Pendragon of Libraries

Catholic | Late 20’s |ADHD AF | she/her | Into the Age of Sail | Looking forward to the day Isabella of Castile is declared a saint ❤️

[pendragonoflibraries]

[digitalfossils]

[bethanydelleman]

My dad raises grass-fed beef cattle and I help him sell it, mainly by maintaining an online presence. For a while, I kept having the most ridiculous conversations with people who I assume were marketing students. I didn't want to be rude so I'd try to let them down gently but this one guy just kept insisting that with his magical marketing skills he could grow our business.

What he could not seem to comprehend is that we could not grow our business, at least not without significant time and monetary investment. Cows take two years from pregnancy to the size that you can sell. If we buy adult cows, our margins become razor thin or even negative. Even if we somehow could acquire some cows, our barn and hay fields are already near maximum capacity. Renting another field would be relatively easy, building a bigger barn not so much.

Cows are living animals, they aren't widgets that can be produced infinitely. Besides that, many businesses inherently cannot grow, because if they do they'll become something else. The delicious bakery down the street cannot produce much more than they do, if they began mass marketing and production they'd eventually be selling the equivalent of Twinkies. We grow grass-fed, organic beef, if we expanded how long would that last? Eventually we'd become the very factor farms that we hate. Some things can only ever be made on a small scale and they are usually the best things.

But also, what are they teaching them at marketing school and how is it so disconnected from reality?

[lew-basnight]

People kept trying to do this to my petcare business. “Let us build you a website! Let us buy you some ads! Let us print you flyers and cards!” I have exactly as much business as I can handle, and I’m happy with that. “But if you expand you could hire other people to do the work and pay them less, and raise your prices and eventually you can work from home!! Let us help you!” I’m doing this because I like playing fetch for a living, I like being outside moving around all day every day, I like spending time with each animal separately, I like being trusted by my clients with the keys and codes of their homes, it makes me feel proud. None of what you’re offering me is what I want. I don’t want a dozen miserable contractors who I pay 40% of each visit, I don’t want to try and wrangle and hire and vet people to do the part of my job that I like for me. That sounds bad. That’s a bad idea. And they looked at me like I was speaking an alien language. “But… website!! SEO! Ad buys! Targeted coverage! Constant growth!!” I don’t want any of that in my life it sounds fucking awful

[stjohnstarling]

One of the cruelties of capitalism is that if you want to do work you’re good at and love, a lot of the time your only option is to enter into some kind of business, and as soon as you do that, all the structural incentives of the system start trying to pull you away from the parts that you’re there for (i.e. the things that make life worth living) and towards various kinds of exploitation. Anyway, this also applies to writing and selling novels.

[thehappysatan]

I agree with OP down to my bonessss. The best things are done with pasison by artisans, who deseve to be compensated respectfully, but aren't into their work from a place of greed or whatever misguided capitalist-brained bros think 'efficiency' is.

I'm plenty efficient, at getting things done the way i intend to.

i described to my econ-brain-rotten brother how i run my tattooing business and got the same responses as above.

It's like he absolutely didn't hear me when i explained the nuanced reasons i even started doing this work; I started tattooing because i was tired of the isolation of my (at that point) decade-long career in the animation industry. I was sick of my best work rotting on hard drives in shut down studios, of never getting to see anyone interacting with my art.

Moved to a big queer city, where my community got me started: queer tattooers patiently shared information and resources with me. early on, friends volunteered to let me experiment on their skin. Then they started offering to pay for materials, then more. Then they brought their friends to me...

I have a beautiful community of people who know me from the drag scene, from the poetry and writing scene, from the techno scene - and all these ppl come to me because they know me, met me, trust me, because they felt comfortable in my presence.

I only have like 1200 followers on my tattooing Instagram - which rly isn't a lot for a tattooer. But i stay busier than some ppl who have more followers - and im pretty sure that it's because 90% of the ppl following me have actually met me irl. I don't give out my info to just anyone. I have to have a nice interaction with them - and they with me - and i basically invite them to get to know my work, if i think they'd be interested, if they seemed excited about it.

I built my business out of love and care, and connection. I built it because i wanted more of these things in my life. I am making what i wanna see in the world.

Im deeply proud of what I've accomplished as a tattooer, exactly because i stuck to my own beliefs and built a business that is fully customized to me, what im excited about, my abiliy and disability levels, and my philosophical values. This part of my life is all mine, crafted and chiselled just how i want it.

I don't like getting up in the morning, so my sessions never start earlier than 1300. I have a hard time focusing alone + i wanna empower ppl who aren't artists to play with art + help ppl practice and engage their decision making and request making skills - so i design the tattoos with them sitting right next to me, being part of the art process. I don't like doing math and counting so i give my clients a sliding scale based on project complexity, and they get to choose how much they pay me. This also doubles as a way to give ppl more agency in the process of getting a tattoo. Etc etc it goes on and on - every aspect of the process is considered and phislophically and emotionally calibrated. I love what I've created and i love giving the gift of a well-crafted thing......

And after hearing me explain all that, my brother said my marketing wasn't efficient and my business isn't scalable...

