Title Suggestions Wanted

In-depth analysis of my favorite media.

[catchymemes]

[peneigh-dzredfohl]

Can everyone who reads this PLEASE reblog it?!?!?  Libraries literally saved my life as a child!

Being abused at home, bullied at school and lost in the world, the library and all the books I could escape to the most amazing worlds, kept me alive!

I would walk to the library, and spend all day, from 10 am to 9 pm reading there!! I got special awards for how many books I read, I wrote little blurbs on why i loved the books (probably why I love to BETA and do ARCs) 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Just hit the green arrows and the reblog!!!

As a 50 year old woman, the library offers me so much. Digital art pads to borrow, 3D printing, book clubs that are face to face (yeah, the introvert likes face to face because a moderator will stomp on anyone getting snarky)

New books in LARGE PRINT! I’m visually challenged and as much as I love my kindle, The feel of a real book in my hands will always be a beloved feeling!

Our library also has quarterly books sales of almost free books!! For 5$USD we get in a day early and can buy as many as we want. Anyone else has to wait and there is a limit for the first 2 days.

[stevviefox]

Also many, many libraries have inter library loan(it may be called something different). This means if they don’t have the item you want, they can get it for you. This may include photocopy/pdf of articles. This can also include along with books and DVDs, microfilm/fiche which is also a huge resource. Check around for libraries that are listed as depositories if you want to look at government documents.

Remember that many colleges and universities have open stacks for the public. You will likely have to pay a membership fee but you will get to stuff.

[psi1998]

I love the library ☺

[icycove]

The library was one of my favorite places to go as a kid and I still live to go and just. Sit and read. Or do homework. The university I’m at has a massive 8-story one I love to just wonder around in~ Great places

[jaks21]

Libraries are amazing places, we need to protect them to ensure their continued existence.

[earhartsease]

I used to wander about the fiction section in my local library, and choose books with the most interesting titles - I discovered two amazing authors that way

[vaginadude]

If you feel disconnected from your local community & want to find ways to get involved, seriously consider spending some time at the library. Go to some events! Organize a reading group!

[mathcat345]

Support your libraries!

Read banned books!

People who don’t learn can be more easily controlled and told what to think!

[your-punk-mom]

no person in the world will defend your right to access the media you want to access like a librarian will. they will never judge you for being first on the waitlist for the new trashy vampire romance or begrudge you their time finding that photo essay on Edwardian coat buttons for your historically accurate AU cosplay. They love your passion; facilitating it is *their* passion.

That said, don't eat in the computer area. Librarians have Masters degrees, they don't want to have to clean your crumbs and drips out of the keyboards.

[your-punk-mom]

Do the red geraniums matter?

When we think about media literacy, we often think about tropes, cinematic and literary devices, references, and Easter eggs. All of these are explicit ways for creators to communicate with us, the audience.

But we know there’s a lot of *implicit* communication happening too, such as how a character is lit from scene to scene, the color palette of the set, and camera angle.

Not everything in an artwork is on purpose. But Rem’s red geraniums must be intentional, at least in Stampede. They qualify as a repeating motif, even rendered gigantic in E12.

So what the hell do they mean?!

Well, kids, I consulted the Oracle today. By which I mean I Googled it.

Have you heard about the language of flowers? Go check it out, it’s almost as fascinating as tarot and not nearly as likely to get you kicked out of church.

Turns out there’s a ton of possibilities here. It could be as simple as Rem’s birth flower. That would make her a Scorpio, and some say Scorpios prefer dark red flowers.

It could be a reference to the book “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which uses red geraniums to signify redemption, forgiveness of cruelty, and above all hope for a better future.

In Wicca, red geraniums symbolize protection. Rem gives up her life protecting others, and Vash spends all his energy and time protecting others. So red geraniums fit perfectly with this theme.

I think we can dismiss the love-letter meaning “Your smile bewitches me!” Even I can’t rationalize that one. But there’s a lot of other weird stuff too, like how the Victorians defined all geraniums as “stupidity or folly”. In numerology, it’s supposed to be the number 7. They also apparently are good for repelling squirrels, attracting pollinator insects, and are deer resistant. Make of that what you will.

I like the Wiccan protection meaning a lot, but the TKaM reference makes sense to me. Vash believes it is never too late for anyone to choose peace. He is all about redemption and hope.

