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headspace-hotel · 4 months

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I hate a lot of trends in climate-change-aware nature writing, but this is one I particularly detest: works insisting that we live in a "post-natural" world.

The lostness, bewilderment, aching, and searching in this piece is understood by the author to be an all-consuming and universal dysphoria, when it is actually a highly specific predicament that the author put himself into: He tried to understand the universe exclusively through the point of view of white people.

I mean that Purdy takes the colonizer point of view without realizing that it is a colonizer point of view. He thinks the colonizer point of view is a universal document of the authentic, naive encounter of "humanity" with "nature," instead of burning wreckage left over from the apocalyptic destruction of a rainbow of ideas and cultures.

It feels weird to be talking about this as a white person, but it shouldn't, any more than it should feel weird to say (as a white person) that aliens didn't build the pyramids.

Very little of what he's writing about would exist or make sense without European colonization of the world. Purdy constantly says "we" and "our" in reference to things that are very restricted to a particular cultural point of view, as if totally oblivious to the idea that other cultures and other perspectives even exist. When he searches for historical references to chart "human" relationship with nature, history goes like this: Pre-Christian religion in the British Isles->British monarchy-> George Washington-> Industrial Revolution->Thoreau.

He manages to repeatedly stumble over giant hunks of colonialism embedded in every concept he's thinking about, like boulders obstructing a pathway, and pretends so hard that they don't exist that his points are janky and meandering. For example, his discussion of Helen Macdonald's book H for Hawk, touching upon human identification with the landscape and with non-human "nature," blunders into this:

Those who love (certain parts of) nature are often making a point of preferring it to (certain kinds of) human beings. The problem is not only literary. Macdonald describes an encounter with a retired couple who join her in admiring a valley full of deer, then remark how good it is to see “a real bit of Old England still left, despite all these immigrants coming in.” She does not reply, but is miserable afterward. The meaning of landscapes is always someone’s meaning in particular. Confronted with all of this, Macdonald tries to shake off the complicities of her own identification with the terrain: “I wish that we would not fight for landscapes that remind us of who we think we are. I wish we would fight, instead, for landscapes buzzing and glowing with life in all its variousness.” The alternative that Macdonald wishes for is, of course, not an escape from political-cultural projection onto landscape, but another approach to that same practice — really, the only one a 21st-century cosmopolitan is likely to feel comfortable embracing.

AND THEN HE JUST SEGUES INTO THE NEXT POINT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. Like don't worry about it :) We will simply project onto landscapes in a non-racist way :) because we aren't racist anymore in the 21st century :)

The next book he discusses is Landmarks by Robert MacFarlane, which is basically about how the vocabulary of landscape in English is sterilized and monoculturized, and contrasts that with Scots Gaelic. This is how Purdy explains the thesis of the book:

Our sense of what lies outside ourselves has been blunted by “capital, apathy, and urbanization” — enemies likely to draw a range of friends, from cultural Marxists to Little Englanders to those who would like to see a bit more effort, please. But behind this scholarly sketch, Macfarlane’s work is testament to a pretheoretical obsession with unfamiliar ways of encountering places. We disenchanted and distracted (post)moderns describe terrain, he complains, in terms of “large, generic units” such as “field,” “hill,” “valley,” and “wood." (...) Many people who have lived intimately with landscapes have had words for nuances of form, texture, and use. Macfarlane’s purpose in Landmarksis to gather these words as proof of how precisely it is possible to name a place, and so, perforce, to know it.

Why is Gaelic endangered? Because of an effort to extinguish its speakers' culture. This article I found on it talks about the history of the language's decline, and it's strikingly similar to what happened to indigenous people in the Americas and Australia, with children being put in schools where they were beaten with sticks for speaking their native language.

This whole essay is about Purdy's general disappointment with nature writing, his craving for an ineffable Something, some sort of magical, primitive identification with the natural world. In the very first paragraph he claims that the pictures of animals on nursery walls are "totemic" and quotes a guy saying that zoos are an "epitaph" to the relationship between people and animals. It's never very clear what he means, but he uses the term "animism" repeatedly, such as when he says this about MacFarlane's goal in writing Landmarks:

His quarry is an animistic sense that Barry Lopez once identified in “the moment when the thing — the hill, the tarn . . . ceases to be a thing, and becomes something that knows we are there."

Given that ambition, Landmarks, which Macfarlane calls a “counter-desecration phrasebook,” can be disappointingly thin as a lexicon. Too many of the terms are simply dialect or Gaelic for some generic form, such as “slope,” “hilltop,” “stream,” or “tuft of grass.” The effect is less pointing out how many things there are to see than cataloguing how many names there are for the same thing.

This is Purdy missing the point, perfectly crystallized as though frozen in amber. He is oblivious to the clear subtext of a language showing a culture's connection to its home, and of the violence against that culture. The Gaelic language doesn't make him feel primal and mystical the way he wants it to, therefore it doesn't mean anything to him. MacFarlane doesn't make him feel a magic animistic connection to nature, therefore his book must have failed at its task.

Who gives a shit? Gaelic isn't FOR you.

He discusses another book about a guy that hikes a bunch of Cherokee trails, but I don't know what to say about that one, observing it through the sludge of the reviewer's unwillingness to recognize that historical context exists. He summarizes his disappointment in a confusing way, using the Gaelic language as a symbol for an obscure and inaccessible place where the answer to your personal emotional cravings lives (???) Then he talks about a kind of epistemicide, or extinction of knowing, of nature, but again, totally oblivious to any relationship to colonization.

Every inhabited continent has been denuded of ecosystems and species. Most North American places have shed wolves, elk, moose, brown bears, panthers, bison, and a variety of fish and wild plants, which were all abundant four hundred years ago.

Wow, I wonder what happened four hundred years ago?

This writing acts like the dominant Eurocentric attitude towards the world is universal, but the author is haunted by this nameless specter of the possibility of a different way of thinking, which he treats as some kind of mystical, primordial state hidden in the past instead of just a different cultural perspective.

Not only does he not recognize that his own cultural perspective of Nature is dysfunctional and unsatisfying because it was created by exploitation and genocide of other cultures and their symbiotic relationships, he acts like other perspectives don't exist. Take his perspective on forests and the mycorrhizal network:

Wohlleben’s emphasis on interdependence and mutual aid is part of a recent tendency to recast nature in an egalitarian fashion — as cooperative, nonindividualist, and, often enough, hybrid and queer, in contrast to the oaks of generals and kings. Nature does answer faithfully to the imaginative imperatives and limitations of its observers, so it was inevitable that after centuries of viewing forests as kingdoms, then as factories (and, along the way, as cathedrals for Romantic sentiment), the 21st century would discover a networked information system under the leaves and humus, what Wohlleben calls, with an impressive lack of embarrassment, a “wood wide web.”

Listen, I don't think this is accurate to how Europeans thought of forests throughout time, let alone "humanity" in general. The emphasis of power and competition in ecosystems emerged after Darwin, in collusion with capitalism and "race science." Trees have been symbols of life, wisdom and selflessness, and regarded as sacred or even sentient, for centuries before that. But on top of that, this is just blatantly pretending that only white people's ideas count as ideas.

It's the same dreck as all the other "literary" writing about climate change: self-pityingly and unproductively mourning "Nature" and a fantasized "wild" state of the Earth, ignoring colonialism, treating human influence of any kind on other life forms as something that either destroys them or makes them soft and "tame."

I'm tired of reading nature writing from people that obviously do not go outside, or if they do, they do it in such a suffocatingly regimented, goal-oriented way that they can't just sit outside and relax.

Maybe I shouldn't be such a hater if I want to do nature writing. But my love of nature is WHY I am a hater.

#nature #ecosystem #climate change #the ways of the plants #goes under #doomerism

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honeytonedhottie · 6 months

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how to stop being toxic⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⭐️

the point of this post in general is a reminder to be self aware so that then u can become an individual that u are proud of ✨

SELF AWARENESS ;

everyone has traits in themselves that they aren't necessarily proud of and thats okay. its only natural bcuz we are humans. whats important is that u are able to acknowledge it and work on it.

toxic traits and behaviors stem from things like our own insecurities, conditioning, our egos and a multitude of other things. when we aren't toxic we free ourselves up for better people and experiences.

SELF ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY ;

do some shadow work, dig deeper and do some journalling to rly assess some of ur personality traits whether u classify them as a negative or a positive trait. some examples of traits include

having trouble taking accountability (shifting blame)

once you've classified that trait, write a sentence that explains why that particular trait is/isnt toxic. so for this particular trait ur sentence could look something like

trouble with taking accountability for myself and my actions is a toxic trait because it displays my inability to be responsible for myself/admit fault. this can jeopardize relationships and opportunities for me, it can also hinder my growth as an individual.

just because you notice toxic behaviors within yourself, it doesn't mean that u are a bad person. in fact, since u can acknowledge it and wanna improve it, that shows that u are a good person.

