#yeah great

[andthensheatethatburningheart]

Dude I'm so young I should think I need to study more or develop my skills but nooooooo. Stupid brain wants a baby

[saryasy]

it's funny. I keep making all these posts defending Aziraphale and it's because there's this annoying trend in the fandom to villainize him while simultaneously woobifying Crowley, so there's a need for more Aziraphale perspective

but I was thinking, if we stopped looking at fandom for a minute, and just regarded Aziraphale as a character, how would I criticize him or his choices?

then I realized I wouldn't cos my wife did nothing wrong in her life

[itoldyouthings]

what was THAT

[belliesandburps]

Question: what do you think of the "revenge bad" trope?

*laugh-cries in Skull Face* (ask @twistedtummies2, he's heard my thoughts on this subject whether he likes it or not for seven goddamn years 'XD...(holy shit, MGSV is turning seven this year... O__o;)) All jest aside, it's a trope I think CAN work if done right, but more often than not, just feels played out when done lazily. "I just feel emptier inside" is something we've seen to death. How many movies, video games, books, etc. take us on a ride of revenge that is just hammering a point we all already know? One of the biggest criticisms for TLOU2 came down to that...(y'know, the criticism that WASN'T just coming from greasy, disgusting, alt-right incel dipshits.) When you've seen something one too many times, you just kinda get bored by it because it becomes predictable. We all already know that revenge doesn't make the pain go away because the thing or person you lost is still gone.

See, the funny thing about this trope is not a single story in literature that has ever explored it has EVER surpassed the OG story that started it; Moby Dick.

Moby Dick, at its most bare basic, is a tale about an obsessive asshole chasing a giant fish in the name of vengeance. Alone, it can just be an action book that goes horribly wrong and still work just fine as a very well written book. What's interesting isn't that it's about revenge being bad, it's about how obsession can do more damage than whatever perceived wrongs you've endured. Obsession is Ahab's downfall, and it works as an allegory for man. We'll burn the whole damn planet down to get what we want, merely look at [INSERT_PROBABLE_RIGHT_WING_BS_HERE].

What is there to take away from "revenge bad" that doesn't boil down to "no shit, Sherlock"?

I think the far more interesting approach to this trope isn't that "revenge bad", but rather, the journey of contemplation. The character already knows that revenge is bad, that it won't change anything, but is justifying their actions because the person they want revenge against is simply too dangerous to allow to live. But suppose they've never killed a person before. The target of their vengeance would be their first. They've come to terms with the reality that this won't change anything other than lessening who they once were as a person, but can't back down.

The consequences of choice make for a far more interesting subject to approach. Have a moral, good person, forced to determine a very grizzly choice; lose themselves to stop someone who arguably deserves to die, or find a way to stop them without killing them. And don't end it at the choice either. Make the character face the consequences of that decision, whether they choose vengeance or not, either one will be a hollow victory, and there's a lot you can do with that.

But just do more with revenge than say "it's bad," because we all know that, and those who don't are probably this piece of shit:

[babinicz]

I love listening to one piano piece on repeat. Making this little guy inside my phone performing for me once again.

[goblinham]

every time i hear about “the first gay ever in *insert some form of media here*” it ends up being a white twink. and its like, yeah im glad it happened i guess but did they have to do it in the most boring way possible?

[blublublopblop]

You think you can heal the universe Or someone but in reality you can only heal yourself

[idk-how-to-human]

What even is this situation. I found cool psychologist for free and I can start therapy next week, but no I can't! I have job at this hour, doesn't matter which shift at work, it's in the middle of a day what the fuckkkk. I would have to literally quit my job and find another one, because I can't afford to pay for therapy. And hey, who would hire me when I need two hours off every week? Why life is like this