I enjoyed episode 1 of Alien: Earth. It seems a pretty good show, but for this post I'm just going to evaluate its performance on addressing climate breakdown. I've only seen this ep. once and wasn't taking notes, so feel free to chime in with what I missed.

Baseline: the show is set in 2120, about 100 years from now, i.e. in the middle of dealing with either a) voluntary radical change in how civilization lives on the Earth and/or b) involuntary climate breakdown, with much of the Earth being uninhabitable. How is the show doing with that reality?

* Handicap point: It's trying to maintain continuity with Alien's timeline, which is from the 1970s. (+1)

* Massive technological advancement with no sign of climate impacts on industrial infrastructure, etc.: -1

* Paradisal, verdant island forested with mature trees many of which are probably over 100 and no signs of climate damage or commentary (that I caught) on how this can be: -1

* Community that looks like it has adjusted to significant sea-level rise: +1

* Metropolis with flawless skyscrapers, greenery and no sign of climate damage or slowdown in materials extraction. (To match physical reality, it must have one or the other.): -1

* Massive department stores with many aisles of clothing and splashy ads suggesting that marketing-driven, fast-fashion culture has persisted unchanged for over 100 years without resulting in biophysical ruin for much of the Earth. -3 (This is projection grotesquely out of step with all realistic projections.)

TOTAL: -4

For research I'm drawing on, see the first two sections especially of this bibliography.

Pleased to share my first article for Sufficiency and Wellbeing magazine, "My Cat Is a God" (literally), featuring Hudson the Hudster.

This is the first self-published book I have ever read a good chunk of without realizing it was self-published. [EDIT: This is not a dig at self-published writing. I am self-published and hope my books are roughly comparable to traditional in quality, but it is a mountain to climb to do all the traditional publisher work yourself on your own dime, so I'm impressed when a work does it, and I want to uplift that it's possible.] The book is as well written as a number of recent traditionally published books; it’s well edited, proofread, designed, nice cover art. It looks professional.

But in retrospect, it had to be self-published because it’s a Silmarillion fan fic with the names changed, and a traditional publisher wouldn’t take it for fear of being sued. Its premise (I’ll just render this in Tolkien terms) is one of the exiled Noldor returns to the Undying Lands after dying (?) in Middle-earth. That’s a fantastic premise for a fic! With some alterations, it’s a great premise for an original story. That’s why I bought it! I don’t think it fully exploits this premise, though. It’s a goldmine for psychological and philosophical development, and it has fairly little of either, in my opinion.

It does have a great original addition in the idea of a male and female elf who are well-matched “professional/vocational” rivals to such a degree they can be almost interchanged with each other. That concept may be the story’s strongest, and again, I felt it wasn’t fully exploited.

But some of my discontents are discontents with the source material (The Silmarillion): 1) the style is, for my taste, too expository—too much “telling,” not enough “showing”; 2) I just don’t get the concept of the Undying Lands on any deep level, because my cosmology is very different from Tolkien’s. Goddard is, I think, trying to follow Tolkien here, and part of my difficulty suspending disbelief may come from my just not getting it. I give her marks, on the whole, for showing respect for Tolkien’s work and not altering his Elves in any bizarre ways.

One the whole, I find the book conceptually fascinating but not developed deeply enough to fully engage me. Spoilers follow...( Read more... )

I have started some book recommendations lists at Bookshop.org. I currently have lists for:

* Genre fiction I love for character and relationship depth.
* Genre fiction I love for being thought provoking.
* Ecological genre fiction recommendations.

So far, these lists include my old standby titles, but I'm hoping to expand them (as I'm hoping to actually get back into reading again!).

