Empress of Mars: Undisputed @zebratron2084@awoo.space

frank the bunny was right

burn it all to the ground, give it 28 days to simmer, then turn it all off forever

i've deteriorated from "hollowly poke around the internet until i can at least find a shred of good news" to "hollowly poke around the internet until i at least find enough examples of leftists ALSO behaving stupidly that i can take comfort in our mutual annihilation and go back to bed"

Every single argument I've had with a QAnon has been like someone coming up to me and saying "There's a tyrannosaurus rex devastating downtown," and when I say, "OK, prove it," they take a little gecko out of their pocket and say "See?! Lizards ARE real. Checkmate, liberal scum!"

Please understand, none of this actually *surprises* me. Changing these peoples' minds has never been my goal, any more than I ever hoped I'd convince the anti-furry trolls to love us. The point is to watch how they *react* to the prodding and try to develop new tactics from it.

It's just the most goddamn exhausting sort of field work. It's the mental equivalent of standing hip-deep in a stagnant pond for hours, trying to catch slippery eel specimens with ungloved hands.

It's slimy, it's rashy, it's probably unhealthy, you get bitten a LOT, and after a while, you kinda find yourself wondering if you're really as clever as you think you are, when you're constantly getting outmaneuvered by creatures without forebrains.

.___.

It looks like our next-door neighbor has moved out, leaving only the older man she originally moved in with.

The good news is, this effectively means the cats are all ours now. I am sorely attempted to use this as an excuse to Declare Domain Over Shemp For The Remainer Of His Natural Life. I don't think he could ever be a captive indoor cat, but it's far past time to set up a proper kitty guesthouse for him in here.

This bad news is, this effectively means the cats are all ours now. Specifically, if ("when") there's another big storm, there's nobody who's likely to take them in except for us.

It's also entirely on us now if Shadow or Sugarfoot cranks out any more kittens. We REALLY need to get 'em both snipped soon. I'm willing to offer my room up as Designated Kitten Nest if there's another batch, but I'm not eager. >__>;

@kistaro There's a beautiful image in Theodore Roszak's Making of a Counterculture, and it goes something like (I paraphrase DRASTICALLY, it's been decades)...

The state keeps all its loyal people in a big fort, where there's food and water and comfort inside -- and all the freaks and rabble are kept outside. But they don't have the forces to keep them out forever.

So they have a very clever strategy: once the outsiders are pointing so hard at the door that they're sure to get inside, they FLING the door wide open instead, and make sure the invaders run so far inside that they're trapped.

Then someone hands them a baton and a uniform and steers them to the door.

"Oh, we're so glad you're here! We had JUST decided we were all wrong about you people and were going to let you in! Now, do us a favor -- take this and guard the door against those freaks outside."

@kistaro

also *coughburningmancough* >_<

@kistaro Specifically, I'm bringing it up as a reminder that in a way, the mainstream kinda holds subcultures like ours up as forbidden fruit. First we're a tantalizing other, and once we're both repulsive and curiosity-inducing... it's time to strip off all our problematic parts and put us out as bait. So arguably it's even worse, because it's not just that normal people are randomly wandering in, it's that they're effectively being *sent* in to colonize us as a reward for Being Good.

"OK, folks, meet your new friend Hugh Hefner. we're willing to relax your sexual repression a little bit IF you're rich enough and play the game right AND you dress right AND you look right AND you take a lead role in reinforcing the patriarchy for us. Have fun, sport! ^_____^ "

"OK, folks, we see that the Internet is getting very popular. Good news! We've dropped the taboo on socializing and roleplaying online. You just have to pay a big corporate gaming studio to mediate the whole thing for you. What's that? Community? Oh, we have something better -- RARE ITEM DROPS! ^_______^ "

"Good news, queer people! It's OK to be gay! Now sign up to your corporate mailing list and we'll hand out the ribbons. Now, rents ARE going to become unachievable for all your friends who *couldn't* get cushy IT jobs, so you're going to have to decatuple up on living quarters. But you people love that anyway, with your polyamory and free love and everything, right? ^______^ "

You get the picture...

@kistaro Are you familiar with the neo-Marxist term "repressive desublimation?" It feels like it applies very well to this whole problem we're discussing...

Truly excellent write-up either way. <3

@mmsword It's a beautiful experience, isn't it.

@anthracite That's Coin Crypt. Nothing in Disco Elysium makes cheerful noises, dear.

I have now completed Disco Elysium four times, if by "complete" you mean "beat Measurehead senseless, then declare victory and start the game over."

@Leucrotta Practice with one of my favorite songs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRyjPhgxWpc

@anthracite i saw the headline and was afraid you were gonna spill the beans about ralphs shocking lifestyle :O

I know there are some problematic gender politics moments in Twin Peaks, but... "Fix your hearts or die" is the best exhortation to accept trans people I've ever heard It's good to know David, addled and cryptic though he can be, is on our side. <3

Oh, yeah and (d) I think I may have really annoyed some conspiracy theorists who were babbling about Baphomet, Biden, and a particularly rectum-scented brand of numerology. And of course (e) dragon lady has been getting back to work, gorgeous work, on Parallax.

So today did basically provide a small sampler pack of The Things Enormous Monstercats Love.

Today was kind of meh, but (a) my dealer's probably coming over tomorrow (b) a deservedly 5-star Cuban/Honduran restaurant opened down the street and I ate arroz con pollo and tostones probably intended to feed like four people (c) Shemp was a super-cuddly boy today and hung out on the back of my studio couch and kneaded my stuffed unicorn for like ten minutes, freakin' adorable and I wish I'd gotten pics.

🖼

god... fucking... just god fucking dammit

(https://www.furaffinity.net/view/25666924 though this particular thought was inspired by the most recent page)

"You know... I think I like these fae types a lot better when they look NERVOUS. Just a little scared of _you_ is exactly where you want these motherfuckers to be."

@Soreth APPROPRIATION!!!

(fortunately, according to my new religion, appropriation is always appropriate...

https://youtu.be/fgOw9nk9Zq8?t=507

[CW: willful and satirical misuse of indigenous cultural items; deliberate extreme whiteness; scary amateur bris practices :> ])