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chiropracticcareandacupuncture · 2 years

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Acupuncture Services

Acupuncture Services is a traditional treatment that uses specialized needles that are very thin and are not painful. A patient may experience no sensation at the sites of the insertion, or they may feel a dull ache, light numbness, warmth, or relaxation. The needles are typically placed just below the surface of the skin, though some practitioners may go deeper. Most patients experience only a brief sensation as the needle is inserted, and once they're in place, they don't feel anything.

Acupuncture benefits the body in several ways, including relieving pain, balancing hormones, and enhancing the immune system. It also improves overall function and well-being. It works by stimulating points in the body that regulate the free flow of Qi, or vital energy, or chi. When Qi is blocked or impaired, it can lead to physical discomfort, emotional distress, and more. Acupuncture helps restore proper circulation and restores natural energy flow, which promotes wellness and prevents illness.

Acupuncture is an effective way to alleviate chronic pain, including back and neck pain. It has also been shown to ease the symptoms of menopause and premenstrual syndrome. Acupuncture can also stimulate weakened organs and help relieve chronic fatigue syndrome. Meridian Chiropractic Services are available at many community clinics, which are generally cheaper than private ones. Some community acupuncture clinics even offer sliding-scale fees for those with limited resources.

Acupuncture practitioners are highly trained to treat a variety of conditions and diagnose ailments. An acupuncturist will discuss health concerns with patients and may also analyze the patient's pulse. There are six pulses in the human body, and each one corresponds to different organs in the body. Apart from checking the pulse, the acupuncturist may also examine the tongue, body temperature, and skin texture. The practitioner will use these findings to determine a treatment plan for the patient.

An acupuncture session involves a consultation with an acupuncturist, during which he or she will review your symptoms and your medical history. If necessary, he or she will recommend lifestyle changes and exercises that can help improve your health.

Several health insurance plans cover acupuncture sessions. However, coverage varies from policy to policy. For example, some policies only cover up to 12 sessions per year, while others cover up to 20 sessions. In other cases, you will have to pay a copayment of up to $25. Some insurers have special negotiated rates for acupuncture sessions.

As with any type of healthcare service, there are regulations that govern the practice of acupuncture. Only certified and licensed acupuncturists are permitted to practice. There are also specific requirements for how often and for how long treatments should be given. Check out this post that has expounded on the topic: https://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/divisions-diagnostics-and-procedures/medicine/acupuncture .

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makeste · 2 years

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do you know enneagram and if you do, what type do you think deku is?

I do indeed know about Enneagram! link for reference. it's actually my favorite of the personality classification systems. I especially like that it takes into account that the same person might behave in vastly different ways depending on their current mental and emotional state, and so each personality type has a range of descriptions, e.g. "this is what a healthy Two looks like, this is what an unhealthy Five looks like", etc. not only is this useful for working on one's own personal growth (gotta know your weaknesses in order to grow, as a certain character would put it), but I've also found it to be extremely helpful for character analysis. in fact quite a bit of my character meta is probably influenced by Enneagram stuff in various ways now that I think about it.

I also like the fact that where MBTI personality types are more defined by things like "this person is an introvert" or "this person makes decisions based more on intuition", Enneagram personality types are chiefly centered around a person's core fears and desires. I personally find that what people fear most ("I'm afraid of being controlled"; "I'm afraid of being unworthy of love"; "I'm afraid of lacking support and guidance") and want most ("I want to discover my own unique identity"; "I want to feel like I've contributed something to the world"; "I just want to have my basic needs fulfilled and be satisfied and content") give you a much more meaningful picture of that person overall as opposed to knowing whether they're introverted or extroverted or "thinking" or "feeling" lol. not that MBTI isn't fun as well, but I just vibe with Enneagram a lot more.

anyway, so regarding Deku, I think he is a type Two -- the Helper.

Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own needs. At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

Basic Fear: Of being unwanted, unworthy of being loved

Basic Desire: To feel loved

Enneagram Two with a One-Wing: "Servant"

Enneagram Two with a Three-Wing: "The Host/Hostess"

Key Motivations: Want to be loved, to express their feelings for others, to be needed and appreciated, to get others to respond to them, to vindicate their claims about themselves.

We have named personality type Two "The Helper" because people of this type are either the most genuinely helpful to other people or, when they are less healthy, they are the most highly invested in seeing themselves as helpful. Being generous and going out of their way for others makes Twos feel that theirs is the richest, most meaningful way to live. The love and concern they feel—and the genuine good they do—warms their hearts and makes them feel worthwhile. Twos are most interested in what they feel to be the “really, really good” things in life—love, closeness, sharing, family, and friendship.

When Twos are healthy and in balance, they really are loving, helpful, generous, and considerate. People are drawn to them like bees to honey. Healthy Twos warm others in the glow of their hearts. They enliven others with their appreciation and attention, helping people to see positive qualities in themselves that they had not previously recognized. In short, healthy Twos are the embodiment of “the good parent” that everyone wishes they had: someone who sees them as they are, understands them with immense compassion, helps and encourages with infinite patience, and is always willing to lend a hand—while knowing precisely how and when to let go. Healthy Twos open our hearts because theirs are already so open and they show us the way to be more deeply and richly human.

seeing as I literally just posted an essay a couple hours ago about how Deku doesn't particularly lack self-worth, you may wonder why I'm now sitting here identifying him as a type Two whose basic fear is being unworthy of love, lol. and my answer is that Deku, being a shounen protagonist (and thus idealized in a lot of ways), is very much a healthy Two. his selflessness is completely genuine and unconditional; he cares freely about others without having any kind of agenda. he's not doing it for attention, or so everyone can see What A Good Person He Is -- he genuinely is that good person.

what he is not, is manipulative or self-serving in any kind of way. again, this is likely because of the whole shounen protagonist thing. nothing about Deku is in any way insincere. he genuinely does care about people as much as he seems to, and he doesn't at all come off as someone who's bitterly keeping track in secret of how many people actually return his generosity. his desire to save isn't performative, and he doesn't do it simply because he's trying to earn people's love. he just does it because he loves them. there isn't a selfish bone in his body.

I'm gonna put the rest of this under a cut because it's getting long now with all of the copy and pasting lol.

so for instance, below are the descriptions for an "Average" Two. there are quite a few parts that do match up, but I've crossed out anything that doesn't apply to him. basically anything that stems from selfishness doesn't really factor in at all.

Level 4: Want to be closer to others, so start "people pleasing," becoming overly friendly, emotionally demonstrative, and full of "good intentions" about everything. Give seductive attention: approval, "strokes," flattery. Love is their supreme value, and they talk about it constantly.

