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Thank you for the reply, Mia. For a moment I thought I went too cynical with that cruelty pov.
Your points on compassion really stayed with me. I agree that a lot of people lack it nowadays, and honestly, I lack the proactive, effortful kind you described too. I tend to hold back cuz i respect people enough to believe they can solve their own problems. Pity feels like humiliation to me, so I usually wait until they ask for help. I want them to come out stronger on their own.
I’m aware this shifts the burden onto the person who’s already suffering. But I’ve also met people who prefer that respect over unsolicited help. Still, I know even this approach can be selfish sometimes cuz in the back of my mind, I’m partly trying to avoid feeling guilty for not helping. Emotions are way too complex.
Also, don’t take Hannibal too seriously. He’s just a fascinating character to me. I love diving deep into what he actually means- that man speaks in Times New Roman all the time.
And I noticed you changed “anonymous coward” to “curious fox.” I accept that I can be petty about such small things 😂
Thank you again for your words.
-MirrorCrush
MC, I understand the seesaw-like conflict, however I think the true meaning of compassion is misunderstood.
Compassion does not equal pity. And it definitely does not mean "I will solve this for you".
While some truly do appreciate solitude, if you approach someone with the mindset of "pity" and "fix it" then of course, you will feel like your self respect and respect for them is less than when they flatly deny your "unsolicited help" however, the biggest difference, is reminding someone that they are not alone in their journey.. that right there is compassion.
I said it in the last tell, compassion is saying "I will try" not "I will do".
And to not try at all just proves the point that compassion is so misunderstood and so profoundly lacking that humanity had lost touch with it all together. Would you really rather struggle along your journey with no one to talk to, no one to understand, and no one to relate?
I don't. I want someone who'd remind me, "I'm here if you need me" "I'm willing to learn how I could help you if you needed it" or.. (and this is the hardest for people to wrap their heads around for some reason) "I'm willing to be silently by your side so that even your shadow could reach out and know it's not alone"
"Unsolicited help" comes only from assumption, and I've been told "Assuming makes an ass out of you and me"
whispers..compassion is also reliant on listening, more than talking.. I know, that's very difficult for nearly every creature, but it's worth it.. you learn a hell of a lot more.
Don't "feel guilty for not helping" because it's not your place to. But don't turn a blind eye to a stretched-out hand, either.
As for Hannibal, I've never gotten into anything related (don't come after me, please) but you've made me interested. I also just watched "APEX" and there's a moment in there that reminded me of our discussion.
Some love can be so profound and terrifying that you need it closer than humanly possible.. and all I could think after was "What happened in that character's past to make them feel so thoroughly abandoned and hollow that they'd have to possess everything they cared for in such means"
Anyways, I got distracted. Also, haha. Yes. I realized we can change the anon names and I figured something closer to my own name would do better.
Only one other person knows this but my nickname is Fox in another language, and I've always considered my readers my kits, so my anons will be my Curious Fox(es). That's all. 😆
~Mia
Do u listen to music when u write? If u do what do u listen to?
I do. Consistently.
Hmm, let's see. I'll link my playlists?
90% of the time I go to instrumental hard beats like edm, techno, house, I have a few playlists for this but only 1 I created: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ESqZRUW6xwwBJgJbtN3Rj?si=xIwt66i3Qx-yzfs3He_KrQ&pi=t3TNkeS_SoKyu
For sadder stories I use this: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tieSEKxdIK8BtRCA5aApw?si=NvDCWKQEQ8C8nYS-U3vOzA&pi=C3Utbo-xQn22X
For sensual themed stories I sometimes use this: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Kbi8OgrEjO3GoWNxvQBiO?si=ZPWN2tciRC6bDLOt-Kv0oQ&pi=IRlcRO19SC-vu
For angrier/heavier themed stories I have this: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jD4FlYvXbQS1t3ZwRroC8?si=icKPfBShR2OBQBfpoezsqA&pi=62nXXhZwSIq85
Thank you sm for your kind note! Since you mentioned you enjoy questions that require a bit of reflection, I wanted to share a perspective i’ve been turning over lately. This is coming from the most complex mind that that I've come across-
“Human emotions are a gift from our animal ancestors. Cruelty is a gift humanity has given itself.” - Hannibal
We didn't invent emotion, we inherited it from earlier species. This makes emotions primitive, instinctive, and ultimately mundane - not something special or noble.
