#marx is a person who was dead and now isn't.

[paintpanic]

i loved your AU resurection and i have a question Marx will appear in your AU??

(a fanart)

Thank you so much for the lovely art! You've captured him beautifully.

Marx isn't *super* relevant in this AU, but he's 100% present.

[old-school-butch]

What factors do you think contribute to Islamists forming the majority of the world's extremists right now? Do you think there’s anything that can be done to stop or reverse this trend?

Thank you as always for sharing your knowledge and insights. I appreciate you taking the time to do so for us internet randos :)

Ya know... I'm not sure. I feel like ideals bring people together in ways we don't entirely understand. There's a theory that some universal rules are found in every culture:

help your family

help your group

return favors

be brave / willing to sacrifice the self for the greater good

defer to superiors/leaders

divide resources fairly

respect others’ property

There are many different interpretations about, for example, what a fair division of resources is, and who is the superior, but these rules form the basis of fundamental human society. Other ideals flesh these rules out to help create a story people can rally around. Us and them is pretty basic, how we define 'us' depends on the morals of society. For much of human history, that was tribal/extended family. But religion makes a great story and that quickly grew from being a reason things were the way they were (the divine right of kings for example) to a story that demanded loyalty and society in itself, part of how humans decided who was us and them. The oldest prohibitions about slavery, for example, was that Christians shouldn't enslave Christians and Muslims shouldn't enslave Muslims. (It sounds nice when I say it like that, but it was actually part of colonial conquest - convert to my religion or be killed/enslaved. Oh, and being part of my religion means you have to obey me.).

Anyway, in the last few hundred years the star of the West has been shining bright, often at the expense of other groups subjugated in conquest. Capitalism is its child that has catapulted whole societies into unimaginable amounts of wealth, and what is there for those left behind? Communism was the second child of the West, meant to restrain its elder beast, but it misunderstands human nature and can't work on its own. There are many former Empires around the world who sullenly remember their own glory days and want to recreate them - China, Russia, Persia, the Caliphates all come to mind. But new stories are needed to breathe life into these ideas. For a while it was nationalism, which was evident in the numerous declarations of independence after World War 2 and the 'third world, third way' movement. But nationalism alone can't answer the West, and joining in the West's prosperity has proven difficult to replicate. Many countries that experimented with a variety of economic theories ended up stuck in poverty. Meanwhile, capitalism is spinning out the wealth of king's to entire nations. What's that quote from Marx (that Jenny probably actually wrote)?. Something about a house in the countryside is a house, a house next to a castle is a hat. Income inequality is more absolute when it's the difference between starving and living and the dead can't complain, so it paradoxically breeds far more resentment when it's the difference between subsistence farming and going on space voyages.

Enter religion as a new, galvanizing force. The secular West, and young people living in our society, simply cannot fathom how profound, energetic and deeply personal a comprehensive religious society can be. It's everything. It's your life and afterlife too. It's your soul. You have wealth, spiritual wealth, that the decadent West can never understand. You can hold your head up high again. It is the only answer to the West that people can hold onto with any real hope. Christianity has moderated in the West but accepted its fall from secular power. Other religions have not, and perhaps don't need to. I look at some countries sitting on incredible wealth, that isn't developed because they are too corrupt, or simply don't care to improve the lives of their people. Becoming a suicide bomber is much less appealing when you have a happy, comfortable life. And I'm not going to just pick on Islam here, for centuries the Catholic church argued - with a straight face - that regular tithes to the Church helped keep people too poor to indulge in sinfulness. Anyway, for people who want something else beyond individualism or materialism, that they might not get anyway, religion gives them purpose and principle.

I'm open to hearing other theories, especially around what can be done to extend the principles of democracy, secular statehood and religious freedom around the globe.

[maybe-arts]

Since you still want to answer them, I'll give you a bunch.

37 for Meyine and Chiffonne

8, 19, 30, 31, 32, 35 for Little Nova, Cicero, Beamee, and also Meyine and Chiffonne.

THAT'S A LOT KACHI GOOD GOD

37. Do they have a system for remembering names, long lists of numbers, things that need to go in a certain order (like anagrams, putting things to melodies, etc)? 

Meyine and Chiffon actually both use melodies as mnemonic! Meyine mostly thanks to their affinity to music magic, and Chiffon, thankfully, inherited from Fluff's side in singing department, who actually has pretty good singing voice and musical ear.

