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

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

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

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.

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, 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.