Reds fanfic

[Bookmark1995]

This makes me worried for Buddhist and Catholic monastics in the UASR. Are there hundreds of Catholic/Trinitarian and Buddhist monasteries like in OTL America? Or has that aspect of organized religion been left to wither on the vine? Are Trinitarian priests still celibate?

I believe there is power in refraining from sensual pleasures, with fasting and dietary restrictions and such included. Would Buddhism and Catholicism be "socialized" in the UASR and pressured to conform to materialism and abandon abstinence?

Is refraining from other pleasures frowned upon, too? Would there be extreme social pressure to consume alcohol like in Japan?

I can't imagine that mindfulness would get the popularity it has in the West today, thanks to no New Age movement. This is concerning because Buddhist theory of mind and mindfulness is foundational for DBT, the most effective therapy for several disorders, such as Borderline Personality Disorder.

That would depend on whether or not the UASR has an ideological drive toward hedonism and anticlericalism.

I think peer pressure toward drinking or drugs or sex exists everywhere, not just the UASR. The people of the UASR only allow these things, because they don't believe in legislating morality. (although FBU right-wing propaganda would portray UASR people of "imposing sex and drugs on their youth"). It is simply like a freedom, like speech, or voting. You can choose to exercise them, or you can choose not to.

 

[generalurist]

Actually come to think of it it's weird that a nation so focused on making 'nonstandard' sexuality acceptable would look down on asexuality.

 

[Bookmark1995]

Actually come to think of it it's weird that a nation so focused on making 'nonstandard' sexuality acceptable would look down on asexuality.

Not necessarily look down asexuality: but wonder why someone would abstain from it, until of course education leads to people acknowledging people who can't feel sexual attraction.

 

[Alexander the Average]

This pop culture make modern day Hollywood look out right prudish. Also the entire focus on sex repulses me,I hate Ancient Rome for the the same reason.

Actually the ancient Romans were notoriously prudish. They're the reason that monogamy is the norm in most of the world today. The fact that they were such prudes is part of the reason that Christianity was so appealing to them. The idea that the ancient Romans were sex-crazed hedonists is largely the product of propaganda by Roman Christians in an attempt to make paganism less appealing to Roman cultural mores.

 

[President Earl Warren]

Actually the ancient Romans were notoriously prudish. They're the reason that monogamy is the norm in most of the world today. The fact that they were such prudes is part of the reason that Christianity was so appealing to them. The idea that the ancient Romans were sex-crazed hedonists is largely the product of propaganda by Roman Christians in an attempt to make paganism less appealing to Roman cultural mores.

 

[Shevek23]

I don't know why the opinion has developed that the UASR is going to persecute people just for being different. I think they would constantly question someone whose "differentness" demands going backward socially, and suspect them of just plain being greedy. And yes, I suppose it might take until the 1990s for people to generally understand that asexuals are on the spectrum, though it might be clarified much earlier too. Until then yes people are going to figure someone who claims to be asexual is being reticent rather than believe them. But I think they will limit the oppression to questioning looks and repeated offers for what the person does not want, but never take it past that. That is bad enough of course, to be constantly questioned and doubted. But it won't be nearly as bad as the trouble you get into in any of the blocs for attacking the basic social organization. Or as bad as the active and violent persecution homosexuals suffered and still do in our own society, not nearly. So admitting the UASR is not perfect is not the same thing as saying it just like the FBU still less OTL, just that not all the struggles have been won at once. The difference between the UASR and Comintern in general is that while imperfect, it is perfectable. The other bloc will have some hard lines beyond which you cannot expect to cross without being made to suffer for it, and those are not negotiable.

 

[The_Red_Star_Rising]

The idea that the UASR persecutes asexuals is simply bizarre and I have no idea how you guys are getting that take out of what we're writing.

 

[LNSS]

One of the big reasons I would stay away is for my Soul,I'm already concerned about secularism and promiscuity in our culture today (I mean can you think of one tv show which was built for teens without a sex scene outside of marriage)
This pop culture make modern day Hollywood look out right prudish. Also the entire focus on sex repulses me,I hate Ancient Rome for the the same reason.

Well, pretty much none of Disney's teen shows have sex scenes. And I think those largely are the dominant teen shows nowadays.

 

[The_Red_Star_Rising]

I'd research that but it'd mean I'd have to watch Nickelodeon and Disney live action sitcoms.

 

[Nyvis]

The idea that the UASR persecutes asexuals is simply bizarre and I have no idea how you guys are getting that take out of what we're writing.

No one said anything about persecution. But as soon as you set new social norms, you will get some pressure to conform, and in a society were people are also very communal, it would be harder to avoid said pressure. It would probably be mostly unconscious and all about perceptions, rather than deliberately targeting those people. A bit like the pressure put on people who chose not to drink in a partying group where everyone does. Even if no one says anything, you can feel the unasked question and the implied "do you hate fun?".