Level 5: Become overly intimate and intrusive: they need to be needed, so they hover, meddle, and control in the name of love. Want others to depend on them: give, but expect a return: send double messages. Enveloping and possessive: the codependent, self-sacrificial person who cannot do enough for others—wearing themselves out for everyone, creating needs for themselves to fulfill.

Level 6: Increasingly self-important and self-satisfied, feel they are indispensable, although they overrate their efforts in others' behalf. Hypochondria, becoming a "martyr" for others. Overbearing, patronizing, presumptuous.

I crossed out the flattery/fake good intentions part, for starters, because Deku is never anything less than one hundred percent sincere (he has to be; if he was two-faced in any kind of way we wouldn't root for him as a protagonist). nor does he go out of his way to create needs for him to fulfill -- but that may also be because he and his friends already have more than enough problems without having to make up any new ones lol.

he does have people-pleasing tendencies though, and he absolutely is one of the world's greatest meddlers lol. and the "possessive" part rings very true as well, as he's at his most ferocious whenever "his" people are personally threatened. he doesn't obsessively seek out affection or acknowledgement from his loved ones, but he is fiercely protective of them almost to a terrifying degree, and will run himself ragged for them as well.

and of course the last part, level 6, is almost a spot-on description of his recent breakdown during the Deku Alone arc. he became convinced that he alone could stop AFO, and worked himself to exhaustion, abandoning the people who cared about him one by one in the process. it took the entire class 1-A to finally bring him back to his senses, and he said some pretty nasty things to them before it was all over and done.

most of the time, though, Deku is the very picture of a healthy Two.

Level 1 (At Their Best): Become deeply unselfish, humble, and altruistic: giving unconditional love to self and others. Feel it is a privilege to be in the lives of others.

Level 2: Empathetic, compassionate, feeling for others. Caring and concerned about their needs. Thoughtful, warm-hearted, forgiving and sincere.

Level 3: Encouraging and appreciative, able to see the good in others. Service is important, but takes care of self too: they are nurturing, generous, and giving—a truly loving person.

all of this is basically Deku to a T. there's none of the disingenuousness that's intermingled with the descriptions of levels 4 through 9. this is another big reason why I don't think Deku struggles as much with his own self-worth as some would suggest -- because if he did, I think we would see more hints of the level 4, 5, and 6 behavior. the manipulations and sympathy plays go hand-in-hand with the lack of self-worth. that he doesn't feel the need to do that suggests that he already has it. what he does show instead are the patterns associated with his chronic and incurable medical condition of Caring Too Much. meddling, possessiveness, and wearing himself down by taking too much on.

that said, even at his worst, he's never even come close to showing any of the truly unhealthy type Two behaviors, which include guilting others, being passive-aggressive, and playing the victim. basically the more desperate the person becomes for love and acceptance, the more manipulative they get. and I just don't pick up on any of that from Deku even in the slightest. imo his biggest struggles are with Trying To Do It All (hence him getting frustrated and belittling himself when he can't), and Trying To Put It All On His Shoulders. he definitely does need to take better care of himself, but I think it's more accidental neglect more than any subconscious feelings of believing he's not worthy.

anyway, sorry for all of these continuous rebuttals tying into my previous post lol. but yeah, to sum up, he's a type Two in my book, and one that does all Twos proud.

to finish this post up, here is the section on Twos' relationship with type Eights, which is relevant because Katsuki just so happens to be the Eightest Eight who ever Eighted.

What Each Type Brings to the Relationship

These two types are more alike than they might appear to be at first. Both are action-oriented and want to have a personal impact on their environment. Both can be sentimental and deeply feeling, with a soft side that is often more hidden than apparent. Both can play the roles of provider, protector, caretaker, and nurturer while avoiding or even denying their own needs. Both tend to overwork themselves and both tend to be the strong one in relationships (although Twos will tend to do so as the power behind the throne while Eights will tend to clearly be on the throne). Both types bring passion, vitality, interpersonal and social skills, magnanimity, and generosity. The basic emphasis of both types is distinctly different, however, with Twos being primarily interested in the welfare of others while Eights tend to be interested in their physical wellbeing and in having a distinct impact on their world, often with beneficial fallout for others.

They easily play roles that the other needs and wants: the Eight is practical and concerned with results, whereas Twos are more people-oriented and more openly altruistic. They are both strong willed and like taking on responsibility, as long as they choose it themselves. Eights often bask in the glow of the Two's affection and adoration: Twos truly appreciate the Eight's strength and efforts—and see their often hidden self-sacrifice. Both see each other's noble qualities and can be each other's staunchest supporters and admirers. Their roles are also clearly delineated, so they do not get in each other's way. Each runs different spheres of their lives and cover different bases (one plays the symbolic Mommy the other the symbolic Daddy and things are clear and balanced). These qualities make this couple powerful allies who complement each other's strengths, particularly the good effects they can have on others.

Potential Trouble Spots or Issues

Twos and Eights have very different value systems: as noted above, Twos tend to be person oriented, while Eights tend to be practical minded. Their interpersonal styles are also very different, with Twos tending to be more empathetic and indirect and Eights being more direct and independent. Even average Eights tend to become proud of their resolutely unsentimental way of dealing with people and situations, while average Twos become highly attached to people and overly-solicitous about their needs. Twos tend to see things from the points of view of others, while Eights do not: they see things from the point of view of self-interest, feeling that others need to learn to take care of themselves lest they become weak and ineffectual. Thus, in a relationship, Twos and Eights have very different ideas about where other people fit into the picture, including their own family.

Both types tend to move in opposite directions and have increasingly opposing views about how to treat other people. Eights become more hard-hearted and confrontational, while Twos become more possessive and self-sacrificial. Between themselves, they can get into battles with each other about whose philosophy will prevail. Rather than feel rejected or lose a key relationship, however, Twos can get caught in a codependent relationship with the Eight. The Two can become an apologist for the Eight's bad behavior, enabling them and thus encouraging Eights to continue with anti-social or self-destructive habits. Thus, this couple might not break up as quickly as some other pairings would, although they can drag each other down without seeing their mutual trap. Ultimately, Eights can lose respect for Twos, finding them insincere and manipulative, while Twos lose respect for Eights thinking them to be cruel and domineering. Both can become coarser and more controlling if this continues, with overtones of stalking and paranoia, fears of betrayal and acts of revenge.

gotta love how this not only lowkey sums up Win and Save, but also almost point-for-point describes exactly how their relationship fell apart in pre-K lol. thankfully they have both more or less put that breakup behind them now and are making great strides towards the healthy relationship described in the first two paragraphs, which are basically everything to me. both see each other's noble qualities and can be each other's staunchest supporters and admirers. yes please and fucking thank you, oh my god. it's all I've ever wanted, good night.