8. What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child?

Iiii don't have answer for Nova, Cicero and Meyine, unfortunately (Kirby isn't as strict of a parent for Nova, Cicero's childhood was cut rather short and as such might be kinda rose-tinted, and I'm dead set on keeping Meyine's past shrouded in mystery meaning i don't have to write it lmao), but Beamee and Chiffon are a different matter.

Beamee's mom was slightly overly worried for Beamee's wellbeing, and always urged against straining herself with magic. (Which may or may not be part of a reason for Beamee being poorly equipped to deal with her ability.) In Chiffon's case, Fluff, unfortunately, turned out to lean a bit too hard into the Fantasy-Forbidding Father department, so he was insisting on Chiffon to behave more befitting to a royalty - causing her to have the same anxiety HE had as a kid whenever met with official meetings and situations like these.

19. What is their favorite number?

Nova can't count very well yet Cicero - 4 (hah) Beamee - any even number Meyine - 7 Chiffon - 3

30. Who do they most regret meeting? 

Nova didn't had particularly bad experiences prior to Chiffon's arrival (and kicking off the plot) - well, maybe Marx, knowing his reputation. After that however... while their first meeting with Skirby was rough, but not unpleasant, what followed after did made Nova scared of Skirby and Mirror World as a whole.

Chiffon's answer is similar to Nova's (since they shared that experience), but there's one person Chiffon regrets meeting more than Skirby (for now)... and it's Polari. (She comes around to him, but it will take a WHILE.)

Meyine also had an awful first impression of Marx, mostly due to his way of being a friend involving playing pranks on them (ESPECIALLY if you're a new friend in the group), but once Marx figured out Meyine shares the mischievous streak of Magolor's, their relationship improved quite a lot.

Beamee will later grow to regret meeting Enigia. Mostly because of Enigia secretly being a bastard.

Cicero... I don't have anything for him, uhfortunately, since he doesn't have much interaction with others. I need to fix this but don't know how yet.

31. Who are they the most glad to have met? 

Chiffon is very glad to meet Kirby's side of her family! Especially her little sibling and their baby squad of two <3

Nova is vise versa, very glad to meet Chiffon. And, to a certain extent, also very glad to meet Kirby himself.

Meyine is very glad they've met Magolor in AD. Not only did they manage to prevent what happened to them, but that got Meyine themself out of AD as well. They've been inseparable ever since.

Beamee is very glad she met Tabitha. She loves her kooky girlfriend even despite her sometimes being focused on her research TOO much.

And as much as Cicero still misses his family, he's glad Lum decided to step in as a self-appointed caretaker. He's thankful he was given a second chance.

32. Do they have a go-to story in conversation? Or a joke? 

Nova is mostly nonverbal, only using words to relay something important. Chiffon will try to brag about her adventures and accomplishments to people she met for the first time (that totally aren't her dad's adventures in Patchland being retold with her as a protagonist nuh uh).

Beamee is. Kinda timid in conversations and tends to be mostly reactionary and listening. She doesn't like bringing attention to herself, letting others take the spotlight. Cicero and Meyine are similar, but Cicero sometimes can be caught infodumping about intricacies of matter planes and soul magic. (Meyine doesn't have much to talk about due to memory problem.)

35. How do they treat the things their friends come to them excited about? Are they supportive? 

Nova is listening very intently, making small noises of agreement. (Think baby Kirby from anime.) Chiffon is supportive, but might accidentally end up changing the topic to either herself or her dad in the conversation, as she's trying to relate to the topic brought.

Beamee is also supportive, and, as said before, will let you take the spotlight to infodump, and so is Meyine. Both of them also will ask questions to give said friend opportunity to talk more about their thing, but for different reason - Beamee is doing this as a part of common etiquette, and Meyine is actually genuinely curious.

Cicero is the one that'd be kinda indifferent, unless it's involving his interests or him in some capacity.

[ficsandcatsandficsandcats]

*tosses coins to my writer* Imagine Jaskier is somewhere at court and a lot of people are playing with him and make a fool out of him but he plays along until the end where he proofs that he isn't a fool (cause he is the bard 😉) and knows what is going on. Even Geralt feels sorry for him and apologizes (well, Geralt's version of an apology) not taking him seriously treating him not treating him well or standing up for him. I am in the mood for some good intrigues.

Fandom: The WitcherPairing: Jaskier x Competence Word Count: 1,777Rating: T for swearingTaglist: @heroics-and-heartbreak @whatevermonkey a/n: Oh man did I have fun with this! I don’t usually write intrigue stuff cuz frankly that shit is hard but I hope you like it! Thank you for the idea!

