The Appeal of Shotacon, as Written by Aethy

Content Warning: Discussions of Shotacon, Sexual Assault, CSA & COCSA, Rape, Roleplay, BDSM, and Sexual Fantasy

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Frequently in online discourse, the catch-all villain known as "lolicon" (ロリコン) is thrown around with reckless abandon. Regardless of the side of the argument, lolicon is front and center in these spaces, to the point that it often overshadows any and all other types of taboo fiction. Whether it is considered the ultimate evil of fiction or a pure bastion of wholesomeness, everyone knows what it means, to some extent.

Often forgotten in these discussions is it's twin, "shotacon" (ショタコン). Shotacon is, like lolicon, a combination of words: "Shōtarō" and "complex." "Shōtarō" references a boy from the 1956 manga series Tetsujin 28-go, about the now-defunct development of a robot weapon (a "mech"), built by a scientist named Dr. Kaneda. The mech is then inherited by his son, Kaneda Shōtarō.

Looking at the cover, it's pretty easy to see where the connection lies. Similar works involving young boy (the "shota") characters include those of the famous Osamu Tezuka, known for his works Astroboy, Kimba the White Lion, and Princess Knight, among others. Whether these works grew alongside Shōtarō or were inspired from him, we don't claim to know. But the similarities are notable.

Other works that fall under the "shota" umbrella are Loveless, an ecchi manga about a twelve year old boy and a twenty year old man (and magical trauma), Case Closed (the titular character being depicted as a young boy), Black Butler (we all know that one), and the infamous three episode hentai Boku no Pico.

Needless to say, shota spans a wide range of genres in a similar way to loli. While, like loli, the focus is on "moe" or cute-looking characters, there seems to be less controversy surrounding the genre in online discourse. While we can speculate as to the reason (spoilers: it's probably sexism), today's article is meant to explore what people enjoy about the genre. Specifically, what people on the Mastodon Instance known as Aethy.com enjoy about the genre.

As a brief introduction, Aethy is a queer-run, leftist space which prides itself on it's active federation moderation, as opposed to Baraag's "free for all" approach to federation. Aethy specifically limits and suspends instances which promote harmful ideologies (such as Nazi instances, "pro-contact" spaces, anti-science and conspiracy theory instances, and similarly dangerous spaces on Mastodon). The website has received a great deal of backlash at times for its dedication to keeping its users safe, being subject to several smear campaigns (while also being inadvertently "recommended" by the anti-kink crowd when they see a particularly offensive piece of "Sheith" artwork on Twitter) and even the doxing of the former admin.

For this blog, however, Aethy has been a treasure trove of creative queer energy. We were quite excited to see the positive response from users when we posed our questions: "What is the appeal to shotacon for you, personally? Is it related to your gender? Is it related to a sense of helplessness or a sense of being "the one in charge" despite being much smaller/perceived as weaker? Is it the theming of the works that include shotacon?"

Here is a collection of some of the responses we received. All users will of course remain anonymous, and no accounts will be linked to in this article. Please respect these users' wishes of privacy.

Understand that our goal is not to psychoanalyze each individual's response, but to try and translate it for those who may view shotacon (or lolicon) as devious, harmful, or inherently problematic. Many think of shotacons (and lolicons) as "perverts" (here used negatively, for perhaps the only time on our site) only obsessed with the bodies of children when, often, that is not the case. What about the instances where the user is projecting onto the shota, rather than an adult? What about when the projection is shota-on-shota, and there is no "mature" character involved? What about the instances where a user's real life body looks younger than they are? What about all the other ways a person could feel?

Warning: Most, if not all users, mention some form of sexual assault enacted against them. While trauma is not the qualifier of who is allowed to enjoy the genre, it is worth making note of. If you'd like more information on this phenomenon, please give this video a watch. If you would like to read up on more sources to various kinks, taboos, and the psychology behind sexual fantasy in general, we recommend skimming On Sexual Fantasy and "Antis" (An Updated List of Resources).

With that out of the way, let's begin!

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Minor grammatical edits have been made for readability. We did not want to detract from the users' statements.

For me it's several things balled together. But wholly, it's role-playing. I want to experience being small in a controlled space- whether what's happening to "me" is violent, scary, comforting, or sexual. Sometimes it's the other way around, where "I" am the one loving or hurting something vulnerable. It's catharsis emotionally, self therapy in a way because it touches on painful past experiences off and on, like dipping your toes in water. When something hurts too much to face you can sort of only graze the edges I guess.

