#this shouldn't be this hard

[yourplasticpal]

Where are we on canceling streaming subscriptions to support the writer's strike (and perhaps actors soon)? If there's going to be a mass cancel action, I want to add my tiny weight to that, obviously, but my anxiety and I are worried about hurting the strikers somehow I didn't think of. Direction would be appreciated.

Side question: is the future of OFMD wrapped up in the strike somehow, or are they just continuing to be as weird and secretive about this show as they have from the start, for no apparent reason?

#wga strike #wga #stranger things #feed an exec to a demogorgon today! #I'm sad my shows are delayed #but the people who make them need to eat #and have a secure future #this shouldn't be this hard #ofmd #did I dream this show? #skin an exec with a snail fork today!

[marlenawatches]

Gods Dammit

I've run into a ginormous spider matriarch underneath this stupid abandoned village because of course I just HAD to go poking around in the caverns I found down that bloody stupid well and now I CAN'T. FACKING. BEAT THE LEGGY BITCH. I've reloaded this fight three times now, I'm playing on STORY MODE, FFS, WHY THE FUCK IS THIS SO FUCKING HARD AAAAAGGHHHHHHH

#baldur's gate 3 #fucking spiders #this shouldn't be this hard #wtf am i doing wrong

[forfamily]

I should draw some neat lil header things for each of my verses.

I say as I'm hit with the unmistakable stench of drawing block.

#;ooc #this shouldn't be this hard

[hahahalfwit]

im studying them like little bugs

#im so rrazy about st tos rn it's driving me insane #star trek #star trek tos #spock #leonard mccoy #leonard bones mccoy #can you guess who my favorites are. im going t #though i can't really sketch them out without refs still so umm studies ummmm. #when bones 👁️👁️ #i shouldn't be so hyped up about photo studies #it's so hard to draw these days man #it's crazy how cartoony the whole cast of star trek looks. yall look easy to draw #why is the quality so shit wtf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im killing

[roach-works]

ok im waffling on about fallout instead of having breakfast but i saw a criticism of how the prisoners were treated that's stuck with me.

spoilers!

so i think the criticism wasn't incorrect, per se: it condemned the way the show portrayed the vault dweller's naive intention to rehabilitate their murderous captives. it found fault with a common, and horrible, message that tv shows like to say, which is that carcerial violence and even the death penalty is the only effective way to deal with criminals, who are a fundamentally Bad category of human. im sick of that message too! but i think that wasn't what was going on here, actually.

so like, the vault dwellers had only ever experienced violent loss the once, and didn't really know how to cope other than denial and repression of the ordeal. but they were all hopeful and enthusiastic that their prisoners, the invaders that came to kill them all and take their stuff, could be eventually welcomed into the community as their comrades. the champions of this cause were nebbishy dorks and painfully out of touch academics. this is pretty normal for how prison reformers are portrayed, if extremely fucking annoying for those of us who ARE in favor of prison reform.

but so of course when the son of the former overseer, Norm, speaks up and suggests killing the prisoners, because why should they share resources with invaders who explicitly wanted to keep hurting them? why should they show mercy to their attackers? everyone is appalled by this suggestion. because they had to reinvent the whole concept of vengeance right then and there, because grudges and cycles of violence are anathema to a bottle society like theirs. they have been raised all their lives to forgive and forget and now, put to the test, they're recommitting to this ethos: get along, let the past go, look towards the future, believe the best of everyone.

but the prisoners die, anyway. the prisoners are killed with rat poison. and the thing is that Norm who suggested it didn't do it himself. and the prison guard who's blamed for it, even though she privately agreed with Norm that the prisoners are dangerous and unforgiveable, she didn't do it either. it's not a moment of triumphant, cathartic vengeance and it doesn't prove that there's no way to negotiate with terrorists and invaders but kill them like vermin because that's not what the message is meant to be.

the message is that norm stands there in the middle of these inconvenient prisoners, these corpses dressed in his own people's uniforms, and he looks at the new overseer. and he knows that she killed them, and she knows that he knows. she wanted him to know. this is her message and he's reading her loud and clear. and he doesn't look like a guy who's just been backed up by authority, who's just been validated in his desire for the ultimate control over those who have wronged him.