HOW TO ACTUALLY STOP ;

look for the source of toxic behaviors that u display. some ways that can help u to identify what makes u act in that way is by seeing a therapist who can help u to dissect and understand urself, intentional journalling etc.

when u find urself in situations in which u think that ur being toxic, u can practice mindfulness and nip it in the bud. the more that u practice doing this the easier and more natural it'll feel.

be a good listener

show urself compassion

start journalling/going to therapy

listen to feedback

listen to feedback from others from an impartial view. dont take criticism or negative feedback personally. take the feedback that u get and apply it cuz thats one of the many ways u can grow.

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grison-in-space · 8 months

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honestly so much of the way we conceptualize autistic special interests is predicated on there not being anyone who shares them with us? and like. have you met humans. have you talked to any autistics. because lots of them are pretty interesting actually! and autistic people are often pretty good at infecting you with their interests so that you share them too even if you're not as motivated to fixate happily on them for their own sakes!

huge whorls of autistic-generated human communities exist, and people who aren't used to autistic people never seem to realize that Yes Those Are Also Autistics, often because people are used to autistic special interests occupying some very limited contexts like Computers because Computers were a big new societal innovation and community spinning up right when people also started thinking about autism as a Distinction Among Humans. Also Pokemon. And the Internet. Nineties kids know what I mean, eh?

anyway here are some heavily autistic communities that allistic people never seem to realize tend to concentrate autistics and be driven by them:

every non-commercial domestic animal fancy ever, including dog, cat, pigeon, chicken, and horse people; also includes a fair chunk of the commercial kinds but there are slightly less of these

fandom of any kind (for some reason--it's misogyny--no one seems to realize that this also applies to female-slanted forms of fandom focused on storytelling and modification as well as male-slanted ones that involve information curation)

religion. especially any kind that involves any kind of organization--less the charismatic ones that involve manipulating other people, more the kind that draw people interested in the way that religion works. less/more is not all/none.

kink and sexuality generally and also gender. we think a lot. it's a problem. and we get snagged on stuff. plus sensory shit ties into everything. just saying. e v e r y t h i n g.

academia. look we get. we get interested in things. if you get interested enough in things people call you an expert and sometimes they give you money. money is nice. it lets you buy more objects of special interest.

acting. we wear masks all the fucking time and we get caught up in it. which makes you think about structure, eh?

comedy. ditto.

building shit. admittedly the allistics have largely noticed that engineers concentrate us by now but it has taken a surprisingly long time to realize that this also applies to other, older crafts.

fibercrafts and textiles. what about "we like textures and also figuring out how things work" is a surprise to you. also math. again the answer to how the allistics keep failing to notice this one is "there's lots of ladies in there."

I bet I'm missing plenty that I'm just not thinking of but my god, man, look at how many of these things touch us! look at how they shape our understanding of one another and ourselves! how cool is that

#neurodivergence #autism

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writers-potion · 6 months

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Got anything for dialogue

Writing Dialogue 101

Dialogue is conversation, nothing more, nothing less. The catch is: diagloue is EDITED conversation. It must be more concise, purposeful and witty than the everyday sentences we speak, while sounding natural.

The Purpose of Dialogue

Diaglue is definitely a fiction elements that pops everything up and out. Thus, dialogue is going to have more impact than your normal paragraphs, in order to:

Characterizes/reveals motives

Sets the mood in the story

Intensifies the story conflict

Creates tension and suspense

Speeds up your scenes

Add bits of setting/backgronud

Communicates the theme

Matching the Dialogue to the Genre

The dialogue in a book should speak the reader's language. There is a type of voice that suits each genre/category of fiction, and we must understand what matches the reader expectations and rhythm of the plot we are writing.

Magical Dialogue

"Do not kill him even now. For he has not hurt me. And in any case I do not wish him to be slain in this evil mood. He was great once, of a nobel kind that we should not dare to raise our hands against." - The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkein

"As much as I want you and want to be with you and part of you, I can't rear myself away from the realness of my responsiblities." - The Bridges of Madison County, Robert James Waller

This is the language of The Hobbit, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

When writing literary and mainstream fiction (that is targeted at the general public rather than a target audience), we need to go with what sounds real, even with a magical setting

Science fiction and fantasy can be more unreal, i.e. things like "May the Force Be With You."

In romance, magical dialogue takes on a differen form. It's magical in that it transcends the way we talk to each other in normal society. Magical in that all of it makes perfect sense and is said in such eloquent langauge that we marvel at it while at the same time knowing that if we are left to ourselves, we would say something absolutely banal.

Cryptic Dialogue

"You know, the condom is the glass slipper of our generation. You slip it on when you meet a stranger. You dance all night, then you throw it away. The condom, I mean. Not the stranger." - Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk

This is the dialogue in literary and religious stories that dealw ith abstract ideas and vague concepts and has double meanings. Readers aren't meant to understand theses right away.

These bits of dialogue plant sublimnal messages in the reader's mind that help communicate the theme later on, ultimately making sense.

Cryptic dialogue is difficult to do well. If we're not careful, we'll end up sounding preachy, moralistic and dogmatic.

You need to be able to view the world in different perspectives.

Descriptive Dialogue

The literary, fantasy and historical story often relies on dialogue for worldbuilding (expplaining history, magic rules, etc.)

The author's goal in descriptive dialogue is to provide the reader with information. However, the character's goal cannot be sacrificed for the author's. Dialogue can still have tension and suspense and can be inserted into a scene of action so the story doesn't bog down while the readers get some info.

Shadowy Dialogue

In shadowy dialogue, the character's job is to keep the reader suspended in a state of terror/suspense. Then you periodically tighten and loosen the tension.

The key here is uncertainty. The reader cannot trust the speaker, so we're always questioning him, wondering whether he's speaking truthfully or is presenting the full picture.

Keep the tone as dark of possible, using action and background as supporting tools.

Make it cryptic, or even better, offering an omnious threat of what is to come.

Provocative Dialogue

This is the type of dialogue that conveys the theme, talking about the "universla truth" your book is trying to convey.

Readers like to be challenged in their thinking, provoked to consider other ways of thinking, and shaken up in their belief systems with a fresh perspective about the world.

Consider this example from To Kill A Mockingbird:

"...but there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal - there is one humna institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockfeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignornant man the equal of any college president."

There is no way we can read this and not think about something that is bigger than our daily lives.

Make your readers squirm, and shock them out of their comfort zones.

Uncencored Dialogue

Uncencored dialogue in YA stories are of young people, but that doesn't mean it's filled with hip-hop words and slag.

While adults cencor themselves when they speak, teenagers haven't yet learned that skill so their dialogue is more raw, edgy and honest.

Readers of YA novels expect realism, so make it as authentic as possible. The last thing we want to is for our characters to be brash and honest, but NOT sound like they've just stepped out of Planet Way Cool.

For example:

"What if he doesn't like me back?" "You are too much of a chicken to do anything aboutit but mope."

As an adult, how often do you admit fear of rejection out loud to another, or call out your friend to her face? In YA-type of dialogue though, we can just write what comes into these characters' minds.

So that sums up the different types of dialogue. Consider the nature of your plot, what your readers and the genre of the story you are writing to choose an appropriate way for your characters to speak!

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

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genderkoolaid · 4 months

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cannot find the post but i'm thinking about the concept of female nationalism again. i think its a really good way of understanding radfem rhetoric & the way that those ideas (in radfeminism + general pop feminism) are used to dictate the ways people engage with gender in feminism. like the concept of "betraying womanhood" is quite literally gender treason. you aren't being a good little citizen of womanhood with all the appropriate clothes, body, beliefs, etc. you by definition cannot be a feminist and not a woman because allegiance to the state of Womanhood is the first requirement. and then "invading women's spaces" is the anti-immigration of gender. maleness and masculinity in general are part of the eternal Enemy we must define ourselves around fighting. & i think this also connects to how otherwise privileged feminists resist being culpable for their own bigotry (white women w racism, cis women w transphobia, perisex people with intersexism) by accusing marginalized feminists of sowing dissent and nitpicking other's behaviors, as if their use of systemic power is the same as lateral violence or just "being mean." because if you admit that something other than Womanhood is important here, that undermines the homogenous nationalism of it all

#m.

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mylight-png · 9 months

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Despite the fact that I've understood that Jews aren't really white for a long time, it's been a much more recent perspective shift to understand that I'm not a "white Jew" but rather a white-passing Jew.

Because even though I would express my views on "Jews aren't white" to people, I'd frequently be told I'm wrong, or they'd listen but then in the next conversation simply forget all about it and made it clear they didn't agree or didn't care.

And so, for a very long time, I allowed goyim to define what it means to be Jewish for me.

But would I let anyone tell me who I am in relation to any other identity? Or was I just so conditioned to treat my Jewishness as something for society, not me, to define?

My Jewishness isn't just my religion. Whether or not I keep shabbat, I'm still Jewish. If I cook mac-n-cheese in a pot and then make chicken soup in the same pot, I'm still Jewish. Even if I wear pants and a tank top, I'm still Jewish.

Because being Jewish isn't just being in a religious category. For me, and a majority of Jews (not forgetting about converts, love y'all), being Jewish is in our DNA.

You can take the Jew out of Judaism, but you can't take the Judaism out of the Jew. (It seemed better before I wrote it.)

