Well, That Was An Abject Failure (And Yet Enlightening At The Same Time) · 7:03am Apr 2nd, 2014
Show's over, folks. Time to talk about what I learned during it.
As some of you may know by now, one of the April Fools pranks that took place here yesterday involved a collective of authors switching account names and avatars so as to confuse their loyal followers to the point that some of them went ahead and unfollowed us. To the three of you who are no longer with me in light of yesterday's events (I don't know who you are, I'm not kkat), sorry 'bout the mess.
That mess being, of course, the fact that I was masquerading as Akumokagetsu for most of the day, which is actually what I really wanted to talk about right now. When this whole thing was still in the planning stage and I heard Akumo was hopping on board, I jumped at the chance to partner up with him. Sure, a good portion of the reason why was because I thought it'd be fun to write a fic in Akumo's "style" (a.k.a. taking a silly, one-note joke and writing just enough words for it to run its course), but honestly there was a part of me that just really wanted to see if his reputation was deserved. In the circles I hang with, it's safe to say Akumo's pretty much infamous, in equal parts (as I've been told) due to his apparent disregard for even attempting to write well and his blatant, selfish pandering to the lowest common denominator on this site. Me, I didn't know the guy from Adam before yesterday, and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe beneath all that seemingly ignominious behavior, there was an okay guy who didn't mean to come off that way.
In retrospect, I still don't know if Akumo means to act the way he does, or if it's just a byproduct of ignorance, apathy, or both. What I do now is that I've reached the point where I don't care, and where I'm very inclined to think that everything negative I heard about him was warranted.
It wasn't because of how he half-assed his side of the prank. I went for broke copying and screenshotting every module on Akumo's user page so I could replicate it over here and give the whole thing some validity, while all he did was change his username and profile pic while leaving everything else on his user page intact. It certainly took the wind out of my sails when half the trick wasn't executed at all, but at the same time I could feasibly chalk that up to a miscommunication about what each of us needed to do beforehand. That was annoying, but it wasn't reason enough to make this post.
It also wasn't because of his blog post in the middle of the day--under my username--talking about his masturbation habits. It struck me as odd and a little bit discomforting that he seemed to be playing so rough with the prank, but then I told myself that it wasn't really a big deal. After all, the whole thing would be over in a day, and I could always toss a good-natured jab back at him if I got a chance later. That was unnecessary, but it wasn't reason enough to make this post.
It wasn't even because he posted--again, under my name--a typical Akumo-length fic about Twilight being unable to get the taste of semen out of her mouth, or because he preceded it with a blog post talking about that fic and others he had written as if the prank wasn't even happening. That was aggravating and borderline offensive, and had I not been at work and limited to accessing Skype and FIMFic through my phone, I might've sent him a PM about it and brought up the fact that the intention of the prank wasn't to actively try to sully your partner's reputation.
Before I got a chance to, though, a friend in Skype noticed the fourth thing I want to bring up, and, so to speak, that was the final straw that broke the camel's back. While I was at work, Akumo changed his profile name to "George RR Martin", leaving my original username floating out in the ether conceivably for anyone to pick up and use. Had I not been informed of it by that Skype message, it could've been a good hour or two before I noticed the change. The end result of that could've been someone, by malicious intent or otherwise, taking the handle "Aquaman" and locking me out of the name I've gone by in fan fiction for nearly five years. Even this wouldn't have been an earth-shattering tragedy alone, but combined with everything else, it paints a very clear picture of how dedicated Akumo was to this endeavor and to keeping my input and desires in mind. By association, that tells me a great deal about his character as well.
To be honest, I don't care if someone doesn't give a shit about anything they do. Whatever results from it is their gain or their loss, and if I'm not personally acquainted with them, I have no reason to pay any attention to what ultimately happens. There is, however, a point where someone doesn't give a shit to such a degree that it starts to affect other people around them, and that is one of the few things I refuse to tolerate from anybody. It's beyond me to know whether Akumo meant to fuck up the prank and leave my username freely available, or was just completely ignorant of how his actions were affecting me and what I thought we were trying to do. Either way, his intentions are irrelevant. I'm incredibly disappointed in the way he conducted himself during our brief partnership, and to be honest it's made me lose what little respect I left reserved for him on the off-chance he wasn't as lazy and self-centered as people claimed him to be.