he's scared and pale and the music is ominous as fuck. and he's inside the cell, he's directly in the middle of it.

because what just happened is that he realized his entire society is being held prisoner, and the overseer is the one with the rat poison. and that he doesn't know, anymore, what freedom and safety and justice actually mean, just that he doesn't have them and he doesn't know where to find them.

that's what that scene meant. not that rehabilitative justice is a pathetic delusion of people who have no idea how to make hard choices.

but that before you advocate for killing prisoners, you might want to see how big that prison is, first.

and which side of the bars you're standing on.

#fallout #look i went NUTS over the prison scene #it's gonna live in my brain for a good long while #RATS ARE A BIG THEME IN THIS SHOW #the rats that are vermin and the rats that are lab subject #both disposable #both struggling so hard to survive #both in pain and wondering what's going on and why is life so hard #both disposed of when they go where they shouldn't

[shivgirly]

PSYCH | 1x01 Pilot

#psychedit #psych #shawngus #shawn spencer #burton guster #userbbelcher #chewieblog #cinematv #filmtv #nessa007 #probably shouldn't have made 540 size gifs for screen recordings of 720p huh. just don't look at the 4th gif too hard #that one shot is just impossible to color the lighting is atrocious

[dittydipity]

going INSANE. what is he thinking. why did he say this. why does he do all of this. i am thinking so hard.

we know he's seeking arceus to recreate the world bc in his eyes the world is cruel and unjust and it needs to be destroyed and remade. he's set himself on a mission to create the better reality he's envisioned for his whole life.

but everything else he does. the way he spends his time on pasio making people smile with togepi. even if he justifies it as something purely transactional to get more customers, we know he doesn't really take his merchant job seriously. the way he loves his pokemon so much that they will pop out of their pokeball to excitedly tell whoever will listen how much they love volo back. him trying to capture these moments of happiness tangibly because they never last long and can be wiped away any second.

he still hangs onto hope so much despite what's implied to have happened to him. in spite of all the anger and bitterness that's festered in him, he doesn't really want to destroy everything as he says.

it all started with a wish for the world to be a better place, for the good in the world to outweigh all the cruelty. he's still trying to spread what happiness he can.

but at the same time his past drags behind him and reminds him that he can't afford to trust in the goodness of the world.

that self-assigned mission to usurp arceus's power and rewrite everything.. to him, it's his duty now. he has to do it for himself and, as he rationalizes to himself, for the world.

so he ignores the flaws and holes he finds in his own reasoning. he can't help but seek out the brightness and happiness and goodness that does exist in the world, yet he has to dismiss it to justify his goals.

... all this to try and explain to myself why volo's asking all these questions and making all these comments that seem to go against what we'd expect given his ulterior motive and plans. and it's like he's asking the few friends he has to remember him as the one who seeks joy, even when he does the worst to fulfill his dreams

#am i coherent #can anyone hear me #does anyone else see my vision #does- [i am dragged outside and thrown into the trenches] #pla volo #pla #pokemon #pokemas #.d #realized 10 min later that i used the word “wish” and am once again getting hit by the celestic-lake guardian trio naming themes so hard #i feel nauseous #volo meaning “wish/want” and being a twisted version of azelf's motif of willpower #next to cogita and cynthia's respective roles for uxie and mesprit #never getting over this!!! #i'm crazy i'm CRAZZY #realization even later: can't believe i almost quoted kyubey madoka magica #when the Character makes you go #*kyubey voice* #“Even though you shouldn't have wanted to know the truth you can't help but chase after it. Human curiosity is really illogical.”