Anybody else have thoughts to add?

[artist-issues]

Look I know Rapunzel paints and Tiana cooks, but if you guys don't think Mulan is the Most Creative Disney Princess, you're wrong.

She's literally introduced in this perfect scene that highlights her whole character, flaws and strengths:

The first time you see her she's:

Cheating, which is totally the opposite of what honor-code General Shang would do.

Undisciplined, which is what going to the army fixes.

Problem-solving—by writing the recitation she can't remember on her wrist—

BUT LISTEN. That last one is the first hint you have that she's the Most Creative Disney Princess. Because guess what? She's not the first young woman to cheat at the matchmaker test. The Matchmaker specifically checks to see if she's cheating when the test begins. But the rest of them wrote their cheat sheet on their fans.

The Matchmaker was prepared for the usual kind of tricks. But Mulan's full of her own ideas, not everyone else's.

You guys know the rest. She dresses up like a soldier—nobody suspects her because the idea that someone would do that never occurs to everyone else. She climbs the pole by tying the medallions around each other when none of the other recruits can figure it out. She lights the cannon by grabbing Mushu instead of searching for flints. She creates an avalanche instead of just taking Shan Yu out. She tricks the Huns by dressing her friends up as concubines. She defeats Shan Yu with his own sword and a bunch of fireworks.

But even beyond problem-solving, Mulan never does things like other people do. She doesn't even do things like other women do.

She doesn't just walk across a bridge, she jumps from pillar to pillar. She doesn't just bring her father tea, she puts a spare teacup in her sleeve because she knows she's clumsy.

Mulan is creative. But you know what that moment proves? That she's not just a representation of all women-versus-men. Mulan is representative of a human, who sees where she has strengths, and sees where she has weaknesses. She uses her strengths to her advantage and works to improve or make up for her weaknesses. She doesn't try to be exactly like a man. She just tries to use what she's got to do the right thing. And finding ways to use what you've got, even if it's not like what everyone else has, is creativity.

[crunchchute]

My Sam & Max cosplay I debuted at a local con during the weekend!

[warptimeandspace-deactivated202]

why when able bodied fans draw canonically disabled chair-user characters do they have the abled partner sitting on their lap? i would kill someone if they touched my cane or sat on me in my chair

[warptimeandspace-deactivated202]

THIS SHIT IS INFINITELY MORE ROMANTIC THAN SITTING ON TOP OF YOUR DISABLED PARTNER. THE TENDERNESS INVOLVED IN HOLDING YOUR PARTNERS HAND, IN BEING CONSIDERATE OF THEIR SPACE, IN MAKING SURE THEY FEEL SAFE AND LOVED. i’m not going to go as far as saying stop having able bodied people sit on top of their disabled partners but know i’m disabled and would never consider it. i would absolutely get hurt

[warptimeandspace-deactivated202]

i hold the same viewpoint on able bodied partners carrying their disabled partner for no reason. my body is a fragile thing, easily broken. it has to be protected even from people with the best intentions. meet me at my level instead of taking me to yours

[warptimeandspace-deactivated202]

abled allies can and should reblog this

[deadshrike-deactivated20210930]

My friend has asked me to sit on her lap in her wheelchair just to fuck around, but NEVER just assume you can sit on/touch her in her wheelchair unless she asks you too. Leaning over the back of her medical chair to kiss her cheek? Infinitely more romantic than fricken. sitting on her lap. like no bitch she's in that chair for a reason and it's her hip.

[your-punk-mom]

Vash needs therapy Pt. 1

(FYI: My view on therapy is that everyone can benefit from professional support, at least at times. But some people *need it urgently, right now, and maybe long term*. It’s a tool, don’t judge.)

So here’s my personal rule: DON’T DIAGNOSE PEOPLE OVER THE INTERNET. It’s unethical, and even if I were qualified (I am not) it would still be wrong.

But Vash is fictional, so that’s ok. :)

I said previously that psychological character analysis tries to explain how a character’s actions flow naturally from their past, relationships, and assumptions.

Today, we’re going to mostly look at actions. And Vash’s actions say he’s got a Savior Complex.

Savior Complex (SC) isn’t a diagnosis of mental illness. It’s not even in any version of the DSM. It’s more like a state of mind, stemming from toxic beliefs and reflected in toxic behaviors. Anybody can develop this mindset, with or without an accompanying mental illness.

