JDMan94
@jdman94.bsky.social
Reposted by JDMan94
Something I've been thinking a bit recently in the way we talk about fictional characters, and an aspect that I've been finding perhaps a bit...peeving for me.
![Lately I've been trying to shift away from describing characters as "human" as a form of criticism, and more just how convincing/unconvincing they are, or how interesting, how they resonate with me, whether they have fascinating multitudes or not. I have just a few too many problems with describing characters as “human” in fiction.
1: At the end of the day, all fictional characters are incomplete simulacra, and no amount of clever or smooth wording or literary depth is going to truly change that. A fictional character is not a person and should never be treated as such, even if they are the extensions of a person.
2: I find it to be a bit shortsighted of the nature of fiction. As a slight tangent, "show, don't tell" for example is often discussed in good writing vs bad writing for many things including characters, but I don’t think how stuff like that is presented is a very compelling arbiter for characterization quality, just because one character uses words to inform the audience instead of actions, that stuff is quite contextual.
3: In addition, people often downplay the significance of how various cultures (or even different media) each tell stories differently. Different languages use wording differently and have different histories of how stories are told, a fairly common criticism of “show, don’t tell”. And that’s not even getting into localization and the near-impossibility of making choices in translation that keep both explicit and implicit meaning in a way that communicates both at the appropriate amount to a person of a different culture than it was written for. (Part of my problem with describing characters as "anime" for example)
4: A common antonym to "human" is "overly cartoonish", which runs the risk of a character being described as inhuman for merely being eccentric or outward about their thoughts/with their behaviors. [Hit alt text character limit, ask for the rest if you'd like, sorry]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ixnb5x7rcanptyqfekk5man4/bafkreibjacmbzeo7jipzznnpocvuwb3qwtqnylc55mivuljnjm27ky2pu4@jpeg)
December 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Something I've been thinking a bit recently in the way we talk about fictional characters, and an aspect that I've been finding perhaps a bit...peeving for me.
... This is the character people were losing their shit over in Prime 4???? Absolutely wild. Dude is so inoffensive.
December 4, 2025 at 7:25 AM
... This is the character people were losing their shit over in Prime 4???? Absolutely wild. Dude is so inoffensive.
Reposted by JDMan94
It’s definitely a head empty day for me
November 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
It’s definitely a head empty day for me
Reposted by JDMan94
Brother Mamdani straight up called out his support of Immigrants and Trans people with no hesitation or mealy mouthedness
November 5, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Brother Mamdani straight up called out his support of Immigrants and Trans people with no hesitation or mealy mouthedness
Reposted by JDMan94
*clears throat*
*clicks on megaphone*
FUCK. GEN AI.
FUCK GEN AI RIGHT INTO THE SUN.
*clicks on megaphone*
FUCK. GEN AI.
FUCK GEN AI RIGHT INTO THE SUN.
October 5, 2025 at 3:23 AM
*clears throat*
*clicks on megaphone*
FUCK. GEN AI.
FUCK GEN AI RIGHT INTO THE SUN.
*clicks on megaphone*
FUCK. GEN AI.
FUCK GEN AI RIGHT INTO THE SUN.
Reposted by JDMan94
I hate having to resort to this but Mr.Stake is in a real bad way and his vet bills piled up way faster than I ever imagined.
Anything would be appreciated even just a share if you're understandably strapped. ❤️
gofund.me/2aef224ba
Anything would be appreciated even just a share if you're understandably strapped. ❤️
gofund.me/2aef224ba
Donate to Mr.Stake Needs Treatment, organized by Nick Landis
Mr. Stake is the kindest creature I have ever been blessed enough to have in my life. Ever since … Nick Landis needs your support for Mr.Stake Needs Treatment
gofund.me
October 1, 2025 at 5:24 AM
I hate having to resort to this but Mr.Stake is in a real bad way and his vet bills piled up way faster than I ever imagined.
Anything would be appreciated even just a share if you're understandably strapped. ❤️
gofund.me/2aef224ba
Anything would be appreciated even just a share if you're understandably strapped. ❤️
gofund.me/2aef224ba
Reposted by JDMan94
There's no shame in being wrong about something.
There is shame in choosing to be wrong.
There is shame in choosing to be wrong.
September 13, 2025 at 3:14 PM
There's no shame in being wrong about something.
There is shame in choosing to be wrong.
There is shame in choosing to be wrong.
Reposted by JDMan94
Mild take:
The vilification of "virtue signalling" was a political project designed to make even the most subtle reminders of what decency is uncouth and it fucking worked.
The vilification of "virtue signalling" was a political project designed to make even the most subtle reminders of what decency is uncouth and it fucking worked.
September 9, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Mild take:
The vilification of "virtue signalling" was a political project designed to make even the most subtle reminders of what decency is uncouth and it fucking worked.
The vilification of "virtue signalling" was a political project designed to make even the most subtle reminders of what decency is uncouth and it fucking worked.
Reposted by JDMan94
Hollow Knight is brave in giving players no character motivation or inciting incident. That made it challenging for me to enjoy in 2017. In my revisit, I ended the game FILLED with resolute clarity and reason.
