On May 16th I'll post our first discussion for The Fall by Albert Camus. See the Schedule for check-in points.
Here in the Marginalia you can post random thoughts, annotations, predictions, quotes, critiques or links related to the story. Anything you want to share that doesn't quite match up with the discussion posts. If you are sharing a quote, help the rest of us out by mentioning the chapter or page number so we can refer to it easily.
Warning for newbies, there could be spoilers in the comments as readers often skip ahead and want to jot their thoughts down. Please mark your potential spoilers with tags; here on reddit, tag an area by enclosing the text with the > ! and ! < characters (but with no spaces). Like this: Camus hurts my brain bookclub has enacted a new spoilers policy so that everyone can enjoy our reads. You can refer to it here: No More Spoilers
Happy reading bookclubbers!
Santé! ❤️ Emily

New Features and enhancements
New AI-enhanced tools join Smart Tempo and the Pitch Correction plug-in to augment your artistry.
Bass Player and Keyboard Player join Drummer to complete a set of Session Players — all built with AI making it easy to create performances that respond to your direction.
Session Players can follow the same chord progression using Global chord track.
Add warmth to any track with ChromaGlow, an advanced plug-in with five saturation models designed to simulate the sound of vintage analog hardware.*
Separate a stereo audio file into stems for vocals, drums, bass and other parts with Stem Splitter.*
Session Players, ChromaGlow, and Stem Splitter also come to Logic Pro for iPad 2 — making it simple to move between projects created in Logic Pro for Mac.
Play any of six deeply-sampled acoustic and electric basses with Studio Bass.
Perform any of three meticulously-sampled pianos with Studio Piano.
Loops that contain chord tags will automatically populate the chord track when added to a project.
Three new Producer Packs are available: Hardwell, The Kount, and Cory Wong.
Original multi-track project of Swing! by Ellie Dixon available as in-app demo song.
Downmix and trim options allow custom mixing for non-Atmos channel configurations.
Exported ADM BWF files have been expanded beyond Dolby Atmos and can contain settings for stereo and other multi-channel formats.
Bounce in place adds automatic real-time recording for External Instrument regions or tracks that utilize external hardware using the Logic Pro I/O plug-in.
Route MIDI signals generated by supported software instruments and effects to the input of other tracks for creative layering during playback or recording.
Edit more efficiently using key commands for moving, extending, or resizing marquee selections.
The Nudge Region/Event Position key commands now also nudge Marquee selections.
The Transpose Region/Event key commands now also move or expand the Marquee selection up/down.
Pattern regions can now be created on Drummer tracks, and Drummer regions can be converted to Pattern regions.
New key commands include Trim Note End to Following Notes (Force Legato) With Overlap and Trim Note End to Selected (Force Legato) With Overlap.
Bounce in Place and Track Freeze can now be performed in real time, allowing for use of external instruments, I/O plug-ins, and external inserts.
Mastering Assistant analysis now can be performed in real time, allowing for use in projects that incorporate external I/O or instruments.
The Dolby Atmos plug-in now offers Downmix and Surround/Height Trim controls.
The Recent Projects list can now be configured to show up to 50 projects.
* Requires a Mac with Apple silicon.
Stability and reliability
Scripts with 1071 characters or more in Scripter no longer cause Logic Pro to quit unexpectedly.
Fixes an issue where creating a an event in a lane assigned to Note off in Step Sequencer could cause Logic Pro to quit unexpectedly.
Fixes an issue where Logic Pro could fail to launch with an Error Initializing Core MIDI message when the system is under heavy load performing other tasks.
Resolves an issue where Logic Pro could quit unexpectedly when a 64-bit floating point IR file is loaded into Space Designer.
Fixes an issue where Logic Pro could hang when opening a project while the Project Settings > MIDI window is displayed.
Logic Pro no longer quits unexpectedly when creating multiple Aux tracks with multiple existing Aux tracks selected.
Improves stability when bypassing control surfaces with Musical Typing open when EuControl software is installed.
Fixes an issue where Logic Pro could hang when quitting a project containing a large number of instances of Sampler.
Fixes an issue where Logic Pro could quit unexpectedly when replacing a playing Live Loops cell with another loop.
Performance
The UI is now more responsive when adjusting Flex Pitches directly on regions in Deviation mode.
Performance is improved when editing Transient Markers in Take regions with Flex enabled.
Performance is improved when making Flex Pitch edits in the Tracks area with a large number of selected regions.
Alchemy's Performance is improved.
Performance is improved when moving regions in projects with a large number of tracks and regions.
Projects containing a large number of flex-pitched regions now open more quickly.
Resolves an issue where loading a project saved with a Summing stack selected that contains Software Instruments that have no regions and/or with the tracks turned off could load the Software Instruments into memory.
Accessibility
VoiceOver now announces the state of Automation mode buttons on channel strips.
VoiceOver now announces the status of the Pause button in the LCD.
VoiceOver no longer announces hidden controls in the Smart Controls view.
VoiceOver no longer reads the values of pan knobs that are currently hidden in Sends on Faders mode.
VoiceOver now announces the state of the Details button and the Follow button in the Drummer Editor.
VoiceOver now announces left-click and Command-click Tool selections in the Control Bar.
VoiceOver now announces the name of the Time Quantize button in the Piano Roll.
VoiceOver now announces changes in value when the Next/Previous key commands are used to change Quantize values.
VoiceOver now announces state of key commands for Cycle, Mute, Track Solo, Input Monitoring, Track On/Off, and Lock/Unlock Track.
VoiceOver now announces the selection state of focused tracks.
Spatial Audio
Fixes an issue where adding a new 3D Object track for the first time to a Spatial Audio project could cause the Renderer to switch from the current model to the Apple renderer.
The Dolby Atmos plug-in now offers a 5.1.2 monitoring option.
Fixes an issue where setting a project to Dolby Atmos could output to 7.1.4 even when the mode defaults to Apple Renderer.
It is now possible to monitor Dolby Atmos projects directly via HDMI to a surround capable receiveamplifier.
The metering for Height channels now shows as post-fader on the Master channel as expected.
Loading a Master Bus channel strip setting in the 7.1.4 channel format now preserves the 7.1.4 channel layout as expected.
Session Players
Resolves an issue where loading a user-created Drum Machine Designer patch could set the input to a bus and fail to load the Drum Machine Designer instrument.
Using the Create Drummer Region command in a Marquee selection now creates a region that corresponds to the Marquee.
Smart Tempo
In cases where there is not an existing Smart Tempo Multitrack Set, selecting an audio file in the Smart Tempo Multitrack Set window and disabling the “Contribute to analysis” check box now causes the Update button to change to Analyze as expected.
Pressing the Space bar now immediately stops a Free Tempo recording.
Fixes an issue where projects previously open in the same Logic Pro session could unexpectedly affect “Contribute to Analysis” in the Smart Tempo editor.
Recording
Audio regions recorded to unnamed tracks now include the project name and track number in their name.
Mixer
The channel strip Stereo Pan control and the Pan menu now can be adjusted when Caps Lock is enabled.
Creating a single Multi-timbral Software Instrument in the New Track Sheet no longer creates two Software Instrument instances in the All view of the Mixer.
Resolves an issue where remaining tracks in a Multitimbral Software Instrument Track Stack could unexpectedly rename the channel strip.
Adjusting the activity status of a speaker in the Surround panner no longer causes the signal to unexpectedly mute.
Groups now immediately show as inactive when switched off for a selected set of channels in the Mixer.
Metering now correctly works on individual channel strips with plug-ins that send to more than two channels and are routed to a surround bus.
Option-clicking on a send in a selected group of channel strips now sets all corresponding sends to 0 dB as expected.
Fixes an issue where performing Undo after adjusting the fader values of grouped channels with Group Clutch enabled and then disabled could cause the faders to jump up to +6 dB when one member of the group is touched.
Setting multiple selected channels to No VCA now works as expected
Alchemy
The oscillator section in Alchemy offers a new Wide Unison mode.
All controls for Additive Effects now accept typed-in values as expected.
Values typed into parameters related to milliseconds (MS) in Acoustic Reverb are no longer interpreted as full seconds.
Resolves an issue where performance control destinations for modulation could show as duplicated.
Sampler, Quick Sampler, and Quick Alchemy
The Playback direction button in Quick Sampler now immediately updates when clicked.
The view now scrolls correctly when dragging the Trim marker in Sample Alchemy.
It is now possible to adjust the level of a group in Sampler up to +24 dB.
The Up/Down buttons for navigating zones in Sampler now remain available after adjusting the start or end positions of samples.
The general Zoom/Scroll key commands now can be used to trim the current view in Sample Alchemy.
Handles and Trim Handles in Sample Alchemy behave correctly when click-dragged, even when the plug-in window does not have focus.
The Ancient Vocal Chop and Baily Glide plug-in settings for Quick Sampler now open in Classic mode, as expected.
Plug-ins
The MIDI Scripter plug-in now shows in Logic Pro when running in dark mode.
Fixes an issue where clicking on Sampled IR in Space Designer could activate Synthesized IR mode unexpectedly.
Resolves an issue where repositioning the playhead could cause audio to cut out on channel strips that use Step FX.
The preset Note Repeater in Scripter now works as expected.
The wet/dry setting on Ringshifter is now always set to 100% wet when inserted on an Aux.
There's now a DI Delay Compensation switch in Bass Amp Designer to improve phase correlation when blending between Amp and Direct Box in the plug-in.
StepFX now includes presets using Sidechain.
The Beat Breaker preset called “Basic / 2 Slices, Speed 66%” no longer plays the slices at 50% speed instead of 66%.
Resolves an issue where ES2 could produce glitching sounds when using Sine Level or Poly Voice mode on Apple Silicon computers.
Mono > Stereo instances of Console EQ no longer can cause unexpected feedback.
Using the Delete all Automation key command while an Audio Unit window has key focus no longer causes the Audio Unit window to go blank.
The menu for the compression section of Phat FX can now be opened by clicking on the Up/Down arrows.
Beat Breaker now offers new default patterns divided evenly into 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 slices.
Mastering Assistant
There is no longer unexpected latency with bounces from projects that use the Clean or Clean + Excite mode in Mastering Assistant.
Mastering Assistant analysis is no longer incorrectly triggered in projects that contain no regions, but are previewing audio from Ultrabeat, etc.
Mastering Assistant no longer allows the -1 dBFS peak limit to be exceeded in certain cases.
Automation
The Consolidate Relative and Absolute for Visible / Automation menu item now only displays when automation types that support relative automation are active in the lane.
Region-based Automation is now pasted as Track-based Automation when pasted to an area of a track that does not contain regions.
Pitchbend now works as expected with zones in Sampler that do not have Flex Pitch enabled.
Selecting Region-based automation points on a region now deselects previously selected automation points on other regions
Disabling Region-Based Automation no longer dims the Power button for MIDI CC data lanes in the Piano Roll.
The movie window now updates to show the correct frame when moving Region-based automation points.
The Autoselect automation parameter now works as expected when clicking any plug-in control.
Automation of the Gain plug-in no longer exhibits unexpected latency.
Region-based automation is now drawn correctly when recorded into projects that start earlier than 1 1 1 1.
Automation lane views for all tracks are now maintained when switching into Flex view and then back to Automation view.
Flex Time and Flex Pitch
Flex Pitched notes now play as expected when clicked while Record or Input Monitoring is active on the track.
Flexed audio tracks using Monophonic or Slicing mode no longer produce clicks at tempo changes.
Takes and comping
Fade-ins are now applied when flatten and merge is performed on Comps.
Renaming a take that encompasses the entire length of an audio file no longer unexpectedly changes the file name.
Comps in Take Folders are now preserved when performing Cut Section Between Locators on a section that includes the end of one Take folder and the beginning of another, with a gap in-between.
Track Stacks
Record-arming a Track Stack now arms grouped audio tracks in a Track Stack it contains.
Dragging a subtrack out of a Track Stack that is assigned to a VCA now removes the assignment for the subtrack.
Fixes an issue where Track Stacks could sometimes be dimmed when some, but not all, subtracks are muted or off.
It's now possible to replace stacked instrument patches that are inside a Summing Stack with single track patches.
Track Alternatives
Loading a patch on a Summing Stack containing sub-tracks with Track Alternatives no longer causes inactive alternatives to be deleted.
Track Alternatives can now be created for the Stereo Output track.
Selection-Based Processing
Using Selection-Based Processing on a Marquee selected section within a Take Folder no longer creates an unexpected comp.
Selection-Based Processing on a comp now retains the comp.
Score
The spacing of notes is improved in cases where there is a dotted note on a line with the stem is pointing upward.
Command + Z to undo now works after deleting a Score Set.
Upward bends in TAB staves now display correctly.
Importing an instrument track no longer can cause Score Sets in the current project to disappear.
Imported Score Sets can now be deleted from a project.
Live Loops
“Join Region and Fill Cell” now works as expected.
Recording a performance in Live Loops now temporarily puts all tracks into Automation: Latch mode.
Fixes an issue where changing patches for a Live Loop track could cause the length of cells to change unexpectedly.
It's now possible to paste MIDI notes into a Live Loops cell.
Step Sequencer
It's now easier to use the disclosure triangle to open sub-rows in Step Sequencer.
Pattern regions now play back correctly immediately after being nudged.
Pattern Regions now immediately play as expected after using the Slip/Rotate tool to drag their contents to the left.
The “Separate pattern region by kit piece” command on Drum Machine Designer tracks is now applied to the correct area of the Pattern Region, in cases where the left border of the region has been moved to the right.
The length and number of steps of a newly created Pattern Region accounts for Time Signature changes correctly.
The maximum possible pattern length of a Pattern region is now 4 bars of the current time signature.
Step Sequencer now allows pattern lengths to be added based on 5/4 and 7/8 time signatures.
The Step Sequencer Inc/Dec controls now work in Loop Edit mode.
Fixes an issue where Pattern Regions on frozen tracks be edited unexpectedly.
Region-based automation now displays properly on Pattern regions in tracks that have been partially frozen, and on regions that have been frozen and then unfrozen.
It's now possible to assign MIDI channels per step in a Pattern Region.
MIDI
Reset messages for Software Instruments now work correctly.
Sustain messages are now sent correctly when playing back regions with Clip Length enabled in cycle mode.
There is now an “Internal MIDI in” setting in the Track Inspector to allow for recording MIDI from any other software instrument or External MIDI Instrument track.
The “Send all MIDI settings” key command now sends program changes to external devices assigned to empty tracks.
Resolves an issue where 3 bytes of random MIDI data would be sent when playing back regions containing SysEx data with MIDI 2.0 disabled
New 'internal MIDI in' feature allows recording of MIDI from other tracks, including MIDI FX plug-in output and 3rd party MIDI generators.
The “Delete MIDI events outside region boundaries" key command now correctly creates a starting CC event in the region to match the last matching CC of the same type in the track.
Fixes an issue where Chase could cut off notes that are preceded by notes of the same pitch on tracks with third-party instrument plug-ins.
Editing
The Humanize transform set now works as expected when the Randomize functions for Position, Length, or Velocity are set to very small values.
The menu item Delete and Move in the Event List is now only displayed if regions are displayed in the window.
When MIDI 2.0 is selected in the Settings, clicking on an Event in the Event List no longer plays events back with MIDI 1.0 resolution.
Fixes an issue where using the Cut command in the Audio Track Editor could switch the view to another editor.
When a region in the Project Audio window is double-clicked, the Audio Track editor now opens as expected.
The content link buttons for the Piano Roll and Score show the correct color as expected when toggled using the mouse.
The Event List correctly updates to reflect changes made by using key commands to select notes in other editors.
Resolves an issue where the Velocity tool in the Piano roll could affect the values of non-note events.
Fixes an issue where applying the Transform set Double Speed could cause the notes to disappear from the Piano Roll.
Step Input
Extending the length of note entered using Step Input now works correctly.
Global Tracks
Adding multiple audio Apple Loops of the same key to different tracks of a new project now changes the project key as expected.
Clicked in Tempo points are now placed at their correct positions in projects that start earlier than 1 1 1 1.
Share and export
When No Overlap is enabled, regions bounced onto existing regions no longer overlap them.
Audio files bounced from Logic Pro now include the proper Encoded Date in the metadata.
Fixes an issue where MIDI regions could be truncated when bounced in place.
Fixes an issue where audio files including Volume/Pan automation exported from mono tracks that use plug-ins could export as stereo files.
It is now possible to bounce sub-channels of multitimbral instrument tracks as individual files.
Import
Resolves an issue when dragging multiple audio files into a project, choosing the “Place all files on one track” option could create a second track and places the first file on one track, and the rest on the second.
Output channels in the Mixer can now be imported from other Logic Pro projects.
Apple Loops
The Loops browser now correctly shows the same enharmonic key an Apple Loop was tagged with.
Apple Loops now preview using the Key Signature active at the current position of the playhead.
It's now possible to add Aliases to bookmarks and untagged loops.
Dragging an Apple Loop from the loop browser to an existing track no longer changes the input for the track.
Fixes an issue where MIDI Apple Loops could jump to the start of the nearest bar position when dragged from the Loop Browser to the middle of a bar.
Video Support
A secondary screen that is running a full screen video with Show Animations off will no longer remain black after closing the project.
Key Commands
The “Increase (or Decrease) last clicked parameter” key commands now work for controls in the LCD.
The “Record off for all” key command now works on Software Instrument tracks in cases where one or more audio tracks are also record-enabled.
There is now a key command to add to the current selection of regions or cells that are assigned to a toggle solo group.
The Zoom Toggle key command now works in the Step Editor.
Compatibility
GarageBand projects that use Pitch Correction now sound the same when opened in Logic Pro.
Undo
If Undo is used immediately after creating a project, the New Track Sheet is displayed as expected rather than leaving a project with no tracks.
Undo/Redo now works as expected with Audio Unit v3 plug-ins.
Changing the Automation Mode, or changing a Track On/Off state now creates an Undo step.
Performing Undo after adding a surround track no longer corrects Drummer tracks in the project.
Logic Remote
Logic Remote immediately updates to show time and signature changes made in Logic Pro.
Control Surfaces and MIDI controllers
Controls on Control Surface devices that use Lua scripts now provide feedback when learning assignments for them in Logic Pro.
Illuminated buttons on control surfaces now show the correct state for Show/Hide Track Editor.
General
The LCD now displays the Cycle start and end times in both SMPTE time and Bars/Beats when the secondary ruler is displayed.
Search in the All Files browser now finds matching items in bookmarked folders.
Fixes an issue where the visible editor in the Main window could unexpectedly switch when rubber-band selecting regions.
Audio Take folders created in Cycle mode now loop as expected after recording when Loop is enabled in the Region Inspector.
It's now possible to create external MIDI tracks when Core Audio is disabled in Logic Pro.
Resolves an issue where deleting a Flex marker from an audio region while a Marker List is visible could switch the key focus to the Marker List.
Track information pasted into a text editor now includes the TIME position when the Use Musical Grid setting for the project is not enabled.
Input monitoring buttons are now displayed on audio tracks when Logic Pro has fallen back to an alternate audio device because the selected device is not available.
Previewing an audio region in the Project Audio window no longer causes it to jump to the top of the window.
Command+Option clicking on the On/Off button of a track now toggles the button for all tracks, as expected.
Copy/paste of regions now works when Automation view is enabled.
Right-clicking on a looped segment of a region now opens the contextual menu as expected.
It's now easier to see when black keys are depressed in the Musical Typing window.
The right arrow key now reliably moves the text cursor in the Bounce > Save As file name panel.
Groove Templates created from audio regions now work in Smart Quantize mode.
Dragging multiple regions from the same audio file from the Project Audio browser to the Tracks area now works correctly.
Audio regions are no longer moved to unexpected positions when trimming, if absolute Snap mode is on, and the region anchor is moved away from the start of the region
Fixes an issue where pasting a Marquee selection with No Overlap and Snap Edits to Zero Crossings mode enabled could delete a non-overlapping part of an existing region.
Autozoom now triggers when a region's upper right corner is dragged in the Main window, or the Audio Track Editor.
The Playhead no longer may briefly appear to be in the wrong position when zooming horizontally.
The Time Ruler now immediately updates to reflect changes made to the “Bar Position [bar position] plays at SMPTE” setting.
The File browser correctly shows the full path when using Save As.

