#subconscious programming the viewers

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Syd + Carmy- Corny

[creatingblackcharacters]

“The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth” - Violence, Violent Imagery & Black Horror

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of death, violence, blood, hate crimes, antiblackness, police violence, rape

Note! I am going to be speaking from a Black American point of view, as my identity informs my experience. That said, antiblackness itself is international. The idea of my Blackness as a threat, as a source of fear and violence to repress and to destroy, is something every Black person in the world that has ever dealt with white supremacy has experienced.

There are two things, I think, that are important to note as we start this conversation.

One: there is a long history of violence towards Black bodies that is due to our dehumanization. People do not care for the killing of a mouse in the way they care about a human. But if you think the people you are dealing with are not people, but animals- more particularly, pests, something distasteful- then you will be able to rationalize treating them as such.

Two: even though we live in a time period where that overt belief of Blackness as inhuman is less likely, we must recognize that there are centuries of belief behind this concept; centuries of arguments and actions that cement in our minds that a certain amount of violence towards Blackness is normal. That subconscious belief you may hold is steeped in centuries of effort to convince you of it without even questioning it. And because of this very real re-enforcement of desensitization, naturally another place this will manifest itself is in how we tell and comprehend stories.

There are also three points I'm about to make first- not the only three that can ever be made, but the ones that stand out the most to me when we talk about violence with Black characters:

One: Your Black readers may experience that scene you wrote differently than you meant anyone to, just because our history may change our perspective on what’s happening.

Two: The idea that Black characters and people deserve the pain they are experiencing.

Three: The disbelief or dismissal of the pain of Black characters and people.

You Better Start Believing In Ghost Stories- You’re In One

I don’t need to tell Black viewers scary fairytales of sadists, body snatchers and noncoincidental disappearances, cannibals, monsters appearing in the night, and dystopian, unjust systems that bury people alive- real life suffices! We recognize the symbolism because we’ve seen real demons.

Some real examples of familiar, terrifying stories that feel like drama, but are real experiences:

12 Years a Slave: “This is no fiction, no exaggeration. If I have failed in anything, it has been in presenting to the reader too prominently the bright side of the picture. I doubt not hundreds have been as unfortunate as myself; that hundreds of free citizens have been kidnapped and sold into slavery, and are at this moment wearing out their lives on plantations in Texas and Louisiana.” – Solomon Northup

When They See Us: I can’t get myself to watch When They See Us, because I learned about the actual trial of the Central Park Five- now the Exonerated Five- in my undergrad program. Five teen Black and brown boys, subjected to racist and cruel policing and vilification in the media- from Donald Trump calling for their deaths in the newspaper, to being imprisoned under what the Clintons deemed a generation of “superpredators” during a “tough on crime” administration. And as audacious as it is to say, as Solomon Northup explained, they were fortunate. The average Black person funneled into the prison system doesn’t get the opportunity to make it back out redeemed or exonerated, because the system is designed to capture and keep them there regardless of their innocence or guilt. Their lives are irreparably changed; they are forever trapped.

Jasper, Texas: Learning about the vicious, gruesome murder of James Byrd Jr, was horrific- and that was just the movie. No matter how “community comes together” everyone tells that story, the reality is that there are people who will beat you, drag you chained down a gravel road for three miles as your body shreds away until you are decapitated, and leave your mangled body in front of a Black church to send a message… Because you’re Black and they hate you. To date I am scared when I’m walking and I see trucks passing me, and don’t let them have the American or the Confederate flag on them. Even Ahmaud Arbery, all he was doing was jogging in his hometown, and white men from out of town decided he should be murdered for that.

Do you want to know what all of these men and boys, from 1841 to 2020, had in common? What they did to warrant what happened to them? Being outside while Black. Some might call it “wrong place wrong time”, but the reality is that there is no “right place”. Sonya Massey, Breonna Taylor- murdered inside their home. Where else can you be, if the danger has every right to barge inside? There is no “safe”.

It is already Frightening to live while Black- not because being Black is inherently frightening, but because our society has made it horrific to do so. But that leads into my next point:

“They Shouldn’t Have Resisted”

Think of all the videos of assaulted and murdered Black people from police violence. If you can stomach going into the comments- which I don’t, anymore- you’ll see this classic comment of hate in the thousands, twisting your stomach into knots:

“if they obeyed the officer, if they didn’t resist, this wouldn’t have happened”

Another way our punitive society normalizes itself is via the idea of respectability politics; the idea that “if you are Good, if you do what you are Supposed to do, you will not be hurt- I will not have to hurt you”. Therefore, if my people are always suffering violence, it must be because we are Bad. And in a society that is already less gracious to Black people, that is more likely to think we are less human, that we are innately bad and must earn the right to be exceptional… the use of excessive violence towards me must be the natural outcome. “If your people weren’t more likely to be criminals, there wouldn’t be the need to be suspicious of you”- that is the way our society has taught us to frame these interactions, placing the blame for our own victimization on us.

Sidebar: I would highly suggest reading The New Jim Crow, written in 2010 by Michelle Alexander, to see how this mentality helps tie into large scale criminalization and mass incarceration, and how the cycle is purposely perpetuated.

You have to constantly be aware of how you look, walk and talk- and even then, that won’t be enough to save you if the time comes. The turning point for me, personally, was the murder of Sandra Bland. If she could be educated, beautiful, a beacon of her community, be everything a “Good” Black person is supposed to be… and still be murdered via police violence, they can kill any of us. And that’s a very terrifying thought- that anything at any point can be the reason for your death, and it will be validated because someone thinks you shouldn’t have “been that way”. And that way has far less to do with what you did, than it does who you are. Being “that way” is Black.

My point is, if this belief is so normalized in real life about violence on Black bodies- that somehow, we must have done something to deserve this- what makes you think that this belief does not affect how you comprehend Black people suffering in stories?

Hippocratic Oath

Human experimentation? Vivisection? Organ stealing? Begging for medicine? Dramatically bleeding out? Not trusting just anyone to see that you are hurt, because they might take advantage? All very real fears. The idea that pain is normal for Black people is especially rampant in the healthcare field, where ideas like our melanin making our skin thick enough to feel less pain (no), an overblown fear of ‘drug misuse’, and believing we are overexaggerating our pain makes many Black people being unwilling to trust the healthcare system. And it comes down to this thought:

If you think that I feel less pain, you will allow me to suffer long before you believe that I am in pain.

I was psychologically spiraling I was in so much pain after my wisdom teeth removal, and my surgeon was more concerned about “addiction to the medication”. Only because Hot Chocolate’s mom is a nurse, did I get an effective medicine schedule. My mother ended up with jaw rot because her surgeon outright claimed that she didn’t believe that she was in more than the ‘healing’ pain after her wisdom teeth were removed. She also has a gigantic, macabre (and awesome fr) scar on her stomach from a c-section she received after four days of labor attempting to have me… all because she was too poor and too Black to afford better doctors who wouldn’t have dismissed her struggles to push.

As a major example of dismissed Black pain: let’s discuss the mortality rate of Black women during childbirth, as well as the likelihood of our children to die. When we say “they will let you bleed to death”, we mean it.

“Black women have the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States — 69.9 per 100,000 live births for 2021, almost three times the rate for white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Black babies are more likely to die, and also far more likely to be born prematurely, setting the stage for health issues that could follow them through their lives.”

Even gynecology roots in dismissal (and taking brutal advantage of) Black women's pain:

“The history of this particular medical branch … it begins on a slave farm in Alabama,” Owens said. “The advancement of obstetrics and gynecology had such an intimate relationship with slavery, and was literally built on the wounds of Black women.” Reproductive surgeries that were experimental at the time, like cesarean sections, were commonly performed on enslaved Black women. Physicians like the once-heralded J. Marion Sims, an Alabama doctor many call the “father of gynecology,” performed torturous surgical experiments on enslaved Black women in the 1840s without anesthesia. And well after the abolition of slavery, hospitals performed unnecessary hysterectomies on Black women, and eugenics programs sterilized them.”

If you think Black characters are not in pain, or that they’re overexaggerating, you’re more likely to be okay with them suffering more in comparison to those whose pain you take more seriously- to those you believe.

What’s My Point?

My point is that whatever terrifying scene you think you’re writing, whatever violent whump scenario you think you’re about to put your Black characters through, there’s a chance it has probably happened and was treated as nonimportant (damn shame, right?) And when those terrifying scenes are both written and read, the way their suffering will be felt depends on how much you as a reader care, how much you believe they are suffering.

There’s a joke amongst readers of color that many dystopian tales are tales of “what happened if white people experienced things that the rest of us have already been put through?” Think concepts like alien invasion and mass eradication of the existing population- you may think of that as an action flick, meanwhile peoples globally have suffered colonization for centuries. The Handmaid’s Tale- forced birthing and raising of “someone else’s” children, always subject to sexual harassment by the Master while subject to hate from the Mistress- that’s just being a Mammy.

There’s nothing wrong with having Black characters be violent or deal with violence, especially in a story where every character is going through shit. That is not the problem! What I am trying to tell you, though, is to be aware that certain violent imagery is going to evoke familiarity in Black viewers. And if I as a Black viewer see my very real traumas treated as entertainment fodder- or worse, dismissed- by the narrative and other viewers, I will probably not want to consume that piece of media anymore. I will also question the intentions and the beliefs of the people who treat said traumas so callously. Now, if that’s not something you care about, that’s on you! But for people who do care, it is something we need to make sure we are catching before we do it.

“So I just can’t write anything?!”

Stop that. There are plenty of examples of stories containing horror and violence with Black characters. There’s an entire genre of us telling our own stories, using the same violence as symbolism. I’m not telling you “no” (least not always). I’m telling you to take some consideration when you write the things that you do. There’s nothing wrong about writing your Black characters being violent or experiencing violence. But there is a difference between making it narratively relevant, and thoughtlessly using them as a “spook”, a stereotypical scary Black person, or a punching bag, especially in a way that may invoke certain trauma.

The Black Guy Dies First

The joke is that we never survive these horror movies because we either wouldn’t be there to begin with, or because we would make better decisions and the narrative can’t have that. But the reality is just that a lot of writers find Black characters- Black people- expendable in comparison to their white counterparts, and it shows. More of a “here, damn” sort of character, not worth investment and easy to shrug off. The book itself I haven’t read, just because it’s pretty new, but I’m looking forward to doing so. But from the summaries, it goes into horror media history and how Black characters have fared in these stories, as well as how that connects to the society those characters were written in. I.e., a thorough version of this lesson.