#midoriya izuku #bnha meta #deku meta #bakugou katsuki #bakudeku #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #makeste reads bnha #anon asks

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sheepprophet · 3 years

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Something I find refreshing about the dream smp is how the ccs and fandom interact with other. In my experience, for a majority of fandoms the best they usually get from the creators of the thing they like is some generalized praise or maybe a wink-wink nudge-nudge in an episode. Some fandoms are even disliked by the creators!

But with the dream smp, the relationship feels more like a conversation. A give and take. They make the original/canon content, we make fanart, fanfiction, theories, analysis, etc for it, the ccs see it, like it, and sometimes even incorporate it into the story, and the cycle continues.

This is probably most obvious with how uniquely animatics are treated in this fandom? Not only are a lot made, considering this is a non-musical fandom, but theyre also so highly regarded! By the fandom and the ccs alike! The clearest example of this is of course with Sad-ist. A lot of the ccs are subbed to her on YouTube, will watch her animatics/animations when they premier rather than waiting to react to it live, and will banter with or hype her up on twitter. But they do this kind of thing with a pretty decent amount of the fandom, just maybe not as consistantly, and i love seeing it!

Another example that's especially encouraging is, when the ccs see us correctly guess what's going to happen through theorizing and analyzing the content, they're literally never like upset or disappointed by it. On the contrary, they are almost always so fucking excited when we figure something out! Some of them have even used our theories to help them come up with cool ideas that they might not have thought to do on their own!

Like the whole trajectory of c!Karl turning out to be a time traveler wasn't planned and something Karl decided to do because he liked the theories and fanart about it. And at this point, it's a reoccurring theme that if you see a cool c!Ranboo theory circulating the fandom (on twitter or tumblr), there's a good chance Ranboo will silently make in canon in the next couple streams! Like the idea that he could pick up grass blocks as a form of self-soothing/slik touch hands in general. Even wider-reaching things like the canon death system was originally a fan theory on reddit, made a day or so after November 16th to explain why c!Wilbur and c!Schlatt were now actually dead, when other deaths have had little to no lasting consequences. Wilbur saw it, thought it was a good idea, and promptly made it canon.

I could probably go on, but I love this aspect of this fandom and i love the content creators for letting this relationship develop this way. Of course, it can lead to it's own issues (such as the canon deaths system still being confusing, just in a different way and the concern that fans might become kinda entitled to the ccs' attention). But, it's just really... comforting(?) imo after so much popular media recently has started to feel like they almost hate their fandoms and want them to suffer?? (e.g. game of thrones, supernatural, etc)

#i hope that this is able to still continue even when Wilbur writes for it again #of course I'm excited to see what he's able to come up with in collaboration with everyone else #but i would be sad to see this cool relationship the ccs have fostered with the fandom go #dream smp #dsmp #ranboo #karl jacobs #wilbur soot #<<i mention them specifically so i think its okay to tag them? lol #the prophet has spoken

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bnhaworld · 5 years

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Can you do a scenario where Shoto finds out his s/o is a part time masked vigilante that goes after corrupt heroes to expose them (basically they're a morally correct version of Stain) and then he learns they plan to target Endeavor?

I MADE THIS INTO A FIC BC IT WAS TOO GOOD TO RESIST ;W;

I changed a little bit of the story in which the reader works for a group!! I hope you enjoy it.

The ending is a bit bad but I hope you guys can still enjoy it- -Calamari

Secrets // Shoto Todoroki x Reader

In which Shoto realizes what task lies ahead of you.

Tw: Some mentions of abuse.

Shoto is highly observant. You weren’t the slightest aware of just how much he had noted the disparities in your schedules once you’d moved in together. After dating for nearly three years, two of those out of high school, you had successfully roped him into scoring in apartment for just the two of you.

The first night, instead of sharing with him the small celebration dinner he had prepared, you had disappeared into the night stating work was calling. He hadn’t questioned it, despite the fact that it was too dark for it to be office hours.

You had come home quickly, after Shoto had given you a vaguely panicked pair of calls. That night, a hero was murdered; and immediately exposed for his drug dealing scheme he had been pulling off on the side. He had been found dead within the comfort of his own apartment, scattered with the remnants of his previous scandalous life style. He had been injected with awful levels of morphine and not a single hint had been found about the suspect

He rushed to your side when you entered and wrapped you in his arms, whispering into your shoulder that he worried for your welfare and he wished you would stay home. You nervously reminded him that your work didn’t quite have a set schedule.

This was his first hint.

On a separate occasion, you received a call at the dead of night. It was your boss telling you that a new hero had moved into your very neighborhood and he needed to be executed tonight. He was going to negotiate with the mafia tonight and it was the perfect story to simultaneously rid of the ‘societal parasite’ and expose his story for what it was.

It was nearly 3 in the morning, and you were well aware of the consequences that came with denying your boss of his orders. You packed your hidden gear into a large, black sack and began to head for the door when you heard a frigid voice halt you in your rhythm.

“(Y/N)..? Why are you.. leaving?” He drawled out, wiping his eyes of the drowsiness still leaking from his system. You walked over to him, hoping that the very concept of time would simply slip away from him at this time.

“The bossman called. He forgot there was some work we needed done by tomorrow. I’ll be back soon, alright?” You sauntered over to him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. You felt a faint smile on his lips as he placed his hands around your waist. He pulled away, pressing a singular kiss to your forehead.

“Goodnight, then. I’ll see you in the morning..” He paused, his smile growing somewhat malicious as he continued. “I’m so glad we live together and we can be honest with one another.”

As he stepped away from you, you felt your heart being pulled at its strings like a puppet. You didn’t respond to him. You adjusted the strap on your bag and headed out, letting a melancholic sigh find its way to your lips. One day you’d tell him. It simply wasn’t time yet.

As you exited the doorway, Shoto watched from around the corner. He had another clue.

A month passed. One full month with no job, but enough money from the previous few to fall ahead in terms of currency, especially considering the added income from Shoto’s highly successful hero job. The pair of disappearances never slipped his mind, though.

On one night, he asked if you could talk. You obviously agreed- it was frequent he’d need to discuss something with you, but the time for these meetings were always random, but purposeful.

“(Y/N), be honest with me, please.” He was twiddling his thumbs. There was seldom a moment in which you’d catch Shoto in a moment of visible nerves. You were concerned, however, your focus was more on the reason for the discussion. You were sure it was the fault behind his quivering palms.

“Shoto? What’s wrong?” You asked with caution, placing your hand on his. He pulled them away after a brief moment with caution of his own, dual-typed eyes refusing to lock on to yours. You felt your insides recoil at such a small action. He had never so outright rejected your affection. You said nothing, however.

A sudden lump sat firmly in your throat and beads of sweat began to form at the top of your head. Had he figured it out? Your secret job you’d spent years hiding from him?