This has got to be the most stupid take ever. Young Alicent and older Alicent are the exact same person, and no one would differentiate between those two if Alicent wasn’t portrayed by two different actresses. No shocker that a victim of abuse turns bitter over the years and doesn’t keep her innocent naïvité forever.
I feel like this is a general problem in the fandom regarding Rhaenyra and Alicent. People view Emma’s Rhaenyra and Olivia’s Alicent as completely different characters than their younger versions, which makes no sense since it’s the same character just … grown up. (It especially doesn’t make sense when people see Emma and Olivia as the ‘imposters’ as if they won’t be there for the rest of the show while Milly and Emily were only on there for 5 episodes)

Hey everyone!
How important do you believe your first page is?
For the inspiring new writers looking to sell their book one day, a first page is your first impression! Through my podcasts and reading on the industry (I am not a part of the industry myself), I have come to the understanding that when you submit your work to an agent or publisher, sometimes you will only have your first page to sell them on you as an author, or to convince them to keep going. With editors and agents getting 50+ submissions a week, they legitimately might only read your first page before determining that it’s not worth moving on.
This got me thinking, what does a first page need to do right ? I’m a big believer in character, tone and conflict as the ‘3 pillars’ of your opening page, though these are often in various degree. I wanted to do 2 things with this post. 1st, I think this is an interesting discussion.
2nd, I am going to skirt the line of self promotion here. I apologize mods if I cross it. I’m not here to link my blog shamelessly, and expect to gain your attention. Instead, what I want to offer to this community, is if anyone wants to send me their opening page (or chapter, whether it’s chapter 1 or your prologue), I will gladly give it a sort of analysis on my first impressions. I will break down your page line by line (typically the first 13 lines make up a page) and get into what I think you are doing well and what I think can be improved upon.
This is what I have been doing with the books off my shelf for a new blog series that I have been having a lot of fun writing. I’ve done at least 15 books so far, and to me it’s cool seeing the similarities between them. If you like what I do for your work, then I’ll send you that info.
Note, I am not a professional writer / editor. I am not involved in the industry in any capacity. I just love storytelling, and love learning how it works, so I have been reading and listening to podcast on the industry. I’m also a new writer myself.
If you do send me your work, I am most familiar with fantasy and scifi, but always happy to expand my genres

DAY: DAY: MAY 12, 2024

• 5-12-2024CAN I TAKE YOUR ORDER—AND YOUR DATA? THE HIDDEN REASON RETAILERS ARE REPLACING STAFF WITH AI BOTS You might have seen viral videos of Wendy’s drive-thru customers in the United States ordering their fast food from the firm’s generative AI bot Wendy’s FreshAI. Most show a very human-like transaction punctuated with cries of amazement at how fast, accurate and polite the system is. While the system and others like it are in their infancy, and some still rely heavily on human assistance, retailers are investing huge sums in AI to replace human workers. Why the rush to automate? It might seem like it’s all about slashing
• 5-12-2024AI FILM FESTIVAL GIVES GLIMPSE OF CINEMA’S FUTURE With fantastical characters including mud people and giant grandmothers, an AI film festival is giving a glimpse of the storytelling made possible by the novel technology. Nearly 3,000 short films were submitted to the festival organized by Runway AI, one of the leading start-ups in the field of AI-powered video generation. The 10 films selected put the filmmakers’ vivid imaginations on display, with their stories set in aesthetically stunning universes. “There is a perception of … AI- driven filmmaking and creation as having a very specific style
• 5-12-2024AI SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY SKILLED AT DECEIVING AND MANIPULATING HUMANS, STUDY SHOWS Many artificial intelligence (AI) systems have already learned how to deceive humans, even systems that have been trained to be helpful and honest. In a review article published in the journal Patterns on May 10, researchers describe the risks of deception by AI systems and call for governments to develop strong regulations to address this issue as soon as possible. “AI developers do not have a confident understanding of what causes undesirable AI behaviors
• 5-12-2024THE END OF THE PACKAGE HOLIDAY PROVIDER? BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY COULD REVOLUTIONIZE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES Forget the middleman—blockchain technology could lead to the end of the traditional package holiday provider, putting power back into the hands of customers, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. The research looked into user acceptance of blockchain-based sharing platforms similar to Airbnb. The study found that blockchain technology could eliminate intermediaries, such as holiday providers, potentially slashing costs by bypassing booking platforms. The study also suggests that property owners stand to gain from blockchain adoption and gain more direct income
• 5-12-2024NOW THEY FEAR IT WAS A SCAM Sleep-deprived and anxious about feeding their babies, tens of thousands of moms in Illinois and elsewhere recently turned to a variety of Facebook groups offering support for breastfeeding, pumping breast milk and postpartum care. Direct responses were often remarkably prompt from the creator and admin of these groups, a Facebook user named “Cathy Marie Chan,” whose profile featured a smiling picture of a woman purporting to be a board-certified lactation consultant
• 5-12-2024HERE ARE FOUR RED FLAGS TO WATCH FOR IN YOUR CHATBOT ‘FRIEND’ It’s been seven years since the launch of Replika, an artificially intelligent chatbot designed to be a friend to human users. Despite early warnings about the dangers of such AI friends, interest in friendships and even romantic relationships with AI is on the rise. The Google Play store shows more than 30 million total downloads of Replika and two of its major competitors since their respective launches. With one in four people around the world reporting being lonely, it is no wonder so many are drawn to the promise
• 5-12-2024CALL FOR SAFEGUARDS TO PREVENT UNWANTED ‘HAUNTINGS’ BY AI CHATBOTS OF DEAD LOVED ONES Without design safety standards, artificial intelligence that allows users to hold text and voice conversations with lost loved ones runs the risk of causing psychological harm and even digitally “haunting” those left behind, according to University of Cambridge researchers. “Deadbots” or “Griefbots” are AI chatbots that simulate the language patterns and personality traits of the dead
• 5-12-2024TURING TEST STUDY SHOWS HUMANS RATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS MORE ‘MORAL’ THAN OTHER PEOPLE A new study has found that when people are presented with two answers to an ethical question, most will think the answer from artificial intelligence (AI) is better than the response from another person. “Attributions Toward Artificial Agents in a Modified Moral Turing Test
• 5-12-2024FAKE US SCHOOL AUDIO STOKES AI ALARM The fabricated audio clip of the Maryland school principal underscores the ease with which widely available AI and editing tools can be misused to impersonate celebrities and everyday citizens alike. A fabricated audio clip of a US high school principal prompted a torrent of outrage, leaving him battling allegations of racism and anti-Semitism in a case that has sparked new alarm about AI manipulation. Police charged a disgruntled staff member at the Maryland school with manufacturing the recording that surfaced in January
• 5-12-2024ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH A HUMAN RHYTHM
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHERS TEST AI SYSTEMS’ ABILITY TO SOLVE THE NEW YORK TIMES’ CONNECTIONS PUZZLE
• 5-12-2024SCIENTISTS CONVERT CHICKEN FAT INTO ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES
• 5-12-2024RED, YELLOW, GREEN … AND WHITE? SMARTER VEHICLES COULD MEAN BIG CHANGES FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
• 5-12-2024FRENCH ART GROUP USES BRAINWAVES AND AI TO RECREATE LANDSCAPES
• 5-12-2024MICROSOFT, AMAZON TO INVEST BILLIONS IN FRENCH TECH
• 5-12-2024NEW RESEARCH SHOWS HOW CHILD-LIKE LANGUAGE LEARNING IS POSSIBLE USING AI TOOLS
• 5-12-2024TEAM DESIGNS ROBOTS TO HELP WITH HUMAN HABITATION IN SPACE
• 5-12-2024TRADING BETWEEN HOUSEHOLDS IN SMART ENERGY COMMUNITIES
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP AI-POWERED ‘EYE’ FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE TO ‘SEE’ OBJECTS
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP A BIOMECHANICAL DATASET FOR BADMINTON PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
• 5-12-2024AMAZON’S NEW FEES ON SELLERS LIKENED TO ‘KICK IN THE GUT’
• 5-12-2024ALMOST HALF OF IT COULD COME FROM PENNSYLVANIA WASTEWATER
• 5-12-2024NEW LARGE LEARNING MODEL SHOWS HOW AI MIGHT SHAPE LGBTQIA+ ADVOCACY
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHER EXPLAINS WHY WE SHOULD CARE MORE ABOUT CONVERGING TECHNOLOGIES
• 5-12-2024COMMERCIAL JET MAKER AIRBUS IS STAYING HUMBLE EVEN AS BOEING FLOUNDERS. THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT
• 5-12-2024BOLSTER SAFEGUARDS AFTER HEALTH CARE CYBERATTACK
• 5-12-2024HUNDREDS OF CITIES HAVE ACHIEVED ZERO ROAD DEATHS IN A YEAR—HERE’S HOW THEY DID IT
• 5-12-2024DIGITAL HUMAN MODEL AIDS DESIGN OF MOTORCYCLES, BASED ON RIDING POSTURE
• 5-12-2024AI TECHNOLOGY IS SHOWING CULTURAL BIASES—HERE’S WHY AND WHAT CAN BE DONE
• 5-12-2024RESEARCH SHOWS VR POSES PRIVACY RISKS FOR KIDS—PARENTS AREN’T AS WORRIED AS THEY SHOULD BE
• 5-12-2024NEW SOFTWARE TRAINED ON PHOTOGRAPHIC DATABASE MAY ALLOW FACIAL RECOGNITION BENEATH THE MASK
• 5-12-2024SMARTPHONE APP CAN UNMASK FORGED DOCUMENTS
• 5-12-2024NEW STUDY FINDS AI-GENERATED EMPATHY HAS ITS LIMITS
• 5-12-2024ROBOTIC SYSTEM FEEDS PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MOBILITY LIMITATIONS
• 5-12-2024PROTOTYPE BROWSER EXTENSION ADDS WIKIPEDIA-LIKE CITATIONS ON YOUTUBE TO CURB MISINFORMATION
• 5-12-2024SAMSUNG TO BUY FRENCH MEDICAL AI FIRM SONIO
• 5-12-2024AI AND HOLOGRAPHY BRING 3D AUGMENTED REALITY TO REGULAR GLASSES
• 5-12-2024DOVE’S LATEST ‘REAL BEAUTY’ DRIVE—AND WHY AI WILL BE HARDER TO DITCH THAN IT THINKS
• 5-12-2024RESEARCH CASTS NEW LIGHT ON BIKE SAFETY IN THE AGE OF SELF-DRIVING CARS
• 5-12-2024A SECOND LIFE FOR DISCARDED LITHIUM-ION CELLS
• 5-12-2024SINCE TESLA RECALLED ITS VEHICLES IN 2023, THERE HAVE BEEN 20 ACCIDENTS AND INVESTIGATORS ARE ASKING WHY

