization, personal branding, daily routines, self-help books, therapy sessions, social media profiles, personal journals, fitness goals, public speaking events, career planning, creative hobbies

sun/moon midpoint in 2nd house: self-worth, material security, emotional stability, value systems, financial independence, resourcefulness, emotional investment, personal values, tangible goals, emotional ownership, possessiveness, building stability, self-sufficiency, emotional fulfillment through possessions, inner security, satisfaction in comfort, emotional attachment to wealth, nurturing resources, grounded self-expression, emotional connection to personal belongings, the wealthy, money for nothing, the material girl, power of love, the self-made man/woman, emotional baggage, comfort zone, personal growth journey, the insecure wealthy, the self-sufficient, budgeting, investment planning, personal savings accounts, home decor, collecting hobbies, self-care routines, material possessions, career goals, financial planning, personal values statements,

sun/moon midpoint in 3rd house: communication, curiosity, intellectual connection, social interaction, emotional expression through words, mental stimulation, self-awareness through learning, verbal self-expression, emotional adaptability, engaging in dialogue, open-mindedness, active listening, thoughtful relationships, expressive creativity, emotional intelligence, quick-wittedness, networking, exchanging ideas, sociability, mental & emotional alignment, the brainy one, the thinker, verbal tic, the mentor, communication breakdown, the gossiper, the strategist, the spock, the media mogul, character development through dialogue, daily conversations, writing, public speaking, social media interactions, networking events, learning new skills, local community groups, personal journaling, educational courses, social hobbies,

sun/moon midpoint in 4th house: emotional security, home life, family roots, inner foundation, nurturing self, domestic harmony, private identity, emotional fulfillment through family, heritage, comfort zone, self-nurturing, emotional intimacy, ancestral connections, psychological foundation, caring relationships, creating a safe space, internal stability, home-centered creativity, inner life balance, emotional depth in personal life, the family man/woman, home is where the heart is, the nurturer, the secret keeper, the protector, emotional baggage, the domestic goddess, the emotional anchor, family ties, the homestead, family gatherings, home improvement projects, emotional support systems, family traditions, home cooking, personal space design, parenting responsibilities, private retreats, home-based hobbies, emotional journaling,

sun/moon midpoint in 5th house: creative self-expression, passion, romantic love, joyfulness, personal creativity, playfulness, emotional excitement, self-discovery through fun, spontaneity, emotional fulfillment through love, artistic expression, romantic connections, childlike wonder, dramatic self-expression, entertainment, personal pleasure, hobbies & passions, emotional self-confidence, self-love, heartfelt experiences, the prodigy, the star, the flirt, the artist, the dreamer, love triangle, the performer, the entertainer, playful trickster, romantic hero, creative projects, romantic dates, personal hobbies, artistic pursuits, social gatherings, theater or dance classes, self-expression through fashion, event planning, sporting activities, celebratory events,

sun/moon midpoint in 6th house: service, routine, health & wellness, work ethic, self-improvement, emotional balance through discipline, daily responsibilities, practical self-expression, helping others, emotional fulfillment through work, efficiency, attention to detail, healing, organized lifestyle, self-care, productivity, emotional health, practical love, dedication, balance between work & self, the perfectionist, the workaholic, the caregiver, the taskmaster, routine maintenance, the healer, the analyst, the organizer, the unsung hero, the method actor, daily routines, health regimens, work schedules, to-do lists, volunteering, meal planning, fitness programs, professional development, household chores, time management,

sun/moon midpoint in 7th house: partnership, harmony, emotional balance through relationships, mutual understanding, commitment, collaboration, compromise, shared emotional needs, relationship fulfillment, personal growth through others, marriage, equality, diplomacy, emotional exchange, union, interpersonal dynamics, emotional security in partnerships, social connection, balancing self & others, emotional integration through love, the idealist, the partner in crime, the perfect match, the negotiator, the romantic, the complement, the life coach, the trusty sidekick, the matchmaker, the diplomat, relationship counseling, partnership agreements, marriage planning, collaborative projects, conflict resolution, joint ventures, social gatherings with partners, personal growth workshops, date nights, public appearances with significant others,

