When I lived in London there was a murder of crows that lived near me. I fed them often, they brought me presents (shiny rubbish and cigarette butts they found on the floor to thank me.)
When I moved, Iâm certain they understood I was leaving because I had all my stuff and gave them lots of food and compliments.
But, they chased down my friend who lived in the next burrough over. They had recognised that friend with me several times and followed them to their house when they couldnât find me.
They adopted my friend and it was now my friendâs job to bring them snacks and receive the presents.
This was maybe 6-7 years ago.
I visited London last year. Went to see my friend. The crows all not only recognised me, they tracked me down. We got into my friendâs flat and not twenty minutes later there was chaos on the balcony.
We open the curtains, the entire fucking murder is there shouting because they wanted to see me.
I'm at a convention for the game of Go with a friend who is almost 84 years old, and he is constantly being accosted by elementary schoolers who want to play him because every year there is a prize for whoever plays a game with the biggest age difference between players.
[video: gianni matragrano, cosplaying as columbo, walks up to a kitchen counter and says: âhi there. uh,â (loud fumbling for his wallet, opening it to show an id) âlieutenant columbo, LAPD, homicide department.â
he puts his wallet back. someone uses twitch points to overlay someone throwing a pipebomb onto the screen. gianni says, trying to contain a laugh, âpipebomb.â the pipebomb explodes. cheering erupts. end alt text.]
friend sent me an Instagram reel yesterday with 1000s of likes that was basically like "pride and prejudice is timeless actually because it's about an autism romance đ„°" and then the creator proceeded to cite moments in the book and film where Lizzie and Darcy are "socially awkward" and....listen. I'm far from an Austen scholar, but I have taught Austen novels as an educator and this kind of psycho-pop analysis that views characters as individuals with autonomy over their actions, rather than tools in a story written at a particular time to say something about that time, pisses me off more than I can say without sounding like an asshole. I'm sorry but Darcy isn't rude and awkward and even cruel to Lizzie because he has autism, he says and does those things because he's a wealthy upper class land owning man raised to see a middle class woman from a large family with no male heirs like Elizabeth as inherently beneath him which he expresses to her multiple times because it is socially acceptable for him to do so in a society where someone like him is privileged above almost all others. He is "socially awkward" around her because of misogyny and classism (PREJUDICE) and she is "socially awkward" around him because a woman of her standing at that time simply wouldn't have had much to do with the gentry but to actually push back against the shit that Darcy says would be social suicide for her whole family so she protests the only way she can which is refusing his advances (PRIDE). not to be the "context collapse is the death of media literacy" guy. But this is the problem with the kind of head empty, let people enjoy things, if I can't relate to it what's the point type crowd. Youse think you're being so quirky justifying incoherent and anachronistic interpretations with your rampant individualism, ensuring that other people never confront anything that challenges them in these stories like patriarchal misogyny and classism. Pride and Prejudice becomes an "autism4autism romance", completely undermining the historical context of its status as one of the great social satires about the class and gender politics that Austen so expertly observed around her. This attitude is why we have nonsensical historical dramas that actively hate history like fucking edgy bdsm "Wuthering Heights", Bridgerton, The Buccaneers, and even a 2025 Frankenstein movie where the monster is just misunderstood and does no wrong uwu etc. because individual relatability and catharsis is king over anything actually saying anything about anything now. Everything is relatable and nothing is meaningful.
vaguely on the subject of that last post, i'm thinking about the relationship between occtis and pin again - and particularly how often occtis acts annoyed at pin showing up out of nowhere
which on one hand is a valid concern! occtis these days frequently has to be stealthy and there's nothing less stealthy than an occtis-themed patchwork taxidermy fox following someone around. it's also something occtis doesn't understand, and that contradiction is probably a source of frustration as much as it is interesting. there just, might be a deeper layer here
i wrote a meta waaaaay back when about how occtis in ep 3 told us he was trying to make a scary creature that would fight (shadow sorcerers at level 6 get the ability to summon dogs of darkness to attack people), but pin wasn't good at it and didn't want to, so he modified the spell closer to find familiar, and how that's showing a lot more forgiveness and love towards pin for not being what he was supposed to be than occtis ever got from his own family
and pin as a result of that (and whatever gave him so much life that even occtis can't explain), seems to go where he wants and do what he wants
but pin might not actually be going against his intended purpose at all
occtis whose primary emotion when he thinks of his childhood, despite what we've seen of his family, isn't fear it's loneliness. who only ever had one friend, and didn't really get to see her all that much. who honestly believed (until he was proven wrong) that his family was going to just ignore him forever, and was okay with that. who spent five years at boarding school and still doesn't know what a birthday party is. who's been apart from his one childhood friend since well before he made pin
and who, despite how he acts around pin most of the time, was devastated to see him dissipate, and didn't feel calm again until he could resummon him
occtis may be consciously thinking of pin as a utility spell, and doesn't understand why it's not working like it's meant to. but the creation of a creature that loves you so much it keeps showing up without being asked, i don't think is nearly as much of an accident as it appears
#especially with how big a deal they've been making about the *intention* of a spell or ritual#occtis at a time in his life when he was utterly alone and unsupported made a little friend#and maybe it's being the youngest of eight children in the worst house ever#but he seems almost afraid of being affectionate with pin in front of others#(he realizes he's clinging to pin on the eagle carriage and hurriedly dismisses him)#but he also has no objections when for example vaelus carries pin around like a baby#if anything he's a little jealous#when occtis does have a moment alone in castle torch he plops pin in the middle of a bed and talks to him as a sounding board#anyway i think occtis loves pin more than he lets on he's just been constantly surrounded by people watching him (via @a-very-tired-bee)
oh absolutely!