MAY 12, 2024

• 5-12-2024CAN I TAKE YOUR ORDER—AND YOUR DATA? THE HIDDEN REASON RETAILERS ARE REPLACING STAFF WITH AI BOTS
• 5-12-2024AI FILM FESTIVAL GIVES GLIMPSE OF CINEMA’S FUTURE
• 5-12-2024AI SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY SKILLED AT DECEIVING AND MANIPULATING HUMANS, STUDY SHOWS
• 5-12-2024THE END OF THE PACKAGE HOLIDAY PROVIDER? BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY COULD REVOLUTIONIZE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
• 5-12-2024NOW THEY FEAR IT WAS A SCAM
• 5-12-2024HERE ARE FOUR RED FLAGS TO WATCH FOR IN YOUR CHATBOT ‘FRIEND’
• 5-12-2024CALL FOR SAFEGUARDS TO PREVENT UNWANTED ‘HAUNTINGS’ BY AI CHATBOTS OF DEAD LOVED ONES
• 5-12-2024TURING TEST STUDY SHOWS HUMANS RATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS MORE ‘MORAL’ THAN OTHER PEOPLE
• 5-12-2024FAKE US SCHOOL AUDIO STOKES AI ALARM
• 5-12-2024ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH A HUMAN RHYTHM
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHERS TEST AI SYSTEMS’ ABILITY TO SOLVE THE NEW YORK TIMES’ CONNECTIONS PUZZLE
• 5-12-2024SCIENTISTS CONVERT CHICKEN FAT INTO ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES
• 5-12-2024RED, YELLOW, GREEN … AND WHITE? SMARTER VEHICLES COULD MEAN BIG CHANGES FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
• 5-12-2024FRENCH ART GROUP USES BRAINWAVES AND AI TO RECREATE LANDSCAPES
• 5-12-2024MICROSOFT, AMAZON TO INVEST BILLIONS IN FRENCH TECH
• 5-12-2024NEW RESEARCH SHOWS HOW CHILD-LIKE LANGUAGE LEARNING IS POSSIBLE USING AI TOOLS
• 5-12-2024TEAM DESIGNS ROBOTS TO HELP WITH HUMAN HABITATION IN SPACE
• 5-12-2024TRADING BETWEEN HOUSEHOLDS IN SMART ENERGY COMMUNITIES
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP AI-POWERED ‘EYE’ FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE TO ‘SEE’ OBJECTS
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP A BIOMECHANICAL DATASET FOR BADMINTON PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
• 5-12-2024AMAZON’S NEW FEES ON SELLERS LIKENED TO ‘KICK IN THE GUT’
• 5-12-2024ALMOST HALF OF IT COULD COME FROM PENNSYLVANIA WASTEWATER
• 5-12-2024NEW LARGE LEARNING MODEL SHOWS HOW AI MIGHT SHAPE LGBTQIA+ ADVOCACY
• 5-12-2024RESEARCHER EXPLAINS WHY WE SHOULD CARE MORE ABOUT CONVERGING TECHNOLOGIES
• 5-12-2024COMMERCIAL JET MAKER AIRBUS IS STAYING HUMBLE EVEN AS BOEING FLOUNDERS. THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT
• 5-12-2024BOLSTER SAFEGUARDS AFTER HEALTH CARE CYBERATTACK
• 5-12-2024HUNDREDS OF CITIES HAVE ACHIEVED ZERO ROAD DEATHS IN A YEAR—HERE’S HOW THEY DID IT
• 5-12-2024DIGITAL HUMAN MODEL AIDS DESIGN OF MOTORCYCLES, BASED ON RIDING POSTURE
• 5-12-2024AI TECHNOLOGY IS SHOWING CULTURAL BIASES—HERE’S WHY AND WHAT CAN BE DONE
• 5-12-2024RESEARCH SHOWS VR POSES PRIVACY RISKS FOR KIDS—PARENTS AREN’T AS WORRIED AS THEY SHOULD BE
• 5-12-2024NEW SOFTWARE TRAINED ON PHOTOGRAPHIC DATABASE MAY ALLOW FACIAL RECOGNITION BENEATH THE MASK
• 5-12-2024SMARTPHONE APP CAN UNMASK FORGED DOCUMENTS
• 5-12-2024NEW STUDY FINDS AI-GENERATED EMPATHY HAS ITS LIMITS
• 5-12-2024ROBOTIC SYSTEM FEEDS PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MOBILITY LIMITATIONS
• 5-12-2024PROTOTYPE BROWSER EXTENSION ADDS WIKIPEDIA-LIKE CITATIONS ON YOUTUBE TO CURB MISINFORMATION
• 5-12-2024SAMSUNG TO BUY FRENCH MEDICAL AI FIRM SONIO
• 5-12-2024AI AND HOLOGRAPHY BRING 3D AUGMENTED REALITY TO REGULAR GLASSES
• 5-12-2024DOVE’S LATEST ‘REAL BEAUTY’ DRIVE—AND WHY AI WILL BE HARDER TO DITCH THAN IT THINKS
• 5-12-2024RESEARCH CASTS NEW LIGHT ON BIKE SAFETY IN THE AGE OF SELF-DRIVING CARS
• 5-12-2024A SECOND LIFE FOR DISCARDED LITHIUM-ION CELLS
• 5-12-2024SINCE TESLA RECALLED ITS VEHICLES IN 2023, THERE HAVE BEEN 20 ACCIDENTS AND INVESTIGATORS ARE ASKING WHY

In 2024, which is the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac, it is believed to be encountering your Ben Ming Nian, which may bring various challenges and obstacles. However, whether it will lead to unfavorable outcomes or not requires a closer examination.
As a Chinese astrologer, I often receive inquiries from foreign friends regarding this matter. I can tell you that from the perspective of Chinese astrology, there may indeed be some influence, resulting in more troubles and hindrances. But as for whether the outcomes are all negative, it depends on how the individual manages their path. Transforming troubles into motivation is just a hill to climb on the road to success. You will eventually reach the finish line. Therefore, our Zi Wei Dou Shu (traditional Chinese astrology) can help you find the right path. If you are a jeep, you won't fear muddy roads, but if you're driving a sports car, even the most luxurious car won't be able to take you to your destination. Chinese astrology teaches you to drive the right vehicle on the right path, avoiding dangers along the way and reaching your destination.
Now, let's focus on you, born in year of dragon(People born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 and 2024, facing the challenges of your Ben Ming Nian in the Year of the Dragon, 2024. How might your fortune fare?
Entering 2024, you may feel things stagnating, experiencing confusion, frustration, and obstacles. The confusion you encounter won't happen suddenly; from a positive perspective, you have enough time to resolve them. However, from a negative perspective, it may slowly erode your patience. Therefore, be prepared to confront the challenges in 2024. You need to be resilient enough to solve them, as doing so will eventually lead to positive outcomes.
Due to these challenges, pay attention to your emotional well-being, treat yourself kindly, focus on your inner world, and spend time outdoors to relieve stress. Avoid making extreme decisions that could tarnish your reputation and affect your work negatively.
For those unmarried and in love, this year may bring dissatisfaction in relationships, with persistent conflicts or gaps, making it difficult to make decisions. For now, separation may not be an option, but the future outcomes will depend on each individual's specific natal chart.
For married individuals with children, you may face challenges in your parent-child relationship, feeling a communication breakdown and stagnation. Don't worry, try communicating with your children as equals and avoid exerting authority as it may backfire.
If you have siblings of the same sex, your relationship may be tense this year, leading to disputes that affect family harmony. Your relationship with your mother may also be average. Avoid direct confrontations with family members and communicate tactfully. If there are existing financial interests within the family, be cautious not to jeopardize relationships due to money matters.
Financially, there may be indications of financial loss, but it's not significant. You can mitigate this by making charitable donations, avoiding impulsive spending due to emotional issues, which could lead to regret later.
Overall, it's not as pessimistic as it seems, but being in your Ben Ming Nian, you need to be cautious. Communicate as much as possible when faced with challenges and find healthy ways to release stress. If you encounter confusing issues, you can contact us for a specific analysis of your natal chart, hoping to help everyone choose the path that suits them best.
Some daily solutions include: 1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. This year may be challenging for you, and although it may not be tumultuous, it could feel like a constant ache. You need a strong body and mind to get through this period, and good health can assist you. 2. Stick to your principles. Hardships can wear down your will. Without a firm heart and principles, you may veer onto the wrong path, make mistakes, or even break the law, which could significantly impact your life. 3. Try to avoid wearing clothes in bright red. Generally, choose clothes in yellow hues to improve your mood. 4. Yellow is the lucky color for this year. You can choose to wear a yellow pixiu, which can help ward off evil and attract wealth, stabilizing your financial fortune.
Recorded by Master Christina Chan on May 9th, 2024
I hope this information can help everyone find the most suitable path according to their own conditions.

In 2024, which is the Year of the Dragon, the next zodiac sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle is the Snake. As the ancient saying goes, "Dragons and snakes intertwine," in Chinese culture, dragons and snakes are often mentioned together. So, for those born in the Year of the Snake, how will your fortune fare in 2024? Let's explore.
As a Chinese astrologer, I often receive inquiries from foreign friends regarding whether using the zodiac to predict fortune is accurate. I can tell you that there is indeed a correlation, but it cannot solely rely on the zodiac. Instead, it must be combined with individual natal charts. After all, there are only 12 zodiac signs, but everyone's destiny is different. What we can provide is guidance on how to navigate your own path. Everyone's starting point and foundation are different, and the choice of path and the difficulties encountered along the way also vary. Our Zi Wei Dou Shu (traditional Chinese astrology) can help you find the right path. If you are a jeep, you won't fear muddy roads, but if you're driving a sports car, even the most luxurious car won't be able to take you to your destination. Chinese astrology teaches you to drive the right vehicle on the right path, avoiding dangers along the way, and reaching your destination.
Now, let's focus on those born in the Year of the Snake. How might your fortune fare in 2024?
Firstly, you may encounter career entanglements, feeling difficult to break through and experiencing a sense of stagnation, which will consume a considerable amount of your energy. Fortunately, there won't be any major crises; figuratively speaking, it's like being slowly cut by a small knife, not life-threatening but uncomfortable. So, brace yourself, as this will be a lengthy battle. Of course, long battles can lead to different outcomes. As for the final result, it can be referenced based on individual circumstances over the years. This involves consulting individual natal charts, and if interested, you can learn more about it.
Secondly, your love life may be constantly entangled. This year, you will pay more attention to your emotions. If you happen to be in a romantic relationship, you may experience conflicts with your partner, but they won't be fundamental issues. Instead, your relationship will seem to be going in circles, unable to break through. The good news is that there are no "fatal" problems, so your love life won't end here, but how to manage it properly will be a big challenge.
Thirdly, be cautious of your relationships with same-sex siblings or friends who are like brothers. Be wary of betrayal; such is the nature of human relationships. Even with trust and familiarity, conflicts may arise due to certain issues. It's not about distrusting those around you, but be cautious when conflicts of interest arise.
Fortunately, none of the above issues are particularly ominous; they are manageable situations, so there's no need to be too pessimistic. Express your stress in healthy ways. If you encounter confusing issues, you can contact us for a specific analysis of your natal chart, hoping to help everyone choose the path that suits them best.
Some daily solutions include: 1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. This year may be challenging for you, although it won't be tumultuous, it may feel like a constant ache. You'll need a strong body and mind to get through this period, and good health can assist you. 2. Stick to your principles. Hardships can wear down your will. Without a firm heart and principles, you may veer onto the wrong path, make mistakes, or even break the law, which could significantly impact your life. 3. Try to avoid wearing clothes in bright red. Generally, choose clothes in yellow hues to improve your mood. 4. Yellow is the lucky color for this year. You can choose to wear a yellow pixiu, which can help ward off evil and attract wealth, stabilizing your financial fortune. 5. You can also choose a Five Elements bracelet, which can help you advance in various energy aspects, especially if you're experiencing romantic and financial troubles in 2024.
Recorded by Master Chu Chu on May 13th, 2024, I hope this information can help everyone find the most suitable path according to their own conditions.