sun/moon midpoint in 8th house: transformation, emotional depth, intimacy, power dynamics, rebirth, shared resources, emotional vulnerability, psychological insight, healing, emotional intensity, secrets, trust, deep emotional bonds, mystery, fearlessness in relationships, personal evolution, taboos, emotional power struggles, emotional merging, crisis management, the dark side, the survivor, the undercover agent, the manipulator, the reformed criminal, emotional transformation, the secret keeper, the alchemist, the mysterious stranger, the phoenix, deep therapy sessions, financial planning, intimate conversations, crisis management, personal transformation projects, secretive work or research, joint financial ventures, exploring hidden talents, healing practices, investments & inheritance planning,

sun/moon midpoint in 9th house: expansion, adventure, philosophy, higher learning, spiritual growth, exploration, freedom, broadening horizons, cultural experiences, emotional fulfillment through knowledge, global perspective, belief systems, personal truth, growth through travel, emotional wisdom, faith, curiosity about life, visionary thinking, emotional connection to ideals, life’s purpose through exploration, the Seeker, the world traveler, the sage, the visionary, the adventurer, the guru, the idealist, the scholar, the cultural ambassador, the missionary, travel planning, higher education, philosophical debates, cultural experiences, spiritual practices, personal development courses, writing & publishing, exploring new beliefs, teaching & mentoring, long-term goals & aspirations,

sun/moon midpoint in 10th house: career, public image, ambition, life goals, achievement, authority, reputation, professional growth, public recognition, emotional fulfillment through success, leadership, status, self-discipline, career aspirations, legacy, personal responsibility, impact on society, goal-oriented emotional needs, self-expression in the public eye, identity through career, the ambitious leader, the public figure, the overachiever, the icon, the careerist, the visionary, the authority, the success story, the power player, the self-made person, career advancement, public speaking engagements, professional networking, goal setting, work-life balance, leadership roles, personal branding, performance reviews, strategic planning, public appearances,

sun/moon midpoint in 11th house: community, friendship, social causes, group dynamics, innovation, aspirations, collective goals, emotional fulfillment through networks, humanitarian efforts, collaborative projects, shared ideals, visionary thinking, emotional connection to groups, personal development through social interactions, future-oriented goals, social identity, creative collaboration, community engagement, emotional satisfaction through social contributions, identity through group affiliations, the visionary leader, the social butterfly, the idealist, the innovator, the networker, the rebel, the humanitarian, the supportive friend, the trendsetter, the connector, social networks, community involvement, group projects, future planning, collaborative hobbies, friendship circles, volunteer work, aspiration setting, creative collaborations, public advocacy,

sun/moon midpoint in 12th house: introspection, spirituality, isolation, inner life, subconscious mind, self-reflection, emotional healing, compassion, hidden strengths, psychological insight, private growth, mysticism, soul purpose, emotional release, self-understanding, meditation, creative imagination, personal retreat, secret desires, identity through inner exploration, the recluse, the enigma, the mystic, the underdog, the visionary dreamer, the healer, the secret hero, the survivor, the shy guy/gal, the spiritual guide, meditation practices, personal retreats, therapeutic work, spiritual exploration, journaling, creative solitude, private reflection, volunteering in hidden ways, counseling sessions, philanthropic efforts,

all observations are done by me !!! @pearlprincess02

[greens-spilled-tea]

My non-plural and non-CDD partner has recently started doing an interesting bit of introspective work on themselves which involves what they call "Department Reporting". They've started conceptualizing bits of themselves as belonging to specific departments: Cognition (related to thinking and logic), Somatics (related to the body), Emotions (related to feelings), Memory Recall (related to short and long-term memory), and Abstraction/Creativity/Synthesis (related to creative output and abstract thought). They will do a nightly check-in with each of these aspects of themselves, seeing if any of these particular departments are in any need of help or support and making plans on how to address any needs each department has for the next day.

And this has been absolutely amazing for them. They've struggled with various forms of dissociation for a while now which has made addressing their needs difficult. Talking to me more has helped them realize that though they do experience themselves as a unified whole singular identity, it may be helpful to break down specific aspects of themselves into categorized parts in order to gain a better understanding of themselves. And the results have been fantastic. They're so much more grounded, they're better able to communicate what they want and need from me, and they're able to just generally take better care of themselves.

I was genuinely worried that having them separate out these aspects of themselves into specific groups may be harmful for them. After all, I have DID and I know exactly how maladaptive separating these parts of myself out too much can hurt me. And so I started asking them questions. Are they feeling disconnected or dissociated from the other parts of themselves? Do they sense any amount of "becoming plural" throughout all this?