“You know the vigilante? The one that’s been going after different.. ex-heroes and eliminating them?” He asked, his lidded eyes giving you a scanning glance. You half-nodded. Your anxiety coursed through every inch of you to the point where even words were difficult to formulate.

“Is.. Is it you? Please, (Y/N), I need to know.” He spoke in soft whispers, as though he was well aware of the answer but was afraid to listen to its contents anyways.

There was a silence so thick in the air that even the sharpest knife had no means of getting through it without receiving damage of its own. You felt tears strangling you and begging you for the mercy of relief. The lump in your throat hooked on to the edges of your throat and attempted to climb its way passed your lips. All the while, the truth perched itself a top of your tongue, waiting for you to flick it away and ruin your relationship for good.

“I am.” You choked out two words. It was enough for Shoto to simultaneously freeze and burn the table in front of you, leaving a puddle of ashes on the floor. You hadn’t even flinched. You knew exactly how he’d react.

Shoto said nothing. His blank expression shared all emotions and yet, held every secret possible. He got up and went to his hero office, which was directly in the apartment. You heard the click of the lock, and then there was silence in the air once more.

“I was going to tell you, Shoto,” You spoke softly, and yet, the silence perfectly carried your words to his room. “But there isn’t a right time to say something like this.”

No response.

“I’m sorry. I will wait for you, Shoto. Please, tell me when you’re ready to speak..”

Hours passed. You were glued upon the seat you had begun the discussion at, drowsiness eating away at your body but your nerves canceled out the sleep you so helplessly desired.

The door creaked open.

Shoto emerged, eyes mildly puffy, but demeanor softer and more open. He said nothing as he assumed his previous seat and cleared his throat.

“(Y/N)..” He began in a faint voice. “I don’t.. mind.. If you do this in your time to sustain our house. I just wished that for one, you’d told me sooner and that you’d warn me before you went out to do that. I want to be prepared, (Y/N). This isn’t easy. It isn’t easy knowing you were behind those deeds, and who knows just how many more like this have happened? Though they are.. corrupt. I understand it.. a little. I just.. I love you, (Y/N). We’re going to figure this out.”

Another year went by with seldom work. Every once in a while, you’d be called off for a job. A hero here, who went down due to his dangerous lust. Another hero gone and exposed for strange addictions. Things were smooth sailing, more or less.

Shoto never directly addressed your line of a work again. You knew, however, that he at least tolerated it to a certain degree. You were grateful for his slight understanding, however, everything changed the night of your latest job.

Endeavor was your latest target.

You received this text in the midst of the afternoon where Shoto was gone off on another shift.

Boss: Enji Todoroki is guilty as well. He abused his children and his wife and we don’t know what else he has possibly done. It is a high task, I’m aware, however, I am trusting you will do well.

You stared blankly at the message, panicked tears streaming like a river down your cheeks. A singular tear splat against the screen of your phone, and it felt as though a ticking time bomb had gone off. You burst out into violent tears, clutching the fabric of your shirt and hoping, needing someone to give you any kind of help.

Shoto got home at the moment.

He found you on your knees, racked heavily with wordless tears that hacked away at your lungs and willed your breathing away. He immediately drops the bag he was carrying and rushes forth to you, wrapping his arms around you. He himself grows panicked. He doesn’t know what to say or do to comfort you because he doesn’t know what had just happened.

His eyes half glance at the phone, however, once he catches sight of his own last name, he recoils and rereads the message. His face flushes of all identifiable emotions.

He looks back at you. He can’t figure out his emotions at all. He wishes to calm you down and tell you everything will be alright. But he also feels anger boiling in the very pit of his stomach at both you and the man forcing you to undergo this pain. He can’t think of a solution right away. There is too much going on, and he can’t piece together a perfect solution.

“(Y/N).” Is all he can muster. He takes each of your hands in one of his, piercing through your thoughts and hoping he can steal some of your thoughts and add it to the growing equation in his head. He takes one of your hands and presses it to his lips.

“Let’s run away.” He whispers. It is the first thing he can think of. He can’t come up with anything else. It is the only solution that makes sense, and even for him, it’s a little far fetched.

“What..?” You murmur through dying tears, slowly removing your hand from his to wipe away your remaining tears.

“We both don’t fit in here. You have things. We have money. Let’s just.. go to another country. Together, where no one can find us. We’ll be safe and together..” He is speaking in a tone that makes it feel like he means it. As though he could predict the future.

You weren’t sure what exactly caught your attention throughout the entirety of his words, but you were sure you knew that he had described exactly what you had been wanting without even realizing it was what you had been searching for.

Without another moment, you both pack everything. Within another few hours, you are gone with him. Within days, there are search parties. Within weeks, you are exposed for your deeds. However, throughout years..

You were never found. Neither was Shoto.

#bnha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #mha #bnha insert #mha insert #todoroki shouto #shoto todoroki #todoroki #bnha todoroki #shouto todoroki x reader #fluff #x reader #bnha x reader

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xtruss · 3 years

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Why Some People Don't Want a Covid-19 Vaccine

Social media is rife with posts disparaging the vaccine hesitant – but these reactions to a complex and nuanced issue are doing more harm than good.

— By David Robson

— 22nd July 2021

There should be no doubt about it: Covid-19 vaccines are saving lives.

Consider some recent statistics from the UK. In a study tracking more than 200,000 people, nearly every single participant had developed antibodies against the virus within two weeks of their second dose. And despite initial worries that the current vaccines may be less effective against the Delta variant, analyses suggest that both the AstraZeneca and the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs reduce hospitalisation rates by 92-96%. As many health practitioners have repeated, the risks of severe side effects from a vaccine are tiny in comparison to the risk of the disease itself.

Yet a sizeable number of people are still reluctant to get the shots. According to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund, that ranges from around 10-20% of people in the UK to around 50% in Japan and 60% in France.

The result is becoming something of a culture war on social media, with many online commentators claiming that the vaccine hesitant are simply ignorant or selfish. But psychologists who specialise in medical decision-making argue these choices are often the result of many complicating factors that need to be addressed sensitively, if we are to have any hope of reaching population-level immunity.

The 5Cs

First, some distinctions. While it is tempting to assume that anyone who refuses a vaccine holds the same beliefs, the fears of most vaccine hesitant people should not be confused with the bizarre theories of staunch anti-vaxxers. "They're very vocal, and they have a strong presence offline and online," says Mohammad Razai at the Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, who has written about the various psychological and social factors that can influence people's decision-making around vaccines. "But they’re a very small minority."

The vast majority of vaccine-hesitant people do not have a political agenda and are not committed to an anti-scientific cause: they are simply undecided about their choice to take the injection.

