Nina Predap, Third Floret

Lmao get cradled loser

Covers you with blanket

They’re both depictions of oppressive, imperialist/fascist empires that *win*. But at least in them winning, the transfem characters don’t have to fight anymore.

They just feel like declarations of surrender, a bone-deep exhaustion and a wish to stop fighting.

And fuck, man, it makes me depressed.

I know the want to stop fighting. God, I know it. But I’ve lived as long as I have because I kept fighting, and because I’m gonna keep fighting. I’m not gonna give up to myself, I’m not gonna give up to my oppressors, even if maybe it would even feel good.

Idk. They just ring to me of abuse and imperialism, and while by no means should those things not be allowed to be depicted, (and to be clear even if I dislike the writing I still think folks are well in their lane to write it and enjoy it, I’m just tryna think philosophy here I guess) I am put off by the like…

People *want* to be made into florets. They *want* to be made into hounds. The media of HDG encourages this, and while I don’t know as much about WARHOUND’s actual text, I don’t think it discourages it per se. So, with my perspective, that just reads as a lot of people, a lot of my community, desperately wishing they could give up.

And the reason it reads to me as giving up rather than simply not *having* to fight, or *winning*

Is because the Affini always win. The Empire in WARHOUND wins. The antagonists, the empire, they *win*.

I’m not going to let that happen. I’m not going to stop fighting. Not until we win. Not until all my sisters win. Every one of us, across the world, fucking wins. I’m not going to stop fighting.

I’m not a floret. I’m not a hound. I’m a fucking fighter. And I swear to you, we will win. We will win one day.

I think I’d just like to see some more kink fantasies about that, maybe.

“Yeah, they’re ‘imperialist’ I guess.”

They just *are*. Textually they are. Even if you think they’re benevolent, it’s a conquering empire that wipes out cultures and civilizations.

Plus, like. Enlightening the savages is a classic justification for empire. Showing florets what they are, that they could be happy? ‘Civilizing’ the people they conquer.

I don’t mind if you think it’s hot, if you even want it, but you can’t just brush off the fact that the Affini are monstrous. They’re just another empire to give up to, this one just drugs you so you don’t realize how oppressed you are afterwards.

Plus? It’s a pretty fucking conditional love. They love you if you’re a floret. If they loved you unconditionally, they wouldn’t need to change you. They wouldn’t need to drug you and brainwash you. Again, that’s hot! Fuck, I love kidnapping, I love intox! My problem isn’t the kink, my problem is the full-chested refusal to acknowledge that it’s *still bad*. The insistence that no, no, it’s good this time because they love me, that’s why they’re drugging me.

Maybe I’m too deep in the weeds on this. I know it’s not that deep. But still, I just… I can’t help but think about stuff like this. I worry that it might make people more vulnerable in real life to getting into bad situations, because they think this is just normal or good or love. I dunno.

And, as for fantasies ‘made specifically for those who can’t take care of themselves/can’t fight’: as I’ve said to some of the WARHOUND folks, there are other fantasies that do that! There are a thousand thousand other fantasies! So what is unique about HDG as compared to say, dollification, or a more personal mindbreak, or petplay, or anything else. And what’s unique is the empire. It’s the conquering force.

“We are shown not to be a burden to them when they fight to keep us no matter what we say or do.” There are better, healthier ways to be shown you aren’t a burden. Respecting boundaries can coexist with showing someone they are loved, and, I would argue, it is easier and more earnest a show of love to be able to do that while not forcing anything.

Thank you for responding, I do like seeing different points of view. Ultimately, if you like HDG, good for you. It’s hot. But, Yknow, chew on your casual acceptance of empire, and on your willingness to fantasize about your boundaries being broken. And hey, if you come out of that thinking going ‘nah I’m good, this is fantasy and I think it’s hot and fun’ then fuck yeah.

Yes, the setting is fucked to an extend.

Yet, if I‘d be given the choice to make the affini real, to make them conquer us in real life, like they are in the stories, I would not hesitate to do so.

Lemme explain.

Irl, I‘m a fighter. I fight very hard each day. I‘m severely disabled, trans and generally queer and will fight against those who try to silence me or my queer siblings. Anyone really.