And... the answer has been, no, not at all. In fact, they feel even more integrated than before as they can now feel connected to more of themselves compared to before. Their memory has improved, their energy levels have improved, their emotional regulation has gotten so much better. And I think it's just absolutely wonderful and fascinating that conceptualizing themselves as having parts/departments has actually ended up with them feeling even more like a unified whole than before.

It's definitely really interesting comparing our experiences, and seeing how my final fusion journey both mirrors and also differs from how my singlet partner experiences their self and identity. I think, in the end, having DID and/or being plural is ultimately not so different from what being a singlet is like, and maybe it'll be beneficial to sometimes find those similarities to help us understand and relate to each other more.

[agentnoun]

I wanna talk about the track "Une vie à rêver," most of which plays during the credits for the "A Life to Love" ending (the first 2:40 or so is the choral version of "Alicia" that plays during the montage at the start of Act III, also gorgeous):

Anyway the part I want to talk about is in the lyrics, and how, multiple times during the song, Maelle is referred to as "Maelle" and "Alicia" simultaneously. Not only do the lyrics switch back and forth by line on occasion, but there are times where one voice sings "Alicia" and the other sings "Maelle" at the same time.

First: that's really cool!

But second: I think it's possibly an interesting thematic choice in the context of the ending where this plays. To me, it seems to suggest synthesis--that, as Verso says before their duel, she is Maelle no matter where she is, but that she's also Alicia. And it suggests that in this ending, she's able to inhabit both lives and identities, and to take them both into who she is.

I don't have a lot more to add but I just think that's neat and a little heartwarming. She's Alicia, and she's Maelle. A creative Paintress and a tenacious Expeditioner.

[guardianssystem]

Tumblr Post of our Endogenic and Non-traumagenic Plurality Research

EDIT: THIS POST IS OUTDATED COMPARED TO THE LINKED DOCUMENT. PLEASE CHECK THE DOCUMENT FIRST. THANK YOU

Endogenic & Non-Traumagenic Plurality

By Guardians System, a diagnosed traumagenic DID system with PTSD and CPTSD

For use by everyone, to be read by EVERYONE

Brought to you by sysmeds who say “I’m not reading all that” (/j)

Feel free to DM on Twitter at GuardiansSystemOpen for anonymous questions on Tellonym also under GuardiansSystemOtherwise, just comment! :)

Lists of Links

Put together by community members! (Not thoroughly checked)

Plurality/Multiplicity + Syscourse Resources and Findings

Pastebin by ButterflyBlood - contains info from the DSM-3 to the DSM-V, medical info, community info, Tulpa info, syscourse info, and a video

Cambrian's Thread of Experts

Thread by the Cambrian Crew - contains info from Dr Eric Yarbrough (Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association), info from Dr Nijenhuis and Van Der Hart (two of the writers of the Theory of Structural Dissociation), info from the ICD-11 and DSM-V-TR, and an interview by Dr Richard Loewenstein (lead editor of the DSM-V’s section on DIssociative Disorders)

Studies into non-disordered and/or endogenic plurality

Pastebin by Oliviaset - contains multiple science/government links and a video

Collected Plurality Info - 8 pages of resources - Fractal System

Document by The Fractal System - contains explanations on multiple types of plurality and references links to each, contains community info, history info, academic info, and more

Scientific Papers on Endogenic Plurality - r/Plural

Post and comments by numerous systems/supporters - contains a massive amount of uncategorised links to all types of information on non-traumagenic plurality

Multiplicity Links - SARAH K REECE

Site by Sarah K Reece - a previously diagnosed traumagenic DID system that no longer fits the criteria but is still a system, links focus mainly on general helpful system information

Scientific Articles on Nondisordered Systems

Document by Tabellenblatt1 (?) - contains info specific to non-disordered plurality, including the interview by Dr Richard Loewenstein

Ex Uno Plures - Articles

Community site by Plures House - contains explanations on plurality, info on living plural, info on personal experiences, medical info, philosophical info, social info, and syscourse info

An Endogenic Proof Masterlist - Plural Anomaly

Document by Plural Anomaly - contains community info, academic info, and criticisms on the Theory of Structural Dissociation

Plurality Studies - Multiplicity and Plurality Wiki

Wiki made by numerous community members - contains uncategorised abstracts from medical info and info on Tulpas

Non-Traumagenic & Endogenic System Information

General medical/clinical studies and research

It's just a body: A community-based participatory exploration of the experiences and health care needs for transgender plural people

