#topic activation

[rc11-group5]

Activate som with topic words

["poetry", "education", "philosophy", "literature"]

[ajastu]

[Rook voice] maybe if you had some friends you'd calm down 🙄

[rice-enjoyer]

[ducktracy]

there are a lot of evil people in the world and a lot of darkness in the world and so it’s very important for me to stress that now more than ever is the time to spread kindness and compassion. combat the evil by not only not partaking in it, but actively refuting it. destroy the notion that being compassionate or generous or kind to someone is uncool or embarrassing or even scary. be the change you want to see. start a chain reaction. positivity only breeds more positivity. do an act of kindness for someone so that that person who is too afraid to do it themselves can see you, realize that they’re not alone, and perhaps sheepishly follow your example. and then the next person who is too afraid but sees that person can do the same. when bad news comes out about bad people or horrible atrocities in the world it’s such an easy impulse to despair, and obviously it’s important to feel what you need to feel. grieve. be angry. be sorrowful. be empathetic. but dust off your pants and get up and be a part of a chain reaction that, no matter how small the scale, and spread compassion and love and care. all the reasons why you might not—“it’s hard! it’s scary! people will make fun of me! it’s useless because there’s too much evil!” are all grade A arguments as to why you should. you have no idea how many people you could inspire to do the same. even if it doesn’t get you anyway far, you can at least say you have the nobility of trying. please choose love and please choose life. you are worth loving and you are worth inspiring others to love

[butchshevik]

Yeah so as recent news from LA illustrates perfectly: a lot of orgs are going to be organizing protests, because it's visible and attracts turnout, particularly among young folks who want to be engaged but may not have deep organizing chops. These orgs are generally not used to countering direct resistance from the emboldened police state, and because of the prevalence of "horizontal" org structures, they may not have strong leadership making snap (let alone good) strategic decisions on the ground. If youre going to protest, know what the fuck a kettle is, and do not enter one. Unfortunately, from the middle of a large group, a kettle might be impossible to identify until it's too late - so you have to know who youre organizing with, and know when to cut and get out of dodge.

Just in general, an org that organizes a protest under the repressive militarized American regime, asks you to expose yourself to that violence as a consequence of attending, and then designs a protest route that gets them kettled - or that allows itself to be led off-route into a kettle - is not adequately protecting its members or looking out for your safety. An org that has a protest route without a vehicle brigade between you and the cops whenever possible is not adequately protecting its members or looking out for your safety. An org that demonstrates without a black block contingent in sight is not even vaguely serious about contending with police violence. And even orgs that plan smart routes, enlist drivers, and encourage block still might not be at all prepared if the state decides to show out in force. Protests are necessary and promote the visibility of dissent but they are one of the least effective means of organizing a genuine resistance to fascism. Don't do something that feels off, or that doesnt have a clear and direct aim that outweighs the very real threat, just to feel like you did something at all. Be smart. Be safe. And don't get fucking ganked for so little as carrying a cardboard sign.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

The current discussion about "a big advantage for the yeerks is that no one knows there's an alien invasion" reminds me of your ficlet that became the first chapter of All Assorted Animorphs AUs; Elfangor meets the team as adults, and they *do* go public about the invasion. It ends poorly. Sorry kids, no clean option here.

The yeerks' need for secrecy and the Animorphs' need for secrecy are not the same, in a really interesting way.

The yeerks need to keep humans as a whole from knowing that mind-controlling alien invaders exist. This means suppressing all knowledge of extraterrestrial everything, even when it means covering up for their enemies.

The Animorphs need to avoid controllers knowing who they are, and don't have a reliable way to know which humans are controllers. This means they have to protect their names and faces at all costs, but would prefer it if humanity did know the yeerks exist.

Like, look at #22 where the controller-cops indirectly protect Jake by inventing reasons a tiger could be unconscious on the floor of a California mall. Or the times the kids win victories over controllers by getting them to act alien in front of civilians (e.g. #12, #35). The yeerks are the ones who have to keep the entire war secret.

