paris's recent activity
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Comment on The judgment of Magneto in ~comics
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
paris Link ParentI have access! Here’s a copy in the spirit of sharing. :) Good luck with your research!I have access! Here’s a copy in the spirit of sharing. :) Good luck with your research!
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Comment on Towers of silence in ~humanities.history
paris LinkI found this to be moving and beautiful. I hope they are able to find some means by which to satisfy their theological, zoological, and practical needs. Thank you for sharing.I found this to be moving and beautiful. I hope they are able to find some means by which to satisfy their theological, zoological, and practical needs. Thank you for sharing.
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Comment on What we learned about the publishing industry from Penguin vs. US Department of Justice in ~books
paris Link ParentAbsolutely same boat. It seems to be only getting worse. A lot of discussion in writerly circles I frequent lament that it seems most (if not all) marketing is meant to be done by the author at...Absolutely same boat. It seems to be only getting worse.
A lot of discussion in writerly circles I frequent lament that it seems most (if not all) marketing is meant to be done by the author at this point, on top of writing, editing, finding a cover artist (and possibly paying out of pocket for it), and all promo. It's become extremely demoralizing to even think about traditional publishing.
While many laud the self-publishing route, self-pub seems to run the gamut of "what happened that this couldn't this get published traditionally?" (± 0.1%) to "clearly this could only be published via self-pub because basic sentence structure eludes this person" (±99.9%).
I've seen the "solution" to this particular problem presented as hiring your own editor, which makes "vanity press" all the more "vain." Considering how many so-called "novelists" are churning out AI-sourced garbage (all priced at 99¢ or free on Kindle!) I'm just very pessimistic about the entire world of publishing at present.
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Comment on Former naturalists/materialists, what changed your view? in ~humanities
paris Link ParentI had assumed any book published on paper would have the authors unable to do whatever they wanted with their texts. Good to know that isn't always the case.I had assumed any book published on paper would have the authors unable to do whatever they wanted with their texts. Good to know that isn't always the case.
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Comment on Former naturalists/materialists, what changed your view? in ~humanities
paris Link ParentUnrelated: I had no idea he put the entire book up on his site. I have no idea how such a thing could be possible in our current world of copyright.Unrelated: I had no idea he put the entire book up on his site. I have no idea how such a thing could be possible in our current world of copyright.
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Comment on Asking neighbors to turn down noise in ~life
paris LinkI don’t think you did anything wrong. Regardless of whatever justification you might or might not have, you have a right to quiet during quiet hours. Literally just had a similar thing happen to...I don’t think you did anything wrong. Regardless of whatever justification you might or might not have, you have a right to quiet during quiet hours.
Literally just had a similar thing happen to me. Neighbors started screwing something into the wall we share. There’s laws regarding sound, and it’s way past that. So I waited and, in a pause of their drill, banged my elbow into the wall. They stopped. I probably should have called the doorman, had the doorman call them, blah blah. But it’s late, and I lived too long in NYC. I have zero tolerance for after-hours sound, and I live in an area that does not take sound regulations lightly, so I have no regrets. I imagine their upstairs and downstairs neighbors probably also were in awe at someone drilling a cement wall this late.
We live amongst others. Friction is inevitable. Conflict is inevitable. You’re okay. You have a right to peace.
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Comment on Strategies for coping with writers block in ~creative
paris LinkI like this. It’s a refreshing take on the B word, thank you for sharing. I’m also a fan of Flowers’ recommendations for how to avoid giving into that silencing self-doubt in the first place.I like this. It’s a refreshing take on the B word, thank you for sharing.
I’m also a fan of Flowers’ recommendations for how to avoid giving into that silencing self-doubt in the first place.
