I'm assuming it's a strategy y()u can c()nsistently make w()rk f()r y()u in a way a l()t ()f us can't depend ()n and that's why y()u seem t() be treating s()cial finesse as s()me kind ()f lesser c()nflict res()luti()n f()r chumps. Y()u keep saying heft but l()()k: f()r m()st pe()ple the c()ncept ()f leverage is at least as applicable
()f c()urse Zephyr can tell the ()ther kid t() fuck ()ff, and if they want t() I'm all f()r that, but making threats they aren't c()mf()rtable f()ll()wing thr()ugh ()n d()esn't actually give them any leverage. If anything it gives the ()ther kid an ()pening, because w()w! Zephyr's threatening them! Suddenly it's a wh()le l()t easier t() spin it as Zephyr being the aggress()r!
And the thing is that yes if they can manage it with()ut flinching and giving up the high gr()und, hauling ()ff and smacking the ()ther kid is a valid strategy, but s() is cultivating the ()ther kid. That's a kind ()f leverage t()(), y()u kn()w, if they're careful ab()ut it and d()n't let the ()ther kid get their h()()ks in them
Heft means a lot more than leverage in the literal sense. You just gotta have the weight behind you, be it a threat (which doesn't always work I can admit that after rereading your last couple of letters.) a compromise or something the other person wants.
So far we've seen the other kid likes playing dirty. Shows the reasoning part ain't gonna click too well. Zephyr is too fucking nice to actually do anything but tolerate this bullshit. It's why I said at least stand their ground. Do something besides just stay quiet and hope it doesn't happen again.
()k. ()k l()()k I'll be frank with y()u here. I am laying a wh()le fucking l()t in the ()pen here and I am c()unting ()n y()u t() be en()ugh ()f a reas()nable and sympathetic pers()n n()t t() try and use it against me because I d()n't think y()u're quite understanding where I'm c()ming fr()m and y()u kn()w what? It makes me nerv()us t() lay it ()ut like this
I'm a scrawny yell()wbl()()d ()f bel()w average physical strength and middling at best psi()nic p()tential and I need y()u t() understand what that means. I grew up small and weak and a member ()f a de fact() slave class. I d()n't have heft. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that w()rk best if my ()pp()nant d()esn't see them c()ming and I have my p()tential t() talk pe()ple d()wn and influence them. And I kn()w that ()ther pe()ple wh() l()()k f()r allies rather than - than rivals - are safer and m()re fulfilling f()r me t() be ar()und
I d()n't kn()w h()w Zephyr stacks up against the ()ther g()dwigglers. They say they're bigger and str()nger and m()re devel()ped and I d()n't see any reas()n t() d()ubt their judgement but I d()n't have any reas()n t() accept it at face value either. But whether they're ()verc()nfident ()r just ()utnumbered by the ()ther kids they d()n't need a reputati()n as a bully and we d()n't want them devel()ping the kind ()f habits that will let them thrive with that kind ()f reputati()n. They can benefit fr()m learning h()w t() c()()perate with s()me()ne with()ut leaving themself vulnerable, h()w t() cultivate a friendship with s()me()ne ()n their ()wn terms even if the ()ther kid's a manipulative little jerk, and h()w t() shut that manipulative little jerk d()wn if they need t() with()ut giving the ()ther kid m()re ammuniti()n
That's what I want t() enc()urage Zephyr t() d(), n()t r()ll ()ver and let the ()ther kid have their way. There's a difference. And speaking as the kind ()f kid wh() needed leverage because she didn't have any kind ()f significant f()rce t() bring t() bear? Having friends wh() are m()re devi()us than y()u y()urself are can be a pretty useful thing, t()(), if y()u can keep an eye ()ut f()r y()ur ()wn safety
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()f c()urse Zephyr can tell the ()ther kid t() fuck ()ff, and if they want t() I'm all f()r that, but making threats they aren't c()mf()rtable f()ll()wing thr()ugh ()n d()esn't actually give them any leverage. If anything it gives the ()ther kid an ()pening, because w()w! Zephyr's threatening them! Suddenly it's a wh()le l()t easier t() spin it as Zephyr being the aggress()r!
And the thing is that yes if they can manage it with()ut flinching and giving up the high gr()und, hauling ()ff and smacking the ()ther kid is a valid strategy, but s() is cultivating the ()ther kid. That's a kind ()f leverage t()(), y()u kn()w, if they're careful ab()ut it and d()n't let the ()ther kid get their h()()ks in them
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So far we've seen the other kid likes playing dirty. Shows the reasoning part ain't gonna click too well. Zephyr is too fucking nice to actually do anything but tolerate this bullshit. It's why I said at least stand their ground. Do something besides just stay quiet and hope it doesn't happen again.
no subject
I'm a scrawny yell()wbl()()d ()f bel()w average physical strength and middling at best psi()nic p()tential and I need y()u t() understand what that means. I grew up small and weak and a member ()f a de fact() slave class. I d()n't have heft. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that w()rk best if my ()pp()nant d()esn't see them c()ming and I have my p()tential t() talk pe()ple d()wn and influence them. And I kn()w that ()ther pe()ple wh() l()()k f()r allies rather than - than rivals - are safer and m()re fulfilling f()r me t() be ar()und
I d()n't kn()w h()w Zephyr stacks up against the ()ther g()dwigglers. They say they're bigger and str()nger and m()re devel()ped and I d()n't see any reas()n t() d()ubt their judgement but I d()n't have any reas()n t() accept it at face value either. But whether they're ()verc()nfident ()r just ()utnumbered by the ()ther kids they d()n't need a reputati()n as a bully and we d()n't want them devel()ping the kind ()f habits that will let them thrive with that kind ()f reputati()n. They can benefit fr()m learning h()w t() c()()perate with s()me()ne with()ut leaving themself vulnerable, h()w t() cultivate a friendship with s()me()ne ()n their ()wn terms even if the ()ther kid's a manipulative little jerk, and h()w t() shut that manipulative little jerk d()wn if they need t() with()ut giving the ()ther kid m()re ammuniti()n
That's what I want t() enc()urage Zephyr t() d(), n()t r()ll ()ver and let the ()ther kid have their way. There's a difference. And speaking as the kind ()f kid wh() needed leverage because she didn't have any kind ()f significant f()rce t() bring t() bear? Having friends wh() are m()re devi()us than y()u y()urself are can be a pretty useful thing, t()(), if y()u can keep an eye ()ut f()r y()ur ()wn safety