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auxiliarydetective · 2 months

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Good morning, my dear Tumblrinas, I come to you with yet another crack idea and that is:

Varsha's Personal Radiator Ranking

aka: How good are the various League members for Varsha to cuddle with when she finds herself in a situation not befitting her temperature requirements as a snake?

I've mentioned it before, but Varsha has the habit of coiling around people for warmth. So, without further ado, here are the victims:

Let's begin, right to left because I will not start with Varsha’s literal boyfriend

Tom Sawyer

Literal golden retriever, but he might get nervous. Also complains about Varsha getting heavy after a while. Plus, he might still be a little scared of snakes and might feel a little awkward about it all. BUT look at this picture! This boy does not get cold. Perfect radiator. Also, it's not pictured here but he has one of those big film noir detective trenchcoat, which I imagine would be very nice to cuddle under. Final rating: 6/10

Rodney Skinner

Once again, the man doesn't freeze. He's also very okay with physical affection and avoiding people's personal space. Would probably ramble a little and make jokes all throughout if the situation calls for it. There's only one problem: The man is naked. He's wearing nothing under that coat. Veeery awkward and goes against Varsha’s common sense. 5/10

Mina Harker

Ah yes, the eternal question: Are vampires warm? I'd say, in Mina's case, yes? Because she needed a winter coat to keep warm and she wouldn't need that coat if there was no warmth to keep in the first place. But I'd also assume that her body temperature isn't that high, so she's not that good at keeping others warm. Also, her clothes are pretty form-fitting, so there aren't any coats to slide under. Still, I think she'd be pretty comfortable, and probably wouldn't think that Varsha cuddling with her for warmth is awkward. 7/10

Allan Quatermain

Uh... Yeah, no, he wouldn't be happy about it. But he would do it if it's really cold. He has a wide and comfy coat though! I dunno, uh... 4/10?

Captain Nemo

Well, you see, this man has a lot of dignity. But he also has protective dad instincts when Varsha is in danger. So, once again, he only really allows for cuddles when it's necessary. Also, no wide and comfy coat. 3/10 - I'm sorry, Nemo, this isn't your time

Dorian Gray

Yeah... no... For personal reasons, no. If he wasn't such a bastard, he could easily be a 7/10 or higher, but seeing that he is a bastard... 0/10

And finally...

Henry Jekyll

Henry/10. What am I even supposed to say? Henry and Varsha are cuddlebugs, and the excuse of "it's cold" is always good for sneaking in some socially appropriate PDA. Henry gets touch-starved, the slight bit of pressure helps with his anxiety, he's head-over-heels in love... And Varsha is very affectionate and touchy! Perfect!

Also, if you're wondering about Edward Hyde: I'd imagine that he's very warm and he also has the least issues with having Varsha's weight on his shoulders, but also, he has no patience for casual cuddling. If he's out, he's there to get things done and maybe carry Varsha out of danger, no more and no less. So, I'm not really including him here. But he's loved <3

Taglist: @starcrossedjedis @oneirataxia-girl @daughter-of-melpomene @bravelittleflower (also @waddlesworth because LXG content; hope you don't mind <3) - let me know if you’d like to be added or removed!

#the league of extraordinary gentlemen #oc: varsha devi #otp: when is a monster not a monster?

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thebestofoneshots · 4 months

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lily, ¿¿¿cómo se te ocurre hacer referencia a al retrato de dorian gray, y encima del enamoramiento de basil x dorian????? ¿vos querés q yo m muera de la tristeza???? (el capítulo estuvo increíble como siempre tho, te quiero mucho, un besito💞)

pd: fui yo quien t escribió el primer comentario en español, a mí tmb m gustan mucho las burbujas (>.☆)

Si te cuento que mi obsesion con El Retrato de Dorian Grey va más allá de lo sano... Y es que lo leí en prepa y me encantó, y me puse a leerlo de nuevo (tecnicamente escucharlo) este año y fue la mejor decision de todas!

Oscar Wild tiene un je ne sais qoui al escribir, te juro que me fascina! Incluso comencé a leer Dracula, ya que se supone que es de la misma categoría (Dark Acedemy, Supernatural stuff, etc.) pero Bram Stoker no tiene la misma cadencia que Oscar... (No me funen por decirlo).

Asi que, pensando en que Remus leyó el libro y que OBVIAMENTE se dió cuenta de todo lo queer-coded dentro del mismo, el se sentiría relacionado con Basil. En primera porque Sirius es tan magnetico –y bello– como Dorian, y en segunda porque, para él, también se siente inalcanzable.

Pero no, no quiero que mueras de tristeza, yo te quiero mucho 。°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°。(Claramente mi obsesion por el angst es un problema).

Besos ૮꒰ ˶• o •˶꒱ა☆

pd: Es que las burbujas son tan lindas! Como flotan y se inflan y reflejan el mundo alrededor. Y además son tan ligeras y redondas y coloridas? Ughhhh... me fascinan!

English:

If I tell you that my obsession with The Picture of Dorian Gray goes far beyond healthy… I read it in high school and loved it, and I decided to read it again (technically listen to it) this year and it was the best decision ever!

Oscar Wilde has a je ne sais quoi in his writing. I swear he fascinates me! I even started reading Dracula, since it's supposed to be in the same category (Dark Academy, Supernatural stuff, etc.), but Bram Stoker doesn't have the same cadnecy as Oscar… (Don't judge me for saying it).

So, thinking that Remus read the book and OBVIOUSLY noticed all the queer-coded elements within it, he definitely relate to Basil. Firstly, because Sirius is as magnetic -and beautiful- as Dorian, and secondly, because, to him, Sirius also feels unattainable.

But no, I don't want you to die of sadness, I love you very much 。°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°。 (Clearly my obsession with angst is a problem).

Kisses ૮꒰ ˶• o •˶꒱ა☆

P.S.: It's just that bubbles are so cute! How they float and inflate and reflect the world around them. And they're also so light and round and colourful? Ughhhh… they fascinate me!

Read Gilded Constellations

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stressed-chaos · 2 years

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Forgotten Past - 'William Russo, darling.'