HDG is an outlet for me. A place where I can stop fighting because I don’t have to. Because the affini are benevolent, because they make me feel secure and loved and I‘m also being a floret irl. My Mistress is best described as an affini stuck in a terran body. We are long distance, but she still helped me so much, helps me heal from my trauma and helps me with my self care a lot.

If I could choose, I wouldn’t fight anymore. But sadly I have.

And that’s why I would make the affini real if given the choice. I could stop fighting because there wouldn’t really be anything worth fighting anymore.

The world we live in is sinister and dystopian. I don’t want to live in that world anymore, but alas I don’t have a choice. I also believe we humans are fundamentally incapable of genuinely making this world a good place. Someone is always gonna want to take more from others, exploit others, be corrupt and all.

I would not surrender to any given alien empire who‘d come here and take over. But I would for the Affini because they would make me stop hurting. I don’t wanna hurt anymore. And I do not care about them being imperialist. This would be waaaay better than what we have irl.

“I also believe we humans are fundamentally incapable of genuinely making this world a good place.”

You are a Tar Pit. Humans are flawed as hell, yes.

We also got rid of smallpox. We send golden records into space on the hope that maybe, somebody will see them one day. We do disaster relief, there is evidence of human kindness since before Homo sapiens was a fuckin’ species.

Nothing and nobody will ever shake my belief that a better world is possible.

There’s a bunch more I could pick apart here, but really, it won’t do much.

But you’re right, I don’t know about the setting enough to say. But, if they love you even if you’re not a floret, why are then conquering us and turning us into them unwillingly?

The Affini take over our civilization because they are capable of fixing all we did and continue to do wrong.

They don’t just think they are superior, they are.

In lore, about 70% of a sophont species is living independently in the Affini Compact.

Out of the 30% of Florets are mostly volunteers and those that are domesticated involuntarily are either unfit to be independent or are a danger to themselves or others.

They take over because they love us

Imagine you see a colony of stray cats, living their lives but they are scared and survive on their own. You‘d take them or get someone to take them to a vet to check them out for diseases and help get them a warm home with fresh food and water.

You‘d make sure they have a better life.

That‘s the thing with the Affini. We are the cats in that scenario.

The whole point about the affini is that they aren’t human.

We also elected hitler, did a holocaust and generally genocides, had many wars that killed many innocent people, developed nuclear weapons, are currently in the process of electing more and more right wing fascist around the world, make rich people richer, destroy our planet and still install more fossil fuel energy plants, teach harmful stereotypes, are capitalist and so on.

Yes there are good things in the world. There is hope, humans can be kind, but I‘m sick of this whole shit above.

I have a very dark view about our species. I believe it to be correct. Prove me wrong though.

I hope I didn’t give you the expression that I disrespect you, I also hope I didn’t offend you.

Secondly, good! I’m glad you find comfort in it and I *mean* that. It’s a fictional setting that, if you take it at face value, is nice. Yes. I’m not trying to stop you from liking it.

My issue is this: you can just say you like it because you like how it makes you, personally, feel. Making political grandstanding about how no, this time the empire is actually good, is what rubs me wrong.

Because every empire says they’re good. Every empire has propaganda. So HDG going “what if this time all the lies empires told about themselves were true” feels in poor taste to me.

And, the fact that so many people genuinely *want* that imperialism is worrisome to me. Even if— and that’s a pretty massive if— everything about the empire was good. That the affini are 100% benevolent. *Empires are still bad.* Humans are not stray cats. The affini, with their VAST resources, could materially help, rather than conquer and drug and brainwash.

As for humans doing both bad and good: yes, I recognize that. However, historically, time and time again, when the chips were down, people came together and made a better world. Why would you choose to live in a hopeless world? Why choose to see only the bad?

I say this in hyperbole, I am not telling you to do this, nor do I think this is your philosophy. However. If you, or any person, truly believes that humanity is evil, destructive, hopeless, etc. why do you not kill yourself? Or better yet, do a mass shooting? Where’s the hope in the world other than extinct humanity? How do you make a better world if you are fundamentally evil?

I refuse to not have hope. I refuse to have a dark view of our species, because time and time again, I have been vindicated. In a thousand small and large ways. And yes, we also do awful shit. But slowly, over thousands of years, we have managed to chip away at the amount of awful shit. It’s less than it used to be. And it can be lesser still.