and to that, now you're making me think of it, pin (while still being his own creature) does in many ways kinda embody the id, through his nature as a familiar. occtis would never do so himself, but he'll let pin stay up all night protecting thimble, he'll send pin to spy on julien's conversation with ingrid, pin gets to be part of the bath scene. pin is a sounding board for occtis to have a very literal conversation with himself. and as mentioned, pin is unmistakeably occtis' in appearance, occtis put himself into every part of that fox
which occtis as someone who grew up being told he was worthless and everything he did was wrong, has a pretty complicated relationship with. on one hand, pin's existence is a pretty bold move just in general, it's a hello here i am in a world that so far mostly hasn't wanted occtis to be there. on the other, occtis knows that neither he nor pin are particularly welcome among certain people, which means his first instinct when he starts getting scared about not being liked, is to put pin away! literally the first conversation we get with occtis is him hiding pin from shadia bc he assumes she'd find him creepy, he does the same with vaelus when she asks - though he was wrong in both cases, neither ended up judging him for it
(which is kind of a secondary unintended purpose of pin not listening, the literal metaphor of you can't try to be loved while hiding everything about yourself, that's not how that works)
but yeah, we've yet to see occtis show that annoyance towards pin in private, only when there's others watching. and while i do think most of all this is completely unintentional and unrecognised on occtis' part so far, yeah - it's hard to love yourself or let yourself be loved in public
all the other guests: omg donât turn around but that creepy Ninth nun who took a vow of silence is right behind you! she beat magnus in a sword fight in five seconds. i made eye contact with her yesterday eeek sheâs got so much wisdom hidden in those eyes
gideon, wandering around in circles: what the fuck is going on what the fuck is going on where is harrow where is haRROW WHERE IS HARROW
After the third act of the Kjerag and Laterano sagas, it seems as though Arknights does not have much (any) positive to say about organized religion. Any and all positives from it are hardly about the belief or faith in the divine; instead being rooted in human spirit and camaraderie. Having faith in others; believing and relying on people. Faith can bring out the best in people, and that is its quality; inciting that which already exists, the good people are already capable of.
Guide Ahead's antagonist Andoain is broken by hearing his state's refusal to support the Iberian faithful in their dire straits; the need for help is irrelevant because of the victim's ethnicities. The crisis of faith is an awakening for him, a moment of realization rather than just despair and creation of a villain. GA-8:
Mostima falls saving Lemuen from Andoain, a pure act of defense and is punished for it. When Andoain fires on the Pope and is fired back upon, neither fall. It wouldn't be hard to interpret that as Law, religion, being judicial, protecting those in power and giving them special treatment rather than helping or understanding a situation like Mostima's. GA-7:
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Hortus De Escapismo features a town struggling to survive, Sankta and Sarkaz working together to resolve low food and supplies. I believe this is more about understanding than necessarily religion, but even it is not subtle. As soon as Laterano becomes involved, the situation quickly deteriorates and very nearly becomes a bloodbath. All of the people here could be assisted, fed and cared for, but dogma states that some simply do not deserve. That even if some disagree, they will still accept that broken stance. HE-5:
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The Masses' Travels opens with a look back in time where it is proven praying has no apparent physical effect. The focus is instead emphasized that it is about wishing others well, having them in your mind. A divinity is more a circumstance to invite this expression of empathy, not the reason for it. MT-ST-1:
MT-10:
However, instead of understanding this lesson it ends with the country and religion utterly failing to empathize, nearly resulting in atrocity. You are not a part of us and do not deserve respect, so we will make you part of us and you will earn respect. MT-7:
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Break the Ice has my most hated character in the game, the Vine Bead Court Elder, poisoning others for their political opinions, ones that would weaken the Court's power. Instead of descalation or mediating the situation between the three major clans, as is their purpose and authority, they tamper and make it spiral further. BI-6:
They regularly detest the Silverash clan for the progress and innovation they bring to Kjerag, but undoubtedly also due to the risk this presents to their stranglehold on the country. God I hate the Great Elder.
