stew

Chris · 22 Aug 2003, 17:37 · from urth-v0308.mbox · original

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From: "Chris" <rasputin_ at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) stew
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 17:37:21 +0000
Message-ID: <urth-v0308-3989 at digest.urth.net>
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I think that this misses a very important point. It's not that the inhumi's=20
"animal nature" overrides their humanity - it's that the "humanity" they're=20
acquiring is not quite so humane as we'd hope for. Silkhorn says repeatedly=20
that if we could get our *own* act together, we'd have nothing to fear from=20
the inhumi. The clogged sewers of Green are merely the reflection of what=20
people on Blue were doing to each other.

Without going too much into my personal interpretation of SS, it always=20
seemed to me that Silkhorn's restraint w.r.t. his appetite was meant to=20
be... well, I guess the best way to say it is "an example". And that he=20
believed, at least, that it would result in one or more inhumi learning to=20
control their own appetites. He may actually take this lesson a bit too far=20
in a frenzy of guilt, but I think this is the principle he's trying to go=20
by.

Civet

Roy said:
>His experience with the inhumi, to that point, had taught him that their
>quest for food--for blood--went beyond what was strictly necessary to
>maintain life: they wanted _human_ blood, to become like men. The irony is
>that, to become like men, to acquire the blood, they must kill (unless they
>take extraordinary care) what they most love. Their animal nature overrides
>their borrowed humanity. Remember those clogged sewers on Green. Should an
>inhumi have the misfortune to acquire a "conscience" (if such a thing is
>possible), its position becomes untenable. Silk has a conscience, therefore
>can take no joy in eating, an activity he must condemn in the inhumi.
>
>-Roy
>
>
>--

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