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How to Destroy People: Japan's Untouchables

Sagemind says...

Thanks C-note
This was a good find.
We can draw comparisons to any race or religion.
This injustice of creating sub-groups in society is more ingrained in societies than people even realize. And, while the majority of people don't support the concept itself, they do proliferate the injustice by going along with it, in fear of also being labeled.

Having "Visual differences" between the classes, just makes this deplorable method of sub-classing convenient to the bigots.

The only real solution to this and all "Racism" is not to support it - and stand up and shout at it when we witness it. This is particularly difficult when people are separated into their own groups (neighborhoods) because the racism can be hidden better and the bigots themselves shelter themselves from ever needing to be corrected.

Off topic slightly: I see myself as an alchemist. Part of this is to ignore labels, class and sub class, ignore hierarchies and so on - seeing everything as equal at all times. I don't care about Class, race, names ans so on. As humans on this planet, we are all equal when it comes to rights.
Of course many will disagree with me - mainly the people with more rights.

A particular take on what went wrong with Islam

vil says...

Its not an "Arab" problem, its a Muslim problem.
Not the race or language, its the religion and religious/state authorities that are the problem - Muslim society in general is weird. I expect scientists there are like alchemists in medieval Europe - in the service of the rulers, but definitely unclean.

Colbert interviews Anita Sarkeesian

SDGundamX says...

I thought the solution was rather obvious, actually.

You fix things by making games where people are portrayed as... people. Not trophies to be acquired, not sexual objects to be drooled over, and not stereotypes.

You couple that with continued criticism of games that continue to rely on sexist, racist, or homophobic tropes.

And guess what? That's already happening. People have been saying that games need to change for a while before Sarkeesian showed up. Bioware acknowledged the issues and started trying to include more realistic characters in its RPGs years ago--and caught flak for it even back then.

To address your other... points?

My daughter asked me the other day why she can't play as the princess in Super Mario Galaxy 2 (or any of the other Mario games we own). And I had to tell her it's because the Princess got kidnapped. Her response was to ask if she could play as the Princess once we freed her from Bowser. And I had to tell her no.

There is something wrong with that!

After having that conversation with my daughter I fired up Torchlight, where I'm currently playing as a Vanquisher. Vanquisher's are rogue-like ranged characters and can only be female. If you want to be a warrior ("Destroyer" in game terms) or magic user ("Alchemist" in game terms), sorry--it's a men's only club. And not only that, but Vanquisher's--regardless of the armor they wear, must bare their midriff and wearing a mini-skirt showing lots of leg and cleavage (do a google image search for Torchlight Vanquisher to see what I'm talking about). Apparently you can't be a Vanquisher without being a sex pot too.

There is something wrong with that! (To be fair, they got better with Torchlight II and allowed any class to be any gender and allowed the women to cover up with armor OR choose to be sexy).

Society doesn't just change by itself. You're right, society is becoming more accepting of diversity--because people are fighting very hard for it.

Take America's attitude towards homosexuality. Look at the strides made in the last 20 years. That didn't just magically happen. There were TV shows that portrayed homosexuals as human beings worthy of respect. There were lawsuits. There were marches and protests. There were speeches. There were YouTube campaigns like "It gets better." A lot of people worked fucking hard to get the message out that bigotry is not okay.

Look, I'm sorry people pointing out to you how fucked up it is how women are sometimes portrayed in games is somehow ruining your ability to enjoy games. But there are serious problems here. Maybe not problems for you, but problems for people like my daughter.

The solution to these problems is not to lambast the people pointing them out. Nor is the solution to sit back and do nothing and hope it all works out for the best. One solution, as I've already stated, is to be openly critical of the messages contained in ALL media (including games). Another solution is to be vocal about the need for more realistic and diverse portrayals of people in ALL media (including games).

You can still have your Damsel/Dude in Distress trope, by the way. I have no doubt lazy developers will continue to use it as a substitute for meaningful story. Just don't expect people not to call out the utter absurdity of it, is all I'm saying.

Asmo said:

Yes, she's great at pointing that out.

What's the solution?

Quota's of protagonists sex? Replacing "damsel" with "prince" in distress? Getting rid of chainmail bikinis?

Oh, and how do we propagate that to the entire entertainment industry?

There is nothing wrong with playing a prince and rescuing a princess. There is nothing wrong with the princess being helpless. There is nothing wrong with Femmeshep kicking the shit out of the reapers and saving every being in the known universe, one of the most badass female protagonists around. More female protagonists = great, bring it on, but that's no reason to throw out a trope as old as time (incidentally, a trope enjoyed by a great many women who like to watch sappy romances where the charming fellow rescues the woman from her crappy life...).

Her series predicates on the concept that players are too fucking dumb to understand the difference between real life and the game. That if you play Duke Nukem, you'll walk around slapping girls tits and saying the most inappropriate things you can think of.

