urth-urth.net Digest, Vol 7, Issue 24

Chris · 02 Apr 2005, 23:35 · from 2005-April.txt.gz

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From: rasputin_ at hotmail.com (Chris)
Date: Sat Apr  2 23:35:08 2005
Subject: (urth) Re: urth-urth.net Digest, Vol 7, Issue 24
In-Reply-To: <758c5e2609fad677a6c73f172f8bd0c2 at ou.edu>
Message-ID: <BAY102-F3DFD8345A3BC307DB5B94863A0 at phx.gbl>

Kieran said:
>Well, as a Catholic and a reader of Wolfe I have found this thread to be 
>rather odd.   Your point seems to be that any change in the future of Urth 
>that causes the death of anyone is immoral.   The supposition is that the 
>"Frozen Urth" future is the "true future" and that "Reborn Urth" is some 
>choice that Severian makes leading to the deaths of millions.

By my reckoning neither is the "true future"; in reality we have no such 
conveniences to fall back on. If that's the case then you are left with the 
immediate effect of your actions on people who already exist. The effect, in 
this case, is devastating.

>I always thought that the inhabitants of Urth got to choose their future - 
>that was the point of the battle in UotNS.   Those who opposed the New Sun 
>fought those who favored it.  The New Sun won.

This sounds just a bit too much like "might makes right". But the trial is 
an interesting issue to explore in its own right. Someone noted that at the 
time they held the trial, at least some involved already knew that Severian 
was the one who was going to bring the New Sun. What *was* the point of the 
trial? Well, if I remember correctly, for one thing, it somehow sealed the 
*inevitable* truth of the New Sun future.

This brings up something odd. I don't bring this up as a rhetorical point 
but as a serious question. Why would the Hierogrammates set up such a 
demanding test for an outcome which was actually *desirable*? (Assuming the 
outcome was, in fact, desirable). Why not, instead, offer it to the first 
Autarch that came along - or just do it on their own accord? The idea that 
they would only put it in motion when it had reached the point of 
inevitability makes the New Sun sound as if it were an undesirable outcome 
for them. Or at least, not an unqualified good.

>For me the analogy is a poisoned bog that has some critters eking out some 
>existence in it.  You might choose to clean it up, but in doing so you 
>wreak havoc on those already there, or who are adapted to the poisons.   So 
>you should just leave it a toxic dump.

Or move the critters to new environs.

>Let's say Severian had to go to Briah to *stop* the arrival of the White 
>Fountain and keep the Urth on its current path of freezing in the dark.  
>Are you arguing that that would be a better choice?

Are you arguing that these are the only two possible choices?

Civet

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