Everybody loves a fool.

Loves to mock them, loves to bed them, loves to keep them around to make themselves look better. Jaskier’s talent for performing didn’t end with the lute but this was a role he performed for an audience of one. If anyone else peeked behind the curtain, and some had come close in the past, they would see that the bright blue eyes and charming smile hid a mind just as – or, frankly, more – keen and cunning as any around him. The advantage he possessed was a taste for the fine things in life which people translated as vapid. An error he took advantage of as often as possible.

There were times he nearly told Geralt the truth. Hell, there were times he tried to but the witcher was too determined to see him one way. He focused on the times Jaskier stumbled, and admittedly those weren’t all pretend, he was only human after all. He never seemed to notice the cleverness that aided as much as it sometimes harmed.

Until the ball.

For once Geralt had been the one to lead them to the party. Usually he had to beg the witcher to come but this time he was looking for something.

“Remind me what this thingamajig you’re looking for is,” Jaskier said, running a hand through his hair one final time before heading out towards the manor.

“Don’t worry about it,” Geralt replied, as effusive as always.

“Oh come now, I could help you look for it you know,” Jaskier offered.

“You’ll serve me better by staying out of the way,” was the anticipated response. Thankfully one of the many tools Jaskier possessed was sheer stubbornness.

“What if it’s someplace you’re not able to go, hmm?” Jaskier asked, “Like a salon for entertainers only or well hidden in a corset pocket.”

“Pockets don’t have corsets.”

“Of course they do Geralt, most people just call them breasts.”

His cheeky remark was met with stony silence and a look that bordered on withering.

“What is the harm in me knowing? What if I promise not to actively go searching for it but if I happen to see it I just don’t see the point in me not KNOWING what I’m looking at and-”

“It’s a fucking amulet now will you stay out of the way and let me work?” Geralt snapped. Jaskier considered him for a moment, not a little bit frustrated himself but too smart to show it.

“What does the amulet look like?” he asked.

“Yellow stones, shape of a sun,” Geralt replied, “But Jaskier if you see it, do not touch it. Swear to me that you’ll leave it alone.”

“I won’t touch your bauble, Geralt. I’ll be too busy putting on what may be my best performance yet,” Jaskier said, doing up the buttons of his doublet and then thinking again and undoing them. Geralt grunts, satisfied for the time being that Jaskier will be distracted, and the two set off towards the manor.

 The two fell into their natural pattern, orbiting around each other like planets in the heavens. Geralt traveled around the perimeter of the room while Jaskier proudly stood in the middle, performing songs that ranged from bawdy to beautiful to some strange mix of the two that could make you blush and sigh in a single breath. Jaskier wasn’t oblivious to the sneering of some of the nobles around him. Though he was technically of noble birth his choice in profession as a traveling bard wasn’t up to the standards the people here held. When he took his break to wander the room and chat up the people he’d caught giving him interested looks he heard some of the unkinder comments they made comfortably within his earshot.

“…travels with that Witcher, can you imagine?”

“…Countess de Stael finally got right of him, I can’t imagine why she kept him around for so long.”

“….o Marx should be here now that is a performer.”

Some of the words were heartfelt, others just spoken to rile him. Every now and then he saw Geralt glowering at whoever had spoken the words, but he kept to himself, still searching from the outside for the amulet. Jaskier feigned obliviousness and continued to flirt and charm the men and women who pulled him into their little cliques. Each took their turn offering backhanded compliments and making less than subtle propositions. He acted properly flustered and proud and honored and when the hostess and her lover (Jaskier had figured that out in an instant, the husband clearly hadn’t yet, ah well) crept into the library to speak they took Jaskier with him.

“Lord I will be pleased when this is all done with,” the hostess said, flopping down into a chair seated before the unlit hearth.

“When the devil are we getting on with it anyway?” the lover asked.

“What extraordinary gilding,” Jaskier said, complimenting the arch above the door. He’d learned that the best way to overhear what you clearly weren’t supposed to wasn’t to skulk about and try to make them forget you weren’t there. It was better to just make yourself seem distracted and oblivious. The hostess smiled at him like one might a particularly clever pet and then turned her attention back to her lover

“I’ve slipped it in his cloak pocket. Tomorrow when he puts it on for his morning ride he’ll pull it out and think it’s just one of my trinkets but that’s all be has to do, touch it,” she explained.