By contrast, the kids just have to keep themselves secret. Look at the number of times they straight-up admit they're morphers and not real animals. Sometimes it's around people too remote to be controllers, like Derek (#25) and Yami (#44). Sometimes it's a civilian who just reacted with shock instead of anger to the sight of morphing (e.g. the home cook in #5, the busboy in #35). Sometimes it's even a known controller, just as long as they don't give their names (e.g. the opening of #18, Visser One in #30). They don't even go out of their way to actively maintain the fiction they're andalites — they don't dispel that belief if they can help it, because it's useful, but they're not going to spend a ton of time and energy on it. Just as long as no controllers know that Jake Berenson of 123 Street Road, Townsville, CA, can morph, it doesn't matter what else leaks.

[aroaceleovaldez]

not to complain about the show again but genuinely I think people should be WAY more pissed off that s2 cast an abled actor as a character with Down syndrome - particularly a character whose entire arc and narrative presence is focused on the fact that he has Down syndrome and how Percy has internalized ableism and how Percy unravels that (and also chewing out Annabeth for her ableism).

Like. Tyson has down syndrome. This is a very core part of his character, because like I've said before: the entirety of the first series is centered around and hinges on disabled stories and themes. If you are having an abled actor cast as Tyson you have already failed step one. Cause either you are actively erasing Tyson having Down syndrome or you are having an abled actor try to portray Down syndrome and neither of those things are okay.

[iicaru2]

something about how wyll calls his romanced partner his “shining star,” and how i didnt know that at all, and the first time i romanced wyll HAPPENED to be in my first origin astarion campaign. something about him saying “to think i almost missed the light” to astarion, who at that point in time would still be in the process of manipulating him for protection/realize that hes a fool whose fallen for the literal fairytale prince a younger him once fantasized about marrying. something about astarion taking every opportunity he can to remark on how handsome and sweet wyll is, despite apparently despising heroes— and wyll doing the exact same thing, despite being a literal monster hunter. something about wyll having special unique lines for origin romances in his act 3 romance scene. how even if you dont romance him, if youre playing astarion and approach him at the epilogue party he is absolutely Delighted to see you and remarks on how much he missed you (and your hair, lmao). just something about two characters who have had their autonomy stripped away from them for years finding love and safety in each other. i dont think i can ever be normal about these two.

[is-that-sand-in-my-waffles]

One year! That's all it took for the Imperial propaganda machine to turn the people of the galaxy (represented by Eedy) against the Ghormans, who committed no crime except living on top of resources coveted by the Empire. This is why the genocide and subsequent erasure of the Jedi went so smoothly! The Imperial propaganda department (formerly the Republic propaganda department and firmly under Palpatine's thumb) was a steamroller that left no room for any voice, any opinion, any POWER other than the one that could be neatly packaged and used for the glory of the Empire.

[bonnie-the-mutt]

emo / alt mall adventure !! gnc !!

ty for goin to the mall wif meeee !!! I hope u had fun !! ><🎀

[annasofthe11thdimension]

Pictured: Loop being extremely normal as they lay in their shallow (homemade) grave as they meditate on existence and also if they have annoyed the Researcher enough THIS time for her to murder them and bury them alive.

(Spoilers - they did not annoy her even CLOSE to that much.)

And there is the required reverse image of Odile arriving - she's had a LONG day (i.e. previous loop), and due to this it will take ten minutes before she even acknowledges the shallow grave Loop is laying in, as she was distracted complaining about what Siffrin just did to annoy her.

----

I'd say there's context for all of that, because like...there IS context? Here's the link to the series of fics that HAS that context even! But also...even with context...can't say that it's going to make any of this less weird.

Mostly Odile is looping because due to Loop's wish the universe got rewritten to make Siffrin's repression and emotional issues (the ones bad enough to get him stuck in a time loop in the game) 'someone else's' problem...or at least that's Loop's best theory atm!