I dunno, i think smtng abt capitalism legit gives ppl brain damage or smtng wtf

[thehappysatan]

@asmadasthehatters you can't leave that in the comments, buddy

[heymerle]

There's this assumption, in marketing and in business for the last 40 or 50 years, that growth should be unlimited.

That exists in the real world, and it's called cancer. It will kill whatever it's growing in.

[apesoformythoughts]

"At root, the current crisis is about the very meaning and purpose of higher education. If universities are unable to answer the fundamental question of why higher education matters in the first place, they will have trouble attracting the dwindling number of prospective applicants. As University of Utah professor and former dean 

Hollis Robbins, who has critiqued the metrics-driven approach in these pages, told me: “Right now, higher education is optimized for ‘accessibility’ and ‘completion’ ... but accessibility to what, and completion of what?”"

The increasingly corporate model that universities are adopting and the campus culture it propagates are signs that universities have lost sight of their ultimate telos, and risk alienating the waning number of prospective applicants—especially working-class males—who are beginning to question the narrative that holds that a college degree is the indispensable key that unlocks the door to a successful and fulfilling life. This, compounded with the threat already posed by population decline, should incite a mass reevaluation of the foundational assumptions undergirding the American university system."

— Stephen G. Adubato: "Don't send your kids to college"

[lelif]

on survival

-// @aridante // @orivu // @buzzkillgirls // ? // ? // richard siken// @cemeterything // moomin, tove jansson// @disenchanted-killjoy // isn't that enough, shawn mendes// @ prettytheyswag on twitter// @ coletyumuch on twitter// ? // ? // bird by bird, anne lamott// undertale// @strawberrycircuits

[apesoformythoughts]

If you can, please pray for me.

[photomatt]

The Five Layers of Sharing Thoughts and Ideas

I’ve been thinking a lot about mimetic formation, how a thought becomes an idea, and how that idea gestates and evolves as it’s progressively shared in wider and wider circles. During a recent product review of Day One, I was struck by how central the app is to my perspective on humans, relationships, and what we share. There are several layers to it, ranging from your innermost thoughts to what…

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[pandagobrr]

Theoretically, it would have worked.

[catchymemes]

[otatma]

[darnitjack]

A true successor of Thomas Edison

[toastbutteregg]

surprise surprise

[captain-snark]

finally some good fucking salt over thomas eddison on this site

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

it’s also not even HIS money, it’s his father’s money, made from apartheid emerald mining. that money was made from the blood and suffering of countless poor people of color so the rich could wear pretty rocks.

elon musk has never done or made anything valuable or worthwhile in his life.

[ruimtetijd]

Tesla was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.

I think it would be funny if this fun fact became common knowledge.

[fy-perspectives]

If You Avoid Thinking About the Future, You Get Better at Everything

The idea that "If you avoid thinking about the future, you get better at everything" suggests that by focusing less on what might happen down the road and more on the present moment, you can enhance your performance and well-being. This perspective is closely related to concepts like mindfulness and living in the present.

Here’s why:

Reduced Anxiety: Worrying about the future can create unnecessary stress and anxiety. When you stop obsessing over what’s coming, you free yourself from these mental burdens and can focus more on what’s happening right now.

Increased Focus: Focusing on the present allows you to dedicate more mental energy to the task at hand. You are less distracted by hypothetical scenarios and more attuned to the details and nuances of what you're doing, leading to better performance.

Flow State: Living in the moment often aligns with entering a "flow state," where you’re fully immersed in your activity. This state of mind can lead to improved creativity, productivity, and enjoyment of the process, rather than constantly thinking about the outcome.

Enhanced Decision-Making: When you aren't overly concerned with the future, your decisions are often more grounded and immediate. This allows you to respond more intuitively and effectively to current circumstances rather than overthinking what might happen later.

Improved Well-Being: Constantly thinking about the future can lead to burnout or a feeling of inadequacy. By focusing on the present, you allow yourself to enjoy each moment and build a sense of accomplishment, which can improve overall happiness and mental health.

While thinking about the future can be useful for planning, this approach emphasizes balance—making space for mindful presence rather than becoming overwhelmed by future possibilities. It’s about doing your best right now without losing yourself in what’s ahead.

[headspace-hotel]

I have no patience for negativity toward "boomers" anymore.

Almost everybody doing the work to restore ecosystems, grow native plants, and preserve rare species is 50 or older

The people I work with IRL have told me that my presence is encouraging because it means "the younger generation is getting involved with this stuff too." There's really not very many people my age

Who do you think was fighting this fight in the 1970's

[headspace-hotel]

I'm saying this as a Gen Z who is woefully lacking in these skills

Social media and the internet have really decimated my generation's ability to network and organize with people IRL

Not in the sense that That Damn Phone causes your skills to atrophy, but rather, Gen Z has no idea how people organized before social media, and no idea what anyone over 40 is doing for good in the world

The vast majority of local native plant, wildlife, and gardening organizations have NO social media presence

I could never have understood this until I started working IRL with people who are absolute powerhouses of knowledge, resources, and action about plants, animals, ecosystems, and conservation...who simply, barely know how to email

[headspace-hotel]

Google is not a resource

It can link you to a few resources, but it is ultimately a complicated device to make you Buy Product

Google will not even show you the best websites out there for learning about the ecosystem. At all. Google recognizes few possible interpretations of your query other than "Google, show me a bunch of advertisements for [thing] so I can Buy Product." If your research doesn't end in Buy Product, Google has no interest in helping you.

