On 9/19/2021 at 12:19 AM, Riain said:

The idea that one set of humans has access to an inner experience that is completely inaccessible to the other half is absurd. Can intersex people not channel? I suppose the answer is, they just don't exist in this world. Like gay/bisexual/trans people.

For someone whose been reading these books a long time, you sure have missed a lot, like Galina Sedai, who can channel but is gay, as well as those Aes Sedai who had pillow friends as novices/accepted and then switch to liking men when they are raised to full sisters. Additionally, men do have access to the One Power and the joy it provides, but was tainted by an evil source. You must be reading another series.

On 1/12/2021 at 9:29 AM, wotfan4472 said:

I.. do not have the same issues that come up here that you have Lezbi.

Saidin and Saidar, for me, at least, show how men and women learn to tap those abilities are pretty much a metaphor for how boys and girls learn that there exist differences between them. A boys hands are different from a girls hands, once puberty ends, for example.

 

A boy runs and walks different form how a girl runs and walks, as well, once puberty development is constant, because a boy has to learn to protect what is developing, just as much as a girl has to. I do not know what a girl has to learn, but as a man, I do know what I had to learn.

 

 

I agree. I did not have the problems with the gender issues in WoT either. More often than not, it was a source of amusement to me because it sounded so much like the way men and women talk about each other in real life. Remember Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus? Generally speaking, men and women are different, physically, mentally and emotionally. And that's why we complement and complete each other. I know there are exceptions, as Lesbi Nerdy said, but to have exceptions you have to have rules. Stereotypes develop from observation of commonalities among a given population

(be it humans, animals, or whatever).

Regarding Jordan's use of gender, the fact that saidar and saidin are so different but produce the greatest results when used together I think speaks to the fact that no matter how different we are, we are best when we work together and allow our differences to compliment each other rather than divide.

Furthermore, I think Lezbi Nerdy is only focusing on one aspect of gender in WoT. In the Aiel culture, men and women are absolutely equal, and in the case of Wise Ones, women might actually have the greater power. Not to mention that when a man has 2 wives, he has no say in how that relationship works.

Domani women are the best traders in the land, and among the Sea Folk it's the women who are the mistresses of the ships and the men the masters of trade, and their marriage customs balance authority between husband and wife.

Among the Seanchan, I could not see any difference in authority or the way men and women approached positions of leadership. Women could be ship captains, military and political leaders and be every bit as tough as the men.

On the whole, I think their is much more gender diversity than Lesby Nerdy gives Jordan credit for, but of course different things stand out to different readers.

On 12/26/2020 at 6:51 PM, Charles Townsend said:

Anger is Surrendering.

 

Personally, I have always tried my hardest to constrain myself, my words, my thoughts, but especially my anger. However at times the only thing I could do was let myself get angry. It wasn't something I willingly grabbed onto, but instead something that crashes into you as if to sweep you away. If you do not surrender to your anger, let it in to run it's course, it will fester and turn ugly.

 

 

 

Excellent point about anger festering. And anger is not always bad--there is such a thing as righteous anger.

Keanu Reeves doesn't have the presence necessary to play Lan, IMO. A look from Lan will make you freeze in place and forget what you were about to say. Whoever plays him will need to be able to project that kind of presence. Same thing with Moiraine.