Unlike basic emotions, cruelty isn't necessary for survival in the wild. Animals kill for food or defense - they don't typically inflict suffering for pleasure, revenge, or entertainment (exceptions are always there , I'm talking in general)
So, ig its not actually the emotions, but a special one - CRUELTY that separates humans from animals. Cruelty requires intelligence, CHOICE, and culture.
What makes us human isn't love or empathy, it's our ability to deliberately harm for reasons beyond survival.
It’s a lil uncomfortable cuz it means cruelty isn’t just “animal instinct” we can blame on evolution. it’s a distinctly human failure.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this-
If cruelty is what makes us human -what does that say about everything else we call "humanity"?
Do you think we've been looking at the wrong thing this whole time? Praising love and empathy as our highest virtues, when maybe our real species defining trait is something we're actually ashamed of?
I realize this is a bit of a heavy topic, I’d be glad to hear your perspective whenever you have a quiet moment to reflect on it. Thank you again for being so open to these kinds of dialogues.
- MirrorCrush
Hey, MC, there are 2 reasons this message took so long: 1, I had to sit with this for a long time... 2, revo went down. Anyways
These questions did not have a simple answer, but I tried my best.
While I didn't agree with everything, I can agree that cruelty does feel distinctly human in the sense that humans can intellectualize it, justify it, ritualize it, and continue it beyond survival. But I don’t think cruelty is what humanity is at its core.
Personally, I think cruelty is habitual. Learned. Reinforced.
People are not born cruel. If you look at infants, their emotions and reactions are forms of communication long before they understand concepts like malice or intentional harm. As we grow, we are constantly taught (directly and indirectly) how to react to pain, fear, insecurity, power, shame, anger, and even love. Society, environment, trauma, conditioning, and experience all shape those responses.
I also think the reasons behind cruelty vary wildly from person to person. Some people are driven by fear, some by control, some by desensitization, revenge, insecurity, addiction, illness, or psychological imbalance. There are even cases where cruelty or harmful behavior is tied to impaired regulation or neurological conditions rather than conscious malice. That distinction matters to me.
So I don’t think cruelty is humanity’s defining trait. I think it’s actually one of humanity’s most dangerous learned behaviors.
What stood out to me most in your message, though, was the question about love and empathy. I really don’t think those are our highest virtues either. I think compassion is.
Love can be conditional. Empathy can be damaged, manipulated, erased, or rewritten by experience. But compassion is different because compassion requires effort. It says: “I will try to understand. I will try to do better. I will try not to let another person’s suffering become meaningless to me.” To me, that’s the most human thing of all, not cruelty itself, but the conscious decision to resist it.
And honestly, I think compassion is one of the things most lacking in people and society right now. Not because humans are naturally monstrous, but because it’s easier to become numb than it is to stay open-hearted.
Thank you for sending this one as well. You're really getting me to think philosophical over here. 😂
~ Mia
Hello Mia! Your Hanahaki AU hurt me but I'm just truly in awe of your writing. You have an incredible way of depicting the spectrum of human emotions in such a poignant, often poetic manner. You are especially a master when it comes to sorrow, pain, and emotional struggle. You bite into my weary soul every single time I read your works. Thank you for keeping the fandom alive. Take care. 🫶🏻
PS: What do we have to do for you to release the alternate Guowei ending? 🥺 (kowtowing at your feet; actually chose sunflower on your poll)
Sorry for the late response, revo was down~
Haha, oh my. When I first got this notification it stopped at "What do we have to do for you to release..." and I was like "haha, they want the smut, and I'm going to have to let them down. I didn't write the full love making scene, because I just loved where I ended it."
But this. This is so much better and funnier.