“You know when you invited me in here I rather thought we would be doing more than talking,” Jaskier said, breaking into their conversation and leveling the hostess with a seductive smile. The lover glowered but the hostess smiled sweetly at him.

“Alas, I am taken for the evening, but you will likely find others eager for your entertainment,” she said. Jaskier’s face fell a bit and then quickly recovered and he put on a big show of trying to seem unaffected. And then, adding insult to presumed injury, she pulled a handkerchief from her bosom and tossed it to him.

“To remember me by,” she said, and he snatched it up gratefully.

As he shut the door behind him he heard the lover make some comment about him, he couldn’t hear exactly what but the hostess chastised him though her voice was amused.

As soon as he closed the door behind him he was called to perform again and he did. When they asked him to perform a ballad written by Valdo Marx he saw Geralt, scanning the crowd carefully looking for the item, pause and look to him. He gave him the same look Jaskier had once given him in a similar event years ago. Unlike Geralt, his ill humor wouldn’t leave people dead and it would play into the role. So he blustered and not a little bit of genuine frustration spilled out (though deep down he knew if Valdo Marx had been there he would have been asked to perform Jaskier’s songs).

“Tell me sir bard, what is it like having one’s most celebrated work be the result of another’s greatness?” a man asked after Jaskier finished Toss A Coin To Your Witcher. Jaskier laughed, a fake, hurt laugh that made the asker smug and satisfied.

Jaskier left the hall, slinking away and stumbling a bit for good measure. As soon as he was clear of the main hall he hurried to find the kitchens. The servants paid him no mind other than to ask him brusquely to move out of their way, assuming he was running from someone or for something and not paid to worry about it either way. The stables were even easier to navigate and he made a mental note to tell Geralt never to trust Roach to a lord’s care and keeping because their stablehands were nowhere to be found, likely off playing cards or drinking. The riding cloak was where he knew it would be, hanging by the stable door of the most beautiful black horse he’d ever seen. He briefly considered stealing it but decided it wasn’t worth the trouble, instead using the handkerchief the hostess had given him to pick up the amulet and deposit it into his doublet pocket, careful to wind the fabric around twice to prevent accidentally touching it.  

 He was nearly back to the front of the house when he saw Geralt approaching, leading Roach.

“Ah Geralt! I got all turned around but there you go saving me again,” Jaskier said.

“Let’s go,” Geralt said.

“Yes, I agree it’s gotten quite dull,” Jaskier said. They walked together towards the road in silence until Geralt stopped and turned to face his friend.

“Why did you let them talk to you like that?” he demanded. Jaskier widened his eyes and feigned alarm.

“What? How is this my fault?” he challenged.

“That thing they said about your most celebrated work being the result of another’s greatness. You knew that was bullshit but you let them say it anyway,” Geralt said. He was angry which wasn’t new but for once he wasn’t angry at Jaskier, he was angry for him.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Jaskier said, with more sincerity than Geralt could possibly know.

“Well the next time it happens I don’t care how hard you shake your head, I’m going to put an end to it,” Geralt said, his tone threatening and endearingly protective. Jaskier didn’t have to pretend to be bewildered.

“Well I’m sorry my personal distress was so inconvenient for you,” he replied sarcastically, fighting hard to keep the smile at bay.

“Hmm. Well it was a waste of an evening anyway. The amulet wasn’t there,” he said.

“Oh you mean this one?” Jaskier asked, producing the wrapped item from his pocket.

“I told you not to touch it, for fuck’s sake Jaskier you have no idea what you’ve done!” Geralt cried, taking the item with a gloved hand.

“I didn’t touch it, thank you very much, my skin never touched its surface,” Jaskier’s tone was insulted but he was secretly amused, knowing full well the panic he’d put Geralt through and enjoying every bit of it. Geralt scrutinized him for a moment but ultimately, seeing no overt signs of devastation or death, put the item in a sack.

“Where did you find it anyway?” he asked, climbing onto Roach as they reached the road.

“Oh you know me, Geralt,” Jaskier said with a sly smile, “I just sort of run into things.”

“Hmm.”

They walked (and rode) in silence the rest of the way back to the tavern.