Instead, I wrote an entire list of questions you could possibly ask yourself involving violence or villainy involving a Black character. Feel free to print it and put it on your wall where you write if you have to! I cannot stress enough that asking yourself questions like these are good both for your creation and just… being less antiblack in general when you consume media.

Black Horror/Black Thriller

We, too, have turned our violent experiences into stories. I continue to highly suggest watching our films and reading our stories to see how we convey our fear, our terror, our violence and our pain. There are plenty of stories that work- Get Out, The Angry Black Girl and her Monster, Candyman, Lovecraft Country (the show) and Nanny are some examples. There’s even a blog by the co-writer of The Black Guy Dies First who runs BlackHorrorMovies where he reviews horror movies from throughout the decades.

Desiree Evans has a great essay, We Need Black Horror More Than Ever, that gets into why this genre is so creative and effective, that I think says what I have to say better than I could.

“Even before Peele, Black horror had a rich literary lineage going back to the folklore of Africa and its Diaspora. Stories of haints, witches, curses, and magic of all kinds can be found in the folktales collected by author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston and in the folktales retold by acclaimed children’s book author Virginia Hamilton. One of my earliest childhood literary memories is being entranced by Hamilton’s The House of Dies Drear and Patricia McKissack’s children’s book classic The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural, both examples of the ways Black authors have tapped into Black history along with our rich ghostlore.” “Black horror can be clever and subversive, allowing Black writers to move against racist tropes, to reconfigure who stands at the center of a story, and to shift the focus from the dominant narrative to that which is hidden, submerged. To ask: what happens when the group that was Othered, gets to tell their side of the story?”

For on the nose simplicity, I’m going to use hood classic Tales From The Hood (1994) as an example of how violence can be integrated into Black horror tales. Tales From The Hood is like… The Twilight Zone by Black people. Messages discussing issues in our community, done through a mystical twist. Free on Tubi! If you want to stop here before some spoilers, it’s an hour and a half. A great time!

In the first story, a Black political activist is murdered by the cops. The scene is reflective of the real-world efforts to discredit and even murder activists speaking out against police violence, as well as the types of things done to criminalize Black citizens for capture. The song Strange Fruit plays in the background, to drive the point home that this is a lynching.

The second story deals with a Black little boy experiencing abuse in the home, drawing a green monster to show his teacher why he’s covered in wounds and is lashing out at school.

The fourth story is about a gangbanger who undergoes “behavioral modification” to be released from prison early. Think of the classic scene from A Clockwork Orange. He must watch as imagery of the Klan and of happy whites lynching Black bodies (real-life pictures and video, mind you!) play into his mind alongside gang violence.

Isn’t Violence Stereotypical or antiblack?

That last story from Tales From The Hood leads into a good point. It can be! But it does not have to be! Violence is a human experience. By suggesting we don’t experience it or commit it, you would be denying everything I’ve just spoken about. We don’t have to be racist to write our Black characters in violent situations. We also don’t have to comprehend those situations through a racist lens.

Even experiences that seem “stereotypical” do not have to be comprehended that way. I get a LOT of questions about if something is stereotypical, and my response is always that it depends on the writing!!! You could give me a harmless prompt and it becomes the most racist story ever once you leave my inbox. But you could give me a “stereotypical” prompt and it be genuine writing.

Let’s take the movie Juice for example. Juice in my honest to God opinion becomes a thriller about halfway in. On its surface, Juice looks like bad Black boys shooting and cursing and doing things they aren’t supposed to be doing! Incredibly stereotypical- violent young thugs. You might think, “you shouldn’t write something like this- you’re telling everyone this is what your community is like”. First- there’s that respectability politics again! Just because something is not a “respectable” story does not mean it doesn’t need to be told!

But if we’re actually paying attention, what we’re looking at is four young boys dealing with their environment in different ways. All four of them originally stick together to feel power amongst their brotherhood as they all act tough and discover their own identities. They are not perfect, but they are still kids. In this environment, to be tough, to be strong, you do the things that they are doing. You run from cops, you steal from stores, you mess with all the girls and talk shit and wave weapons. That’s what makes you “big”. That’s what gives you the “juice”- and the “juice” can make you untouchable.

I want to focus particularly on Bishop, yes, played by Tupac. Bishop, the antagonist of Juice, is particularly powerless, angry, and scared of the world around him. He puts on a big front of bravado, yelling, cursing, and talking big because he’s tired of being afraid, and he doesn’t know how to deal with it otherwise. So when he gets access to a gun- to power- he quickly spirals out of control. His response to his fear is to wave around a tool that makes him feel stronger, that stops the things that scare him from scaring him.

Now, that is not a unique tale! That is a tale that any race could write about, particularly young white men with gun violence! If you ever cared for Fairuza Balk’s character in The Craft, it is a similar fall from grace. But because it is on a young, Black man in the hood, audiences are less likely to empathize with Bishop. And granted, Bishop is unhinged! But many a white character has been, and is not shoved into a stereotype that white people cannot escape from!

Now would I be comfortable if a nonblack person attempted to write a narrative like Juice? Yes, because I’d worry about the tendency to lose the messaging and just fall into stereotype outright. But it can be done! The story can be told!

“But if Black violence bad, why rap?”

The short answer:

“In order for me to write poetry that isn’t political, I must listen to the birds, and in order to hear the birds, the warplanes must be silent.”

Marwhan Makhoul, Palestinian Poet

First, rap is not “only violence and misogyny”. Step your understanding of the genre up; there are plenty of options outside of the mainstream that don’t discuss those things. Second, every genre of music has mainstream popular songs about vice and sin. The idea that Black rappers have to be held to a higher standard is yet another example of how we are seen as inherently bad and must prove ourselves good. We could speak about nothing but drugs and alcohol and 1) there would still be white artists who do the very same and 2) we would still deserve to be treated like humans.

That said, many- not all- rappers rap about violence for the same reason Billy Joel wrote We Didn’t Start the Fire, the same reason Homer first spoke The Iliad- because they have something to say about it! They stand in a long tradition of people using poetry and rhythm to tell stories. Rap is an art of storytelling!

Rap is often used as an expression of frustration and righteous anger against a system built to keep us trapped within it. I’m not allowed to be angry? Why wouldn’t I be angry? Anger is a protective emotion, often when one feels helpless. Young Black people also began to reclaim and glorify the violence they lived in within their music, to take pride in their survival and in their success in a world that otherwise wanted them to fail. If I think the world fights against me no matter what I do, I’d rather live in pride than in shame with a bent head. Is it right? Maybe, maybe not. But if you don’t want them to rap about violence, why not alleviate the things leading to the violence in their environment?

Whether you choose to listen to their words, because the delivery scares you- and trust, angry Black men scared the music industry and society- doesn’t make the story any less valid!

Conclusion

I am going to drop a classic by Slick Rick called Children’s Story. I think listening to it- and I mean genuinely listening- summarizes what I’ve said here about how Black creators can tell stories, even violent ones, and how even the delivery through Blackness can change how you perceive them. Please take the time to listen before continuing.

I’ve been alive for 28 years and have known this song my whole life, and it just hit me tonight: not once is the kid in this story identified as Black! My perception of this story was completely altered by my own experiences, who told the story, and how it was told.

That’s what I’m trying to tell you. You can tell stories of violence that involve Black characters. I love and adore a good hurt/comfort myself! But you need to be cognizant of your audience and how they’ll perceive the story you’re telling, and that includes the types of imagery you include. It’s not effective catharsis via hurt/comfort for the audience if your Black readers are being completely left out of the comfort. “I wrote this for myself” that’s cool, but… if you wrote racism for yourself, and you’re willing to admit that to yourself, that’s on you. I’d like to think that’s not your intention! You can write these stories of woe and pain without mistreating your Black characters- but that requires knowing and acknowledging when and how you’re doing that!

@afropiscesism makes a solid point in this post: our horror stories are not just fairytales full of amorphous boogiemen meant to teach lessons. Racial violence is very real, very alive, and we cannot act like the things we write can be dismissed outright as “oh well it’s not real”. Sure, those characters aren’t real. But the way you feel about Black bodies and violence is, and often it can slip into your writing as a pattern without you even realizing it. Be willing to get uncomfortable and check yourself on this as you write, as well as noticing it in other works!

If you’re constantly thinking “I would never do this”, you’ll never stop yourself when you inevitably do! If you know what violent imagery can be evoked, you can utilize it or avoid it altogether- but only if you’re willing to get honest about it. You might not intend to do any of this, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t change the pattern, because as always, it’s the thought that counts, but the action that delivers!

[nightlilly0110]

I’m making my way through 100%-ing Hi-Fi Rush and I have so many fucking questions about Kale and his motives. And yeah, he can be boiled down to “evil corporate CEO that just wants more customers/more money” but like. I need to know how he got to that point considering Roxanne is the exact opposite of him in regard to how they conduct business. So I have a bunch of questions about that whole thing under the cut. Disclaimer that this might sound like I’m making up excuses for Kale’s behaviour or try to villainize his family but I’m just sort of posing hypotheticals and don’t consider any of these real options, they’re more like theories.

Did he hate his family so much that he decided to be the exact opposite of them?

The creator of Hi-Fi Rush has stated that while Kale has no listed age, he places him at about 38, giving a 15-year age gap between him and Peppermint. Roxanne is also stated to have created a rift within her family by throwing herself into her work and there’s no mention of Kale and Peppermint’s dad, so chances are that Kale was left in charge of his sister, who took all of their mom’s attention as Kale states that he’s not the favourite. Did he look at Roxanne doing everything for other people and decide he wasn’t going to be like that? If he didn’t “decide” to be the opposite, maybe it subconsciously wormed its way in there after being forced to essentially be a parent in high school?

Did he genuinely believe he was doing the right thing with SPECTRA?

I always find it interesting that Kale frames SPECTRA as “freeing” consumers from choices. I wonder if there was a tiny bit of truth to that in that he somehow thought he was doing something right. His blurb in the model viewer does say that he doesn’t want to do much work (again, probably after seeing Roxanne ignore them in favour of work) but he overcomplicates his plans when trying to find ways to avoid work (like the whole fucking back-up plan). But also maybe he thought he was doing the right thing in that, again, he grew up poor and got it in his head that finding whatever way to increase his profits (read: financial security) is the best thing/would get his mother to stop working/would make her proud of him. Or maybe he did think this was a morally correct choice as his overactive imagination (ok I know the vlogs in the SPECTRA room are parodying other video games and just for the gag but this still kinda means Kale is coming up with wild fucking shit) prevents him from making choices on what to do and he thinks everyone has this sort of paralysis in getting things done?