Study by numerous people including a system - repeatedly references and explains multiple types of plurality, both traumagenic and non-traumagenic

Multiplicity: An Explorative Interview Study on Personal Experiences of People with Multiple Selves

Study by numerous people - uses some outdated language, however, explores how systems exist both with and without Dissociative Identity Disorder

Conceptualising multiplicity spectrum experiences: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

Study by numerous people - explores how multiplicity exists outside of Dissociative Identity Disorder in a medical context in order to recommend appropriate health services

Critiquing the Requirement of Oneness over Multiplicity: An Examination of  Dissociative Identity (Disorder) in Five Clinical Texts (Alternative Link)

Study by Kymbra Clayton - explains how multiple selves can be healthy without the need for singularity

NORMAL DIMENSIONS OF MULTIPLE PERSONALITY WITHOUT AMNESIA

Study by multiple people - uses slightly outdated language, describes how multiplicity can be considered natural without the dissociative disorders, and how the dissociative disorders could simply be expanding upon multiplicity

Cognitive processes in dissociation: An analysis of core theoretical assumptions

Study by numerous people - discusses potentially healthy dissociation and the existence of dissociation without trauma

MODES OF EXISTENCE: TOWARDS A PHENOMENOLOGICAL POLYPSYCHISM

Study by Mick Cooper - discusses alternative ways for multiple selves to exist

A plurality of selves? An illustration of polypsychism in a recovered addict

Study by Peter T.F. Raggatt - discusses the normality of non-traumagenic multiplicity and different ways for natural plurality to exist

A Jungian Perspective on the Dissociability of the Self

Study by Brian R. Skea - includes multiple mentions of Freud, extremely explicit and triggering language, and repeated use of outdated terms, however helps to provide an understanding of much older views on non-traumagenic dissociation and plurality

TRANSGENDER Mental Health - chapter 11

Book by Dr. Eric Yarbrough of the American Psychiatric Association - states repeatedly throughout the chapter that plurality is only a part of dissociative identity disorder and exists without the disorder, as well as trauma only being reported in some cases of plurality and that trauma is not the only cause for plurality, and states that plurality itself is only a collection of alters

"I've Learned to Treat my Characters like People": Varieties of Agency and Interaction of Writers' Experiences of their Characters' Voices

Study by multiple people - describes authors’ common experience of accidental multiplicity caused by their characters gaining autonomy

Dissociation in Trauma: A New Definition and Comparison with Previous Formulations

Article by Ellert R S Nijenhuis and Onno van der Hart (two of the writers of the Theory of Structural Dissociation) - page 27, at the end of the article, they recognise mediumship and similar practices as a “division of personality,” which is what they refer to the dissociative disorders as

Exploring the Experiences of Young People with Multiplicity

Research by Zarah Eve and Sarah Perry - begins with multiplicity only sometimes being applicable for a DID/OSDD diagnosis, and continues that multiplicity itself and the dissociative disorders are not the same, as well as some respondents not associating their multiplicity with trauma alongside the dissociative disorders not applying to some of the respondents, and having a section for some multiplicity not being based in trauma

Comparison of Brazilian spiritist mediumship and dissociative identity disorder

Study by multiple people - in comparing Dissociative Identity Disorder with Brazilian Spiritist Mediumship, it was found the two shared very similar results, only that the Mediumship results appeared slightly healthier than DID

Tulpamancy

Studies and research specifically on Tulpas, though can apply to other plurality

Tibetan Buddhist with a Tulpa - Opinion on Plurality

Post by Dharma Yokeyodasampa - a Tibetan Buddhist with a more traditional Tulpa asking community members for questions, discussions include what they think about plurality, western Tulpamancy, how their Tulpa feels, and the difference between western Tulpamancy and the Tibetan practice. (This is a post compiling and explaining most of it, with a response from Dharma.)