Part 1 - Billy Russo x Fem!Reader

Here it is, a Billy Russo version of Memories. Yes, I changed the name, and am now giving a title to each part. The story will be changed according to Russo and since we don't know who canon is, will not follow Punisher storyline. This is more of an after, but how it all fully works, will be revealed soon. I am hoping to fill some plot holes this time, so the story should start making more sense as we go.

A quick question, should I remove Memories (my Ben Barnes story) or keep it there if anyone wants to ever read it?

As for a face of Tom, let me know who you guys are thinking!

This is my first attempt at Russo, hope it works out well!

Hope you all like this one! Comments are always appreciated!

Warning: Mentions of a gun, killing.

The busy and chaotic atmosphere of the cafe was only adding to the jumbled mind of Y/N Parker. She was trying to decide what beverage to order and though it was supposed to be a simple task, it felt to be a burdensome job that she couldn’t seem to get away with. Finally deciding on a simple black coffee and a chocolate muffin, she ignored the grumbling and went on to find a booth.

The cafe wasn’t very big. It was a little cozy place she had found during the first month of arriving here, not that a library is not snug but she needed a place to get to outside work. The cafe had a little corner table, which was her favorite because it allowed all the privacy she ever needed. ‘Why talk when you have a whole new world with you?’ was her answer whenever she was asked about always carrying a book.

The cafe had a lot of posters of old bands, thoughts of great people and what not (of which Y/N recognized none, all those faces just seemed some illusion of the forgotten past). The cafe also had a fireplace just near Y/N’s corner and she loved to read in its warmth. It looked like the cafe was started by an old-very-much-in-love-couple, which was true, she had met the owners and they were lovely. The place had wooden walls, the smell of fresh coffee beans always lingering in the atmosphere, a little hustle-bustle, just like a second home.

But today it all seemed like a burden. Maybe because of the mess in her head, maybe because crowds are never good. Even the homey feeling was not helping with the feeling of dread she was having, almost as if she was staring at a cheetah’s eyes, who looked ready to attack. She had a strong notion that something would go bad today, which only increased with the prying eyes. Setting these thoughts aside, she rushed to find her booth.

The girl sat at a booth in the corner of the shop and began reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, keeping a side eye on all the exits. She had scanned the place as soon as she went in, not even realizing her actions. No, she wasn't an assassin, but somehow this was second nature.

The coffee seemed to arrive in the blink of an eye, this is what happens when people get too engrossed in books. While munching on her breakfast, she was making plans for the day and failed to notice a man staring at her with pursed lips and anxious eyes. He swallowed his saliva as a ball rolled down his throat. Y/N narrowed her eyes and frowned a little. She turned back to see if he was staring at someone else but no one was behind her.

Y/N Parker was a 20-something-year-old girl, she couldn’t remember anything about herself, or her past and nor could she remember why she did not remember. She was an average heighted girl. Sometimes she thought with a little more work, she can almost look like one of her favorite characters.

Y/N could only seem to recall events from a year ago and was trying to balance finding her family or friends with her job at the local library. It wasn’t much but it was enough to get by, until she got back the light of her memories.

Though she had met a man, Tom, who seemed to know a great deal about her life, some of which even felt a little something he had only heard a loved one say, but something in her heart, was not ready to trust him. Plus, though handsome, he came off as a little creepy with all of his talks. He kept popping up, seeming more and more suspicious to be a coincidence every time. The man was happy, probably too happy to see her, which made her wonder if she had something special or was he just too jolly a person.

The man staring at her previously, chuckled slightly when he finally got a look at the cover of the book she was reading, it was always their favorite one. She used to carry a book everywhere she went. The man was trying to figure out an icebreaker because he really needed to talk to her. You can not chicken out this time. He was not a coward, but even a slight chance of losing her made him fear messing up this situation.

Finally deciding on beginning with a thing or two about the book, maybe using a quote, and her favorite drink, he got up and walked over.

“Experience is merely the name men give to their mistakes,” he quoted as he walked up to her being a beaut of grace in his suit. Confidence dripped from his body language. She looked up to see a dark brown-haired and dark eyed man, almost 6 feet, looking down at her grinning widely. This grin wasn’t creepy or fake, just genuine happiness but she could detect a hint of nervousness behind those eyes. A little confused, but excited, she replied with another quote, “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

The man chuckled and stuck his hand out while having a hopeful look in his eyes, “Believe me miss, some do...they just realize it when they have lost the substance dearest to them.”

Shaking his hand back, smiling, which seemed a little awkward to her as this was the first time she smiled in a long time, though she isn’t sure how long, “It sure doesn’t seem like it, Mr...?”

Whatever little hope was there in the man’s eyes, was lost at her words, though he still tried his best to mask his disappointment with a smirk, while kissing the back of her hand, replying, “Russo. William Russo, darling.”

She ignored the way her heart flipped at that. But the pink tint on her cheeks still gave her away, which earned her a smile from Billy.

Though he didn’t seem to ask, Y/N still felt she should introduce herself, he seems to be an old-fashioned gentleman, she thought while replying, the smirk birthing familiarity within her, “Y/N. Y/N Parker. Pleasure to meet you Mr.Russo. But do I know you?” she asked, remembering the eyes that stared at her so intensely not so long ago.

“It was just the book,” he said gravely.

The man, Russo, although he insisted that she call him Billy, asked to join her and even though she was not good at meeting new people, she agreed, curious as a cat. While sitting down, Billy motioned to the drink he had bought, to which he received a raised eyebrow. Don’t expect too much right now, he thought, but offered her the drink nonetheless, which prompted her to question,

"How do I know there's nothing wrong with whatever this drink is?" Oh his clever girl.

“For starters, this is a coffee shop, not a bar. Secondly, the man behind the counter has been glaring holes in my head ever since I ordered this drink, I’m sure he’ll be happy to answer.” He had been glaring holes at him too, but she did not need to know that.

Y/N looked at the man in question and he just shrugged.

“Right, sorry about him, he’s kind of an overprotective brother,” she said, accepting the drink, noticing Billy's tense posture relaxing, “So Billy, have you ever read the book or did you just Google a quote to use?”

He chuckled, “I read it during one of my deployments. The movie, comparatively, was eh.”