What happened to the dad?

Did he leave and this was part of the rift that caused the kids to drift away from Roxanne? Is he dead? Is Kale somehow responsible and/or blamed for it or thinks either Peppermint or Roxanne are responsible for it?

Why is Peppermint the favourite?

Similar personalities? Is it because Peppermint was better at engineering and programming than Kale was? Bias towards the younger sibling? Does Kale look too much like his dad? Did Roxanne see him at his worst and decide not to touch those issues with a 40-foot pole? I NEED TO KNOW.

What is The Accident?

What kind of accident did Peppermint go through? Is someone to blame? Did the dad get hurt/die because of it? Were Kale and Roxanne caught in the same accident? Kale’s blurb only says that he replaced his body, but it could be that he needed to replace his body, perhaps because of an accident? Roxanne made Peppermint’s leg - if Kale was also in the same accident, wouldn’t she have made something for him too? (Meaning that either she didn’t make anything personal for him and he did what he needed with company tech or she did and he replaced it, I’m getting sidetracked) What if Kale caused the accident somehow? What if Peppermint did? What if Roxanne did? What if I’m reading too much into it?

Did Kale meet the department heads before or after he took over?

Are they friends or just coworkers? Did they influence him to become the corporate scumbag he is presently? Did he influence them?

Did Kale actually make SPECTRA?

Peppermint makes it clear that he stole the idea for Project Armstrong from their mom and that he’s taking credit for everything she did. I know this is meant to be commentary on CEOs acting like they are doing work when it’s the lower level workers that are actually doing everything. So like, does Kale actually have any tech literacy at all or does he just profit off of others? And again, he wants to do the least amount of work possible. Also, if he didn’t actually make the AI, then who did and why? If he didn’t actually make it, is it another one of Roxanne’s projects? Zanzo’s? Third party supervillain who we might see in a sequel?

[mariacallous]

Russian TV airs footage showing mercy-killing between ‘Ukrainian’ soldiers, but the troops in the video are probably Russian

In a recent broadcast of the news program Vesti, the Russian state-owned network Rossiya-24 aired a video showing a soldier mercy-killing a fellow serviceman while fleeing drones. In the footage, a UAV bombs one of the soldiers, knocking him to the ground. The man’s injuries aren’t visible, but he immediately gestures to another fleeing soldier, apparently asking him to shoot him in the head and put him out of his misery. The other soldier obliges and continues running. Rossiya-24 host Anastasia Ivanova claimed that the video shows Ukrainian soldiers under a Russian drone attack. She and her cohost argued the “ideologically charged neo-Nazis” on Ukraine’s front lines have been reduced to a minority and are now fighting against both Russians and Ukrainians drafted by force. The show then featured comments from a man identified as a “special military operation” veteran who told viewers that the footage demonstrates the “animalistic nature” and “fascist ideology” embedded in the “subconscious” of certain Ukrainian soldiers. 

Rossiya-24’s footage was just a fragment of a longer video that first appeared in a June 22 Telegram post by the channel Russia No Context, which says it received it from a subscriber. According to the channel, the video shows Russian soldiers running in the direction of Ukrainian positions. Though several pro-invasion “Z” Telegram channels claim that Ukrainian psyops staged the footage, OSINT researchers including Ruslan Leviev at the Conflict Intelligence Team have geolocated the video to a town in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region on the war’s frontlines. Leviev says he doubts the video is fake, explaining that it would be the best-staged video he’s ever seen in his years of analyzing war footage. He added that Russian soldiers do sometimes “finish off” wounded compatriots on the battlefield, but the video showing the man asking directly to be shot in the head is “quite unusual.” Leviev speculates that the desperation caught on camera indicates the dire circumstances at the front line.

Meduza’s own newsroom was unable to verify whether the soldiers in the video are Russian or Ukrainian, given the lack of identifying marks visible in the footage. The geolocated setting for the video also can’t explain whether the men were Russian or Ukrainian, though their blurred camouflage more closely resembles the uniforms of Russian soldiers. 

[teravarna0]

Abstract Painting or Digital Art? Decoding the Future of Abstract Creativity

The power of abstract art has always been there in creative expressions, capturing emotions and ideas through bizarre shapes, bold colors, and texture. Artists nowadays are pushing boundaries from the abstract brushstrokes to the realm of pixel-perfect abstract digital art. They are experimenting with a new domain of creativity. With the rise of digital tools and platforms, the art world is facing a new question: What lies ahead for the future of abstract creativity – whether they are rooted in traditional abstract painting or digital innovation. To get the answers, let’s begin here.

Even most of the art competitions and contests are balancing the best of both worlds - abstract art contests and abstract art competitions are featuring both painted and digital works. The buzz around abstract creativity has never been more vibrant. In this blog, we will explore how abstract painting and digital art are shaping the future of abstract expression for artists and how they are blending these two worlds to create stunning modern abstract art.

The Timeless Appeal of Abstract Painting

Abstract expressions have a long and colorful history, with famous abstract art pieces crafted by renowned artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and Jackson Pollock and more. These artists experimented with the genre to express emotions in a candid way, and explore the subconscious, breaking away from traditional representational art.

What makes this genre of abstract painting so enduring is its texture of brushstrokes, the layering of paint, and the creation on canvas with the raw emotions. They make each piece a unique, and irreplaceable quality. In the modern era, abstract artists continue to experiment with mixed media, unconventional materials, and bold color palettes to create artwork that speaks to contemporary viewers and art-lovers.

What Makes Abstract Painting Timeless:

Emotional Connection: There is a deep emotional connection with abstract art and its raw texture that evoke deep emotional responses.

Creative Freedom: Through the abstract creations and spontaneous expression, painters can enjoy working with varied color, form, and styles.

Feeling the Presence: The space and the physical depth of creations create an immersive experience for the creator. This helps liberate the energy.

Abstract art contests organized by contemporary art galleries like TERAVARNA often invite artists who could show their skills in physical and digital art form, to prove that we still enjoy the magic of physical form and methods and they are going to survive in the digital art world.

The Rise of Abstract Digital Art

While abstract painting still has its own mark, abstract digital art is rapidly gaining ground in the art community. With the introduction of powerful software and digital platforms, artists can now create complex abstract compositions. There are innovative 3D rendering software, various top-grade graphic design programs, and AI-driven art generators.

What are the advantages of Abstract digital art:

Precision and Flexibility: Digital art allows for more precision unlike physical art, intricate details with a seamless color palette.  

Innovative Techniques: Artists can innovate techniques, adjusting light, texture, and motion in the composition.

Accessibility and Sharing: Digital art is much more accessible through online platforms and social media, reaching out to worldwide viewership in a jiffy.

Contemporary abstract art competitions like that of TERAVARNA art gallery showcase digital artworks along with traditional paintings, so that the fine line between the physical and virtual art worlds. Digital abstract art allows ample room for experimentation without the fear of the ‘happy accidents’—that often happen on canvas, giving artists the freedom to explore endless possibilities.

To Have the Best of Both Worlds: The Neo-Normal Trends

So, what lies ahead for abstract art and expressions? It can have the best of both - painting and digital art—or, a fusion of both. Many contemporary artists are blending traditional and digital techniques to create artistic fusions that merge the physical and virtual.

It might so happen that an artist who's started working on a painted canvas, might land up on the digital platform to add layers of texture, color, and movement. Likewise, a digital piece can be printed on canvas and enhanced with physical paint or mixed media, creating a more physical, multi-dimensional experience.

Most abstract art contests are trying to address this new trend, with mediums that allow mixed media and hybrid works. This makes a greater impact on the art world, where the boundaries between digital and traditional art are starting to dissolve.

Abstract Art Competitions: A New Era of Creativity

An abstract art competition can be a springboard for artistic innovation, with both painted and digital entries pushing the limits of creativity. Nowadays, many abstract art contests have featured:

Famous abstract art and paintings showcasing bold color palettes and expressive brushstrokes.

Digital works of abstraction that explore light, motion, and other elements.

There are fusion pieces combining paint, texture, and digital overlays that give a rare sensory experience.

Such competitions organized by leading galleries like TERAVARNA do not just select winners—they try to evaluate the changing canvas of abstract art and celebrate the diversity in techniques.  

The Future of Abstract Art & Expressions: Coexistence, Not Competition

The question still remains open for abstract creativity – whether to go digital or stay physical as usual? The answer can be both. Abstract painting always tries to grab the emotional depth and tactile quality of traditional art, while abstract digital art makes precision, innovation, and global sharing possible.

As more contests welcome both digital and painted works, artists can choose any of the mediums. The most exciting abstract artwork today is often the result of blending the old with the new—to prove that creativity can thrive better without boundaries.

No matter if the artwork is of the textured brushstrokes, or the vibrant pixels of a digital masterpiece, abstract art will always rise above the normal grids. It does not depend on the medium you choose, but largely on the ability to make us feel, think, and perceive the world in an abstract and surreal light. 

[99900000000000119]

Is it a coincidence that the mainstream media news outlets have so much negative news? Could it have anything to do with convincing their viewers to choose sides, embrace anger and other negative emotions? Do we need to blindly accept these news reports as accurate? Has anyone heard about the 1-million-plus Islamists in Iran converting to Christianity? When such conversion actually carries the Death Penalty in Iran. Why has this serious life-changing news been obscured and widely ignored? Wouldn’t it be better to stop all wars on our planet? Have we ever thought that by stopping all wars, that the planet would suddenly possess enough wealth and resources to stop all hunger and perceived lack in the world? Human beings as eternal souls have no need for conflicts that lead to wars; why would we? The Age of Dictators no longer exists. The Age of Freedom has arrived. Yet, the war-mongers —which control world news outlets—-are doing their best to keep us fighting one another; taking sides and following what we're told. The perfect example of such propaganda can be seen in our politics at home. For instance, we have a political movement to curtail or eliminate the Making America Healthy Again movement. Why on earth would anyone or group fight against this goal? Or to Make America Great Again by exposing corruption and waste in our government; who would work against this goal? When we call their bluff and as true Americans come together regardless of differences we win and they lose. This is their greatest fear: That humanity wakes up to the ploys used against us, that we see we’re all in this together; that we only need to work together to reach any goal we desire. Boycotting mainstream news outlets can help us break free from the hypnotic programming they broadcast 24/7. Understanding that repeated messages are eventually accepted as “true” by our subconscious minds, can be the beginning of freeing ourselves from the negative control of our beliefs and our lives. What is there to lose? Seriously.