It's exactly the same tripe that Jack Thompson was peddling back in the day, games change how you think. And, for most people (ie. the mentally stable...), it was wrong then and it's wrong now. Your upbringing and parental guidance, and the relationship your male role models have with women, are far more likely to determine whether or not a man is likely to be sexist/misogynist than a few games with scantily clad girls needing a big strong man to save them... Society has changed to become more accepting of race, creed, sexual orientation and, of course, women, and it will continue to become so even if the old trope of the princess is in another castle hangs around. It may take generations before inequality dies out, if it ever does. It's not something you can fix by complaining about games.

Homemade Solid Gold Ipod Watch (500+ hrs, $2.5k)

Showering Without Arms

What are you reading now? (Books Talk Post)

spoco2 says...

Well, I am on the last book of the Night's Dawn Trilogy... I blazed through book one (The Reality Dysfunction), slowed a bit through The Neutronium Alchemist, and now, half way through The Naked God I keep finding other things to do rather than read it, like playing games on my phone. (I read on the train in and out of work)

Not to say it's still not enjoyable when I read it, but it's less of a page turner than it used to be

The Creation of Porcelain

Sagemind says...

Böttger was a German Alchemist held against his will and forced to turn lead to gold - since he obviously couldn't do it - He discovered porcelain when he was stalling in order to save his life. He spent most of his years in prison and was forced to work.

Any money he made was stolen from him and his Porcelain discoveries were also stolen.
When he was finally released, he died from yet-unrealized sub-standard lab environments and exposure to poisonous chemicals such as lead and cobalt.

The point is, as an Alchemist (the oldest Philosophy in the world today that out-dates ancient Egypt and even the Chinese dynasties), Böttger was forced to life imprisoned for that Philosophy and inadvertently discovered the arcanum, or secret formula, for making porcelain.

Read the book - It's a good read:
The Arcanum: The Extraordinary True Story
See link above...
>> ^bareboards2:

Upvoting for minute one and later -- loved seeing the artisans work.
As for this being on the philosophy channel?? What percentage of Sifters understand German enough to know if that is true or not?

How the original Dr. Who theme music was made

Voice Actors of Aqua Teen Hunger Force Revealed

mizila says...

I first saw Dana Snyder, the voice of Master Shake, on "Saul of the Mole Men," one of [adult swim]'s live action joints. And I remember it blowing my mind then. I hear him everywhere now. He's the Alchemist in "The Venture Bros.," Granny on "Squidbillies," and even some character named Gazpacho on "Chowder," one of the wacky shows for kids on Cartoon Network.

Little known fact: the voices of Meatwad and Err are also producers on ATHF.

R.A. The Rugged Man - Lessons

MrFisk says...

Yo aiiyo people wonderin' where the fuck I been
At the VIP section they ain't lettin' me in
They say; maybe if you had Dr. Dre or Timbaland
They say; a white boy need a black boy to win
Uhh Bubba Sparxx did it and so did Slim
Just Blaze is hot now why don't you get with him
I watch mad rappers bite my shit and blow up
And make millions of what I created, that's tough luck
I first started gettin' coverage around the same time
Steve Stout used to carry kid and placed luggage
I seen rappers turned from sex symbols in hard throbs
To bein forgotten now they out lookin' for jobs
I seen EPMD break up
I seen my little brother Max fall asleep and he ain't never wake up
So when I rhyme listen, seriously
When I spit I'm givin' you the truth clearly who I really be
It's an audio version of reality TV
I had deals from Russell Simmonds to Master P
Even five year old white girls be rappin' today
On the playground like 'go shorty it's ya birthday' (Go, go, go..)

Yo yo yo I seen good days sun rays church sundays
Made love made war been rich been poor
Lost friends lost hoods lost my dough
Seen beef between Bad Boy and Death Row
I seen deceased take the life for my sisters kid
Six months on the earth is what he had to live
I seen Biggie Big L Big Pun pass away
Buffy from the Fat Boys, Jam Master Jay
I mumple 'fore they blew up with Mystikal and Jay-Z
The Neptunes came to see me at D & D
I knew this chick named Norah a lounge singer
A year later she a six Grammy award winner
I seen flatliners I seen cannabisses
I seen Lil Zane see I seen mad misses
You ran through that ten percent disses
I seen A & R's get fired for takin' pisses
Stop whinin' the fuck nobody listens
Who else riskin' they career they stick to be indifferent
Switchin' the tradition stickin' to this shit they really livin'
I don't care what's hittin
Listen this is my fuckin' life that I'm spittin

I made peace with myself now how bout that
I hated life I wanted to die a few years back
I was mentally ill it's hard to come back from that
But I got through it now I got my sanity back
Y'all are like H-B-O fighters get the money and fame
Get beat up like Klitschko and Sugar Shane
Or get beat like Vernon Forrest or Prince Naseem
And you all turn pussy when you get that green
I got love for Havoc from Mobb Deep
When I was broke sleepin' in the street
He hooked me up with a free beat
Alchemist you still my little buddy
Althought you stole that Royce the 5"9 +The King+ beat from me
I ain't down to sign autographs and shake ya hands
I don't want trendy ass followers as fans
I don't wanna sell records, I don't wanna be big
I don't want MTV runnin' up in my crib
I don't wanna be light in the music biz
I don't want fans that don't know who G Rap is

Gantz (Japanese Opening)

RedSky says...