What a poetic way to put it, describing the experience as "dipping your toes into water." Dipping your toes in is the first step to being able to acclimate to the temperature. And, ultimately, isn't that what trauma does?

It's the whole being the one in charge despite being weaker or perceived as (plus they are cute, stubborn and determined, and the plot thing of "when I grow up you will be mine" is just full of potential since shotas often hate having the feelings being treated as fleeting and not serious due to their age)[...]

Another term for this, for readers who might not understand the appeal of shotacon specifically, could be "powerbottom." A smaller or "weaker" character taking control of a larger, "stronger" character is a relatively common trope. And it's a fun one! This response is vaguely reminiscent of works like Black Butler, particularly the anime. Young boys (Ciel and Alois) controlling demons (Sebastian and Claude) who are obligated to obey their every command. And it's a little bit erotic, but that's to be expected from a work that was written by a former shotacon BL creator.

To me it’s as simple as the fantasy idea of a boy that is not set in his ways, so he is naturally kind and less threatening. As a victim of COCSA, it also gives me something to see myself in at times.

"A boy that is not set in his ways, so he is naturally kind and less threatening" hits quite close to home.

I'm a bit more of a casual shotacon to be honest, but shota art will always have a special place in my heart.

For me I think it largely has to do with gender & childhood trauma. My boyhood was non-existent, partly because I'm trans and partly because I was not in a good environment. I was forced into mature situations, and I handled them well all things considered. But it's because of this I think I tend to like attach myself to shotas that are fairly smart and clever but are also overall helpless/easily overpowered. It's cathartic to me to be able to read/play in a space where the shota/I don't have to come out on top but am still taken seriously.

There is also an aspect in that although I'm in my late 20s I get mistaken a lot for a young boy. My age range to strangers seems to fall between 12-16, depending on what I'm wearing. So I don't really see my body type represented in a lot of erotic art outside of shotacon stuff. I've also had people tell me, to my face no less, that I make them uncomfortable because they find me hot but are upset I appear much younger than I am. One person even told me it felt "illegal" to like me. Which really sucks to hear. However in shotacon communities nobody bats an eye at bodies like mine and it helps me feel a lot better. Honestly the shotacon community is very similar to gay daddies, in that these tend to be the only spaces where i can fully explore my sexuality without feeling bad about my body.

Seeing or projecting a childhood that was robbed from you in this sort of work doesn't appear to be uncommon, but it's certainly fascinating. To break the law of the royal "we" for a moment, I relate deeply to this sentiment as a transgender person myself. Something was taken from us that we may not have even realized was missing until a decade later. It's a hell of a thing to work through in therapy.

Being simultaneously helpless while also respected is quite reminiscent of D/s communities, in which the submissive is never actually in danger and is capable of stopping the scene at any time (as is the dominant, of course). Mutual respect being present throughout the scene in the way of communication beforehand, such as the establishing of safewords, is an integral part of the BDSM community (and any healthy relationship). When viewed through this lens, the material in question feels less "taboo" and more contextual. Being overpowered while still being in control is not an uncommon fantasy, and many experience it in their own minds every time they fantasize.

"One person even told me it felt "illegal" to like me." What a vile thing to say to a grown adult. Sadly, the idea that neotenous or youthful people are somehow analogous to children is a gross misunderstanding of why sexual relationships with real children are wrong at best, and an active attempt to take agency away from (often AFAB) people at worst.

"Fiction as a coping mechanism" is a very common idea among proship-aligned communities. Although nobody needs to have trauma in order to enjoy "problematic" fiction, I personally do.

I bring up this trauma because I think it ties directly into how I experience shotacon. When I think about my "usual" shotacon scenario, it's a trusted adult taking advantage of a teenage boy. Imagining myself as the adult in charge gives me a sense of control that I lacked. When I write or even just daydream about this, I feel completely safe. I can explore and process complicated feelings about my abuse and abuser.

However, I also sometimes imagine myself as the shota. I might even self-insert as shotas that I'm attracted to, and then ship myself with the adults I self-insert as. Maybe that's weird, but it gives me a sense of being taken care of by someone older, stronger, and wiser. It would be nice to just let go of my responsibilities and have someone else worry about them for a change! I don't age regress, but I think there could be some overlapping aspects there.