[longformeditions]

LE049 Shy Layers Composition For Loud Magic

Shy Layers is the musical incarnation of Atlanta-based multimedia artist JD Walsh. He made his debut recording on Hamburg’s Growing Bin Records, fusing elements of Krautrock, 80s R&B, African Highlife, Balearic Pop, and free-form modular-synth jams. This self-titled LP was named one of 2016’s top 20 Electronic records by Pitchfork. His visual artworks have been exhibited internationally. His sophomore LP Midnight Marker was released in 2018 on Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space label. He has been profiled in Pitchfork, Stereogum, Uproxx, and The Guardian, among others.

Artist notes: Composition for Loud Magic is a work written to be heard in an exhibition of sculptures by Sonya Yong James. This exhibition occurred at Whitespace Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia in 2019. James’ work uses materials such as horsehair, cotton, clay, and silk to conjure images of dream states, ghosts, and shadows. I wanted the audio to be both reflective of this, and to be complimentary on its own. The work was written in four movements: some melodic, some textural, some with large swaths of silence, punctuated by bursts of activity. The composition weaves together manipulated found sounds, improvisations on the modular synth, and recordings made with contact microphones that were then processed in the Max/MSP programming environment. Like a lot of ambient music, the work is meant to be engaged with at any level of attention that the audience sees fit, and was originally intended to be looped and happened upon in a non-linear fashion.

I was lucky enough to meet Pauline Oliveros at a few key points during my artistic development. The first was in my early twenties, where she'd been collaborating with teachers of mine (Andrew Deutsch and Peer Bode) in a group called The Carrier Band. Being exposed to the practice of listening as a theory, especially the idea of listening as an active process, really changed the course of my thinking inexorably. With its implications for the environment, for meditation, for the body, nature, and the subconscious, I felt (and still feel) that music can not be complete without the audience/viewer/listener’s presence and participation. This has allowed me to make works in both the sonic and visual realms that are more open-ended, and less constrained by things like duration, narrative, or notions of so-called good taste. Instead, it’s allowed me to use a wider spectrum of sounds, both musical and non-musical, and to use chance and randomness in many aspects of my creative process. 

[tareqqteshat2]

Fast Wealth Review: Unlocking Abundance Through a Wealth Mindset

In a world where financial independence is often seen as the ultimate goal, Fast Wealth emerges as a unique solution catering to those ready to embrace unconventional methods to achieve success.

Designed for personal development enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, spiritual seekers, and financial aspirants, this program promises to transform your mindset and guide you toward building a life of abundance.

But does it live up to the hype? This detailed review will explore Fast Wealth in-depth, covering its offerings, strengths, and potential drawbacks.

Transform Your Financial Reality Today! Are you ready to break free from limiting beliefs and start living the life of abundance you deserve? Fast Wealth offers the tools, mindset shifts, and community support you need to attract opportunities, resources, and success. Don’t wait — your journey to financial freedom starts now. 👉 Click here to explore Fast Wealth and unlock your potential today!

What is Fast Wealth?

Fast Wealth is a personal development program aimed at helping individuals manifest financial success by shifting their mindset. Unlike traditional wealth-building methods that focus solely on practical strategies like investing or budgeting, Fast Wealth dives into the psychological and metaphysical aspects of prosperity.

At its core, the program leverages principles such as the Law of Attraction, visualization, and subconscious reprogramming. It’s designed for those who believe — or are curious about — the idea that their thoughts, beliefs, and energy can directly impact their financial reality.

The creators of Fast Wealth emphasize that the program isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme but rather a holistic approach to cultivating a wealth mindset that naturally attracts opportunities, resources, and abundance into your life.

Who is Fast Wealth For?

Fast Wealth caters to a wide audience, particularly:

1. Personal Development Enthusiasts

Individuals passionate about self-improvement.

Those familiar with concepts like The Secret or mindset transformation workshops.

2. Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

Business-minded individuals looking for alternative ways to grow.

Those open to exploring mindset shifts as a catalyst for professional success.

3. Spiritual Seekers

People interested in metaphysics, spirituality, and the power of the subconscious mind.

Followers of mindfulness, meditation, or energy healing practices.

4. Financial Aspirants

Those looking to improve their financial circumstances through non-traditional methods.

Middle-income earners seeking financial independence.

5. Audience of Manifestation/Wealth Coaches

Followers of influences specializing in abundance and success coaching.

Regular viewers of content related to mindset and financial growth.

Key Features of Fast Wealth

1. Mindset Transformation Tools

The program centers on reprogramming your subconscious mind to eliminate limiting beliefs about money. It provides guided exercises, affirmations, and meditations to help you align your thoughts with financial abundance.

2. Visualization Techniques

Fast Wealth emphasizes the power of visualization in creating your desired reality. Through vivid mental imagery, participants are taught to “see” their financial success as if it’s already happening.

3. Actionable Frameworks

While the focus is primarily on mindset, the program includes actionable steps to help users bridge the gap between their new mindset and tangible financial results.

4. Community Support

Participants gain access to a community of like-minded individuals. This support system encourages accountability, shared experiences, and motivation.

5. Spiritual and Metaphysical Integration

Fast Wealth incorporates spiritual principles, blending modern psychology with ancient metaphysical wisdom to create a holistic wealth-building strategy.

Stop Dreaming and Start Manifesting! Imagine living a life where your financial goals become reality through the power of mindset and visualization. Fast Wealth combines proven strategies with spiritual principles to help you achieve just that. Take the first step toward your wealth transformation. 🌟 Join Fast Wealth Now and manifest the success you’ve always dreamed of!

Strengths of Fast Wealth

1. Holistic Approach

Unlike programs that focus purely on financial strategies, Fast Wealth addresses both the psychological and spiritual aspects of wealth. This makes it an appealing choice for those seeking deeper, more meaningful transformations.

2. Accessibility

The program is easy to understand and accessible to people at any stage of their financial or personal development journey. The concepts are explained in simple terms, making them applicable even for beginners.

3. Focus on Empowerment

Fast Wealth encourages individuals to take ownership of their financial reality. By teaching users to identify and re frame limiting beliefs, the program empowers them to become active creators of their success.

4. Customizable Practices

Participants can tailor the techniques to fit their lifestyle. Whether you prefer daily affirmations, meditation, or journalism, Fast Wealth offers flexibility in how you engage with the material.

5. Global Appeal

The principles taught in the program are universal, making it relevant for a diverse audience worldwide.

Potential Drawbacks of Fast Wealth

1. Requires Commitment

Success with Fast Wealth depends heavily on consistent practice and engagement. Individuals unwilling to put in the time may find it challenging to see results.

2. Subjectivity of Results

Since much of the program is rooted in mindset shifts and metaphysical principles, the results can vary widely. While some may experience dramatic changes, others might find the process slower or less impactful.

3. Not a Practical Financial Guide

If you’re seeking hands-on advice about investments, budgeting, or business strategies, Fast Wealth might not be the best fit. It’s primarily focused on mental and spiritual preparation for success.

4. Price Point

Depending on the package chosen, some may find the cost of Fast Wealth to be higher than expected, especially for a program based on mindset training.

How Does Fast Wealth Compare to Similar Programs?

Fast Wealth stands out for its integration of metaphysical and psychological principles. While other programs like Mindlessness Abundance Quest or Tony Robbins’ Financial Freedom Program offer practical steps toward wealth-building, Fast Wealth focuses more on internal transformation.

For individuals who believe that success starts within, this program may feel more aligned with their goals than traditional wealth-building courses.

Testimonials and Success Stories

One of the most compelling aspects of Fast Wealth is its testimonials. Participants have shared stories of financial breakthroughs, career advancements, and unexpected opportunities after implementing the program’s teachings. While these anecdotes are inspiring, it’s important to approach them with realistic expectations, as individual results will vary.

Why Fast Wealth Works

Fast Wealth works because it addresses a critical yet often overlooked aspect of success: the mind. By helping participants shift their beliefs and energy, the program creates a foundation for sustainable financial growth. When paired with actionable steps and consistent effort, the mindset shifts taught in Fast Wealth can lead to meaningful changes.

Is Fast Wealth Right for You?

Fast Wealth is an excellent choice if you:

Are curious about non-traditional approaches to success.

Believe that mindset plays a significant role in financial outcomes.

Want to explore the connection between spirituality and wealth.

Are ready to commit to personal growth and consistent practice.

However, if you’re looking for a quick fix or a program heavily focused on practical financial strategies, you may want to supplement Fast Wealth with additional resources.

Your Abundant Future Awaits! Why settle for ordinary when extraordinary is within your reach? With Fast Wealth, you’ll learn how to align your thoughts, energy, and actions to create a prosperous future. This isn’t just a program; it’s your gateway to lasting abundance. 🚀 Click here to start your Fast Wealth journey and embrace the life you were meant to live!

Final Verdict: Is Fast Wealth Worth It?

Fast Wealth is more than just a program — it’s a mindset revolution for those ready to embrace a holistic path to financial success. Its unique blend of spiritual principles, psychological tools, and community support makes it a standout option in the world of personal development.

While it requires dedication and patience, the potential benefits far outweigh the effort. Whether you’re a personal development enthusiast, an entrepreneur, or someone seeking financial independence, Fast Wealth could be the catalyst for your next big breakthrough.