Regardless, context or not, I'm quite happy with how the pics came out, and figured I might as well post them here too.

[cannibalistic-deer]

It baffles me that I've seen people say "Alastor is canonically sex and touch repulsed" as a reason people "shouldn't" be shipping Alastor sexually/romantically.

Why assume that the sex repulsion applies to every relationship in his life, permanently? Some aces are sex favorable, or may develop more favorable feelings for specific people, even if otherwise repulsed.

And the same applies to touch repulsion. That's such a weak argument. Alastor canonically, and very clearly, is okay with or possibly even enjoys touch in specific situations. He does seem to be touch repulsed in general, but again, there are specific people it doesn't apply to. (Rosie is the best example, since with anyone else it is more brief, but Rosie touches him, and is the one initiating that, frequently.)

All types of attraction, or comfort levels with different manners of affection, are fluid. This isn't ever an excuse to invalidate real people who are telling you their identities, but it does mean that assumptions really can't be made about what a person would or wouldn't do.

And this type of thinking is what really leads to invalidating real people, because even if you think "being asexual means never having sexual attraction," and then an ace person shares that they think they might have experienced sexual attraction at some point but still identify as ace... then you have to be open to that. You cannot put sexualities in boxes. This applies to all sexualities.

I'm a fictive of Alastor myself, and I am sex repulsed, so I understand the discomfort, but I also understand that people are not harming any real, living person by making fanworks where Alastor is having sex. It also doesn't mean they're inherently rejecting his asexuality.

If people want to ignore Alastor being aroace completely, that's different. Alastor is canonically aroace (or asexual at minimum), and he always will be. But jumping to conclusions about what people think because you're too naive and stubborn to understand that sexuality and attraction doesn't fit into tidy little boxes is harmful and is a way of thinking that must be changed.

This became longer than intended because I was mostly thinking about the "Alastor is touch repulsed to everyone!" claims some people make, which are frankly incompatible with canon. But the rest of this post is also true.

[lyxchen]

Okay so I've heard this said a bunch of times and I'm gonna admit I thought like that too for a while but no, Gi-hun did not win the games because he was lucky. A lot of people think that's how he won because he never killed anybody but that's really not the point. Gi-hun won the games because a) he's smart and is able to look at things from a different angle, b) because he is a good and kind person who also believes in others and c) because of the goodness and care get got back from other people.

In the first game he survived because Ali saved him and that wasn't luck, that was Ali being a good person and helping somebody not get killed. Ali could've not caught him, let him die, he didn't even know Gi-hun at all at that point and he put himself in more danger too by having to hold on to a person while standing completely still but he still saved Gi-hun because Ali is a good person.

In the Dalgona game he quite literally Was Not Lucky. He decided to go with the umbrella which is the worst shape to pick and he probably would have died if he hadn't looked at the game in a different way and decided to change his strategy. Gi-hun is smart. He is also optimistic and so he tried something new and found a different way to beat that game.

In the third game he survived because he was smart and kind enough to listen to Il-nam. The other people in their group dismissed him as just an old man speaking but Gi-hun didn't and that way they had a good strategy to beat the other team. The same goes for him listening to Sang-woo's idea of running three steps and then stopping, which ultimately was what saved them. His group also chose him as their leader (who, as Il-nam said, needs to not seem weak or loose hope because then the whole team is doomed). His team trusted in him and his optimism and they were right to do so.

In the marbles game he won because he was once again kind and decided to team up with Il-nam and also because in the end Il-nam decided to "sacrifice himself" for Gi-hun because he showed him kindness before. Yes Il-nam didn't actually die but he also knew that Gi-hun had cheated and still let him continue on to the next game, probably because Gi-hun had been good and kind and caring towards him before, even though he really didn't have to be. Gi-hun also didn't know this but by teaming up with Il-nam he inadvertently ensured that Il-nam had a lot more fun in the games than he would have had, had everybody just ignored to "old, fragile man". Gi-hun was good to Il-nam throughout all the games and it ended up saving him in the marbles game.