In 2024, which is the Year of the Dragon, the next zodiac sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle is the Snake. As the ancient saying goes, "Dragons and snakes intertwine," in Chinese culture, dragons and snakes are often mentioned together. So, for those born in the Year of the Snake, how will your fortune fare in 2024? Let's explore.
As a Chinese astrologer, I often receive inquiries from foreign friends regarding whether using the zodiac to predict fortune is accurate. I can tell you that there is indeed a correlation, but it cannot solely rely on the zodiac. Instead, it must be combined with individual natal charts. After all, there are only 12 zodiac signs, but everyone's destiny is different. What we can provide is guidance on how to navigate your own path. Everyone's starting point and foundation are different, and the choice of path and the difficulties encountered along the way also vary. Our Zi Wei Dou Shu (traditional Chinese astrology) can help you find the right path. If you are a jeep, you won't fear muddy roads, but if you're driving a sports car, even the most luxurious car won't be able to take you to your destination. Chinese astrology teaches you to drive the right vehicle on the right path, avoiding dangers along the way, and reaching your destination.
Now, let's focus on those born in the Year of the Snake. How might your fortune fare in 2024?
Firstly, you may encounter career entanglements, feeling difficult to break through and experiencing a sense of stagnation, which will consume a considerable amount of your energy. Fortunately, there won't be any major crises; figuratively speaking, it's like being slowly cut by a small knife, not life-threatening but uncomfortable. So, brace yourself, as this will be a lengthy battle. Of course, long battles can lead to different outcomes. As for the final result, it can be referenced based on individual circumstances over the years. This involves consulting individual natal charts, and if interested, you can learn more about it.
Secondly, your love life may be constantly entangled. This year, you will pay more attention to your emotions. If you happen to be in a romantic relationship, you may experience conflicts with your partner, but they won't be fundamental issues. Instead, your relationship will seem to be going in circles, unable to break through. The good news is that there are no "fatal" problems, so your love life won't end here, but how to manage it properly will be a big challenge.
Thirdly, be cautious of your relationships with same-sex siblings or friends who are like brothers. Be wary of betrayal; such is the nature of human relationships. Even with trust and familiarity, conflicts may arise due to certain issues. It's not about distrusting those around you, but be cautious when conflicts of interest arise.
Fortunately, none of the above issues are particularly ominous; they are manageable situations, so there's no need to be too pessimistic. Express your stress in healthy ways. If you encounter confusing issues, you can contact us for a specific analysis of your natal chart, hoping to help everyone choose the path that suits them best.
Some daily solutions include: 1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. This year may be challenging for you, although it won't be tumultuous, it may feel like a constant ache. You'll need a strong body and mind to get through this period, and good health can assist you. 2. Stick to your principles. Hardships can wear down your will. Without a firm heart and principles, you may veer onto the wrong path, make mistakes, or even break the law, which could significantly impact your life. 3. Try to avoid wearing clothes in bright red. Generally, choose clothes in yellow hues to improve your mood. 4. Yellow is the lucky color for this year. You can choose to wear a yellow pixiu, which can help ward off evil and attract wealth, stabilizing your financial fortune. 5. You can also choose a Five Elements bracelet, which can help you advance in various energy aspects, especially if you're experiencing romantic and financial troubles in 2024.
Recorded by Master Chu Chu on May 13th, 2024, I hope this information can help everyone find the most suitable path according to their own conditions.

Hi, I’ll read the book (or any other writing piece) you’re working on and give you my critiques on overall plot and its structure and development. I’ll also give you my notes on characters and their development. If you only have a few chapters written, I’ll read them and give you my notes on the things mentioned above.
Any genre is fine. Some of my favorite genres are sci-fi, adult fiction, the classics, YA, fantasy, “chick-lit”, and what I usually refer to as “slice of life fiction”. I like creepy books as well. I’m not the biggest fan of hardcore horror books, but I’ll still read them for you.
I love the art of storytelling. I watch a lot of movies, and I write about them occasionally. I also took a few courses in literary analysis in college, so I do have experience with criticism and analysis. I, of course, love to read. I’d say I’m not a total speed reader, but I can read relatively quickly. I also enjoy writing poetry and was doing that for a bit for money before chat gpt shut that down.
This goes without saying, but I will not share your work with anyone. It’s yours, and I’m not out here trying to take ideas. I’m only trying to help you shape it into the best version it can be and something that you’re completely satisfied with. I can also help you if you’re stuck and give you suggestions.
$5 for short stories, poems, 60 page books
$10 for books longer than 60 pages
If you can only do PayPal friends and family then I can do that, but I prefer Venmo. Thank you.

Hi, I’ll read the book (or any other writing piece) you’re working on and give you my critiques on overall plot and its structure and development. I’ll also give you my notes on characters and their development. If you only have a few chapters written, I’ll read them and give you my notes on the things mentioned above.
Any genre is fine. Some of my favorite genres are sci-fi, adult fiction, the classics, YA, fantasy, “chick-lit”, and what I usually refer to as “slice of life fiction”. I like creepy books as well. I’m not the biggest fan of hardcore horror books, but I’ll still read them for you.
I love the art of storytelling. I watch a lot of movies, and I write about them. I also took a few courses in literary analysis in college, so I do have experience with criticism and analysis. I, of course, love to read. I’d say I’m not a total speed reader, but I can read relatively quickly. I also enjoy writing poetry and was doing that for a bit for money before chat gpt shut that down.
This goes without saying, but I will not share your work with anyone. It’s yours, and I’m not out here trying to take ideas. I’m only trying to help you shape it into the best version it can be and something that you’re completely satisfied with. I can also help you if you’re stuck and give you suggestions.
$5 for short stories, poems, 60 page books
$10 for books longer than 60 pages
If you can only do PayPal friends and family then I can do that, but I prefer Venmo. Thank you.

Apparently someone said if you try to “force” something smart no matter the question you’ll get capped but I tried to link it to the question? If not I wouldn’t have had any rlly good analysis. I used the character of Macbeth in one of my paragraphs to show the effect on him by LMs strong character bc I thought you can reference other characters and it’s not strict to just talking ab LM the whole time.

Mods, please feel free to delete this thread if you think it's advertising. I'm really not trying to advertise, I gain nothing from this, it's an open source hobby project.
tl;dr - The website: https://gamedb.droid.moe/
Since I spend most of my immersion time playing videogames (1000+ hours last year) and I've always wanted to do some kind of hobby reviews of the games I play, I decided to combine the two things together and sprinkle in a bit of Japanese learning on top, to create a website where I just list the various games I play and provide some comments about them from the point of view of JP learning.
Right now the site is still pretty empty as I'm going back to all the games I played and slowly adding them in, which can take some time as I need to also remember some details I might have forgotten (how hard was it? does it have furigana? does it have voice acting? etc) but I plan to add more and more as I go through new ones too.
Each game listed comes with some commentary about how I felt (from the point of view of JP learning) about it, so people with similar tastes to mine can maybe find them useful.
As for two questions I already imagine some people might have:

• Why not use jpdb.io/etc? -> because these are my subjective ratings. It's meant to be a personal project with my own personal opinions. It's not an objective comparison using tools like character count, sentence analysis, or whatever other fancy stuff other sites use.
  
• Why the site name? -> I already had the domain name registered and I wanted to use it for something, so I just went with it. No real reason.
  

If you think it's useful and/or if you want to contribute with comments or fixes (the whole thing is open source), you're very welcome!
PS: I'm not a web designer and I wrote this site from scratch with no external help. If you think it looks ugly, it's probably because it is, but we'll survive.

What is Looking-Glass Self? This is concept in sociology, discovered in 1902 by Cooley - and his theory states that we form our own identity based on what we think other people think who we are. In fact, the whole sociology is based on social anxiety- the very same social anxiety that psychiatry (CBT and DSM) are pathologizing and trying to cure and destroy and present as mental illness.
Without social anxiety, without ability to worry what other people think about us - we would lose social skills, empathy and civilization norms - such as not eating others.
"If it weren't for the nervous people in the world, we'd all still be eating each other." The Misfits (1961) https://youtu.be/h56iL7vK5Y0
When people consume chicken - they eat the flesh of animals because there is no ability to connect with the slaughtered animals as conscious beings who are able to think and perceive us. So when we destroy social anxiety- our ability to worry what other people think - we will become psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists. This also provide us with important information of self expression and holding toxic people accountable - by stating the facts and truth. Toxic people learn to suppress social anxiety - and this gives them ability to be cruel. And the only way to probe their delusions is to speak the truth to them. And that is why toxic people mock and go into hysteria mode - because their suppressed conscience and morality and ethics are eating them from inside.
Dolphins are not caught with smiles but cruelly with hooks, Michele. One day you will learn to be cruel. Caravaggio (1986) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF12uM_GK74
Sociology is based on social anxiety - that we form our own identity based on society. We need other people to provide us information who we are and how to express ourselves. The language is the very first thing that society gives us to define who we are - by using the very words that society is using.
Theories of the Self
William James (1890): A person has "as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and carry and image of him in their minds"
Charles Cooley (1902): Views of self reflect the standpoints of significant others in our lives ("looking-glass self")
George Herbert Mead (1934): We imagine the perspectives of others and incorporate these into our self views - and that this occurs continuously as we interact with others on an ongoing, moment to moment basis.