[betshy]

Exploring the Mystery of Remote Viewing and ESP Phenomenon

Remote viewing, also known as extrasensory perception (ESP), is a phenomenon in which individuals claim to have the ability to perceive information from a remote location, outside of their physical senses. This concept has been at the centre of much debate and controversy as scientists and sceptics question the validity of these claims. The practice of remote viewing gained popularity in the 1970s when the US government initiated a classified program known as the Stargate Project. The goal of this project was to investigate the potential military applications of remote viewing, with some claiming that it could be used for intelligence gathering and espionage. Remote viewing typically involves a person acting as a "viewer" who attempts to visualise a specific target or location, without any prior knowledge or information about it. The viewer then describes their impressions and details to a facilitator, who is often located far away from the target location. Proponents of remote viewing argue that it is a legitimate phenomenon that can provide valuable information and insights. They believe that remote viewing taps into the subconscious mind and allows individuals to access information through non-physical means. Critics, on the other hand, maintain that remote viewing is nothing more than a pseudoscience and that the results are often ambiguous and unreliable. They argue that any apparent success in remote viewing can be attributed to chance, coincidence, or the power of suggestion. Despite the scepticism surrounding remote viewing, there have been numerous reported cases of successful remote viewing experiments, including instances where viewers were able to accurately describe distant locations or events. These alleged successes have piqued the interest of researchers and sparked ongoing investigations into the validity of remote viewing. Whether you believe in the validity of remote viewing or not, it remains a fascinating and enigmatic phenomenon that continues to capture the curiosity and imagination of many. As research in this field continues to evolve, perhaps one day we will uncover the truth behind this mysterious ability to perceive information beyond the constraints of our physical senses. Read the full article

[careerfortune123]

Crafting Eye-Catching Connections: A Dive into the World of Display Ads

In the vast online landscape, catching the eye of potential customers can be as challenging as finding your favorite socks in a messy drawer. Display ads are the vibrant, visual storytellers of the digital world. 

Display ads are the colorful banners you stumble upon while scrolling through websites or social media. They're like friendly neighbors, waving hello and showing off what they've got.. They are the artistic storytellers of the digital advertising world. 

Display ads are image or multimedia-based, leveraging visuals and designs to capture attention.These ads are more like friendly neighbors, popping up on websites users visit, irrespective of an immediate search query.

Benefits:

Creative Expression: Display ads provide a canvas for creative expression, enabling brands to showcase their personality and products in a visually appealing manner.

Brand Awareness: They excel in building brand awareness, as users are exposed to the brand even if they aren't actively searching for related terms.

Diverse Targeting: Display ads allow targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviors, broadening the potential audience.

Challenges:

Ad Blindness: Users, accustomed to seeing ads, may develop "ad blindness," ignoring or subconsciously blocking out display ads.

Conversion Challenges: Unlike search ads, display ads might not lead to immediate conversions as they are more focused on brand exposure.

Do's and Don'ts While Creating a Display Ad:

Do's:

Visual Appeal: Invest time in creating visually appealing ads. A picture's worth a thousand words, right?

Brand Consistency: Ensure your display ads align with your brand's overall look and feel. Consistency builds trust.

Clear Message: Keep it simple and clear. Viewers should grasp your message within a few seconds.

Audience Targeting: Utilize the targeting options wisely. Reach the right people with ads that match their interests and habits.

Don'ts:

Information Overload: Avoid cramming too much information into a small space. Less is often more when it comes to displaying ads.

Ignoring Mobile Users: Many folks browse on their phones. Make sure your display ads look great and work well on mobile devices.

Stock Photo Overload: While stock photos are handy, too many can make your brand seem generic. Add a personal touch for authenticity.

Neglecting Analytics: Keep an eye on how your ads are performing. If something's not working, tweak it. Analytics are your compass.

Display ads are your brand's visual cheerleaders, waving your flag in the digital crowd. With a blend of creativity, clear messaging, and strategic targeting, they can carve a lasting impression on potential customers. So, let your display ads tell your brand's story, making it an unmissable tale in the digital journey of your customers. Another chapter leading to a happy ending to your tale should of the career fortune institute in pune

Career Fortune is where your digital marketing aspirations become reality with the pay after placement digital marketing course in Pune. Here's why their program is the perfect fit for you:

Job Assurance: Your success is their priority. They guarantee 100% placement assistance, ensuring you land a rewarding position in Pune's thriving digital marketing industry.

Expert Faculty: Learn from industry professionals who bring real-world expertise to the classroom, making your education practical and insightful.

Career Counseling: Feeling uncertain? Their career counseling services guide you towards the right path, ensuring your decisions align with your goals.

Online Offline Learning: Choose your preferred mode of learning – whether it's online or offline, they adapt to your needs for a flexible and effective learning experience.

Advanced Curriculum: Dive deep into digital marketing with their advanced curriculum covering SEO, SEM, email marketing, and more. Gain in-demand skills that set you apart in the competitive market.

Pay After Placement in Pune: Take the financial pressure off your shoulders. With the pay-after-placement option, focus on learning first and pay for the course only after securing a job.

Career Fortune is not just offering a course but a pathway to success in digital marketing.

[zov911]

Title: Unleashing the Potential of TV Advertising for Construction Companies: A Game-Changing Strategy Introduction: In an ever-evolving digital landscape, the power of television advertising is often overlooked by construction companies seeking to enhance their brand presence. In this article, we delve into the untapped potential of TV advertising and uncover a game-changing strategy that can transform the way construction companies connect with their target audience. By understanding the value and relevance of TV advertising, industry professionals can unlock a world of opportunities to accelerate their business success. Embracing the Visual Power: Construction, fundamentally a visual industry, thrives on captivating visuals. TV advertising provides the perfect medium to showcase the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into every project. By leveraging the power of sight and sound, construction companies can breathe life into their brand storytelling and establish a profound emotional connection with viewers. Crafting Powerful Narratives: Every construction project has a unique story waiting to be told. It's time for companies to embrace TV advertising as a storytelling platform. These commercials can exemplify the challenges encountered, the innovative solutions employed, and the positive impact their projects have on communities. By strategically crafting narratives that inspire and resonate with viewers, construction companies can leave a lasting impression that sets them apart from the competition. Targeting the Right Audience: Effective TV advertising relies on targeting the right audience. The construction industry comprises a diverse range of professionals, including builders, architects, subcontractors, and investors. Identifying the varied interests and preferences within this audience can help companies curate advertisements that speak directly to their desired stakeholders. By honing in on key demographics and airing commercials during programs relevant to the construction industry, companies can maximize their impact. Building Trust and Credibility: TV advertising delivers a sense of credibility that remains unparalleled in the digital space. The medium's enduring legacy, alongside the rigorous scrutiny it faces, confers a level of trust that other platforms struggle to emulate. Construction companies can leverage this credibility to build trust with potential clients, assuring them of their expertise, experience, and commitment to quality. Expanding Outreach: TV advertising's wide reach and omnipresence allow construction companies to enter households and workplaces, reaching an audience that may not actively seek their services online. By relying on TV ads as a part of their marketing mix, companies can ensure their message is seen by a vast audience who may have previously overlooked their brand. This expanded outreach can open doors to new collaborations, partnerships, and opportunities that were previously untapped. Driving Brand Recognition: Consistent exposure on television builds lasting brand recognition that extends beyond advertisements themselves. By cleverly intertwining their logo, tagline, or jingle, companies can engrain their brand in the subconscious minds of viewers. This recognition exponentially increases the chances of being considered for future construction projects, reinforcing the notion that their brand is one to trust and remember. Conclusion: In an era where digital marketing dominates the landscape, TV advertising continues to hold immense power and untapped potential for construction companies. By embracing the visual impact of television, crafting compelling narratives, targeting the right audience, and building credibility, companies can elevate their brand and drive business growth. Seize the game-changing strategy that TV advertising offers— get ready to unleash your potential and revolutionize your construction company. Title: Unleashing the Potential of TV Advertising for Construction Companies: A Game-Changing Strategy

Introduction: In an era of digital marketing dominance, it's easy to overlook the power of traditional mediums like television advertising. However, for construction companies looking to stand out and reach their target audience effectively, TV advertising remains a game-changing strategy that should not be ignored. In this article, we will explore the immense potential of TV advertising for construction companies and provide practical marketing strategies and examples to help them unleash this powerful tool. 1. Understanding the Benefits of TV Advertising: Television allows construction companies to tap into a vast audience base, providing exposure to potential customers they might not reach through other marketing channels. It offers the opportunity to convey powerful visual messages, showcase complex projects, and build brand credibility. Moreover, TV advertising provides immediacy, allowing construction companies to reach viewers at the right moment, during relevant programming. Example: Consider the success story of ABC Construction, which utilized TV advertising to target homeowners during popular home improvement shows. By showcasing their high-quality craftsmanship, personalized services, and efficient project management within the commercials, ABC Construction experienced a substantial increase in qualified leads and overall brand recognition. 2. A Targeted Approach: To maximize the impact of TV advertising, construction companies should focus on targeting their ideal audience. By analyzing viewership demographics, interests, and programming preferences, they can carefully select the right TV networks, shows, and time slots to optimize their commercial's reach. Example: A commercial real estate development company looking to attract potential investors for their upcoming luxury condominium project could partner with financial news networks. By targeting high-income individuals interested in financial investments during relevant programming, the company can effectively communicate their unique selling propositions, enticing potential investors. 3. Crafting Effective TV Commercials: Creating captivating TV commercials is the key to engaging the audience and making a lasting impression. Construction companies should focus on showcasing their expertise, unique projects, and the emotional impact their work brings to people's lives. Emphasizing renowned clients, before and after transformations, and testimonials can help build credibility and establish trust. Example: XYZ Builders aired a TV commercial showcasing their successful collaboration with a local nonprofit organization to build affordable housing for low-income families. The commercial highlighted the positive community impact, the gratitude of the families, and the immense satisfaction of the construction team. This emotional connection led to an increase in inquiries and a rise in the company's reputation as a socially responsible construction company. 4. Integrated Approach: Online and Offline Synergy To amplify the effects of TV advertising, construction companies should adopt an integrated marketing approach. By aligning their television campaigns with online platforms, they can drive viewers to their website, social media channels, or a dedicated landing page for further engagement. This synergy allows construction companies to capture leads, retarget interested viewers, and measure the overall campaign effectiveness more accurately. Example: Modern Build Inc. leveraged TV advertising during a popular home renovation show, but they didn't stop there. By incorporating a unique QR code in their commercial and incentivizing viewers to scan it for a chance to win a customized home upgrade consultation, they successfully directed interested viewers to their website. This integrated approach resulted in a significant increase in website traffic, lead generation, and ultimately, new projects for the company. Conclusion: Effective TV advertising can be a game-changing strategy for construction companies.

By leveraging the vast reach, immediacy, and visual impact of television, construction professionals can successfully promote their brand, attract new customers, and establish themselves as market leaders. Implementing a targeted, captivating, and integrated marketing approach will unlock the potential of TV advertising, leading to long-term business growth and success in the construction industry.

