Definitely a Mammal

I have a spine and everything

[renthony]

There's a post I keep seeing go around that's like, "quick, list five things you like that aren't a piece of media," and every time I see it, I get the very petty urge to respond with, "teaching media literacy, studying media history, analyzing media, using media as a lens to study historical trends, and finding ways to connect people's interest in pop culture to important social issues."

I have plenty of hobbies that aren't media-related, sure. I love my garden, my pets, baking, and sewing. I just get rather tired of "media is evil, actually, and if you're really into it is is actually rotting your stupid little brain" rhetoric. If your goal is to get people to broaden their horizons and engage in multiple hobbies beyond passive media engagement, leading with shame (and social media posts that function as OCD traps) is a BAD FUCKING APPROACH. Shame is not a motivator. Shame only serves to condescend and shut people down.

This week I'm working on lesson plans to lead a six-week class on media literacy skills for a pack of homeschoolers. What the fuck kind of teacher would I be if I used an approach of "you're stupid for liking cartoons, go do something WORTHWHILE!" instead of "let's develop these skills by talking about a piece of media you already enjoy!"

[renthony]

To say nothing of the fact that this is the fandom and media website. This is literally where people come to engage with their fandom/media hobby. It's a cow farm, there are going to be cows outside. If that's not how YOU use tumblr, that's fine, but let's not pretend like "people into fandom" isn't a core demographic that this site actively markets itself toward. If you see someone being over-the-top about a piece of media, it's a fool's conclusion that they clearly must never log off and only ever do fandom stuff.

[renthony]

It's like reading a recipe website that focuses on cookies and cakes, and concluding that the recipe authors clearly must never eat anything that isn't chocolate, chocolate is the only thing they care about, and they think literally everyone in the world should eat only chocolate.

[craftingcreatures]

Attended a rattlesnake conference yesterday and one of the presenters was talking about public attitudes towards snakes, specifically how showing them in a non-aggressive context helps to create more positive attitudes, and. Y'all. I NEED to show you the image he used as an example

Look at him. Look at this smiley newborn sidewinder sitting in a bottle cap. He is so small and so happy he is EXACTLY the right size to sit comfortably in a bottle cap

[ivebeensetonfire]

[cungadero]

i hate viruses so fucking much. literally getting attacked by a fucking shape. a concept. consumes no energy. responds to no stimuli. its only existence is to fuck with you. like fuck offf

[thrice-the-nobling]

prev's tags are too good not to save

[wordsandrobots]

This is related to some 'don't try to critique fanfic where the author hasn't requested it and doesn't want it, you total dweebs' posts I've seen going by, but I think this is worth stating:

Giving critique on writing is bloody hard work.

Yes, taking critique and knowing what to do with it is a tricky, often uncomfortable thing to experience, that you need to go into with an open mind and a toughened skin.

But it's equally tricky to identify exactly what would improve a piece of writing, bearing in mind both what the author is going for and the limitations of your own tastes. I've taken part in a few writers' groups over the years and sometimes, yeah, it's very easy to point to what's wrong, why something didn't work for you, and so on. Sometimes, though, you'll be trying to articulate a vague feeling without the words or technical nous to zero in on what the author could do to resolve it.

There is a reason proof-reading and editing are professions. And a lot of the time, the solution to any particular problem won't come from you but from the author going away and mulling over a bunch of different factors. So it's certainly not an interaction that will bring any immediate catharsis.

If all you want to do is feel smug and superior then it's easy to be mean and call it a day. But that won't achieve anything constructive and if you genuinely want to be constructive, you've got to put as much thought into your words as the author.

[silima]

in loving memory of my favorite shirt

[silima]

turmeric kun update

[elodieunderglass]

Hmm hmm hmm. oxiclean loves her for who she is but turmeric cannot help but change her

[ixtaek]

[afeelgoodblog]

The God of Chaos

[zegalba]

Javier Pérez: Carroña (2011)

Ten stuffed crows carefully placed on a shattered red chandelier to look as if they were feasting on a dead animal. 

[copperbadge]

"the revolution will not happen without bloodshed"

Well not with that attitude it won't.

Don't buy into this bullshit. This is the excuse violent bullies will use to justify leaving behind the disabled and the unpopular and I have news for you: if you're on this website, you are in that venn diagram somewhere. Yes, even if you believe this.

If you think that there can be no utopia without violence, you and those you love will fall to that violence. Don't lie to yourself.

"Some of you will die but that is a sacrifice I'm willing to make" is something that you will hear, not something you will get to say. If not you? Your parents, siblings, cousins. Your children.

If you're cool with my death and the deaths of my loved ones, don't forget: you're one of them.

[larkandkatydid]

It’s cool how we found the secret elixir that cures all human disease and it’s in this guy’s bitey little mouth

[larkandkatydid]

What this guy’s bitey little mouth has been recently up to:

[creatingblackcharacters]

"Many of us see emotions as naturally occurring. But emotions are political in two key ways.

First, our emotions are shaped by our biases and beliefs, our cultural frameworks. For example, if I believe- consciously or unconsciously- that it is normal and appropriate for men to express anger but not women, I will have very different emotional responses to men's and women's expressions of anger. I might see a man who expressed anger as competent and in charge and may feel respect for him, while I see a woman who expresses anger as childish and out of control and may feel contempt for her.

If I believe that only bad people are racist, I will feel hurt, offended, and shamed when an unaware racist assumption of mine is pointed out. If I instead believe that having racist assumptions is inevitable (but possible to change), I will feel gratitude when an unaware racist assumption is pointed out; now I am aware of and can change that assumption.

In this way, emotions are not natural; they are the result of the frameworks we are using to make sense of social relations. And of course, social relations are political. Our emotions are also political because they are often externalized; our emotions drive behaviors that impact other people."

Chapter 11, White Fragility- Robin diAngelo

[ieafy]

mantises

[thedancingemu]

When Moss Mites get too big they usually split into 2 clones but sometimes they just keep growing, and Mossfolk are one of the results (cont...)

Free access lore post here

[blignick]

[thedancingwalrus-blog]

@phynali

[bowelflies]

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[venom-princess-deactivated20250]