We are Jewish not because of a religious category, but also an ethnic category. And the world has only very recently decided we are white. But even now, we aren't treated as such.

You know, my perspective shifted due to a conversation about arm hair with my dad and sister.

We were sitting in a restaurant and my sister was wearing a t-shirt, showing her arms. At this point, I still thought of us as "just white" and my "Jews aren't white" views were of the "well I don't get to claim that for myself" (idk why to be honest). This conversation changed everything.

Anyway, my sister was complaining, as middle schoolers do, and mentioned her very fuzzy arms. My dad responded, "Well of course, you're Middle Eastern."

I was shocked.

I knew my parents are from Eastern Europe, and that we don't look Eastern European, and I just thought of myself as "generic white" even though I knew I was 100% ethnically Jewish.

That changed.

I wasn't "generic white" but rather I was a white-passing Jew. I look white, I know that. But I still have some traits that, when taken on their own, aren't typically European at all. They're Middle Eastern.

It was my first time really hearing a Jew define being ethnically Jewish in this way, as opposed to a goy, and it was world-changing.

Finally, I let myself take my feelings about antisemitism seriously.

Do you understand why society forcibly defining all of us as "just white" is so dangerous? It lets people easily dismiss antisemitism. Because we live in a society where "anti-white racism doesn't exist" is accepted as a common fact. (I am offering no opinions on this, only stating it as a societal observation.) So if Jews are white, how can antisemitism exist? How can it really be serious?

That's why we need to define being Jewish ourselves. If we let the world do it, not only does it harm us personally (as it did when I would constantly dismiss my own feelings and gaslight myself into thinking I was making a big deal out of nothing) but it also harms us on the community scale. It's dangerous.

Jews define what it means to be Jewish. Jews define antisemitism. Jews define Judaism.

The world deserves no role in this except to listen and accept it, as they'd be expected to do for any other minority.

Jews aren't white. There are white-passing Jews, sure, but even we deal with antisemitism.

#jumblr #jewish #judaism #jew #proud israeli #israel solidarity #opinion #discourse #antisemitism #jews define judaism #jews define antisemitism

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astro-rainbow777 · 10 months

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✨𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔐𝔬𝔬𝔫 𝔖𝔦𝔤𝔫𝔰 & 𝔐𝔬𝔬𝔫 𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔗𝔥𝔢 ℌ𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢𝔰 ✨

~ Represented by "☾" in a natal chart ~ The moon is symbolic for the emotional nature, your natural instincts, intuition, the inner psyche, the relationship to the more feminine parent or guardian and often times how we see ourselves. ~The sign the moon falls into how the behaves and expresses itself, the house it falls into shows where the moon's energy prominently shows up in the native's chart.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧𝓜𝓸𝓸𝓷 𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓼‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

🌑 Aries Moon- This moon sign feels things at an intense, bold and expressive level. Think of their feelings a constant burning flame, with every emotional encounter acting as gasoline. There can be a sudden, explosive reaction that fizzles out very quickly. This shows up in every emotion that they experience. They aren't one to hold on to grudges because when they feel things they feel it to the fullest extent. Competition, working out and sexual activity can help with feelings of anger and restlessness. They are very passionate lovers and feelers. Aries Moons are not one to beat around the bush, if they feel something they will make it very apparent unless other aspects in the chat show differently. They are known for their assertive and direct nature with a possibility for a selfish reputation. However they are pioneers, confident in their abilities and dreams. They are warriors of the heart and would probably go to war for those they love. At work, they have no issues ruffling a few feathers. Combat, competition and deadlines excite them. Most Aries moons at least have a sports team they loyal to. Expect nothing but emotional honesty from this moon signs! If they want to do something, they will :)

🌒 Taurus Moon- The moon is very comfortable in the sign of Taurus because of its value of security, peace, and safety. Their emotional boundaries are usually firm, stable and strong, which makes for someone with healthy coping skills and self worth. Taurus moons are great lovers, gift givers, and emotionally loyal. They are guided by their five senses and generally have a strong intuition. They try to stay realistic and practical with their emotions. They aren't too big on day dreaming and have an easy time staying grounded in reality and the present moment. The moon is exalted in Taurus, meaning it has an easy time here while also having a chance to grow. Having financial security (although, abundance is prefered lol) and material needs met is a must for a Taurus moons sanity. They are known to strive for the best on a material level; the softest fabric, gourmet foods, beautiful music and aesthetics. Cooking, being with their loved ones, shopping, nature walks, and self care bring them internal peace and relaxation. There may be a tendency to resist change and stick to what they are familiar to. However, who can blame them? They are the masters of quality and comfort.

🌓Gemini Moon- Known for their spunky, hilarious, and witty nature- Gemini moons are far from boring. These moon signs are very vocal about their emotional upsets and excitements, although they have a tendency to cope with humor and make light of how they truly feel. This sign may also have difficulties intellectualizing their feelings and may struggle escaping their mental energy when trying to connect to their intuition. They may have troubles balancing the head and their heart, and benefit from journaling, talking it out, heck!- even talking to themself can be very beneficial. Having something to bounce their emotions off of can bring them emotional clarity. Meditation can be beneficial for these natives, but it might be a difficult practice to get into. There is a nervous, racing, changeability to their emotions which may cause them a lot of anxiety or restlessness. They may benefit by having a healthy curiosity about psychology and the emotional nature, as well as their hobbies and "special interests" which I truly believe every Gemini Moon has lol. They love to socialize with a variety of different people, trying to keep it light hearted and playful. With a Gemini Moon it's really never that deep lmao.

🌔Cancer Moon- The moon sits at home/domicile in the sign of Cancer, making for a generally sweet, family (biological or chosen) oriented, and emotionally aware moon sign. Their intuitive abilities are strong, so when they get a good feeling about someone or something they try to ride with it. Cancer moons enjoy connecting with their loved ones, expressing their artistic ability, and relaxing at home. Their biological family has probably made a great impact on the way they see themselves and express emotions- good, bad or neutral. They are blessed with a great memory and can get lost in nostalgia from time to time. Letting go of the past is not an easy thing for them to do. They may be plagued by memories of the good old days that prevents them from maturing or entering a new phase of their life. Cancer moons are extremely sentimental; if you entered their home or safe space, you would most likely find random knick knacks, birthday cards/letters, or toys that they keep as trophies from the past. This moon sign is private about their feelings, especially in social settings- it is important that they can trust whoever they open up to and that their feelings are safe. They can be hurt easily, which may cause them to put up walls with others. The worst thing you can do is criticize them for their moodiness and emotional changeability. Although Cancer moons are protective of themselves and their emotional sensitivity, they are just as protective of their loved ones.

🌕Leo Moons- Within this moon sign holds a fountain overflowing with creativity and artistic expression. It isn't uncommon for these natives to create a masterpiece after experiencing some kind of loss or a great success. Leo moons may have a playlist curated for every mood and every chapter in their life. It is important that shine in at least one area of their life (This may be determined by where the moon falls in the houses or where the sun falls in the houses), this may not be as loud as a leo sun but it is possible that you will hear the lion's roar if their emotional needs aren't met. They are extremely loyal to their family, possibly to a fault, whether being biological family or chosen family. They are very prideful in their feelings and may struggle to validate the emotional experiences of others, feeling that their experience holds more validity than the experience of someone else's. Most Leo moons have a special talent that the receive recognition for, which often ties into their creative abilities but not always. They are very kind, warm and generous with their emotions and in connecting with others. Those who stay true to the Leo moon will certainly be rewarded.

🌖Virgo Moons-Practical and intelligent, the virgo moon always knows how to improve a situation. They can take a mental approach to their internal struggles, analyzing the hearts desires and searching for the perfect outcome. They can try to fix their emotions rather than sitting with them and feeling out their problems. As with their loved ones, it can be hard to leave their emotional difficulties as they are. Virgo moons can have a very critical mind, and if they fix too hard on their emotions it can manifest in the physical body. They are prone to worry and stress so having an organized routine may help them relax. Having pets at home or plants to take care of can soothe their need to take care of something, more often than not if they aren't taking care of something it can bleed into their relationships. Virgo moons often have an ear for music and prefer music that have "correct" harmonies and good rhythm. Often times their love for others is expressed through acts of service, but they are known to be too critical at times. If a Virgo is not intune with their own emotions, when others or themselves express emotions they can feel uncomfortable or icky. It is important for them not to judge emotions; virgo placements judge themself harder than they judge anyone else.

🌗Libra Moon- Partnership is very important to these people, often times if they don't have a best friend or romantic relationship they can feel less than satisfied. It's common for these natives to learn about themselves emotionally through their connections with others. There is a emphasis on fairness and balance in one's emotional life. That being said, when there is conflict between others, the native can be emotionally avoidant, passive aggressive, and engage in people pleasing activities. It is very important to have a win win outcome, these are not people who care for winning an argument. Libra moons are the most secure when they are surrounded by love, peace. and harmony. Compromise is a talent you can bring to your partnerships at work, family, and personal relationships. It is easy for this moon sign to see the good in others, although they may struggle with uglier emotions that exist within themselves. It can be difficult for them to express when their boundaries have been violated, at least earlier in life. Overtime Libra moons will learn how to lean into their mediating abilities and before they know it this becomes one of their biggest strengths.

