If we didn’t have a concept of sharks, Ivy wouldn’t have any words to describe what it feels and how it wants to be seen, and it would be harder for Me to affirm its identity by petting it on the dorsal fin and complimenting its teeth.
Plus, studies show our self-esteem is more strongly impacted by the values of the culture we’re raised in than our own values. Ivy’s self-esteem is dependent on being a shark, so we have limited room to redefine the entire concept of sharks. Every departure we make from Ivy’s cultural idea of sharkness requires stronger magic to fulfill without causing dysphoria.
And calling it magic is useful for precisely this present situation: Talking about techniques to strengthen the magic. In fact, calling it making appeals to our cultural ideas of magic and makes the magic stronger. Words like delusion or fantasy have a negative connotation and can weaken the magic or have harmful side effect. What we’re doing here is using our culture as the raw materials to engineer new social constructs to serve our needs. We don’t have unlimited power, this is a delicate process. There are plenty of conflicting needs. But with knowledge and skill, we can build the ideas to make everyone happy.
Oh I wouldn’t say “fantasy” is negatively connotated. “Delusion”, unless used in a medical diagnosis, surely is, yes.
Apologies btw for using that term on you. I tend to come across harsher than I often intend to :)
What we’re doing here is using our culture as the raw materials to engineer new social constructs to serve our needs[…]
How eloquently put. Makes total sense now. Definitely nothing I regularly come across, but you explained it very well. Thanks for that insight. If everyone is happy and no harm is done, no harm is done :)
Circling back to the initial use of the word “sanity”, you came across as being high as a kite, but you’re just…differently wired. Nothing insane here.
I wish you guys the best!
Thanks! I do identify as insane, though, it’s easier that way. Insanity isn’t in the DSM because it’s not a scientific construct. It’s a political construct. And politically, I’m quite mad.
There are a lot of people online who start from the assumption I’m sane, and conclude I’m a troll because of it. I find it much easier to have a meaningful conversation with people who understand that I’m wacko.
Fun fact: My genetic dad is a wizard just like Me, but he didn’t raise Me! In fact, he barely talks about his magic with his kids at all. We both came to magic on our own without any parental input. I guess magic just runs in our family.
“Identify as insane”…is a sentence i gotta re-use :-)
Well, what actually is “politically mad” though. Everything not in the usual two corners fighting “the others”?
lol, i actually started this conversation on the assumption that you are either a troll or totally gone. And yup, it’s indeed easier if the other one already knows you’re insane in the mainframe. Saves a lot of time :-)
Interesting fun fact. But hey, have you ever tried putting your powers of imagination into art? like creating some?
I’ve become politically radicalised beyond the point of believing in the same reality as most everyone else. I can choose to believe in the white state’s reality, I’m just politically opposed to it. That’s political insanity. They used to hit trans people and women who wanted independence with the same accusations.
Yeah I’ve made art. I’ve done short stories, video game mods, roleplaying games, and I’m currently learning drums. I usually publish My art under a pseudonym. Happy to share a story from the game of Draw Steel I’m playing in, though.
If we didn’t have a concept of sharks, Ivy wouldn’t have any words to describe what it feels and how it wants to be seen, and it would be harder for Me to affirm its identity by petting it on the dorsal fin and complimenting its teeth.
Plus, studies show our self-esteem is more strongly impacted by the values of the culture we’re raised in than our own values. Ivy’s self-esteem is dependent on being a shark, so we have limited room to redefine the entire concept of sharks. Every departure we make from Ivy’s cultural idea of sharkness requires stronger magic to fulfill without causing dysphoria.
And calling it magic is useful for precisely this present situation: Talking about techniques to strengthen the magic. In fact, calling it making appeals to our cultural ideas of magic and makes the magic stronger. Words like delusion or fantasy have a negative connotation and can weaken the magic or have harmful side effect. What we’re doing here is using our culture as the raw materials to engineer new social constructs to serve our needs. We don’t have unlimited power, this is a delicate process. There are plenty of conflicting needs. But with knowledge and skill, we can build the ideas to make everyone happy.
Oh I wouldn’t say “fantasy” is negatively connotated. “Delusion”, unless used in a medical diagnosis, surely is, yes. Apologies btw for using that term on you. I tend to come across harsher than I often intend to :)
How eloquently put. Makes total sense now. Definitely nothing I regularly come across, but you explained it very well. Thanks for that insight. If everyone is happy and no harm is done, no harm is done :) Circling back to the initial use of the word “sanity”, you came across as being high as a kite, but you’re just…differently wired. Nothing insane here. I wish you guys the best!
Thanks! I do identify as insane, though, it’s easier that way. Insanity isn’t in the DSM because it’s not a scientific construct. It’s a political construct. And politically, I’m quite mad.
There are a lot of people online who start from the assumption I’m sane, and conclude I’m a troll because of it. I find it much easier to have a meaningful conversation with people who understand that I’m wacko.
Fun fact: My genetic dad is a wizard just like Me, but he didn’t raise Me! In fact, he barely talks about his magic with his kids at all. We both came to magic on our own without any parental input. I guess magic just runs in our family.
“Identify as insane”…is a sentence i gotta re-use :-) Well, what actually is “politically mad” though. Everything not in the usual two corners fighting “the others”?
lol, i actually started this conversation on the assumption that you are either a troll or totally gone. And yup, it’s indeed easier if the other one already knows you’re insane in the mainframe. Saves a lot of time :-)
Interesting fun fact. But hey, have you ever tried putting your powers of imagination into art? like creating some?
I’ve become politically radicalised beyond the point of believing in the same reality as most everyone else. I can choose to believe in the white state’s reality, I’m just politically opposed to it. That’s political insanity. They used to hit trans people and women who wanted independence with the same accusations.
Yeah I’ve made art. I’ve done short stories, video game mods, roleplaying games, and I’m currently learning drums. I usually publish My art under a pseudonym. Happy to share a story from the game of Draw Steel I’m playing in, though.