What's So Great About Ushas

b sharp · 17 Jul 2008, 12:06 · from 2008-July.txt.gz

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From: bsharporflat at hotmail.com (b sharp)
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:06:05 -0400
Subject: (urth) What's So Great About Ushas
Message-ID: <BAY103-W286C98557134EF1720958D78E0 at phx.gbl>

Roy says in regard to F, B and O:
>Yet they knelt to Severian. I'm sure this must say something about the moral
>pecking order. One doesn't usually make obeisance to one's moral inferior.

Adam replies:
>At the risk of being really snarky, have you ever held a real job?

Nah, that's a pretty funny commentary on bosses!

Brunians notes:
>It's also reminiscent of the bit in the Quran where God creates Adam and
>orders the angels to bow to him (all do except Satan and his people).

Interesting, I didn't know that. Suggests the roots of Islam are more humanist
than its Judeo-Christian cousins.

Anyway, I don't think these scenes reflect a moral hierarchy. In fact most of the
time F, B and O tend to talk down to Severian.  They only make obeisance when
reminded he is the "head of his race, and saviour" (I think that was the title). And 
that race, while inferior, is the ancestor in some sense, of the Hierogrammates or
at least responsible and necessary for their creation.

Even Tzadkiel is not the head of his race (and savior?). I guess it is implied that 
office is held by (archangel) Michael, and Lucifer previous to him.

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