The good news is that many people who were initially hesitant are changing their mind. "But even a delay is considered a threat to health because viral infections spread very quickly," says Razai. This would have been problematic if we were still dealing with the older variants of the virus, but the higher transmissibility of the new Delta variant has increased the urgency of reaching as many people as quickly as possible.

Fear of needles is a leading reason why many are reluctant to take the vaccine, research suggests (Credit: Jasmine Merdan/Getty Images)

Fortunately, scientists began studying vaccine hesitancy long before Sars-Cov-2 was first identified in Wuhan in December 2019, and they have explored various models which attempt to capture the differences in people's health behaviour. One of the most promising is known as the 5Cs model, which considers the following psychological factors:

Confidence: the person's trust in the vaccines efficacy and safety, the health services offering them, and the policy makers deciding on their rollout

Complacency: Whether or not the person considers the disease itself to be a serious risk to their health

Calculation: The individual's engagement in extensive information searching to weigh up the costs and benefits

Constraints (or Convenience): How easy it is for the person in question to access the vaccine

Collective responsibility: The willingness to protect others from infection, through one's own vaccination

In 2018, Cornelia Betsch at the University of Erfurt in Germany and colleagues asked participants to rate a series of statements that measured each of the 5Cs, and then compared the results with their actual uptake of relevant procedures, such as the influenza or the HPV vaccine. Sure enough, they found that the 5Cs could explain a large amount of the variation in people's decisions, and consistently outperformed many other potential predictors – such as questionnaires that focused more exclusively on issues of trust without considering the other factors.

It is useful to examine the various cognitive biases that are known to sway our perceptions

In currently unpublished research, Betsch recently used the model to predict people's uptake of the Covid-19 vaccines, and her results so far suggest that the 5Cs model can explain the majority of the variation in people's decisions.

There will be other contributing factors, of course. A recent study from the University of Oxford suggests that a fear of needles is a major barrier for around 10% of the population. But the 5Cs approach certainly seems to capture the most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy.

Confirmation Bias

When considering these different factors and the ways they may be influencing people's behaviour, it is also useful to examine the various cognitive biases that are known to sway our perceptions.

Consider the first two Cs – the confidence in the vaccine, the complacency about the dangers of disease itself.

Most people hesitant about taking the vaccine do not have anti-scientific views like the small minority of anti-vaccine protesters (Credit: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)

Jessica Saleska at the University of California, Los Angeles points out that humans have two seemingly contradictory tendencies – a "negativity bias" and an "optimism bias" that can each skew people’s appraisals of the risks and benefits.

The negativity bias concerns the way you appraise events beyond your control. "When you're presented with negative information, that tends to stick in your mind," says Saleska. The optimism bias, in contrast, concerns your beliefs about yourself – whether you think you are fitter and healthier than the average person. These biases may work independently, meaning that you may focus on the dangerous side effects of the vaccines while simultaneously believing that you are less likely to suffer from the disease, a combination that would reduce confidence and increase complacency.

It is easy to dismiss someone else's decisions if you don't understand the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives

Then there's the famous confirmation bias, which can also twist people's perceptions of the risks of the virus through the ready availability of misinformation from dubious sources that exaggerate the risks of the vaccines. This reliance on misleading resources means that people who score highly on the "calculation" measure of the 5Cs scale – the people who actively look for data – are often more vaccine hesitant than people who score lower. "If you already think the vaccination could be risky, then you type in 'is this vaccination dangerous?', then all you are going find is the information that confirms your prior view," says Betsch.

Remember that these psychological tendencies are extremely common. Even if you have accepted the vaccine, they have probably influenced your own decision making in many areas of life. To ignore them, and to assume that the vaccine hesitant are somehow wilfully ignorant, is itself a foolish stance.

Health authorities need to produce simple, easy to understand information which shows the vaccine is safe (Credit: Tang Ming Tung/Getty Images)

Nor should we forget the many social factors that might influence people's uptake – the "constraints/convenience" factor in the 5Cs. Quite simply, the perception that a vaccine is difficult to access will only discourage people who are already sitting on the fence. When we spoke, Betsch suggested that this might have slowed the uptake in Germany, which has a very complicated system to identify who is eligible to receive the vaccine at any one time. People would respond much more quickly, she says, if they received automatic notifications.

Razai agrees that we need to consider the question of convenience, particularly for those in poorer communities who may struggle with the time and expense of the journey to a vaccination centre. "Travelling to and from that may be a huge issue for most people who are on minimum wage or unemployment benefits," he says. That's why it's often best for the vaccines to be administered in local community centres. "I think there has been anecdotal evidence of it being more successful in places of worship, mosque, gurdwaras, and churches."

Finally, we need to be aware of the context of people's decisions, he says – such as the structural racism that might had led certain ethnic groups to have lower overall trust in medical authorities. It is easy to dismiss someone else's decisions if you don't understand the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives.

Opening a Dialogue

So what can be done?

There is no easy solution, but health authorities can continue to provide easy-to-digest, accurate information address the major concerns. According to a recent report by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), the major barriers continue to be patient's concerns about the side effects and the fears that the vaccines haven’t been adequately tested.

I would urge governments to stop thinking they can reach the mass of niches out there with one mass-market vaccine message – Sarah Jones

For the former, graphics showing the relative risks of the vaccines, compared to the actual disease, can provide some context. For the latter, Razai suggests that we need more education about the history of the vaccines' development. The use of mRNA in vaccines has been studied for decades, for instance – with long trials testing its safety. This meant the technique could be quickly adapted for the pandemic. "None of the technology that has been used would be in any way harmful because we have used these technologies in other areas in healthcare and research," Razai says.

Sarah Jones, a doctoral researcher who co-led the IGHI report, suggests a targeted approach will be necessary. "I would urge governments to stop thinking they can reach the mass of niches out there with one mass-market vaccine message, and work more creatively with many effective communications partners," she says. That might involve closer collaborations with the influencer role models within each community, she says, who can provide "consistent and accurate information" about the vaccines' risks and benefits.

Making vaccine centres easy for locals to get too - like this one in India - makes them more likely to be used (Credit: Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times/Getty Images)

However they choose to deliver the information, health services need to make it clear that they are engaging in an open dialogue, Razai says – rather than simply dismissing them out of hand. "We have to listen to people's concerns, acknowledge them, and give them information so they can make an informed decision."

Saleska agrees that it's essential to engage in a two-way conversation – and that's something that we could all learn as we discuss these issues with our friends and family. "Being respectful and recognising their concerns – I think that could actually be more important than just spitting out the facts or statistics," she says. "A lot of the time, it's more about the personal connection than it is about the actual information that you provide."

* David Robson is the author of The Intelligence Trap: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things. His next book is The Expectation Effect: Transform Your Health, Fitness, Productivity, Happiness and Ageing, to be published in early 2022. He is @d_a_robson on Twitter.

