Philosophies of the WoT

[socom-delta]

Among the many things you can learn about this book series, being that it's not merely a fantasty book series:

 

-the dangers of a promised salvation*****

-the necessity and righteousness of search for equal justice, and the burden of proof, no matter HOW much doubt exists*****

-the complicated weavings of politics and foreign loyalties, and the necessity of subterfuge and spying*****

-the strategy and execution of military action between allied and warring powers, both on open fields, on varied terrain, and urban warfare

-the struggle of good vs. the most horrible, unspeakable evil, and the seeming eternity of this struggle, and what it truly means to be "good" and how horrific evil can be*****

-the folly of man and his own arrogance; "the depths and expanses of human arrogance know now bounds"*****

-the relations of men and women in varying cultures: dress, attitudes, matters of honor, management of business and estates, military service, nobility/royalty/national and local rule, law enforcement, and application of civil codes*****

-the complex necessity that is foreign trade and its effect on foreign policy

-famine*****

-building things with your hands (farming, soldiering, weaving and blacksmithing, thatching, building with wood/brick, weaving/knitting)

-discovering betrayal, and placing trust where it is and should be due

-reincarnation

-why warrior societies are to be honored, but why they are almost extinct

-thoughts on creation and the afterlife

-musings on the workings of the mind and the meaning of dreams

-personal romance and love affairs; the traditional view of what a man is, what a woman is, and why they are attracted to each other

-same-gender relations (not just sexual)

-pregnancy, birthing, and midwives

-the necessity of bodyguards and some measure of safety for a national ruler

-the process of technological advancement and brief explorations of paradigm shifts

-when to brook dissent on one's own camp, and how to exploit & deal with it (including suppression of dissent)

-drug addiction (and withdrawal), madness, and a theoretical description of the use of magical power

-the necessity of abandoning tradition to avoid extinction or becoming irrelevant

 

This is why this series is awesome.

 

What else can you think of?

[cgk84]

Other things we can learn;

 

1) The importance of pillow friends in maintaining morale in semi prison-like environment,

 

2) The ability, when faced with any sort of reasonable argument with valid points that happens to disagree with your point of view, to not bother having a civilised debate when you can just "sniff" and condescend your way through it instead,

 

3) Northerners are always harder,

 

4) When travelling, only trust the fat innkeepers,

 

5) Never trust any mysterious, beautiful women you meet if you are wandering in the wilderness,

 

6) Staffs beat swords,

 

7) When done by a queen, unlawful imprisonment, attempted starvation, rape and sexual harassment are all perfectly ok and even a source of amusement to other women,

 

8) If you will insist on repeatedly rescuing and helping a spoilt royal brat, who several books ago wore out her welcome or any useful plot role, then be warned that you will recieve nothing but bullying in return. Except in those rare displays of "gratitude" that she will only make if actually bullied into it by someone else or when she is trying to manipulate you,

 

9) Beware of foreigners from across the sea,

 

10) If you suffer from low self esteem and want to feel like a bit of a bigger man pick a fight with a Tinker,

 

 

I'll add more later when I can.

[socom-delta]

Other things we can learn;

 

1) The importance of pillow friends in maintaining morale in semi prison-like environment,

 

2) The ability, when faced with any sort of reasonable argument with valid points that happens to disagree with your point of view, to not bother having a civilised debate when you can just "sniff" and condescend your way through it instead,

 

3) Northerners are always harder,

 

4) When travelling, only trust the fat innkeepers,

 

5) Never trust any mysterious, beautiful women you meet if you are wandering in the wilderness,

 

6) Staffs beat swords,

 

7) When done by a queen, unlawful imprisonment, attempted starvation, rape and sexual harassment are all perfectly ok and even a source of amusement to other women,

 

8) If you will insist on repeatedly rescuing and helping a spoilt royal brat, who several books ago wore out her welcome or any useful plot role, then be warned that you will recieve nothing but bullying in return. Except in those rare displays of "gratitude" that she will only make if actually bullied into it by someone else or when she is trying to manipulate you,

 

9) Beware of foreigners from across the sea,

 

10) If you suffer from low self esteem and want to feel like a bit of a bigger man pick a fight with a Tinker,

 

 

I'll add more later when I can.

 

 

dude. all of this is like, comedy gold LOL, especially the part about picking a fight with a Tinker.

[Luckers]

When only one man can defeat you, don't kill him. Instead let him stablize the world's military might behind him whilst growing in power and knowledge.

[socom-delta]

When only one man can defeat you, don't kill him. Instead let him stablize the world's military might behind him whilst growing in power and knowledge.

 

 

facepalm

[cgk84]

More;

 

11) Depending on the desired effect, self harm (extreme hair pulling) can be used to increase or decrease one's anger levels,

 

12) Despite living in a world of powerful magic users who, for all their power, can be killed "with just one arrow", large swathes of the collective conventional militaries will still insist on using just swords and spears. Shadowspawn even more so,

 

13) Northern farm girls at harvest time are just something else altogether. Good luck trying to keep up,

 

14) For married or attached women love, bullying and manipulation are more or less one and the same,

[socom-delta]

15) Braided hair is a status symbol in the boonies

 

-edit-

 

but srsly. srsly.

 

-the second coming of the promised savior (religious viewpoint)

-the idea that history will inevitably repeat itself. RJ's interpretation of the idea of a Wheel of Time implies that this repetition is almost literal, owing to reincarnation and a repetition of some events (i.e. Artur Hawkwing conquering the world in a short span, and his empire crumbling rapidly on hearing of his demise. This is exactly what happened to Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Atilla the Hun, and Hitler, just under slightly different circumstances). Herid Fel implies this is literal, also; he suggests the Bore will eventually be opened again (what a terrible thought!) although Rand states near the end of TGS that he will "do it right this time", implying that he will seal the Bore properly. But he remembers his past lifetimes, all of his past failings. Does this mean he can seal the Bore permanently, preventing it from EVER being opened again, or at least leaving a warning or traps or another hindrance from opening?