Continuing to take some moments off from living through fascism to fangirl over Arcane, I want to discuss Arcane’s worldbuilding around gender. (Of possible interest to

inhiding.) It does the common fantasy trope of presenting what would logically be a patriarchy as essentially gender egalitarian, but it is uncommon in doing a fairly good job selling it; at least, I buy it enough to suspend my disbelief, which is a high compliment. Possible spoilers for S1 and S2 behind the cut; warning for talk about violence and sexual violence.( Read more... )

Note: This post is about the work, not the author. The author is relevant to the work, but this post is about something other than his actions and their gender implications in the work. I mostly discuss the show but reference the graphic novels. I like the show overall a lot and will discuss that more in another post; this one is just about race.

As was typical of the 1990s, the Sandman graphic novels are pretty white. For their time, they’re not clueless about showing racial diversity, but their handling of race needed updating for the show. Unfortunately, the show’s attempts to be anti-racist strike me as simplistic. Their approach is to take several characters who were white and cast them with Black people. That’s it; that’s the whole approach. This misses two crucial points about race:

1) There are more races than white and Black.

2) Systemic white supremacy is not just about centering white people; it’s about centering white culture.

General Spoilers for Season 2 and the graphic novel equivalent follow( Read more... )

Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor was one of the books recced to me on DW recently, and I'm currently almost done with it. Let me start by saying that it was an excellent rec. It's everything I asked for, and it has completely served its purpose in diverting me from our real world; I have generally enjoyed reading it.

I don't especially warm to it as a novel, however, and I've been in an interesting and invigorating discussion of it with

rocky41_7 on

books. I ended up pretty much writing meta I'd planned to write in the comments over there, so I'll post it here too.

Context:

rocky41_7 has been rereading the book with a newfound appreciation and feeling of now understanding why it is so beloved. Reasons why - and I agree all those things are there and are good - include a truly good/well-intentioned hero, realistic politics, realistic supporting characters, and breaking fantasy conventions. I find the book lacking in character development and plot/character arcs, however. Below (with a few, fairly minor spoilers), I explain why with some reference points to other stories, which may contain some very light spoilers.

My Reply to rocky41-7's reply to my reply to their post. ( Read more... )

For those who like the Greek classics, I'm gratified to announce my little one-act play on the death of Orpheus, "Orpheus Changed" is up at Eternal Haunted Summer. Summary: middle-aged Orpheus meets an old woman on a hill and they have a chat that preserves the three unities of ancient Greek drama.

painting of Orpheus holding a lyre, looking downward

painting of Orpheus holding a lyre, looking downward

^{“Orpheus” attributed to Jean Francois Duqueylard (c. 1800)}

I’ve been compiling a mental list of favorite pairings for years, and I thought I’d write some of it out. We can also make it a “meme”: I’d love to see your list linked in the comments!

What I mean by a “love pairing”: two people who come to love each other so deeply that this relationship is pivotal to their lives. I’m a friendship bonder, and I’m not distinguishing between sexual and non-sexual love. I am leaving out literal and metaphorical close family relationships (parent-child, siblings). Expect big spoilers (like character death & ending) for any story mentioned. Below the cut are some favorite picks, some ranked, some unranked, with explanations.( Read more... )

Interesting video by Jessie Gender on the "redemption" of Syril Karn in Andor. It prompted some thinky thoughts I'd rather put here than throw at YouTube. (Andor S2 spoilers)

Watch on YouTube

I agree with Jessie's contention that white men are often treated with kid gloves when it comes to creating space for them to see the error of their ways, while marginalized people's lives are dismissed and errors castigated. Jessie cites the difference in fan discourse between sorrow that Syril died without a chance at redemption and near silence that Cinta (a queer woman of color) got summarily killed off. I'd add that this is partly because Syril is a better written character—but, then, white men have long been better written characters. That is evidence of her point.

But I'm frustrated by recent fandom's/leftwing YouTube's discourse on "redemption." I love a good redemption story; it's my favorite kind, but I think we need to dig deeper into the concept because, too often, it gets used without being explored.

"Redemption" is (at least primarily) a Christian concept. Traditionally, it refers to being saved from damnation, and this entails is a mix of personal responsibility and external acceptance. It requires personal responsibility in the form of actions like repentance of sins, penance, baptism, truly reformed behavior, etc. It requires external acceptance because ultimately it's God's to accept or withhold, and in many versions of Christianity, it cannot fully be attained without God's grace, that is, without that mystical quality of salvation that one cannot earn but is given.