I don't know if I'll release that ending. I feel that every time I release a different ending version (alternate ending) I get a lot of confusion or opinionated judgement. But, I don't normally let that discourage me. I have a lot on my plate and the GuoWei ending was a draft (more outline and ramblings than anything) so if I do decide to, it'll be a random drop. I hope you understand.
As for your kind words, I appreciate every single thing you said. You have no idea how much things like this means to me, the confidence and inspiration you give me, and the drive to continue. I am especially happy to know you felt the intensity of each emotion I strive for.
**I'm wondering if you're the one who DMed me about CC's character, and if you are, I hope you were to relate even more as the story went on and understood why I didn't tag that one thing you caught.
Thank you sm!! Not just for the reply, but for giving it so thoughtfully, stepping into a conversation from a fandom that isn't yours and still giving so many new things to ponder upon. I especially loved this line of yours:
“love pushed past the point where individuality and boundaries can survive.”
You’re right, ofc there is such a thing as healthy love. But who exactly wants that? We have so many things to be mundane in our lives. Love shouldn't be one of them. At least not yet. Maybe someday I’ll grow up and start craving the calm, respectful kind too, but for now i’m still drawn to the messy, desperate, all consuming version.
Thank you again for being so open and generous with your thoughts. I really appreciate it.
-MirrorCrush
Hi,
I'm reaching out cuz I really value your perspectives, and this is a question I can't ask my fellow Fannibals cuz ofc I already know that we think alike. I'd love to hear from someone who has a different approach.
What are your views on cannibalism as a metaphor for love?
I think cannibalism itself is crazy, and it's nothing new. But there's something in the feeling of it, that need to get someone you love so impossibly close that you have to literally devour them, and even that still isn't close enough.
Thematically speaking, characters in these narratives are often deeply flawed, self hating, or struggle to accept themselves. In romantic relationships, this creates a desperate desire to be known and close, but without knowing how to do that without the fear of loss. Consumption becomes the ultimate form of unconditional acceptance.
And then there's that quote by Georges Bataille: "Kissing is the beginning of cannibalism."
I'd honestly love to know your take, but also, please feel free to ignore this entirely if it's uncomfortable.
Thank you either way, for your time and everything.
- MirrorCrush
Hey, MC~
This one had me thinking for a while, and I will admit I did look up "Fannibals." I never got into that fandom so I wasn't aware. So if my perspective happens to step on any toes, please do excuse me, it's just my opinion.
Cannibalism as a metaphor for love? Hm. In a way, I understand. Bataille is right with quote, and if we mirror the two.. our mouths are used to eat and declare. A kiss can do both, ha. But in a sense of healthy love, I do not find cannibalism relatable.
I think cannibalism works in horror as an exaggerated metaphor for intimacy, possession, and fear of loss. Again, not love in a healthy sense, but love pushed past the point where individuality and boundaries can survive.
What interests me about it thematically isn’t the violence itself so much as the psychology behind it. The idea that someone wants to be completely known, completely accepted, and permanently connected to another person. In stories, especially gothic or psychological horror, consumption becomes a warped attempt to achieve that permanence. ‘If I consume you, you can’t leave me; you become part of me.’
I also think these narratives are often about people who don’t know how to love safely. The hunger is emotional before it’s physical. A lot of these characters are terrified of abandonment, rejection, or separation, so intimacy becomes possessive, destructive, even sacramental.
So I don’t really see cannibalism in fiction as ‘love’ itself. I see it as love distorted by desperation, fear, control, or the inability to tolerate distance between self and other. It’s intimacy without boundaries, which is why it’s both compelling and terrifying.
I hope that answers your question, I kinda felt like I started getting a little too serious, haha.
~ Mia | JonetsuDN
Hello
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my message and respond with such thoughtfulness. I really appreciate that you received my curiosity without offense, it reassures me that I asked the right person.
A few things in your reply really helped clarify the picture for me. The feather and stone metaphor was perfect; it made your perspective completely clear. I also really like the “2+1” approach you suggested it seems like a very balanced and considerate way to provide feedback.
Regarding authors not replying to positive comments, I personally feel genuinely excited when an author responds to mine. It feels like a small fan moment and motivates me to continue leaving thoughtful and encouraging comments for others as well.