“Oh, you’re a soldier?”

“Was. Marine, actually.” She froze.

A thank you for his service was on the tip of her tongue, but she had a feeling he would not really be fond of it. Weird. “So Billy t- oh shit.”

“What, what happened?” Billy asked, snapping himself out of the lovely thoughts he was having about her. He subconsciously moved closer to her, hand just hovering over the gun tucked in the waistband of his pants. His dark orbs moved over everything, trying to find the danger.

Before she could respond, the bell rang signaling someone had entered. While Billy’s eyes flickered to the person entering, hand resting on the gun, he saw Y/N trying to hide her face through her book in his peripheral vision. He saw the man's eyes fixated over Y/N and himself with, was that anger? or no jealousy? a little defeat perhaps? He smiled slyly. That man deserves to be jealous, he has the most beautiful wife after all.

The man almost rushed towards them like if we were to go any slower, a bomb would explode, coming to a stop at their table. Billy glanced over at Y/N as soon as recognition set in his eyes. Should he just shoot him here?

When Billy finally got a look at the now bubbling-with-anger-but-trying-not-to-show-it man, he noticed his appearance, which looked familiar, but he wasn’t aware his wife was disturbed by his presence. Well, she was always a good actress.

The brunette-haired, green-eyed man, though a little scrawny, was easy on the eyes but he had made her uncomfortable in any way, hence, Billy was already planning his death. He can not kill him here, too many witnesses. Maybe in that back alley? His men can take care of the dead body.

He instinctively reached his other hand to hers, but realized she might find it weird. Still, he rested it on the table. He was mildly surprised when he felt fingers brush against his and he completed the task, giving her hand a light squeeze. It was a start. Billy felt like celebrating but he wanted to deal with this fucker first.

He smirked even proudly when the man’s anger intensified on seeing their actions.

“Y/N, darling?” The man prompted up, eyes not leaving the hand. Billy held her hand even tighter, enjoying the flames burning behind his green eyes. Billy did not miss the way she flinched at that. He wanted to take her and leave this place right now but he had to be patient and not give himself away.

Y/N looked up a little hesitantly, putting a fake smile that seemed so real even Billy was deceived for a moment. “Yes, Tom?” Tom, right that was his name. Billy always called ‘asshole’ in his head so he had forgotten his real name.

“What are you doing here? I was looking for you,” the man’s voice was almost as sweet as sugar, his British accent peeking through. Bet he ate a lot of sugar before this, even seems like an ant, Billy snickered silently at his own little thought.

“I was- am reading...needed a little break. Why were you looking for me?”

“Nothing important, just thought we could hang out,” glancing at Billy he added, “and who you might be?” venom lacing his tone.

Ignoring that, he answered with his name.

“Tom.” They shook hands as a pretty formal greeting. Billy didn’t fail to notice the frowning-scowl. Should he shoot that scowl down?

Y/N, as if sensing the tension, spoke up while collecting her stuff, “I have to go, work stuff.” She had not left his hand, nor had any intention to.

“Billy, would you like to join? I’m going to the library,” she asked, her hands fiddling with the edge of her shirt.

His eyes lit up, “Sure.”

They quickly said their goodbyes and without giving him a chance to respond, they both hastily made their exit. Outside while walking, Billy questioned her about the strange man, pretending he did not have the whole history of him already.

“Oh he is a friend...if you can call him that.”

“Did he do anything wrong? You seemed a little uncomfortable.”

“No, nothing explicitly, but he’s been kind of popping up a lot, just needed to get away from him for a bit I guess.” She again chuckled nervously.

“If you want me to do anything about it, I can.”

Thinking he was kidding, she continued, “So, Billy, tell me about yourself.”

“Let’s see,”he thought, shrugging and began with his first name, “I’m 28. I like to read, as you may have interpreted-”

“I hadn’t,” sarcasm was pretty evident in her words.

“-and I got some favorite books, but I’m going to go with Atonement for now,” he continued after making a mocking face at her interruption.

This time her eyes lit up, “I’ve read it. The ending was sad,” the pause was either for effect or she was genuinely thinking, her eyes wandering for a moment and then with a flicker she added, “It didn’t stop it from being good though. They did get their happy ending after all.”

He agreed. “So have you seen the movie or not aware about it?”

“Oh come onnn. I should have searched, is the movie good?”

“It covers the book to a large extent, the portrayal is great, so yeah sure,” hesitantly he added, “perhaps we can watch it together sometime, I mean, if you want to, not that you have to say yes for sure-” he almost began rambling until she cut him off. Yes, Billy the beaut being nervous in front of a girl. But that was not just any girl, was it? She was the one that held his heart.

“Are you asking me out, Mr.Russo?” She was surprised at her own statement. Her cheeks red between a tomato and stop traffic light.

“Would you like it if I did?” he questioned, ignoring his own blush. He almost knew what she was going to say, because he knows her. If only she would remember.

“As much as I would like to say yes-” Billy looked surprised, “-I need to figure some things out. Plus, we hardly know each other. I don't even know what you do for a living, you could be a assassin for all I know-”

“You aren’t that far, in a way. I have a private military contract firm,” he interjected. He just asked her for the sole purpose of getting her to trust him, he had enough proof from their held hands, but he couldn’t help playing along, even if he didn’t want it to be a game at all.

“So, you’re The Winter Soldier without the brainwashing?”

He nodded.

“Do you have a gun hidden?” Billy laughed, nodding again. She wasn’t surprised, honestly.

They hadn’t even realized they had reached the library and were just about to pass it when she looked around. Realizing where they were, she invited him inside, making a grand gesture which regrettably caused her to separate their hands. He, masking his frown and wanting to spend every single moment with his partner, eagerly followed her. Even if she didn’t know.