There is also definitely a sexual aspect. I consider myself asexual, sex-repulsed, and probably some form of aegosexual. I don't feel any attraction towards any real people. It's hard for me to feel sexual attraction, even towards fictional characters, because I disconnect myself from them and use canon self-inserts. Still, I have a corruption kink, and it's easier to take the virginity of a partner when they're innocent and inexperienced.

I think it's interesting you ask if it's related to gender. In the rare online spaces that are both lolisho friendly and staunchly pro-trans, I would say... maybe? I'm a trans man, and almost all of my shota ships are MLM, but I don't think much about their genders. I also don't really have any trans shotas, and probably only one or two trans shotacons. If my love for shota is related to my gender, then it's no different than my love for adult anime characters as well. I can definitely see how it would be different for others, though.

The first part of this response contains part of the “boogeyman” that those against taboo or transgressive art will often pontificate on. The “degenerate” imagining themselves as the “predator” in their fantasies. But what we see her is clearly more complicated: a person victimized by others taking solace in fantasy, a common and encouraged form of therapy.

We’ll return to the rest of this answer in a moment, as this first part allows for an opportunity to demystify these so-called “bogeymen” of sexual fantasy. After all, many consider it actively suspect to fantasize about being the perpetrator. Of course, if we were to believe that, we would have to extend that logic to other fantasies. Roughly 60% of women have rape fantasies, whether they have been raped or not. Following the previously established logic, 60% of women must, therefore, want to be raped.

This is, obviously, not the case.

There is not sufficient evidence to suggest that a particularly “deviant” fantasy is more indicative of a person offending. In fact, in a study of sexual deviancy and criminal activity, sexually-offending men had overwhelmingly “normal” sexual fantasies (penetrative or oral sex with one or more women). Obviously, it must be taken with a grain of salt that these studies overwhelmingly focus on cisgender men and women, if you are of the belief that these statistics would markedly change towards the negative would be far more indicative of your own personal bias against queer folk.

Moreover, what is considered a deviant or "unusual" sexual fantasy? This study suggests that only two types of sexual fantasy were considered "rare," and that "Care should be taken before labeling an SF as unusual, let alone deviant. It suggested that the focus should be on the effect of a sexual fantasy rather than its content."

We're hoping that's enough to at least get you started on why this "boogeyman" is more of a strawman.

As for the rest of this response, we see the reoccurring theme of being cared for, or caring for others. Corruption, too, seems to be a common theme.

This particular user also expresses that they are asexual, feeling little to no sexual attraction even in the realm of fiction. It's noted that this user uses "canon self-inserts" (assuming this to mean imagining oneself as a canon character rather than imagining yourself wholesale), further detaching them from the act of sex.

Finally, this user suggests that they may be some form of aegosexual (or autochorissexual, as it has also been called). This term relates specifically to a disconnect between oneself and their subject of arousal. Here's a bit more history on the term, for those interested (warning: this website may not be secure, do not input any sensitive information).

I don't mind a Napoleonic shota, but I don't lean subversive about the trope and actually prefer when the shota is not taking charge – specifically because I usually ship them with women. Generally my fictional preferences tend to center around giving women the upper hand in situations where they usually would not have it (i.e. with men), and so an older woman with a shota is kind of the most direct way to do that as the adult/child part is so blatantly a power imbalance.

I'm bi, and I like/am attracted to men (cis included) despite unsavory experiences with them having grown up AFAB. But there's discomfort in the fact that what I'm attracted to is something I've also come to see as a threat because of these experiences. It would be great to be able to divorce the two: to make it so that who I'm attracted to is no danger to me and doesn't make me feel fearful and helpless. So fantasies involving men where I (as an AFAB person) don't have to be scared, where I have control, are appealing. Shotacon is just one manifestation of that desire.

In many ways for me, it's not even about the shota, but what he symbolizes and provides: comfort, honesty, respect, desire without strings attached, a relationship with a man where they see me as equal (or more) and I don't suffer a net loss because of their expectations/perception of me based on my gender.

I usually like when the shota very blatantly likes the other person—whether the shota is a tsundere-type who grumbles and blushes, an outgoing type who makes every excuse to be around them, or a shy type who gets easily flustered, it's all cute. The unquestionable affection and dedication is part of the appeal. But still the object of their desire has control over the situation—she can say no or pretend she doesn't notice the crush, and no threat will come to her.