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Comment on I was the poster girl for OCD. Then I began to question everything I’d been told about mental illness. in ~health.mental
paris Link ParentI was a little concerned when she translated, "There may not be a biological marker (aka a thing that could show up on a test/scan) for OCD" as "OCD isn't real and I have done this to myself," and...I was a little concerned when she translated, "There may not be a biological marker (aka a thing that could show up on a test/scan) for OCD" as "OCD isn't real and I have done this to myself," and it makes me question her entire healing process before that. That is an OCD spiral, recognizable, identifiable: why did she take that as face value even now, writing about this?
Which isn't to say the entire thing is bad, of course not. I like that she understands there is an inherent connection between environment and mental illness. It reminds me of a one-panel comic that was going around for a while that I cannot for the life of me find now, of a patient talking to a psychiatrist, saying "Can you give me something to make me forget the world is ending?" or some such.
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Comment on Help me re-learn how to write, understand the nuances of writing, be a good writer in ~creative
paris Link ParentWe're all here for community, and this is, in my experience, a very welcoming and genuine site. Everyone seems eager to help, by and large. I'm glad you took the risk on asking for guidance, and...We're all here for community, and this is, in my experience, a very welcoming and genuine site. Everyone seems eager to help, by and large. I'm glad you took the risk on asking for guidance, and I'm happy I was able to help.
I agree about keeping one's sanity via writing. It is very much my own experience as well. It truly feels like taking the jumble of thoughts and feelings and experiences and crafting something sensical (and sensory) of that. It creates peace.
Hemingway's precision is breathtaking, isn't it? Truly a master of voice in a way I don't know many others can meet. And Oscar Wilde: I can't believe I forgot to mention him! The Importance of Being Earnest is one of my favorite pieces of theater. Perhaps check out Steinbeck too: Of Mice and Men was one of the first pieces I read in English, and it utterly devastated me in the best of ways.
My own works are written (at least at present) for myself and the perfection of my own craft; as such, they're not available, but I appreciate the question, thank you.
Please don't be afraid to ask questions here. I have noticed Tildes has a reading club right now; it might be a nice place to meet with others. I would assume based on prior reading clubs I've attended that the discussion can diverge onto what I've seen referred to as Doylist or Watsonian measures (which I had always heard as diagetic vs non-diagetic), and it might be an interesting experience to read alongside others and see what catches their attention, and how, and why, if only to ease into more critical readings.
Best of luck, truly. You can do this.
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Comment on On M*A*S*H, was Klinger a cross-dresser? Was Klinger trans? in ~lgbt
paris LinkI really like this interpretation, of a double-switch. It's a fascinating approach, and one I've seen repeated elsewhere as a valid interpretation. Contextually to his time, can the character's...I really like this interpretation, of a double-switch. It's a fascinating approach, and one I've seen repeated elsewhere as a valid interpretation. Contextually to his time, can the character's stated reasons for his behavior be trusted if a more "honest" reason would have had him ostracized or worse? Can we say Klinger wouldn't be trans now? Of course not. There's no way to interpret his could-be-would-be behavior when the only evidence we have of him is bound to his context.
And if there's no textual support against it, then why not? Keep in mind, for it to be a "valid" interpretation, one merely needs to have textual support, either in its presence or lack. My usual example for this is that if there is no textual evidence of a character ever reading, one can assert they may be canonically illiterate. (To be fair, I usually use this example to annoy my friends.)
And I'm with Dangerous_Dan_McGrew on this: why not? People identify with so much in media.
Not to be too personal on main about this, but anecdote in support: growing up, there was an extremely soft boy in an imported show watched by me and literally every single child of my age-group. He was soft, he was gentle, he read as explicitly feminine to me in my context: long hair, a soft voice, a gentle demeanor. He meant so much to me as a young gay who was still closeted and still very, very Catholic. I imprinted hard on him, and I wasn't the only one.
Years later, I found out that in the original domestic context, his long hair and gentleness was "meant" to be read as a form of intense heterosexual masculinity. It was incredible to me that anyone could see him and think he was straight, or even "masculine"! And yet there it was. He was a manly man, where he came from.