#ben barnes #sebastian stan #benjamin barnes #benjamin thomas barnes #ben barnes x reader #ben barnes x y/n #ben barnes x you #fanfic #sirius black #fanfiction #Forgotten Past #billy russo #billy russo x reader #the punisher #frank castle #karen page #frank x karen #william russo

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orchidsangel · 3 months

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hello ml!!

i was curious abt how big of a reader you are. like, if books ever interested you or if it’s just fics of tumblr mby?

and if books for you, what are your favourite(?)?!

hi robin!!!

oh gosh, i used to be such a massive reader. like genuinely addicted to reading, could knock out multiple books in a day. i remember one time when i was in elementary school, the book fair came around, and i asked to go to the nurses office so i could get out of class and look at the books.

i think sometime in middle school, i stopped reading as much, and by high school, i almost completely stopped outside of stuff assigned for class. and even then, i would skim over stuff and just quit a few chapters in.

i've got adhd so my attention span is really short, and my brain just won't function normally when i read, so i find myself rereading the same sentences over and over again to make sure i understand them, which just gets really frustrating. so idk, i stopped reading full-blown books bc of it. which is crazy because i do still love reading, i just hate that my brain's a little wonky and won't let me do it in peace.

a couple years back, i had to take english over in summer school, and it was basically a free reading period, so i ended up reading three entire books that summer, which may not be a lot for some people, but for me, at the time, it was really big. and last year, i finally finished a book that i had started two years prior but put down because it was just fucking insane.

i hope to read more this year, and literally, just last night, i raided my mom's classic lit shelf. planning on reading dracula or the picture of dorian gray!

as for my faves, it's hard to say because every book that's really stuck with me was something i read 2+ years ago, but the party by robyn harding was one i really loved. i read it in 8th grade, and it definitely wasn't for kids, but idk, i've never been one to stick to my age group. emergency contact by mary h.k. choi was a big one for me. i read that in 9th grade as a freshman in high school, i believe, and i followed it up with permanent record also by mary h.k. choi. i really loved both books, which was surprising for me because i'm not really into romance, but what i liked about them was how the entire plots weren't focused on the relationship, like it was more than that.

when you reach me by rebecca stead was a book i read when i was 10, and i still think about it to this day. i get the urge to reread it because my ten-year-old brain couldn't fully understand what was going on, but i did really enjoy it. during that same time in my life, i read the books absolutely normal chaos by sharon creech and a crooked kind of perfect by linda urban. both are books i think about often, especially a crooked kind of perfect, i reread it multiple times.

the most recent book i finished was credence by penelope douglas which…no comment. (literally put it down for two years before picking it up again and then had to put it back down for another six months)

my most recent fave was beware that girl by teresa toten, which i really really loved. although, the ending was a little lackluster, so i choose to ignore it and focus on the parts that i loved, which was pretty much the entire rest of the book.

i also enjoyed we were liars by e. lockhart, which was recommended by booktok before they became a bunch of smut fiends. i really did like that one, i didn't expect the end, and it was a good read to me.

there's definitely more that i've read in my life and enjoyed. i was a big geronimo and thea stilton lover when i was a kid, along with junie b jones and any iteration of a diary that could be found (dork diaries, dear dumb diary, diary of a wimpy kid). but lately, all i read is fanfiction, and i don't even read that much anymore.

i suppose the best way to exercise my brain muscles and get back into the habit of reading is to pick up a book and read, but ahhh, my eyes get so tired, and i already spend so much time staring at words while writing and doing homework. but i do really miss the feeling of being thoroughly enthralled in a book and not being able to put it down.

speaking of a book i forgot, the cheerleaders by kara thomas was a book i read the summer before my freshman year of high school, and it's the book that made me realize i thoroughly enjoy murder mysteries set in high school.

anyway, sorry this got so long. thank u for the q; made me really happy to answer it!

#☆ messages from friends ☆

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thethirdromana · 1 year

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Do you have any thoughts on Dorian's protestation that he's not responsible for the vices of his peers, vis à vis the ongoing question of how responsible Lord Henry is for Dorian's *all that* ?

I started writing a nice short answer to this, then it turns out that in fact I have many thoughts, all a bit disconnected from each other. Sorry about that.

So TPODG is all about layers upon layers of influence. Dorian's influence on his peers is one of those layers; so is Lord Henry's influence on Dorian; so is the influence of the "poisonous" yellow book on Dorian; and above all of that, there's Wilde's influence on his readers and artists' influence on their audience in general, which the preface primes us to start thinking about.

Dorian's influence on his peers One thing I've just spotted is that Dorian disclaims his responsibility when it comes to corrupting men ("what is that to me?") but hedges when it comes to corrupting women ("You go too far"). Maybe that's because he is more responsible - I think the implication of chapter 12 is that Dorian had consensual affairs with Lady Gwendolen and Lord Gloucester's wife, but it's ambiguous.

There's a whole bundle of things that are probably too much to get into here: the fuzzy line for Victorians between being the victim of sexual assault vs being a willing and eager participant in an affair; Victorian feelings on female agency in general; and whether you could show a respectable noblewoman willingly committing adultery in a Victorian novel without being condemned for obscenity (see reactions to Jude the Obscure, for instance). I'm not sure which of these things were the greatest influence behind the choice of vices that Wilde implies.

Lord Henry's influence on Dorian Basil is the moral voice of the novel, and Basil thinks Dorian's influence is his own fault. But equally, Basil has heard all the same things from Lord Henry as Dorian has, and even quotes Henry in Chapter 12 ("I remember Harry saying once that every man who turned himself into an amateur curate for the moment always began by saying that, and then proceeded to break his word") but Basil remains a good man. So the very existence of Basil is an argument against the idea that Dorian is responsible for his friends' vices, or that Lord Henry is responsible for Dorian's.

The yellow book's influence on Dorian The book has a poisonous influence on Dorian... but Dorian "never sought to free himself from it". He is corrupted, but only because he lets himself be corrupted. He has agency that he declines to use. He could read something different! The novel concedes the point that what you read influences your choices, but not that this exonerates Dorian. (And interestingly, it's always the fault of the book, as if it were an independent actor, not the fault of the writer).

Wilde's influence on his readers The collected reviews and letters about TPODG, including Wilde's defence, are a fun read (nb spoilers for the ending):

(Wilde's replies are, above all, spectacularly snobbish. I'm less surprised that they hated him after reading them.)