Yeah, there are a few rare cases where particularly for better known animes the voice acting is done very well, such as:

Ghost in the Shell: SAC 1 & 2
Cowboy Bebop
Fullmetal Alchemist (from memory ...)

Either way, many shows haven't been exported to english audiences or take forever, so you really don't get a choice.

Anyway, wasn't a bad show I guess, but Bokura No takes a similar concept and does it sooo much better.

CNN: Video Of Neda Before She Was Killed In Iranian Protest

vairetube says...

Neda wiki

from stellar In Iran, One Woman's Death May Have Many Consequences

thanks to sagemind:

"Paulo Coelho (author of the Alchemist and many other books) _ knows the doctor (Arash) who tried to save this girl. He has been in contact with him as he has tried to flee the county."

Paulo's Blog details his communications with Arash
http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2009/06/24/the-doctor/

The unfortunate unedited footage here *extremely, EXTREMELY graphic. dont even watch it* http://www.videosift.com/video/Iranian-Girl-Dying-in-Street

and another talk post to review for those out of the loop

http://worldaffairs.videosift.com/talk/That-Iranian-girl-that-was-shot
another
http://www.videosift.com/video/Basiji-Sniper-Shoots-Teenage-Iranian-Girl-Amid-Protest
and the first possibly
http://horrorshow.videosift.com/talk/Americans-are-cowards
and another by stellar
http://horrorshow.videosift.com/talk/Face-of-a-Revolution-Iranian-woman-shot-dies-on-camera

i think betwixt these links lies all the info and contributions of the sift members towards this topic.

That Iranian girl that was shot (Worldaffairs Talk Post)

Atheism WTF? (Wtf Talk Post)

Sagemind says...

Well, This seems to be as good a place as any to try to define my views –mainly for myself but I can share.

I am not religious, or at least the word and definition of “Worship” defies me. I don’t believe in hierarchies of any kind social, political, religious or other. I see everyone as an equal, regardless of personality type and all that goes with it. We all just serve different jobs.

My personal views are this: I am always searching for spirituality in every form. I believe it comes from within us. I believe there is a spark of that special something in all of us. Some chose to listen to it, some don’t. It doesn’t matter what label you put on it, be it Catholic, Pagan, Scientology, Greek Mythology, Pentecostal, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, Atheist, Agnostic or what ever. There is an inherent state of being in people. Some strive to embrace it more than others.

I have embraced the idea that spirituality is separate from religion. I would define my self and an Alchemist. I don’t see the world as separate pieces all with different labels. I see everything as one big whole. Named religions are just parts of what religion stands for. Religion in turn is just one facet of spirituality and spirituality is one facet of being. Our individual beings are facets of all life and live is a state among many states in this universe. In the end, the only true reality is energy. That which we are all made up of. Down to the smallest particle, energy is the building block.

So I don’t place significance on any one particular religion. Just that it is, and I accept it. I am a part of everything. A whole. No ego, or individuality. I am – and that is all.

As with everything, I have a lust for knowledge and creativity. I want to know if there is a truth and I am willing to listen. I see science leading towards, yet so far from, a clear path to our origins.

I understand the circular theory of the chicken or the egg. If there is a maker, who created the maker? One step at a time, though, start with our initial origin.

I like to be creative. Maybe we were planted here by a superior race. Humans may not be indigenous to this planet. We may have been placed here to see if we could thrive. Dinosaurs may have been extinguished through viruses in order to make this planer more livable for us. Maybe we are technologically “tweaked” versions of apes. Maybe not. Jesus could have been a spaceman who came to guide us and put us back on track. Every religion has a root in creation theory. Maybe creation theory is really science fact. Who knows, I don’t and neither do you – but perhaps some day we might.

Until then some people will be driven mad with the riddle of religion and creation. Those creatively minded may believe and rationalize religion. Those with more orderly and compartmentalized minds will look towards science. Science has more chance to getting us there physically but religion is theory and although slow as molasses to evolve, theory is also a key to discovery!

In the end – we all like to make fun of extremists because they just no longer function to make any sense and end up turning in on themselves and ceasing to function as far as exploration goes. Science has it’s dead end theories as well.

We are all Evolution in action. Whether in physical or in theoretical, as a whole, our world of beliefs continue to evolve.

For God's sake, don't date atheists!



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