When we use in secular discussions, as of characters like Syril Karn or DS9's Garak, or real people (Jessie mentions JK Rowling), we often end up with formulations like video commenter elanthys makes: "But not everyone deserves redemption, and not everyone who does gets it...." What does this actually mean? "Deserves" according to whom? "Gets" from whom? In the theological context, the answer is God. God can grant grace to someone who doesn't "deserve" it. (In traditional Calvinism, no one deserves it.) All redeemed people ultimately "get" it from God.

So who grants redemption in secular society? I think, by default, it usually translates to "us," the people having the conversation, the good people, the good leftists, the anti-fascists, etc. "We" judge that some do not deserve redemption. "We," sometimes in error, withhold it from those who may. What does it mean to be redeemed? In Christianity, it means heading to heaven. In the secular context, it means being socially forgiven, I guess? No longer cancelled, etc.? Slate wiped clean?

I do not trust myself to determine who metaphysically "deserves" anything. There are people I have not forgiven, but that says more about me than them. I do believe in accountability, which is, in essence, what Jessie is calling for. Accountability is a comparatively easy concept, if hard to achieve. If you've done harm, own it and take proportionally appropriate steps to repair it or—if it can't be repaired—do other, ideally related work to bring more good into the world.

Syril is never accountable for his actions. If he hadn't died and was to have a "redemption" arc, I think he would have had to spend the rest of his life trying to repair the damage or, more accurately, change the system so similar damage does not continue. But did he "deserve redemption"? I don't like the God-like insight that question presupposes.

Personally, I'm a Buddhist, and I prefer a Buddhist framework: that we are all on the path to awakening. We're just in different places, going at different rates, and taking different "side trails" to get there. The question of what we "deserve" is fairly meaningless. We are where we are; we carry the karma that we carry and work through it as best we can. And we can, to an extent, recognize that in each other and help each other through it.

I'm grateful to everyone for all the great book recommendations. As a thanks, here is a Bookshop.org promo code for 20% off your first order:

https://refer.bookshop.org/egkfmyy2

I really like them as my Amazon alternative. (They only ship in the US and UK though.)

I feel the need for some "escapist" literature (or video), and right now I want to escape into something dreamy and otherworldly. I would love recommendations.

An example of the type of thing would be Angel's Egg, the 1980s short anime. On the fast-paced, action, heartwarming end, maybe the recent movie, Flow. At the intellectual/concrete extreme, maybe A Voyage to Arcturus.

Seeking stories with...

* nature/beauty
* a dreamy or surreal quality - like it may be a dream or metaphor or afterlife or enchantment or something.
* on the slow, quiet end.
* vaguely old-timey in setting, like anywhere from 150-7000 years ago or the rough equivalent in an otherworld.
* some story/plot, though it can be slight, long enough that I get to spend time with the characters: novella or long; hour-ish video or longer.

Don't want...

* anything YA
* anything obviously moralizing;
* any "strong feminist heroine" or anything that smacks of contemporary politics of any kind from any side of the aisle;
* anything fast-paced or action packed. (I'm fine with Flow at the extreme end of fast.)
* anything that "feels" like it was written in and for the 2020s or 2010s;
* anything really short.

Fine with or Fine with Caveats...

* melancholy, dark, horror-tinged if not super dark/depressing/horror
* relatively thin characters, as long as what's there isn't any of the "don't want."
* romance if it's subtle, not the main point, not stereotypical. (Romance will be an easier sell if it's m/m.)
* child, teen characters as long as the story itself doesn't feel aimed at modern kids/teens (see Angel's Egg).
* written/created in pretty much any time period from ancient to present, if it more or less fits the above.

Thanks in advance for rec's!

Trivia question: What do Andor S2, Picard S3, and the live action Yamato movie all have in common? See the spoilery answer behind the cut.

