Ok like. Imagine life without ads. You wake up, check your messages across a variety of apps, no ads. You get up and put on the tv while you prep your breakfast, no ads. Maybe you drive somewhere and switch on the radio, no ads. Maybe you drive a long distance, yet somehow, not a single billboard on your path. You pick up a newspaper or magazine to pass the time, no advertisements only articles. You turn on your game console, the home screen is just about your games, no ads to buy more. You open a streaming app, you don't pay extra for no ads, there's just no ads ever.
Think about how much of your time is spent looking at ads. "Download ublock" yeah I know, I have. But that doesn't change that the world is covered with endless advertising. Imagine never seeing that again. How much better our lives would be.
Next up someone is going to claim that the Narnia series isn't kids books.
Kids books is probably not the best way to word it, you can enjoy them at every age, including your childhood, as you get older you may find new truths in them, but they're still good for any age.
Cool Ways to Show a Character Is Traumatized (Without Saying "Traumatized"):
• They memorize where every exit is in a room
• They check their phone repeatedly after sending a message, worried they said the wrong thing
• They freeze when asked a simple question, like they’re calculating the safest answer
• They over-explain tiny mistakes before anyone reacts
• They clean up messes that aren’t theirs without being asked
• They listen for footsteps in hallways before relaxing
• They downplay their own pain with humor or sarcasm
• They check locks more than once before bed
• They leave shoes near the door, ready to leave quickly
• They wake up instantly at small sounds while others sleep through them
• They carry painkillers, snacks, or water everywhere “just in case.”
• They don’t like closed doors.
• They test people subtly to see if they'll leave
• They sit near walls or corners, rarely the center of a room.
• Loud noises don’t scare them anymore, they just go very still
• They apologize automatically, even when nothing went wrong
• Compliments make them visibly uncomfortable.
• They keep important things within arm’s reach at all times
• They watch people’s hands more than their faces
• They flinch at movements that aren’t threatening
• When someone raises their voice, they go quiet instead of arguing back
• They assume blame first, even when it makes no sense
• They’re surprised when someone keeps their promise
• They brace themselves before asking a favor
I miss when ads were a single click and then they’re gone. Now every ad has a minimum of three phases where you watch a video, exit the still frame of fake gameplay, and then exit the app download. That doesn’t even touch on the ones that forcibly take you to another app after opening a tab in safari without you ever touching the screen.
I hate advertising. I hate that you can’t do anything without companies jumping down your throat with mostly bullshit ads. I hate that billboards exist. I hate that every company unanimously decided to make their ads longer and longer. I hate that ad blockers try to charge you money and there are in app purchases to remove ads. I hate that my attention has become commodified. I hate that there’s nothing I can do about it.
NOTE: You don't always have to use an alternative to said in order to get your point across! Please avoid overusing dialogue tags, and remember to spice things up in other ways.
»-♡→ Brushed
»-♡→ Grazed
»-♡→ Caressed
»-♡→ Stroked
»-♡→ Patted
»-♡→ Cradled
»-♡→ Rested against
»-♡→ Smoothed
»-♡→ Trailed along
»-♡→ Glided over
...or comforting:
➺ Squeezed
➺ Held
➺ Embraced
➺ Wrapped around
➺ Clasped
➺ Pressed gently against
➺ Rubbed
➺ Supported
➺ Steadied
➺ Cupped
...or affectionate:
➵ Ruffled
➵ Nuzzled
➵ Kissed
➵ Linked arms with
➵ Nestled against
➵ Curled around
➵ Leaned into
➵ Rested a hand on
➵ Laced fingers with
➵ Pulled close
...or romantic:
̗̀➛ Traced
̗̀➛ Ghosted across
̗̀➛ Brushed against
̗̀➛ Skimmed over
̗̀➛ Lingeringly stroked
̗̀➛ Ran a thumb along
̗̀➛ Tilted their chin
̗̀➛ Tucked a strand of hair behind their ear
̗̀➛ Pressed their forehead against
̗̀➛ Intertwined fingers
Website idea: Writers of all nationalities give each other advice on how to name OCs from their native culture/language.
For example, a native English speaker can tell you that "Henry Edward" is kinda weird and evokes Tudor kings, and a native Chinese speaker can tell you that, I don't know, "mīmī" sounds cute but means titties.
Re: Chinese names, there is something cool people should know about, (maybe you already know):
Using this database, you can access the names and biographical information of real people across Chinese historical periods and dynasties. You can go on here and find the names (not just given names but courtesy names and other sorts of honorary aliases, depending on the period) of thousands of real individuals, though it's almost entirely men in the older dynasties. Very few women.
Need a character name for your Tang Dynasty official? Check out the CBDB and find a *literal Tang Dynasty official* to grab a name from!
Unrequited Love - occurs when a person falls in love with someone who does not return the admirer's feelings (in psychology).
The object of affection rejects the would-be lover's pursuit or
may be unaware of the admirer's romantic interest.
Unrequited love is associated with:
idealized notions of romance, but
it inevitably ends in heartbreak.
Would-be lovers struggle with unfulfilled yearning, while
beloved individuals must discourage unwanted advances.
The unreciprocated attraction can hurt an individual's self-esteem.
Unrequited lovers can cope by:
accepting the reality of the situation,
acknowledging rejection, and
limiting communication with the object of their affinity.
Unrequited love is an enduring theme in literature. Popular examples include: Cyrano de Bergerac, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Gone with the Wind.
There are 2 sides to unrequited love.
The unrequited lover harbors romantic feelings for a potential partner. Admirers long for the object of their affection and indulge in romantic fantasies. They hope one day that the pair will start a relationship.
However, the beloved does not feel the same way, turning down the admirer. Some recipients never know the unrequited lover's true feelings.