Thanks to not being a “disorder”, SC is not a big subject for serious academics, but practicing therapists write about it a lot, so my citations are a little bit informal.

My favorite version of a definition of SC is from Grouport:

The savior complex is a psychological construct that describes a person's need or compulsion to save others, often neglecting their own needs in the process. It's a behavior pattern often rooted in empathy, but when left unchecked, it can lead to unhealthy dynamics in relationships and personal distress.

Individuals with a savior complex often believe that their worth is tied to their ability to help others. This belief can stem from societal expectations that value selflessness and altruism, sometimes to the point of self-sacrifice.

Doing good deeds is not a bad thing by itself; it even has health benefits for both helper and helped. But taken to extremes, it becomes a problem. People with SC often damage themselves and others in the name of saving someone, even the target of their help.

WebMD has a pretty thorough list of behaviors and beliefs that can indicate a SC. Let's match some of what we observe in Vash's actions and words to these indicators.

Does helping or saving others:

✅Put you in danger physically if you try to save someone in a dangerous situation

Agreeing to duel the Officer Chuck Lee in Jeneora Rock; jumping back inside the worm to rescue the reporters; getting in the middle of Wolfwood and Livio's firefight; walking right into Knives' trap; taking a bullet for literally anyone.

✅Affect your mental state, especially if you aren’t able to save the other person

After Rosa kicks him out of Jeneora Rock, Vash tells Meryl he is smiling because "I don't deserve to cry"; refusing to talk after Jeneora Rock; refusing to eat for two days after Jeneora Rock, refusing to eat for weeks after the Big Fall (especially significant since he only eats for the joy of it); stating that that he “failed” to protect Rem, and so he *has* to save LITERALLY EVERYONE; after the Big Fall, lying about Nai's survival to Luida and Brad.

✅Cause you to neglect your own physical needs, which could lead to illness

Refusing to eat for two days after Jeneora Rock; refusing to eat for weeks after the Big Fall; Letting that one officer in JuLai shoot him over Jeneora Rock, when Vash easily could have dodged; letting the JuLai military police beat him up until he was bleeding, in Jeneora Rock.

❌Lead you to get burned out

Not Vash, but only because he's not human.

✅Affect your personal relationships

In Rosa's first appearance, she says Vash rescued the town before, and that any friend of his is welcome in her diner. But after the Nebraskas, EG the Mine, and Knives wreck the town and Knives steals the Plant, Jeneora Rock has no power or water, and they have an enormous quantity of injured and dead people. Rosa blames Vash and kicks him out.

Wolfwood and Vash continually fight because Vash wants Wolfwood to adopt nonviolence, while Wolfwood finds that totally impractical. This creates conflict when Wolfwood kills the giant worm, then again when he shoots Rollo as a mercy, and again when Livio turns up on the steamer. Vash wants Wolfwood to change, even against his own will.

And then there's Knives. //sigh//

Effin Knives... Let's just put a quote here from VeryWellMind:

They also can have problems in their relationships with family and friends, and frequently find themselves being taken advantage of by others. People close to a person with a savior complex just assume that person will take care of them, without any regard to their needs. It can lead to a toxic, one-sided relationship, where your boundaries and feelings are not respected.

🤷‍♀️Negatively affect the person or people you’re trying to help

This is less clear-cut, because lots of people blame Vash for events that others are acually responsible for (chiefly Knives). We could argue that his previous failures lead to people not trusting his intentions, and acting against his saving them... Or we could just talk about Rollo. Vash essentially failed Rollo twice, when he didn't return in time to prevent him being made a child sacrifice, and again 20 years later when Wolfwood shot him as a mercy killing. Vash was angry, but Wolfwood pointed out forcing Rollo to continue living in pain and misery was cruel, and Vash was not able to cure the monstrous changes done to Rollo. Wolfwood feels the killing was actually compassionate, but Vash insists he could have found a solution without killing.

If we call that one a half-point, giving us a 4.5 out of 6 behaviors. Again, SC is not an illness, this is not at all diagnostic, but it's enough to suggest talking to a therapist would be helpful.