That‘s why I would make them real if I could. Because they promise that what is extremely unrealistic. Maybe I‘ll meet a genie once, who knows.

I‘m never gonna kill myself or others. I have my dark views of our people, but I am also rebellious in that regard that I spit in the face of my oppressors and despite all the shit, live my best live. Not the life the affini compact might give me, but the next best thing.

Do note that I‘m severely disabled, suffer from bpd and dpd and more, that’s why I‘m currently quite a bit depressed.

Awoooooooo

*sniffs you*

I am doggy :3

Awoooooooo

*sniffs you*

I am doggy :3

You should go cutie, the closet is glass ;3

I am not a fucking seed, stars' sake! I am an independent, healthily engaging with her sexuality in a way she finds comfortable! Ugh!

On a serious, respectful note, may I ask what your reasoning for wanting to be independent is? What do you personally gain from it? I‘m happily domesticated and I would love to understand your reasoning for wanting to take care of yourself and all.

I- Well, I wish to stay independent for the freedom it provides to make my own choices. For having rights, owning myself.

Nobody to tie me down, me, myself and I. And, I guess, The Stomper.

I grew to appreciate the feeling of solitude after spending those few weeks on that planet.

When I was an independent, I struggled. Lots. I don’t anymore. I am still able to make choices for myself! I have my hobbies, like gaming, lightsaber fighting or hacking. I even got to enjoy them even more since I‘m a floret!

Like, certain biomods are only able to get when you have a haustoric implant. I love what kind of VR gaming that alone makes possible! I never thought full dive VR could be real.

I am more free than I ever was. Not free in the sense of owning myself, yes, but free from my pain, free from having to worry, free from doing things that don’t benefit myself. I‘m definitely more free than any independent.

Mind you, there are limitations ofc. My evil owner won‘t let me compile uranium-235 or tnt or something because she‘s scared I could „hurt myself or others“. That sucks but that‘s also what got me domesticated.

And... I like doing those things. Taking care of myself, having a routine. Cooking for myself, or just getting myself a MRE in the mech.

I don't care much for biomods and, well, I wouldn't say I worry all that much. I certainly don't hurt, either.

So, yeah. It's worth it. I like my independence.

I respect your decision, hound~ ;3

I‘m glad you don’t hurt or struggle. Though be aware that the Affini are much more capable at noticing if you‘re struggling. You might not notice it yourself.

You should go cutie, the closet is glass ;3

I am not a fucking seed, stars' sake! I am an independent, healthily engaging with her sexuality in a way she finds comfortable! Ugh!

On a serious, respectful note, may I ask what your reasoning for wanting to be independent is? What do you personally gain from it? I‘m happily domesticated and I would love to understand your reasoning for wanting to take care of yourself and all.

I- Well, I wish to stay independent for the freedom it provides to make my own choices. For having rights, owning myself.

Nobody to tie me down, me, myself and I. And, I guess, The Stomper.

I grew to appreciate the feeling of solitude after spending those few weeks on that planet.

When I was an independent, I struggled. Lots. I don’t anymore. I am still able to make choices for myself! I have my hobbies, like gaming, lightsaber fighting or hacking. I even got to enjoy them even more since I‘m a floret!

Like, certain biomods are only able to get when you have a haustoric implant. I love what kind of VR gaming that alone makes possible! I never thought full dive VR could be real.

I am more free than I ever was. Not free in the sense of owning myself, yes, but free from my pain, free from having to worry, free from doing things that don’t benefit myself. I‘m definitely more free than any independent.

Mind you, there are limitations ofc. My evil owner won‘t let me compile uranium-235 or tnt or something because she‘s scared I could „hurt myself or others“. That sucks but that‘s also what got me domesticated.

You should go cutie, the closet is glass ;3

I am not a fucking seed, stars' sake! I am an independent, healthily engaging with her sexuality in a way she finds comfortable! Ugh!

On a serious, respectful note, may I ask what your reasoning for wanting to be independent is? What do you personally gain from it? I‘m happily domesticated and I would love to understand your reasoning for wanting to take care of yourself and all.

Like yeah it's a bit goobery but that's its charm, and like it's got like a cool retro sci-fi aesthetic