Since April Fools Day has ended and the prank went down in flames pretty early, I'm going to take down It's Not Like It Hurts Anypony fairly soon, since I wrote it specifically for this prank and it's not representative of the level of quality I expect of myself and the stories I post. As for Akumo, I'm sure he'll see this if he's still following me, which is why I wrote this knowing he would probably see it. Hell, I want him to see this. Not even to try to beat the underlying message of it into his brain, but just so a perspective other than those of his ever-growing legion of followers might be exposed to it. If my experience is anything to go, God knows he needs that.
Akumo's a joke. Nuff said.
I would've been really upset if your username got taken because then I wouldn't be able to tell you to go back to Atlantis anymore.
Jesus Christ, talk about lack of forethought.
1976304
I'm an optimist. Sometimes you get burned doing that.
Well blast, I think I'm getting old since I thought you were half serious.
Then again, sometimes I can't think straight. Might have been one of those times
We'd get your name back, but it sucks that things went south like that for you, bro.
1976344
Like I said, it wouldn't have been a disaster, but it's really the principle of all these things that bugs me.
Honestly, Aqua, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean the whole name thing to end up like that. And your humor and his was so vastly different that I just basically laughed my ass off at how you'd go all out and he'd, well, not.
Pandering to the lowest common denominator? That's some elitist shit there, though. The guy writes a lot of hit or miss stuff, mainly one-shots and whatever is "Incomplete" will likely stay that way. He just writes. And some of it is entertaining. Shit, I'd fail to see more than 0.3% of this site as actually being uber serious about pony fiction to think it'll be a career, it's just a fansite for hobbyist and taking it more serious than that is detrimental to anyone's health.
You would of been better off taking someone like... well, shit, it's just a dumb prank either which way you spread it. Especially when Akumo made that masterbation post. That was enough to know who was who just based on feed.
But who cares, everyone here is different. Hell, Yourantagonists doesn't even follow the site and the many changes that he seemed to have missed out on as he's in the military and only comes by for story posts and blog updates and if possible read a story or two that piqued his interest. And yet, without a warning, got some sort of permaban. You'd think before handing those out there'd be a PM to tell them to stop or something. :P
Course, April Foal's Day is a pretty crappy holiday anyways. Too many people take it to the extreme, like you've seen, and everyone's taste in what is funny and what's not vary so greatly that I'm surprised you even feel shocked by this. Sounds like you two didn't communicate the Do's and Don't's either way.
1976299 Akumo has enough shit to deal with in real life to give two shits about having to put so much effort into a holiday prank. He just writes because it helps him out. Don't have to like him to read his stuff and you don't have to read his stuff.
If we all tiptoed around shit to try and pander to how everyone thinks we should act or feel, shit around this site with authors would get a lot less productive around here. And I personally see no reason why anyone, even Akumo, should try and 'fit in' given others like Regi and SS&E go about stuff.
Honestly, I was very disappointed in the lack of crack fics that really. This site is so jaded since that Author Swap some time ago. This joke just felt really recycled.
Shit, I don't normally partake in stuff, and I actually made a fic in under an hour for this holiday stuff. Which is more than I can sadly say for many others who didn't partake in anything at all today.
(stupid video games)
Whatever. People talk shit about people all the time. The only thing humorous about that is that those egotistical enough to think the one they talk shit about really give a shit about some person that never liked their shit in the first place and would never really meet otherwise.
*shrug*
Fuck, if people can't accept you for who you are or what you do than they can go waste away in their cesspools of hate and ignorance for all I care. I do what I like and I respect those who have the balls (or inflamed clitorises) to be themselves. Even if that means they are a natural asshole in real life.
What people see online is just a fucking shell of what the person may or may not even be like in real life. This is why I never hold shit against people online. Short of chasing someone around and harasses me or my friends, they can do and say whatever they want so long as it doesn't harm anyone.
Are my opinions popular? I know they're not. But I wouldn't say or do anything that I wouldn't expect someone else to do in my face. So yeah, to each their own. At least I can say I had fun with my side of the April Foal's Day stuff. Even did a thing for Pen Stroke and tossed up some Overly Attached Nyx stuff on Derpibooru. xD
So fuck that noise. Sharing an account, and something you hold dear like a name to a complete stranger to you, was a stupid move.
I would of laughed more if Aqua took on someone like Wanderer D or Opal. Picking out someone you don't know just to see if they are "deserving" of their followers is pretty petty. People around here just follow people if they liked one of their stories or more. Half don't even read all the blogs or spend more time on here than they need to for their story fixes.
Akumo doesn't stick to one idea and runs it to the ground. Dude just tries to have fun with what he does because, like many, life ain't all fucking rainbows and sunshine. So for those pampered and only entitled fucks out there who never had to suffer a day in their life or much less deal with any mental issues or if they'll score that new job, they can go fuck themselves honestly.