Having a distorted looking glass (incorrectly imagining others’ opinions of us) can cause bad feelings, or a negative self-image. https://wa01001786.schoolwires.net/cms/lib/WA01001786/Centricity/Domain/70/Socialization%20Notes.pdf
What happens when we are around toxic people - is that our identity is deformed as well. CBT claims, along with DSM, that our worry what other people think - is personality disorder, called Borderline:
Reality testing is ability to perceive reality properly. Without too much deviation from facts. Borderline refer to you if want to know anything about reality. “Do you think so too?” Narcissist will tell you "am I not genius". YT Richard Grannon & Prof. Sam Vaknin about Fantasy
Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects the way people feel about themselves and others, making it hard to function in everyday life. It includes a pattern of unstable, intense relationships, as well as impulsiveness and an unhealthy way of seeing themselves. (Mayo Clinic)
The truth is - if we are around toxic people, their criticism will affect our self worth. Their constant nagging, constant nitpicking, constant error finding and constant drama about anything that moves - will have an effect on our sense of stability and security in the world. This is not disorder. This is simply how society works. In order to heal our mental health issues - we need to repair connections with other people - which may include minimizing exposure to toxic people or cutting toxic people completely off from our lives.
We will never feel secure, confident, worthy - if there are toxic people around us who are criticizing us and others all the time.
Improving our relationships is improving our mental health. William Glasser
Interpersonal strife with those close to us leads to rifts and resentments that produce symptoms of mental illness; these problems are, in fact, the logical consequence of troubled relationships. Glasser emphasizes that lasting psychological problems are usually caused by problems in our personal relationships (rather than signifying a biochemical abnormality in the brain), and distress can be remedied through repairing these relationships without recourse to psych drugs. DK psychology book, WILLIAM GLASSER
Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
In another words: feel safe with other people = mental health
The single most important issue for traumatized people is to find a sense of safety in their own bodies. 🟦 Bessel A. van der Kolk
Toxic people cause social anxiety. That is why social anxiety is called social+anxiety. There is social element that is causing the anxiety. There is social factor contributing to anxiety. It is not called self-anxiety. We did not catch social anxiety by walking randomly in the street when it was rainy, so we caught a common cold. It is not like we felt bored in our lives so we invented neuroticism to keep us active and occupied. Social anxiety must start in childhood with ACE and ACoA where we learned from early on - that life is dangerous, that people are not safe, that we must worry to be hyper-vigilant and that we are unworthy if we make any kind of mistakes. We learned that our flaws, imperfections and mistakes are our core personality - abnormal and inept.
Society attacks early, when the individual is helpless. B. F. Skinner
This is how we end up with Broken Looking Glass Self. Distorted Looking Glass Self. We end up with operant conditioning - to worry what other people think in such way that we attempt to think for the other person ahead of time, so that they do not get mad of us - and then attempt, we try hard not to make other people mad. And how we execute this operant conditioning - depends on our background, people around us and punishments to which we were exposed as kids. Most socially anxious learn to keep quiet. To shut up. To self censor. And to self blame. If the other person is angry or hysterical - we will feel responsible for their mood swings and we will try hard to fix their emotions and their problems. Soon - we spread this fixing on other people, who are not angry - and we create fake social mask that is always pleasant and nice and helpful to anyone, especially if they are angry and rude and intrusive. We learned to interpret their anger as our fault and our abnormality. Looking glass self is broken - because it does not reflect any more - now we imagine how to please other people without using looking glass (mirror) - as all people use it.
Other people are there as information post. They broadcast who they are, many of them mask their true Self and present fake version of themselves, their social mask. Our brain will naturally form opinion about us through the words and opinions and non-verbal gestures from other people, strangers or our acquaintances. This part is totally normal. This is not disorder. This is not illness. The disorder starts when we try hard to fix other people's conclusions about us by making ourselves small and by changing our routine so that we soothe the other person. Instead of CBT techniques - all that we need to do here is to allow other people to think whatever they choose to think about us. Simply allow other people to hate us and leave it at that.
We really have to work very hard at changing our programming because we don't understand we're upset because someone else has a perception of us that we're uncomfortable with. And we challenge this person's perception of us. We're upset that people think this about us. Something amazing happens when you begin to accept that other people are allowed to have their own faulty perception of you. 🟥 Lisa A. Romano Breakthrough Life coach Inc.
For the next step, sociology will also help us. CBT and DSM, psychiatry is telling us concrete steps which we must take - and morally and ethically speaking - this is illegal. When someone orders us what we must do - this is called manipulation and coercive control. This way anyone who is psychopathic and narcissistic can climb, grab and push their way to powerful position of ordering others what to do - and then evil people can easily manipulate and control the masses. This is what happens with psychiatry. Psychology on the other hand explains concepts - psychology does not order us what to do in life and how to react. That is why Humanistic psychology is healthy.
It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. Carl Rogers
In the same manner as Humanistic Psychology and IFS Model - sociology also has the similar term that allows clients freedom in own choices - which is called Thomas theorem.
The Thomas theorem is a theory of sociology which was formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. In other words, the interpretation of a situation causes the action. This interpretation is not objective. (wiki)
If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. - formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas
This means - that no other person can objectively tell us what is the best way to go in life. We need our inner GPS, our intuition, our common sense, other people as well - to form our reality and our construct of the future where we are headed. With CBT and DSM - we do not have this freedom. With CBT and DSM - we are pathologized instead - and all our focus is spent on fixing our symptoms - we are literally self consuming ourselves with CBT.
In real life- real life situations will not allow us to form rigid mindset. Any other person, any other situation in life - good or bad - is always unique and different. Sometimes it is great that we shut up and that we self censor ourselves - especially if we are tired and we don't want to harm other people with our nagging and complaints that will go off as soon as we get to sleep and rest. On the other hand - many situations in life that are triggering our social anxiety require from us to self express, that we talk out our truth - no matter how much manipulative people attempt to shut us up with mocking and shaming.
So when we allow other people to form toxic conclusions about us - we need to know that we can rely on our brain, on our intuition to tell us how to react and what to do and how to behave. We have this mechanism inside us. We do not need to pathologize ourselves with CBT. CBT will tell us that we must be assertive in order to handle toxic people. This is horrible advice because:
"If you have been the scapegoat in a narcissistic family system, the concept of setting a boundary is laughable. You would be telling them exactly how to hurt you, and they would happily oblige. Also, trying to set a boundary in a calm and tactful way would be met by resistance in the form of mocking and ridicule, attempting to bait the scapegoat into anger, which would prove you are the problem." YT kingbee9778
"I feel gaslighted by the therapy mantras of “ you have to teach people how to treat you “ ,(setting boundaries). No you don’t and no you can’t. First of all, it’s not my job to teach an adult how to behave like one and quite frankly, it’s a trap and a drain hole. Secondly, I DON’T CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE. They will do what they want, especially if they have the tiniest ounce of power over you." YT gertrudewest4535
When we follow CBT - we will repeat the broken Looking Glass Self when we exposure ourselves to social situations - and social anxiety will not go away - because we will continually process the same ways reality and other people in a manner that is toxic to us - through seeking approval from other people, through self flagellation, through harsh inner critic and internalized toxic shame.
To fix broken Looking-Glass Self means fixing social anxiety: when we are afraid of what other people think about us. With CBT we self pathologize our normal reaction to worry what other people think about us. This is not disorder, it is totally normal to have awareness that other people are thinking about us.
Many social anxiety coaches will use "Spotlight effect" as proof that other people do not worry about us:
"The spotlight effect is the psychological phenomenon by which people tend to believe they are being noticed more than they really are."
In toxic contact - toxic people - those same ones who trigger our social anxiety - do notice anything about us. In normal population - other people will think about us and we will define each other - through the process called The Michelangelo phenomenon - where we chisel each other into better version, where we change our toxic habits that hurt us as much as they hurt other people. In unhealthy, toxic social dynamics there will be the opposite: Golem Effect and Crab mentality. Where there is competition and where other person is perceived as threat and someone to pull down.
A lot of content on mental health in mainstream media does not cover the unique corner that survivors of narcissistic abuse live in. Not one mention of being in any kind of toxic relationship. “Avoid your triggers” is not easy in narcissistic relationships. When the discomfort is living in your house or down the street or in the next office. It was not even rumination, but reality. And the constant exposure means you don't get a break. 🟥 DoctorRamani https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uusKWmjUk6k
I'm not setting boundary with these people. “Don't do this with me”. “Don't say this with me”. It's all internal. Because if you try to set a boundary with someone who's narcissistic or antagonistic – it's never going to work. And I think it's unsafe guidance to give.
With this dangerous person no. But what are you willing to tolerate. How can you protect yourself emotionally. What access can you remove. Move these people from VIP section.
🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
With broken Looking-Glass Self - we end up being trapped in toxic people's minds. Similar to horror movie / book The Cell from 2000. Even when we develop Who cares attitude, and when we consciously try to block and build walls away from toxic people, when we try hard to push down and suppress toxic people - we are still trapped in their reality of what they potentially might think about us. This is why CBT is not working - because CBT tries hard to convince us to use suppression as method to block social anxiety. And we cannot block other people - we need other people for our identity and our self worth - where there is healthy interaction called Interdependence. Toxic people behave in codependent way - they see other people as competition and this creates codependency. They need other people like vampires need blood - to exploit someone's attention, someone's focus, money, time and or resources of any kind. It is like give me, give me, give me - and provide nothing in return. With social anxiety we end up giving others without observing if the other person is emotionally invested in us at all. It ends up and one side interaction, exploitation really. Social anxiety means suppress anger as well. We learned to push our anger away - and this attracts toxic people who count on our silence and understanding and toxic empathy - knowing that they can cross boundaries of social interaction in their favor and we won't make any kind of protest. Then our own only protection - is avoidance. Therefore - social anxiety is natural defense mechanism against dangerous criminally insane psychopaths who are abusing their power position against ourselves.
In our teen years we experiences bully experience - after years of exposure to ACoA and ACE (constant criticism and constant drama at home) - so we generalized the belief that we cannot trust other people - and we learned that we process reality through broken Looking Glass Self - where we appease other people with our decisions - by being afraid what other people may think badly of us - since we were pressed and pushed into equating social rejection and our self worth as if they are one of the same. And psychiatry - instead of explaining us that it is totally normal to worry what other people think - CBT explains us that this is abnormality. This faulty explanation from medical industry is adding more trauma and more toxic shame and it gives our inner critic free reign to self abuse us - because we believe we are abnormal and ill if we worry what other people thin about us. In reality - all people worry about others. Even psychopaths worry what other people will think, along with narcissists - because they know that they need to form fake social mask of charm in order to seduce new victims into their agenda of exploiting and manipulating others.
Looking-Glass Self tells us - that we simply allow toxic people to form bad opinion about us in their heads - and that we absolutely do nothing to change this image that toxic people freely choose to believe about us in their heads.
You're no longer going to play the game of what can I do differently to get them to behave differently – because the answer is to that is nothing. That's radical acceptance. It takes long time. And it's not just accepting their behavior is not going to change, it's also the way it affects you is also not going to change. Just because you radically accept doesn't mean that somebody screaming at you is going to hurt any less- it does,it hurts a lot 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
Other people will hurt us. They will say mean and untrue things about us. They will attack us - this has nothing to do with who we are. Their choice to harm and hurt other person - is abnormality in their brain. Normal healthy sane people do not attack others. Normal healthy sane people have ability to emotionally regulate themselves. Person who does not have this ability - is sick and mentally ill. And this has nothing to do with us. We are not the ones who can cure them by changing our behavior.
Lundy Bancroft: "Abuse is NOT caused by bad relationship dynamics. You can't manage your partner's abusiveness by changing your behaviour. But he wants you to think you can."
The pain that we feel when toxic people attack us, verbally or physically - is normal pain, we need this pain as the instruction for us what to do with severely damaged people around us.
If you are not feeling pain, anger and sadness while you are taking in psychological abuse or something similar – you are going to end up in those situations over and over again –because you are not logging information that your body telling 🟥Heidi Priebe https://youtube.com/watch?v=GTQohPaGnSY
People say it bothers me when they say these things. I say, because they say bothersome things. I don't want you to lose that part of you. That part is good index what is okay, what's not. From that point – excavation. A person pulling their true self out of their relationships. If you grew up with narcissistic parent, it was a true self that never even got to develop. It's how much your identity got co-opted. What do I like, what do I stand for. 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
The core of narcissistic person is very fragile. That's why they lose it when you critique them. Or give them feedback. Or don't read their mind. Or don't do exactly what they want. And that's why they use all kinds of tactics like manipulation, gaslighting, invalidation, dismissiveness, competitiveness, betrayal. Some of them are tactics, some are unemphatic behavior. And it gives them the upper hand in relationship. Control, power gives them supply. 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
With social anxiety - we do not need psychiatry. Socially anxious need sociology. It is after all social issue. Social anxiety is anxiety that is connected to society - the name itself reveals this crucial aspect: society, social, societal. Psychiatry will only leave us lacking and with belief that something is horribly wrong with us, when we are around toxic people:
DSM doesn't explain anything. So many therapies and particularly CBT and others are just so focused on extinguishing symptoms which were once strategies of survival. And it doesn't make sense that you want to extinguish – we want eventually to move away from these symptoms and these strategies but I certainly don't want to pathologize them or look at them as somehow defective because they have saved our lives. 🟥 Transforming Trauma Episode 21 IFS & NARM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRTHacVAwdk
When we stop self pathologizing our social anxiety - we will unburden ourselves with toxic idea that feeling pain is abnormal and sick. And it will give us energy to start looking what is causing this pain - instead of focusing ourselves on chasing the symptoms. Without the stigma and labels - we will have much more resources at our disposal to handle difficult people in life who are causing our social anxiety in the first place.
With social anxiety - we need to learn about the Cooley's concept Looking-Glass Self and other terms from sociology. Instead of pathologizing our social reactions - we simply need information to confirm us that we are not abnormal and inept as CBT paints the socially anxious. We need information to learn what our rights are.
Five themes of microaggression against people with mental illnesses
1. Invalidation
When other people dismiss their illness or symptoms through minimizing their experience, symptomizing their normal experiences, and patronizing
2. Assumption of inferiority
When other people assume that people with mental illness have lower intelligence, are incompetent, and that they do not have control
3. Fear of mental illness
When other people fear them because they believe that they may be dangerous or unpredictable
4. Shaming of mental illness
When other people tell them that they shouldn't let others know about their mental illness
5. Second class citizen attitudes
When other people treat them as if they don't have the same rights as the dominant group of society.
Mental Health Forum, 2016

Diagnosis is not an excuse to be selective about their rights. Autistic not weird
Healing the Broken Looking-Glass Self means learning about the mentality - which we never had chance to learn in our developmental years. Other children learned this concept via keeping connections with other people. We - started to avoid people. Even when we were around other people - we pulled our investment emotionally with other people - and this way we never learned that other people are safe. We developed the stump growth - that is being stuck in age 12, when we started to avoid people. Similar to the plant that cannot grow roots in small basin or tree/plant that is stumped in growing due to some kind of obstacle to grow upright. Our growth was shaped from the perspective of not trusting other people - because they harmed us. Other people learned to develop certain amount of trust. They learned to filter out the bad people. And they learned that they are safe to express themselves - without being punished for it. This is why their social anxiety is in normal threshold. They will experience stress and then behave in anti-social manner, they will express their anger without problems - because they were never pushed into forming their self worth through worry what their tormentors might think about them. So it is not like social anxiety is abnormality or sickness - it is simply that non-socially anxious people were lucky enough to grow in healthy ambient, and that is their secret. They were not stronger. They were not more competent. They were not better or superior to the socially anxious. They simply had privilege and entitlement that helped them over-pass developmental years without fearing other people. Their mechanisms how to handle triggers - are mostly unhealthy (lacking empathy) - but their Looking glass self was not broken. With interaction with other people, with other children, they learned naturally to allow difficult people to hate them. Instead of worry - that is found in social anxiety - they simply turned their focus onto other people. With social anxiety - we do not have other people, we have no one to turn to, since we learned that other people are painful and traumatic. We never learned that hanging around with other people is enjoyable experience - and if someone is rude, toxic and abnormal - that we are allowed to focus and place our attention to better, healthier people around us.
In shame culture ambient - we will learn that other people criticism is reflection of our worth - and that is Broken Looking-Glass Self. That we cannot feel good about ourselves until other person reflects positive words about us to us:
Young American explained why she left Croatia:
"In Croatia people constantly express intrusive opinion about matters which are none of their business. The most irritating things were rude people."
https://www.poslovni.hlifestyle/amerikanka-napusta-hrvatsku-neucinkovitost-i-birokracija-te-ljudi-koji-nemaju-motiva-za-napredovanjem-u-poslu-358422
Young American explained why she escaped from Croatia:
"Often I heard Croats intruding why am I eating something, or commenting about what I wore. There is no such thing in America, we allow people to be what they want to be. People here are strange as if I am inside toxic relationship."
https://www.vecernji.hshowbiz/amerikanka-u-hrvatskoj-iznenadila-objavom-ljudi-su-ovdje-cudni-kao-da-sam-u-losoj-vezi-1351757
Don't look to the approval of others for your mental stability. 🟦 Karl Lagerfeld
We will heal social anxiety trauma with healing our choice to stay stuck around toxic people. We can cut toxic people - even when we are unable to leave them physically - by severing the trauma bonding in our mind - that is broken Looking-Glass Self.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
Yes, toxic people are pathological liars, They spread gossip. They create drama and hysteria. Toxic people do not have word toxic stuck on their forehead. Toxic people will not behave toxically in front of others - because they depend to look good in the eyes of other people - so they also have Looking-Glass Self no matter how much they said that they do not care what other people think about them. Therefore - social anxiety is clear indication that we are around toxic people. Toxic people do not allow us to express ourselves - and they use various methods of coercive control to manipulate their targets. The first step is to sever this trauma bonding - by allowing them to hate us.
That we basically stop impressing others.
Don't try to impress others. ✝️ Bible, Philippians 2-3
Cooley said our sense of Self comes from how we think other people see us. “I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am; I am what I think you think I am.” Other people's reflections of us and how we think about those images they have of us help create our sense of Self. Grades from teachers can reflect back to us an image of ourselves that we then internalize and becomes our self-perception. They effect self-image. 🟥 The Looking glass self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1wwTCuZBo
We imagine we are seen by others. And that imagination forms our identity. Our identity is being shaped by others. Others is agent which influences who we are in society. You begin to believe that and you begin to see as your identity, what other people think of you. Intelligent, high self esteem, outgoing – you believe what people say about you, it becomes your identity. Our identity is formed through the way we imagine people see us.
🟥 Looking-glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWOflUXKUQ
That imagination comes from interaction with these people. In the process of interaction they tell you this is what we think about you. And then you go off believe in that. You don't control what people think about you. Front Stage Behavior: Familiarity breeds content-With front stage they behave nicely. It's in subconsciousness of individuals that they have to behave a certain way in public. At interview- they smile, but is this who they are?
🟥 Looking-glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWOflUXKUQ
It is often said that American Beauty is a film about identity. Each character seems to go through a very personal identity crisis. But I would argue that this crisis are not personal at all. They are products of wider social forces. We may define ourselves based on prevailing attitudes towards sexuality, beauty and material success. Sense of self strongly influences by social world.
🟥 American Beauty Film Analysis: The Sociology of Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6youJFbEgQ
Ricky shows Jane that he likes her as she is. Eventually this leads her abandoning the idea of surgery and gain enough confidence and self-esteem to tell Angela what she really thinks of her. Freed from idea that everyone looks down on he because of her physical appearance, Jane's sense of self is no longer defined how she looks, how she looks to others.
🟥 American Beauty Film Analysis: The Sociology of Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6youJFbEgQ
An individual realize its self by reflecting others' perceptions about him. They use social interactions as a mirror. A Person grows and develop due to interpersonal interactions of the Society. When one interacts socially, one completely considers how one looks in the eyes of others. Negative response leads to depression and anxiety.
🟥 Looking Glass Self Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAzsBj6yTpw
Looking Glass Self where you see yourself the way you think others see you. You can't see the way others truly see you. So you're seeing yourself they way you think others think they see you. You can see how much is lost in the translation. You're much more beautiful than you think. You attract so much more than you know. There's more going on with you than you care to acknowledge. Beauty is not about what you see. It's about what you reflect. 🟥 Looking Glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFEkq8uDiJU
Mirror in front of you, and you are looking at yourself in the mirror, the way it is – is mirror in reality. As Masha labels you, tells you, comments on you, provides you all kinds of feedback, your self continues to develop. The way society perceives you and gives feedback about you. It is considered important to yourself and you have that impression that is how I should be. Their significance or importance makes you proud.
🟥 Looking Glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa-PD1YVxj4
There is something you have never understood, Joe. These people at the top, they are the same as anybody else. But you had it inside of you to be so much bigger than any of them. You just had to be yourself. That was all. With me you were yourself. Only with me. Room at the Top (1958) https://youtu.be/Cs1C_Tu2crI