[ryllen]

#lords here means those who have finished their homework; which is jack and sebek #twisted wonderland #twst #sebek zigvolt #ace trappola #twst yuu #twst mc #fanart #MATH SHOULDN'T BE THIS ROMANTIC #I was suddenly dropped with the news i need to do math 'BKSB' test near the future #and i was discussing math problems with my father because i am a stoopid adult growing out of my math now #and my father dropped this screenshot from insta short of a math account with simple to understand formula for fractions #AND I AM CRYING BCS WHY THERE'RE HEARTS IN THOSE #FHSDH i MEANT IT'S SMART #FOR IT TO BE EASY TO READ #AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND WITHOUT BOMBARDING MORE ARITHEMATIC SYMBOLS TO THE PICTURE #LIKE YES THIS NUMBER AND THIS NUMBER LOVE EACH OTHER THEY GOT MARRIED AND SO TOGETHER THEY BE--- WHAT NUMBER #FHSDH #anyhow if anybody knows do tell me if bksb test is hard or not #yuu is the type to finish their homework early but i guess the problem at nrc leave them too busy at times

[impostoradult]

WHY IS WRITING EMAILS SO HARD!!!?!?!?!

#this shouldn't be this hard

[kyouka-supremacy]

BUNGO STRAY DOGS ANIME GUIDEBOOKS

#Idk just wanted to put them all together. I was like “now that the fifth guidebook is out it would be nice to see them all together! #shouldn't take more than ten minutes” *cue to me taking two hours to find all the pictures in the best quality* #It's just that book 2 and 3 backcovers turned out to be so hard to find for some reason. Book 3 is straight up a photo I edited lmao #Anyways can we talk about book 4 the exclusively sskk one please <3 #That's one of my favourite sskk illustrations ever it's just. So sskk. And I like the style a lot for that specific one #atsushi nakajima #osamu dazai #ryūnosuke akutagawa #sskk #shin soukoku #chūya nakahara #skk #soukoku #kyōka izumi #fyodor dostoevsky #tatsuhiko shibusawa #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd dead apple #mine #bsd official art

[kikicolors]

:/

#it makes me furious #especially when they use the my art tag along with ai art #its not ur art its thousands maybe millions of other artists' hard work ur profiting off of and somehow not feeling shame over? #imagine genuinely being proud of that #its completely unregulated and theres no rules #people are using ai art for their childrens books/illustrated novels and selling them on amazon #its so disgusting #i understand doing it for fun but you didnt 'make it' and you shouldn't profit off of it #artists on tumblr #Artists of Tumblr #Illustration #Digital Illustration #digital drawing #animal art #horse #ai art #anti ai art #arrow #arrows #animal portrait #equine #artists #art #digital painting #no to ai art

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

It took 2 people to fully convince Crosshair to do a 180 on the Empire - but neither of those people were Bad Batch members.

They couldn't be. What would a squad of defective clones who had been disobeying orders since day 1 know about loyalty to an institution determined to establish order for the good of the galaxy? What would they know about finding purpose in being "good soldiers"?

Now, I DO think the seeds of Crosshair's eventual defection were planted by his brothers. Hunter pointing out that "Blind allegiance makes you a pawn" and then telling Crosshair "All you'll ever be to them is a number" are statements that are proven later to be true. But it takes Cody and Mayday to drive the lessons home.

Cody and Mayday share several characteristics that place them in unique positions to influence Crosshair:

Both are regs who accepted and befriended Crosshair - Cody says he specifically asked for Crosshair for the mission, and Mayday is upfront and friendly to Crosshair right from the start. (Contrast this to the other regs getting up to move tables when Crosshair sits to eat, or the other clone troopers who walk past Crosshair to get onto the shuttle without even sparing him a glance.)

Both are commanders. (I believe Crosshair ultimately respects authority for the most part: even when he was arguing with and challenging Hunter in "Aftermath," he still deferred to Hunter's orders until his inhibitor chip was intensified and he was then promoted to commander.)

Both are loyal soldiers who have served the Empire well - again, these regs are still commanders even under the new government. And we all know how important loyalty to the Empire is to Crosshair at this point.

Both save Crosshair's life during their missions.

In short, both are regs, but they are still soldiers Crosshair can quickly identify with and trust.

I think it's key that Crosshair encountered Cody before Mayday, though. And despite their similarities, both soldiers drive home different points.

CODY

Cody is one of the few regs we know Crosshair already respected - and still respects, given that Crosshair almost smiles when he recognizes him.