It includes the critics who managed to miss the point spectacularly:

The "moral," so far as we can collect it, is that man's chief end is to develop his nature to the fullest by "always searching for new sensations," that when the soul gets sick the way to cure it is to deny the senses nothing, for "nothing," says one of Mr. Wilde's characters, Lord Henry Wotton, "can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul."

I mean. Guys. How much do you have to not get it to think that Lord Henry is a character we're supposed to agree with??

There's a three-way argument about the influence of the novel, where the options are:

It has no influence beyond what you bring to the table; it's art for art's own sake; there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Wilde makes that argument in his letters, though I always feel like there's an undercurrent of irony there.

It has a negative moral influence; it's corrupting and should have been censored. This is the view of the Scots Observer, among others: "Mr. Oscar Wilde has again been writing stuff that were better unwritten."

It has a positive moral influence; its moral is good. The Speaker thought so: "[Wilde] might fairly have insisted on the particular proposition—that the teaching of the book is conspicuously right in morality. If we have correctly interpreted the book's motive—and we are at a loss to conceive what other can be devised—this position is unassailable."

I think TPODG exists more to have this argument than to win it. No matter what your view, the different layers of influence in the novel give you something to argue with. I enjoy that a lot, and I suspect Wilde did too.

#dorian gray weekly #hope you enjoyed this ramble anon #i tried to bring it all together in a coherent point and i failed

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yandere-romanticaa · 1 year

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Im actually a newbie goth. I recently gotten familiar with the style and music(I love githic punk so much). But I haven't gotten into Gothic literature. What makes gothic literature gothic and what works are good for starter goths?

What makes gothic literature gothic is the lingering air of fear, mystery and perhaps something supernatural and there is often a reoccurring theme of the present being haunted by the past.

Did you ever notice how often in gothic media the setting is somewhere either very old, abandoned and haunted? That is supposed to reflect the past and leave the characters and reader in question of suspense - what is going to happen and how.

Since you're a newbie I recommend you start with something that almost everyone is familiar with but you would be surprised just how much the original source material has been changed over the years, namely, Dracula by Bram Stoker and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I own both novels and they're honestly great, I think they're a good start if you're interested in this genre. Some other recommendations of mine would be Jane Eyre by Roman Charlotte Brontë, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and honestly literally anything ever written by Edgar Allan Poe.

#gothic #gothic literature #♥️ girlie says #🤍 anon asks

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smalltownfae · 2 years

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Favourite Opening Lines:

“He came one late, wet spring, and brought the wide world back to my doorstep.” - Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb

“In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three.” - Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

“I lost an arm on my last trip home.” - Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.” - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

“Let’s start with the end of the world, why don’t we?” - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

“The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone.” - The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” - The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien

“I’ll make my report as if I told a story, for I was taught as a child on my homeworld that Truth is a matter of the imagination.” - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

“Marley was dead, to begin with.” - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Favourite Ending Lines:

Careful with spoilers.

“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” - Animal Farm by George Orwell (Name a more iconic ending. You can’t.)

“If Hundreds Hall is haunted, however, it’s ghost doesn’t show itself to me. For I’ll turn, and am disappointed – realising that what I am looking at is only a cracked window-pane, and that the face gazing distortedly from it, baffled and longing, is my own.” - The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (Killer reveal)

“Oh,Constance,” I said, “we are so happy.” - We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (this has the same effect on me as the ending of the movie Midsommer)

“I When they entered, they found hanging upon the wall a splendid portrait of their master as they had last seen him, in all the wonder of his exquisite youth and beauty. Lying on the floor was a dead man, in evening dress, with a knife in his heart. He was withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was.” - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood, like a hundred golden urns pouring out the sun.” - The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

“Wolves have no Kings.” - Royal Assassin / “We dream of carving our dragon.” - Assassin’s Quest / “She settled into it and continued towards her destiny.” - The Mad Ship / “The past is no further away than the last breath you took.” - Fool’s Errand / “Perhaps having the courage to find a better path is having the courage to risk making new mistakes.” - The Golden Fool (all by Robin Hobb)

“Hoping that this time it will remain a lullaby. That this time the wind will not hear. That this time – please just this once – it will leave without us.” - Chocolat by Joanne Harris

“And Cat, though he was still a little lonely and tearful, managed to laugh too.” - Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones

#favourite first sentences #favourite last sentences #favourite lines #booklr #I probably forgot some

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just-antithings · 2 years

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While I'm not sure if it's what this person's reason is for being anti-Tangled, but I remember years ago, people brought up unconscious racism and antisemitism in the designs of Rapunzel and Mother Gothel.

In the specific posts I saw, the OPs said they didn't believe the creators were being malicious but were rather using designs that build up from racist origins.

To talk about how entrenched racism is when it comes to a lot of our stories/culture. They pointed towards Mother Gothel's nose shape (comparing it to Rapunzel's button nose, which fits the 'mold' Disney had been using for their princesses), and how Mother Gothel, the villain, has dark curly hair and brown eyes, comparing that to Rapunzel's blond hair (yes, she's brunette at the end of the movie, but she's blond throughout most of it) and light-colored eyes (I can't recall if they're blue or green).

Dark hair is commonly assigned to villains, which was why it's supposed to be a big deal that Dorian in A Picture of Dorian Gray is blonde and looks "cherubic" and why his actor having dark hair in the adaptions is criticized. Blond, especially on young-looking (i.e. innocent-looking) characters, usually gets used as shorthand for goodness or apparent goodness.

The posts had gone more into detail, but I don't remember a lot of it and don't feel equipped to go into detail, but most I'd seen used it as a starting point to talk about antisemitic portrayals of Jewish people in the past and how these have remained in pop culture, to where many people who use them may no longer know where they came from, only that these traits have been used as shorthand for describing a villainous character.

Odds are that person saying they're anti-Tangled and anti-Frozen skimmed over those criticisms and just went, "Okay, Tangled's racist and cancelled, then," without further thinking.

I have no clue about Frozen. I've seen plenty of complaints, especially at the height of its popularity, but most of it seemed to come from people being mad it was so popular compared to whatever other, "better" movie had come out around the same time. So antis hating on Frozen could come from any of those many, many gripes.

oh yeah I remember hearing that criticism of tangled. I do wonder why that person has such a bug up their butt about frozen tho

#mod erin #ask #antisemitism mention

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hergan416 · 2 years

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Further feeling like my initial thoughts about fandom culture and especially the pro/anti debate were not unfounded.