[askagamedev]

why is it so difficult to animate convincing interactions between two characters in a video game where they are making any kind of physical contact without using those motion capture suits with the balls on them and then going from there? it seems to end up looking awkward a lot of times, or you will end up with bugs where the models freak out and start bending in weird ways or one model will touch another model and send it hurtling across the screen.

It's a combination of two primary reasons. The first reason is because there's no physicality or collision inherent in video games. Animating physical action without being able to touch anything is like miming - believable miming is really quite difficult. The second reason is because we humans are intimately familiar with physical touching. We're going to notice any subconscious visual oddities, so it sets the bar of acceptability incredibly high.

When we render 3D models, there's nothing that can physically stop them from interpenetrating each other. The only way it works is when the program does the math to figure out whether the polygons actually penetrate at that moment, and too many of [those calculations can get really expensive]. For animations of two or more characters physically touching for longer than a single frame, we cannot depend on procedural collision detection. The animators have to make the characters to look right similar to making shadow puppets "physically" interact with each other with no real physicality. Try making two shadow puppets touch each other believably (e.g. have one punch another) and you'll see what I mean.

The other issue is that humans in general are extremely familiar with what touching things and people look like. We've seen it constantly for our entire lives. We've seen our own bodies touching things and we've seen other people touching things. We know how clothing is supposed to hang on peoples' bodies. We understand how skin deforms when pressed. We know which joints can bend in which direction. Anything that doesn't obey all of these little rules at all times will trigger alarm bells in the viewers' subconscious. You might not be able to explain exactly why, but the motions will seem awkward, stilted, and just... off somehow. This is a variation on the uncanny valley effect that we see quite often with CG in movies and television. We’re so used to seeing natural motion that small errors become magnified. Even if the image looks ok when frozen, it’s the motion that gives it away.

Using motion capture circumvents both of these problems to some extent because motion capture must take the physicality into account when capturing the animations and has the added benefit of being able to capture all of the motions involved with the action (including the small secondary and tertiary movements). It isn't a perfect fix - as the various off-putting CG that was built from motion capture can attest - but it can get us closer to our goal.

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[goronska]

…like Panic, Q like Question, R like…

(part of the series "my notes on..." concerning ARGs and analog horror series) Big thanks to @sparrowsage and Adrian for proofreading this thing. <3

==========================================

Since time immemorial, the Japanese have been a stronghold for chilly stories of youkai, their ethereal entities and otherworldly creatures, encompassing kappa, oni, or kitsune. Ghost stories even had their place at the Emperor’s Palace where upper class storytellers would gather during long fall and winter nights, illuminating the ambiance with the flickering glow of a hundred candles, each extinguished as a tale reached its conclusion, inducing collective shudders amidst the deepening darkness.

For those not interested in the history of past centuries, the reverberations of fear were unmistakably felt when the Japanese “Ring” made its way into the cinemas in 1998. Since then, the awareness of the profoundly unsettling nature of stories originating from the Land of the Rising Sun has steadily burgeoned. Urban myths, like Momo, terrified the children and adolescents alike, while a whole generation of gamers was raised on franchises such as “Resident Evil,” “Fatal Frame,” and “Clock Tower.” 

What distinguishes Japanese horror from its Western counterpart is the conspicuous absence of cheap jump scares, jarring cacophonies, or even explicit revelations of the source of terror. The Japanese approach is refreshingly straightforward. Those stories creep into your subconscious, rendering you slightly paranoid or, at the very least, incredibly uncomfortable and distrustful. Their power grasps you when the ending comes, leaving you uncertain if you have indeed secured the locks on your doors.

A mere year ago, a new contender emerged on the scene—Pro9ram Q, a YouTube channel that left an indelible mark. Masterfully capturing the essence of the usual TV documentary style, it draws us in, artfully masquerading as a lost media channel, with ever so slightly nostalgic fragments of local public interest stories devoid of any unsettling premise. We can witness an elderly couple leading their everyday life, a dashboard cam of some unsuspecting campers, or a journalist delving into the source of an urban legend. We are poised to dismiss it off as the mundane narrative refrains from leading us into dark places, no codes are flashing for a frame and an unexpected BANG out of frame does not make us startle. 

But this is how we are welcomed—with our defenses down, our minds scarcely contemplating the true nature of what lies ahead. Even one of the most drastic episodes to date, “Exorcism,” lulls us into believing this is just a bungled attempt to record a quirky elder man at work, performing a Shinto purification ritual at his clients’ home. A full one-sixth of the initial runtime is squandered on a seemingly unrelated segment, of reaching the house in question. It serves little to none exposition for what follows. 

In one of the last installments of the Q project, “Mindseeker” - we find ourselves immersed in a mesmerizing scene. A group of young individuals eagerly gathers to watch a Russian program, mistakenly presumed to be Egyptian or Latin due to the enigmatic alphabet displayed on the screen, all recorded on a VHS tape. The program's premise revolves around teaching viewers mental exercises to unlock ESP abilities. At first glance, it appears to be light-hearted amusement, with a young man gamely attempting to guess the symbols on the cards using his latent clairvoyance… and then his friends rewind the recording and tease him to try again. The expected reaction is laughter, for everyone already knows the correct answers… except this time, they are all different. A subtle shift that leaves us questioning the very fabric of reality. Telekinesis follows suit, and he succeeds in moving the balloon on the screen… during his second attempt. Finally, his endeavor to establish a telepathic connection with a girl in the TV… but, true to the enigmatic nature of the show, we are left with more questions than answers, further entwining our curiosity.

Behind the enigmatic veil of the entire project lies an alleged team of four to ten individuals—an astonishing achievement considering the production quality that rivals television standards. Not only does the series seamlessly navigate the realm of mixed media techniques, employing on-cell animation, animated cutouts, and double exposition, but the personnel involved also exude an air of striking… normality? It is nothing short of astounding to contemplate the possibility that these individuals might be mere actors, especially when compared to other shows (what ARG and horror fans got used to with the Slenderverse projects). Gathering such sizable crews, appearing so unassumingly natural, must have demanded weeks, if not months, of meticulous effort. Moreover, thanks to brilliant English subtitles, this captivating production can be relished by audiences worldwide. In no particular order either, as the sole commonality they share is their country of origin. No overarching connection or lore binds the stories together as of yet, leaving us in eager anticipation of more to come.

Meanwhile, let’s start again: A is for Anxiety, B is for Bloodlust, C is for…

[toovirgins]

September, 1965

Summary: During a press interview to promote Help!, an interviewer makes his feelings for Paul quite obvious. Some parties aren't too happy about it.

“Now, I’m sure the four of you have been celebrating upon the release of your new film, Help! which recently came out here in the U.K. just over a month ago. I wanted to speak with you all about the film, the process, and the potential impact it could have. Now, the reviews have been generally strong, but many are claiming that despite its substantially more extensive budget, it falls a bit short of last year’s A Hard Day’s Night. Would you mind sharing your feelings on those claims?”

“Well, I’d hate to take this question on account of I haven’t seen either film,” came John’s reply first, drawing a thrum of laughter from the audience.

The interviewer (whose name Paul had already forgotten) spoke through a toothy grin, laughter bright on his lips. “You haven’t seen the films, John?”

A playful smile tugged at John’s lips, contradicting his deadpan reply. “Haven’t gotten around to it, no. Been busy filming some things.”

Another round of laughter. Paul felt a grin rise to his own face, knowing that John had good and well seen the films, and had rather liked them. He always found it intriguing to watch the show that John put on for the public eye.

“What about you, Paul? How do you feel about them?”

Paul tore his gaze away from his friend and flashed a bright smile at the interviewer. “Oh, I don’t mind about them. It was good fun to make them, yeah.”

“Do you feel like they captured your personalities quite well?”

“I’d say, relatively so.” The answer came from George this time, who began interlocking his fingers around his crossed knee. “You know, the films are full of us really just playing around and having a game of it, even with the more structured plots. Filming Help! was good fun, indeed.”

“We lot are a big fan of playing around,” Ringo added helpfully.

“Now Ringo, you’re more or less the star of this new film—if we can discount The Exciting Adventure of Paul on the Floor, of course. Was there any unwanted pressure there?”

Paul felt his cheeks redden at the mention of his slightly racy scene. He had already been uncomfortable with it, and the fact that it was receiving so much publicity frankly embarrassed him. He silently cursed John, the bastard, for his stupid ideas and his stupid way of making Paul go along with them. He caught John’s eye, who hastily looked away, suppressing the teasing grin that twitched at the corner of his mouth.

“—nothing at all, really,” Ringo was saying with a shrug. “I suppose it was a bit more work, as last film I got to wander about while they filmed me for a while and this one I had real big scenes of human sacrifice and whatnot. But no, I never thought about it as being stressful or more pressure.”

“Well, that’s wonderful, Ringo, thank you. Now, I’d like to circle back to something mentioned a bit earlier. Let’s cut to the chase: Paul, that scene. I’d like to know how much was really going on under that wrapper.”

A blush crept up his neck and he absentmindedly reached up to scratch his cheek. He forced himself to smile bashfully, subconsciously crossing his legs at the knee. “Well, y-you know…” He trailed off, not wanting to explicitly answer but framing the sentence in such a way that it was still suggestive.

“Aw,” the reporter gushed, flashing him a wink. “Don’t be shy now, Paul. I’m sure the viewers are dying to know as well.” The crowd hummed in agreement.

Before Paul could open his mouth, John shot a quick reply. “Now, I feel a bit hurt that no one has wanted to ask me that question.” He turned to face the camera. “I, John Winston Lennon, confirm on Universal Broadcast Television that in that scene I was wearing absolutely nothing underneath my clothing and undergarments.” He feigned a gasp, then exaggerated a grandiose curtsy as he momentarily raised himself out of his armchair. This raised another collective laugh. John was an easy fan favourite.

Paul suppressed feelings of gratitude. He giggled at the prospect of John confessing that to a real universally-broadcasted program, which, for now (fortunately, unfortunately?), was a thing of the future.

The interviewer waited for the laughter and scattered applause to subside before he continued. “Thank you for that shocking revelation, John. Though I’m not quite sure that answered our question…” The suggestion trailed off, and Paul realized that it was meant for him to answer. He was busy watching John after accidentally catching a flash of something in his expression, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Paul put on his best puppy-dog pouty face and blinked up at the interviewer through his lashes. “I suppose,” he started, intentionally producing a voice thick and coy, “there wasn’t much going on at all.” His mind barely registered that John was now tapping is foot anxiously, a habit that arose only when the man was incredibly agitated or stressed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw George place an inquisitive hand on John’s, hidden enough from the cameras for him to subtly ask if his friend was all right. John gave a curt and almost unnoticeable nod, his eyes darting from George back to the interviewer. Though unsatisfied with the confirmation, George let his hand apprehensively fall back into his own lap.

