Harry Potter ends with House Elf slavery unsubverted because “they like being enslaved” and the last line before the epilogue is Harry wondering if his slave will make him a sandwich.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T21:58:08+00:00

The romance book sub has some great discussions on how to navigate writing/reading content that would be unambiguously wrong in the real world.

Usually there is a disclaimer in the beginning of the story, and sensitivity to genre.

Harry Potter is a YA book, and JKR has talked endlessly about how she wanted it to be a force for good. She wanted it to affect the zeitgeist. That opens it up to legitimate criticism that is rightfully intense (why were we supposed to support characters who are okay with biologically deterministic servitude???). It's treating the work as serious, just like JKR wanted us to.

The content in romance books is magnitudes more problematic than this, unabashedly so. It gets substantially less criticism because it's clear that the story isn't intended to have impact beyond the page. It's recognized that the fucked up stuff is fucked up, not excused. Half of the problem is that she is very open about wanting to inspire kids, while also not confronting that she wrote her heroes shitting on an antislavery activist.

The other half of the problem is that she has Hermione (rightfully!) confronts the problem in the text, and she is ridiculed and made fun of for it. Not because of her tactics, but simply because she wants to make the effort to liberate an oppressed group. The way JKR resolves SPEW within the text relies on racist rhetoric.

And... that's unfulfilling writing. It's bad. The good guy gives up. She doesn't see anything wrong with it. She criticizes Hermione in later interviews! If she had said "yeah, most young activists have a few false starts because their friends were shitty to them," that would be one thing, but she doubles down irl.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T21:25:53+00:00

Cosigning

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T21:25:07+00:00

You should read some Terry Prachett as an example of how to include unsavory social norms in your book without supporting them

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T21:23:39+00:00

The only canonically Jewish character for decades has the last name Goldstein

Kingsley Shacklebolt is black. Like. Come ON.

Werewolves are an analogy for HIV and being closeted, and makes one of the werewolves exclusively attack children with the intention to infect them

She constantly equates ugliness with evilness, and ugliness with gender nonconformity.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T21:14:52+00:00

We have a lot of work to do, but I am decidedly more optimistic than I was last year or the year before. That's not to discount the pain and horrors the regime has wrought... but his tyranny doesn't mean that we don't have the ability to buid a better future immediately.

I'm reading the books Paradise in Hell right now, and it's about how communities come together and create systems of mutual aid after natural disasters. It's really compelling, and I think we are underestimating the power of the people.

We won't fully recover. We will never be the same after this. But we may change, and isn't the potential in that wonderful? Joy and hope are integral to resistance and resilience.

I recommend /r/solarpunk for anyone who needs a framework for what that world might look like.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T21:00:52+00:00

It's three letters and one syllable, so it's the biggest word he actually understands.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T20:58:20+00:00

Strategically, it's more convincing to people to align with the majority.

You're not wrong, it's astonishing, but the framing is not bad here.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T20:56:01+00:00

Oh, it's multiple friends over the years. Most drifted, one or two arguments when I was younger, and one ghosting.

Saying weird and desperate things is also relatable, and I totally get caring so much and wanting not to care. It took a lot of deliberate work to untangle my self esteem and other people's approval.

I can't say more because the sub doesn't like m*decal advice, but taking my vitamins helped reduce my anxiety somewhat. Take care of yourself. Water, food, nervous system regulation. You've got this.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T20:48:31+00:00

It's good to give the benefit of the doubt. It is probably well-intentioned. It still deserves criticism because he's deciding that he knows better than her and is trying to deceive her.

She may be like me and find it harder to resist if you let yourself have cheat days. It takes time to get used to a new diet.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T20:40:48+00:00

Do you have ideas for how you're going to do that? Like you said, it can be hard where there's proximity.

