FORKNI-L
Digest - 31 Jul 2008 to 1 Aug 2008 (#2008-179)
Fri, 1 Aug 2008
There are 6 messages totalling 185 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Curiouser & Curiouser (2)
2. Curiouser & Curiouser: vampires & guilt (3)
3. Curiouser & Curiouser: vampires & guilt
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 11:46:40 -0500
From: "Stone, Barbara" <STONEB@g.......>
Subject: Curiouser & Curiouser
I finally paused the dvd & looked at the chess pieces carefully. The
Mad Hatter (probably the bishop) is in the center,
Humpty Dumpty (rook) is at the extreme right, and the pawns are white
rabbits. I can't make out any special Alice-
related characteristics of the knight or of he king & queen, although
of course there were a King & Queen of Hearts in
Wonderland.
As she awakens from her dormouse pose, Janette's sleepy query about
Nick not satisfying the Captain can be taken in
more than one way.
B. Stone
stoneb@g.......
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 13:05:05 -0400
From: Roger Armstrong <eriklebeau@g.......>
Subject: Re: Curiouser & Curiouser
> As she awakens from her dormouse pose, Janette's sleepy query about
> Nick not satisfying the Captain can be taken in
> more than one way.
Oh, definitely. I've always been of the opinion that Janette knew
about the affair and just kept quiet so as not to rock the boat.
Probably too afraid that if she confronted him about it, Nick would
choose Natalie over her (a fear that mirrors her fear in the "real
world", which is why she doesn't push the choice there either) and
that would leave her alone with a baby to care for.
Roger
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 12:09:13 -0500
From: "Stone, Barbara" <STONEB@g.......>
Subject: Curiouser & Curiouser: vampires & guilt
According to Lacroix, vampires do not have the capacity to manage
guilt. Why not?
Lacroix never explains.
Possible theories:
1. Something in the genetic/mental make up of a vampire that
inhibits the ability
to deal with guilt?
2. Eternity may be a long time to live with a cold heart, but it is
even longer to live
with guilt. For vampires, guilt has longer to fester and cause
problems. A cold
heart doesn't fester so much as it simply remains empty.
3. Religion offers humans ways of dealing with guilt that are not
available to vampires.
4. A vampire's very existence is a source of guilt. Once a human,
the vampire must
prey on humans in order to survive. Yet to turn against the
vampires would mean
turning against the vampire who brought that person across.
[Do we see here a
metaphor for original sin? ]
Does anyone have any other ideas?
B. Stone
stoneb@g.......
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 13:41:09 -0400
From: Roger Armstrong <eriklebeau@g.......>
Subject: Re: Curiouser & Curiouser: vampires & guilt
> According to Lacroix, vampires do not have the capacity to manage
> guilt. Why not?
> Lacroix never explains.
> 1. Something in the genetic/mental make up of a vampire that
> inhibits the ability
> to deal with guilt?
Going along with this idea, if we accept Natalie's assertion that what
makes vampires is medical -- some kind of retrovirus that binds to the
RNA and invades all the cells -- we could hypothesize that the virus
affects the amygdala in such a way that it suppresses the brain's
ability to harmlessly handle certain emotional responses, including
guilt.
It's such a specific effect, though, that it's improbable that it's by
chance. My further Cheesy Rationalization(tm) is that it's possibly a
developed survival instinct as a result of:
> 4. A vampire's very existence is a source of guilt. Once a human,
> the vampire must
> prey on humans in order to survive. Yet to turn against the
> vampires would mean
> turning against the vampire who brought that person across.
If a vampire has too much guilt over feeding, he won't do it, and
he'll weaken and starve. Additionally, he's likely, as a result, to
turn against other vampires in attempts to stop *them* feeding as
well. As a way to combat this, the vampire virus inhibits the
vampire's ability to process guilt in a meaningful way, forcing them
to either reject guilty feelings (thereby feeding and surviving) or be
trapped in a mental prison of their own making (thereby preventing him
from turning against others).
Roger
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 14:04:17 -0400
From: "Phillips, Tim" <Tim.Phillips@s.......>
Subject: Re: Curiouser & Curiouser: vampires & guilt
> According to Lacroix, vampires do not have the capacity to manage
guilt. >Why not?
> Possible theories:
> 4. A vampire's very existence is a source of guilt. Once a human, the
> vampire must prey on humans in order to survive.
This is the interpretation that I have used.
A lion doesn't feel guilty over killing a zebra...it is simply
hungry.
A vampire that is guilty...will die.
Of course, the level of guilt is relevant. Nick is too
conflicted to kill humans anymore, but he has no problem with cow-blood
- his level of acceptable guilt in that regard is basically equal to use
mortals who eat meat.
Tim
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 14:34:26 -0400
From: Melissa Puzio <melissa.puzio@c.......>
Subject: Re: Curiouser & Curiouser: vampires & guilt
As Dr. Stone from the Discovery ID channel show, Most Evil would say, these
people are not the same like all the cigars in a box. Vampires are like
people; some are guiltier than others or know how to manage the guilt
better.
Nick of course, is the ultimate angst-ridden vampire. He won't touch human
blood until it drives him to stop the beast from running amok. I would say
that drinking cow might be even more "evil" than drinking bottled human
since it is not proper nutrition and the human blood, as we have speculated
can be acquired by non-fatal means. Unless Nick gets his from a dairy farm
and it is collected cow by cow! :)
In some respects LaCroix lives in more denial than Nick. Through years of
experience he has repressed all the guilt over slaying Divia, yet professes
to Nick that vampires do not possess souls or consciences.
Janette, who I believe is the most well adjusted of our dark trinity, still
feels something towards humans; why else would she provide shelter for the
prostitutes of Toronto? It is probably more related to compassion and
revenge, but maybe it was motivated by the fact that she could not save her
friend Anna or another prostitute that she could not bring across due to her
gluttony.
During the old days the only time we see Janette kill is to feed or for
revenge...not to torture...(minus Dead Air where I think she was mostly
trying to obey LaCroix)not for sport or any perverse desires. It is the
attitude of most meat-eaters, you eat it because you think you need it to be
healthy (not to mention its tasty), but you would not want a cow or chicken
to be abused before slaughter.
Now with factory farming, that follows into denial, but I think I've given
you guys something to think about.
Melissa aka Cousin Mel - melissa.puzio@c.......
*Cousin*Dark Knightie*Ravenette*Immortal Beloved*Dark Nattie*NVC*Dark
Trinity*Valentine*
http://melsdomain.50megs.com/foreverknight/index.html
------------------------------
End of FORKNI-L Digest - 31 Jul 2008 to 1 Aug 2008 (#2008-179)
**************************************************************
Knight graphics and parchment background created by Melissa Snell and may be found at http://historymedren.about.com/