🌘Scorpio Moon-This moon sign is deep, mysterious and alluring. Scorpio moons have a instinctive understanding of psychology and at their best can be great healers. Their emotions are powerful and at some point in their life have to learn how to gain control over their extreme emotions. The moon is uncomfortable in the sign of Scorpio and is considered in "fall". Scorpio is a very black and white sign, so wherever you find scorpio in a natal chart can show where there can be extreme polarities. With the moon in the sign of Scorpio, the native can be be all or nothing in terms of their emotions. They can be the most connected, loyal, trustworthy person in your life; however, if you betray them there is no going back. Scorpio moons will never forget what you have done to them, good or bad. Forgiveness is possible and encouraged, but they will always remember the knives in their back. They are great at finding out the truth as well, this placement is powerfully psychic and intuitive. It is near impossible to lie to them and if they find out someone is, it is hard to give a second chance. A healthy Scorpio moon can be the sweetest, kindest, purest person ever. An unhealthy Scorpio moon? A weapon of self destruction, fearlessness, emotional manipulation, and at worst abusive.

🌑Sagittarius Moon- Optimistic, jovial, and emotionally independent, the Sag moon is always down for an adventure! These natives are goofballs and know how to turn that frown upside down! 🤡 Going for a drive, escaping somewhere new can really help soothe their emotional upsets. No matter how down these people may be, they are always up to have some fun! They aren't the best with sitting with their emotions or sitting with their loved ones emotions. They often search for the philosophical interpretation of what's going on in the their inner world. It can be hard for them to emotionally commit in their relationships, and those close to them should know that Sag moons benefit from a go with the flow mentality. They love to connect with people of all different kinds of backgrounds and ethnicities. Through their emotional experiences they often create their own philosophy life and where their place is in the world. These guys are generally good humored, spontaneous and down to hang if their available. They often move many times in their life and might find it is hard for them to settle down. Exercising their freedom is extremely important to them and they are likely to suffer if anyone is trying or succeeding in controlling them.

🌒Capricorn Moon- Hardworking, persistent and patient, Capricorn moons are known for their mature and serious reputation. This moon sign is considered in detriment in the sign of Capricorn, meaning the moon's energy is not the most comfortably expressed here. This moon sign is quite restrictive when expressing their emotions and might feel as though they must be the strong one for others, leaving little room for themselves. It is possible that these natives restrict their emotions to protect themselves or may feel that it's not practical to show how they feel. While they may have a huge heart, Capricorn moons are slow to show their authentic emotions. Even then they aren't big on showing their emotions to those they care about the most. Their actions often make up for their lack of romantic affection. The type to provide for you rather than outright say that they love you. They are dependable and reliable, so if you need anything at all a Capricorn moon will be the first to show up. They are often humble in their gratitude and affection, prefering to keep their charitable acts private. Although this moon sign is considered out of place, there is a lot to be admired and appreciated about he way they show their feelings.

🌓Aquarius Moon- This moon sign is known for its unique interests, superior intelligence, and quirky personality. Aquarius moons can be a little more detached from their emotions than the other moon signs, but they have a big heart for their community and personal relationships. These natives can feel like the black sheep of their family, which ultimately makes them an independent thinker and personality. Often times they make their own family with others who have the same values and beliefs as they do- Although they enjoy a healthy debate now and then. Aquarius moons are humanitarians at heart and want to make the world a better place. It can be difficult for them to honor you or your opinion if it doesn't benefit the world at large. These individuals are often skilled in science, technology and engineering. Their emotions can be erratic and unpredictable even to them, which can make them feel like they are no posterface for sanity. They can feel alone in the world and misunderstood which is why it's so important for them to have a bigger purpose or community to be apart of, they are the happiest when serving the community at large.

🌔Pisces Moon- These natives are the masters of compassion and unconditional love. Their empathy is powerful and their intuition is strong, a lot of these natives have clairvoyant or clairsentient abilities. Although this moon sign is the emotional embodiment of compassionate care, their own feelings can be cloudy, confusing and disorienting. They may struggle with their sense of self and pick up feelings that didn't belong to them to begin with. There can be a tendency towards emotional escapism, which can manifest as addiction, codependency, daydreaming, ect. Because of their are emotional sponges, they often pick up, not only on the good feelings of others but also some darker energy. This can be very difficult to cope with due to their caring and selfless nature. They can become self sacrificing for those they care about, which is very beautiful when you think about it, although it is best not to give with the expectation of something in return- even if it is as pure as love. This can lead to resentment and emotional manipulation that they might not even be aware of. It is important to be grounded in matters of the heart because of Pisces moon sensitivity. They benefit from a "collective consciousness' attitude and are at their best when they give from a place of wanted to give.

𐦍⋆𝑀𝑜𝑜𝓃 𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒𝓈⋆𐦍

🌙 Moon In First~ A sweet, caring and protective personality, this moon placement is known for wearing their heart on their sleeve. They often make strangers feel comfortable upon their first meeting because of their comforting energy. They may show a strong resemblance to their mother, although that is not always present. Many of them have a familiar quality and remind others of a loved one- if not it’s common to feel like you’ve met them before. They are excellent at making others feel like home, although it is important for them to learn how to feel at home within themselves. This may be a constant theme in their lives. You can rely on them to express their emotions authentically however it may be that they are more passive aggressive than assertive. Moon in the first natives are very connected to their emotional nature and their sensitivity plays a big role in their life. They are highly sentimental and if you are in the circle of loved ones they hold you very close to their heart. In their childhood, they could have assumed the role of caregiver for a parent or siblings at an early age. Many of them have super soft skin, have a crescent-to full moon face shape, and sparkly eyes. Depending on the sign the moon is can show if they are more introverted and closed off or more welcoming and outgoing.

🪼 Moon In Second~ With the moon in the second house of self worth, finances and material possessions- This can manifest as a need for financial stability and security. That being said the moon is a constantly changing planet, so self worth and material gains can be kind of an emotional rollercoaster or just a sensitive topic for the moon in second natives. This individual can have a hard time breaking away from the family financially or have some kind of influence of their personal relationship with their finances and self worth. They can have possession of family heirlooms, buy their childhood home, or spend a good portion of money on matters related to the home or loved ones. Depending on their financial situation can determine their emotional stability. When distraught they can indulged in retail therapy, stress eating, or just a fat nap 😴 They are extremely generous when they have everything under control, gift giving or providing for others may be how they show their feelings for others. It makes them feel safe as well when their loved ones are willing to show them the same generosity. They can be very loyal to their creature comforts and may have fears surrounding change.

🕸️ Moon In Third~ This moon placement can be a reserved talker, a good listener and possess a sensitive mind. They are often emotionally intelligent and have an adequate understanding of basic psychology- at minimum. Siblings can hold a soft spot in heart and may live with them from time to time. Some of them may live in their car, RV, bus or live an on the road lifestyle. The more feminine parent could treat them as a friend, an equal, or have a more childlike relationship with them. On a more negative note, that parent can behave very immaturely and not be present in the native’s life. Moon in the Third can be close with their childhood friends and hold relationships all the way from grade school. These people may benefit from learning about their emotions to help obtain peace. They can find comfort in their interests, hobbies and talents; This can serve as form of meditation for them. It helps them to have a loved one they can talk to about their stresses, if not it may cause them anxiety and restlessness. They can have an empathetic communication style that can change depending on the moon sign and the people they are around. Good secret keepers, although they can be emotional gossipers.

🏠 Moon In Fourth~ Home is where their heart is! These people look for comfort in their family relations or creating a family that they never had. These people can have a prominent relationship with their mother or mother figure, where they are like best friends in the adult years. They are sensitive to their loved one’s emotional needs and opinions of them. They are excellent host and probably don’t go out too much. If they are socializing, it has to be somewhere that is safe and comforting for them. They can lean on the introverted side of life, preferring to stay in rather than go out. Doing cozy activities, decorating and tending to their home can bring them emotional satisfaction. They may gain a lot of happiness from being a parent and parenting is most likely second nature to these people. Moon in Fourth natives are generally private with outsiders about matters of the home and their emotions. They have a talent for intuitively picking up the needs of their loved ones, which can make those lucky enough to be in their circle feel very special. Their emotions are meant to be felt with moon in the fourth house and is a great tool these individuals use to navigate themselves, their relationships and the world around them.

💎 Moon In Fifth~ These individuals are loud and proud about their feelings and cares for the world! They are artists that use their feelings to paint a picture, tell a tale, sing a song and so on. Their feelings can be bold and dramatic- they definitely aren’t shy about expressing their concerns or excitements. They have many hobbies, love to have fun and grab the attention of those around them. They are likely to be popular and have many friends because of this quality. It is super important that they express their feelings authentically or they may feel that their light is being dimmed. They may behave recklessly when they are stressed or worried- they have a habit of risk taking or gambling away stability. They can be prideful in their conflicts, refusing to look at the other side of the coin. However, they are extremely loyal to the people and communities they care about. Moon in the fifth may have to be humbled by their loved ones from time to time because they are the main character of their the movie that is their life! Their creativity and imagination is beyond attractive to many, which makes them extremely like able and charming. Others will find them selves loyal to the moon in the fifth, which will more than likely be returned.