The age factor is very important because it informs all the behavior I find particularly cute. The inability to be deceptive or covert or subtle, the clumsiness in unfamiliar situations, the amusing attempts to be an adult and the cracks in that facade that make you remember how old they really are... sincerity (and a lack of pretentiousness) is very endearing. I'll echo [another user] in saying that the boy not being set in his ways and thus less threatening contributes a lot to the appeal.

I also like adult/immortal/ancient shota, who have a slightly different appeal (they have a complex about not being taken seriously, or lean hard into their apparent age and act like youths despite being 1000 years old—both are cute).

There is also a very specific dynamic you only get with older woman/shota that I find cute, which is the dissonance between fulfilling the gender role of being the provider as the "man" in the relationship and wanting to lean into being cared for as the child.

The theming of this feels very similar to one of the above answers.

“A boy that is not set in his ways, so he is naturally kind and less threatening."

AFAB people in general are, in real life, in active danger simply because of the genitals they were born with. They are taught to be deeply wary of cisgender men, are steeped in a hyper sexual culture that begins well before puberty, their bodies being sexualized extremely early on. That can create a feeling of helplessness, of being treated as “the lesser sex.”

But what if sex could be enjoyed with men who were not so deeply steeped in this culture? Men who have not become “corrupted” by these ideologies? I wonder if many AFAB people, in particular, remember in their pasts having a cis male friend who progressively became more hostile, more engrossed in toxic masculinity (which harms men as well), to the point that they became unrecognizable? What if there was a way to freeze time, to explore that?

Tangentially related, but not a part of the responses thus far garnered, but men into straight shota (abbreviated, unfortunately, as “SS,”) have talked about the reverse of this. Being cared for, emotionally and sexually, without having to worry about being a “manly man,” subverting that toxic masculinity from the other side.

With the “thousand year old shota” trope, there seems to again be overlap on being taken seriously despite one’s appearance. Just because an adult looks younger does not mean they should be treated like a child, and many express frustration related to this (AFAB people, from what has thus far been gleaned, though AMAB people are not exempt from this).

For me, being into loli/shota is just incidental to liking cute characters. I really like characters who are cute and small, regardless of their age. So my interest in shotas isn't that they are young, specifically. It's that they look small and cute - I'd feel the same even if the character was more adult looking but it's more common for cute characters to be younger. Previously I've compared my interest in shota/loli art to how one feels when they see a really cute animal.

Sometimes it’s the simplest reason for one to find appeal in something. Cute, small characters hit a certain spot for many people, whether that is the feeling of “cute aggression” or the relatively common kink usually described as “size difference.” Small is often analogous to things which are vulnerable, things to care for.

Personally, I'm an asexual, panromantic adult with no history of sexual victimization, and “problematic fiction” has never been a coping mechanism for me. As someone for whom sex is just not a thing I have ever wanted IRL, I've never seen what I enjoy reading about or drawing as having any correlation with real life desire— it's just a type of story that I enjoy reading, or a type of art that I find to be visually pleasing. Shota/loli art is aesthetically appealing in that the characters themselves are these idealized avatars of delicate, unblemished innocence, occupying the same visual territory as ethereal fae or angels. There's eroticism in the corruption of innocence, but also in the idea that innocence can endure even after being “tainted,” and I'm personally a bigger fan of the latter: of these genderless avatars of idealized purity that can, within the realm of fiction, chose to engage in the “corrupting” act of sex, become debauched, and then return to their original state of purity. I also enjoy stories that delve into how messy and complicated human beings are, especially when it comes to the (for me, pretty much completely alien) craving for sexual intimacy that is so strong it can drive people to defy, ignore, or completely warp their own sense of morality. I like reading stories about people who are pushed to really LOOK at their personal moral boundaries and forced to reckon with whether or not they actually see those rules and guidelines as objective truths that they believe in.

IN SUM: For me, fiction and art are just creative exploration of all the weird things that humans can think or feel. It's wild to me that people think it should be illegal to draw a picture or write a story about a particularly ugly thought or idea, because that's all it is: a thought, or an idea. Antis bring this up a lot as a gotcha question , but I don't struggle with worries about 'what (the fiction I like) says about me' or 'what would your loved ones say if they knew' because 1: I know myself. I work hard every day to be as kind and empathetic and helpful to every living thing around me as I possibly can be. I'm old enough to know that nobody can ever stop at saying to themselves, 'I'm a good person,' because every moment of every day, the best any of us can do is TRY to be a good person. You're never done with that task. And 2: My loved ones know me. I'm honest with them about everything, even this, and they never doubt who I am as a human being. I think that if people knew themselves better and cultivated better social support networks, they would realize how weird it is to worry about this shit, too.

