#zyp stuff

Oh my GOD, I am so excited to tell the entire (shortish) sordid tale! But it's a fascist apologism hottake, since I don't want to disappoint you. The original thing was a member of a group I previously didn't know existed (Jedi Are Always Right fanboys) did a little post, and I put some tags on it, which they called me out to explain more. I don't necessarily agree with my wording now, I was a bit all over the place, but I still hold essentially the same stance. Sith and Jedi are stupid. Anyways, it ended with them being very "uh. yeah, whatever casual" and a third person (wooloo) taking great insult at my comparing the Jedi and Sith, calling me a fascist apologist, and then immediately blocking me.

Even doing my best with.. an attempt to make up for the lore I missed by getting (kidnapped) into the fandom late, there was no peace possible because my opinion is the Jedi are idiots (and I am arguing with people who will cut their own throats before admitting that). Like.. really big hypocritical idiots who've stagnated to a point their cultural beliefs are causing actual harm to the outsiders they meet AND themselves.

They've gotten so mired in *expecting* to be the final arbiters on what is good, what is evil, and what is redeemable... but actually they haven't. Because they've *always* seen themselves as the ones who are best able to make that choice. In The Old Republic, though, they at least admit they aren't the only ones capable of doing so (though still believing theirs is best). And that's stupid. Jedi, as an organization, are stupid.

Just as stupid are the Sith. You know, the cultural group (named after a racial group now long dead) which was hunted near to complete genocide by the Jedi multiple times and, as a survival strategy, drastically reduced their numbers and didn't move openly? Why are we surprised they're fueled by hate? Really. Truly, honestly. Why?

Throw *all* canon besides the original trilogy out the window, and this is still the actions of two (2) people we are told to hold against an entire group. And the information presented on *why* is all from a different group that speak of them in a way which, if substituted with two real world religious groups, would be accepted as biased at best and bigoted at worst.

Gothic is fine, but Art Deco is so much more fitting. Gothic is the realm of angsty maidens wandering moors, monsters beyond the mortal ken. But Art Deco? Men looming larger than life, fighting nature with nothing but science and more gold than God. The triumph of will and imagination over all obstacles in the way. And, unfortunately, the inevitable failure of those same men to greed and hubris. The natural and easy substitution of money for morals. A build up of corruption and scum under the surface of success and progress.

In other words, the perfect noir background for detective Batman. Good guys who look bad, bad guys who look good, people of an indeterminate gray that blur the lines. A constant struggle against the worst first instincts of man against the backdrop of the seediest underbelly to ever feature in a PI’s opening narrative (like tar staining what sky there was left to see through the smog).

This was brought on because I just realized one of the historical databases that I draw on frequently and love was created by a woman who was.. Just really into collecting menus, for possibly autistic reasons. Restaurants, hotels, inns, cafes, ships. International, across the country, her home in New York City. She mailed people requesting menus, asked to collect discarded ones from special events and seasonal dining places, published news of the collection to get offered donations! She made an eventual collection of 25,000 menus and donated them all.

This collection provides just. So Much Historical information! Availability of different fruits, meats, vegetables, and exotics. Seasonal varieties, regional differences, price changes across *decades*! Her collection has had a profound effect on the knowledge of that era (1890s-1920s) and I am eternally grateful that she understood their value and saved them. Thank you, Mrs. Buttolph.

But now. I want to hear about lady beards. Women controlling the mustache attempting to eat their face. Shaving the weird bit underneath the chin.

there are cracks running through the base, parts have crumbled. you were never glazed so you don’t have have shiny. there are pieces in you from other eras and places, somehow patchworked in. this is you, this broken, mishapen perfect vase.

you are important. you are the piece the archeologists will pass around with reverance and awe. “how” and “why” will fly from their tongues as they honour you. You will be loved for what you remember, for what you share.

Sorry, it’s not accessible. Sorry, I’m uncomfortable with the use of X in this context. Sorry, the colours hurt my eyes.

This is still all valuable feedback to the artist on what they could do better next time, on what directions they might want to grow. Even something like “Sorry, the style is too clashing for me” can help them understand why or why not a particular piece is connecting with people.

If its not shared and no one says anything, the silence only tells them that they weren’t noticed. An answer, even a negative answer, will show them that they were noticed BUT. The ‘but’ might not be important. Maybe they love their style or their bright colours, BUT this still tells them that they are connecting with the wrong people for their particular style and colouring. Maybe they need to work on finding a different audience.

And I might not know who you are, any more than I know that tree or the bird singing, but I know we've crossed paths. Maybe we're a friend of a cousin of a neighbor. Maybe we share a fandom you've added to. Maybe you told the story that made yesterday brighter.