🎐 Moon In Sixth~ With the moon falling into the sixth, having a healthy and organized routine is the best way to achieve optimal emotional wellness. This placement may find that they are emotional cleaners and planners. Although they may struggle with keeping a consistent routine, it’s going to be beneficial for them to learn how to keep one. This placement may suffer from anxiety or excessive worry for whatever reason. Often times their moms were very hard on them, worked in healthcare, or had a lot to take care of. These people may find emotional peace and security in taking care of others, plants and animals. Many moon in the sixth natives are close with their coworkers and make a home at the work place. It is possible they have a job where they help others or that their job brings them a level of emotional fulfillment. It is important to note that emotional distress and excessive worry can manifest in the body. Diet is very important as well so be cautious of what food is impacting your moods as well. These people have a tendency to be very critical of their own emotions, so if they aren’t aware this can bleed into their relationships with others. Healthy Exercise and diet can be emotionally healing and supportive.

💫 Moon In Seventh~ These natives find their emotional security and fulfillment in their partnerships. Their spouse will end up helping them a lot with their confidence and become a safe space for the native. Their partner is likely to be very sensitive, empathetic and intuitive to the needs of the moon in seventh individual. The native or their spouse may show care taking qualities in the relationship. The moon in seventh person may be very intuitive and empathetic to others in general. They are the most emotionally sound whenever they have someone to feel their feelings with. They may struggle to express their feelings if they feel that it isn’t “fair” or “just”- which may lead to people pleasing or abandonment of the self. In a partnership their mood can change depending on their partners mood. It is comfortable to have someone to feel and express their emotions with. It is important to learn how to balance their emotional need to be in partnership with a relationship to the self. They will support their partner (and other close relationships) in all matters concerning the heart and encourage emotional vulnerability between each other.

⛈ Moon In Eighth~ This moon placement can have a heavy impact on the natives life. More often than not, the individual will be interested in darker, taboo subjects (crime documentaries, witchcraft, the occult, ect). They are known for their mysterious and deep reputation- I wouldn't be surprised if a majority of the tumblr astrology community have this placement. These natives feel things to their core and because of this may find themselves asking "why?". This is a powerful placement and will certainly be felt by the moon in the eighth individual. These people may find it hard to open up, talk about their feelings, or connect to others. There is usually a moment of suffrage in the natives life that brings about great transformation. These moments of trauma...addict*on...ab*se...ect. are the same things that guide them to spiritual research and taboo subjects. These people look for and find their comfort in the unknown. It is a blessing and a curse for many of them- they can have a very deep connection to life and death, which while beautiful, can be lonely🥺. Spirituality is a great gift and tool(excellent intuition as well), so I advise these people to lean into these abilities.

🐚 Moon In Ninth~ These natives could've grown up moving around quite a bit giving them a go with the flow attitude in regards to their emotions! Their maternal figure can be from a different part of the world, philosophical, well traveled, a teacher, or preachy when it comes to theirs beliefs- heck, they could even be a preacher! The years 19-21 can be a very special time for these people. They can find comfort in travel, freedom and pondering life's existence. These people love new experiences, exploring the unknown, and exercising their freedom muscles. It is important that these people have the ability to live an independent lifestyle, they will not be happy being tied down for too long. Not saying they can't commit- there's just a need for balance. Moon in the ninth are known for their moral compass and certain beliefs they stick too- they are super big on expressing THEIR TRUTH. These individuals cope with uncomfortable emotions with a (hopefully) healthy dose of optimism, humor and warm smile! They make great company on any adventure- just don't expect them to see them tomorrow! The wind is calling them <3

⏳ Moon In Tenth~ This moon placement can give the native a great connection to their purpose (This doesn't have to be work). I see a lot of people with moon in tenth who are stay at home moms! Being a mom is a career y'all, I don't care what they say! They can gain a lot of respect for their nurturing and caring side. The moon is super personal so having it placed in the house of public image can be uncomfortable. They can be known for who they really are. It's possible that they work from home, are apart of a family business, work with your family or their family could've inspired your career in some way. Their place of work can be like home to the native, they can be a nurturing boss, or have a work family. The career can require them to be soft with others, exercise empathy or be nurturing with the people they work with. It is important that they have good boundaries with moon in tenth because the native is known for their emotional sensitivity or timidness. The native is reliable and finds it very important to provide for their loved ones. The type to show their care through actions or silently.

🦚 Moon In Eleventh~ With the moon in the eleventh house, the native can achieve emotional fulfillment by going after their goals and dreams. It is important that they belong to a community or a group of friends- It will bring more comfort to be around like minded people. The native may deal with emotional unrest, unpredictability, and loneliness due to their unique beliefs and mindset. These people are often humanitarians or belong to an organization that helps them express their emotional upsets. There is a need to belong somewhere, so whatever unique interests the individual has should be embraced and accepted so they have an easier time finding their people! Moon in the eleventh can be very innovative, ahead of their time and bring a lot to the table. Just because they are different doesn't mean they are are wrong! These people may find enjoyment in technological advancement, video games, coding, engineering, or anything that is on a progressive movement. These people may find peace in activism as well because it's forward thinking and progressive.

🌌 Moon In Twelfth~ These natives possess a sensitive, dreamy, and spiritual inner world. Many of them are psychic and aware of their impermanence in this lifetime. Moon in twelfth has a hotline straight to source consciousness and a very intimate relationship with the universe. Although this placement comes with many spiritual gifts, it can be a lonely placement for the moon. People can overwhelm the moon in the twelfth native because of their heightened sensitivities. It also can manifest as addict*on struggles because being psychic can be a tough journey. Many people don't understand them or take advantage of their loving nature. Like moon in the eighth house, these people find comfort in the unknown, the afterlife, or the idea of returning to home that isn't physical. For them, home is not something they can can physically obtain, it is somewhere so serene, so beautiful beyond human comprehension. This placement benefits from alone time, good rest, and plenty of vacation. Please make sure that y'all aren't coping with dr*gs, alc*hol, or s*x - this can be an emotionally overwhelming placement so please try to lean into your spirituality if you aren't already <3 Alone time is a must!

🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑

THANKS SO MUCH!!! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED

🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑

I love hearing y'alls feedback and constructive criticism so please let me know what y'all think in the comments or via DM <3 I hope all of my followers are doing great, thanks so much for supporting me, this has brought me a lot of emotional fulfillment to express my passion for spirituality and astrology. I hope you can take something away from this post to gain a better sense of understanding of yourself. Thanks again so much, Happy Sag Season Kees Kees, Kya <3

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disillusioneddanny · 7 months

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DPxDC Negativity

Hey this is just a friendly reminder that I'm going to put in the plainest terms that I can.

If you are telling people how they should and should not participate in fandom you are GATEKEEPING

If you are telling people that they need to read more comics before writing fanfic you are GATEKEEPING

If you are telling people that they need to do more research into canon in any form, whether that be reading wikis, reading comics, watching shows, whatever you are GATEKEEPING

If you are telling people that what they are writing is not canon compliant and therefore not a valid way to participate in fandom you are GATEKEEPING

Fandom is supposed to be fun

Fanfiction is supposed to be fun

We are not writing these stories for anyone but ourselves. And to tell someone that they are participating in fandom wrong is GATEKEEPING

There are plenty of fanfics in the DC only sphere and the DP sphere that are so far away from canon it's unreal and that's totally okay!

People are allowed to enjoy fandom in however the hell they please. If that means they are writing a crap ton of Batfam/Danny Phantom content and not very much Justice League/DP content, that's totally okay.

If someone read the Wayne Family Adventures Webtoon and decided that they want to write Danny being adopted into a loving and crazy Batfamily that is totally one hundred percent fine.

If someone wants to write Danny with abusive and neglectful parents guess what? they can.

If they want to write Vlad as being a nurturing and loving godfather to Danny, they can.

What I'm trying to explain to you all is that it's okay to write things that are not canon compliant. It's okay to write things that are so far away from canon it's not even recognizable--I mean have you even read a fantasy au or a no capes au? That's basically just slapping a characters name and face to an OC. And guess what? THAT'S OKAY.

It's also okay to want to see more people interact with the canon lore, to want to share resources and tell people about your special interests. But the moment you start doing it and it makes people feel bad-- even if that is not your intention you are GATEKEEPING.

Gatekeeping is defined as the activity of controlling, and usually limiting, general access to something.

By you telling others what they should and should not write, you are being a gatekeeper.

I get it, you want to share lore, you want to show that you know all these cool things about DC. You want more than just batfam and DP content. That's totally valid and really cool.

Do it yourself.

Don't take someone else's joy away simply because it's not what you want to see. They aren't writing it for you, they're writing it for themselves. You're just a lucky person who gets to see the beautiful works that they are putting time and effort into.

