Uh, any tips, advice, or something, about getting into it?
Right now, seeing it already started gives me a mix of "I'm behind", "the posts about the first sections are old now so barely anyone will talk about it" and "what the hell does one do in a reading group anyways" that aren't really helping me get started, but still I think a kind of reading group is the only way I see myself being held accountable to actually read theory.
Well... I'm shit at explaining things, and what I'm gonna say isn't the full extent of it (as I have heard) but... basically mechas with extreme fucked up pet play between an officer (a Handler) and their Pilots (Hounds).
The Hounds are often (but not always) captured and brainwashed rebels stripped of most, if not all, of their humanity, reduced to barely-human obedient dogs (to the point of being conditioned to feel the need to wear their muzzles, and even have triggers that make them leave their humanity behind and go completely Hound temporarily) willing to be abused and obey even when part of their old selves comes out (sometimes deliberately pushing that old self deeper into oblivion per their Handler's orders).
There is the smutty parts that is Hounds literally fucking their Handler's boot like a dog fucking their owner's leg, or being offered as stress or sexual relief to others.
I'd say it's a lot about dehumanization, loss of self and of autonomy... and, from what I have heard, a kind of allegory for trans women, (something about how society often both fears us and makes us objects of pleasure, but never sees us as human).
There are also some characters some may relate to, to the point of wishing to be in their place even if it's suffering (I'm guilty of this). Not gonna ramble on my reasons like I was gonna, though.
Also depends on your definition of privacy. Some people confuse privacy (not seeing what you do) with anonimity (not knowing who you are).
Public blockchains (like BTC) have zero privacy, as everyone sees the transactions and balances, meanwhile private ones (like XMR) supposedly avoid anyone but two people in a transaction to know that transaction happened, or even to know each other's balance.
In both cases, I would say you are as anonymous as your way to turn the coin from/into fiat is (P2P, KYC or non-KYC platforms, etc.).
Like with AI, I like crypto as a concept, but the practice... (specially the resources both consume for what little benefit they end up having)
You may like the Mechsploitation genre, and specifically "Warhound" by Kallidora Rho. It's less about being one with the mecha, and more about the dehumanization, loss of self, and abuse, though.
As someone about to get into uni, knowing my capabilities but being tired of it, it is... former gifted child to burned out tgirl to puppygirl who achieved a lot but who is finally allowed to have some of the burden of life lifted from her.
To have the burden of human expectations lifted, to have someone else who knows better, who can tell me what to do at every step, someone who I feel good obeying, someone who allows me to be less instead of having to keep being more and more...
As grim as it is, no wonder I ended up getting into the Mechsploitation genre lol
Aw, you made me feel bad for ancap now, poor ball came out like its abusive father :(