What would you be in Randland if you had to choose?

[francy]

I would want to be an Aes Sedai - from the AOL, come forward somehow. I would love to have all the current snooty AS bow down to my greatness, as they realise just how 'less' they are.

 

LOL

 

I think I've spent too much time imagining that! LOL

[Harnan]

I couldn't choose just one thing. For the cool factor, Aes Sedai, Warder or Asha'man. For the reality factor, Innkeeper. Best job ever.

[iChuk]

I definitely went with Innkeeper. Best chance to live. ;D

[Never]

While I would prefer to be an Innkeeper, the long life that comes from channeling is just too enticing. I'd be an Asha'man.

 

 

You could be an Asha'man inkeeper.. that would be cool!

 

 

Welcome to my inn. Do not make me angry. You would not like me when I'm angry. Also, try the blueberry pie!

[XXX]

Ash'aman of course...so that I can flip the birdie at the first Aes Sedai I meet who tells me that "it is dangerous to anger a AS".

[Clayden69]

i'd b a damane as i like to, and need to, b leashed

[Mingan]

I'd want to be a Ta'veren... :( but it's not there

[Ala Rubra]

I went with three different options:

 

1. Warder, preferably to a Brown, White, Gray, or Blue, in that order. Given that Warders aren't forced into bonding anymore, I would assume that I would be bonded to an Aes Sedai I actually like and respect, and the benefits of a Warder bond aren't insignificant. Admittedly, a life of violence and 'adventure' isn't quite my thing, but I wouldn't be completely against the idea. Being bonded to a White or Brown would possibly give me a stable and comfortable life. Sounds like a good deal.

 

2. Asha'man, because magical powers are awesome, and I like the idea of a long lifespan. Plus, whatever minor insanity I might pick up before the cleansing can eventually be healed, so I don't really have to worry too much about spending my life less than sane. Of course, if I were recruited early enough, there is always the slight possibility that I would go completely insane and be put down like a rabid dog, which isn't cool. Then there is the possibility of being forcibly turned to the shadow-- also not cool. But the risks are probably worth the rewards.

 

3. Innkeeper, because it's really one of the few jobs of the era that I would be satisfied with, and while I wouldn't be living a life of luxury, it seems like it would be fairly comfortable if I were at least moderately successful.

[GrizBehr]

Surprised that Wolfbrother isn't up there, which would be my choice(other). I like the idea of the Wolf Dream and talking to wolves and the enhanced senses.

 

2nd Choice would be Asha'man.

[Asha'Dude]

If I were an Asha'Man, it would be awesome.

[LazyMonk]

Surprised that Wolfbrother isn't up there, which would be my choice(other). I like the idea of the Wolf Dream and talking to wolves and the enhanced senses.

 

2nd Choice would be Asha'man.

You can be each and every choice on the list (except Ogier I guess) AND a Wolfbrother.

[hazelkrs1]

Moridin is a very interesting villain (Ishamael not so much, especially in tEotW). In fact, Moridin so far saves the Forsaken from being the most pathetic villains in fantasy...

 

And RJ said once (if I recall) that the greatest thing the Greeks had done for western civilisation was the idea of linear time.

 

Personally I find Eichhörnchen's points interesting, but I would not agree with them now (maybe a few years ago)

 

If life is generally good, why is life repeated automatically bad?

 

It is often said that life's worth comes because our time is limited. When you don't get a second chance, every choice you make becomes final, every chance you miss remains missed forever.

 

But we don't really know whether life would really seem less worth living if it wasn't so fragile, because the eternity is something we simply can't imagine or understand. We also can't really imagine the ever-repeating cycle.

 

Also, the whole worth of life does not necessarily flow exlusively from progress, change and evolution - it flows also from what is stable, timeless and unchanging.

 

And it is worth noting that our present scientific understanding of the universe may in fact be closer to the cyclical, not linear vision. Since the universe will eventually "die", so will all life, regardless of the level of technology achieved. Who knows, maybe another universe will be born afterwards and all will start again?

 

Maybe I just prefer a happy hamster forever running in his wheel over a cold, dead nothingness.

 

 

You will however never advance or progress past a certain point. It would be the equivalent of going through the bronze age, then the iron age, then the dark ages and then the medieval times. Only to land back in the bronze age. You can never bring about the full potential of humanity in any shape or form as long as existence follows a circular law of time. This might not bother a simpleton farmer, but I can imagine it must infuriate someone as highly intelligent, well-educated and intelligent such as Ishamael was during his lifetime. It's as if the universe conspired to form an anti-intellectual movement with the sole goal of enslaving humanity to a certain technological level, making sure they can never progress beyond that.

 

Really interesting discussion going on here, thought I'd join in.

 

One of the things I wanted to point out, Eich, is that while change, evolution, and progress are all thought to be good things, they can definitely have some VERY adverse effects which possibly end up making things worse than what they were. Just to run with your idea about technological advancement, let's say we have a hypothetical scenario which you lined out: Bronze Age, Iron Age, Dark Age, Medieval Period, Bronze Age, Iron Age, etc. Then some kind of external stimulus comes along and breaks this cycle, so that it can then convert to a linear progression: Medieval Period, Renaissance, Industrial Period, Imperialistic Period, Space Age, ...? We always marvel at all the technological achievements we have been able to accomplish as a species, especially in the last hundred years or so, but is there a greater cost which we are only recently becoming aware of? We all know we've been damaging the environment for a long time, and the damage really didn't start until Industrialization happened. What if, ultimately, this destruction either will continue, or has already gone past the point of no return, and our planet is doomed? In that case, we have not only shot away our chances for enjoying the miracle of life, but also botched things up for any other organisms on our planet (btw I don't think this will really happen, I think life one Earth will continue long past man even if things get sketchy for us).

 

So assuming that the cyclical model is eternal and unending, is it worth it to have an opportunity to advance if it means theres a good possiblity our species could then die out? As someone else said on this thread, Id take cyclical, boring, predetermined life any day of the week over nonexistence. After all, ignorance is bliss, and because the Randlanders don't really know their destiny, to them they do have free will.

 

I have a lot more to say on this subject, so if youd like to continue Eich, respond back by all means but I might start a new thread about this.

 

Also, I'd be an Ogier. And I'd Ogle female Ogier all the time, my hairy tufted ears would be quirkin day and night!