Warnings: rant, mentions of sexual assault, written quite fast.( Read more... )

My overall take: it’s excellent, and my chief feeling at the end was “disappointed.” This is only partly the series’ fault. It’s partly the inevitability to ending up at Rogue One, which is melancholy. It’s partly that it was a long three years’ wait with high expectations, and there’s no way a handful of episodes could live up to those fantasies.

The series falters in its own right due to its compressed timeline. You can tell it was four seasons’ worth of storytelling compressed into one. It reminds of seasons 4 and 5 of Babylon 5: it’s clear they had a good plan, and they had to pivot hard to align it with a different production timeline. They couldn’t quite pull it off, but they came about as close as anyone could. I hope there may be either deleted scenes (maybe a directors’ cut?) or a novelization/comic book that uses the five-year story they clearly had mapped out, character building and all. I’d buy it. The action, script, filming, etc. remain top notch.

As many have noted, this series is incredibly important, trenchant, and bloody prophetic as a fictionalization of the fascist upsurge we are currently living through. At times, it was difficult to watch because it hit so close to home. That’s needed and deserves high praise.

Spoilers follow( Read more... )

Silly question but when did "exhale" become a noun? I've been seeing it everywhere in fan fic lately, everywhere an "exhale," not one fic with an "exhalation"--or a "he exhaled." I figured it was a fan fic thing.

Then I saw an "exhale" in the poem "Forgotten Portraits," on my son's AP test study list.

The dictionaries are pretty much still telling me "exhale" is a verb.

This is, of course, all my language snobbery and utterly irrelevant, but when did this happen? What memo did I miss?

Feral Historian has a great (spoilery) video on Blake's 7 as a sadly realistic take on rebellion:

Watch on YouTube

In the great crossover 'verse in my head, this is the 45th anniversary of the Downfall of Sauron. I don't have any brilliant new thoughts on Middle-earth to share right now, but I appreciate that this day usually falls during my spring break, thus allowing me to celebrate it at home in Glen Ellen, which, being the land where I grew up, has always been Middle-earth to me, especially in the spring.

It's scary hot out for March right now, into the lower '80's F today, a reminder that the old world has gone, and, as our tenants pointed out, you never know what the weather is going to do from day to day. I will say this, though: I see real recovery from the fire. It feels like the first time the scars have looked significantly healed. Our two surviving legacy oaks, Drus and Maxima, who were surely dealt lethal blows in the fire (in 2017) both look surprisingly happy. Maxima has so much new growth it practically looks like a tree again. I don't know how this can be because neither of them have a square foot of healthy bark left anywhere, but they are still trucking along and the more power to them.

There's been a lot of rain this year, and the creeks are higher than I've seen them in a long time, which is always pleasant and welcome.

These are not specifically Middle-earth thoughts, but I think they are Middle-earthy. To have a keen eye for the land you love is very Middle-earthy thing.

Okay, in my belated Arcane thing, I’m going to jump in with some character analysis, specifically arguing that Silco is the same basic character type as Scrooge, not in terms of their ultimate arcs but in terms of their psychological dynamics. Spoilers for S1 and maybe tiny bit of S2 under the cut ( Read more... )

I am late to party for Arcane fandom, which means I probably won’t find anyone to talk to about, but I think I want to talk anyway. Honestly, I feel a bit silly, like I shouldn’t be “wasting my time” on fan essays? Not a waste; it’s just, wow, my view of engagement online and with art has really changed since 2005. It feels scarier and lonelier. Okay, general Arcane thoughts (and self-analysis and comparisons to other stories) beneath the cut. I’ll get into more specific character stuff in another post Possible spoilers through S2.( Read more... )

I'm going to cross-post my <user name=ownhands> newsletter here. By the way, my silence on DW since January is not for lack of wanting to post; it's just lack of time. My hope is when I'm done with my degrowth thesis defense, I'll have a small quantity of breathing room to post fun stuff... Maybe...