In the fifth game it's only some small moments as Gi-hun isn't really involved in the game because he's the last number but still it wasn't just luck. First of all he was kind enough to give the number 1 to the player that asked him for it. Yes, that number was bad but he didn't know that and had he been selfish enough to say no to that other player he wouldn't have survived. Being the last to play in any game can end up being bad for you, still he decided to give up the number he picked because the other player asked him to. Secondly he also survived that game because Sae-byeok was kind enough to remind him of which glass tile to step on after he had forgotten which one it was. It's only small but she didn't have to tell him and still she did. Sae-byeok btw is also good to him because before that he was good to her and protected her (even though he was angry at her at first) and that way he was able to gain her trust.

Lastly he won the Squid Game because Gi-hun was kind to Sang-woo and because Sang-woo deep down was still a good person. There were probably many reasons as to why Sang-woo decided to kill himself in the end but part of it, I'm sure, was also because Gi-hun was a good friend to him. I mean Gi-hun was even willing to give up all the money and go back home with nothing gained if it meant that Sang-woo didn't have to die and would be able to come home with him. Gi-hun deserved that win and that money and in the end Sang-woo knew that. He also knew that Gi-hun would make sure to take care of Sang-woo's mother and that he wouldn't just take all the money for himself because Sang-woo knew that Gi-hun is a good person. (Gi-hun technically also won the Squid Game because he was good at it which is also him being smart)

So in conclusion and I hope y'all haven't stopped reading yet: Gi-hun didn't win the games because he was lucky. He didn't just sit around doing nothing and won anyways. He won because he was smart but even more importantly he won because of the kindness and goodness that exists in humans and that is especially present in him. He won because he had empathy, because people trusted him, because he got back from them what he gave to them first. He never killed anyone and we can clearly see that he Could Never kill anyone in those games but that's not his weakness. Just because he didn't let himself get corrupted and turned into what the games wanted him to turn into doesn't mean he won because of luck. Him not playing by those subtle, hidden rules that are made to force him to be bad, to not care about others and to give up his kindness actually means he was better than the games. He won because he didn't let them turn him into a monster. They tried really hard and they failed and that's how he won!! But also on top of that he also won because he isn't the only good person in this show. He also won because other people helped him, were kind to him and gave a shit about him. Each and every person that helped Gi-hun didn't have to do that. They all could have not helped him, Ali could have not caught him, Sae-byeok could have not told him which one was the correct glass tile, hell, she could have Lied to him about it and the only difference it would have made for the other players would have been them being one more dead person closer to winning all that money. But that's really not how humans are and act which is why all these people helped Gi-hun, helped each other in small or big ways and in the end his own kindness and the kindness that exists in other people is what lead to Gi-hun winning. That's not luck. That humans being good

[wittywallflower]

In s2e7 ‘Headspace’, it’s framed to make us sympathetic to Keeley, and make Roy’s ‘clinginess’ a flaw of his.

But I’m rewatching it closely and like… there’s no sin committed, wanting to spend time with someone is not a crime. He's desire for closeness is equally as valid her wanting space. Not every person's not-getting-enough-space is because of another person's problematically clingy behavior.

Like we start off Keeley being startled by Roy in her kitchen. idk why, it’s morning, where else is he going to drink his morning cuppa? but he’s unexpectedly close all of a sudden and so she gives a little jump. And sometimes we get annoyed with ppl who startle us, for no real reason, even if the startling was accidental. No one’s fault.

They ride to work together. Of course they do when their schedules align. It would be stupid, expensive, and bad for the environment not to.

They walk in hand-in-hand, Roy gives her a kiss and heads off - note the absolute zero fuss about separating, no "when can i see you later?", just a quick and completely normal peck of goodbye.

