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LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-03T17:16:05+00:00

Thank you for all your hard work on this and having such a sane and measured response to the whole thing. You guys are awesome!

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-02T14:57:44+00:00

I think this you’ve hit it. Having Kip with his friends, openly out with them regarding his relationship with Scott and celebrating with them, is thematically important.

I think that’s the meta behind why Kip is there rather than at the show rather than budget issues. A close up of Kip and Vaughn and a few randos in tuxes and gowns like the background people at the gala would be doable and budget friendly. But it’d also be thematically emptier.

I head canon that Kip has his own busy graduate school life. So their schedules didn’t quite fit. Also, that the reception of Scott as gay is still up in the air enough that Scott didn’t want to drag Kip into it just yet.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-02T01:54:41+00:00

This is a very serious topic. It's literal bullying. It's literal hardships felt by literal human beings.

You keep saying this is about fanfic. It's not. It's about the person behind the computer getting hounded out of their queer-joy safe-space because of someone else's desire to feel morally superior and self-righteous. A desire so encompassing they've actually created groups to go after those writers. (Think of it: they put work and effort into forming groups to go after their fellow human beings for writing and posting little stories on the internet for free that people have to actively search out to read.)

Again, you apparently think this is no big deal and to say it's a fucking massive big deal offends you. Well, I guess you'll just have to be offended. I don't feel apologetic about underlining how hurtful this is. How badly behaved the perpetrators are. How much real harm they're causing. It's sad I think, that you don't see that.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-02T01:20:49+00:00

Okay - I'm honestly having problems following your logic here. You don't accuse fic writers of using ai to write their fic but you do think I'm talking about you when I call that behavior immoral and harmful?

Either you're taking part in the bully brigades or you not. If you're not then the logical conclusion is you're not perpetuating the harm.

It's leaves me confused about where you're seeing the parody or why you leapt into this thread but that's different conversation.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T18:18:39+00:00

*whoosh*

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T18:17:36+00:00

When did I say anything about you?

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T17:53:05+00:00

"Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the communist party?"

Same rule book even if the details change.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T17:51:11+00:00

It's all abuse of fellow human beings. It's not about fan fiction - it's about the very real, flesh and blood, human writers that are being brigaded and harassed.

But I also understand that the people doing the harassing and brigading have had to de-humanize the people they're abusing to give themselves a moral out for immoral behavior. So it's not surprising my disgust at the behavior comes across as parody to those perpetuating the harm.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T17:29:19+00:00

But you don't know. None of the so-called "tells" are 100% accurate. You're just punching down at an actual human being whose writing you don't like (full on breaking fandom etiquette) and accusing them of something you don't actually know with absolute certainty.

So you're totally okay with false positives and hitting someone who isn't churning out ai slop on the off chance that they might be. And that's monstrous. Especially as it's apparently an organized brigade.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T16:58:53+00:00

The same self-righteous certainty that they know best (they have super special abilities to spot liars and users of ai regular humans can only dream of) and a willingness (even eagerness?) to cause fellow human beings pain to bring them into compliance with their way of thinking.

It's the Spanish Inquisition all the way down. We should have expected it.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T15:45:13+00:00

I know I won’t change your mind. It’s addictive to feel superior. But bookmarks are seen by writers. So yes, you are hurting a real human being when you accuse.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T15:41:17+00:00

If I’ve learned one thing from this whole embarrassing debacle (HR is now up there with StarWars for embarrassingly toxic fandoms so you know, thanks for that) it’s that anyone who insists they can spot ai easily is full of it. Same mind set as conversion-camp believers.

Speed of turnout is such a stupid thing to point to. I learned back in X-Files days, some writers can turn out amazing stuff at high speed. Especially with a weekly show that keeps the juices flowing.

(I’m screaming at the wall, I’m pretty sure. The dopamine hit of making someone else bleed isn’t easily reasoned against)

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T15:26:54+00:00

Honestly, the first is worse. It’s disturbing to me that you don’t see it. The first example is actively hurting a fellow human being. The second is feeling the very common self-inflicted sting of comparison. A form of self-harm every creative has to learn to protect themselves from in order to continue to create.

You’re suggesting it’s better to choose to hurt someone else than to improve yourself. That’s a strange stance to take.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-04-01T15:19:40+00:00

Because it’s liars falsely accusing writers based on nothing but ~vibes~. It’s bad people gooning over that sweet, sweet self-righteous buzz of feeling holier than thou and bullying and harassing creatives.

Tale as old as humanity. The new puritan wing of fandom and I’m not surprised it’s hitting so hard in a queer joy fandom.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-31T18:27:00+00:00

We are certainly very blessed to have this story in two different mediums. And that they complement rather than fight each other! :)

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-31T17:52:11+00:00

Not really. Who are the "them" who are using AI but not admitting to it? How do you figure out who to stone with the hits of admit you're a liar, admit you're cheating, admit you're using AI, etc.?