Many people think that the way of finding things out before Google was books

But that's more wrong than right.

The way of finding things out before Google was community.

Because there's some old lady in your community who has been gardening and observing wildlife for 40 years who is somehow running a sprawling native plant gardening organization and providing everyone else in your town with seeds and random produce, and she has a library's worth of knowledge absorbed from reading every book and talking to every guy who has any experience about plants, and this old lady has 87 close friends who are somehow involved in every local governmental department and private organization and business, and if she can't answer your question herself, she will be able to hand you a little scrap of note paper with the name of the exact person you need to talk to. She doesn't have an email address

[headspace-hotel]

Gen Z seems to regard "having connections" as a bad thing and a way of cheating your way into opportunities that you don't deserve

In reality, it's "opportunities" and "deserve" that indicates something deeply wrong and dysfunctional with our society. Outside of the numerous artificial competitive scenarios we are placed in where we strive against others to perform the ideal persona of worthiness as a human being, "having connections" is just how things get done.

Same with "being a Karen." Taking out your petty frustrations on a powerless retail worker is one thing, summoning every ounce of Upstanding Member Of Society in your middle aged white woman body to rend asunder the guy who approved of bulldozing a wetland is another

[headspace-hotel]

@false-binaries I mean honestly that's not far off

1. go to physical place that seems closest to the thing you want to learn about (community garden is great, nature center or farmer's market is also great)

2. observe a person that seems open to chatting with others

3. ask something along the lines of "Hi, I've been trying to learn about [thing], but I'm pretty new to it, do you happen to know anything about it?" Express curiosity about the work done by the place you are in

4. If you manage to hit it off with someone, just kinda hang out. Other people will show up to chat with the person you are talking to. You are now talking to those people as well.

to be fair this works very well for me partly because it's the south and people will talk for 30 minutes after meeting in the middle of the grocery store. but we need to normalize community

[theexhaustedmermaid]

Libraries are great for this! Also, just hang around places you know there's people interested in what you're interested in.

I used to participate in a knitting circle at my library. Met all sorts of people there without a email or any social media. At the aquarium I volunteer at, there's an old dude who is very passionate about whales and he sits in front of the beluga exhibit every Thursday. He knows everything about local ocean conservation and collaborates with the local river keepers. Again, no social media and only has a joint email with his wife.

Thing to keep in mind is these people love to talk about their interests so you'll get lots of info. You can also check local news papers as many people put community events in there!

[glorious-spoon]

^ can recommend libraries, professionally. also check out cooperative extension programs - they can be a great way to connect with people who are into this kind of thing

and yeah. local newspapers! the actual print copy, which you can also probably find at your local library. plenty of places still do the bulk of their advertising there

[leebrontide]

I can not overemphasize that gardeners WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT PLANTS.

I sit my ass on my urban front porch and people walk by and ask me about my plants. It’s FANTASTIC. It’s also normal culture for gardeners because a lot of us get free plants/seeds this way.

I’m in my 40s, bridging that gap between seniors with no email and zoomers with no land. I can direct either towards resources and yes I DO know where you can get involved and yes I DO have milkweed seeds but you do need to refrigerate them before you plant them.

Seriously if you see someone tending a native plant garden they are dying to tell you about it and shove cuttings at you I promise.

[guerrillatech]

AI under capitalism

[tigreblvnc-deactivated20250219]

Obsessions of each MBTI

High Se (ISFP, ISTP, ESFP, ESTP): new sensory stimuli (food, addiction, sport, etc.), experience, action.

High Ne (INFP, INTP, ENFP, ENTP): consumption of information, novelty, ideas.

High Fe (ISFJ, ESFJ, INFJ, ENFJ): pleasing others, emotional feedbacks, being loved.

High Te (ISTJ, ESTJ, INTJ, ENTJ): time, productivity, work.

[mistype360]

how mbti types procrastinate

entp, enfp, intp, infp: considers possibilities of what to do instead of said task. starts typing but gets distracted when trying to choose a song to listen to. probably scrolls through tiktok. thinks that said task is too overwhelming. can't schedule an appointment on the phone by themself.

intj, infj, enfj, entj : plans out everything, but doesn't actually do it. wayyy too perfectionistic. has a bunch of pinterest boards (or playlists) related to said thing. not inspired. not enough pressure. "scheduled procrastination."

estp, esfp, istp, isfp: thinks the task is stupid and boring, and there are more fun/interesting things to do. also thinks that they have enough time to get it done but actually only has 2 hours. doesn't narrow down priorities. probably forget it existed in the first place

isfj, istj, estj, esfj: associates task with bad past experiences and avoids it. thinks it's not important + a waste of time compared to other things. keeps getting stuck on minor criticisms or flaws. doesn't put said thing on their to-do list (not in sight, not in mind!)

[guerrillatech]

[guerrillatech]