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(Foreward: I get the point you're trying to make, so please don't interpret as argumentative at you, forgottenpass) I enjoy Tolkien's success. This is the poin

by lagg 7y ago

(Foreward: I get the point you're trying to make, so please don't interpret as argumentative at you, forgottenpass) I enjoy Tolkien's success. This is the point I'm trying to make. I'm a bystander here and would not even be aware of pagans beyond a superficial level had it not been specifically for the fact that their adherents have failed so badly at keeping their own tribe in check. I found out about all of this long after I got the tattoos. But I still have to feel like a party to it for no reason but superficial resemblance of runic alphabets. And yet I'm the only one that seemed to have been interested to expand upon my position so far. There's at least 3 heathens here by my count. I guess I'm fine with the notion that I'm a bigger badass than a self-proclaimed viking in this sense. Why shouldn't I call them cowards if I'm more willing to step up for a fictional mythos than one they consider a real part of their daily lives? P.S. I am doing part of the hard work in defending their reputation for them by making a point about context. I will not feel like a bad person for wearing Cirth runes. And they will be with me forever, and I will happily discuss the difference with anyone who asks me. And when I do explain the difference it will start with "It's not actually norse or pagan, I know what you mean but those are dying niche religions used by rednecks and slavic meth heads, it sucks but you can't judge a writing system by it".

forgottenpass 7y ago
>I'm a bystander here Are you? You might not be interested in the culture war, but the culture war is interested in you. >adherents have failed so badly at keeping their own tribe in check Keeping their "tribe in check" is a misnomer. They were annexed as the latest proxy battle in the larger cultural war. Why should the people deeper in the subculture have to take more ownership of that outcome than you do? It's not about the thing anymore, it's about branding the thing Team Edward or Team Jacob, and anyone who wants to go back to Team Not Getting Involved is run out on suspicion of vampirism/werewolfism.
- lagg 7y ago
  You know, that's a good point. And I can't deny that now I'm probably locked into it by loose (/very/ loose) association. But yes I poorly chose my words, I'm sorry. Your example of branding is appropriate because at this stage I can't see paganism as anything more than a satire religion in the vein of bob or FSM or hell even the Twilight fanbase while we're at it. The edginess is all equally adorable. They have half-remembered christianity-mingled rituals and holy men, probably. Just like how the Church of the Subgenius has a preacher and gospel and we're all adherents of Bob or the FSM when praying that our code runs. Only difference is that they pretend that it has age and significance that - for all they know - could be the result of christian priests wiping their butt with old norse practices as any correct ritualistic lineage. I wish they would be honest about the fact that they are satirical. Things already readily not taken seriously are anathema to the fascist. So it wouldn't even be an issue if they were honest. No one is trying to appropriate Bob's face to be an edgy viking. Maybe they should get their branding together so people like me don't have to clarify it being for entertainment value only.

by lagg 7y ago

forgottenpass 7y ago

>I'm a bystander here Are you? You might not be interested in the culture war, but the culture war is interested in you. >adherents have failed so badly at keeping their own tribe in check Keeping their "tribe in check" is a misnomer. They were annexed as the latest proxy battle in the larger cultural war. Why should the people deeper in the subculture have to take more ownership of that outcome than you do? It's not about the thing anymore, it's about branding the thing Team Edward or Team Jacob, and anyone who wants to go back to Team Not Getting Involved is run out on suspicion of vampirism/werewolfism.

lagg 7y ago
You know, that's a good point. And I can't deny that now I'm probably locked into it by loose (/very/ loose) association. But yes I poorly chose my words, I'm sorry. Your example of branding is appropriate because at this stage I can't see paganism as anything more than a satire religion in the vein of bob or FSM or hell even the Twilight fanbase while we're at it. The edginess is all equally adorable. They have half-remembered christianity-mingled rituals and holy men, probably. Just like how the Church of the Subgenius has a preacher and gospel and we're all adherents of Bob or the FSM when praying that our code runs. Only difference is that they pretend that it has age and significance that - for all they know - could be the result of christian priests wiping their butt with old norse practices as any correct ritualistic lineage. I wish they would be honest about the fact that they are satirical. Things already readily not taken seriously are anathema to the fascist. So it wouldn't even be an issue if they were honest. No one is trying to appropriate Bob's face to be an edgy viking. Maybe they should get their branding together so people like me don't have to clarify it being for entertainment value only.