Asking about her detour immediately after they separate - I get how people could read this is a little clingy or controlling. But I’ve also been in enough working environments long term to know that you learn your coworkers habits without noticing. And you don’t even have to be actively paying attention to them to notice when they deviate from routines. If they are walking the opposite direction of where they are supposed to be going, you wonder why. And if you’re close with that person, you ask about it. even more normal in a relationship. This situation is both coworkers and relationship. (My ex was super chill, not clingy or controlling. but if he saw me heading away from my home office when it was reasonable to expect me to be going to the room where i spent most of my time, he'd be curious and just casually ask "what are you up to, baby?")

Roy asks to go with her to get tea. Doesn’t make assumptions, doesn’t presume like ‘good idea, me too, let’s go’. And it’s a simple question “can I come?” no pleading, no passive aggression, no facial expression I read as anything that would guilt Keeley into accepting. There's nothing to suggest Roy has ever made a fuss when Keeley tells him no. I think a Keeley who was on top of her game in that moment would have thought of a smooth excuse that would deflect him without hurt feelings, like “you can if you like but I’m heading to [the opposite direction of Roy’s locker room] right after” or “I’m just grabbing a quick one, then I have to rush to make a conference call in time”. And hey!! Maybe Roy really did just want a fucking tea of his own at that moment. We know he loves it.

Keeley mentions to Rebecca that things were easier when they didn't work together. But Keeley was the one who chose to work there, Roy was not involved, didn't ask her to come work where he works. We see her doing work at home so she probably doesn't need to spend all day every day at Nelson Road.

Roy is not bothered when its obvious that Keeley is gossiping about him to Rebecca or Higgins. He doesn't ask what she was talking about, or try to grill them on it, or really stress out at all about what she might be saying about him. He respects that she has her own feelings/opinions/ideas about her life to talk about and might prefer to talk to other people about them sometimes. He doesn't need to know every conversation she has with other people, even if its about him.

Roy is being all kissy and affectionate while she is trying to get some work done... its sweet, its kinda in her way - neither of them are wrong for that. Its not unreasonable for him to love on his girlfriend when he is at her house for the express purpose of spending time with her. If you have someone over to your house, its not weird that they might expect some of the host's attention.

When Keeley puts her foot down, "no seriously, stop kissing me and let me alone to work" Roy immediately does! He goes and sits quietly with his book! He did exactly as she asked. without complaint or even a grumpy(er) expression on his face about it. Keeley could have gone back to work while Roy read, no problem. Keeley distracted herself there. She chose not to focus on her work.

Keeley hiding in the boot room is also her own choice. Rebecca was correct that Keeley needed to tell the one person who could do something about it. And once again Roy raised no objection to Keeley talking about him to others, even when its a room full of people, some of whom he definitely would prefer not know too much private information about him. (Jamie for sure, and probably Ted just out of principle)

Roy had shit timing in talking about his book, but its not exactly bad boyfriend material to want to share excitement about something new. She is watching a 20 year old show so its highly unlikely its an episode she hasn't seen before and really wants to focus on.

When Keeley finally expresses in words that sometimes she needs to be by herself, Roy is upset not about that fact, he's upset that she was discussing it with others, and about how it made him look, when he never had the option to act any differently because he didn't know she wanted him to act differently. He thought they were enjoying their time together! He was happy! and his "I'm an idiot" was, i think, about that, about blindly going along thinking they had a great thing. Thinking he's doing a great job at this boyfriend thing. (and he probably needed some validation a little bit after his retirement woes) He was really blindsided and hurt, and Keeley really didn't want to hurt him like that, but communication needed to happen a lot earlier, before she built up feelings of resentment about not getting what she didn't ask for.

Ignoring her in the parking lot the next morning was some petty shit, yes, but it is far from the first time the 'clingy' side of the 'i need space' argument has responded with passive-aggressive levels of distance. Its not like anyone elaborated on what 'more space' and 'time to myself' means in concrete terms. Plenty of people might interpret "i need space" as "wait for me to come to you". And whomst among us hasn't practiced awkward avoidance after a confrontation, for any number of reasons? its not 'right' or therapist-approved, but its relatable. Its how many human beings tend to act in similar situations.