When I joined DPxDC I knew absolute shit about DC. Over the last year, I've read over 400 issues of the Batman comics, read all of the Red Robin series, and a smattering of random other comics with plans to read others. But when I started writing? I knew jackshit. My knowledge came from the Teen Titans cartoon, the Batman animated series, and vague memories of watching the Justice League animated series as a kid.

And if Dis from a year ago saw this gatekeeping shit, they would have never started writing for the fandom because they would have been too scared to be told they were doing it wrong.

Now? I'm writing DC only fics based off of what I learned in the comics and it's a lot of fun.

But I did that because I wanted to, I was starting to get more and more interested in DC and I wanted to know more. And I had access to pay for DC Infinite so that I could get access to the comics. Not everyone has that luxury.

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to read them from free sites either. Maybe they have to use a public computer that doesn't have ad blockers. Maybe their local libraries don't have access to the comics. You don't know what their situation is.

Maybe you're being well intentioned. Maybe you're just wanting to share your wealth of knowledge with the fandom. But remember, if just one person is getting hurt by your statements, that means you're no longer being helpful. You're being harmful. You're scaring off a new fan who was super insanely excited to start sharing their headcanons.

You're making people feel unwelcome. And that's not fucking cool.

Fandom is supposed to be a welcoming space for everyone, it's supposed to uplift and bring joy. Not make people feel bad for not knowing enough, or for feeling too anxious to even begin figuring out where in the 75 year history of DC they should start reading.

I know that's what kept me from reading the comics for a long time. it was just too overwhelming. It still is overwhelming for me and thats with having friends telling me where to start and what comics are best to read.

Before I end this super hella long rant I want to remind you of one last thing.

You don't know what someone has read or researched before writing their fic. You don't know just how much they know about that character or universe. For all you know, they may have read, watched, consumed every single piece of DC media in existence. But they may still interpret it different than you did and that does not mean that their Bruce Wayne is OOC because it doesn't align with how you interpret Bruce Wayne. it just means that they view his character differently than you do.

And that's such a beautiful fucking thing don't you think? That a single character, a single universe, a single fucking line can be interpreted hundreds of different ways by hundreds of different people and it's still valid.

It's what makes fandom so freaking cool in the first place.

Like one day someone woke up and they were watching Danny Phantom and they thought hm, what if I had Danny Fenton go to Gotham one day and hang out with the bats? And next thing you know, now we have thousands upon thousands of different fanfics, fan art and HCs, all because of it. All because someone had that one idea and shared it and others saw it, interpreted it their own way, and decided to create even more.

And now we're here! And this fandom is beautiful and thriving. There are so many amazing and lovely people in this fandom. There are so many discords to talk about fandom, there's so many events, a DPxDC Bang is the works, a DPxDC fanzine is in the works.

That's so fucking cool and we should be celebrating that! Not making others feel bad for not knowing as much as others.

#dpxdc #dis has opinions #dis writes #dpxdc crossover #negativity

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fangsandfeels · 1 year

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Every interaction with Astarion is a gold mine

So, finally got the encounter with Astarion's siblings, the "cuddly Astarion" bit, and the conversation afterward. And while the "other people don't have a heart like you" already has me by the jugular, this line of dialogue is just amazing:

There is a lot to unpack. On the surface, Astarion is being mean here. He doesn't mince words, he goes all in, hitting every sore spot. He says everything that ever frustrated him about us and our choices.

"A mind flayer thrall..." - a jab at the tadpole situation, the dependence on the Emperor, and maybe, at the fact that we rejected his idea to control the tadpoles i.e., made ourselves vulnerable to domination by other beings.

"...who spends their life sorting out other people's problems" - I'm sure this option is only available if we have been making kind decisions. The "spends their life" bit is particularly interesting as he hints that we're not living for ourselves. We have that incredible mix of mortality and freedom on our hands, and we give it away by getting involved in problems that aren't ours. He hates it. Or at least he used to.

NOTE: Also, a small addendum regarding the general message of his remark. It's "Look how this world has been treating you. You talk about the world being a wonderful place, but you have a tadpole planted in your skull, and even in this state, people just keep asking you for help, and you don't refuse. Nobody is helping you, though. Is this world really kind?". Despite his choice of words, he feels sorry for us.

But the most incredible part is that we actually get approval despite what he says. He can't bring himself to get mad at what we said because he knows we actually mean it. He knows us too well by now. And he wants to believe us. He wants it to be true. But he just can't afford that belief. So he forces it down and says words that are hurtful, a rude awakening for us and for him. But he even says all that without the usual bite in his voice. He is annoyed, he trying to make us understand the ridiculousness of our situation. However, he also would like us to be right. He appreciates that we believe in a world that has a place for him. And yet, he had hope dangled over his head only to be snatched away too many times. He can't let it happen again.

"I'm doing it for you, too, you know. To make sure we're both safe. Forever. For good"

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers #bg3 astarion

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teaboot · 9 months

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Your post about art vs content got me thinking about the differences between the two. To me there is no difference besides the mindsets. One is of creator and the enjoyer, the other is content and consumer it removes the personhood, the joy/emotion, from the equation. Like a writer or video creator may not see their work as art so content creator maybe a way to refer to themselves comfortably but it sounds so machine, emotionless and lifeless, like a cookie cutter recipe mass producing something verses people lovingly crafting something...then again Disney uses a cookie cutter recipe for the most part and it brings out bangers cause people lovingly make it their own so maybe I'm thinking too hard on this

Does my long-winded rant make sense?

see, I get what you mean, but I still feel like the willingness to entertain calling art of any kind "content" reduces it to the facet of consumption where in reality, the experience of consuming art is not the sole defining trait of it.

Reducing arts like music, writing, painting, dance, voice acting, theater, etc. to the role of "content"- a thing created to be consumed, measured and valued by how pleasant or easy it is to digest- I feel that it was our biggest red flag to herald the incoming tide of AI "art".

Because if art is "content", if arts are nothing but consumable matter, then obviously the key to success is to produce as much soft, tasty, edible paste as we possibly can at the lowest possible expense.

It's the same issue I have with "meal replacements", diet culture, nutrient slurries, twenty-step skincare routines, 24/7 body padding and shapewear and laxative teas and "grind culture". It's not a cause, but a symptom, of the disease that is late-stage capitalism.

Things must be produced at low cost and remain in high demand forever. Things must be perfect and palatable and the new hit trend forever. People must pay hand over fist to consume without asking anything in return, and if they start dropping like flies at the unending unrewarded thankless demand of it all, then that must be treated as a weakness. We should all take pride in how much we can spend, pay, give, produce, and think as little as possible about what we ask for ourselves.

So, who cares if, of two identical paintings, one was made by a person and one was made by a computer program? It's the same work, so what does it matter? What does it matter?

I am an artist. I make art. I ask a question, make a statement, declare something horrific or challenging or upsetting or wrong or grotesque, and when you respond, we are together experiencing a conversation. We are existing, two people living one life and reaching out and touching across time and space. No matter the work, you're at the barest minimum saying, "I'm alive, and you're alive, and at one time or another we shared this same world, and at the end of the day we aren't too terribly different. My heart is worth sharing, and your heart is worth the struggle of understanding."

An AI-generated piece, a computer-generated voice, a CGI puppet of someone long since dead and gone, they cannot speak. They have no voice. Ay best, they are the most chewable, consumable, landlord-beige common denominator possible that you can sit and listen to like the lone survivor of a shipwreck listening to the same three songs on a broken record, and at worst, they're the uncaring vomit of an empty, unloving, value-addled hack wearing the skin of someone I know over their own.

When you abandon art to say that you make content, that should not be a point of pride. That's an embarrassment. That's not sitting down for an intelligent discussion with an equal, that's kneeling at the feet of the crowd and saying, "what do you want to see me do? I can be anyone you've ever loved. I can be them, I can be anyone, as long as you love me."

I can make content. I can be consumed. What do you want to consume? I'll make myself consumable. I'll make myself just like anything you like. And I'll make so much of it that you'll never have to go anywhere else, because it'll all be right here, and under all the cut-and-paste schlock you've seen before I will sit alone in the dark and the silence and I will know that I am safe, because I am valued, because I am desired, and I need to be desired or else I am worthless like a factory that no longer churns out steel or a hen that no longer lays eggs or a cow that is too old to make milk.

Content, the most literal meaning, is something which is contained inside a container. What it is doesn't really matter, and the best it can hope to be is something worthy of being scooped out and used.

Art is an experience that transcends value. Art is something you can eat without paying for. You can make it out of anything and anyone can do it. It can be crude and vulgar and bad, and that's a strength because it means something. It always, always means something, and it doesn't matter if you like it or not. It's not content because it doesn't fill anything. It's a living, breathing thing, and whether you want to birth it or eat it, then you're going to have to be willing to put the fucking work in

#I want to apologize but I'm not going to #This is important to me #I do not want to create content #I do not want to be universally loved #I do not want my existence to revolve around being used #I'm not a machine I'm a person and I'll do what makes me happy #Even if that isn't good or useful #I don't want to be pretty I want to be alive #Don't look at me #I'm breathing #I'm screaming #I'm ugly and sharp and painful to hold #And that is not a bad thing #To come back to

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funnier-as-a-system · 10 months

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sorry for the possibly dumb question

what the fuck is a system

Don't worry, anon, this isn't a dumb question at all! Systems aren't very well-known, so I'm happy to explain them to you. I'll start by explaining what a system is, then go more in-depth about systems in general.