Personality Characteristics of Tulpamancers and Their Tulpas

Study by multiple people - examines and explores what Tulpas are, what they do, their role, Tulpa experiences, some history, and more

Sentient companions predicted and modeled into existence: explaining the Tulpa phenomenon

Study by Kaj Sotala - describes a theory on how Tulpas may be psychologically caused via “feedback loops” (can also be applied to various other types of plurality, such as multiplicity caused by authors/artists and caused by other disorders)

A Time for Tulpas

Thesis by Nick Stager - discusses what a Tulpa is, experiences with Tulpas, the development of Tulpas, how other practices may be similar, how an author can accidentally create Tulpas, and more

Tracking the Tulpa - Exploring the "Tibetan" Origins of a Contemporary Paranormal Idea

Book by Natasha L. Mikles and Joseph P. Laycock - explains what Tulpas are, how Tulpas are created both intentionally and unintentionally, some of the history behind Tulpa, and Tulpas based on theosophy instead of the Tibetan practice

Tulpas and Mental Health: A Study of Non-Traumagenic Plural Experiences

Study by Jacob J. Isler - explains what Tulpamancy is and how it can differ from Dissociative Identity Disorder but still be plural 

Paranormalizing the Popular through the Tibetan Tulpa: Or what the next Dalai Lama, the X Files and Affect Theory (might) have in common

Article by Ben Joffe - explains what Tulpas are, how Tulpas develop, Tulpa experiences in the outside world, the difference between Tulpamancy and the Tibetan practice, some of the history behind Tulpas, Theosophy-related Tulpas, and Tibetan Sprulpa experiences

Making Friends - Transcript of a Podcast on Tulpas

(Slightly incorrect: more info here) Discussion by multiple people - explains multiple personal experiences with a Tulpa, actions of a Tulpa, accidental creation of Tulpas through writing, Tulpas taking over the physical body, Tulpas having a different identity, purposeful creation of Tulpas, discussions with professionals (Richard J. Loewenstein,) the difference between Tulpas and psychosis, the similarity between Tulpas and Dissociative Identity Disorder, how without distress then it can’t be disordered, and more

Daring to Hear Voices

Dalai Lama - Buddhist practices are open to those who need them

Clinical Information

Helpful medical information not specifically related to non-traumagenic systems

DID Brain Pattern Study Doesn't Measure Up - December 2018

Critique by Spot&Cerberus - discusses the multiple flaws with the MRI scan on DID patients

Moral Status and the Treatment of DID Study by Timothy J. Bane - discusses the current known treatments for DID in the context of integration being commonly used, how it may be unethical and unhealthy to force integration, and that a multiple can healthily exist

DID, OSDD, and UDD Diagnostic Guide (NZ)

Diagnostic guide by ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) - the New Zealand guide to diagnosing patients with DID, OSDD, and UDD, includes history of the diagnosis, problems with the diagnosis, alternative diagnoses, requirements for a diagnosis, what to avoid in a diagnosis, what to look for in a diagnosis, and similar

The Theory of Structural Dissociation

Theory by multiple people - the most commonly used theory to explain dissociation, often specifically related to dissociative disorders

Problems with the Theory of Structural Dissociation

Research by multiple people - discusses multiple problems with the Theory of Structural Dissociation, including it being a theory, the discarding of derealisation, depersonalisation, dissociative fugue, dissociative amnesia, the lack of association with trauma and PTSD in the DSM-V, and proposes some different ideas

ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics

Book by the World Health Ogranisation - Dissociative disorders on 6B64

DSM DID ALTERATIONS

DSM-V-TR

DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition)

Book by the American Psychiatric Association - Dissociative Disorders on page 336

DSM-IV-TR

DSM-IV

DSM-III-R

DSM-III

DSM-II-SPECIAL

DSM-II

DSM-I-SPECIAL

DSM-I

Plural History

Explanations and references to different parts of plural history

Plural History - 1811

Collection by Lb Lee - contains multiple parts of history in which systems of all types have existed (there are 4 different chapters)

A Partial History of Plural Self-Advocacy

Collection by Alt H - describes times in history starting from 1987 when non-traumagenic plural advocacy was recorded

It's Not Just a Tumblr Thing - Kerry Dawkins

Article by Ex Uno Plures - contains references in history to plurality outside of and before Tumblr

A Brief History of the Use of "System" in a Non-DID Space

Collection by Lb Lee - describes the history of the word “system” being used to describe those with multiple selves, and how it isn’t a disorder-specific term

A Quick'N'Dirty History of "System" as Plural Slang

Collection by Lb Lee - explains the history of the word “system” and the different uses

"Endogenic" was not coined by Freud

Collection by Sophie in Wonderland - a discussion on the anti-endos claim that “endogenic” was coined by Freud

Origin of the term Endogenic

Explanation by the Lunastus Collective - details how the term “endogenic” came to be created, what led up to it, and what happened after

I saw a post saying we should just believe RAMCOA surivors... okay... so how about this one?