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ganymedesclock · 7 years

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There's a common misconception in the fandom that Keith doesn't care what other people think of him. I think they're right in the sense that it's not at the forefront of his mind, but I do think that once he's alone with his thoughts and he has time to think about it, it bothers him deeply. Like you said in a recent analysis, Keith's more lonely than he is a loner. What do you think?

So my two cents are there’s layers here?

I think that Keith struggles a bit with general low-grade social awareness. In that sense he’s more likely to sort of trundle on self-sufficiently doing what’s comfortable and convenient for him, and, not noticing or worrying so much about this having an affect on how others perceive him.

His mullet? Could easily be he’s just really uncomfortable with cold sharp barber tools touching the back of his neck so he just doesn’t cut it back there unless it’s long enough it can be trimmed past his neck. And this is also someone who frequently carries a dagger the length of his forearm because of its sentimental value and importance to him, even when that could be read as an unusual or even threatening gesture.

It isn’t as if Keith is completely oblivious to how he’s seen as much as it’s not really a high priority to him but I think there’s kind of a mixture, where it doesn’t occur to him unless it’s really pointed out.

On the other hand, though? I’m pretty sure the entire arc of Keith’s heritage coming to light hinged heavily on how others thought of him. In fact, the whole conflict with Allura? She didn’t say anything to him and outside of some harsh looks, didn’t really do anything. You can argue that centered entirely on Keith knowing that it had changed how she saw him and being hurt by that.

So Keith can be very sensitive to how he’s viewed by others. And I think the difference is, roughly, how socially loaded it is? How much does it act on his relationship with that person and how much does he prioritize his relationship with that person.

Lance makes fun of his hairstyle sometimes but gives no evidence it really long-term bothers him? Doesn’t care, doesn’t change his hairstyle or even consider it, halfhearted “would you lay off about my hair” if it’s brought up a lot.

But Keith’s galra heritage is something he keeps to himself and is clearly very worried about everybody finding out even before he sees how any of them respond. He’s defensive about Hunk prodding at the issue and folds inwards the entire time.

Keith is not very self-conscious unless he feels like it’s really going to hurt his relationship with people he cares about. He has to come to value the person’s input by virtue of who they are to him first, and then he starts worrying a little more about what he tells them. Because as someone who seems to have spent a decent part of his life in the foster care system without settling on any permanent or long-term home, this would highly suggest Keith has a history with the idea of being unacceptable means he won’t be able to stay here- that if he does something to taint an interpersonal relationship he’s going to lose it.

And that’s what we see rear its head in s2e8 and the following episodes with hologram Shiro and Allura.

Roughly, it’s not as simple as Keith cares how people see him vs. he doesn’t care- it depends on a lot of factors: who’s looking, and what that disapproval potentially means. If it’s someone he doesn’t particularly care about rejecting him on account of his heritage, for example, I can see him being more frustrated than anything else- “look, I’m trying to help you, so if you don’t mind-”

But whatever it is, if it endangers Keith’s relationship with the team or something meaningful he really wants to engage with- that’s much more of a concern and makes him much more sensitive.

#voltron legendary defender #vld #Keith #long post #seasons-of-stories

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panda-noosh · 7 years

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HC with Allura where during a meeting for a possible alliance her S/O noticed that someone was about to assassinate her, so they took the hit of a poison dart (highly lethal to Alteans) for her with no known antidote (painfully survivable for humans, but no one knows that). The pods aren't working, so how's she handling with her S/O unknowingly recovering for days thinking that they're slowly dying. Bonus points if you add the rest of the crew platonically for both her and their 'dying' friend.

I added Coran in,since I have such an aesthetic in my head for him if he was facedwith this situation. Enjoy!

Allura:

-shewould put on such a front that it would be unbelievable.

-everybody knows she is hurting, completely dying on the insidebecause she blames herself for everything that happened, but shedoesn’t want themto know that.

-she’ll be walking around the ship, trying to be her usual self buther skin has lost that little bit of colour, and it’s clear shehasn’t slept since it happened.

-that wouldn’t stop her from working, though. that’s how she distractsherself, because that’s all she wants – a distraction.

-she wouldn’t ask for updates on your health, wouldn’t go in and seeyou every two minutes – she would literally get all of the shipswork done in a matter of hours because she’s just busying herself somuch.

- tries to stop the conversation whenever people talk about you.

-I think it’s more of her trying to detach herself from the situationand pretend that she wasn’t even there to experience it. she wants tostop her feelings from getting any further than they already havebefore they completely destroy her.

-she doesn’t wanttolose her feelings for you. they were the strongest feelings she hadfelt in a long time, but she feels like she has to because she trulybelieves you’re going to die.

-she’s preparing herself for the moment your heart genuinely stops.

- at night, though, there’s no hiding her sadness and her guilt.

- she always sleeps in the room you’re in, because that’s the timewhen she thinks she can finally let go, and she does.

- every night she sits by your bedside and reads to you, even thoughshe has a hard time reading modern day books. she tries her hardestthough, because she knows you like them.

-it’s very rare that she’s actually able to get through the entirechapter before she breaks down into tears, silently begging you towake up.

-everyone would hear her. nobody would say anything. at least she wasletting her emotions out.

Shiro:

-Shirohad tried to grab you whenever he noticed you were going to jump infront of the dart.

-he has quick reflexes. he took one look at you and just kind of knewwhat you were about to do, so obviously, he tried his hardest tosnatch you back before you could.

- but whenever his reflexes weren’t quite quick enough, he felt likehis world was crumbling.

- you and Shiro had always been close. mainly because Allura likedShiro a whole lot, you liked him as well. he made Allura happy,therefore he was worthy of your own kindness in your eyes.

-so whenever the dart hits you and your skin immediately starts toturn blue, the poison in your veins illuminating due to the power ofit, he can’t help but blame himself fully for it all.

- he truly thinks he had to save you, just because you had given him achance of a lifetime with being a Paladin.

-he would be angered. nobody would be able to say a word to him, andwalls would be punched and rude comments would be thrown, all becausehe’s angry at himself.

-the best thing to do right now would be to leave him by himself, andeverybody does. they barely speak two words to him throughout thistime, because he’s either training to let off steam, or he’s lockinghimself in his room, yelling curse words at the top of his lungs.

Keith:

-outof all of the Paladins, Keith was certainly the one you were closestto.

-you loved them all, but Keith knew you and him had a specialconnection.

- during the time when he was dealing with finding out about where hecame from, that he was half-Galra, you had actually helped convinceAllura that he wasn’t a bad person just because he was half-Galra.

- you were part of the reason why Allura didn’t hate Keith and he wasextremely thankful for that.