Haven't even gotten to the uncensored manuscript and I'm already seeing parallels.

This is one of the critical responses quoted in the forward to the published version of the book:

Why go grabbing in muck-heaps? The world is fair, and the proportion of healthy-minded men and women to those that are foul, fallen, or unnatural is great. Mr. Oscar Wilde has again been writing stuff that were better unwritten; and while The Picture of Dorian Gray, which he contributes to Lippincott's, is ingenious, interesting, full of cleverness, plainly the work of a man of letters, it is false art--for its interest is medico-legal; it is false to human nature--for its hero is a devil; it is false to morality--for it is not made sufficiently clear that the writer does not prefer a course of unnatural iniquity to a life of cleanliness, health, and sanity. The story--which deals with matters only fitted for the Criminal Investigation Department or a hearing in camera [out of public scrutiny]--is discreditable alike to author and editor. Mr. Wilde has brains, and art, and style; but if he can write for none but outlawed noblemen and perverted telegraph boys, the sooner he takes to tailoring (or some other decent trade) the better for his own reputation and the public morals.

-Unsigned notice of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Scots Observer, July 5, 1890; rpt. in Oscar Wilde: The Critical Heritage, ed. Beckson, pp. 68-69.

Why do people, then and now, lack so much nuance?

Dorian Gray starts out relatable. But Wilde ensures that by the end he has done worse than what most readers would imagine themselves capable. Even if we were to live in a society in which it was ok to simply do whatever we wanted with no consequences, most of us would not want to kill, or to cheat, or to lie, or drive another to suicide with our words, or descend into the kind of self-destructive paranoia that consumes Dorian Gray.

Can we not read this book like a tragedy? Why must we assume the protagonist is a hero? Why is it we expect morality to be spoonfed to us in literature? Why must a book contain a moral lesson at all? Why can't a book exist for the artistry? The way it makes you think? The way it makes you reexamine yourself and your place in the world?

I'm sad we haven't changed in hundreds of years. But, I suppose, I'm not surprised.

#liveblogging the uncesnored picture of dorian gray #censorship

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everythinginbooks · 2 years

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Beginning your classics journey

So you want to begin reading classics, (or older books) but whenever you open the book, you're met by a bunch of words that don't make sense, paragraph-long sentences and weird spellings or expressions. I know the feeling, and some authors are definitely more guilty of this than others are (looking at you Victor Hugo), so here are a few classics that got me started on my own classics journey fairly early on!

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)

I think the beginning of the goodreads summary captures what this book means to be; "the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty." Don't let that fool you, the only devil that appears in this story could be argued to be Dorian Gray himself.

One of my all time favourites, The Picture of Dorian Gray is on the shorter side, though no less impactful. Oscar Wilde's descriptive language is truly beautiful, and the strange narrative keeps you wondering how the novel will end. An overlooked part of this book is the preface, which is, in my opinion, a quite interesting and wise view on art and its use in the world. Though the very beginning of this book is quite wordy, the beauty comes if you bear with it through the first few pages.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)

Another shorter novel, this one follows a london legist as he invistigates a series of mysterious occurances surrounding his friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and the criminal Mr. Edward Hyde. Believed to be one of the defining pieces of literature in the horror genre, I greatly suggest this classic, as it is incredibly intruiging and is still referenced today in media, such as in Marvel's The Hulk. Perhaps that association can elude to the connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...? Well, you may figure that one out for yourself.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (1605)

Shakespeare is a man who is famous for his plays and poems, and in my english class for how annoying his iambic pentameter is to write properly. However, this isn't about his poetry, but his comedy that features faeries and ancient greek lovers, which is honestly my all time favourite Shakespeare play. You may know it for its appearance in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, being the play in which Neil plays Puck.

The play, to quote my dear old friend wikipedia, "consists of five interconnecting plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta", though is most famously known for the lovers' quarrel between Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena, which can most accurately be explained as the most heinous love square to exist. Hermia loves Lysander though her father insists she marry Demetrius, and Helena loves Demetrius, who is supposed to marry Hermia. It's quite a mess, though a fun one to read, and greatly recommend you do the same.

A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)

No classics list is complete without a mandatroy mention of Sherlock Holmes (yes, I consider dear old Sherlock a classic). Any of the Sherlock Holmes stories would be an honourable mention for this short list, but A Study In Scarlet is canonically the first Sherlock Holmes novel, the inspiration for the first episode of BBC's Sherlock, AND also the first piece of classical literature I've ever read, courtesy of my 5th grade English teacher. Thank you Henrik.

Sherlock Holmes is always quite fun, and in this one you are dragged by the heels by Dr. Watson as you follow Holmes around trying to solve the murder of Enoch Drebber. Now, I won't say too much, as this one is pretty well known, but the Doyle novels can be what thrusts you deeper down the well of classical literature.

There you have it, a small list of some novels that can possibly make you need to read some old(er) books, and finally feel intellectualy superior, included in certain conversations or whatever it is you wish to gain by beginning this journey.

Happy reading!

-Cami

#bookblr #bookish #reading #clasics #dorian gray #shakespeare #bookworm #books and reading #short reads #classical literature

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aliens-took-my-iwa-chan · 2 years

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Sooo my bestie, my beloved, my trusted entertainment recommendation person

(a title only my sister had archived thus far, thank her for getting me into haikyuu so i could meet you and @bussyenthusiast ; i love you both ♡(˃͈ દ ˂͈ ༶ ) )

a glorious announcement: i have finished the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

I have one, very, very severe criticism, being that it's way too short! I want more, especially more in the perspective of Jekyll. That last chapter was just goregous and I can't stand that it's already over. I'd be particularly interested in a letter from the perspective of Mr Hyde.

Can i just say i love that it's DR Jekyll and MR Hyde, like you may be me but you didn't go to med-school, deal with it

In a way i have to applaud the author for getting such a good story across in so little words. Definitely not my own writing style, as you may be able to tell by my love for elaboration and commas and semicolons; nether the less i loved it.