[…]I have an additional thought that I forgot to articulate: I think that a big part of the reason that I'm such a big fan in particular of the 'the innocent character fucks, and their innocence remains uncorrupted' trope is that, due to a combination of being ace and raised in a non-religious environment, I've always felt like the purity culture concept of "do (or even just think about or be intrigued by) this very natural human thing and you are TAINTED, BROKEN, PERMANENTLY DISGRACED" has always struck me as incredibly weird. I know that sex is an incredibly basic element of the human experience specifically because the drive for it is something that I lack, and while I'm personally repulsed by the idea of anybody touching my body sexually, I know that's just personal distaste and find it weird whenever a fellow ace on the anti side of the argument uses that personal distaste as a bludgeoning tool to beat down someone else for their harmless expression of their own sexual thoughts. So, playing with these concepts in fiction feels very "people seriously believe this shit? lol anyway here's a fucknasty story where social constructs (good and bad) are utterly befouled and everyone turned out fine" to me.

“The idea that innocence can endure even after being “tainted,” is such a powerful sentiment. Though this user specifies they have not been sexually victimized, a common feeling among those who have been is that they have been “tainted” and would thus become “damaged goods.” This is compounded by society’s view of rape and rape culture, particularly around CSA. It cannot be understated how damaging this is to survivors of rape and/or CSA.

The idea that “innocence” can endure even despite these horrible actions is actually a beautiful one. On the other hand, the understanding that sex is not something that “taints” others is an important distinction. Sex is not inherently a tool of corruption: for the average allosexual person, it is merely a way of feeling pleasure, or feeling close to another. The demonization of sex (in America in particular) is a result of widespread religious trauma.

That said, the comparison to fae and angels itself feels reminiscent of this. Moreover, it conjures the visage of cherubim, commonly depicted in artwork circa the 14th and 16th century. Also called Putto or Putti, they were symbols of profane passion, rather than childish purity. The history of these figures is itself rather complex, so we implore readers who are interested to seek out further reading on the subject.

To return to this responder, discussion of the complexity of human emotions and actions is the founding basis of many stories, from the fables of Aesop to the stories of the Bible. Works such as Lolita and My Dark Vanessa are excellent examples of this. Humanity is complicated, our emotions are messy, and many believe all actions must have a justifiable reason behind them.

Lastly, we again have a person who does not desire sexual contact in any way in real life. The user goes as far to suggest that the thought of another person touching them in a sexual manner is “repulsive.” The overlap of asexuality and kink culture strikes again!

I simply enjoy size differences.

No, but the appeal of shota to me is... I enjoy Yaoi. I enjoy when my favorites are vulnerable and malleable. And how much more malleable can one get than being young? I like seeing my favorite characters grow into men, knowing what happened to them when they were young. I was groomed as a teen, but I don't think it has anything to do with it like the rest of the answers you've gotten. I simply enjoy power imbalances.

Sometimes, simple is best! Size difference is a surprisingly common kink, and shota characters do fit fantastically well, particularly if a person is more into humans and less into “shortstack” races like goblins, dwarves, or lalafell (we see you, lalafell modders!).

We cannot comment on this user’s discussion of their own CSA: if they do not feel it influenced them to enjoy this type of content, then that should be heard and respected. As discussed in some previous answers, not all kinks stem from trauma. Sometimes you’re just wired to like something, and that’s okay, too.

For me the appeal is vicarious. It's not about the attractiveness of the boy characters, it's about the situation they are in. It's fun to see women characters who are attractive to my adult eyes pursuing a young male character that I find relatable.

Part of the reason why I emotionally relate to younger male characters is because the portrayal of older male characters tends to be so overwhelmingly unrelatable. Many portrayals downright disgust me. In sexual works grown men tend to be shown as shallow-minded monsters. But even in non-sexual media they seem to be these alien dude-bro personalities. And while consider myself a fairly typical CIS straight male, I'm not some jock and I don't think most people are.