So I just saw a tiktok comments section that very valiantly defended Effy’s behaviour on the camping trip even though….
[look away now if you don’t want spoilers!!!!!]
Effy literally instigated the situation that led to her beating Katie and leaving her in the woods.
Firstly, Effy wasn’t supposed to come on the trip initially because Katie didn’t want her there. Maybe that sounds nasty to most people but I get Katie’s hesitation… All throughout the season Effy has been at the centre of most of the drama the group goes through.
Effy treats all her “friends” awfully. From the beginning of Effy and Pandora’s friendship we can see that Effy has treated her like shit. Effy puts Pandora down when they’re alone and when they’re around others. Effy ignores Pandora’s boundaries constantly because Pandora isn’t “cool” enough to be worthy of respect. Effy pitted Cook and Freddy (and Jay Jay too but she never actually considered him) against each other on day 1 of their meeting. Yes, Effy is not solely to blame for Cook and Freddy’s decision to become weird sexual rivals but her challenge was the breaking point in their friendship. I also see that Effy pits Emily and Katie against each other throughout the series. It’s an interesting mix of treating Katie like she was vapid/worthless (despite Effy herself being actually really similar to Katie, she cares about the way she is percieved yet judges Katie for the same thing) and treating Emily decently. So I will admit that it’s actually very redeeming for Effy to accept Emily’s sexuality and feelings for Naomi without judgment. That being said, I noticed through season 3 Effy often uses her dynamic with Emily to subtly goad and provoke Katie. Effy didn’t really care about who Naomi was only that her presence would piss off Katie and make Emily giddy. It’s actually very intelligent how Effy manipulates everyone around her to appear the exact opposite way they are by others. Another example is how Effy doesn’t even listen when Pandora is trying to process Thomas’ abrupt departure from their lives. Overall Effy is a piss poor friend.
Moving onto my second point, the substance use! EFFY was the person who found the mushrooms and encouraged everyone to take them. Katie begged everyone not to take them “it was meant to just be some sausages and beers.” I really understand Katies point here - all their friends seem to end up in bad ways when the whole lot of them take drugs, its actually quite a concerning and probably scary dynamic. Theres nothing wrong with having a quiet evening and the whole group had seemingly been content enough to go out into the woods without their normal cocktail of drugs, have a bonfire, some beers and hang out before Effy finds some mushrooms. This isn’t even the first time Effy imposes drugs on others when it was explicitly stated that her friends did not want to partake for the single event. For example, Pandora’s birthday party.
Pandora was heart broken that Effy spikes the brownies with MDMA, that she lied to her mum, that she turned the whole party into something that benefitted her. Now some of you might try to say “oh well thats just Effy’s way of coping” yes but that doesn’t erase how cruel and unkind it is towards Pandora. Then Effy gets angry at Pandora for sleeping with Cook - Cook who Effy is unattached to in a “hes not my boyfriend” way, Effy who sleeps with anyone she wants but wouldn’t even consider that maybe she shouldn’t. Effy would never even consider that maybe Pandora has a crush on a boy before she decides to sleep with him so why should Pandora care? I understand it’s not the same situation like Pandora did know that Effy was involved with Cook, HOWEVER, the way I saw it Pandora was always bending over backwards to accomodate Effy. Cook was ALSO an active participant in sleeping with Pandora, yet why doesn’t Effy acknowledge his role in the situation- all she ever does is ignore him and punish Pandora? Pandora was at breaking point and Effy had just spiked her straightlaced mum with MDMA, contributed to turning the party into a rager and ignored Pandora when she wanted advice about Thomas
Back to my second point, Effy found the mushrooms and took them which further provoked Katie. People keep saying “Effy was high she didn’t know what was happening” completely ignoring that it was Effy’s choice and in real life regardless of if she was high - she was still accountable for her actions. Yes Katie should not have tried to provoke Effy to have a bad trip but considering the fact that Effy had ruined the camping trip and by this I mean the drugs but also ghosting Cook so that he followed them and he would scare them all. Yes again not Effy’s fault for Cooks behaviour BUT again, if she was just honest with him and told him she didn’t want to see him instead of trying to avoid the consequences of her actions then maybe he would have stayed away.
Thirdly, the unreliable narrator and the events prior to hitting Katie. So I just pointed out that Cook scared the shit out of everyone - this is actually quite important to consider in what goes down next. The rock scene is framed intentionally as unreliable. It seems as if Katie is goading Effy and attacking her from our perspective but it’s not actually confirmed as true (I believe it probably is because we all know Katie would do that out of spite) and as we know Effy is mentally unstable at this time. Its obvious in her behaviours towards the group that I mentioned before. Effy is almost paranoid in the way she pits other people against one another; it’s probable that Effy believes herself as better or estranged from other people because she is experiencing an altered reality that is disconnected from everyone elses. Effy was already frightened by Cook and this could have had the effect of causing her to hallucinate Katie attacking her. Maybe Katie did attack her as a way to “ruin” Effy’s fun and punish her but it could also be true that Katie was approaching Effy and her hostility towards Effy resulted in Effy believing she was being attacked.
Finally, the aftermath. Effy was judged so harshly for this particular incident because of what happens after the fight. Effy returns to the camp and sleeps with Freddy. Yes I know she was high and not thinking straight but it was also something Effy wanted far before the camping trip. Effy had made it clear she liked Freddy from day 1, yet she rejected him because she was scared of how he made her feel. Katie then started a relationship with Freddy when Effy didn’t want him - she had chosen Cook. The fact that Effy finally acted on her feelings for Freddy only after she has been tripping for hours and potentially hurt his girlfriend severely was the reason the group were disgusted and horrified by what happened. Effy didn’t intentionally try to kill Katie and then sleep with Freddy, but she still harmed her and slept with him. Effy sealed her own coffin when she didn’t fess up as soon as they lost Katie. The fact that she kept silent the whole morning they were trying to find Katie and then anonymously called to report what happened was why the group found her so despicable.
Here’s my interpretation of the Camping Incident: Once the group found Katie they realised that maybe she had a point asking them not to eat hallucinogenic mushrooms in the woods. I think the whole group felt guilty they had ignored her requests and then when she was missing they decided she had left/been able to make her way home without them. In reality they did abandon her there and the shame made them think about what they would do differently. Then Katie woke up and tells them what happened. Suddenly all the shitty things Effy does to everyone on their own or in subtle almost undetectable ways have a platform for examining. I think what happened to Katie made the group see how badly Effy treated everyone around them and in her pain they could see their own. Effy (and Cook) are catalysts for chaos, always taking things too far and being unable to face their mistakes. When the group get together around Katie’s bedside they were shown the result of Effy’s actions and while they didn’t want Effy to go to jail/juvie (I assume since there isn’t a legal battle or any police charges mentioned in later seasons) they are finally ready to cut her out of their lives.
TDLR: The chaos of the camping trip was the impact of the season long toxic behaviour from Effy towards her friends, the result of her use of drugs to cope/numb herself and the consequence of her selfish behaviour. Katie tried to set a boundary that the trip would not have drugs and get out of control, Effy ignored that boundary and encouraged everyone else to do so too. Effy is still responsible for her actions even if she was on drugs, legally thats just how it works. Katie potentially wasn’t even attacking Effy - the scene is meant to be unreliable, even if she was she had been pushed and pushed by Effy so much on that trip that it’s not hard to understand her logic. Katie should not have provoked Effy, but she didn’t deserve to be left in the woods, have her boyfriend be unfaithful to her and almost die because of it.
Essentially, both Effy and Katie fucked around and found out.
The reason I’m making this post if because I like the complexity of the characters on skins I’ve been watching and rewatching this show since I was a teenager. But the way people reduce the camping situation bothers me because se they are ruining the depth of the show to paint Effy as something of a victim. People need to stop ignoring everything Effy did to create the situation that occurred. Yes Katie is a mean bitch but Effy was also a mean bitch y’all just ignore it because shes ~pretty~ and ~cool~ In Gen 2 Effy is the equivalent of Sid in my eyes.
I also an sick of the Katie hate - I get it I used to hate her too but I grew up to understand that her family dynamic was just as fucked up as Effy’s. Katie denied Emilys sexuality only because her own identity was so significantly tied up with Emily. Katie was clearly the “pride” of their family which was pushed on her by their mother - I think her desire to keep Emily in the closet and to be a desirable popular girl is based on the pressure her mother puts on her. Does that mean I agree with Katie’s behaviour? Absolutely not. But at the same time I can recognise that she is human!
Effy is human too. I think it’s an injustice to her character that people don’t acknowledge the fucked up things Effy does and they try to white knight her into being the “victim”. Effy isn’t just a victim, like Katie she is also a human with many facets to who she is. Effy is mysterious and seductive because it allows her to be popular yet for people to never see her vulnerability. Effy instigates conflict in her friendship group because her family has been dysfunctional for so long so it’s normal for her and takes away the potential for other people to see her shitty behaviour. Effy is also a teenager who has had no guidance (honestly her appearance in the first season was genuinely sickening for me to watch as an adult she was so neglected). Effy was a girl who tried to blot out all her emotions with drugs until it finally broke her. Effy self destructs as a form of control, she is very clearly not mentally well. Unfortunately despite the ways she is human she did something that was unforgivable- at least not immediately.
Anyway, thoughts?

Introduction:

I do not understand how people looked at chapter 148 And automatically believe Kana. And that Akane somehow has won the shipping war.
Like did we l not learn anything from previous arcs?
Here is why kana is objectively wrong and why it's horrible to rely on her perspective but also why i don't think Akane won. (if anything its the opposite)

Actually do know why, and its because majority of people in the subreddit thinks that Aqua is telling the truth in chapter 97.and that Akane somehow saved Aqua little by little.
Believing Aqua was happy with Akane, is like saying Aqua was happy becoming surgeon. and believing Aqua was happy becoming surgeon is like believing him when he says "Ai never cried"

GPS TAG

https://preview.redd.it/19vjf7d2s60d1.png?width=354&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea68656fe32183f0d5821277040c82584eaa1a4d
Gps tag where did it come from?.
to answer that we must go to chapter 30.
Where decided he wanted to use Akane because she understood Ai's mindset. but most impiortantly Akane understood the type of man Ai Hoshino liked.
https://preview.redd.it/c90rev36s60d1.png?width=434&format=png&auto=webp&s=168ae181a105cd5c1b5f68fd1da68130a362b85b
(Keep in chapter 98,Aqua said that he implemented the Gps tag some time after love now ended.) And lovenow ended in chapter 31. But what is most important in chapter 31, is the fact kaburagi asked him out for some sushi to get more information about Ai hoshino.
https://preview.redd.it/w7ut1rges60d1.png?width=366&format=png&auto=webp&s=c577af3d08437211f684d370d4efaf9f1e33f63e
In chapter 33, they get sushi together. And while Kaburagi is explaining everything to Aqua. He also says that his father and I met in lalalie. The first thing that comes to Aqua's mind is the fact that Akane goes to Lalalie. So now, we have his motivation. And later on we will see this again Chapter 40 when they are talking lalalie and TB, the fact that Akane goes there appears is his mind again.
https://preview.redd.it/mkqrnv4ms60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c195445361fee0d8840771a7ceaa53c9f6f131a
As for when he put the tracker on to Akane, it is around chapter 40 since the balcony scene makes no sense because Akane would have noticed something was wrong considering she would have now known Aqua's intentions.
Now we know where the GPS tag come from and Aqua's motivations. Let's go to the elephant in the room.

SURGEON

After TB, Aqua goes and confront Taiki about their father. Only to found out his dead. The entire arc shows that Aqua without his revenge wouldn't be any better. He would've just relived his life as Gorou Amamiya. Aqua with no stars, have 0 purpose. Aqua did genuienely believe this deep down inside he did genuienely want his revenge to be over.
However, without his revenge he wouldn't be happy either because he would've lived for the happiness of others not for himself and would've become a doctor again.
keep in mind, the biggest question here is, Who was Gorou Amamiya and Why was he reincarnated? Why was he reincarnated with his memories? And why was the day he died so important?
https://preview.redd.it/me2szkhus60d1.png?width=856&format=png&auto=webp&s=76306133795e4d193660801294fffa09e2780cc2
"In the end, He couldn't let go of the guilt of having his mother lose her life to giv e birth to him." - C75
So Aqua/Gorou had this guilt wayy before he was reincarnated. And way before he became gynecologist.
He claims that he wanted to become surgeon.
https://preview.redd.it/llo6m95ys60d1.png?width=856&format=png&auto=webp&s=e3d421473ba9a0e2ca9f92e91cc3fd52cfbd2910
He is lying because not only does he never shows any excitement when he says he wants to be surgeon. But also because how he died. If Gorou true dreams, was to become a surgeon why was he reincarnated as an idol's son?
When he was dying it was Sarina's words about the idea of being an idol's child.
chapter 1
So, if Aqua's actual dream was to be a surgeon, then he would have never become an idol's child the first place. (Also, for doctor he does know alot about the entertaintment industry.)

(A brief) Aqua's perspective explanation:

In Aqua's perspective during this time, He can live normal life and have been thinking about other people around him's future. Aqua's definition of "Normal" is everything he did his old life. Date some girls, live for other people's happiness, go to medical school, And isolating himself as doctor forever.
https://preview.redd.it/6599fk4ft60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=a04368ec9082f408d41c1f5cc276f62465bd49b5
At first Aqua wanted to break up with Akane because he thinks he shouldn't hold back a girl with a brighjt future like Akane any longer. "bright future" is a implication that Aqua knows about Akane's upcoming movie. And he wanted to break up with her because he didn't want to hold her back in her career. But also their relationship was fake
https://preview.redd.it/gdp7pocit60d1.png?width=418&format=png&auto=webp&s=73d42a3d72e4ee6d896d1184f0956207f39b60cf
I will not get into too much about the bridge scene. And everything in Aqua's perspective because the entire essay is supposed to be Akane and Kana's perspective but Aqua is also important.
All you need to know is that Aqua ends up changing his mind, after seeing Akane cry. Why? Because he thinks Akane needs him. Since her weird reaction on the bridge was what stuck with him.
https://preview.redd.it/4zhf6rurt60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7e737fb140333580a36f9bf45e36be420089ca7
And decided to live for her happiness because his trait of living for the happiness of others not for himself. since he knows that he is Akane's first boyfriend and Akane isn't the most mentallyt strong person to survive in the entertaintment industry (Her suicide). So, he was worried if he didn't date her, she might become mentally unstable again and do something reckless just like in lovenow. But, Also, he can protect Kana. Because he isn't busy with work, He is going on dates with Akane.
Everything else that followed was already analyzed by user mission-raccon, in his character studies essays. here he made an entire essay partaining to the love triangle between Akane and Kana and how Aqua kept a distance in both. unavailable for Akane and invesible for Kana.

