Concrit Post 22

[hmd_me]

How's My Driving?
∞ Comment with all the journals you RP with (and the communities they're from).
∞ Reply to other people's comments (anon or logged in) with constructive criticism.
∞ Learn from the suggestions and profit!

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Comments

[owns_the_chair]

First of all, thanks for commenting with your critique. It's always good to have someone point out the tings you might need to improve with your muses. However, I'm interested to know how it is you feel my Kirks are defined by their angst. As they are Kirks, there is going to be a good deal of angst in their background - it would be close to impossible to write a Kirk who didn't have a sometimes turbulent inner life. But I do try to keep it as just that; their inner life, and in their inner monologue as Kirk is very much a "show, don't tell" character.

That being said, I do have two relatively angsty verses. Most of the angst has taken place in either locked posts, or in journals. The angst has mostly occurred when Jim has been put in extreme situations, or with a partner he trusts implicitly. These threads have been part of a larger plot, thought up by me and the other mun, and thus has no bearing on Jim's character outside these verses.

I'd very much like you to link me to some examples of non-verse specific posts, so I can get a better feel for the situations in which you think my Kirks have been defined by their angst, as I take all criticism seriously.

[owns_the_chair]

The problem with that, of course, would mean outting myself as the one mourning the loss of your well-written Kirks, something I don't have the courage to do. Or else I would've said something long before this, when I started to notice you falling more and more into the trap most of fandom seems to have with Kirk. Yes, he's had a miserable life, but, realistically, he should be able to cope better. I know that XI =/= TOS, but I sometimes worry that people, you in particular, have a hard time seeing that Pine's Kirk is one day grow into something at least a little like Shatner's.

I will say, specifically, that there was a situation we RPed wherein I found Kirk to be entirely irresponsible as far as captaincy went. Furthermore, his reactions to my character and the completely ridiculous levels of angst you provided that were neither perportionate to my character's actions, nor okay at all with me. I sincerely hope you check with other muns before Kirk behaves so wildly out of character these days, because I know it certainly hurt and frustrated me.

[owns_the_chair]

As far as I can tell by your reply, you're basing your opinion on one thread we've had together. I fail to see how occasionally playing angst to portray a multi-dimensional character can be perceived as "disproportionate and ridiculous levels of angst". I have no problem with expounding further on the decisions I've made for why I play Jim how I play him, nor will it be a problem for me to provide arguments and canon references (both reboot and TOS canon) as to why I've made these decisions.

I'm sorry, but your critique seems to be biased by a specific thread you were in with my Kirk and unless you're willing to put yourself out there more in some way, I can't exactly comment or change.

[owns_the_chair]

Believe me, if it was one thread, I wouldn't say anything. But it seemed to happen near continuously with both your male and female Kirk (despite the fact that the girl was so much better before you started playing the boy) with a few of my characters. A year ago, you didn't have the problem, but in the past months, you certainly have.

I do have a few questions, though, and I would look forward to your reasoning and canon references for a few things. What in Kirk's character would imply that he would sooner have an argument with a close friend than even mention the topic over which he had spent a day brooding? Why, growing up on a farm, is he unaccustomed to and hateful towards cats? How can you justify someone being captain when they clearly haven't dealt with near-death situations in their youth? Do you have any idea how important mental health is in military situations and how painfully obvious it is that your Kirk could never pass a psychiatric evaluation?

1/2

[owns_the_chair]

In answer to your questions:

- About Jim's aversion to cats:

Jim has grown up on a farm, yes. Having been to more than one farm myself, and having friends who've grown up on farms, I can inform you that most of the cats who live on farms are not kept as pets. They're there to catch mice and are often wild and feral. I've never been to a farm where cats were allowed inside the house, much less kept as pets. In the few instances where cats are kept as pets on a farm, they usually require more help because the house cats get fat and happy and don't chase the mice when they have a nice bowl of food. Thus, Jim would not see them as suitable pets, or anything he wanted to have in his quarters. Furthermore, if Jim had come across one of these wild cats as a child and had a bad experience - like getting scratched - it's more than common for someone who has such an experience to develop a lifelong aversion to the creature who injured them.

- About near-death experiences/ mental health in the military:

One of my friends is in the military and has done tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Several of them. Another of my close friend's husband is a marine. Every single person I've ever come across who have been in war zones have continual nightmares about it. And guess what? They DON'T talk about it. Ever. Unless they get extremely drunk. You DO NOT TALK about these things in the military. You get kicked out if you do! Ask anyone who has been in one of these situations. Despite what the military says, it is pretty common knowledge that if you seek help to deal with PTSD, nine times out of ten, you will be removed from active duty, thus losing your job and your source of income. This is why so many veterans and service members become alcoholics. If you need support for his claim, check out this link along with this one. Particularly: " Ealier this month, we reported that some soldiers who come back from Iraq with serious emotional problems have trouble getting the help they need. We reported how supervisors at Fort Carson in Colorado sometimes punished soldiers who suffer from depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD. [...] The case against Private Tyler Jennings symbolizes a dilemma that's facing the whole army - should officials discipline soldiers who have illnesses like PTSD, and then misbehave? Or should officers forgive those soldiers and do everything possible to help them? Studies show that soldiers who have PTSD commonly misbehave. It's a side effect of their illness.". So yes, I actually have a very good idea about how mental health issues are dealt with in the military.

PTSD is a very real thing, a thing I have researched extensively before I incorporated it into Jim's personal canon. He has been not only in a war zone, but has experienced a genocide on Tarsus IV. That kind of thing stays with you. And you don't talk about it. Holocaust victims did NOT talk about it unless absolutely necessary. Talking about it forces people to deal with the horrifying memories of what happened, something that is emotionally draining and will force them to relive the trauma in their minds. No one wants to do that if they can avoid it.

2/2

[owns_the_chair]

As for Jim being Captain when he hasn't dealt with near-death experiences in his past? I seriously doubt an institution such as Starfleet would put him in the Captain's chair if they thought he wasn't fit for the job. While he has had near-death experiences in his past, and is still influenced by some of these, he is fully functional and able to serve as Captain. If having unresolved traumatic experiences in your past precluded you from a command position, the military would be in serious trouble due to an extreme lack of experienced officers.

About arguing with his friend instead of talking:

Jim is, as previously stated, not prone to talk about what goes on in his head. Some things (such as an unwanted, unexpected pregnancy) will make him reevaluate certain aspects of himself and his own life, and his own suitability as a father. To him, it would be unthinkable to share these thoughts with his hormonal and recently emotionally unbalanced partner. It would only upset her further if he did, or so he reasons. That he starts an argument is not entirely intentional from his point of view, but as a person who likes his privacy, and likes to keep such sinister thoughts to himself, he gets defensive when continually prodded about something he doesn't want to talk about.

As you can probably tell, I know who you are by now. I'm truly and deeply saddened that you've felt it necessary to stoop to this level of blatant butthurt just because I dropped a verse you liked. I'd really expected more maturity, not to mention respect from someone I've tried to be a good and supportive friend to. As it is, I have no interest in any further communication with you. Please remove yourself from my f-list, and refrain from contacting me again.

Oh, and if I see you using any of my plots, any of my back stories for Jim, or anything else I recognize, I will beat you with a stick!

No love,

Me

Re: 2/2

[owns_the_chair]

For the record, I never mourned the loss of that verse. It was completely out of control. I did mourn and continue to mourn the loss of an excellent roleplayer and an even better friend.