You are good at something, stop lying to yourself. You’re good at breaking down comic book plots, cooking ramen perfectly, making your friends happy, knowing the time without looking at a clock, getting the perfect ending at RPG’s, or figuring out the twist ending to movies. Don’t let society tell you your talents are meaningless because they don’t serve an economical purpose. Your talents reflect your interests and passions, and what’s important to you is important.

(Source: pandavalkyrie)

❝Nobody’s going to save you. No one’s going to cut you down, cut the thorns thick around you. No one’s going to storm the castle walls nor kiss awake your birth, climb down your hair, nor mount you onto the white steed. There is no one who will feed the yearning. Face it. You will have to do, do it yourself.❞

Gloria E. Anzaldúa (via anthologyz)

Reality.

(via no-longer-solo)

Here’s to doing it for ourselves. 

(via wordsandsteel)

#2013

(via so-treu)

(Source: 2000anhour)

pandalot:

You are good at something, stop lying to yourself. You’re good at breaking down comic book plots, cooking ramen perfectly, making your friends happy, knowing the time without looking at a clock, getting the perfect ending at RPG’s, or figuring out the twist ending to movies. Don’t let society tell you your talents are meaningless because they don’t serve an economical purpose. Your talents reflect your interests and passions, and what’s important to you is important.

(Source: pandavalkyrie)

stilleatingoranges:

In the West, plot is commonly thought to revolve around conflict: a confrontation between two or more elements, in which one ultimately dominates the other. The standard three- and five-act plot structures—which permeate Western media—have conflict written into their very foundations. A “problem” appears near the end of the first act; and, in the second act, the conflict generated by this problem takes center stage. Conflict is used to create reader involvement even by many post-modern writers, whose work otherwise defies traditional structure.

The necessity of conflict is preached as a kind of dogma by contemporary writers’ workshops and Internet “guides” to writing. A plot without conflict is considered dull; some even go so far as to call it impossible. This has influenced not only fiction, but writing in general—arguably even philosophy. Yet, is there any truth to this belief? Does plot necessarily hinge on conflict? No. Such claims are a product of the West’s insularity. For countless centuries, Chinese and Japanese writers have used a plot structure that does not have conflict “built in”, so to speak. Rather, it relies on exposition and contrast to generate interest. This structure is known as kishōtenketsu.

Read More

❝

Disliking hip-hop doesn’t make you a racist any more than liking hip-hop makes you not a racist, and I’m sure there are plenty of Stormfront enthusiasts with Rick Ross in their iTunes. If you don’t like Jay-Z because you just don’t like the way he sounds, or you’re sick of his cloying ubiquity, or you wish he’d talk about something other than where he’s from for five seconds—hey, I’m not mad, I don’t like Bruce Springsteen for the same reasons. But if you don’t like rap music—a genre that contains multitudes—because of a self-satisfied moralism, or because you’re scared of it, or because you wish those people would stop talking about their problems and get out of your television and radio and kids’ bedrooms: well.

And I’m not just talking about the American right, I’m talking about all the well-meaning white folks who’ve told me how they want to like Lil Wayne but lo, the misogyny, the violence, the drugs. But, but, I’ll say: Bob Dylan aced misogyny; the Rolling Stones sang about violence; the Velvet Underground knew their way around some drugs. Yeeeah, but it’s different, they’ll say, elongating that “yeah” with conspiratorial inflection: you know what I mean. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.

Rap music doesn’t get unarmed kids shot to death, “it’s different” does. “It’s different” infuses “these assholes always get away” and gives solace to people who hear that sound bite and nod their empty heads in agreement. “It’s different” is the same logic that suggests a teenager’s skin color combined with the music he listened to means he had it coming, and it’s the same logic that lets a bunch of people feign outrage over a teenager’s use of the n-word to describe himself when they’re really just outraged that he beat them to the punch.

“It’s different” makes me shake with anger because it turns music into a dog-whistle to justify the murder of a kid who doesn’t seem all that “different” from me was when I was his age, not that different at all. I liked Skittles and hoodies and weed, too. And yeah, I’m white and never worried about getting shot for any of it, which is only the most loathsome excuse for not identifying with someone that I can possibly think of.

❞

(Source: thediscography)

thefullmetalbitch:

  