Explanation by Sophie in Wonderland - describes how and why anti-endos think “system hopping” was stolen by endogenic systems from RAMCOA systems, including an explanation from the RAMCOA system that anti-endos reference

Community Explanations

Explanations on endogenic plurality by community members (sources are used)

Debunking the Anti-Endo Carrd - Guardians System

To be updated

What do Sysmeds say That is Transphobic/TERF Rhetoric?

Post by multiple people - a discussion on the comparison of sysmeds and transmeds, and how their arguments and the language they use is the same

Why Not Just Use Thoughtform?

Collection by Sophie in Wonderland and Olivia Set - describes why some parogenic systems prefer using Tulpa over Thoughtform 

Debunking Sysmeds - Claims and Rebuttals

Carrd by Ozymandias& - lists claims that anti-endos make against endogenic systems, and critiques the claims alongside referencing studies

I would define a plural system as having multiple, compartmentalised, self-conscious agents - SophieInWonderland

Collection by Sophie in Wonderland - an explanation of the validity of endogenic and non-traumagenic systems complete with referenced research and studies

Studies and Research into Endogenic and Non-Disordered Plurality

Masterpost - Academia on Endogenic and non-traumagenic plurality

Post by Inclusive Syscourse - contains an explanation on the validity of endogenic and non-traumagenic plurality complete with referenced research

Claims There is No Research On Endogenics

Post by Unknown - a list of research on endogenic and non-traumagenic plurality alongside explanations and descriptions

Origins of Plurality and Levels of Dissociation

Study by The Phoenixes - uses the DES to gain insight into plurality not caused by trauma

The Tulpa Carrd - explain the nature and origins of Tulpamancy and what surrounds it

Carrd by Unknown - lists an explanation and some history of Tulpamancy alongside references to research

Likely Origins of "Tulpamancy is Cultural Appropriation"

Post by the Dragonheart System - critiques a Carrd claiming that Tulpamancy is cultural appropriation, referencing research and studies

Resources

General helpful resources for all systems

Multiplicity Wiki - A wiki by plurals and multiples, for plurals and multiples

Wiki by multiple people - contains terms, definitions, and general information on all types of plurality and multiplicity

Layman's Guide to Multiplicity

Guide by Unknown - contains terms, definitions, information, explanations, and experiences on multiple types of plurality

The Plural Association - For Dissociative Identity Disorder & all other forms of Multiplicity under the Plural umbrella

Organisation by the Stronghold System (?) - contains help sites for all types of struggling systems, alongside helpful information and articles on multiple areas

Pluralpedia - the collaborative plurality dictionary

Dictionary by multiple people - contains a massive amount of information on the majority of plural terms and history

Endogenic Hub -  a site dedicated to endogenic plurality

Hub by the Hordes System - contains information and experiences on multiple types of non-traumagenic plurality, alongside explanations of what plurality is

More Than One - Plurality (or multiplicity) is the existence of multiple self-aware entities inside one physical brain

Site by Unknown - contains information on terms, different system origins, denounces myths about plurality, and different plural experiences

The Dissociative Initiative - For, by, and about people with multiplicity, dissociation, and amnesia

Run by Sarah K Reece - a support group for systems that contains different information and resources on plurality

Tulpa Info - "For Science"

Guide by Unknown - multiple different languages, explains what a Tulpa is, why they can exist, and where to begin when making a Tulpa

----------------------------

Feel free to share this post and/or the document with anybody. We're open to (genuine) criticism about our links or socument if something's wrong. You're also welcome to tag us in anything or DM us, with questions or to talk about our links or to respond to somebody. We are a pro-endo, diagnosed traumagenic DID system, with PTSD and CPTSD. We collectively use phe/phex/phins, and go by Guardians.

Please always rely on the document over this post, it's much more up to date.

