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lmao put a little more effort into it ya dork

:data-revolutionary :

idk why but this one cracks me the fuck up whenever I see it

I don't need military service to find all of those benefits as a man. I didn't need to find them when I was a young man either. Those things exist already. Capitalism has all the incentives to analyze community building, isolate portions of said communites and sell it back to you. Military service is one of those "solutions" to a problem being created by that very concept I described. Young people are being sold isolation for a cheap, yet heavy price.

Also it's extremely ignorant and frankly childish to assume that a military (such as the US Empire's) isn't causing death and destruction at all because it isn't "officially" at war. These young adults absolutely shouldn't bond over drone striking children just because the US Empire needs blood.

Conscription is a dogshit concept. There are no benefits just profit.

I joked about being the FFXIV Defender of Hexbear but you beat me to it lmao. I really liked the essay and I love how you wrote it as well!

The Shadowbringers MSQ in particular blindsided me when you first start helping Alphinaud in Eulmore. This rich little shit, though he is a self-aware rich little shit, realized quickly that his words alone could not solve his problems. He grows into an admirable young man when he gets his shins put to the flames.

The entire quest chain starts with Alphinaud looking at you, inspired, and tells you that DIRECT ACTION and MUTUAL AID is the best way to deal with the rich that lord over a dying world. He never once suggests that we have to change the system from within and "is the only way". He realized he needed to attack this place with multiple angles if he wanted to bring about fundamental change. You can't waltz in and be fancy with propaganda and assume people will be inspired, you have to fuckin help people if you want them to give a shit.

The ending of Shadowbringers is seriously one of my favorite endings to a story tho. I didn't mention Ardbert at all in this because I never needed to. The entire point is that Ardbert (you) did all of this direct action and more without you the player realizing it. Ardbert shares his stories from the past that run concurrent with your own journey. You converge when both of your stories come to the same conclusion. We must fight for each other if we want to reach our goals.

The moments before that Battle Axe of Light manifests, you as the player attempt to anticipate what is going to happen. You can only guess. As that axe forms, everything you learned comes to a realization. You, alone, would never be here without the strength of everyone else. You let all that strength fly free and it liberates the world with a backdrop of ruins from the old world, the old ways. We'll never go back, even if it is "better".

EW spoiler:

Whoever caused all this shit. Wtf dudes?? Especially cross with the people who made MMOs.

I've been hearing The Wife Aggro jokes since I could remember my dad's dial up modem. My dad made those jokes too.

You can't escape The Wife Aggro. It's fucking impossible. If you call it out, you're the bad guy. That dude is helping his The Wife!!! You don't even have one, virgin.

Yea there's a reason why I can barely tolerate playing current WoW with the boys. I won't even touch classic.

The Wife Aggro is STILL THERE. MAKE IT STOP.