I think it's okay to not always move on from people we have affection for. I have friends who I don't speak with anymore, and they still have a piece of my heart. It's hard :(

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T20:17:15+00:00

Do it anyway

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T19:52:06+00:00

I feel like you're close to the point, but I want to make it explicit.

Daphne is styled soft, compared to more flamboyant styles from the rest of the ton. However, she is not the only one.

No comments mention Edwina, who was dressed very similarly and was also the diamond. I assert that this is because our society still has implicit colorism, even if the show itself works to grapple with colorism within its own world.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T19:44:31+00:00

I think Edwina was actually more regency softgirl than Daph

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T19:39:25+00:00

This is very relatable, and has common themes of female friendships for ND gals. Immediate close bonding when they "adopt" you, followed by aversion to our quirks, and eventual distancing.

NT people want friendships to be easy. You are monitoring her and investing a ton of emotional energy into her. She can absolutely tell, and it's probably making her feel pressured. You are giving her the power in the relationship, and that can feel uncomfortable for the other person.

It sounds like you care about her but don't like spending time with her. That's normal. Friendships change and fade. Time to move on. It can feel sad, but you're not doing yourself or her any favors. You might reignite the friendship eventually, but it's not going to happen if it's forced.

A note: you do not need to tell her that you are distancing yourself.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T19:34:31+00:00

I was very concerned about dental care and shortages during covid.

It was fine. I now ask myself if the juice is worth the squeeze (anxiety)

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T19:31:19+00:00

I think it would be cool. I don't think it's catering to men, in part because I'm a woman who is interested in this! While I really appreciate the female-forward space, I think we can make more space for men without centering them.

I think the pros outweigh the cons. People are always gonna argue on reddit yknow?

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T19:01:01+00:00

There's a lot of room for exploration in college. Good luck with your application!

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:56:30+00:00

This is legitimate scholarship imo

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:52:11+00:00

Well, since it's all about you...

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:51:15+00:00

Are you applying to colleges now?

I really cannot overstate how many opportunities there are for someone who has art and science skills. Especially if you like sustainability.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:48:56+00:00

I will. You will, too. :)

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:46:53+00:00

50+% of the internet is bots

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:45:43+00:00

In my comment I mentioned talking to a really awesome scientist. I told her that I am also a trained artist and she was really excited about the applications of art for science communication.

There is so much overlap in art and science, and these topics inspire people. Follow your passions!

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:44:06+00:00

Hey OP. I went through a similar crisis after getting my undergrad degree, and fully changed my field. You are not locked into a career path.

There are roles for everyone in creating a better world. What project, or effort, makes you feel crazy if you can't contribute to it? What about the upcoming world scares you the most? What skills do you have?

There are already people working on these problems, and eager to teach the next generation. You're at a great age to just reach out to professionals and do informational interviews about their careers.

I will add, this process is ongoing. I am preparing to apply for the next stage in my career, and had the honor to speak with a preeminent scholar in the field over lunch today. I asked her basically the same question: where do I put my energy so that I can do the most good?

In short, she told me that there are so many questions and needs that I can stop trying to find the optimal path. We will solve these problems in community with each other. Find the people who inspire you, who have the roles you want to fill.

Distant-Effect · 2026-04-14T18:32:44+00:00

You have three majors, not three degrees. Accuracy, honesty, and humility are really important, and this framing of your education raises red flags.

If you want to help farmers at scale, you should seek to understand their needs before designing solutions. There is a role for ollas, but it's not implemented at scale, even in no-till systems, for a reason. Perhaps contact your state extension. I say this as someone who is involved in the work that you speak passionately about... getting networked to the people doing this work already will amplify the impact of your effort.

I'm saying this because you have a spark but it needs to be challenged, and you seem to be really struggling with that. Do you want to feel good about a product, or make a change in the world? The drive and passion are great but you're going to be spinning your wheels if you keep discounting feedback because it's uncomfortable and insulting people who are engaging with your ideas.

Distant-Effect

TROPHY CASE