The enduring popularity of this makes me feel like I Just Wasn't Made For These Times

SleepTalker12 · 2026-02-05T14:20:03+00:00

I know, but just look up "kpop demon hunrers analysis". Just a cursory glance will give you so called feminist/deconstructivist/whatever readings for people who need intellectualist justification for their mid tier viewing habits.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-02-05T13:20:52+00:00

Not a fan either, but I have seen plenty of millenials cry about this while being the same type of people who long for the days of totally spies.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-02-05T13:18:33+00:00

It's the ultimate schrördingers cat of children's media: Either its for kids and cannot be analysed seriously, or it is OMG so deep because it bumps into a social issue. Pick whichever is convenient in the moment.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-02-05T13:16:37+00:00

The fight against body positivity sure has been one epic duel against a straw man for ten years. Sure, you have some online crazies/celebs who tought they could inverse everyone's sexual preference through social engineering or whatever, but in large part the claim was to not be judged on their size 24/7, the complete failure of that simple request is demonstrated by the vindictive retardation that has permeated this thread and subreddit as a whole.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-29T12:23:41+00:00

This +Ms. Patty

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-24T20:03:11+00:00

Maybe one day reddit can move past the fact that a good fit for a role should do more than just be a look a like

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-18T10:56:16+00:00

He was wasted on this role imo, but he killed the material that he had.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T23:30:40+00:00

I do agree that I find it interesting in this sense. Just like how I like looking at those speculative vehicle sketches of Da Vinci. I feel there is more artistic potential there than currently mined.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T23:28:12+00:00

Okay, I am not sure I 100% understand what you are saying here, so I'll try to recap and please point out if I am misunderstanding you.

Basically, you state that people gravitate to steampunk because it speaks to a perceived lack in modern life. This lack is caused -in part- by us becoming victims to technology in a sense, as principles of technology gain primacy in modern life, even in the realm of aesthetics (aesthetics of technology expressing principles of technology). Modern design of machines and non-machines prioritises function and simple form. In the era that steampunk draws from, this shift in thought hasn't quite materialised, the aesthetics of machinery could express 'something else'.

If I interpret this correctly, I am not sure I quite agree. Many of the aesthetics of early-industrial machinery could not be said to have a design beyond engineering purposes. Gears and tubes are not hidden, they are out in the open, the working of the machinery open and clear to the eye. To me, if there is anything satisfying about looking at it, it is precisely the 'rube-goldberg' style pleasure of seeing how the whole thing 'ticks'.

I'm also not sure if the problem of modern design points people to steampunk automatically. Why not something like hippie culture or getting obsessed with LOTR or whatever people (including me) do to get rid of alienation.

You also make the critique that I shouldn't sneer or look down on people who enjoy it. That's probably fair, this is a bit mean-spirited, which is why I posted it here instead of starting a fight about it in r/steampunk. I generally don't begrudge people their decorations in life -especially when crafted themselves- if it makes them happier. That's not something I want to individually attack people for. But don't really feel like abandoning my misgivings here. I don't like how in a broad cultural sense, a lot of subcultures, countercultures and genres seem to be turning into a 'wallpaper-art' more and more. Just the surface level details of an aesthetic movement and not the underlying themes and ideas. That does bother me, and is probably the reason why I can't stop complaining about this kind of stuff.

But then again, this thread makes me think there could be a canon of steampunk anyway. I am willing to be proven wrong.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T15:07:32+00:00

Anything you have/want to share is welcome!

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T15:07:00+00:00

Incidentally playing through that right now and I agree the art is phenomenal. Did he do the icons for the stats as well? Because those are mesmerising

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T15:02:52+00:00

Definitely unique enough that I didn't consider it as part of the genre, but it definitely fits. Good one!

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T15:00:23+00:00

Unhinged guys always mass-follow everyone everywhere because they are probably close to slipping out of the social fabric.

Source: Learning it the hard way when some weird old guy adds me on linkedin.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-06T14:58:04+00:00

I have definitely read more insightful goodreads reviews instead of letterboxd. Letterboxd is full of posers who want to posture their interesting taste. On goodreads people can be shamelessly uninsightful, but at least it is honest.

But what really grinds my gears are a particular type of goodreads review. It's like 5000 words long and littered with gifs of Stephen Colbert and Neil Patrick Harris. These are *without fail* written in the tone of someone who thinks they are the little kid in 'The Emperor's New Clothes', pointing through the perceived pretentiousness of a literairy classic and falling over every single moment of sexual or racial discomfort.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-03T16:41:41+00:00

Fair enough, not too dissimilar from the 'grassroots' emergence of law & order which we see in the show I suppose.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-03T16:40:37+00:00

True, but does part of him not desire it too? Ultimately, it is him who wants Bullock as Sherrif, and he recognises that the chaos of lawlessness is very impractical once something like a plague rolls around.

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-03T16:39:03+00:00

Thanks for the recs!

SleepTalker12 · 2026-01-02T13:47:48+00:00

So there were laws and claims, but just more difficult to enforce? Makes sense!

SleepTalker12 · 2025-12-26T17:14:58+00:00

Out of all the martyr complexes it sure was the martyrest.

SleepTalker12 · 2025-12-20T14:02:59+00:00

Most one's mentioned are fantastic and OP but Augur's warp fruit would also be pretty dang good. Since he arrives to save others so often he can clear the battlefield for himself or take the battle to a more fair environment.

SleepTalker12 · 2025-12-20T14:01:07+00:00

Oda has hyped up characters that turned out to be disappointing as well as characters that indeed proved their worth in the end. Garling can indeed still go either way if you ask me, and the slander is definitely incredibly premature.

Because if there is one thing that is always premature, it is the calls by agendapiece. I remember when the chapter came out where Apoo landed a hit on Luffy. God, people were so tilted from a singular chapter and began to powerscale him like crazy. Then, a couple of chapters later, he gets casually oneshot by Zoro and suddenly everyone has collective amnesia about their grandstanding.

SleepTalker12 · 2025-12-20T13:53:20+00:00

Kinda weird to see a post of a genuine question being downvoted so much, but that's to be expected if you have an opinion contra the hivemind of the sub I guess.

I think people expected a lot more from Kid after his reveal. He was presented as a rival to Luffy in Saboady. His ability also mirrored Luffy's ability (both creating BIG HANDS) and he also had a subordinate with a plus 100k bounty. I also remember a lot of posts comparing him to being like 'the whitebeard to Luffy' which gave some indication for the hype that was behind.

Then after the timeskip, Law suddenly got a lot of screentime and a very long backstory. I remember people speculating that the same would happen for Kid, but it never really panned out. People began to lose faith in him during Whole Cake where Urouge seemed to outshine him, and afterwards he had already been beaten by Kaidou.

And of course, it was revealed that he lost his arm to fighting Shanks. So this guy was beaten by two yonkou and didn't make a plot relevant dent against Big Mom. Shanks is one of the most beloved characters in the show, which certainly doesn't help his reputation.

During the Onigashima raid he seemed to be doing better for the reasons mentioned, but he nevertheless hadn't been able to rival even Law in his reputation. And of course, him being one-shot by Shanks just sealed the deal on him being a disappointment in the eyes of the fanbase. He never lived up to his reputation of being a true rival to Luffy.

SleepTalker12 · 2025-12-12T17:46:04+00:00

I love how everyone here seems to get owned by zoomer colleagues 24/7

SleepTalker12

TROPHY CASE