 

[Alexander the Average]

I think LoK would have worked a lot better if the gol of the Equalusts was not "eliminate bending" but rather "make everyone a bender" because thats kinda the point of equaility, everyone should have the same advantages and opportunities, not "everyone should be equally lame". Its almost petty and it makes it look as if the equalists were jealous rather than righteous.

The trouble is that you don't really have a conflict then and they can't be antagonists. They aren't fighting against anyone and few people would be actively resisting without some sort of contrivance.

I personally think that the most interesting thing they could have done, and what I'm thinking of doing for a post on Korra ITTL, is make the scary antagonistic political movement be benders who argue that they are being exploited and oppressed by non-bending parasites.

The argument could have gone that they contribute the most to building and running Republic City and therefore they should be entitled the full benefits of that labour. Instead they would point to wealthy non-benders like Sato who live lives of wealth and luxury off the backs of working-class benders. As the show progresses and this movement becomes more powerful the reactionary implications in this worldview, ableism, scapegoating and coded anti-Semitism, would become more apparent as they begin to implement eugenics and ethnic cleansing.

Unlike the IOTL show, where the movement comes across as petty and disconnected from reality, ITTL the movement, whilst categorically in the wrong, would be grounded in the world and the lived experiences of the people living in it and would have some truth to it. Republic City is a capitalist society where social relations are determined by capital and either your ownership over it or the value of your labour. In such a society benders would still face exploitation despite their superior skills just as IOTL skilled labourers are still exploited, in the Marxist sense, by their employers. There is a legitimate grievance but instead of attacking the social system that causes their exploitation their focus is directed at a scapegoat minority and the superficial manifestations of that social system.

That way you could have a nuanced discussion of complicated political ideas where you can disagree with the antagonists but can still understand and even empathise with their point of view instead of the confused mess they came up with IOTL.

 

[The_Red_Star_Rising]

No one said anything about persecution. But as soon as you set new social norms, you will get some pressure to conform, and in a society were people are also very communal, it would be harder to avoid said pressure. It would probably be mostly unconscious and all about perceptions, rather than deliberately targeting those people. A bit like the pressure put on people who chose not to drink in a partying group where everyone does. Even if no one says anything, you can feel the unasked question and the implied "do you hate fun?".

Even the most Prudish cultures have essentially tried to erase asexuality and aromanticness. Given the importance of identity politics within the communist international an advocacy group is almost certain to form. It may take a bit of a bumpy road to get to full acceptance, but I think they'll make more progress than OTL where there's the implicit assumption by the great majority of people that Asexual and Aromantic people are just lying to themselves and others and haven't met the right person. Something that I think that the Comintern's psychological sphere preferring to view sexuality and romantic inclinations as a spectrum rather than a handful of inflexible absolutist categories will help.

 

[Miss Teri]

I think part of the confusion stems from a couple description of it as "people are expected to be bisexual," which is incredibly misleading.

Red Star's description of a "sexuality spectrum" a la Kinsey is a much better descriptor. It's not that people are expected to be bisexual, but that they are not fully hetero or homosexual.

 

[1965 Timelord]

More Gundam AU ideas and other famous anime series

UC Gundam franchise would be have modified storylines diverge from our OTL like Gundam F91 would be a complete series or movie mini-series instead of OTL movie with Crossbone Gundam as a 2nd season, Victory Gundam as the final season, Twilight Axis Gundam as a prologue. Unicorn Gundam as the sequel to Starlight. As for G-Savior, a better story than the OTL version. Then come AU series franchises, Gundam Wing, now there's socialist dialogue about war and pretty boys and girls; X Gundam, a retelling of the UC universe with the plot ideas of Starlight mixed in; G-Gundam how can the USAR timeline of futuristic gladiator battles for Earth fit in?; Turn-A-Gundam retelling of a post-apocalypltical earth invade by a socialist moon race; Gundam Seed retelling of the UC franchise with different characters; 00 Gundam, a retelling version of Gundam Wing franchise; Age Gundam, a family saga with mobile suits or gundams for the OTL version; Gundam Build Fighters, in a socialist world setting; Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans, a socialist indictment of children soldiers.

Other anime series

Space Battleship Yamato 2199AD/Star Blazers a socialist united earth against blue-skinned right-wing authoritarian aliens; Space Pirate Herlock(or Harlock) a socialist version of Che Guevara as pirate starship captain; Sailor Moon as socialist magic girl; Tetsujin 28-go as socalist role model for kids for a giant robot and later to a socialist indictment of WW2 and the early cold war years; 8 man, an early version of Robocop as another socialist role model and later, a dark tale of police brutality; Cutey Honey as socialist magic female android and rest of Go Nagai series for sex porn and terrible violence in a socialistic settings; Space Dimensional Fortress Macross (and the misbegotten bastard child, Robotech) in socialist setting; Dragon Ball; Armored Trooper VOTOMS; Neon Gensis Evangelion; Gunbuster; Crusher Joe and Dirty Pair. More to come.