1. Being an atheist does not erase privilege.
   1. This includes white privilege.
   2. This also includes cis privilege, CNDP privilege, and het privilege.
   3. Seriously, being an atheist does not erase your white privilege.
2. Criticizing exclusively (majority) non-white religions is racist.
   1. This includes Islam.
   2. The existence of white Muslims does not invalidate this point.
3. Black Christianity is not always hetereosexist.
   1. Black people are not the most heterosexist heterosexists that ever heterosexisted.
   2. Black queer/gay/lesbian/non-straight/pansexual/asexual people exist too.
4. Mestiz@s are not the root cause of sexism.
   1. Neither is Latin American Christianity.
   2. You do realize Christianity was imported, right?
5. Atheists are not the only oppressed religious group.
   1. Muslims are oppressed too.
   2. Often by white atheists.
6. Islam is not evil.
   1. Neither are hijabs or niqabs.
   2. Neither is Vodun/voodoo/hoodoo.
   3. Neither is any other religion…
   4. …unless it’s World Church of the Creator / The Creativity Movement…
      1. Which is white supremacist.
   5. …or the Westboro Baptist Church.
      1. Who even the KKK hates.
7. Evolutionary psychology is sexist, racist, cissexist, ableist, and heterosexist.
   1. This includes evolutionary psychology that (supposedly) supports atheism.
   2. Supporting evo-psych means
      1. You have not done your homework, or
      2. You are prejudiced.
8. Other people’s clothing is not your business.
   1. Including religious articles of clothing.
   2. Including hijabs, headwraps, niqabs, burkas, crosses, crucifixes, pentacles, and other symbols.
   3. Even if you really don’t like it.
   4. Even if it’s really religious.
9. Acknowledge other people’s identities.
   1. Even if you’re uncomfortable with them.
      1. Especially if you’re uncomfortable,
         • Because they have racial, sexual, cultural, or disabled identity
10. Paganism is not ‘atheism-lite’.
    1. Neither is agnosticism.
    2. Neither are indigenous religions.
11. There is no such thing as ‘ironic’ bigotry.
    1. Unless it’s atheists whining about Christmas.
       1. Seriously, I thought only evangelicals did that.
12. Trans people are not your special little puzzles.
    1. Neither are autistic / disabled people.
       1. I don’t care if you’re a scientist. We’re still not your Rubik’s Cubes.
13. Not everything should be about science.
    1. There. I said it.
14. PoC are not the reason why a lot of people are wary of atheists.
    1. It’s because of white/het/cis/CND atheists.
       1. Yes, including you.
15. Demanding people educate you is oppressive.
    1. Even if you’re ‘being really nice about it’.
       1. Nice =/= good.
16. Religions are not inherently oppressive.
    1. Did you know that hijabs and niqabs are cultural?
       1. And that many women find them liberating?
17. Using emotion in writing, reasoning, the internet, or decision-making does not mean one is stupid/dumb/monkey-like/less-evolved/other ableist, racist, eugenicist terms.
    1. It means one is a fucking human being.
18. Disability is not a flaw in evolution.
    1. Disabled people will not die out with evolution.
    2. Fuck you.
19. Being atheist does not mean you are automatically not allistic.
    1. If you don’t know what that means, look it up.
       1. You can use Google.
20. Being a queer atheist does not make you white.
    1. Seriously, enough with this racist bullshit.
21. Cultural appropriation is also done by atheists.
    1. Deal with it.
22. There are no purple people.
    1. You should know this.
23. Making fun of ‘them crazy darkies doin’ their ridick voodoo’ is racist, ableist, and the reason why a LOT of black atheists will not have anything to do with you.
    1. Satire is a tool that works when aimed upwards, at the most powerful people.
       1. Black people are not the most powerful people.
          • Especially black people practicing voodoo.
24. No religion is more ridiculous than any other.
    1. Including Mormonism.
    2. …but some have more power, and are therefore better to make fun of.
       1. Like Mormonism.
25. Being colorblind is only okay if you literally cannot see or distinguish colors.
    1. Otherwise, it’s racist.
26. Religions derive strength and power from the social power of their followers.
    1. Which is why evangelical Christianity is a better target than Black Christianity.
27. Being an agnostic (or bisexual) is not ‘taking the easy way out’.
    1. Really, now?
28. Monosexism is real.
    1. How do I know?
       1. You’re doing it right now.
    2. And yes, queer can be a term for polysexual.
29. If you think black people are mean to you,
    1. You’re probably white,
       1. And won’t say you are
          • Because white people never say they’re white.
30. The terms ‘hermophradite’ ‘third sex’ and ‘biological gender’ are
    1. Essentialist,
    2. Bigoted,
    3. Cissexist,
    4. Anti-intersex
    5. And not up for debate.
31. If you refuse to identify your privileged identities,
    1. I’m going to assume you just think you’re ‘normal’
       1. And moderate you.
32. Refusing to acknowledge the power of environment and social structure
    1. Is bigoted
    2. And means you’re a biological essentialist.
33. Intersex people exist.
    1. Deal with it.
    2. And no, they are not ‘miracles of evolution’.
       1. I thought you didn’t believe in miracles.
34. Freedom does not just mean ‘freedom to be an atheist and make the choices I would make’. It means freedom to make even choices I don’t like.
    1. Including religious choices.
35. Social justice / social uprooting / anti-oppression is not about you and your feelings.
    1. Nobody cares about white guilt.
    2. Making everything about your feelings is oppressive.
36. If you’re offended,
    1. Get over it.
    2. Realize that being offended is much better than being oppressed.

(Source: lovelifelivedie.wordpress.com)

daydreamingaimlessly:

vanachexfortune:

You don’t have to come from Africa to have dark skin. You can come from any part of the world and be born with a darker shade of skin.

Instead of demonizing dark skin. Understand the beauty in color.