So, you know how most people are one person? Or, rather, you know how when you meet someone, you assume they're the only person in their body? You don't really think "I wonder if this person shares their body and life with other beings." or "I wonder if this person I know is actually multiple people all sharing the same body.", but that's how it is for systems!

In simple terms, a system is any collective group of self-aware entities that share the same body (which is, I fully acknowledge, a complicated definition, but basically we have multiple selves whereas most people would have just one, and each self has their own identity). We may not specifically consider ourselves individual people (some systems see themselves as separated parts of one whole person, for instance), but it'll probably help you understand if you think of us as people that happen to share the same body. We each have our own sense of self, ideas, feelings, personalities, and on and on, just like anyone else.

Although this probably sounds very strange and surprising, it's likely that you've heard of systems before – just not with that language. Many people have heard of "multiple personalities" or "Multiple Personality Disorder", which is how systems used to be known. This sort of understanding of systems is especially common in horror movies, which tend to depict systems as serial killers or monsters. Of course, systems are no more likely to hurt others than anyone else is, but the stereotype and stigma persists, and can lead to harassment or even violence against systems.

However, you may have also come across more positive depictions. Body sharing is a common trope, for instance. People with Dissociative Identity Disorder, who often describe themselves as systems, are being more often portrayed as regular or kind people rather than serial killers, such as Uendo Toneido from Ace Attorney. I've often seen systems point to characters and series like Venom, Sense8, and Moon Knight – which depict systems or situations and characters that resonate with systems – to describe what their lives are like. We often find characters that are rather like systems that may not have been intended to be read as such and have a laugh about it; you might be able to spot the same, now that you know what you're looking for.

So, systems can be understood as when a single body is inhabited by more than one person, or being, or entity (whichever term you prefer). We may share the same body, but we each have our own selves, and often, our own names and identities, too.

That's the essence of it! I'll put more under the cut about systems in case you're curious.

For starters, if you're looking into systems, you'll probably run across the term "plurality", which is an overarching term that refers to all instances of someone sharing a body/brain; it is the state of being more-than-one, not just an individual collection of beings in a single body (the latter is what the word "system" specifically refers to). There's also the word "plural", which can be used either as a noun to mean the same thing as "system", or as an adjective to describe things that involve or exhibit plurality. For instance, I am plural. I very much enjoy talking about plurality and plural characters in fiction.

(As a comparison, you may think of video chats/group calls. Plurality, here, would be video chats in general. Meanwhile, a specific video chat – called a webinar – would be a system. And the people in a webinar would be the members of a system. Or, for another example, plurality would be education, a system would be a class, and the members of that system would be the students.)

Speaking of, beings who share a body – who are part of a system – are called many different terms. Two of the most common are "headmate" and "alter", although I also see "system member" a lot. I could say that my headmate was rather helpful today, or that my alter was fronting yesterday. Alter is more medical of a term, but it's more standard, especially in some other languages outside English.

But, wait, you might be wondering what fronting is! Well, since we all live in the same body, we've got to share control of it too, don't we? Fronting is what we call controlling the body, and switching is when we change who is in control. Some systems switch often, while others switch rarely, or only under certain circumstances, and some systems never switch at all. Switching may be involuntary, or it may be a voluntary skill a system has picked up. There's a lot of variety across systems.

Plurality is most often known in the context of DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, which often involves a lot of involuntary switches. P-DID, or Partial Dissociative Identity Disorder, meanwhile, involves very few switches, but these are likely to be involuntary, as well. There are other disorders that plurality may be a part or symptom of, but plurality can also exist as its own non-disordered state, so long as there's no attached or related issues causing problems for the system (ex. memory issues are another frequent problem in DID, and these memory issues come from the members of a system not remembering what the others did when those alters were fronting).

You may be wondering, how does this happen? How does someone become a system? There are many different ways. Sometimes, it's a part of someone's culture, religion, or spirituality. Sometimes, it's the brain's response to trauma, trying to protect itself. Sometimes, someone is simply born this way. Sometimes, someone may become a system out of the blue, or cause their own plurality somehow. Some systems have a multitude or mix of origins. Most studies on systems currently focus on systems that originate from trauma, as these systems most often have issues – including the trauma in question – that need to be looked into and addressed, but there are some budding studies into systems with other origins, such as the few current and ongoing studies on created systems (the aforementioned systems that cause their own plurality).

I'm simplifying some things here; identity such as this gets increasingly nuanced and personal as you learn more and more (for example, as said before, not all system members identify as individual persons, even if it can help understand them to think of them like individual persons that just happen to share a body). But I hope this helped you learn at least the basics about systems!

#thanks for the ask!#I'm leaving reblogs on for this one y'all better behave #and those of you who know a lot about s.ystems better read that last paragraph about simplifying things to make them understandable #before any of you start arguing

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hallowpen · 8 months

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The Influence of Thai Culture on Attitudes towards Disabilities as it Relates to Last Twilight

(This is a combination of personal experiences/observations having lived in Bangkok and my learned academic knowledge/own personal research. I am not an expert by any means, but I wanted to offer some insight from my own personal point of view.)

While Thailand has certain provisions in place to prevent disability discrimination, it is still very much present in Thai society. Disability legislation is not strictly enforced and accessibility is extremely limited. That is not to say that efforts aren't being made to promote education and inclusivity, just that views and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been slow to reform. As such, there is a negative stigma that exists in Thailand where disabled individuals are, for the most part, seen as a burden or an inconvenience. There are certain cultural aspects that, unfortunately, contribute toward this outlook:

Collectivism and Tradition - Thailand can be labeled as a collectivistic society. What that means is, there is a tendency to favor the 'grouped' majority over individual interests. As a result, individuals with disabilities are less likely to be integrated into their communities. The urge to conform to group rules and traditions hinders Thai society from accepting "disruptive" change. Communities prefer to avoid the uncertainty and ambiguity of the unknown, which reduces the amount of conversations centering around disability education. I stated in my review of LT, that there needed to be a deeper conversation surrounding the experiences and realities of the disabled community in order for the series to have the impact it intended to. And this is why. It needs to be talked about, otherwise nothing will change and, much like the last part of that final episode, ableist views/language will prevail.

Religious Influence - At this point (if you are a fan of Thai dramas), you probably already know that Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand. We are taught to be merciful towards the weak and to give of ourselves to those who are less fortunate. While helping others should absolutely be seen as morally good, these viewpoints can also give rise to societal stigmas surrounding disabilities. Receiving unsolicited assistance as a disabled person became a constant question of: are you genuinely concerned out of kindness OR because you somehow see me as 'less than' and therefore feel you have a moral obligation to step in. In LT, I understood Day's insistent worry of being on the receiving end of someone else's pity. There was a reason why it was so prevalent in his story and why he questioned the motives of others' actions so frequently. Because Thai culture has inadvertently labeled disabled people as being 'frail' and 'in need' and who should, therefore, be met with sympathy.

Caregiving - While there are social welfare programs and services available in Thailand, generally, it is the responsibility of the family to care for and provide for their disabled relatives. Intergenerational care is a big part of Thai culture, but in this instance it's not entirely positive. The broader Thai society infantilizes people with disabilities, which means they are often disallowed from making their own decisions by those who care for them (sound familiar?). As a result, they live under less than ideal conditions that exclude them from being active members of their communities. It's upsetting that people with disabilities exist largely out of the public eye, when opportunities to be present in society and engaging with their community could potentially change their status and offset stereotypical attitudes. One of the best parts of LT that I will continuously praise it for, is Mhok's version of caregiving that completely turns these views on its (their?) head. He's not afraid to stand up to Day (or how Day's been conditioned to feel toward his blindness) and gently pushes him toward self acceptance and engagement within his community. Mhok is subtle in a way that he does what is required of him as a caregiver without ever taking away Day's agency. And that was extremely important to see against Day's mother's more 'traditional' care.

Treatment - I'm not well versed when it comes to Thai healthcare. I do know that outside of traditional medicine, access to more advanced modern treatment is highly dependent on income and social standing. Other than that, it is a disabled person's prerogative to seek treatment if a treatment exists for their disability and is accessible to them. It is also their prerogative to refuse treatment. Neither decision should be judged or actively swayed by outside perspectives (though this happens more often than not). It is highly plausible that someone in Day's position, coupled with his mother's status, would have both the access and the desire to receive a corneal transplant surgery. The outcome of Day's vision being restored was never the issue for me. The fault lies in its execution and what was implied in the aftermath.

...that's all I got. I don't really know how to end this...I'm tired.