 

[The_Red_Star_Rising]

More Gundam AU ideas and other famous anime series

UC Gundam franchise would be have modified storylines diverge from our OTL like Gundam F91 would be a complete series or movie mini-series instead of OTL movie with Crossbone Gundam as a 2nd season, Victory Gundam as the final season, Twilight Axis Gundam as a prologue. Unicorn Gundam as the sequel to Starlight. As for G-Savior, a better story than the OTL version. Then come AU series franchises, Gundam Wing, now there's socialist dialogue about war and pretty boys and girls; X Gundam, a retelling of the UC universe with the plot ideas of Starlight mixed in; G-Gundam how can the USAR timeline of futuristic gladiator battles for Earth fit in?; Turn-A-Gundam retelling of a post-apocalypltical earth invade by a socialist moon race; Gundam Seed retelling of the UC franchise with different characters; 00 Gundam, a retelling version of Gundam Wing franchise; Age Gundam, a family saga with mobile suits or gundams for the OTL version; Gundam Build Fighters, in a socialist world setting; Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans, a socialist indictment of children soldiers.

Other anime series

Space Battleship Yamato 2199AD/Star Blazers a socialist united earth against blue-skinned right-wing authoritarian aliens; Space Pirate Herlock(or Harlock) a socialist version of Che Guevara as pirate starship captain; Sailor Moon as socialist magic girl; Tetsujin 28-go as socalist role model for kids for a giant robot and later to a socialist indictment of WW2 and the early cold war years; 8 man, an early version of Robocop as another socialist role model and later, a dark tale of police brutality; Cutey Honey as socialist magic female android and rest of Go Nagai series for sex porn and terrible violence in a socialistic settings; Space Dimensional Fortress Macross (and the misbegotten bastard child, Robotech) in socialist setting; Dragon Ball; Armored Trooper VOTOMS; Neon Gensis Evangelion; Gunbuster; Crusher Joe and Dirty Pair. More to come.

Might want to cut out all the emojis.

 

[Bookmark1995]

I think part of the confusion stems from a couple description of it as "people are expected to be bisexual," which is incredibly misleading.

Red Star's description of a "sexuality spectrum" a la Kinsey is a much better descriptor. It's not that people are expected to be bisexual, but that they are not fully hetero or homosexual.

That is a better way of putting it. People acknowledging there are all kinds of orientation.

 

[BootOnFace]

Even the most Prudish cultures have essentially tried to erase asexuality and aromanticness.

You should read more medieval Catholic stuff. The Church and devout loved people who by nature were disinclined to sexual intercourse and romantic attachment. The virtue of chastity for men and woman was a way to be closer to Christ. Even St. Augustine of Hippo in late Antiquity(before celibacy of priests) wished for chastity. An asexual in Europe during the Middle Ages would have no confusion over their place in society, unless they were nobility and were obligated to reproduce for their family. Women were of course more emphasized in anything extolling the virtues of chastity, but it was not confined to the female sex. The idea of masculinity necessarily including a rapacious sex drive is a more recent invention.

 

[Bookmark1995]

You should read more medieval Catholic stuff. The Church and devout loved people who by nature were disinclined to sexual intercourse and romantic attachment. The virtue of chastity for men and woman was a way to be closer to Christ. Even St. Augustine of Hippo in late Antiquity(before celibacy of priests) wished for chastity. An asexual in Europe during the Middle Ages would have no confusion over their place in society, unless they were nobility and were obligated to reproduce for their family. Women were of course more emphasized in anything extolling the virtues of chastity, but it was not confined to the female sex. The idea of masculinity necessarily including a rapacious sex drive is a more recent invention.

Yes, chastity and love were highly celebrated, while lust was heavily discouraged. John Milton's Paradise Lost strongly supports this worldview. The chastity belt was an infamous result of such an attitude.

ITTL, the trajectory of the attitude toward sex seems to be moving toward the opposite of Middle Ages chastity.

This process, however, is gradual.

By 1948, an ITTL American teenager is taught that sex, while preferable after marriage, is something personal. Y'know, live and let live.

By 1992, it appears that one is being taught to embrace and enjoy sex as much as possible.

 

[The_Red_Star_Rising]

Yes, chastity and love were highly celebrated, while lust was heavily discouraged. John Milton's Paradise Lost strongly supports this worldview. The chastity belt was an infamous result of such an attitude.

ITTL, the trajectory of the attitude toward sex seems to be moving toward the opposite of Middle Ages chastity.

This process, however, is gradual.

By 1948, an ITTL American teenager is taught that sex, while preferable after marriage, is something personal. Y'know, live and let live.

By 1992, it appears that one is being taught to embrace and enjoy sex as much as possible.

The 1992 take is outright wrong unfortunately.

 

[Bookmark1995]

The 1992 take is outright wrong unfortunately.

Are you going to elaborate, or are those spoilers?