#we must do better

[nerdygaymormon]

[heyifinallyhaveablog]

A Fan in Distress:

This post is basically being sent in vacuum, since this is probably the millionth of its kind on Tumblr relating to J.K. Rowling. I for one, could relate to Harry Potter for the longest time, until very recently, since once you try reviving an old favourite of yours, chances are, that you might love them, or find yourself in an ethical dilemma worse than ever.

TLDR: As of today, I harbour no ethical dilemmas. Whatever JKR has said and done in enforcement of her transphobia is problematic, and considering her power and position is inexcusable. Her social capital has already been elevated enough to shield her from the monetary effects of any backlash thereof. And we don't need to add to it.

Time to let the Harry Potter franchise rest in its grave.

---

Here, I'll confess my own sins. I'm an owner of all seven of those books. I've loved all of them more than life itself. I've loved Neville and I've loved Dobby. Completing my HP set was my first quest after I'd started earning, and I'd very recently bought the Harry Potter Almanac. It was actually after this purchase that YouTube (courtesy of its algorithm) threw up two podcast videos for me to listen to while working. (Yeah, I live under a rock, and, yes, apparently this issue of JKR being a transphobe hasn't really gained much audience in our country. I sincerely doubt that many people knew of this. They probably still don't.)

But yes, while ignorance may be blissful, it is certainly not desirable. And this is where those podcast videos by Contrapoints and Jesse Gender educated me about this issue. Particularly Aranock's testimony of her experience as a trans female, particularly with respect to the hatred and harassment she was subjected to after JKR's spiteful revelations actually shook me to the core. I felt despair, sadness, anger and yes, Guilt too.

I'D FELT CHEATED.

Because, you don't listen, JKR. For some reason, you've refused to listen, heed, and reason. This probably won't reach you, but I'm sure you would know what being unheard feels like, and here, you are, after having written of inclusion and consideration, love and respect, in your set of fantasy novels, standing on your millions that those novels got you, and yet, becoming the exact polar opposite of what you'd preached, and hurting millions in your obstinacy. You are now leading us to believe that your make believe world holds no good for anything apart from the age old viciously exclusionary social mores that people are fighting so hard against. Even to this day, even in countries as evolving as mine, even in countries as 'developed' as yours.

But yes, none of this makes any difference to you, does it? And as for us, we shall definitely adjust and cast aside something that millions of us grew up to love. For that, is the right thing to do.

So henceforth-

No Harry Potter merchandise for me.

No more Harry Potter books/films for me.

Harry Potter shan't be passed to my children from me. But yeah, Sandman certainly will.

An ashamed ex-Potterhead

[barbiedreamdyke]

it is so evil and insidious how ppl handle disorders like bpd and npd and other personality disorders. I keep getting ads for a podcast on “how to deal with narcissists.” you know what I never see? helpful tips FOR ppl with npd. all I see are tiktoks about ppl with npd as abusers, how to handle them, how to deal with them… those are PEOPLE with an ILLNESS bro have a little fucking tact.

[jerzwriter]

Hi!

I appreciate you bringing attention to how we should all be helping our communities and focusing on that instead of petty dramas.

At the end of the day, there are much bigger issues than the looks of someone’s MC and any energy that is being used towards things like that could be used to better ourselves and the space around us.

As someone from Buffalo, NY and seeing these events unfold this past weekend, it definitely put it into perspective that instead of putting hate and negativity out onto the internet and into the world, we should be spreading love and positivity as much as we can. (I’m sorry if this was such a rambling post, but your post was the first thing I saw when I got online and I had such an emotional response when I saw my city mentioned.) 🤍

Oh, Nonny, I wish I could hug you.

I am familiar with the pain communities experience after these horrible (and far too common) events. All violent loss of life is abhorrent, and all mass shootings are horrors, but this one has such an ugly twist, I can only imagine what you and your community are dealing with right now.

We've learned that hopes and prayers don't change things, so I promise to continue with a commitment to continue to fight, even when it sometimes feels futile. It's truly never futile unless we stop.

If you should need an ear, or if there are any resources you may need, please feel free to DM me at any time.

Seriously - sending my love and my hope for healing, though it doesn't come easy. 💕💕

[s-implicity11]

Dolphins between Shela and Kinyika Island

Moments like these humble me. Make me think deeply about our environment and how cruel and ignorant we are to it. Seeing these creatures of the sea just being free in their own habitat (I hope) makes you think how we must do better to protect and preserve our planet.