(Please note, this is not at all meant to paint Thailand in a bad light. Thai society is fairly accepting of individuals with disabilities and positive attitudes do exist, but certain perspectives need to change!)

tagging @lurkingshan @waitmyturtles @shannankle

#last twilight #thai culture #thai attitudes toward disabilities #some of this can be overlapped with MLC #as i was writing this i kind of realized #the reason i never like to share the specifics of my nerve disorder is because i've been conditioned not to #oof...that was a hard pill to swallow #koda watches bl #talk thai to me

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irawhiti · 1 year

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kia ora! i would like to suggest the coining of a term that would hopefully help a large demographic of mostly-forgotten-about māori to connect with each other and share our experiences to feel less alone, congregate around a concept regardless of country of origin and upbringing, and organise as activists.

i politely ask as many people to spread this as possible to help indigenous people organise with each other and to get the largest amount of interactions possible.

anyway, with all that being said,

i would like to coin the term "ngāti rangiātea" for māori who do not know their iwi to use.

this is based on the well known whakataukī/proverb, "i will never be lost, for i am a seed which was sown from rangiātea." i chose this whakataukī due to the spiritual significance of rangiātea as a place in māori culture, as well as to emphasise that no matter how it feels, we are not lost, we can find ourselves in each other, we can experience strength and self-realisation, and that we will exist with mana and without whakamā as rightful tangata whenua.

i've put my reasoning, personal experiences shaping my viewpoints on the matter, and various statistics under the cut to make this post reblog-friendly and i would suggest fellow māori read it regardless of whether or not they know their iwi. i also ask for the opinions of other māori, ESPECIALLY AND SPECIFICALLY other māori who do not know their iwi. in fact, i politely ask māori to share this with their whānau and people in general to share this with māori they know, especially any they know who do not know their iwi. a wide reach is what i am going for to get the largest amount of voices, critiques, and opinions on the topic and to avoid this from just becoming a very small thing that stays in an online echo-chamber.

to begin, the 2018 aotearoan census shows that, of the 775,836 people identifying as māori in aotearoa, roughly 17% are unable to identify their iwi in the census. this has gone up by 1% since 2006, showing that we are a considerably stable percentage of people. along with this, there are more than 170,000 māori living in australia and, while there are no solid statistics, there are an estimated 8,000 māori living in the UK, 3,500 in the US, 2,500 in canada, and 8,000 in other countries where there's no option for māori or any polynesians on the census.

this number adds up to 967,816 total māori and while there's no census in these countries asking for your iwi, i would go as far as to assume that there's a larger number of diaspora māori who are no longer able to identify their iwi than there are in aotearoa. of course, this is just speculation based on my lived experiences and conversations with other diaspora māori, however even assuming that it's the exact same amount globally, 17%, this is roughly 164,532 māori worldwide who do not know their iwi. nearly one in five māori do not know their iwi.

regardless of the specific statistics, the hard fact here is that there is a large percentage of māori who are unsure of their iwi for whatever reason. it's extremely easy to feel unsure of yourself, lost, disconnected, and uncomfortable speaking on issues regarding te ao māori when you're unsure of your iwi (or your hapū, whānau, waka, or anything else, but there is heavy emphasis on the iwi) and it's very easy for whakamā to take hold, especially when many māori who can recite their whakapapa aren't very polite or understanding about your situation to say the least.

and there are a lot of those people.

unfortunately, i've spoken to many māori who are of the opinion that not knowing your iwi due to colonialism, assimilation, forced disconnection, etc. means that you should not, cannot, call yourself māori. this is a disgusting viewpoint to have and in my opinion it spits on the fundamental concepts of māori culture and worldviews. thankfully this is a small yet vocal group of people, but even so, they add to the collective experience that makes it extremely difficult to navigate a world while full of whakamā and internalised racism. it can feel like there's no space for you, no term you can use, nobody you can relate to, no mana you can claim, nothing. when you cannot recite your whakapapa, it can feel like there's a part of you that's fundamentally missing.

as well as this, even when people mean well, when you are in this situation, you're usually told to just do some genealogy work, do some research, ask your family what they know. sometimes, these steps are simply not possible. other times, we've already done everything suggested over and over and over again. we're generally told "oh, that sucks, but one day you'll find out, keep looking!" in response to our lack of iwi. sure, they mean well, but i have never once been told anything along the lines of "that's okay, some things are lost to time through no fault of your own. don't beat yourself up over something your whānau had to hide to survive, what you do now to uphold your family's mana, what you do know about your whānau, and who you ultimately become is more important than what you no longer know."

and why? why is it seen as shameful to say matter-of-factly that i don't know my iwi? i'm not looking for comfort, i'm not looking to be told that, aww, there there, i'll find it eventually. i'm stating a fact. i do not need pity, i need my mana and voice to be respected.

this concept is what i want to emphasise by coining ngāti rangiātea. some things are lost to time, but we aren't. our loss of knowledge does not mean that we are unworthy of being māori, that we are unworthy of basic human respect. it does not mean that we have lost everything that our whānau knows. it is a scar, a reminder of what colonisation took from us, yes, but we cannot allow it to continue to be an open bleeding wound. we will not be lost to time and we should not bow our heads and act like we do not exist, that we're inconvenient, that we damage the "image" that māori have. in fact, we are an important aspect of māori culture and ignoring our existence does harm to everybody.

and of course we can't speak on some topics regarding te ao māori. this seems to be a topic that comes up frequently as a strawman. yes, there are some topics that would be irresponsible to speak on when we have no experience with them. this doesn't mean we can't speak on anything. having a collective identity, an "iwi" to congregate around even just politically, would help us speak on topics that we are more qualified to speak on than māori with knowledge of their iwi (yes, those topics exist, shockingly.)

we will never be lost, for we are a seed sown in rangiātea.

by identifying as ngāti rangiātea, i wish to emphasise that it's important to accept that sometimes, someone just won't be able to find every piece of information. loss of family knowledge is literally one of the primary goals of forced assimilation! we all went through it as colonised peoples, why must we continue to attach shame to those of us who were forced to obfuscate our history to keep our children alive? it's not a personal flaw, it's not a dirty secret, it's a fact of life that must not continue to be kept quiet out of shame, and the sooner we can focus on healing this subsection of our community, the stronger māori as a whole will become.

so, this is why i'd like to coin a term for māori who are unsure of their iwi. this is what i intend to achieve by giving us a name, our own "iwi" to congregate around, to identify ourselves as. instead of hanging my head and saying "i'm not sure what my iwi is, i'm sorry", instead of feeling inclined to beg like a dog to be treated with respect, i would like to look people in the eye and tell them that i am ngāti rangiātea. i would like this label to be synonymous with strength and not shame, that i refuse to let my whakamā swallow me, that i am just as worthy of calling myself māori as anyone else, that there are many others in my iwi (or lack thereof). i would like other people to have that as well and i would like those like me to feel less lost when all they've been told is "well, you'll learn your iwi eventually!" as if that's going to help someone feel better if they can't find their iwi.

and even if a person finds their iwi eventually, it's absolutely disgraceful that people are treated that they're not allowed to access many basic parts of te ao māori until they discover something they are not even 100% destined to find. i think that this view contributes to a lot of people who eventually find their iwi becoming unnecessarily arrogant towards those who truly cannot find this information, that they're just not putting enough effort in. if a person finds their iwi after identifying as ngāti rangiātea, they are fully welcome to continue to identify as this political label along with the iwi they now know they belong to as i wish for it to be a term that describes your experiences, your upbringing, and your community. you don't suddenly lose your whānau or your lived experience when you discover your whakapapa.

finally, this hopefully goes without saying, but ngāti rangiātea is not meant to function as a real existing iwi does. the term will hopefully be used as a way to identify yourself and other people and organise but i don't expect nor do i want this to be treated like a coordinated iwi. i expect and hope for this to be a decentralised way of identifying and experiencing community to make it easier to organise as a people. think of this the way the terms ngāti kangaru, ngāti rānara, ngāti tūmatauenga etc. are used.

-----

so, the tl;dr is that i feel like coining a name for a phenomenon that nearly one in five of all māori experience in quiet shame, to make it easier for us to congregate and find each other, speak on our experiences, organise as activists, feel less lost, and ultimately give us the ability to regain our mana as a community with shared goals and experiences. i have spoken to many māori who feel this way and my suggestion for this term is ngāti rangiātea, to show homage to the well known whakataukī, "i will never be lost, for i am a seed sown from rangiātea", to give us a community to work with, and to give us an "iwi" to list when asked instead of fumbling for words and feeling whakamā.

i would like to take the emphasis off of constantly looking to the future for what you may or may not even find with this identity. we are not broken, we are not lost, for we are seeds sown in ngāti rangiātea.

tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa, and if you got this far, thank you for reading.

#maori #māori #pasifika #indigenous #indigenous issues #polynesia #aotearoa #aotearoa new zealand #new zealand #tangata whenua #new zealand politics #politics #i was considering calling it smth along the lines of ngāti whāngai to represent that we would be whānau from different paths and family #but ngāti rangiātea felt more succinct and meaningful. particularly with how it's very easy to feel lost when you're unsure of your iwi #please boost this even if you're not māori as i'd like as many people to see as possible <3 #anyway i'm quite nervous and i hope this doesn't come across like i'm trying to be any kind of authority haha #i just feel like this is an extremely important topic that affects many people but is rarely spoken about for various reasons #ngāti rangiātea

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