That knowledge of his original contextual meaning did not take away the truth of what he'd meant to me, and to so many others. Without him, I don't know I'd have had a single rôle model for a soft-spoken gentle effeminate man still being appreciated and capable by his friends, and not an automatic laughingstock. It may not be contextually supported. It still meant so much.
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Comment on Help me re-learn how to write, understand the nuances of writing, be a good writer in ~creative
paris LinkIf you want to be a better writer, you need to read. You need to read outside of your comfort zone, outside of the field of writing you're interested in. You need to literarily expand your...- Exemplary
If you want to be a better writer, you need to read. You need to read outside of your comfort zone, outside of the field of writing you're interested in. You need to literarily expand your horizons. Right now, you're used to one style of writing, and it shows in your linked medium account and the post you've made here. The example I give for why this is important is the oft-cited Steve Jobs calligraphy story:
Calligraphing like a monk gave Jobs an esthetic sense most math-nerd tech giants (like Bill Gates) lack.
As to where to start? I like the Man Booker Prize for expanding literary horizons, especially their shortlist, which often I personally find I favor over the winners. I like Hemingway (as trite as that is) for the relationship between the written word and narrative. I like reading short stories for learning about pacing and conciseness: Nabokov's Symbols and Signs is an absolute masterclass in what is necessary and what is not; I also enjoy reading the Nebula winners for short stories. Read derivative fiction too, by which I don't mean fanfiction per se, but things like Wide Sargasso Sea or Grendel, which are responses to earlier works. You need to expand your knowledge of the written word in a deliberate and studious way.
Aside: I believe (as a novelist) that the short story is the apogee of the medium of narrative fiction, and there's some extremely interesting things coming out of recent short story works, like this one, called "Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather. Nabokov is a genius of the short story, as is Joyce, unsurprisingly enough. Brilliant stuff.
However, you shouldn't only read things you like. I know people who detest Hemingway. I still think he's important to read, if not only for his contribution to the literary canon of the English language, but also because of the massive effect his works have had on the canon after him. Joyce is another I'd recommend. (Do NOT even attempt to start with Ulysses. Read his short story collection.)
Read poetry, especially anything prior to the 1970s. (Read Chinua Achebe though.) Don't bother going too far back; Shakespeare is beautiful, but to really benefit from reading him you'd need to take a class, and that doesn't sound like something on your docket at present. I think Milton is more accessible, as well as Wordsworth, and, of course, Woolf.
Now, if you're deadset on looking for a mentor, in my experience, you need to have a body of work to present to that person, which is not where you're at right now. You need to refine your own craft and make yourself someone worth that mentor's tutelage. The purpose of a mentor is not to teach you the basics or even the intermediaries of the craft, but to polish you, to refine one or two rough edges and really make you shine.
There are ways you can make this work on your own. One way might be to find a writer whose works make you want to devour yourself, whose writing makes you wild with jealousy and envy and desire, whose prose is enough to send you into a rage of joy. And read every single thing they've ever read. Look, learn where they grow, and how. Study them, and create an understanding of them in your head that will allow you to see through their eyes. Then look at your own work with that understanding, and see where they would make suggestions.
However, there are communities. I hesitate to recommend any, because they are for individual works, not for individual writers. This is a distinction that means I doubt these places will be of any use to you at present. However, I may be wrong. I do not have experience with this, so I cannot make recommendations. If you find a living author whose works you adore, you could always reach out to them and ask for their recommendations of what to read. You might be surprised: many will answer.
At the end of the day, you have to refine yourself in order to refine your craft: this is not a singular pursuit that can be refined separate from the refinement of you as a person. Your experiences, your dedication, your growth: these things all lead to you becoming a more interesting person, which—unfortunately common wisdom is correct here—will make you a more interesting writer.
Long to short: Read. Read a lot. Study what you like, and study what you don't. Read. Write, then read your own writing as if it is someone else's. Read.
