#selective empathy

As someone who struggles like he does, i can not only sympathise but empathise with him.

He's not a perfect character, no. He's not even a good person. But no one really is. Maybe that's cynical, or maybe it's a truth that people are too scared to speak.

I will always see myself in octavian because he reminds me of me in a way. Not in the stealing and cutting up pillow pets way, but i fear he is me on some level. I know what it's like to be lied to by someone you trusted. I know what it is like to fall apart whilst people watch and do nothing.

It's not his fault that he believed what the gods and gaea had to say to him. He fully believed they were on his side. Catastrophic misjudgement.

It's easy to say you see yourself in characters that are mentally ill until it doesn't fit your aesthetic anymore because of how seriously gone Octavian clearly was. He was unravelling, manipulated, and utterly abandoned. Whether you like it or not, it's clear he was spiralling into Messianic Delusion. He thought he was chosen.

Why should we blame him for trusting the gods? Why should we allow ourselves to judge characters that represent so much more than good or evil?

Octavian represents the complexity of mental health and what it can do to a person when they are not treated properly. He was fed lies until he choked on them.

I'll never hate Octavian because hes so not there to be hated. He's there to be complex. He's there for people like me as a reminder of what happens when you don't get treated. He's a cautionary tale.

He wouldn't have been if he had been given help, instead New Rome watched him unravel, and you'd all choose New Rome over Valhalla or CHB?

i love pjo but istg this fandom plays performative empathy like its a professional sport.

You all wanna talk about Nico, Percy and Leo but suddenly when it gets messy, WHEN IT GETS REAL theres no space at the table for people like Octavian and that says a lot about who you choose to empathise with.

Here’s a coining! This is a CisID! Two variations.

CisSelectiveEmpathy

CisSelectiveEmpathy is a term for those who identify with their bodily selective empathy or otherwise consider themselves to be CisSelectiveEmpathy.

REALLY? Donovan was the better parent?!

This here folks is another classic example of media illiteracy, selective empathy and hypocrisy from Tyler defenders when it comes to Francoise.

The woman just got freed after being IMPRISONED and TORTURED for 15 YEARS! You think her mind’s going to be fully functional or better after all the HORRORS she endured at Willow Hill? NO!!!! You think she’s gonna automatically know what happened to her son enough to ask him? NO!!!!

And him becoming his master? HELLO! Are you just forgetting the part where male Hydes need a master or THEY WILL DIE QUICKLY! Cause I sure didn’t! But if it was Wednesday becoming his master, you’d all be like “YAAY SHE’S HIS MASTER!!!” And don’t say that all her love went to Isaac! She’s willing to sacrifice her one last chance of achieving her dream of being normal and living longer in order to make sure her son doesn’t suffer the way she did. How is that not love?

This is not a Donovan bashing post as I feel just as sorry for him too, but to say that he’s the better parent when his neglect and abuse (you say that he slapped him in the script and that it was referenced to have happened multiple times in their relationship) towards Tyler for 15 YEARS is what led to him being vulnerable for Thornhill to exploit in the first place? Donovan had all that time to help Tyler and be a good father to him! Francoise had NO TIME as she was LOCKED AWAY and TORTURED ON like a freaking lab rat. She missed out ON MOST OF HER SON’S LIFE! And to imply she wasn’t trying like Donovan? She was trying to save her son! Flawed execution I will give you that, but she was trying to save him from himself. How is that not trying?

And don’t say “HE DidNT ConSENt!”! Why should she ask him what he wants? Tyler is clearly being SELFISH and ADDICTED TO POWER without fully understanding that his transformations has fatal consequences for his own body. But Francoise understands those consequences, and she’s not going to let son ruin himself and his body just because he “feels free”.

☝️maga