About tagging, I understand your point completely. As a reader, I sometimes feel frustrated when works aren’t properly tagged, as certain themes or ideas are things I avoid entirely. However, I never lash out at the author; I simply move on quietly. I also recognize that most authors are very diligent with tagging, which I truly appreciate.
I agree with your perspective that the responsibility lies on both the author and the reader, and that finding the fine line depends on the individual.
Your insights have given me a much deeper understanding of this dynamic, and I’m grateful for the clarity.
Thank you again for your time and for sharing your thoughts so openly.
:)
You don’t love me anymore 💔
Hi Mia,
I am asking this because you seem very mature and professional, and I would really value your perspective.
I have been thinking about the role of criticism in creative work. I am not talking about insults, which no one deserves, but rather respectful, constructive feedback.
As an author, you share your work with the public, without any monetary benefit, simply for the joy of creating. In that context, if a reader points out something they think could be improved or requests a possible update because your work made a strong impression on them, does that make the reader "bad" or "hater"?
I have noticed that genuinely talented authors often receive a flood of positive comments, yet sometimes even one negative comment can lead to strong reactions or, in some cases, the work being removed. Interestingly, negative comments are sometimes highlighted or shared publicly, while positive comments, though abundant, often go unacknowledged.
At the same time, authors may ask for opinions in their notes yet feel uncomfortable when someone expresses what they did not like.
I am not referring to rude or insulting comments, which are obviously inappropriate, but rather to thoughtful feedback intended to engage with the work. It seems that finding a balance between appreciating constructive criticism and celebrating positive responses can be challenging.
Personally, I try to avoid commenting on works I do not enjoy and simply move on, but I am genuinely curious.
How do authors feel about receiving constructive criticism, and how can readers share their thoughts in a way that is both helpful and encouraging?
If you happen to share this on X, I would also love to hear the perspectives of your fellow authors.
P.S. Please do not hate me
Hello, dear.
While I can not answer for all writers, I can answer from my own experience and from factual knowledge.
There is a severely fine line between constructive and opinionated criticism. A lot of people try to justify their objections with the excuse of "but you said you're fine with constructive criticism."
I am perfectly fine with taking comments as such. You see grammar or a word wrongly used, call me out on it, I'm doing this all on my own so of course I'm going to miss something. If my sentence makes a lick of sense, ask for clarification, I don't mind it.
But if you "think" you're right about something and I've purposely done something a different way, expect me to set it right. I've had someone do that to me before. They yelled at me for, in their opinion, "tagging wrongly" but I made sure to let them know that I knew exactly who I was tagging and why. (Completely different fandom, btw.)
As for sharing the bad as compared to the good... Hmm.
Wether we like to admit it or not, stones leave bruises while feathers do not. Good comments are like feathers - soothing, light, easy to carry, simple to smile at. They make us happy, there's no doubt about that. They also give us HEALTHY inspiration to work harder.
But bad comments are like stone bruises - to others it seems small, but it hurts. It sets us back. It makes us question. And it weighs down the feathers just enough to move them out of sight. And the shitty thing about bruises? They're seen. They spread and get worse before they get better. So does hate and insecurity.
The people who post the bad comments, I believe, post them to indirectly ask for help in seeing the light. Because what happens when a bad comment is broadcasted in the eyes of support? It's lashed.
There are times where a comment is so good that it is posted too, but if we posted every good comment, then won't we be criticized for being "narcissistic"? Again, it's a fine line.
As for sharing those thoughts in a more productive manner... Hm. I suppose, in my opinion, I'd be fine with the "2+1 manner" (Oh, author, I love this and this but, I think this might need another look)
I'm not sure. But to me it means you gave my story the appropriate time to digest in order to see the good qualities, while recognizing something might be off but you're not entirely sure.
I hope this answers your question on my end. And I will share your ask on X because I am also interested in other's answers. Communication is key and I too am tired of seeing a good chunk of our exceptional writers leave because that line was toed so much that it became non-existent.
Also, hun. I don't hate.
I dislike, when I'm given a reason to. You haven't done that either. You're truly inquisitive, and that's admirable.
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