You can view my nice HTML newsletter here or read the text below...

Forward!

I see a silver lining to the United State's current situation: it's grave enough to inspire change. If the USDA is too understaffed to ensure food safety, maybe it's time to pivot to CSA's, farmer's markets, and gardening ahead of supply chain breakdown due to climate change. If the ACA is on the chopping block, maybe switch to a direct primary care provider and/or CostPlusDrugs. Frightened by Amazon's, Facebook's, and X's swings to the right? It's a great time to buy from Bookshop.org and local stores and check out BlueSky or Diaspora. Disclaimer: None of these options, especially the healthcare ones, are flawless; proceed at your own risk. With that disclaimer ringing in your ears, yes, it's a frightening time and risky as heck, but it's also an invitation to seek out new harmonies.

OwnHands Fiction Search Update: It's Not Quite Dead...

It feels much better. Monty Python jokes aside, Glenn and I just met to discuss our progress so far. He's facing a challenge in trying to build this project with open source tools. Because this will be a digital commons, but it's longer and harder. For that reason, we're fishing for others with programming experience to come on board and help us out, especially with back-end work. If you or someone you know is interested, please reach out to me. It's a labor of love for now, but once we have a proof of concept, we'll be applying for grants.

Whatever Happened to Being Cut?

Life is ironic. After talking up my book on relationship cutoff, I've decided not to release it widely. Too many people have misinterpreted me as saying that it’s fine to ignore boundaries. That’s not what I said. Yet this misreading raises the possibility that some might use my book as an excuse to harm others. I don’t want to be responsible for that.

I have also had favorable responses, some "every therapist should read this" types of response, and I believe this book can help some people in some circumstances. I will, therefore, continue to offer it on a limited basis (e-formats free) to some people I interact with personally. If you are interested in learning more or receiving a copy, please contact me.

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Page Summary

Alien: Earth, Ep 1 - Climate Report Card
"My Cat Is a God"
The Bone Harp by Victoria Goddard: An Originalized Silmarillion Fic - Review
My Bookshop.org Recommendations Lists
The Convincing Gender Egalitarianism of Arcane
The Simplistic Anti-Racism of The Sandman Netflix Show
Rambly Response to Response to The Goblin Emperor
One-Act Orpheus Play Has Been Published
For Kicks: My List of Favorite Love Stories (Pairings)
Thoughts on "Redemption" in Left-Leaning Fandom Discourse
Bookshop.org Promo Code If You Want It
Seeking Book (or Movie/Series) Recs - Slow-Paced, Dreamy Fantasy/Fairytale
Andor and a Sexist Trope That Needs Fixing
Andor S2: Overarching & Random Thoughts
"Exhale" as a Noun
Great B7 Video
Happy Downfall of Sauron Day, 2025!
More Arcane Meta: Silco Is a Scrooge
Late to Arcane Fandom & Have Some Thoughts
Newsletter for March or Something

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labingi

Recent Entries

Alien: Earth, Ep 1 - Climate Report Card

"My Cat Is a God"

The Bone Harp by Victoria Goddard: An Originalized Silmarillion Fic - Review

My Bookshop.org Recommendations Lists

The Convincing Gender Egalitarianism of Arcane

The Simplistic Anti-Racism of The Sandman Netflix Show

Rambly Response to Response to The Goblin Emperor

One-Act Orpheus Play Has Been Published

For Kicks: My List of Favorite Love Stories (Pairings)

Thoughts on "Redemption" in Left-Leaning Fandom Discourse

Bookshop.org Promo Code If You Want It

Seeking Book (or Movie/Series) Recs - Slow-Paced, Dreamy Fantasy/Fairytale

Andor and a Sexist Trope That Needs Fixing

Andor S2: Overarching & Random Thoughts

"Exhale" as a Noun

Great B7 Video

Happy Downfall of Sauron Day, 2025!

More Arcane Meta: Silco Is a Scrooge

Late to Arcane Fandom & Have Some Thoughts

Newsletter for March or Something