[inkskinned]

oh you know it's all latestage capitalism but the thing is. how are you supposed to be a person inside of this. a person trying to be a better version of yourself.

oh, you started working young, which was kind of hard, but it's just the way stuff works sometimes. and it was 2008 and your family couldn't afford heat. but it's fine, you grow a spine and get used to the professional world and besides it was the suburbs we're talking about here, like, your life could have been actually hard, so what if your father lost his job and you can't afford to move or turn the lights back on. and once you start making money, it's good. you keep doing that. because now they're relying on you. so you have to do that.

oh you were in thousands of dollars of debt at 17 years old so that you could go to school, because you have to go to school if you want to get a "real" job. you even did it "right", you worked parttime and attended community college before you transferred to a public school. you were under so many merit scholarships.

which is fine. you pick yourself up and you say like, okay. i graduated college. i'm holding down a job. i'm doing the Adult Thing, which looks and acts like this, according to all the books i've read. you start with the shitty job and then you climb that corporate ladder.

but the shitty job doesn't cover rent and you stretch yourself too-thin so you get sick. good luck with that. the shitty job no longer pays for your meals. everyone asks why you don't just move, but there's nowhere to move to. and with what money are you going to be moving? and then the loans come back, because they were never going to forgive them, because you were 17 and trying to do the right thing, which was stupid. people are now saying you shouldn't have even gone to school.

which is fine. but because you have no other option, so you do the shitty job, and you apply every day for like 5 new ones, and despite the fact everyone says "there's no one who wants to work!" it's actually just that nobody is fucking hiring so you can either work for 13 dollars an hour in the shitty place you know (where at least you have a passingly friendly relationship with the manager) or you can start from scratch again with a different 13 dollars an hour without knowing how much abuse from the new job you'll be taking.

and if you quit you lose your insurance. if you quit you lose your housing. if you quit, you'll be another burnout kid. the lazy ones. these assholes, look at them!

and you come home to a family dinner and you hear from your father the same old thing. how he worked hard at his job and yes it sucked for a while but he was able to provide for the family and then the house and the dog and the rest of barbie's dream vacation. how the insurance did cover some of it. how you just really need to start speaking up more in manager conversations so they know you're a go-getter. you want to tell him - did you know we're actually doing more now hourly than any previous generation? - but you can't remember where you heard that statistic, and you're far too tired for the fucking argument. and then he starts in on his usual bit. where's the house? where's your kids? where's your ambition.

the same job the same money the same hours doesn't do it anymore. the same nose-to-the-grindstone now just shreds your face off. there's no such thing as upwards mobility, not really. and as far as you're aware, the money certainly is not trickling. you do the soulless stupid shit you signed up for because you fucking have to or else you literally risk your life (food, the apartment, the insurance), but it's not getting you anything. you download the stupid "save more" app and you budget and you do every right thing and then the price of eggs is 7 dollars and you say - oh great! another thing i have to fucking worry about now!

and you go to your stupid job and everyone in your father's generation just tells you to be better about being an adult. they have their homes and their savings account and their bailout and they say. well have you tried not drinking starbucks. well your generation just spends too much on clothing. well you might just be too addicted to travelling. and you - because you need the job - you bite your tongue and don't say i am being held prisoner and you're suggesting i stop pacing my cell if i don't like the scenery and you don't say what the fuck do you think i've been doing with my money and you don't say i haven't spent a cent on something nice in literally forever much less coffee you arrogant asshole. you open and close your bank app and check your loans and check your credit score and check fucking zillow and ziprecruiter and apartments.com just one time more. and still they give you that demeaning little grin and say - see, what you need is -

what you need is for your meds to stop being so fucking expensive. what you need is for the housing bubble to explode into dust. what you need is for billionaires to choke on their wealth. what you need is actual help. what you will get is more economic advice from people who are older-and-wiser.

and above you, almost in a glimmer, you can see the wedged smile of your debt getting toothier, wider.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

Lackadaisy Enrichment

[warriorandthestorm]

I’m not satisfied with the state of affairs here in Canada. I doubt I am the only one.

Canadian law allows abortion at all stages, for no reason at all. We are the only country that does not legally restrict abortion in any way. The country appears content to allow this to continue indefinitely and it is a disgrace.

Our health care and social welfare systems are a patchwork of standards that vary wildly in quality and effectiveness from province to province. Poverty, hunger and homelessness are unforgivably common.

Poor physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health go unacceptably unchecked. Inadequate care for the most vulnerable in our society has been tolerated for far too long.

When will we be willing and prepared to demand change on a national scale?

[bananonbinary]

i feel like it's worth remembering that the most vulnerable people aren't just being "inconvenienced" by strikes. the only reason strikes work is because they grind an industry to a halt, and that genuinely can result in very dangerous situations for some people. the bystanders probably arent a huge issue with like the writers strike, but without say, UPS, a lot of people will not get medicine, food, and other essentials in time. and of course the workers themselves are sacrificing potentially everything to hold the line.