(Some proof in case it isn't apparent: Crosshair goes from frowny face...

...to relaxed almost-happy-if-you-squint-just-right face)

Anyway, while Cody does drop some hints early on that he has doubts about the Empire, he is willing to carry out the mission to rescue "Governor" Grotton, showing he will follow orders to a certain extent. However, he shows more restraint than Crosshair might have: he doesn't attack the civilians despite their obvious mistrust of the soldiers, he comes to an understanding with Tawni Ames, he's NOT willing to follow an order to execute her, and he is clearly dismayed and disappointed by her death.

And so, at the end of a "successful" mission, Cody more plainly reveals the depth of his dissatisfaction with following orders against one's own moral scruples:

Hunter had said "Blind allegiance makes you a pawn." And Cody, unwilling to blindly and unquestioningly be a pawn - or act like a battle droid - any longer, goes AWOL.

But that lesson alone isn't enough to make Crosshair turn on the Empire. Instead, he needs Mayday to give him the final push.

MAYDAY

First, Mayday indicates how appalled he is by the idea of anyone leaving their own behind - which we know is a sore spot for Crosshair. But most importantly, Mayday has demonstrated since he was first introduced that he strongly believes in soldiers being loyal to and looking out for each other (which is far different than just being loyal to the Empire).

Second, Mayday unknowingly challenges Crosshair's belief that serving the Empire provides meaningful purpose. (Remember that one of Crosshair's main arguments to his brothers about joining the Empire was so they could "find purpose again.")

Then, he unwittingly goes for the jugular and rips apart the motto Crosshair had adopted.

And then, in case Crosshair has any lingering doubts about the answer to Mayday's rhetorical question, Nolan decidedly answers the question for him.

Hunter had said "All you'll ever be to them is a number," and he is proven right in the most heartbreaking way.

Crosshair had accused his brothers of not being loyal to him; unfortunately, now he sees what true disloyalty looks like. And for Crosshair - severe and unyielding - realizing that he has misplaced his loyalty by giving it to an entity that mocks him and casts him AND those he cares about aside for doing so... this is the final straw.

Thankfully, Crosshair has now rediscovered the people who are worthy of his loyalty.

#the bad batch #tbb #clone force 99 #star wars #star wars the bad batch #tbb crosshair #commander mayday #tbb mayday #commander cody #tbb cody #lessons learned the hard way #tbb analysis #and now i'm crying #shouldn't have rewatched these episodes #but they are SOOO GOOD #save crosshair #amazing character development in only two episodes #this is longer than i intended it to be - again #but this is what happens when i have to wait four more days for the finale

[autismjpg]

when justin said 'kinda faggy' on that one old episode of mbmbam that wasnt actually him that was Taako taking over his body so its fine he can reclaim

#it still cracks me up to unbelievable levels #kinda faggy #he was so real for that i laugh about it so hard i cry #they shouldn't have removed it #hes allowed say it #do u guys think it haunts him like hes just hoping everyone forgot #i didnt forget but i fully endorse #mbmbam #mcelroys #taz balance #taako

[sergle]

I think I'm going to make a temperature blanket this year

#generally people would plan for this earlier. but. I only JUST thought of it last night #I'm considering like a mood blanket / mental health blanket or whatev instead. one of those alternate concepts #but I FEEL LIKE categorizing my mood / mental health day by day would do something to me #and I don't really want to tell on myself that hard. showing off the finished blanket and ppl going oohh... there's a lot of this color! #what mood are these two colors for! #and i'm gonna have to crumple up my color key chart and eat it before they can find out #idk maybe I'll still try that way. but temperature just feels more like. yeaahahhhhh go with the flow buddy #I bought a ton of yarn recently bc there was a black friday sale and I was grabbin skeins for $2 so I shouldn't really need to do shopping #maybe pick up another color or two. but I can probably just bust out my own stash I already have #sergle.txt #crochetposting

[lucasoliko]

Do you think we'll ever dance like we're supposed to

#jovier #from a couple of weeks ago #im mixing things i shouldn't be mixing #feelings are hard #i need to calm down #javier escuella #john marston #rdr2 #red dead redemption 2 #fanart #lucasolikos art #red dead redemption

[scificrows]

Okay, my brain refuses to think about anything other than Murderbot, so I looked at every use of the word "friend[s]" in TMBD and... created some pie charts. Normal human activities.

