Posted by Irgend Jemand on 17:58 2/28/2002
In reply to: Flaids posted by Xavier McShane on 15:01 2/27/02
Are you describing yourself? After all, the Flaids are the invented species you have the deepest relationship to...
Since this is at least the second time that someone invented by you doesn't like rituals, I suppose that you don't them, either (I, myself, am kinda fascinated by them). But do you have any idea why everybody else on Earth and Almea is so much into them? Religions, the military, international and national politics, educational systems, sports events, all kinds of associations (especially here in Germany), and even, to some extent, everyday life (not to mention simple educational systems, sports events, all kinds of associations (especially here in Germany), and even, to some extent, everyday life (not to mention simple culture where all of the above aren't that seperated), they all have their rituals. Why? It is often said that these are all just tricks of those evil powers that be or so to mantain their position by impressing their inferiors, but even if that would be true, we still wouldn't know why people are so easily impressed by them.
Hey, I thought the Almean equivalent to Taiwan would be Teo.
I suspect it's like anthropomorphism, which has the obvious advantage that we have a few million years' experience dealing with each other, and not so much with abstractions. Likewise, rituals make belief somatic; doing things is easier than just thinking about them.
I don't have any objection to that; what bugs me are the people who can't see past the rituals-- the rites have become the belief system for them.
As for being like the flaids-- well, I like them, and it's probably inevitable that an author draws on himself for characters he likes. Still, I wouldn't say that everything in that description fits me!