We all think Keeley is the cat's pajamas, yeah? And her need for space is perfectly valid. But if we were going to pick sides on this issue...

[feast-of-tongues]

"But I needed to be ableist and trigger people's moral OCD! It's for the greater good!"

It's a tumblr poll to make you feel good about your actions. There is no greater good to be had here.

[royalarchivist]

Pac: Take care of Ramon, take care of Richas, ok? See you on the other side, big boy.

Fit: [Laughs] Take it easy, big boy. Take it easy, big boy. Actually, nononono– You can't just say "big boy" and then just expect me to not drag you outta here. [Fit tries to lasso Pac] You're coming with me.

Pac: No, I need to leave!

Fit: You're coming with me. You are not dying today! You are not dying today!

Pac: I need to leave, Fit! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

Ironmouse: Are you guys like, having sexy time?

Fit: There's homosexual activity going on Mouse, don't worry about us, ok?

Ironmouse: You guys, we don't have time to be gay right now.

[ Full Transcript ↓ ]

-

Pac: I'm just here to say goodbye to you, Fit.

Fit: Goodbye? We're not– we're gonna be fine, we're going to get out of here, don't worry.

Aypierre: Yeah, don't worry!

Pac: I know, but like– I will sleep until the end, you know? I will pass through this moment sleeping, man. I won't be able to be awake for the moment.

Fit: [Laughs] You know, it's– I mean, if that's how you wanna go, but– I mean, that- I mean, isn't that bed kind of like.... I don't know, it's–

Pac: No no, I will be staying on the sofa, you know, I will be staying on the sofa.

Fit: Oh the sofa. Ok, that's a nice sofa! Yeah, that is a pretty nice sofa.

Pac: Yeah, it's a nice sofa right? No, yeah– I'm going to stay on the sofa, you know? So, since I will be going Fit... [Pac starts tossing Fit all his items]

Aypierre: [Not paying attention to their conversation] Is that bigger cell? I don't think it's a bigger- biggest one.

Fit: Oh... Thank you Pac, thank you.

Pac: Everything you need to survive, ok?

Fit: Wow.

Aypierre: Wow.

Pac: And if you need this one also, maybe, who knows? [Throws him more items]

Fit: Ohhh, well hey– just take this to remember me by, ok? [Tosses him a photo of himself – the same one Aypierre was carrying all day yesterday]

Pac: [Laughs] Ok, I will sleep holding the picture you know, like this. You know, I will dream about you, Fit. And I hope this is gonna be good dreams. I see you in the other side. Good luck, my friend.

Fit: The other side... Yeah, you know, yeah, we– we– you know? It's been an honor, Pac. It's been an honor, you know?

Pac: Yeah, for me too, you know? Take care of Ramon, take care of Richas, ok?

Fit: Ok.

Pac: See you on the other side, big boy.

Fit: I will sing your praise– Oh yeah, hey– [Laughs] Take it easy, big boy. Take it easy, big boy. Actually, nononono– You can't just say "big boy" and then just expect me to not drag you outta here. You're coming with me.

Pac: No, I need to leave!

Fit: You're coming with me. You are not dying today! You are not dying today!

Pac: I need to leave, Fit! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

Fit: Sorry, there's–

Pac: I'm sorry!

Ironmouse: Are you guys like, having sexy time?

Fit: There's homosexual activity going on Mouse, don't worry about us, ok?

Ironmouse: You guys, you guys– we don't have time to be gay right now, come on. There's no time.

Pac: No, there's no time! Oh, goodbye Fit...

Fit: Ok, c'mon, no no no, come on, we got this we got this!

Pac: Goodbye Fit, I'm sorry!

Fit: [Laughs] Oh no...