Off to read more fanfic i suppose. I bet good money on finding at least 1 deus ex machina in which Hyde faked his death when they broke in the door. Then again i might just start the picture of Dorian Gray this evening, we'll see

IDJSJDJJSJFJD-

(hdhdjfjsjjf ily too <3333333 also thank you to your sister for getting you into haikyuu xD)

LETS GOOOOOO JFJFJDJFJFJE YAYAYSYFJJR IM SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT-

Exactly!!! its so good, I wish I couldve read more!! im glad you share the same sentiment haha

IKR-

mhm mhm, the writing style was much simpler than frankenstein and dorian gray but it worked?? so well???? idk I just love this book so much and I’m so hdjfjejfjdkkc im so frickin excited that you finished it

MHM YEAH MOOD 100% HAHDHDHDH

so who was your favorite character? not sure if you can tell but I am a Hyde Enthusiast xD

also!! if you want more jekyll and hyde content theres a webcomic called the glass scientists and theyre in it!!! ive been obsessing over it for a while lolol if you cant tell by all the posts ive made about it + my new pfp xD

(if you dont want to read it no worries, just a recommendation ^-^)

YESSS LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT A PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY!!!! the writing style is so gorgeous i think youre gonna love it-

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nightmarist · 1 year

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41, 18, 6!

41. Are there any books you feel have shaped you as a writer?

I read the Picture of Dorian Gray as a young teenager and made it the majority of my personality ever since. The Legend of Drizzt, LotR/Hobbit, some of the Silmarillion, Eragon, and Look for me by Moonlight - These were particularly prominent as the main reasons why I really love epic, high fantasy styles with medieval inclinations. Look for me by Moonlight is a vampire novel that I read in place of Twilight.

No copies of Twilight were available at my library so I found Look for me by Moonlight instead. Similar introduction, a plane jane girl has to go live with her dad and little brother in Nowhere, USA. Her dad owns a hotel and a Mysterious, Handsome Stranger much older than her 16 year old self flirts with her. Essentially the book does a turn-heel and the vampire kills everyone she loves because she had cold feet about becoming a vampire. It was such a cool ending I was disappointed with twilight thereafter

Lots of Edgar Allan Poe, of course. Fall of the House of Usher and Lenore were my favorite works for a really long time, and I'm excited for the House of Usher series thats supposed to come out.

18. Tell us about that one book you’ll never let anyone read

As in one that I attempted to write? Back in like, 2010 I had one I called "Obscured" ; it was supposed to be a noir about a serial killer who stole faces (that look like his mother bc I guess I was doing a norman bates thing), but eventually became Obsessed(tm) with the detective and wanted His face, so he befriended him and stalked him and started killing people that looked liked the Detective before kidnapping the detective to "have" / "collect" alive and whole; the detective was on to him from the beginning, but risked getting to know him for proof before getting kidnapped.

eventually the detective used his own stockholm syndrome to get the killer to turn himself in, but became a killer himself with the same MO (killing people who looked like the original killer, taking their faces). I think. It's been over 10 years since I even Looked at it. Maybe there's something there, but not for a 16 y/o to skillfully write.

Frankly if I knew how to draw comics I think it could be pretty good as a horror yaoi or something. But as a Novel? No.... Never finished it, never will! I still have my big chunky draft somewhere tho... My english teacher actually read it and wrote lots of notes for me. Maybe I'll dig it back up, it might not be As Bad as I remember, but I could do better.

I also had a published book of poetry as a teen. Let's leave it dead and buried with my dead name lmao

6. Favorite character you’ve written?

Sigurd Helvega, hands down! He's my babygirl, my little meow meow, my blorbo, and all the weird little tumblr words for it. I have the majority of his story planned out, I need to sit down and actually Write it. Maybe make better outlines. One day.... some day..... Writing Dragon Age Fanfic though is decent practice. I should read Drizzt and LotR again for more writing and narrative style inspo.

Thanks !! <3<3<3

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sofipitch · 2 years

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Can you recommend me some literature other than the vampire chronicles?

Oh man I could give book opinions and recommendations all day so this almost feels too broad of an ask so I'm going to narrow it a little by recommending books that are similar enough to VC that I think VC fans will like. I'll try and remember to say what it is I think the book has in common with VC. But if you want recommendations for other genres just say the word!

I'm also gonna do contemporary books because I feel like most people have already discussed the parallel between VC and lots of classics, but for good measure my top choices would be: Wuthering Heights, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Giovanni's Room

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab: This was a recent read and so so good. The hype is real. In this story a 17th century preasant girl makes a deal with a forest god that allows her to live forever. However the catch is no one can ever remember her. She goes through life meeting all kinds of people, but if they leave the room and come back it'll be like they never met. There is an aching loneliness this concept and book. I think in general this book has a really reflection from it's characters and other than the immortality aspect that is what I think makes this book like VC is the existentialism and yet lust for life that carries throughout. Because while Addie is often very lonely, she is also so in love with the world and people. I also really liked the character of the god who cursed her, he returns to taunt her regularly and their relationship is really fun (what tik tok teens would call "enemies to lovers"). Addie and some other characters are also queer which is a +

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno Garcia: A you a fan of vampires? This book is a really creative take on vampire, more creative than a lot of contemporary reimaginings. Humans have known about vampires since the 1960s and vampires also come in different species, endemic to different regions, which would explain why some vampire lore may be contradictory. Why can some eat food and others can't? Different species. Atl is a vampire hiding from a different vampire clan in Mexico City, a city supposed to be free from vampires. She gets a homeless garbage collector named Domingo to help her avoid being caught by both the police and other vampires while trying to escape the city. Atl and Domingo have very Armand and Daniel in The Devil's Minion vibe. He's a human guy just fascinated by this cool vampire and hey, the extra cash isn't bad. But things get dangerous fast.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia: Same author as previous (I really like her if you can't tell). This book is meant to be a take on the gothic genre, if you can't tell by the title. Noemi's cousin who has been recently married sends her a letter asking her to come rescue her. Noemi then goes to the her in-laws family home, a decrepit Victorian mansion, with an equally eerie family. I don't want to say too much but I think this one is a great gothic horror. It both does the tropes and reinvents them