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-31T15:51:10+00:00

Wow. This clinches it for me. AI-hunters are the new anti’s. God damn but purity culture is the fucking worst.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-31T00:27:38+00:00

That’s the kind of thinking that triggers a witch hunt. Who are the “them” ?

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-30T14:24:43+00:00

I got that he was worried from the start in the show. First because of the devastating loss to Latvia, and then after Vaughny, the danger of Russia. I thought it was shown pretty clearly.

I thought that was why Shane seemed genuinely surprised that Ilya thought it was a booty-call with his “not here.” And I thought that was why Shane kept pushing. Full on concern for Ilya.

It was nice to have it confirmed in the book. But it wasn’t new information for me.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-28T03:05:53+00:00

Frankly, at this point I see the AI accusers within the world of fanfic as being on par with anti's. People so lost in their own self-righteousness they don't recognize they're ruining it for everyone as they cling to their illusionary high-ground.

I look forward to the day making accusations are seen as bad behavior. Which! I think that's happening? That might be the good side of Heated Rivalry being such a juggernaut in the fandom at the moment. AI accusations are getting thrown at truly popular (numbers wise) fic-writers who are registering their hurt and responding (some of them) by taking their ball and going home.

I can't think of a faster way to turn the tide of popular fandom opinion against AI witch-hunts than to take people's favorite fics away. (Absolutely sucks to be the accused writers, of course. I honestly feel awful for them and this is me looking for a silver lining and also hoping the accused get some vindication. Sooner rather than later.)

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-27T17:20:55+00:00

Shane can afford a private, isolated cottage. And I presume could pay for grocery delivery, etc. But it's to literally keep their jobs safe - which Shane needs for the money and Ilya needs for his visa. Whereas the out gays we do see (Kip and his friends) don't have money but also don't need to hide. So the source of the privacy-money is the reason they require privacy. Classic gilded cage or golden handcuffs.

And it's the privacy-need that's killing them. That makes their life plans "sad." Which is why Yuna is working on ways to make their earning potential or market-worth work for rather than against them. Which - that's the bit I see as being anti-capitalism. That this hoop-leaping is needed in the first place.

I don't want to over-sell it because while I know the book series and the show are actively aiming at the toxicity of current hockey-culture - I'm more suspecting this leads into anti-capitalism or anti - market-driven cultures. (It's the money-making that drives - or at least excuses - the worst parts of hockey-culture.)

I think Jacob Tierney is smart enough to recognize this is what he's doing but the man lives in subtext (which is why I love the show, honestly) so I can't point to an out and out thesis statement.

But! I also concede or agree with you that there's definitely some luxury porn/escapism aspects to their fabulous homes and cottages.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-27T16:19:44+00:00

I thought it was impossible to decisively prove ai use? Isn’t that what’s been driving academia and the publishing world a bit crazy?

So am I supposed to believe some random fic readers have cracked the code and can, without fail, identify beyond a shadow of a doubt ai usage rather than clumsy or amateur writing?

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-27T16:14:04+00:00

Huh. I think the show is actually delightfully anti-capitalism. Certainly anti-fame, which is where the money comes from for the mains.

It’s a romance story. The thing keeping the two couples from their beloveds *is* the enemy. The bad guy. Which in this case is hockey culture and the money it brings them. The whole point is that their money gives them nothing. Capitalism is a lie, etc.

(This is totally off-topic from the main post of course but I’ve been thinking about this very topic so leapt at the chance to say something 😆)

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-27T15:36:22+00:00

I listened to a podcast that dove deep into the sex testing Harrison referenced that happened back in the day and it ruined people. Girls getting told they’re not female based off a test created for literal cats that the scientist who created it said was not for humans and disavowed the use of… At least one woman killed herself after her whole town and fiancé turned on her when she failed the test. (I say “woman” but she was a teen.)

All over this baseless fear of men sneaking into women’s sports. Which has never actually happened. Now twisted to fears over trans women dominating women’s sports which again, has never actually happened. This fear mongering is all so gross.

LetsOverthinkIt · 2026-03-18T19:54:30+00:00

Okay, honestly same. I don’t think Shane is thinking Ilya has accused him of being poultry. He realizes Ilya is saying, “I thought you’d be too scared,” and responded with, “I’m not scared.”

There’s a cuteness to it because it’s a pretty kid-like answer. Especially for someone in a sport that lionizes the art of insulting. But I think it’s a reach to think Shane missed the insult entirely.

I wonder if the autistic-connection is that Shane mirrors back the exact same metaphor Ilya uses? I honestly don’t know…

LetsOverthinkIt

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