TO BE CLEAR, this is not the fault of the striking workers. the corporations could end this at any moment by choosing to be slightly less evil, and workers should not have to choose between endangering themselves constantly or endangering random strangers sometimes. but i feel like i see a lot of very flippant posts coming from a place of privilege where they're like "lol yeah i would love to be slightly inconvenienced all the time so people can be paid more, dont be a baby" as if strikes are a simple and easy solution, and not something people very bravely do, if not as a last resort, at least after exhausting the less dangerous options. fighting for our rights is not painless.

[uncanny-tranny]

Sometimes, I'm sad about the hobbies I have abandoned or have been too intimidated to pick up. But... what good is it, to just beat myself up over that? My bass is sitting in the corner, patiently waiting, and so is everything else. My life isn't over, and I've got nothing to answer to. I'm wading through a sea of time, and I'll pick up the seashells that interest me, and it's okay to put one back in the sand. The current's waves will bring it back to me if that is to be destiny. I can not hate myself into productivity, so I must swim on.

I think the same can apply to anybody. It's okay if you have dropped something, such as a hobby or passion. Human beings are like that sometimes, it isn't reasonable for you to beat yourself into submission. You, too, can not hate yourself into being a well-rounded person. You must cultivate it like you would a garden - with patience, time, and care.

[dawn-the-rithmatist]

Obsessed with authors like Naomi Novik whose books always seem to say “no, fuck that, there is another way than cruelty, and we do have a choice to be decent, and not choosing it isn’t a burden but a cop out.”

Authors like Neil Gaiman whose books seem to say “we are all simply human, and that is so valuable. This world is worth more because we are in it, when we choose to notice and care”

Authors like Brandon Sanderson whose books say “We are all a little broken, and there is strength in not turning away from us, and there is pain in healing but there is also strength and hope.”

Seriously, these folks do more for my faith and hope in this life than any religion ever has. I don’t have the words to describe it yet but just. Warm cup of apple cider held close to the chest on cold autumn night?? That’s the best I got

[luck-of-the-drawings]

[<==PREV PAGES] [NEXT PAGE==>(not out yet.wait a year.or maybe more.imagine.]

saw alot of comments on prev pages; saying 'i HATE that mean teacher! im gonna FIGHT HIM!!' & i LOVE the energy!! it WOULD be nice. to have that catharsis. but the story of young tidestrider is Not one of catharsis. it is a story of being so small and so special and sucking so bad.

[bourgeoisie-immorality]

it actually really fucks me off to see people praising the ICJ’s decision when the Palestinians actually on the ground communicating with us are screaming to the rooftops that this isn’t enough. all the lib-brained cretins on this website crowing about ‘progress’ don’t seem to understand that incremental change means less than fucking nothing when you’re on the ground, watching your home and family and your people being bombed, systematically destroyed by israeli troops. it means nothing when you’re afraid for your life.

Palestinians don’t have the luxury of waiting, and we all know full well that Israel WILL NOT abide by this ruling. Unless greater intervention is made, the bombardment will continue; but the ICJ is a bourgeois, imperialist court, made to serve bourgeois, imperialist interests. While they have shown themselves to be more benevolent than I had expected by condemning israel and conceding that they are committing genocide, the fact that they couldn’t even ask for a ceasefire speaks volumes.

Whether it’s due to deliberate inaction or whether they simply lack the capacity to do so, the ‘international community’ is still failing Palestine. It is up to us to continue the pressure, continue the boycotts, continue the action; and to threaten greater disruptions if further progress is not made.

[mfshipbracket]

"to err is human to forgive is divine and to be a little hater is my goddamn civic right" grabbed me by the throat and shook me like a dog thank u for that

thanks! i plagiarized that first part from alexander pope but it's okay because he plagiarized it from the romans who plagiarized it from the greeks.

[charizardstolemynickname]

Realised the whole world doesn't know about David Tennant looking like a fennec fox/being several fennec foxes in a trench coat when I was watching a show with my family that showed fennec foxes and I went "Oh my god its David Tennant, and so I got several weird looks

I made this with a few of the images from @fennecfoxdavid to show to my brother and he "doesn't get it"

It made me realise that its really only a tiny portion of the world is aware of this lovely fact, and I am both happy and sad because of it. Happy that I am apart of the group who witnesses it, but also sad that the entire world doesn't know

So followers (and others who see this post I guess) if you haven't seen it before (despite me rebloging the account several times) here, is David Tennant, who is a fennec fox.

[manygreetingsfriend]

i’m sooooooo normal about the god of war series. so incredibly normal i liked it a normal amount and would be so chill talking about it. don’t worry about the sign