LOOPHOLE

Akane ran away because she realized the loophole. In her monologue she says this.
Akane's monologue in chapter 72:

"What should I do?" Akane doesn't know what to do with the loophole when she noticed it, that's why she ask what should she do? about the loophole. Should she tell him or not. neither option are good because without the revenge, Aqua isn'tr truly happy and just go back to living for other people's happiness and isolate himself. And With revenge Aqua will live for revenge. (As self destructive it is and it is a terrible thing, it is the better option for Aqua, cause with his revenge, their is actually a potential of being saved and without the revenge the movie would've never happened and he would've known that Ruby was Sarina and him and Kana would have never reunite.)
https://preview.redd.it/ll1g5ud4u60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=c49d1f2d6158fc0883f318ba042c5360b713b592
Anyway, Akane brings this confusion up later in Chapter 78, because in chaptyer 78 in her inner monologue she askes herself again, "what should I do?" And during this breakdown, Aqua gets up and kisses her. And that's when Akane made her decision.
"I want Aqua to forget about that incident"- akane chapter 80. How is Akane going to make Aqua forget the incident? By keeping the loophole from him and hoping he doesn't find out.
Now let me, clarify, Her intentions are good and reasonable but unfortunately for Akane, Aqua is reincarnated. and isn't normal ass dude.Therapy and keeping him away from his revenge isn't going to help him. because he is reincarnated and his trauma stems from his past life not current. So, he isn't going to heal and forget Ai because the guilt is still there. it was always there since his old life.
Aqua's guilt is the reason why wants revenge. Because it's the only he feels liuke he can repent for what happened to Ai Hoshino.

Aka's writing style:

Aka's writing style is that everything comes in full circle. He starts of one thing, after some chapters ends it off with the other thing, connecting them together.

everything in oshi no ko is connected.

an obvious example of this would chapter 122 and chapter 14. in Chapter 122 Gorou tells Sarina that he will protect her from underground idols and bad recruiters which is exactly what Aqua did in chapter 14. Protecting Ruby from those bad recruiters and underground idols.
https://preview.redd.it/dbrmua7cu60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=22c9e7582625f25ad58fa0efa804aab14a46fff5
And the bird fact from Chapter 77 and 145
Those are just few examples on how Akasaka connect chapters together. And he does this alot throughout the story, in fact that is how I was able to understand the characters perspective connecting them together. because that's how a story works. You won't understand the author or any of the characters if you don't try and connect them together.

Fake Relationship

https://preview.redd.it/o0a2ruxhu60d1.png?width=302&format=png&auto=webp&s=e7cc003779e3004d17ccc4c43e617d62c48b7847
"We're a fake couple whose relationship started in a dating show"- Akane chapter 87
Chapter 87, have a lot of clues , not only is she aware that Aqua is attracted to Kana she laso hopes will become the truth since their relationship is fake.
Akane and Aqua started dating for real but their relatiionship was still fake, Why? because Aqua lives for the happiness of others. Like I said many times before, When he was dating Akane all he did was act like his good boyfriend.
(we also see this fakeness play out with Aqua in Chapter 96, On the phone with Akane, Aqua overexaggerates his line.
"Akane kurokawa forceful enough to knock down a birds in flight, Can feel nervous too?" - Aqua C96.
One thing, I noticed is this scene alot of people take it in face value. Akane refers to them as a fake couple who started in dating show. Meaning they are still a fake couple despite dating for real. And then says Aqua is a liar trying his best not to lie to her.
When she says"Aqua-kun is a liar trying his best not to lie to me" Alot people take this explanation ins face value and think that Aqua actually trying to be honest with Akane.
But he isn't, if he was trying to be honest with her, Akane wouldn't need to hope that little by little lies become the truth. It's because Akane thinks that the lies will become the truth therefore Aqua is trying his best not to lie to her because the lies will eventually become the truth.
Spoiler alert; it doesn't :)
Now for chapter 97, And why it's actually not as romantic as people love romanticising it.
Remember when I said everything ONK is connected? yeah, let's start with chapter 98.
Chaprter 98:
https://preview.redd.it/eb306g9zv60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=36ff2bf84e2563e100e4e085bbf4ea980b1d3197
Akane

Chapter 97: Aqua

Akane:

Because of the GPS tag, Aqua already knows Akane was sleepy so then he ask.
Aqua:

he is actively getting confirmation that Akane will not be going to work on her next day. Hence why chapter 98, he is in his regular clothes and not his school uniform.
And yes, He does suspect Akane of knowing about the loophole. since he does remember her weird reaction and excuse in chapter 72.

Reason why the lies did not become the truth for Akane:

After she makes her excuse that she is on a diet, Akane askes Aqua that she wouldn't like him if she was fat, in which Aqua replied with I like you no matter what.
Akane believes Aqua's words, And thinks the lies have become the truth. (based on Akane's suirprise and smile)
So then slips up:

The choice that Akane is talking about is in Chapter 80, Where she said she wanted Aqua to forget about the incident.
Alot of shippers think that Akane is talking but the dating show even though in reality she isn't talking about the dating show. Since in Chapter 71, Akane said they have never kissed or held hands after the show ended.
"We haven't even kissed since that one time during the show's run. We haven't held hands." - C71
The last time they kissed was in chapter 78. And in Chapter 80, she made the choice to not tell about the loophole. After Akane claims she is so happy.
Aqua starts his monologue on how Akane saved him little by little.
He is lying, because how can Akane "save" him when she knows nothing about Gorou and the reincarnation. Furthermore, Those memories are not Aqua's memories.
Because when he said "Save me little by little" it's the umbrella scene, Why would Aqua imagine the umbrella scene when little by little is Akane's monologue in chapter 87.
"When you tell that its wrong, you say that it's wrong" - And it's from Chapter And hows Chapter 43 designated loser, Why would Aqua be wrong for telling Akane she will lose to Kana?
Again, I won't spent to much time analyzing Chapter 97, Also, The part that gets msinterpreted theb most is the What should I do question from Aqua, What should I do? He already decided to go back to his revenge (The moment he called Akane)
So, he isn't telling her that he wants to be with her, He says.

":Should I just forget everything and live happily ever after like this? OR?" - Aqua C97

His asking Akane how far he should take his revenge whether he should live happily ever after like this. I love the phrase "happily ever after" because it's such common phrase used in fairy tales again highlighting the superficialness and fakeness of their relationship.
And by "Forget everything" Aqua means whether he should kill his father and forget anything ever happened. "OR" Implying he should self destruct, and go with original plan, kill his father and end his life.
And Akane's second slip up, Was when she said she'll help him carry burden. In chapter 72, she said that because she wanted to help kill his father. Chapter 97, she then slips up again. This time she didn't tell Aqua about the loophole hence how Aqua already knew Akane was going to kill hios father.
Chapter 72 Akane (before loophole) :

You've told me about before right?
That you enter the show business to kill a certain person.
Well,, its not like i am against breaking up. but still, (showing that she did see it coming)
I thought you need someone to share a little bit of these burden with you

Chapter 97 Akane (After hiding the from Aqua):

I told you before didn't I?
I want to help you carry your buden together.

That's how Akane got caught, because their is no burden to carry in chapter 97 because she hid the truth from Aqua.
He doesn't break up with her over the phone because he needs her to finish her investigation. That's why in chapter 99 Aqua already knew who his real father was.
https://preview.redd.it/4m9an8fmy60d1.png?width=546&format=png&auto=webp&s=6898ee1d3ae017cb9bb1ba14ef2dd47b1e6e0454
needless, to say, Akane realizes that she couldn't save Aqua at all.
But, Akane also realized that his revenge self isn't his true self. I repeat Aqua isn't suited for revenge, true self is not his revenge self. I don't understand the people who try to make the fact Akane agreed to Aqua's revenge a good thing.
Again, Someone already made in entire analysis, explaining this. and Aqua's and Akane's perspective in chapter 97 and how Aqua operates between Kana and Akane. It's called the Love triangle of distance relations. (needlless to say Chapter 97, isn't supposed to be veiwed romantically)
The character study of Gorou Amamiya: Here

AKANE'S WISH

https://preview.redd.it/n4yepsoaz60d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=c2bc10d19dfc52b82d1bf5ff10d83571bc7a4181
Akane has been wanting to make Aqua ever since he saved her life. That was her goal.
Chapter 28:

Chapter 148:

Akane's wish from the start was to make Aqua happy because Aqua saved her life. She still needs to repay him and she wants to repay him by making him happy.
Hence why she agrees to the revenge no questions ask, because she thought that would make him happy.
When He tells her about the news of his dead father, She is confused the loophole present itself. but then choose to not tell him and try to make him forget about the incident to try make him happy. (which also failed because Aqua is reincarnated And Aqua also doesn't love her and they were in fake relationship. He also attracted to Kana.)
Her last resort was to kill Hikaru which again failed because Aqua stopped her. She realizes Aqua's true nature (Revenge self isn't his true self and it isn't something that is righteous or good) , And decides to stop him instead. But still wants to make him happy.
How is she going to make him happy and pay off her debt?
(Well, If she ever finds out the twins secret and starts digging into gorou's past in order to have him realize that his birth mom in previous life loved him so he can stop feeling guilty for existencing and stop doing things out of guilt.)
The other resort is Kana.

KANA IS WRONG

Kana thinks Aqua actually loves Akane.
Hence why he choose Akane over her.
Kana thinks Akane makes Aqua happy because she saw them together. throughout the whole day we hardly see Aqua and Kana interact. So her seeing them together makes hergive up.

But what does not know:

• is that Aqua and Akane's relationship was still fake even though they were dating for real.
• She doesn't know that Aqua put gps tag on Akane for a year
• She doesn't know about revenge or the reason why thety broke up.
• And she doesn't know that Aqua is attracted to her.

But you know who deoes know the truth? that's right! Akane!
Akane knows that Aqua is attracted to Kana and recently She knows that Kana likes Akane. So what is Akane going to do, well, if she learned anything keeping the loophole from Aqua. then obviously going to tell Kana the truth.

KANA IS WRONG

Kana thinks Aqua actually loves Akane.
Hence why he choose Akane over her.
Kana thinks Akane makes Aqua happy because she saw them together. throughout the whole day we hardly see Aqua and Kana interact. So her seeing them together makes hergive up.

But what does not know:

• is that Aqua and Akane's relationship was still fake even though they were dating for real.
• She doesn't know that Aqua put gps tag on Akane for a year
• She doesn't know about revenge or the reason why they broke up.
• And she doesn't know that Aqua is attracted to her.

But you know who deoes know the truth? that's right! Akane!
Akane knows that Aqua is attracted to Kana and recently She knows that Kana likes Aqua. So what is Akane going to do? well, if she learned anything keeping the loophole from Aqua. then obviously going to tell Kana the truth.
https://preview.redd.it/3ki0vevg170d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=63aee7b275abbe86310f442ec4f7093e571639e1
There is no reason why she would hide how she noticed Aqua was attracted to Kana when they were dating. Unlike Kana, Akane is a reliable source, Since she has dating Aqua for 6 months. Half a year. So she had enough time to think this over and come down to a conslusion that Aqua was attracted to Kana. (Which is true, because the anime made that clear, When Aqua said "that's right that's her speciality, after looking at her in awe when she perform in sweet today (which is also his favorite manga) But Aqua being attracted to Kana deserves seperate essay on its own.)
in comparsion, To Kana who just saw them together and immediately gave up. because Aqua spent the whole day not talking to her and isolating himself. Plus, she thinks that Aqua choose Akane in the beginning because He liked her. She doesn't know about revenge or how their relationship was actually like. And certainly doesn't know about the gps tag.
If she did she wouldn't be reccommending it lol.

WHY KANA AND SARINA IS ABLE TO CHANGE HIS STARS:

No stars means no purpose, But Aqua with the stars have purpose. Black stars is him being hyperfocus on revenge. And they only change black to white when he is with people who he has sympathy for.
Like for example, He has sympathy for Sarina, she is someone who is special to him. And he always admired her radiance and light.
Kana is able to do the same thing because its a callback to chapter 40,
https://preview.redd.it/bhnycvwu270d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=ffcbc0ec1dad9d08cf2106e734ec07755f3a0cca
If you want i guess you can put that old Akasaka tweet there too.
that when he is with Kana he becomes his old self. Not just look wise personaity wise too. Since she was giggling when he was talking to Kana.

Kana:Seriously you mustn't tell Ruby about this! She'll eat all the chips in the office!! Aqua: pffttt!

https://preview.redd.it/8a6i2eqb370d1.png?width=256&format=png&auto=webp&s=a2aaf391b3af7a12012acbfbd9aada35ce43c1c5

• But, it really shows that he genuienely has fun. I mean she literally had an entire panel to herself when he thought about Happy memories.
• Got offended memcho said he took a pass on her. lol that is still funny to me.
• "You think i am doing this cause I want to?" Showing that Aqua is obligated himself to do this.
• He probably missed Kana, that's probably why in Chapter 81 when planning a date with Akane. He looks depressed before the panel cutting to depressed Kana.
• He hesistated on using her in Chapter108. (and still didn't use her) And i don't think he will, Since their conversation before that she complimented him by telling him he was an encyclopedia. And trhen he proceeded to give her an entire essay about pandas. So yeah must've been having fun before the realization.

But those are just few moments.
I think Kana is endgame because Aqua's interveiw gave that away.
I will probably analyze Aqua's entire perspective in love since he did say he won't love anybody in Chapter 9 the interveiw in my "Aqua can't fall in love but Kana is still endgame" essay.
But all you need to know know is that their are 2 things that Aqua have fun in, Acting and kana.
https://preview.redd.it/54lq7msw370d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=e7393324d9cae6b78e627da40bd1049e31fbab69
In his interveiw, Aqua says he won't fall in love, if he did he wouldn't be able to reciprocate and Then he said he only acts for revenge.

The reason why Aqua acts for revenge:

It was actually told to us in TB, As Gotanda observed that when Aqua starts to have fun he gets a panic attack. Hence why he shall never have fun in acting and only act for revenge.
Without revenge: He is acting to keep a distance from Kana and protect her by keeping himself busy.

In his love life however, As Gorou Amamiya: He lives for other people's happiness. And let's them do what they want.