Some Thoughts™ I had while putting this together (under the cut):

In All Systems Red, Murderbot notes that the PresAux crew are all close friends (twice! and goes on to explain their internal relationships which I think is very cute). This is pretty much the only use of 'friends' in ASR, except for when Murderbot says that SecUnits can't be friends with each other.

It seems that this may be one of the first times Murderbot has ever really been around a group of friends before? Murderbot notes that this is not the norm for its contracts and admits that the fact that they are all friends and the way they interact with each other make it actually enjoy that contract (before!!!! the hostile attack, so it already enjoys this contract before they start seeing it as a person etc ghghhhh). [Inference: Friendship seems enjoyable.]

The first character that calls Murderbot its friend is ART in Artificial Condition. Murderbot immediately refutes this (and then goes on to call ART its friend to its clients for the rest of the book). [Inference: Maybe ART is Murderbot's friend. And maybe that is... agreeable]

Rogue Protocol has more than twice as many instances of the word 'friend' as any of the other novellas. Why? Miki. Friendship and its implications for non-humans are a central theme because Miki is friends with everyone. Murderbot initially scoffs at the notion that Miki and Miki's humans are friends. At the end of the book, after witnessing how desperately Don Abene tried to stop Miki from trying to save them, and her grief after its death, Murderbot has to admit that she had in fact been Miki's friend. [Inference: Humans can be friends with bots and can sincerely care about them]

In Exit Strategy, Murderbot tentatively uses the word "friends" for its humans for the first time (several times actually). It questions whether it can actually call them its friends or not and later realizes that it had been afraid what admitting that the humans are its friends would do to it. At the end of the book, Mensah tells Murderbot the PresAux crew are its friends, which is the first time a human has directly said that to it (at least on-page). [Inference: Humans can and want to be Murderbot's friends]

In Network Effect, Murderbot seems to be more habituated to the word 'friend', confidently calling ART and Ratthi its friends, like it is no longer just trying the concept on unsure if it fits. There are many instances in which other characters refer to MB as ART's friend or the other way around and Murderbot's humans refer to Murderbot as their friend several times. Generally, there seems to be less hesitancy, because yes, all of them are Murderbot's friends, why wouldn't they be. [Inference: SecUnits can have friends. This SecUnit has friends. They care about it a lot.]

Conclusion: The Murderbot Diaries tell the story of a construct that does not seem to consider the possibility of friendship for itself and is fine with that - until it accidentally starts caring a little too much and suddenly more and more people annex it as a friend (ew) to the point where it can no longer deny that this is happening and has to begrudgingly admit that yes, it has friends now and maybe that is actually not a bad thing.

#the murderbot diaries #murderbot #𓄿 #hi i'm READY to write a thesis about murderbot i am having way too much fun with this #i created a pretty excel spreadsheet and everything #i don't know why i did this but now i can look at them while i think about this more! so i figured i'd share them haha #i didn't count uses of 'friendly' but special shoutout to when MB is all alone in its cold cubicle missing 20% of its body mass #and starts putting on a show because 'the friendly noise would keep it company' 😭😭 #i feel sick thinking about murderbot all alone on its own not knowing what its like to have friends watching media for 'the friendly noise' #also YES okay i wanted to make a point about miki there but i just #couldn't bring myself to talk about that more so... yeah #also uhhh this data is very subjective #i didn't count particularly ironic uses of 'friend' and generally did not count every instance of friend and sometimes it was a hard call #also i probably shouldn't have counted the times murderbot refered to drones or secsystems as its friends (often after hacking them) #but murderbot does seem to care about them and shows kindness and respect and sometimes points out that a system is friendly #so while i don't think MB means “friend” in the same way referring to them as when it refers to ART for instance #i still think its CUTE and also kinda funny how many times that happened so i decided to keep those!!! #but yeah take my data with a grain of salt lol