[enlightened711-blog]

Enlightened The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. Albert Einstein Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein Enlightenment: The act of enlightening or the state of being enlightened. Enlighten: Give greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation. Give spiritual knowledge or insight. Enlightened: Having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook. Spiritually aware. Meditation and mindfulness are useful tools in this process of creating a more accurate perception of reality, a more focused life and a more joyful experience. As we delve into our inner world the study of the sciences, psychology, the brain and consciousness can help us interpret our experiences. Our enlightenment is effected by our ego's need to see the world in a certain way and to maintain it's own existence. Meditation can help us see the world more clearly, not as we as we think we need to see it. When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. Mark Twain All this worldly wisdom was once the unnameable heresy of some wise man. Henry David Thoreau Delusions are normal parts of existence, assume that they are there even though you can not see them.   Mindfulness helps us live in the present without the demons of the past tearing at us or the desires and fears of the future distracting us. It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. Albert Einstein We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy. Joseph Campbell The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. Paul Valery For all life is a dream, and dreams themselves are only dreams. Pedro Calderon de la Barca Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths. Joseph Campbell Living in dreams of yesterday, we find ourselves still dreaming of impossible future conquests. Charles Lindbergh One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. Dale Carnegie The Universe is one great kindergarten for man. Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson. Orison Swett Marden There are always flowers for those who want to see them. Henri Matisse Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls. Joseph Campbell Most sets of values would give rise to universes that, although they might be very beautiful, would contain no one able to wonder at that beauty. Stephen Hawking The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. Henry David Thoreau To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else. Emily Dickinson Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies. Erich Fromm It takes a long time to become young. Pablo Picasso There is always some specific moment when we become aware that our youth is gone; but, years after, we know it was much later. Mignon McLaughlin An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself. Albert Camus Alas, after a certain age every man is responsible for his face. Albert Camus Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time. Albert Camus For if there is a sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another life and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life. Albert Camus He who despairs of the human condition is a coward, but he who has hope for it is a fool. Albert Camus How hard, how bitter it is to become a man! Albert Camus That God does not exist, I cannot deny, That my whole being cries out for God I cannot forget. Jean-Paul Sartre There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk. Jean-Paul Sartre We do not judge the people we love. Jean-Paul Sartre When we love the world we do not judge it, rather we make a choice in the moment. Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment. Lao Tzu Always respond intelligently to unintelligent treatment even if to an outside observer it appears that you are not responding intelligently. Everything happens to everybody sooner or later if there is time enough. George Bernard Shaw Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. Henry David Thoreau Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. M. Scott Peck The more you value yourself the more that you will be able to focus your efforts. He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees. Benjamin Franklin Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Confucius Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Lao Tzu For in all adversity of fortune the worst sort of misery is to have been happy. Boethius The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller All men are children, and of one family. The same tale sends them all to bed, and wakes them in the morning. Henry David Thoreau As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. Henry David Thoreau A pathway starts with a single footstep. Friends... they cherish one another's hopes. They are kind to one another's dreams. Henry David Thoreau It is a difficult decision to wake someone from a delusional dream. Wake oneself first. How can any man be weak who dares to be at all? Henry David Thoreau If you can speak what you will never hear, if you can write what you will never read, you have done rare things. Henry David Thoreau Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. Henry David Thoreau The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer. Henry David Thoreau The squirrel that you kill in jest, dies in earnest. Henry David Thoreau There is no remedy for love but to love more. Henry David Thoreau There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself. Henry David Thoreau True friendship can afford true knowledge. It does not depend on darkness and ignorance. Henry David Thoreau You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Henry David Thoreau A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou. Omar Khayyam Drink! for you know not whence you came nor why: drink! for you know not why you go, nor where.   Omar Khayyam Living Life Tomorrow's fate, though thou be wise, Thou canst not tell nor yet surmise; Pass, therefore, not today in vain, For it will never come again. Omar Khayyam The moving finger writes, and having written moves on. Nor all thy piety nor all thy wit, can cancel half a line of it. Omar Khayyam That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind. William Wordsworth Thinking isn't agreeing or disagreeing. That's voting. Robert Frost Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative. H. G. Wells Fame will go by and, so long, I've had you, fame. If it goes by, I've always known it was fickle. So at least it's something I experience, but that's not where I live. Marilyn Monroe For every person who has ever lived there has come, at last, a spring he will never see. Glory then in the springs that are yours. Pam Brown Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. Kahlil Gibran I've made an odd discovery. Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness is no longer a possibility. Yet when I talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the opposite. Bertrand Russell Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit. Anton Chekhov Every religion is true one way or another. It is true when understood metaphorically. But when it gets stuck in its own metaphors, interpreting them as facts, then you are in trouble. Joseph Campbell I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. Groucho Marx A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. Henry David Thoreau