Paul noticed every one of these ministrations between them, feeling his heart warm at the thought. He knew no one else, not even crazed fans, would pick up on the subtle movements. The four were just that close, having an entire language of their own, able to communicate without even making eye contact. It felt nice, performing a television interview with over half the country watching and knowing that there were still things they had for themselves. Still, despite his musings, worry seeped into his mind as the significance of the interaction hit him. Was John all right? Paul tried to beckon John’s gaze with his own, but his friend simply started at the ground where his foot was beginning to pose quite the distraction.

The interviewer let out a bright laugh and leaned closer to Paul, if unintentionally. “Well, I’m sure our viewers won’t be able to get that image out of their heads tonight. I know I won’t be able to.”

Paul flashed an amused grin at the insinuation, watching in his peripheral as John crossed his ankles to stop his shoe from tapping, his lips pressed into a tight, thin line. A flash of annoyance struck in Paul’s chest. What could John possibly be upset about? Didn’t he realize that they were on live television? What did he have such an… an attitude for? He still wouldn’t meet his stare.

“Now, I’d like to touch upon the impact of this film,” the interviewer was continuing. “An article in The Daily Mail characterized Help! as a pioneer in the genre of musical comedies, especially with its Technicolor production, magical realism, and rather organic integration of musical influence into the plot. George, do you think that this film is going to be as historically impactful as some are proclaiming?”

“Well, er… I wouldn’t say so, only because I can’t quite know what impact it could have, as I’m not so much involved in the world of cinema. Personally, I felt as if our previous film made no industrial impact, so it’s a bit difficult to foresee this one going in a different direction. It's just fun.”

“Wonderful insight, George,” the reporter praised. “I’ll be interested to see which one of us is correct.” He flashed a wink, causing George to chuckle and respond with a bemused, “Yes, we’ll see.”

“John, I’d be interested to see where your thoughts stand on the matter. Personally, I could see you continuing with an acting, or perhaps directing, career far beyond the musical films. Do you dabble in the world of art cinema at all?”

“I suppose.”

“You suppose?” The interviewer looked a bit thrown by the curt response.

“That’s all there is to it, really.”

Paul didn’t think much of John’s acting skills tonight. Whatever was bothering the man was now evident for every eye to see, a change in his demeanor so drastic that Paul almost felt a chill come over the room. What the hell was going on with him?

The interviewer chuckled nervously and switched subjects. “All right, I’d like to shift a bit and discuss some more of the actual content of the film. Now, the scene in the bathroom—how did you all manage that?”

Ringo broke into a wide grin, and Paul matched his energy at the memory. “Well,” Ringo started, “We had to have our clothing stitched apart just enough to where it would hold on for the beginning of the scene, but easily tear off. Like in Paul’s shirt sleeve, they had sewn a bit of fishing wire into the cuff and snaked it through the dryer opening, so when they gave a tug the whole sleeve came flying off at the shoulder.” Paul nodded for emphasis as Ringo demonstrated then, reaching for the cuff of his shirtsleeve and pulling at it.

“Oh,” the reporter mused, “and here I was hoping it would take a lot more with it.” He flashed Paul another charismatic grin.

Paul had almost—almost—missed the slight eye roll that John gave as he began to chew at his thumb nail, another nervous habit he had picked up. Paul’s heart jumped a bit at the sight, followed by a pull of confusion in his stomach. Another look flashed in John’s eyes, longer this time. It looked like… anger. Paul was almost certain he had identified it when the look passed, and a sudden calm came over John as he regained his composure.

“Well that makes a pair of us, then, doesn’t it, mate?”

Paul froze. The words were light, but there was nothing friendly about the sentence that John had just spat out—the tone was salacious and determined, leaving no room for misinterpretation. His eyes glinted in a frightening mixture of malice and amusement as an awkward silence settled over the 5 players. George shifted uncomfortably and Ringo eyed the blinking red dot across the room.

Fuck, Paul thought to himself. They were live.

It had only been about five seconds, but they ticked away at what felt like a painfully slow rate. Paul’s internal clock supplied each passing numeric as the interviewer opened and closed his mouth a few times before speaking once more. Someone in the audience coughed.

“All right, well, erm—it has been a pleasure hosting you boys on the show, and I wish you the utmost of luck on the film’s continuing success and your further aspirations with the band.”

George murmured a light, “Very well, thanks.” Ringo nodded with an, “All right, Louis, all the best.” John said nothing. Paul said nothing.

Louis. That was his name.

The red light ceased blinking across the room. The interviewer got up stiffly and stalked off, bewildered at the surprise ending of the televised event. George and Ringo quickly rose to their feet and muttered a quick, “goingtothedressingroom,” scurrying off.

Paul suddenly felt furious with John, a white-hot rage efflorescing in his chest. The attitude, the behaviour on live television and in front of a live audience, the lack of self-control—Paul bit back an outburst in response, willing himself not to create yet another scene. Not to mention the whole issue of what John had actually said, and what on earth had pushed him to do so. “We need to talk.”

John shrugged indifferently, letting Paul grab his wrist roughly and drag him away from the armchair. Paul made a break for the nearest hallway, desperately wanting to escape what felt like millions of nosy and inquisitive stares, pulling John behind him. Eventually, he tried the knob to a utility closet, and the door gave way as Paul shoved John inside. He could no longer contain his baffled anger as he slammed the door behind them.

It was dark in the closet save a sliver of blue moonlight that creeped through the small square window. The light bathed John in an angelic glow in front of him, and Paul wasn’t sure if it was the shadows playing tricks on him or if John actually looked sorry. Paul’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, but John’s was steady, near unmoving. The man was incredibly quiet and still as he waited for Paul to speak first.

“What the fuck was that?” He hissed.

John looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. “What?”

“What do you mean, ‘What?’, Lennon? Y-you acted like a twat. On live television. What were you so twisted up about, anyway? You couldn’t have just held it in? The interview was like five fucking minutes. Why couldn’t you do that? For m–” Paul stopped himself. He suddenly felt stupid. For me, he wanted to say. John knew how important Paul thought their public perception was. John knew how anxious Paul got before interviews, desperation and fear of saying the wrong thing crowding his thoughts. John knew all of that stuff and had still gone and mucked it up, perhaps even intentionally.

“I didn’t like the way he was talking with you,” John said quietly. “I—it was for you.”

A hand came up to pinch the bridge of Paul’s nose. He sighed as he rubbed at his eyes, a frustrated perplexity tugging at his features. He was embarrassed more than anything. Embarrassed at the forwardness of the interviewer, embarrassed at the scenes of himself in the movie, embarrassed at his reaction to what was probably just John taking up for him. He shook his head.

“I don’t get it, John. Help me understand why you would say that, why you would say it like that—"

“It was, Paul.” John’s voice cut him off, insistent now, and he stepped closer to Paul against the door. It took him a moment to realize that John was still talking about his intent. There was something rather odd in his gaze now, something almost… needy?

The pair were now only inches away from each other. Paul felt his nerves singing as he took in the sight of his best friend. A twitch in his chest told him that something had changed in the shared space between them. John’s eyes were half-lidded, and not in the vision-starved squint that was familiar, the deep amber bearing down on him with a heated look. Paul gazed at the way the man’s lower lashes rested on his cheeks, which were flushed slightly, pink like the wet bottom lip he had nervously caught between his teeth. John’s soft brown locks fell against his forehead, brushing his eyebrows, and Paul felt the sudden urge to reach up and tangle his fingers in it.

Why had he never noticed how beautiful John was before?

There wasn’t a good reason for what happened next. Maybe it was the moment of emotional vulnerability. Maybe it was their proximity. Maybe it was the tension. Maybe it was the way that Paul came to the sudden realization that John hadn’t been angry before, but jealous.

Paul tilted his chin down and kissed him.

[99900000000000119]

They Tried To Silence Him! He Exposed The Ancient Code Connecting Your M..

Is it a coincidence that the mainstream media news outlets have so much negative news? Could it have anything to do with convincing their viewers to choose sides, embrace anger and other negative emotions?  Do we need to blindly accept these news reports as accurate? Has anyone heard about the 1-million-plus Islamists in Iran converting to Christianity? When such conversion actually carries the Death Penalty in Iran. Why has this serious life-changing news been obscured and widely ignored? Wouldn’t it be better to stop all wars on our planet? Have we ever thought that by stopping all wars, that the planet would suddenly possess enough wealth and resources to stop all hunger and perceived lack in the world? Human beings as eternal souls have no need for conflicts that lead to wars; why would we? The Age of Dictators no longer exists. The Age of Freedom has arrived. Yet, the war-mongers —which control world news outlets—-are doing their best to keep us fighting one another; taking sides and following what we're told. The perfect example of such propaganda can be seen in our politics at home. For instance, we have a political movement to curtail or eliminate the Making America Healthy Again movement. Why on earth would anyone or group fight against this goal? Or to Make America Great Again by exposing corruption and waste in our government; who would work against this goal? When we call their bluff and as true Americans come together regardless of differences we win and they lose. This is their greatest fear: That humanity wakes up to the ploys used against us, that we see we’re all in this together; that we only need to work together to reach any goal we desire. Boycotting mainstream news outlets can help us break free from the hypnotic programming they broadcast 24/7. Understanding that repeated messages are eventually accepted as “true” by our subconscious minds, can be the beginning of freeing ourselves from the negative control of our beliefs and our lives. What is there to lose? Seriously..

[timac-extraversal]

Big Dumb Legitimacy, Part I

(TIMAC #004, ~2,300 words, 10 minutes)

Summary: When the mythic basis for a country's government is disputed, the government should consider justifying itself by successfully delivering practical, easy-to-measure projects instead.

Epistemic Status: Political speculation.

-☆☆☆-

In early 2019, I discussed the appeal of Trump's Wall.

Previous government programs were seen as ineffective, it's difficult for voters to tell if a program is working, and congress could always quietly defund or nerf a program when voters aren't paying attention. (Lobbyists for companies that employ unauthorized migrants might also have something to say to the senators about any immigration control program that works.) If you think that illegal immigrants coming over the southern border are driving down wages, and you don't trust the government, the appeal of the wall is obvious:

It's a big dumb object.