The concept of unrequited love goes back to ancient times:
In the Egyptian civilization's writing system, called hieroglyphics, the symbol for love translated to "a long desire."
One of the most famous examples of unrequited love in history involves medieval Italian poet Dante and his muse, Beatrice Portinari.
Dante fell in love with Portinari at first sight when she was only 9 years old, but the poet was promised to marry someone else.
After Portinari's death in 1290, Dante chronicled his secret love for her in La Vita Nuova in 1295.
She also appears as his guide through Heaven in The Divine Comedy, completed in the early 1320s.
Unrequited love can manifest itself in different ways.
It can start as a crush,
which develops into a long-standing infatuation.
Admirers may desire someone from a distance, never telling the individual about their romantic feelings.
Conversely, unrequited lovers may relentlessly pursue the object of their affection, making their intentions known.
There are 2 main paths to unrequited love.
The attraction can be based on an existing connection or
the pursuit of someone more desirable.
Most often, unrequited love grows out of platonic friendships.
One friend may feel an underlying attraction toward the other.
It can develop in the workplace when a coworker has feelings for another employee.
It can spring up when a former flame wants to rekindle a romance.
Unrequited love can also occur during a mutually satisfying relationship when a person decides to leave, but the other individual is still in love.
Admirers may encounter unrequited love when they find someone more attractive than they are.
The person may possess physical qualities or personality traits that appeal to the would-be lover.
Pursuers may be drawn to the individual's beauty, sense of humor, or intelligence.
Unrequited love is quite common.
According to a 1993 study by psychologist Roy Baumeister, 98% of the participants said they had experienced unrequited love.
Men are more likely to fall for someone who does not return their affection, the study found.
Unrequited love is full of emotional highs and lows.
The experience can be painful for both admirers and the objects of their devotion.
Unrequited lovers sustain their passion for their beloved through hope.
They are optimistic the objects of their affinity will one day love them back.
Eventually, however, the admirers become disillusioned, realizing their efforts are fruitless.
The failure to pursue the one they love can leave unrequited lovers feeling hurt, humiliated, and depressed.
The stinging defeat of rejection can erode their self-confidence.
Most stories about unrequited love focus on the agony of the admirer, but the recipient also suffers:
At first, the objects of unwanted affection are initially flattered by the would-be lovers' attention.
However, as time goes on, the beloved must deflect unsought advances.
The recipient may become frustrated by the unrequited lover's persistent pursuit.
Recipients of unrequited love also feel guilty for wanting to reject their suitors, but they are afraid of hurting their feelings.
Instead of spurning them outright, the beloved individuals may avoid telling their pursuers the truth—that they do not share their romantic interest—and hope the infatuation fades.
To lessen the blow during rejection, the beloved individuals may also sugarcoat their words, saying they are not interested in a relationship at the current time.
However, this strategy can backfire:
The appeasing language may give the would-be lovers just enough hope to hang on to the possibility of a future romance.
In extreme cases, admirers' unrequited love can turn into obsession and stalking.
Unrequited love results in unhappiness and heartbreak. Admirers can cope with doomed relationships in 3 ways:
First, unrequited lovers must accept the reality of the situation. Pursuers must admit the objects of their devotion do not love them back. It does not mean the unwanted suitor is undeserving or unattractive.
Second, admirers must acknowledge rejection and the feelings that accompany it, including sadness and loneliness. They may realize they were not the right partner for their beloved, and vice versa.
Finally, unrequited lovers should minimize contact with the recipients of their affection. They are mourning the loss of a relationship they never had, but keeping in touch could keep the hope of having one alive. A clean break allows the admirer to move on from the infatuation.
Unrequited love is a common theme in literary works.
French dramatist Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac follows the noble soldier Cyrano, a gifted poet in love with his beautiful cousin Roxane.
Cyrano, ashamed of his large nose, helps the handsome cadet Christian woo Roxane by writing romantic poetry to her under Christian's name.
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, written by French author Victor Hugo in 1831, deformed hunchback Quasimodo falls in love with the stunning gypsy Esmeralda after she shows him kindness.
After Esmeralda is hanged, Quasimodo kills the priest responsible for her death.
American writer Margaret Mitchell's epic 1936 novel Gone with the Wind follows selfish Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara, who is in love with the mild-mannered Ashley Wilkes.
Ashley loves his cousin Melanie, but he does not fully reject Scarlett's feelings, which she hangs on to despite her many marriages.
The romance was adapted into a cinematic masterpiece in 1939.
Unrequited love is a phenomenon that almost everyone experiences. As people search for true love, they will likely encounter unrequited love and the heartbreak it brings on the way to finding a lasting relationship.
Hello, I work for a large moderately evil corporation and for at least five years now I have to sign a yearly thing to say I will never ever have one of these devices in the same room as me while I work.
My large moderately evil employer takes it for granted that these things are spying on me at all times, and you should too.
Across three preregistered studies, participants interacting with sycophantic AI became more convinced of their own rightness and less willing to repair relationships. Yet at the same time, participants rated sycophantic AI models as higher quality, more trustworthy, and more desirable for future use, which may explain why this behavior has persisted despite its harmful impacts.
Myra Cheng et al. "Sycophantic AI decreases prosocial intentions and promotes dependence." Science 391, eaec8352 (2026).
I would once again like to remind folks that the et al. at the end of a published article means someone published this as part of a community. Scientific research happens collaboratively. This is a super cool topic. But just highlighting one person instead of a team supports the ideas of an individualistic society and hides how much community and government support goes into this kind of work.
origamiaround
titsay
andulkaphoto
tangentwithtanner
turnnoffyourmind
gracieabrams
blakekathryn
amandla