For me there is also an additional appeal of straight-shota. My teenage years occurred in the mid 1990's where it was very easy to believe that women in general inherently had no interest in sex. Internet access was limited and rare. Searching for "feminism" on the flawed early search engines tended to bring up scathing news articles about rape or the more extreme essays from the 1980's during the more extreme height of the feminist movement where some authors posited about the inherently evil tendencies of males. And outside of that people simply didn't talk about sex. So seeing attractive female characters pursuing boys feels reassuring and comforting, almost no matter how aggressive their pursuit is. In fact the more aggressive they are, and especially if the boy is unable to stop them, the less room there is to doubt the genuineness of their interest. The fantasies make my own puberty feel a little more justified instead of being some crime against women for daring to like sex.

This phenomenon does not seem all that strange in the straight shota circles we have personally witnessed in the past. Earlier in the article we said, “Being cared for, emotionally and sexually, without having to worry about being a “manly man,” subverting that toxic masculinity from the other side,” and that seems applicable here, though it is less specific to what this user is expressing. And here, another very interesting point is brought up: the demonization of men in earlier waves of feminism (and later in spaces like tumblr, which heralded the TERF movement and it’s frequent calls for the death, or delegitimization, of all men).

AFAB people who pass as cisgender men may have experienced the vitriol of these types of movements, but may not have grown up in them in the same way an AMAB person may have. The damage these kinds of communities do by insisting that men are nothing but slavering beasts desperate for any kind of sex is immeasurable, and may contribute to rape culture overall (toxic masculinity). It can either reinforce negative behaviors (what “boys will be boys” has turned into for permissive or outright negligent parents) or foster self-hatred and fear of causing harm. Fostering self-hatred should be no more acceptable in men than in women, or trans folk, or any other human being on our planet.

Not every man is a hypermasculine muscle-hunk that can bench press his own weight. Not every man is “conventionally attractive,” with a square jaw, dark hair, straight teeth and a perfect six-pack. Yet, in most media, those are the men that are seen as “attractive” and “worthwhile.” They are the heroes, the underdogs, the men we’re supposed to root for. Meanwhile, “conventionally unattractive” men are made a mockery of, relegated to the comedic relief or, worse, the pathetic antithesis to what the “hero” is. They never “get the girl,” or even get treated like a human being with worth. But how many “conventionally attractive” men are out there, when what is “conventionally attractive” is almost completely unobtainable? What of the 90% or more of men who can never achieve that unrealistic standard (in a similar way cis women face in their portrayals in media)? Are they not allowed to feel represented, fulfilled, or even seen?

Women sexually pursuing men, particularly in an aggressive manner, is a subversion of the norm. Seeing women as sexually hungry themselves is something few works care to acknowledge, too focused on the “purity” or “innocence” of women, and how they will eventually be “defiled” by a man. But women are just as sexually inclined as men, because sex and sexuality is natural for us. And why shouldn’t a woman pursue a man she likes, for reasons beyond being “conventionally attractive?” Women want something very similar in media, right? To be represented, and to be loved because they are not the stereotypical bimbo, not despite it? Hollywood has really fucked up a lot of people’s perceptions of the world, and of themselves.

Ultimately, acknowledging women (or AFAB people in general) are capable of desiring sex is still a rather newfangled thing in media, even today. Acknowledging that people want to be loved, or desired, or seen at all, not despite of but because they do not fall into that narrow little definition is not abnormal to the experience of anyone. Cis men feel it too, and failing to acknowledge that causes more harm than good.

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Human beings are complicated, messy, kinky, queer, cis, confusing, and wonderful. This is been a small smattering of reasons for why people enjoy something that others might find repulsive. The reality of things is often far more complicated than the simplistic, straightforward views we are taught as children (or in identity-politics heavy online spaces). A person’s sexual or kink-related fantasies can no more deem them dangerous than their lack of them. If it were that easy, we’d be living in a much more organized world.

Hopefully, this article has brought you one of two things: new and interesting information, or comfort. You’re not alone in the way that you feel, and you’re not alone in not understanding things that seem strange or difficult to you. And you are not alone, or wrong, in feeling disgust towards something: simply remember that human beings are strange, strange creatures, and that feeling does not dictate moral goods or ills.

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If you’ve made it this far, we’re very thankful for the time you’ve taken to read our article. This one was slightly different than our other works, so thank you for bearing with us. Moving forward, No Gold Here will likely focus more on independent work, rather than community discussions. Regardless, thank you for sticking with us, and we hope you have a wonderful day. ❤️