-so whenever he looks up to see Shiro and Coran dragging you into theship, your head lulled onto your shoulder and Allura sobbing behindyou, he feels his stomach drop.

-he feels completely useless. you had done so much for him in terms ofhis progression as a Paladin, and he could do nothing but sit backand watch as you slowly decay in front of him.

-and it makes him feel like shit.

- not particularly guilty – just upset. upset that he can’t doanything about it, though he knows that’s not his fault, which isgood.

-he would be the one who was always by your bedside. he sees everybodywalking in and out of the room, because he doesn’t leave the room.

-upon finding out that Allura didn’t want to see you in such a state,and that she was having a little bit of a crisis within herself atthe moment, Keith took it upon himself to be your company.

- he doesn’t speak. he simply sits by your bedside and gets on withwhatever physical work he has to get on with.

-that is until Allura comes in and he leaves the room, giving her sometime to talk to you herself.

Lance:

- lancedefinitely wouldn’t know what to do, but he’d try and figure it out.

-along with Pidge, he would be doing non-stop research on the poisonwhich had been injected into your system. he wouldn’t let himselfmope around, wouldn’t let himself show any sign of sadness, eventhough that was all he felt.

- he’d want to find a cure, and that was what he was working towards.

- he would lose sleep. he would literally stay up for daystohelp Pidge and Coran find this antidote.

- as Coran and Pidge slowly lose hope with finding one, he’s the lastone to keep looking. he’s in a bit of denial, because howcan they just notlive? how can wejust notcure them?

- that’s his thought process. he doesn’t understand how there can benothing thatcan help.

- and he also doesn’t understand how it’s you who was having to gothrough this.

- Lance and you had always been very close. you had a joking-side overthe top of that business-person persona you often put on for thebenefit of Coran. he was hyper enough – you didn’t need any more.

- but you and him always managed to have a laugh when you weretogether, and Lance doesn’t want to lose that.

Hunk:

- hewould be the peace-maker amongst everyone.

- he would ignore his own feelings because he wants to make everybodyelse feel okay.

- of course, he’s terrified. you’re a good friend of his, so heobviously doesn’t want to lose you.

- but at the same time, he’s concerned about everybody else as well.not only does he think he’s losing you, but he thinks he’s losingeverybody else as well. everybody has become so hostile and so angrytowards one another, that he takes it upon himself to stop that.

- he makes sure everybody speaks to him about their feelings at leastonce – except Allura. she’s being far too stubborn and she’s toofar gone to really get through to at this point.

- he cooks for everybody every night and makes sure everyone is eatingright and keeping their physical health in check, because he knowsthat a deteriorating mental health can have an effect on the physicalaspects, as well.

- does daily night checks of the Paladin’s rooms to make sure they’reall asleep at an appropriate time.

-also checks your room to check on Allura, but she never notices him.he’s very quiet, very respectful when he’s checking on herspecifically.

Pidge:

-alongsideLance and Coran, she’s part of the team that is looking for theantidote.

- she has a lot of respect for you, just like you do for her. shefinds your intelligence admirable, and your leadership skills are todie for.

-so she doesn’t really want you leaving anytime soon.

-and so she gets on with research almost as soon as she can. she takesa few moments to just kind of stare into space, unsure of what toactually do at first.

-should she cry? should she comfort Allura? should she run off andhide in her room like Shiro was doing?

- she didn’t really know. it wasn’t until she saw Coran, completelybeside himself (you were like a younger sibling to Coran),desperately looking for a cure almost as soon as he could get hishands on a computer.

- that was what pulled her out of her state. she immediately got up tohelp him, though her hopes weren’t high.

- she had heard of the poison, heard of it’s savage effects it had onpeople, but she didn’t share that with anyone. she was far too scaredof shaking the already wobbled mood of the group.

- so she just works. through the day and through the night, takingonly short nap breaks in between that Hunk orders her to have. thoughshe isn’t hopeful, she believes it’s the least she can do to make upfor everything you did for her whenever she was training to fly thegreen lion.

Coran:

-Coranhad basically raised you.

- you and Allura were like daughters to him – two of the people hecould talk to about anything and everything. so upon seeing yourstate, he would be panicked as hell.

-he would cry before he did anything. completely bawl.

-at the same time, he’d be trying to comfort Allura but nobody couldunderstand a word he was saying through his sobs and his tears.

-but after he’s done crying, he’s probably the most helpful out of allof them.

- he deals with Allura at the same time as he deals with you. he’sresearching antidotes and getting every piece of information he canfind whilst at the same time, being the one person on the ship whocan get Allura to sitdown and take a minute.

- heof all people knows just how much you meant to Allura, and Coranhates the idea of Allura missing that part of her. seeing Allurawithout you by her side is like seeing her without her left arm orsomething.

- and that’s his drive, really. he wants to see you two togetheragain, because he didn’t spend seven months trying to get you two todate for you to just die and leave her again.

- and at the same time, you make him happy. you, Allura and Coran werethe three amigos, the three muskateers – the ultimate squad on theship.

- you were one of the few people who could actually put up with himand his hyper mood, and he was notaboutto lose that. not if he could help it.

- he’s also the person who treats you. he keeps you at the righttemperature as your knocked out, and he and Keith sit together and heinforms you of the day he had, because he always used to do that. itwas your daily thing to sit down with Coran and just talk about yourday, and he wants to continue on that habit, even if you can’t hearhim.

#voltron #voltron imagines #voltron headcanons #allura voltron #coran voltron #takashi shirogane #shiro voltron #keith kogane #keith voltron #lance mcclain #lance voltron #hunk garrett #hunk voltron #pidge gunderson #pidge voltron #allura x reader

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devhak22 · 4 years

Text

Discourse on Inequality (1755)

By Jean-Jacques Rousseau

As translated by Franklin Philip

The book itself is a mildy dry read, but not terribly so as it brings forward much fodder for thought, and plenty of insight into the realm of the political and social situation of western Europe in the 1700s. It is notable the that 'Notes' section at the end is very intreguing and well worth the read.

Rousseau presents a convincing and logical order for the devolpment of human cultural evolution, though, understandably, due in part to technological limitations, lacks a concrete timeline, much of which has been substantiated by modern scientific and historical studies. There are definitely ideas that are likely to be precursors to the theory of evolution presented throughout this piece of literature, especially as concerning the connections between humans and great apes.

In the language and worldview of his time, Rousseau describes those living in a more natural state as 'savages', but also shows a longing to experience what he seems to perceive to be a more innocent time of cultural history, before the growth of modern civilization created vast inequalities among its members. The cyclical nature of society does not return it to that of the natural society, but rather in turn brings economic decline to the majority, including primary producers (farmers), so that luxuries are increasingly reserved for the most wealthy, which escalates social and economic declines for the majority, expanding the wealth gap.