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Comment on If we can't block users can we at least filter out topics posted by those users? in ~tildes
paris LinkAll of these suggestions are great if you’re on desktop. But on mobile these aren’t really options. Is blocking users really so beyond the scope of what tildes means to be?All of these suggestions are great if you’re on desktop. But on mobile these aren’t really options. Is blocking users really so beyond the scope of what tildes means to be?
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Comment on MaXXXine | Official trailer in ~movies
paris Link ParentI admit I’ve never heard of any of these things before your comment. I’m not a big movie person, but my partner is, so I thought I’d see what this was about since they tend to like A24’s things....I admit I’ve never heard of any of these things before your comment. I’m not a big movie person, but my partner is, so I thought I’d see what this was about since they tend to like A24’s things. Sorry I didn’t know more!
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Comment on MaXXXine | Official trailer in ~movies
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Comment on Windscribe is introducing a new policy change in ~tech
paris LinkCan this be tagged as april fools or some such?Can this be tagged as april fools or some such?
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Comment on Fedi Garden to instance admins: “Block Threads to remain listed” in ~tech
paris Link ParentI think there is a largescale anxiety about what could happen, which isn't so much based on fearmongering as the reason why so many people ended up on the fediverse in the first place, instead of...I think there is a largescale anxiety about what could happen, which isn't so much based on fearmongering as the reason why so many people ended up on the fediverse in the first place, instead of the others: twitter, facebook, etc. Hate campaigns (including stochastic harassment) proliferated there in a way I myself saw first hand; while I have seen ripples of it on the fediverse (even on my little professional server!) it seems the moderation reaction is much more immediate. Smaller servers, quicker reaction times. It seems to be working out that way.
I will argue that the email provider analogy isn't applicable, because "email" isn't an open community where every email you send puts your message on a semi-public list of all sent emails searchable by content and hashtag where bad actors and just general scumbags can peruse for the sole purpose of initiating harassment. And while I understand your point, I do think the visibility factor of the fediverse—and the fact that it's a social network and not a private form of communication—does change things.
(Also, for what it's worth, gmail does block email providers who have a history of spam. If we liken hate crimes to spam, then…)
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Comment on Fedi Garden to instance admins: “Block Threads to remain listed” in ~tech
paris Link ParentYes, exactly. There's a difference between Mastodon.social, as an instance, blocking its users from interacting with Threads, and Mastodon the organization defederating Threads, isn't there?Yes, exactly. There's a difference between Mastodon.social, as an instance, blocking its users from interacting with Threads, and Mastodon the organization defederating Threads, isn't there?
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
paris LinkI’ve been slogging through a set of essays from 1983 about death practices in XVIII/XIX century Portugal. But I’ve just about had it with this book: there’s a completely bizarre assertion at one...I’ve been slogging through a set of essays from 1983 about death practices in XVIII/XIX century Portugal. But I’ve just about had it with this book: there’s a completely bizarre assertion at one point that the Catholic diocese in Braga was created in AD37, and the editor of the volume fudges a fundamental part of a small translation. I’m extremely disappointed in the level of scholarship, especially considering this was published by Oxford! Still debating whether I want to finish the volume. If there’s little details I know are wrong, how can I trust anything else I’ve read to be valid?
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Comment on Fedi Garden to instance admins: “Block Threads to remain listed” in ~tech
paris Link ParentI have not seen anyone asking Mastodon as a service to defederate Threads. I have seen people asking Mastodon.social to defederate from Threads, meaning only the instance Mastodon.social will be...I have not seen anyone asking Mastodon as a service to defederate Threads. I have seen people asking Mastodon.social to defederate from Threads, meaning only the instance Mastodon.social will be blocked to Threads users and vice versa.
But again, this is only what I've seen on my end.
Beautifully written, poignant, painful, and educational. Thank you so much for sharing.