YAY OPINIONS!
*fart*
1976360
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1976372 You must be new here.
I always assume the majority are illeterate or don't give a flying feather. Those who do read my rants that wasn't targeted at them? I just question their sanity.
Anyhow, thanks for the acknowledgment
Huh. I wondered why Akumo showed up in my newsfeed, then I figured it out, then I was curious as to who it would be. In fact I read Cribbing because I figured it wouldn't be Akumo, and had a hunch that even that bloody incomplete tag was there just because Akumo. And heck, it was amusing. Even reminded me a little of SS&E's SoL stuff in the tone.
We-ell. I would feel bad for resounding with you on that character judgement, on account of his life seeming to be genuinely terrible (believing werds on the Internet? Hah!), but then again with the digital era being what it is, I hold to the idea that interpersonal interactions and the courtesy and decency therein should be maintained regardless of anonymity or not, and hence at least frowning on the lack of is completely justified, soooo.
I don't appreciate his stories, so I can raise a small glass to that at least.
...Akumo...?
fc02.deviantart.net/fs19/i/2007/251/9/f/The_Evil_Master_Aku_by_DarkStory.jpg
Anyway, hurt feelings and potential for harm are pretty standard for April Fools. Different people have different boundaries on this.
Don't make it a bigger issue than it needs to be.
Also, some unsolicited advice:
Avoid public attacks on people. If it bothered you, talk to Aku directly. Explain the situation to your followers separately. Feel free to say that you were unhappy about how things turned out, but never explicitly attack someone's character. Pointing out the situation should be sufficient, and going beyond that can seem petty, even if it's justifiable.
Hope things get sorted out without much trouble.
Yeah, Aku strikes me as someone who doesn't take this shit too seriously. Granted, yeah... It's friggin pony fan fiction, but to some it's more than that. If he does indeed "write to help himself," he should realize that others do, as well, and messing around like that could be bad.
Now, that said, I DID has some fun with mine. I commented in a bunch of fetish fics while playing as Dusk quill, but I always made a point to emphasize that it wasn't really him, saying things like, "yes, I, Dusk Quill, and most certainly NOT Jake The Army Guy, do indeed love me some futa foalcon rape!"
It's all a joke, yeah, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take it seriously.
aaaaa, don't take it down, I wanna read it sometime! D:
Obs' instructions for those in the joke said to swap names and avatars. He did that. Did you ask him to do more?
Did you arrange in advance a time to swap them back? If not, what did you expect to happen?
All I see is that your sense of humor is different than his. He probably thought his blog post and story were funny, and half the people on this site probably thought it was funny. I haven't read them & probably wouldn't like it if someone did that to me, which is why I would only swap with someone I knew, because I know this is fimfiction.
I don't think you have much to complain about.
Akuma, OTH, could complain about how you were mad at him and posted it to the world instead of talking to him about it.
Both sides are in the wrong here. I'll leave it at that.
Arc and I agreed RULES OF ENGAGEMENT beforehand
90% of all problems are due to a lack of communication. Looks like this is one of them. You both shoulda laid out your expectations from the start.
Now I'm really glad that I didn't participate in that whole thing and instead just released two poorly-written "clopfics" under my own name written by my own hand.
1976420
Illiterate*
Oh the irony.
1983263 pfft. Now that's a bit of a stretch there to claim the word irony don't you think? :P
I do get the joke though, misspelling the one word of all the words that insinuate the inability to write and or read.
Heh, well played I suppose.
On the one hand, I really want to commiserate with you, Aquaman, for being blamed for your lack of communication here.
I think if you're going to actively defame the person you've swapped with, you need to ask for permission. No permission was granted for this kind of joke, one that would actively harm your reputation and standing, so the fact that you didn't actively tell him not to do that being your fault is ludicrous.
And the nature of the public shaming 'joke' was even more public than the retaliation here, which is equally an explanation of why this happened.
So you didn't hack a joke at your expense, being made without your permission, after extending vulnerability and trust to a person who abused it. And it's your fault for not having a sense of humour about it?
Eugh.
On the other hand, I'm forty weeks late to the party, only just having been linked to this page after talking about Aku's spate of plagiarism, so I can't really comment or tag other people into it without it being necroposting or a goddamn nuisance.
Just... Christ. Just know that even after all this time, only just now finding out about it, I'm really disgusted this happened to you, and I'm sincerely sorry that some very intelligent people took to victim blaming in the comments here.