You know exactly what it is. You know it can be done. And you can easily tell if the government followed through. Even if you don't trust the newspapers, or the President, you can simply drive down to the Texas border and check if it's physically there.

Many on the left (and among the liberals) abhor the idea of Trump's wall, but with the Trump era coming to an end (for now), some are now starting to admit what was once more of a right-contrarian viewpoint - America's institutions have spent down some of their social capital. People just don't trust them as much.

And that's why the big dumb object may be an echo of things to come.

Latino Voters

In Texas, Trump made big gains in 18 counties where Latinos made up at least 80% of the population. A state Democratic party official said Latinos were worried about threats to the fracking industry, a major local employer, and that Republicans were also helped by 'a network of Border Patrol agents, families and unions.' [1☆] That Latinos are in the Border Patrol shouldn't come as a surprise. Latinos climbed from 7.8 to 12.5% of the country's police forces between 1997 and 2016. Previous efforts at integration were in part driven by policing as well-compensated, blue collar work. [2☆]

Latino voters might be more interested in practical issues than abstract ones. Are they productively employed? Are the places they live safe and secure? Philosophical debate and moral posturing can last all day, and with social media, well into the night. But at some point, someone actually has to get out of a truck and pour asphalt if we want to fix the potholes.

At least one hispanic man was not amused with last year's rioting and, infamously, showed up with a chainsaw and shouted for protesters to go home - and that wasn't the meanest thing he had to say. [3☆]

Spiritual Legitimacy

...and practical issues may be for the best.

To pile up recent heated rhetoric, it would be difficult for a "white supremacist" government of a country "built on stolen land" "by the hands of slaves," founded in slavery 1619 (rather than, more famously, in freedom in 1776), to legitimize itself on intergenerational moral grounds. We would need to repair or replace its legitimizing myth.

Countries are social phenomena, not just physical ones. A country is an idea, not just a place or a people. [4] The narrative of what makes a country legitimate is the story that binds the population together towards a shared project, and convinces the people to accept what, due to the limits of information, must necessarily be the rule of a small number of individuals. A country without a legitimizing myth is vulnerable, and from multiple directions at once.

The state is a shape in the minds of the population, and in a high-energy society its boundaries are maintained by the invisible threat of force. If a police precinct building is set on fire where everyone can see, rival rioters might get the idea that they can just bust open a few windows and pay a visit to the national Capitol building, perhaps smiling as they carry off the speakers' podium or live-blog from the offices of congressional representatives. [5]

There is no such thing as a safe riot. The entire point of a riot is that law enforcement is unable to control the situation. There especially isn't such a thing as a safe riot in the national Capitol building, where rioters might make contact with the nation's lawmakers (who carry much of government's sins), and where, for that reason, security personnel may be even more jumpy than usual. It's the sort of thing that might spark the fires of revolution, either in showing the weakness of the central government, or in retaliation for a massacre.

January 6 was bad, but it could have gone much, much worse.

A spiritual struggle for the soul of the nation is certainly exciting. We might imagine it gets excellent television ratings, social media engagement scores, and clicks. In fact, CNN declined from 2.5 million primetime viewers during what we might call the 'President Trump season finale' to 1.6 million primetime viewers after Biden took office. [6☆] Michael Bloomberg's failed candidacy suggests that you can't buy the kind of entertainment provided by pro-wrestling's now most legendary and infamous heel.

...so it might be better to focus on a form of legitimacy that can be achieved more easily, with something more concrete, like bulldozers.

This does not mean we need to 'abandon' suffering minorities or struggling rural residents 'to their fate.'

Streets Before Trust

On the last day of 2020, Alon Levy of Pedestrian Observations posted Streets Before Trust. Alon notes that in a "trust before streets" approach, the focus is on getting community buy-in before starting a project. Often the idea is to avoid disrupting low-income or minority neighborhoods. However, Alon writes that,

The reality of low-trust politics is about the opposite of what educated Americans think it is. It is incredibly concrete. Abstract ideas like social justice, rights, democracy, and free speech do not exist in that reality, to the point that authoritarian populists have exploited low-trust societies like those of Eastern Europe to produce democratic backsliding.

His theory is that the state proves to people that it can provide tangible goods by successfully providing tangible goods. However, he writes,

Such provisions of tangible goods cannot happen in a trust before streets environment. This works when the state takes action, and endless public meetings in which every objection must be taken seriously are the death of the state. ... Low trust is downstream of low state capacity. Build the streets and trust will follow.

On January 6th, Matt Yglesias expanded the concept and provided more examples. [7☆]

The correct way to respond to a low-trust environment is not to double down on proceduralism, but to commit yourself to the “it does exactly what it says on the tin” principle and implement policies that have the following characteristics:

◆ It’s easy for everyone, whether they agree with you or disagree with you, to understand what it is you say you are doing.

◆ It’s easy for everyone to see whether or not you are, in fact, doing what you said you would do.

◆ It’s easy for you and your team to meet the goal of doing the thing that you said you would do.

That’s not a guarantee of political or policy success. Maybe you will pick terrible ideas and be a huge failure anyway. But this triad for success under conditions of distrust at least creates the possibility of success, where people will look back and decide that what you did worked. Committing yourself to that triad may involve some waste and inefficiency relative to a more theoretically optimal scheme with more means-testing.

There's been a running joke among some parts of right-contrarian twitter that Matt Yglesias is a secret reactionary. After a passage like that, we might joke that he's secretly a Rationalist. (He isn't either, of course.) [8]

Who Do You Trust?

Alon writes,

Low trust in many cases exists because people perceive the state to be hostile to their interests,

Right now, many Americans, both left and right, don't trust the state. Even a writer from Sri Lanka wrote that America is in a collapse - and that collapse isn't a single moment, but a low-level hum punctuated by violence that's in the background unless it happens to you. [9☆]

Many liberals will blame this on Trump. From their perspective, the logical thing to do to restore trust is to criticize Trump. The thinking goes something like this: if Trump is discredited, it follows that all his criticisms of other institutions are discredited - and if those criticisms are discredited, you should trust those institutions as much as you did back in, say, 2013.

This will not work. First, the doubt is not solely caused by Trump. Second, if right-wingers trusted the institutions (such as newspapers) needed to make the criticism of Trump, they would not have voted for Trump a second time. (Trump received about 11 million more votes in 2020 than he did in 2016. [10☆]) Their trust in these institutions seemed to erode after 2015, [11☆] accelerating in 2020, culminating in the spectacular fireball of the Trump election fraud allegations and the 2021 MAGA Capitol Riot.

For the left and liberal people, a rising 'consciousness of racial injustice' leads them to question (and distrust) every Western institution. "Will this program benefit People of Color?" Historically, there have been some serious questions about that. [12] If the program is complex or difficult to measure, it will allow those suspicions to sneak in, or even dominate: could the criteria, even if they look reasonable, have been chosen by a racist? What if it's subconscious racism ("implicit bias")? Some institution might tell us the program isn't racist, but what if that institution is itself racist, or unwittingly working from racist data? Etc.

Each of these worldviews has layers of memetic defenses - complex procedures to handle opposing arguments. Each also has a network of paid actors that perpetuate them. The New York Times cannot criticize a MAGA into trusting the New York Times. A self-identified progressive is unlikely to be convinced that a MAGA's criticism of 'racial justice' rhetoric isn't motivated by 'a desire to protect white privilege'. [13] And contemporary political constellations [14] can fabricate entire scandals that would take months for a normal person to fully disprove.

You can't go through it. That's too expensive. You have to go around it.

-☆☆☆-

[1☆] How Latino support for Trump grew in Texas borderlands Los Angeles Times, (2020/11)

[2☆] Latino officers are helping diversify police. Can they help reform the ranks? NBC News, (2020/05)

[3☆] McAllen man who waved chainsaw at protesters charged with assault KRQE, (2020/05)

[4] A country is also a people, not just a proposition, as well as a process and a place. But that's an essay for another time.

[5] Perhaps fittingly given the Florida Man genre of news stories, the man carrying off Nancy Pelosi's lecturn was from Florida. But unlike the more whimsical examples of the Florida Man genre, which might see an alligator thrown a drive-through window, people did die during the 2021 MAGA Capitol Riot, including one of the white women who entered the Capitol building. There were even early reports that a police officer was mortally wounded after being hit with a fire extinguisher, though this may not have been accurate.

[6☆] CNN viewership plummeted after Trump left office New York Post, 2021/03

[7☆] Making policy for a low-trust world Matt Yglesias, Slow Boring, (2021/01)

[8] In both cases, he's just integrating information from outside the current consensus and presenting the resulting outputs from adding it to his considerations politely. This creates a sensation of coherent but novel depth under the surface, in the same sense that Japan is an entire culture with its own sets of unspoken cultural assumptions, providing more novelty to manga and anime for Western readers.

[9☆] I Lived Through Collapse. America Is Already There. Indi Samarajiva, (2020/09)

One day, I was at work when someone left a bomb at the NOLIMIT clothing store. It exploded, killing 17 people. When these types of traumatic events take place, no two people experience the same thing. For me, it was seeing the phone lines getting clogged for an hour. For my wife, it was feeling the explosion a half-kilometer from her house. But for the families of the 17 victims, this was the end. And their grief goes on.

As you can see, this is not a uniform experience of chaos. For some people it destroys their bodies, others their hearts, but for most people it’s just a low-level hum at the back of their minds.

[10☆] An Australian news piece from Nov 5 reports Trump had about 63 million votes in 2016. A later USA Today piece reports a final total of about 74 million for 2020.

[11☆] This is my personal judgment, but tracks a Gallup Poll that ends in 2019. Trust in government remains near historic lows (2019).

[12] From a right-wing perspective, if we consider some norms, beliefs, values, or expectations a form of "social technology," there are even more questions.

From a left-wing perspective, during the Obama Administration, I remember one writer suggesting that Black Lives Matter wanted to convince politicians to want to help black folks rather than agreeing to a specific policy, because they didn't trust the details of policy (which could easily hide implementation details that disadvantage black people).

[13] If members of the white working class seem suspicious of this antiracist explanation, however, it might have something to do with white privilege theory lowering white liberals' sympathy for poor white people.

[14] Networks of interrelated organizations and actors acting semi-independently in a way which, due to conditions, gives the appearance of coordination. No one is specifically 'in charge,' and many actions take place in the open.