"He'll probably tell me to do what I want or something half assed like that:"- Ruby C69
Ruby said that sensei would perobably tell do whateecver she wants if he found out the reincanration. But that;'s exactly Aqua did for Ruby.
"Can't I just let her do what she want?" -Aqua C124 Also, notice how he doesn't touch Ruby back when she sits on his lap.
Similar to what he did to Akane, Akane him suspecting he may need her because of her excuse and providing emotional support for Akane in her upcoming movie. He does something similar top Ruby since she is playing Ai Hoshino. But I will explain more of this comparison in my "Aqua can't fall love but Kana is endgame essay"
Since we are getting closer to the interveiws and the movie is finished. I'll be covering how all the kisses are out of obligation or he didn't see coming and How Aqua's messed up approach to love.
But all that you need to know is that with Akane, he was the "good boyfriend" and with Ruby he was "The DoctoSensei" Letting Ruby do what she wants.
However, with Kana their does not have a role to play. He isn't dating her and she certainly doesn't know about him being reincarnated. And she ISN'T throwing herself at him so could be Gorou let do what she was.
Hence in C146, Aqua stated Kana troubling for him. Not only does he have fun with her. He also doesn't have a role to play. So when he is around it's usually genuine. And that's a red flag for Aqua. because how on earth is he going the Gloomy emo, When he is with a girl who turns him into the opposite.?
Also, the more he hangs out the Kana, likely he will get a panic attack (Just like how he has fun with acting, Kana is no different. ) In the next chapter, assuming Akane would tell Kana the truth, the developments might be interesting, Kana will have the confidence to try and become Aqua's star again.
since the reason why gave up on becoming Aqua's star is because she didn't think liked her
"I'll be your favorite idol what a foolish dream, he comes to hate so much for pete sake" - kana C99.
She also said she make him love her but due to the following events of him dating Akane, and avoiding her to protect her. It's reasonable why she had given up. from her perspective.
(Keep in mind she doesn't know why Aqua choose Akane or how their relationship was like and she doesn't know that Aqua put a gps tag on to Akane for a year. )
But if Akane tells the truth, She will confidence again and try again in the Summer concert.
Thanks for reading!
I'll see falls assess on Wednesday :)

Welcome to our new weekly post for FAQ's and Wishlists that is replacing our monthly FAQ/Wishlist post. This post will refresh every Monday at 9am EST.

​
Some examples of FAQ's are listed below, but this is only a small list of the repetitive questions/posts we're seeing:

• When is GTA6 being released
• When do preorders start
• When will the PC version be released
• What hardware will I need to run the game on PC
• Will we be able to...in the game
• Will GTA6 have...in the game
• How big will the game be
• Speculation on who the voice actors will be
• Will GTA6 Online have...
• Will (any previous GTA character) be in GTA6
• What music will be in GTA6

​

Other useful resources:

Official GTA6 Discord
Official Trailer
Trailer Analysis Documents
GTA6 Rules
​

As far as what you want to see in the game, post those wishes in the comments below.

I’m very familiar with MBTI but newer to socionics. Whenever I take Socionics tests I end up with one of two results. I’m curious to see if they are completely off base or if I’m charting the right course in my own self reflection. So here is the usual questionnaire for your typing consideration. Thank you for your time!
What do you study or do for a living? How did you come to do that? What do you like or dislike about it?

• I heavily considered skipping this question as I’d honestly rather just have the money to live and have the free time pursue my own ideas and whims. However, I have a Fine Arts degree with Digital Illustration. At one point I considered being an engineer. While I’m good at math & data the construction part of it all seemed so tedious compared to the idea stages. Computer programs always come naturally to me so digital art was no exception and I was able to bring the fantastical ideas I have in my brain to life. Storytelling in particular was always the appeal.
  
• I currently work a very niche retail. I am always tired after it as I can’t stand long-term socialization, feel under-paid and under-appreciated and hate the unpredictable schedule. It is not a difficult job though, has good benefits, and it revolves around a fantasy, imaginative theme that I have in depth knowledge on. I get to personality type as part of it too. I also do freelance illustration on the side, particularly for ttrpgs. I would rather make all my living from home.
  

What else do you do on a daily basis? What are your interests and hobbies? Why do you do them?

• I’m into typology (if that wasn’t obvious) and have been since I was very young. It really helps me to understand the very confusing behavior of humans & their emotions. Prone to rabbit hole diving on the internet for hours and hours, especially when it comes to a current hyper-fixation. I love to learn and know everything about what I’m into. I dream of being one of those people with the old 90s style webpages that have an in depth history of a product dating back from its invention to current day. My procrastinating habit will probably never let me do it though.
  
• Very much enjoy reading. Favorite genres are Fantasy, Psychology & Mythology. I also love deep dive analysis/true crime/psychology videos on youtube. I have a passion for theme parks and their history. I also love music and can play a few instruments and sing. I’m a big fan of D&D and am part of 4 campaigns currently. The character invention is my favorite part of the process.
  

What are your values, and why?

• I don’t think much about values. It doesn’t play much into my day to day but I guess - Independence. Creativity. Autonomy. Balance. Nonviolence. Curiosity. Open-mindedness? It’s easier to come up with values I don’t hold in high regard than ones I do.

Describe your relationships with family and friends. What do you like and dislike about them?

• Very hands off approach with family. I moved 1000+ miles away from them not because of negative interactions but rather just priority to myself.

Dad: I enjoy his company a lot. We are both very logical and practical and are fine with low communication. He’s always supported my interests, passions, and creativity no matter how weird he found them to be.
Mom: I love her but in childhood she often worried about me being socially behind and would berate me with concerns over finding more friends or a romantic partner. What she preferred to talk about felt very frivolous to me (clothing, family drama ect). Often told me I was too critical to her (“made her feel stupid”) which was never my intention. I’ve known her to be overly emotional and clingy at times but she got me into music and raised me with kindness which I appreciated.
Sister: Has always been the source of frustration for me as she is very reactive, confrontational and requires a lot of attention and affection which I do not give. Very opposite to me.

I will talk about my friends in the next question.
What do you look for in friends? In romantic relationships?

• I have 3 friends plus a partner. 3 seems to be the consistent number in my life as any more and I cannot upkeep the relationships. When I am first making friends it is usually due to sharing the same passion/interests. I need people around me who are privy to the same activities I am - art, computers, ttrpgs, niche media, psychology, ect - so I have topics of discussion that are full of depth and fascination and do not have to struggle through the “how’s your day” sort of thing. It’s important that my friend are accepting of the strange and unusual (we all ended up being queeneurodivergent) not prone to drama or emotional outbursts and not very into outdoorsy/social activities. I don’t do sports (watching or otherwise), clubs, drinking, or parties (I do enjoy intimate social get togethers that I have a purpose/theme, however).
  
• In romance I believe I’ve found the perfect person for me already. My partner is very complimentary. We were friends first and though our personalities were very different we had similar interests. They were sure to not scare me off by taking things very slow. (Ex: I dislike most all physical touch and they were super respectful in always asking for permission to hug me at first) They are much more direct and confrontational than I am and infinitely better with emotions and understanding social dynamics. They’ll do the talking when I don’t want to and push the physical tasks whenever I am struggling to motivate. They remember the little things about me like my preferences in aesthetic, interest and food and if it is a hair wash day or not and are very observant to notice if I have neglected things towards myself like forgetting to eat or drink in a day. Being on equal footing is very important to me. We work together, as a team, always.
  

What conflicts have you encountered recently with other people? Why did they happen? Which kinds seem to happen on a regular basis?

• Most recent would be with my sister. Her wedding is this year and I wanted to gift her my artwork for her invitations. We set a deadline and a plan. She texts me, a week and a half before we agreed on and says she’s disappointed it wasn’t done yet - that she believes I don’t care about her or her wedding and never make any effort so maybe I should just forget it. She saw the explanation I gave her when she asked for when it would be done as an excuse. I felt completely confused and blindsided. I sent a screen-cap of the exact timeframe we agreed upon. No, I’m not messaging you about your wedding constantly (it’s your event not mine) I’m doing what was asked of me and making effort the best I can. I made a neutral reply to which she apologized later. Otherwise I can’t think of the last actual conflict I was a part of.

What are your strengths? What do people like about you? What do you like about yourself?

• I’m told often that I am super knowledgable and a great resource. My friends tell me I should write a book due to my ability to understand things quickly and relay them in a digestible but detailed manner. I’m great at editing things (film/graphics/writing). I can come up with many innovative solutions and ideas that others are impressed by. I get complimented on my unique perspective and hard work. I’ve been told I’m approachable and never cause problems. I value my intelligence, logic, open-mindedness and creativity.

What are your weaknesses? What criticism do you often face from others? What do you dislike about yourself?

• I struggle motivating myself to start any task that isn’t related to my chosen fixation. I procrastinate even on things I love. I’m not goal oriented and would rather just imagine or research things all day than put anything into action. I’m embarrassingly bad at replying to texts and cannot make phone calls or order at a restaurant without repetitive rehearsal in my head.
  
  • I have been criticized for being apathetic, procrastinating, weird, too private and stubborn. My partner has been upset at me trying to find solutions and seeing all sides when they just wants to express their feelings.

In what areas of life can you manage well on your own? In what areas of your life would you like help?

• I don’t need help with critical thinking, routine, introspection, idea generation, artistry, spirituality, learning, diet, or relationships (I’m good with the ones I have as they are thanks).
  
• I need more help with doing lol. Not letting my idea just stay in my head. Striving for goals and standing up for myself. Not overthinking things. I am also bad at purposeful fitness or making health appointments because it’s very out of sight out of mind. I’ve always been quite healthy naturally but when I’m not I don’t do much to fix it. I just hope it goes away.
  

What things do you dislike doing? What things do you enjoy more than others?

• I dislike socializing 9/10 or participating in any form of career competition (marketing and networking are awful). Phone calls are anxiety inducing. I hate to be the center of attention unless I’m accurately prepared for it. Surprises in social settings are horrible (please don’t have the restaurant sing to me on my birthday). I don’t get any joy from clubbing, drinking, recreational drugs, gym activities, watching sports or going to the beach.
  
• It’s hard to gauge. I’d say I like researching & brainstorming more than others. I enjoy hypothesizing the meaning and significance of things more than most (like film analysis). Making categorizations and sorting is fun both in my brain and in physicality. I love cooking, taking quizzes, creating playlists and almost never get lonely when I am alone.
  

What goals, aspirations, or plans do you have for the future, and why?

• Just to be happy. I am content with most of my life at the moment. I would like to get a better job, to own a house and to get married to my partner but it is not a pressing priority at the moment.

What kinds of things do you do to manage and/or beautify your environment (your room, your house, etc.)?

• I have a good eye for decorating. Though, I find I usually only have the motivation when starting in a completely new space. Updating a place after having it for a while happens rarely, slowly, and in only small ways. I lean more minimalist (I hate spending money unless it’s really worth it) but I love creating color palettes, themes and making sure things match. I prefer to be comfortable and for my surroundings to be calming but also reflective of my passions. Making sure things stay tidy is a whole different story, however, as I will leave clothes on the floor and forget to put things away often. It’s gotten better with age and some strategies (like bins to toss things in instead of folding).

If you won the lottery and didn't have to work anymore, what would you do?

• Bold of you to assume winning the lottery would mean I didn’t have to work anymore in this economy (I kid. I kid). No longer having to work would be a dream come true. I’d of course invest & save first to protect myself against any monetary troubles that could arise in the future. After that I would travel. Explore all the places I could possibly want, indulge in specialty items, food and experiences- museums and libraries from all over the world especially. Once I’m done with that, or perhaps even during, I would work on my creative ideas that I’ve felt I never have time for. Writing a book, drawing animatics for my characters, update my portfolio, inventions ect ect.

What traits do you find endearing that others might dislike? What traits are considered positive/neutral by others but tend to annoy you?

• Quirkiness, nonconformity & authenticity in lifestyle is very admirable to me. I encourage when children ask probing questions because too often they are put down for curiosity instead of given answers. I love when people infodump about their interests because even if I may have zoned out I’d want them to listen to me too.
  
• I am annoyed by the emphasis on pleasantries (“How are the kids?, Did you see that new movie?) and how it can impact others opinions of you if you don’t partake in them. Unprovoked advice/demands are always irritating. People comparing themselves, competing or “rating” others or talking a lot about their bodies, is confusing to me and awkward.
  

How do you behave around strangers?

• Depends on the setting really. Default is distant. I never introduce myself or approach first unless it is a requirement. If I am working I am expected to be approachable and friendly but I’m usually mentally checked out and just performing the tasks in those instances. Whatever gets them to leave me alone so I can go back to my thoughts is preferable. I’m never rude, however, and can mask really well. If they are talking about something interesting there’s a chance I might engage on my own or to share my insight. I have a tendency to observe and listen in on others conversations.

How do you react to conflict? What do you do if somebody insults or attacks you?

• I avoid conflict as much as I can. I’m really good at going around situations and premeditating what might cause discontentment before it happens. Most all of my friends have claimed to have never seen me angry but would be horrified if I ever was. I find myself to be the bigger person in most cases. I can put on an unfazed expression because it doesn’t really matter. Inside I might feel anxious and raging so I will likely flee as soon as I am able. I’ll process my feelings on the situation later when I’m alone. I’ve never faced physical violence so I can’t really say what I would do there. Observing conflict between others makes me embarrassed and I usually leave the space if I can. I can easily see all sides to a situation but hate the outward explosion of emotions. I will try and be a good mediator if the situation is calm enough for it.

Would you ever be interested in starting a business? Why or why not? What role would you play in it? What kind of business would it be?

• I have an etsy for freelance/convention art/commissions/merch so I suppose that counts. I’m not very good at the marketing and networking angle required, just the conceptualizing part. Though I like the idea of the freedom of working for myself at my own pace, I worry I might not be able to keep myself motivated and would rather be a background support to an already existing company. I already struggle with completing the tasks on time. Maybe one day I’ll find something niche enough that could make me money out of my interests.

How do you dress or manage your appearance?

• I dress comfortably but to my personal aesthetic taste. Modest overall. I still have some clothing I’ve had since being a teen for practicality sake. Nothing fancy or specific. I have a particular color palette (earth tones) I chose to only buy so that way it stops me from analysis paralysis in selecting new clothes. I wear minimal makeup just to cover blemishes (to the point my roommate did not realize I was wearing it for years). I have never died my hair and cut it twice a year or so myself as keeping it natural and long is the least amount of maintenance possible. I don’t think about my appearance much unless I’m going to a themed event where I make an effort.

Do you like kids? Why or why not?

• Not much. I’m staunchly childfree and have never found a baby I deemed “cute”. They’re loud, gross and unpredictable and I could never deal with them 24/7. I’m not bad at interacting with them, however, they seem to like me quite a bit. I admire their curiosity and when they are polite. Working with kids is much easier than being around them in my free time.

In what situations or times in your life did you feel most fulfilled, and why?

• I felt quite fulfilled when I completed my first book (Illustrated/written/designed by me) or whenever I get selected as a representative expert on something in order to problem solve or relay information. I don’t care about the attention so much as the validation that my internal view of my skills now has a quantifiable external result.