happy just because

But he reads as a teenage girl

Kaladin: I think it would be helpful to get a group of people who have been through similar trauma together in a safe calm environment where they could talk to each other. They could support each other and won't feel judged because they've had similar experiences. I think this will work because I've been through some traumatic events and I would benefit from something like that

Kaladin's friends: so you'll be joining this group too right?

so @thephilosophersapprentice made this post about Snapping, and reading it reminded me of my half-baked theory about how being Invested represents different manifestations of trauma - or at least, it's one way that we can explore how trauma manifests

(note: i am not a 17s theorist, this is more about themes in Brandon's stories than Realmatic Theory or whatever)

Anyway. Snapping is a very typical way of thinking about trauma, particularly a singular traumatic event. Like @thephilosophersapprentice says, "Something has left you broken in a way fundamental enough to let the other in, and it becomes normal." I think it's interesting to consider how most of the time, Snapping gives you a single power, something that manifests as a singular expression of a singular event. (Which is not exactly how trauma works, but...)

Meanwhile, becoming a Radiant also requires cracks in your spiritweb - but it seems like becoming a Radiant is much more about smaller traumas that build up over time. Things like Shallan's abusive childhood, Kaladin's time as a soldier and slave - these are things that are ongoing traumas that affect your entire being, the way you view the world. And Radiant orders are about the way you view the world (see: swearing Oaths), which feels very intentional.

Breaths/Awakening kind of fucks with my thoughts a little, but there's still something there... specifically, how losing a Breath (your innate Investiture) makes someone depressed, more susceptible to disease, etc - these are also manifestations of trauma. But then having a lot of Breaths makes you hyperaware of things (perfect pitch, perfect color) - these are framed as good things, but you could consider them to be similar to hypervigilance. And I have friends with perfect pitch who tell me it can be upsetting and overstimulating.

Kevin’s mom: *hyperventilating into a paper bag* I can’t believe I left my son home alone, he has to be so terrified, my poor baby boy all alone I need to go get him-

They thought it was a sci-fi game but they also thought the monsters were going to be zombies.

Over a period of 2 hours they then proceeded to make EVERY Aliens movie cliche "mistake" known to man. Because at the time they all made sense.

The characters in a story don't know they're in a story or what kind of story it is.

"Oh, no the CEO of my employer is having an emergency and I need to click this link right now!!!"

Slow down...