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones: This one is more straight up horror. Jade is a teen horror junkie who loves slashers. So when people start turning up dead in town she thinks she knows exactly what's going on and as a social outcast, this is everytging she has been waiting for, she hates the people of her town and wants them dead. Jade reminds me a bit of Lestat, not a ton in character but there is a deeply personal narration style and the fact that you can tell Jade is masking some massive insecurities she doesn't want to reveal to the audience. I also recommend this author's writing in general, they make my head go brrr

The Devourers by Indra Das: This is a werewolf book and starts off a LOT like IWTV. A history professor meets a man who claims to be half-werewolf. Despite being unsure if he believes him the man asks him to transcribe some historical documents, which tell the story (sst during the reign of Shah Jahan in India) of a werewolf and a human woman. This story is similar to IWTV in how it uses it's monsters as a reflection of humanity, they are both very human and unsettlingly inhuman. This book does have a hard plot so much as a charactrler exploration, and of course the mystery of the characters themselves. This is also a story where monsters are used to explore queer sexuality and gender and it's SO well done. However, since it is kind of a big part of the book, it's not described in detail but mentioned repeatedly, tw for rape

#this was fun feel free to ask for more book reccs!#also there was no particular order for these books either #just as they came to mind #vc #asks #books #bookblr #long post

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ausetkmt · 2 years

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Among Kanye’s West’s defenders, the thinking goes like this: He is a genius, a freethinker, an elevated conscience. They may not like or agree with everything he does, but they applaud the man.

There is a cult of Kanye, and I came to the opinion long ago that our society confers a special allure on cults, particularly when they are tied not to religion but to pop culture or politics. In those arenas, they feel fun, innocent, like rooting together for a favorite team.

So I’m not here to argue about whether West is a genius, although when anyone refers to themselves as such, it tends to undercut the appellation.

This newspaper itself has repeatedly called West a genius, so it would behoove him, I suppose, to run with the branding.

But it has always seemed to me that West is aching to be considered a modern Mozart: the tortured genius. Of course, Mozart was a genius beyond dispute, but the idea that he was a tortured one may be a myth. As Jan Swafford wrote in his book “Mozart: The Reign of Love”:

While Mozart had his share of sorrow and loss and frustration like the rest of us, he was fundamentally a happy man. He wrote for public consumption, which is to say that he was a professional in a way few composers are anymore. Still, on the whole he did what he wanted to do the way he wanted to, and when he was done he didn’t worry overmuch about what the public thought of it.

West is no Mozart. West is a brooding, narcissistic attention addict and praise junkie. He attends his torture. He curates and employs it. Some of it may come naturally, but some is manufactured, to enlarge the legend.

I will let others debate whether his talents as an artist, which are remarkable, rise to that of genius. I want to focus instead on West as a cultural chaos agent, as a purveyor of dangerous politics. In this arena, he is no genius; he is a gussied-up gimmick. West’s latest brushes with thoughtless provocation came this weekend when he was kicked off Twitter and other social-media platforms for a series of antisemitic posts. But as noted, these are merely his latest brushes with thoughtless provocation.

West is often described as a “freethinker,” but in the political space, he isn’t. He’s simply a Black artist willing to regurgitate conservative — sometimes bordering on white supremacist — talking points as if they were his own.

Coming from the mouth of an international superstar, a rapping fashion designer, oppression starts to sound like freedom to those who shy away from or openly reject a serious analysis of politics and current affairs.

Last week, West caused a firestorm by wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt at his fashion show in Paris. The Anti-Defamation League labels “White Lives Matter” a “white supremacist phrase” and has written that, since 2015, “white supremacists in several states, especially members of the Texas-based white supremacist group Aryan Renaissance Society, have promoted the slogan” as part of “a loose campaign to popularize the phrase.”

Well, last week, West gave the white supremacists a boost.

West is the same man who in 2013 was selling merchandise with Confederate flags on tour. As he explained to a radio station that year about people’s appalled reactions:

“Any energy is good energy. The Confederate flag represented slavery in a way. That’s my abstract take on what I know about it, right? So I wrote the song ‘New Slaves.’ So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It’s my flag now.”

Kanye pitches it as co-option, but it is, in fact, basic shock-value antics that promote and normalize anti-Black hate symbols.

There is nothing genius about this. It is bargain basement exploitation. As West put it himself, “any energy is good energy,” which is just an almost spiritual, if jargony, way of reinterpreting what Oscar Wilde wrote in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” in the late 1800s: “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” The spirit of that idea led to “all publicity is good publicity.”

After the latest outcry over the “White Lives Matter” shirt he wore at Fashion Week, West continued his publicity seeking by going on Fox News to elaborate. The interview was a jumble of themes in which he attempted to weave together godliness, artistic inspiration, personal persecution, disdain for institutions, anti-abortion talking points, an inversion on the ideas around racism and his support for Donald Trump. You know, core ideas of the modern right wing.

West says of the shirt, “The answer to why I wrote ‘White Lives Matter’ on a shirt is because they do.” He plays oblivious to the obvious.

West is the same man who said in 2015 that “racism is a dated concept,” and that “it’s like a silly concept that people” use “to separate, to alienate, to pinpoint anything. It’s stupid.”

He is the same man who said in a TMZ interview in 2018: “You hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sounds like a choice. Like, you was there for 400 years, and it’s all of y’all?”

West later apologized for the slavery comments, but even in the apology he could not control his narcissism, saying: “You know in a relationship, maybe somebody will do something just to see if you still love them. One thing that I got from the TMZ comment is it showed me how much Black people love me, and how much Black people count on me and depend on me. And I appreciate that.”

None of this, in the political sphere, is genius. It’s shallow and dull. Kanye is just a Black man who discovered Black conservatism and thinks it’s enlightenment. There is nothing complex or mysterious about it. He’s a Black man parroting white supremacy, while far too many brush it off, continue dancing to his music, and wear his clothes.

West is a Black man sampling vintage anti-Black racism, remixing and releasing it under a new label: the tortured Black genius.

#The Exploitative Anti-Blackness of Kanye West

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