[virtues-end]

(just thinking aloud ignore me) the way u answered the question about how mc got their human form made me curious about the nature of souls in this universe...like i was sort of conceptualizing the circumstances as mc being the same human 'soul' as before the ritual just minus their memories (is memory extricable from the soul?), with the entity acting as an external 'posessing' force fighting for control of the body (is the body extricable from the soul??? send help.) but perhaps im completely off base and mc is the 'soul' of the bound entity, primarily influenced by their acceptance/rejection of experiencing the world through the lens of a mortal vessel, displaying mannerisms/behavior etc of the previous occupant only as a consequence of muscle memory?

of course, the alluring answer is that it's a secret third thing and the 'soul' was formed at the moment of the binding+is an inextricable freak mismash/beautiful terrible synthesis of the 2...but then the humanity stat seems intended to have you lean you one way or the other? or is it only tracking the perception of the self rather than indicating anything ontological? but then of course many such cases where perception is reality. are souls actually quantifiable in some way, magically, or is this a completely hypothetical thought experiment both in and out of universe? is any effort at categorization an exercise in futility bc helvings are just sort of a ship of theseus situation soulwise? what if the world was made of pudding

You're getting there. ;-)

I've always sort of seen it as the latter; the MC is like an amalgamation of things, shaped by the (residual) mannerisms and instincts of both souls, whilst at the same time being neither. Time has passed since their first inception, and they've learnt to adapt to this new world, to this new... person/creature/thing they've become. They've grown into being their own person/creature/thing. Even so, the merging of souls in such a way isn't entirely seamless, and the two halves can be at odds with each other. Fighting for 'dominance', if you will.

Rest assured we'll be exploring more of it as the story unfolds--identity, and the self, are a huge part of VE's narrative. :-)

[neobohemiancollective]

The Neo-Bohemian Manifesto

Art is the revolution. Beauty is the weapon. Spirit is the fire.

I. The Event of Becoming

We are the inheritors of fire, sensual mystics born from the ruins of empires and algorithms.
We declare a new aesthetic and ethical horizon—a living synthesis of Marxist thought, metaphysical multiplicity, radical embodiment, and ecstatic beauty.

We are not utopians. We are event-makers.
Truth occurs in rupture. Art is the ritual of fidelity.

II. Art is Praxis

Creation is sacred disobedience.
We reject the commodification of art as luxury, as property, as prestige.
We affirm art as action, process, sacrifice, transformation.

Inspired by the lineage of Bohemians, Libertines, Decadents, the sexual revolution, Viennese Actionism, and Disco,
we dance at the edge of taboo, we bleed color into the void,
we sculpt time with our bodies and dreams.

III. Philosophy is Flesh

We live in the multiplicity of Being.
We embrace the evental philosophy of Alain Badiou,
where fidelity to truth outlives the spectacle.
We hold that the world is not one, but many—fractured, vibrant, incomplete.

We are Four-Dimensionalists:
Time is a lover. Memory is sculpture. Identity is motion.

IV. Beauty is Resistance

Following France J. Kovach, we affirm beauty as metaphysical revolt.
Beauty is not decoration; it is revelation.
It pierces, it intoxicates, it dismantles.
To live beautifully is a political act.

V. The Erotic is Sacred

Queer theory and Trans-Feminism are not adjuncts to our vision—they are its soul.
We honor the fluidity of desire, the spectrum of gender, the sovereignty of the body.
The erotic is holy. The perverse is prophetic.

Our movement is clothed in lace and leather, wrapped in metaphor,
fueled by disco beats and orgasmic truths.

VI. Allegory is Authority

We read all scriptures, all myths, all systems through the lens of metaphor and mystery.
We reject literalism, dogmatism, and theological tyranny.
We embrace mysticism as the poetry of spirit.

Our temples are adorned with symbols.
Our scriptures are written in image, dream, and dance.

VII. Compassion is Praxis

We carry the ethical torch of Buddhist wisdom:
Non-harm, mindfulness, the liberation of all sentient beings.
We see suffering not as abstraction, but as structure.
To act against oppression is to align with compassion.

VIII. A Multicultural Aesthetic Future

We are international, interspiritual, intersectional.
We celebrate hybridity, diaspora, indigeneity, and diasporic memory.
We create in many tongues, many rhythms, many rituals.

We honor the mystical schools of all traditions:
Kabbalah, Sufism, Tantra, Gnosticism, Zen.
We are the bridge between temple and nightclub, gallery and sanctuary.

IX. The Commune of Dreamers

We reject the individual as isolated monad.
We build communes of becoming—salons, sanctuaries, collectives, and digital covens.
We share resources, visions, wounds, and wine.

We believe in joy as method.
We believe in beauty as law.
We believe in the erotic as light.

X. Our Vow

We vow to live as art.
To think dangerously.
To feel boundlessly.
To love rebelliously.
To dissolve the border between the mystical and the political, the philosophical and the erotic.

We are the Neo-Bohemians.