There's other self-assesment lists and articles out there, and some lump Hero Complex into the same broad definition as Savior. I had accidentally confused SC with Martyr Complex in an earlier post. The difference really seems be that both people with a Hero or Martyr complex need acclaim or praise for the good deeds they do, but Vash doesn't care about rewards or recognition at all. Rosa said he fixed the plant before for free, and other than food or drink, we never see him ask for payment or even trade in exchange for helping anyone in Trigun Stampede.

---

Please tell me what you think of Part 1. Part 2 will cover the psychology of Vash regarding how his past relates to his beliefs, and if we have time, we can try to get into what that does to his relationships.

[your-punk-mom]

Obviously, I’m going to need to analyze Knives

A good villain makes you hate him. There are no stories without conflict, no good without bad, no up without down, no high notes without low.

Trigun Stampede must be really really good.

Because I really really *despise* Knives.

[your-punk-mom]

A hunch about Meryl and Roberto

In E4, we get an interesting moment with big prequel energy. Turns out, Roberto's gun is a derringer. That's the same one-shot pistol Meryl favors in '98, to the point that her nickname is Derringer Meryl. But up to this point in Stampede, Meryl doesn't seem to carry any weapons.

These two have a classic mentor/protege dynamic. So I now believe that Roberto is going to die, leaving Meryl to take up his mantle... and his derringer.

[your-punk-mom]

Finished watching Stampede. Called it. Roberto exeunt, and it’s Meryl’s turn to mentor Milly.

[your-punk-mom]

Meryl the Witness, or I Miss Milly

There’s this Archetype in fiction all over the world called “the Witness”. This is a character that exists to observe the events and eventually relay the story to others.

In Trigun Stampede, this is Meryl’s main purpose. She is explicitly shown to be a naive cub reporter, which is why her assigned mentor Roberto keeps calling her “newbie”. But despite his best efforts to rein her in, she continually gets too close to dangerous situations. She becomes emotionally invested in helping Vash, and Roberto is unable to get her to stop risking her life.

The Witness is an audience surrogate. We’re supposed to look to Meryl to learn how the world of Stampede works and how we’re supposed to feel about what is happening. So when Meryl gets more invested, we feel more invested.

Meryl has multiple roles in ‘98, but she’s still partly the Witness. She’s also Milly’s mentor, the Voice of Reason, and I’m sure I’m missing other things. But one of the reasons I wish Milly was around is because of her ability to Witness the Witness, gently but firmly telling Meryl that she has biases in her story, and blindspots regarding her own motives.

Also, Milly is a little ray of sunshine and a queen.

* Edited because I spelled Milly wrong the whole time.

[your-punk-mom]

So. Vash is *a lot*. Right?

It’s not even just that he’s the protagonist, or non-human, or has a martyr complex, or the evil twin. No, because getting into any of that won’t make any sense if you don’t choose a paradigm first. This sets some boundaries, limiting the kind of tangents we can get into.

Let’s review the options:

- cinematic: the interaction between the character’s personality and events, and how that serves the story

- psychological: how do his actions flow naturally from his past, relationships, and assumptions

- religious/philosophical: what can we learn here about things such as right and wrong, or what it means to be good

- the hero’s journey: how does he fit into mythic tradition

- social commentary: what can we learn about our world today from him

And that's just for starters, if we think about it we could come up with more... So I'm just going to pick one of these, and try not to get lost in the weeds next time.

[your-punk-mom]

Vash analiSES coming soon

it has to be a multi-parter, just warning y'all.

[your-punk-mom]

A hunch about Meryl and Roberto

In E4, we get an interesting moment with big prequel energy. Turns out, Roberto's gun is a derringer. That's the same one-shot pistol Meryl favors in '98, to the point that her nickname is Derringer Meryl. But up to this point in Stampede, Meryl doesn't seem to carry any weapons.

These two have a classic mentor/protege dynamic. So I now believe that Roberto is going to die, leaving Meryl to take up his mantle... and his derringer.

[your-punk-mom]

Knives Millions has this weird habit...

Lots of folks have noticed that Knives has this Thing™️ about taking people's arms off, especially in Stampede. He did it to 4 people, cutting 5 arms off, in E3 alone. That's just his first apperance.

So today, it hit me: it's just like the classic example of early psychopathic behavior in boys - pulling the wings off of flies.

This is really good characterization, because it tells you exactly how little he thinks of humanity. They are like insects to him. It also foreshadows what is confirmed in E5, which is that he is playing god.