you know what makes me glad
how in steven universe selflessness at your own expense is outright condemned
in so many SOOO MANY children’s and adults’ media wearing yourself ragged for others is toted as the Epitome of Virtue like, from fucking Frozen, “some people are worth melting for”
but in steven universe they say Fuck That. rose teaches pearl that she is a person beyond what her superiors want of her. steven keeps this line of thought going by very clearly demonstrating to pearl that such self-sacrifice does not help anyone and working TOGETHER, where everyone counts and nobody is expendable, is how it should be
every time ruby is like “who cares about me, you’re the one who’s important” to sapphire, sapphire cuts that shit down. “who cares’” “i do!”
SU is doing the lord’s work and teaching kids to have healthy supportive relationships that go both ways
But sometimes there’s no other choice but selflessness at your own expense. Sometimes people in your life are gonna get sick, sick enough to need 24-hour care, so what other option do you have but to “wear yourself ragged”? It’s not a good message for kids, no, but adults – no, one day you’re gonna have to be selfless, and it will wreck you, but Good or Bad or Condemn-able or not you’re just gonna have to do it, because there’s simply no alternative-
i like how people keep coming up with Exceptional Situations to tell me taking care of yr own self is bad lol
it’s still a bad fucking message for adults because when people internalize this sorta shit they don’t consider it for That One Moment: they keep it for every instance of their life. a culture of self-sacrifice convinces some people they are worthless!! that their only value as a person is their usefulness to other people!! WHY IS IT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT’S BAD LOL
being self-less when it’s called for in certain situations isn’t bad!! being self-less to the point it destroys your self-esteem and well being is!!! that’s what steven universe is against!!
I know; that’s what I’ve bloody done
That’s what I very, very much understand.
God, it’s been nearly a year since I wrote that. (I really wish I hadn’t done it on someone else’s post.) I still – there’s still a big You’re Just Gonna Have To Do It in my future, and I still very obviously haven’t dealt with my PTSD healthily, but I think the primary key to not allowing anyone to be eaten by the culture of self-sacrifice is compassion and kindness and sharing responsibility: it’s just a shame there’s so little of that about.