In essence, supposedly civilized persons live lives of servitude and control, while those under a more natural inclination live a life of independence and peace. And to put one in the situation of the other would bring about despair. Much of the luxuries provided in the 'wealthy' societies may cause more anxiety than they're worth. Keep in mind there is a difference between the provision of clean drinking water, and the acquisition of fancier and expensive, but ultimately unnecessary, novelties.

Much of the views expressed in this book are quite relevant to the turbulant political and economic situation at present, but there is hope, as appropriate social systems integrate to improve equality, including access to health and education, across the board.

Notable quotations:

'...as he was well aware, nostalgia for the simple life is itself a byproduct of advancing civilization.' ~ Patrick Coleman, Introduction, p. xi.

'The concept of perfectability provides a key to human history, but it is not connected to a goal, either of biological adaptation or of moral perfection.' ~ Patrick Coleman, Introduction, p. xx.

'Indeed, it seems that I am obligated to do no evil to my fellow man, it is less because he is a rational being than because he is a sentient being—a property that, because it is common to both animals and men, should at least give the beast the right to not be needlessly mistreated by man.' ~ Preface, p. 18.

'When we think of the good constitution of the savages—at least of those we have not devestated with our hard spirits—and realize that they have almost no afflictions except wounds and old age, we are much inclined to believe that the history of human ailments could be written by tracing that of civilized societies.' ~ Part I, p. 30.

'...the first man who made himself clothes and a lodging was supplying himself with things that were hardly necessary, for he had hitherto done without them and it is hard to see why as a grown man he could not tolerate the kind of life he had tolerated since his infancy.' ~ p. 32.

'I would observe that the peoples of the North show generally more industriousness than those of the South because they are less able to forego this attrubute, as though nature had chosen to equal things out by giving men's minds the fertility it denied the soil.' ~ p. 35.

'Let us bear in mind how many ideas we owe to the use of speech, how much grammar facilitates and trains the operations of the mind. Let us think of the incredible exertion and infinite time that the original invention of language must have cost. Put these thoughts together, and you may imagine how many thousands of centuries were required for the successive development of all the operations of which the mind is capable. ~ p. 37.

'Which was more necessary, a previously established society for the invention of language, or a previously invented language for the invention of society?' ~ p. 42.

'Now I would like to have it explained to me what kind of misery could exist in a free being whose heart is at peace and whose body is healthy: I ask what kind of life—civilized or natural—is more apt to become unbearable to those who experience it? Around us we see people almost all of whom complain of their existence and even several of whom renounce it as much as possible; and divine and human law together do little to arrest this disorder. I wonder whether anyone has heard of the free savage who ever dreamt of complaining about his life or killing himself?' ~ p. 43.

'...not only does education determine a difference between minds that are cultivated and those that are not, but it increases the difference between cultivated minds in proportion to their cultures...'~ p. 51.

'When we compare the great diversity in upbringing and ways of life that prevail among various classes in the civil state with the simplicity and uniformity in animal and savage life, where every creature eats of the same foods, lives in the same manner, and does exactly the same things, we understand how much less the difference between man and man must be in the state of nature than in society, and how much natural inequality must have increased in the human species through the effects of institutionalized inequality.' ~ p. 52.

'The founder of civil society was the first man who, having enclosed a piece of land, thought of saying, 'This is mine', and came across people simple enough to believe him. How many crimes, wars, murders and how much misery and horror the human race might have been spared if someone had pulled up the stakes or filled the ditch, and cried out: 'Beware of listening to this charlatan. You are lost if you forget that the fruits of the earth belong to all and that the earth itself belongs to no one!'' ~ Part II, p. 55.

'Each person began to gaze on the others and to want to be gazed upon himself, and what came to be prized was public esteem. Anyone who best sang or danced; he who was the most handsome, the strongest, the most skilful, or the most eloquent came to be the most highly regarded, and this was the first step to inequality and also vice.' ~ p. 60.

"Where there is no property, there is no injury." ~ Locke, p. 61.

'Finally, in all men a consuming ambition, the burning passion to increase one's relative fortune, less out of real need than to make oneself superior to others, inspires a dark propensity to harm each other, a secret jealousy that is all the more dangerous because, to strike out from a more secure position, it often assumes the mask of benevolence; in short, we have competition and rivalry on the one hand, and antagonistic interests on the other, and always the hidden desire to gain some advantage at other people's expense. All these evils are the first effects of property and the inseparable escort of nascent inequality. ~ p. 66.

'All ran headlong for their chains in the belief that they were securing their liberty; for although they had enough reason to see the advantages of political institutions, they did not have enough experience to foresee the dangers. Those most capable of predicting the abuses were precisely the ones who counted on profiting from them; and the wise ones saw that men must sacrifice one part of their freedom in order to preserve the other, just as a wounded man has his arm cut off to save the rest of his body.' ~ p. 68-9.

'...according to the law of nature, the father is the child's master only as long as his help is needed and that beyond this point the two are equals, the son becoming perfectly independant of his father and owing his elder only respect and not obedience, for gratitude is clearly a duty to be owed and not a right to be demanded.' ~ p. 73.

'It thus seems to me certain that governments did not originate in arbitrary power, which is only the endpoint in the corruption of governments, one that eventually brings them back to the very law of the strongest that they were first introduced to remedy; but even if they did begin this way, such power is inherently illegitimate and hence could not serve as the basis for rights in society, nor, hence, for the established inequality in society.' ~ p. 75-6.

'The magistrate cannot usurp illegitimate power without finding operatives to whom he is forced to yield some part of it. Furthermore, citizens allow themselves to be oppressed only so far as they are impelled by blind ambition; and fixing their eyes below rather than above themselves, they relish domination more than independence, and agree to wear chains for the sake of in turn imposing chains on others. It is difficult to reduce to obedience a man who has no wish to command, and the most crafty politician could not succeed in subjugating men whose only wish was to be free; inequality, however, readily spreads the craven and ambitious souls, ever ready to run the risks of fortune and almost indifferent about whether they command or obey, depending on which is more advantageous to them.' P. 79.

'It is not without difficulty that we have managed to make ourselves so unhappy.' ~ Notes, p. 94.

'...man in society does not have a moment of respite.' ~ p. 96

'Luxury is a remedy much worse than the evil it claims to cure, or rather it is itself the worst of evils in any state, whether small or large; and feeds the crowds of lackeys and poor people it creates, luxury crushes and ruins the farmer and the townsman.' ~ p. 99.

'...we know that most animals, and man is no exception, are naturally lazy, and take no more pains than absolutely necessary.' ~ p. 105.

'However much individuals come and go, it seems that philosophy does not travel, so true is it that the philosophy of one nation is ill-suited for another.' ~ p. 107.

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