What I Feel Like Is Lacking From Conversations About Plurality Is How Genuinely, Fundamentally Cool It

Plurality

The nature of plurality is that most of the time the questions people get hung up on actually have really simple answers (e.g. "But what do I call them?" "Well, most systems have collective or system names you can use." "Oh."), but occasionally, what seems like the simplest question ever requires a 3k+ word essay to properly answer. And I know the person asking is just expecting a yes or no answer but in order to not feel like I'm giving them incomplete information I have to be like –

(amidst studies on both plurality and seemingly random topics alike) "So, the thing about disorders is that we talk about them as if they're tangible things set in stone, but they're technically just names for certain patterns of problems; the problems exist, but the ways that we categorize and understand them are –" *a theory on neural pathways falls and knocks me to the ground, causing a pile of papers on ableism in medical + health fields to also fall and bury me*

And I both love and hate it for this

Normalizing loving plurality. Not even your own.

Normalize treating new potential headmates in other systems like a default positive until otherwise. Normalize hearing "I think there's a new guy in here" and saying "Wow! Do you wanna talk to them?" instead of "Oh, no :(" And, of course, normalize treating new headmates who front out of nowhere with no idea where they are with kindness, patience, and understanding. Normalize being a rock they can stand on while they get their footing.

Normalize being frustrated you can't physically hold all your friends in a separate system the way you might hold a non-plural friend group. Normalize adoring your friend's headmates. Normalize being happy for them when they talk about their plurality.

Normalize loving plurality.

Also while i'm here

why is it so fucking hard for people to conceptualize the human mind making multiple player characters?

You're telling me that there are whole ecosystems of microcritters that make up "me" in my body on my skin, but when the organ that hallucinates on a regular basis makes another copy of sentience it's impossible?? Where's the people studying the ecosystems of the brain?? Why tf are we gatekeeping sentience??

i never asked to be plural, but i wouldnt change it for the world.

i cant imagine a better group of people to share my life with.

-(pilot)

Sysmeds: I FUCKING HATE MY HEADMATES I HATE BEING A SYSTEM GRAHHGGG

Me, plural enjoyer: *crying to my moots* Scald literally loved me so much he learned a whole Deftones song on his guitar because he knew it was my favorite

(hey singlets you can enjoy this infinite pure love too..it’s so worth it I’ve never felt so happy and complete before)

Randomly questioning whether you might legitimately be traumagenic because you most certainly have childhood trauma, but not knowing whether that trauma is why you're a system or not O.O

constantly fronting host culture is here pal!! I made you a bracelet with your name on it! yeah, I know you're not gonna front, yeah I know you won't be able to wear it yourself, yeah I know I'll be talking for you and that's the closest you're comfortable getting to fronting, but I made you this bracelet anyways!! So that you can feel loved and welcome and recognized!!!

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Submitted Prompt #166

[character A] makes a deal with a supernatural entity, giving up their ownership over their body.

only after the deal has been made does the supernatural entity realise that [character A] is a member of a system, and as such isnt actually the sole owner of the body. leaving the supernatural entity now trapped in a body they dont fully own.

honestly, i think the best part of our plurality is the emotional bleedthrough we have. it happens more the stonger the emotions are and it feels exactly like im feeling my own emotions, but im not the source of it.

if one of us is feeling bad, like stressed, sad, anxious, whatever, well now the others know exactly how they feel and can help to comfort them so much better than they could otherwise, also its great to just feel them calm down as you help.

but its gets better, it happens with joy as well. it really is an amazing feeling just bounceing pure happiness off each other, and theres been a few times we've gotten into a bit of a feedback loop with it.

im not sure were we saw it but i remember seeing a quote along the lines of "shared pain is halved, shared joy is doubled" and thats exactly what is like.

we love being plural and wouldnt trade it for the world.