Hollow Knight is a masterpiece. Happy Silksong.
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Hollow Knight is a masterpiece. Happy Silksong.
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Review | I was a ‘Hollow Knight’ skeptic. Now I see it’s a masterpiece.
Ahead of “Hollow Knight: Silksong,” our critic revisited the 2017 indie hit and found a narrative that trusts the player to find purpose.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 4, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Hollow Knight is brave in giving players no character motivation or inciting incident. That made it challenging for me to enjoy in 2017. In my revisit, I ended the game FILLED with resolute clarity and reason.
Hollow Knight is a masterpiece. Happy Silksong.
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Hollow Knight is a masterpiece. Happy Silksong.
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Reposted by JDMan94
Reposted by JDMan94
CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery.
America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.
Watch and share his message.
America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.
Watch and share his message.
July 18, 2025 at 12:15 AM
CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery.
America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.
Watch and share his message.
America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.
Watch and share his message.
Reposted by JDMan94
The fundamental misunderstanding here (other than being a shit person) is the belief that GDQ is a speedrunning marathon.
It isn't.
GDQ is a charity marathon. It exists to raise money for charity. It does that through speedrunning and high-level gaming.
Charity first. That's the priority.
It isn't.
GDQ is a charity marathon. It exists to raise money for charity. It does that through speedrunning and high-level gaming.
Charity first. That's the priority.
the major responses to this (aside from people responding "fuck off") being AusSpeedruns is disappointing, I thought ASM had a better audience than that
July 16, 2025 at 2:47 AM
The fundamental misunderstanding here (other than being a shit person) is the belief that GDQ is a speedrunning marathon.
It isn't.
GDQ is a charity marathon. It exists to raise money for charity. It does that through speedrunning and high-level gaming.
Charity first. That's the priority.
It isn't.
GDQ is a charity marathon. It exists to raise money for charity. It does that through speedrunning and high-level gaming.
Charity first. That's the priority.
Reposted by JDMan94
this is what you look like as a Harry Potter fan in 2025
July 16, 2025 at 1:30 PM
this is what you look like as a Harry Potter fan in 2025
Reposted by JDMan94
GDQ is proof you can be exceedingly and tremendously successful not just accepting folks but being proud and loud and loving trans folks. So many people believe in the same thing came together to raise over 2.4 mil for a great cause. Despite everything, we're Here Together.
Trans Rights!
Trans Rights!
🏁TIME🏁#SGDQ2025 has raised a total amount of $2,436,614 for @doctorswithoutborders.org!!
Thank you to everyone who made this marathon possible, and to all of you for your amazing generosity & support. 💙
See you at #AGDQ2026!!!
Thank you to everyone who made this marathon possible, and to all of you for your amazing generosity & support. 💙
See you at #AGDQ2026!!!
July 13, 2025 at 7:44 AM
GDQ is proof you can be exceedingly and tremendously successful not just accepting folks but being proud and loud and loving trans folks. So many people believe in the same thing came together to raise over 2.4 mil for a great cause. Despite everything, we're Here Together.
Trans Rights!
Trans Rights!
Reposted by JDMan94
Reposted by JDMan94
Reposted by JDMan94
Buy her trash fund the fasc
Every time you buy a Harry Potter product, you are financing the dismantling of trans rights
May 24, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Buy her trash fund the fasc
Reposted by JDMan94
Generative AI will never make Andor. And even if it managed to get a tenth of the way there, the only way it did so was because we did it first.
Fuck this horseshit, get it the fuck out of everything.
Fuck this horseshit, get it the fuck out of everything.
May 17, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Generative AI will never make Andor. And even if it managed to get a tenth of the way there, the only way it did so was because we did it first.
Fuck this horseshit, get it the fuck out of everything.
Fuck this horseshit, get it the fuck out of everything.
Reposted by JDMan94
Switzerland is actually a perfect thing for Eurovision to compare itself to: A state famed for it's neutrality which laundered looted gold for the Nazis, massively invested in the Apartheid regime of South Africa, & also currently invests in the settler-colonial project of Israel.
May 16, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Switzerland is actually a perfect thing for Eurovision to compare itself to: A state famed for it's neutrality which laundered looted gold for the Nazis, massively invested in the Apartheid regime of South Africa, & also currently invests in the settler-colonial project of Israel.
Reposted by JDMan94
Reposted by JDMan94
Happy Piccolo day to those who celebrate
May 9, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Happy Piccolo day to those who celebrate
Reposted by JDMan94
Lori Beth Denberg reprised her All That librarian character to do a pro-library, anti-book banning reel and I love it so much??? www.instagram.com/reel/DIK0_bD...
April 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Lori Beth Denberg reprised her All That librarian character to do a pro-library, anti-book banning reel and I love it so much??? www.instagram.com/reel/DIK0_bD...
Reposted by JDMan94
🌟TRANS🌈RIGHTS✨ARE💖HUMAN💫RIGHTS🏳️⚧️
March 31, 2025 at 5:55 PM
🌟TRANS🌈RIGHTS✨ARE💖HUMAN💫RIGHTS🏳️⚧️