Like a good Neighbor

David Stockhoff · 20 Nov 2011, 15:13 · from 2011-November.txt.gz

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From: dstockhoff at verizon.net (David Stockhoff)
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:13:08 -0500
Subject: (urth) Like a good Neighbor
In-Reply-To: <E1F6113BD66B4D258427765A09812968@Rover>
References: <002001cca714$e3ec4b00$abcf4a0c@rclackey><4EC862F3.8090209 at gmail.com><5424B232-9800-407D-8ED3-02B9B7ED6861 at gmail.com><02D42C5978BB452092908DA0FA49188C@Rover>
	<4EC9119D.8040706 at verizon.net>
	<E1F6113BD66B4D258427765A09812968@Rover>
Message-ID: <4EC91904.1020306 at verizon.net>

On 11/20/2011 10:00 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> *From:* David Stockhoff <mailto:dstockhoff at verizon.net>
> On 11/20/2011 9:36 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> >
> > > Having read as far as the chapter ?Krait?, the idea that he was
> > > replaced by a Neighbour in the pit seems bizarre to me. Just consider
> > > the most obvious point: he needs the help of an inhumu to get out! 
> And
> > > to get it he betrays his wife and family. Unless you think this
> > > Neighbour is a spy for his race and a rather nasty piece of work, 
> or a
> > > very impulsive and impulsive creature with no conscience, how do you
> > > explain this? [that was supposed to read ?impulsive and irrational?]
>
> > So what? You'll have to outline your objection a little better. When
> > does a Wolfe character ever take complete moral responsibility for
> > everything? What do the Neighbors owe him after unkilling him?
> You?re missing the point. If they were trying to help him, they didn?t 
> do a very good job of it, but that?s consistent with them doing as 
> much as they could (the astral projection device). But if they were 
> sending one of their own to replace him, they did a really terrible 
> job insofar as after the replacement he was still stuck in the pit ? 
> that requires an astounding degree of impulsiveness and irrationality! 
> And finally if they intended to replace him and offer Krait his family 
> to get him out, that makes them downright non-benevolent, and doesn?t 
> work with the whole storyline.
> Only the first option is really tenable.


I agree. You're missing your own point. Fairies are notoriously amoral 
and, as you say, limited in their powers. Why expect the Neighbors to be 
perfectly moral and powerful? When are fairies ever that?

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