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Retracing Our Steps 1101 is all about the Vine Bead Court feeding Kjerag to Victoria in a bid for power, led by a man who explicitly did not believe or have faith. He repeatedly built up a lie, killed and deceived to maintain it, rather than help those around him, rather than have faith that they would remain steadfast. OS-ST-3:
OS-10:
Would-be saintesses are forced into a one way climb, freezing to death one after another chasing for a concept even as they would have been able to help their families. The Goddess herself is even horrified by this. OS-10:
Pramanix's punishment for the clerics led astray was to live and participate in the work of the common man. To assist them while considering how to better apply Kjeragandr's tenants. Not to reaffirm their faith, but to better understand it so that they may better help one another. OS-ST-4:
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The seaborn saga is less focused upon itself religion as a core element, but even the Cult of the Deep and the Seaborn in general demonstrate its problems. Their bishops summon the apocalypse and turn people into fish, but they do this because they know what's best for you; so join, assimilate, abandon your individuality, and survive in this lessened state. Masses' Travels is practically identical in its messaging.
In Exodus Across the Pale Sea Anastasio is crazy and kills people who would readily join the town, destroying resources and lives for their supposed 'sin.' A vague, irrelevant notion, while Silver tries his best to actually help the ailing town. As this excellent post makes clear, despite Anastasio being the more 'devout' and 'righteous,' he completely lacks actual, meaningful faith.
Raisengen's post about the Yurodstvo highlights it as a weaponized personification of all of these vile effects of organized religion.
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To me, these points are hammered home again and again that faith and belief belong to your family, friends and neighbors. Microcosms and examples of these themes are everywhere.
Degenbrecher and Gnosis repeated trust Enciodes, following his plans and barely scraping by each time. With how little explanation he gives it starts practically becoming faith. Gnosis fumbles Monch because he didn't believe in or trust her.
The Londinium saga has a huge element devoted to the civilians rising up and saving themselves rather than waiting for a greater power; represented with the absent dukes all busy vying for their own ambitions. The Exemplars storm and retake Londinium themselves.
The greatest tragedy of the game fits exactly into this archetype! Oracle believes more in the grand plan of Originium, and betrays Theresa! They could have had faith in her, likely won the Kazdel civil war, but chose a far away notion ordained by Priestess. Priestess, of course, being a character referred to as the Creator, Theresa as Prometheus who stole fire from God.
I would argue even on a meta level nearly every single level you play in the game is operators choosing to trust the Doctor with their positions and tactics. Even if you're bad at the game, you can trust a stronger unit to carry you through, or trust another person's guide.
The characters in this game's grand story are always rewarded for trusting in their relationships and allies, and always punished for ignoring or burning them. Arknights has elements of this idea baked into many of its foundations and it often takes center stage.
Listing them out like this, it strikes me that the religions of Terra are in some sense factually correctâKjeragandr is real and did walk amongst humans; Laterano does actually have a "god" that grants halos, gives revelations, names saints and punishes transgression against the Law.
If you want to criticise a belief, the cheapest way is to point out that its underpinnings are factually wrong: whatever's been build upon them then falls, surely. However, that also means that you fail to interrogate the actual harms caused by the belief system, and how we can do better. It also means you're less prepared in case those beliefs turn out to be correctâdoes that really justify all that follows?
It's the same reason why many Sarkaz really are illiterate mercs who'd sell out their best friend, or why the presence of Infected really is a public health hazard.
So too for religion. God is real, actually. The clerics aren't unkind caricaturesârather than dogmatic sticks-in-the-mud, we see examples of compassion and nuance. Tradition isn't wrong just because it's old, and the new ways aren't better just because they're new.
But we also see institutions becoming self-assured in their righteousness, and how that leads them to permit grave harms in their own self-interest. We see how people end up "just following orders". There aren't failures unique to religion, but they're certainly not failures it stops, either.
To me, these points are hammered home again and again that faith and belief belong to your family, friends and neighbors. Microcosms and examples of these themes are everywhere.
I know this isn't what you meant by it, but it reminded me of the notion that there's no "true" form of a religionâfor example, there's no singular "correct" form of Christianity, merely various related customs and beliefs as practised in different times and places under that name.
I think it's something that can often trip up critiques of religionâthat this specific group is bad because they fail to appreciate the true form of their own religion, or conversely that by targeting a specific group's practice you can condemn the entire thing.
I think Retracing Our Steps catches this nuance in quite an interesting way. We know early on that Kjeragandr really did exist, and really did provide guidance to the people. We learn that the religious texts are an accumulation of additions and edits over the centuries, rather than preserving the word of god faithfully, and we see how the clerics themselves undertake linguistic work to reconstruct the histories of these texts.
But we also see that Kjeragandr is still present, yet has decided not to interveneâin fact, she is quite literally working as a servant to the religion, rather than the religion serving her. It's a very humanist view of religionâit's something by and for humans, and the actual God's opinion only accounts for so much.
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