Reblogging this for the message and also for people who don’t know what actual dark skin is. When a writer writes a character as having “dark skin” this is what they are talking about. Every single one of these women are beautiful. 

❝

You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You want the physicist to talk to your grieving family about the conservation of energy, so they will understand that your energy has not died. You want the physicist to remind your sobbing mother about the first law of thermodynamics; that no energy gets created in the universe, and none is destroyed. You want your mother to know that all your energy, every vibration, every Btu of heat, every wave of every particle that was her beloved child remains with her in this world. You want the physicist to tell your weeping father that amid energies of the cosmos, you gave as good as you got.

And at one point you’d hope that the physicist would step down from the pulpit and walk to your brokenhearted spouse there in the pew and tell him that all the photons that ever bounced off your face, all the particles whose paths were interrupted by your smile, by the touch of your hair, hundreds of trillions of particles, have raced off like children, their ways forever changed by you. And as your widow rocks in the arms of a loving family, may the physicist let her know that all the photons that bounced from you were gathered in the particle detectors that are her eyes, that those photons created within her constellations of electromagnetically charged neurons whose energy will go on forever.

And the physicist will remind the congregation of how much of all our energy is given off as heat. There may be a few fanning themselves with their programs as he says it. And he will tell them that the warmth that flowed through you in life is still here, still part of all that we are, even as we who mourn continue the heat of our own lives.

And you’ll want the physicist to explain to those who loved you that they need not have faith; indeed, they should not have faith. Let them know that they can measure, that scientists have measured precisely the conservation of energy and found it accurate, verifiable and consistent across space and time. You can hope your family will examine the evidence and satisfy themselves that the science is sound and that they’ll be comforted to know your energy’s still around. According to the law of the conservation of energy, not a bit of you is gone; you’re just less orderly. Amen.

❞

Aaron Freeman “You Want A Physicist To Speak at your Funeral”

(source: npr)

I can’t stop crying.

(via everythinginthrees)

Not a bit of you is gone— you’re just less orderly.

(via qglas)

(Source: lonelyheartsdeathmetal)

saltmarshhag:

chocotaur:

I’ve read a lot of people who are ‘tired’ after the fight with SOPA, but remember: the fight for civil liberties NEVER really ends. It’s tireless, and yes, it might seem unfair, but at least we live in a time when you can wage battle with a keyboard and not with a musket.

LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT ACTA.

Find the right petitions, spread the information. It’s better than nothing. Here’s five things you CAN do if you can’t find a good petition or cannot contact the proper representatives:

1. Spread information. Find data online, and share it with others.

2. Make sure to tag things properly. The information is only good if it can be found.

3. Cross platforms. Spread information through different mediums. Check for twitter hashtags and USE them.

4. Look for the strongest petitions online. Direct all possible attention to the ones which are: (a) official or directed at government bodies, or (b) have the largest amount of signatures. SHARE these petitions. Make posts listing the strongest ones.

5. Research, research, research! Just google the latest news on ACTA and make a post about it on all the networks you can.

6. Talk about it. Talk about it in your workplace, on the way to work, with friends, with family. Every person you inform is one potential head in a network that will further spread the word of discontent.

7. Give it at LEAST 10 minutes of your every day to find out the latest about ACTA, and sign new petitions if they come up.

Remember these THREE BASIC ARGUMENTS against ACTA:

1. It was discussed in secret.

2. ACTA will affect BASIC liberties and civil rights, such as privacy and freedom of speech. There is NO economic benefit or tradeoff from ANY law that can compensate this. Ever.

3. ACTA is practically GLOBAL. And if you feel safe because your country didn’t sign an agreement, remember, countries can always jump on board with them later.

WAYS TO HELP FOR ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE:

Are you or do you know a DESIGNER? Make information about ACTA easier to divulge and assimilate. Present it properly so that the message is communicated BETTER.

Are you or do you know a LAWYER? Help others understand the contents of ACTA by putting it in layman’s terms.

Are you or do you know a BLOGGER? Put information about ACTA on your blog.

Are you or do you know a JOURNALIST? Get the information off the net and onto regular channels, such as television or radio. There’s still plenty of ground to cover.

Are you anything else? An engineer? An animator? A musician? A doctor? ACTA CONCERNS YOU and the liberty you have to research material for your workplace or distribute your artistic creations.

IMPORTANT: REBLOG THIS POST AS TEXT, NOT AS A LINK. MAKE IT EASIER FOR OTHERS TO READ IT.

MORE INFORMATION:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=citzRjwk-sQ

http://www.stopacta.info/

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/three-core-reasons-for-rejecting-acta

http://www.laquadrature.net/en

http://www.erikjosefsson.eu/sites/default/files/UNOFFICIAL_CONSOLIDATED_VERSION_OF_ACTA_COMMON_RESOLUTION.pdf

the idea of people being fatigued from blacked out websites and signing petitions is itself fatiguing me right now

❝—there was no safety. There was no pride. All there was was money. Everything became money, and money became everything. Money treated us as if we were things, and we died—❞