Exceedingly dull statist cultures
Sandy's list of cultures was certainly strange, unless it was intended as
a goof. 18th and 19th century Great Britain was one of the most rapidly
changing cultures in history: almost by definition, THE most rapidly changing
culture in history until our own century. Japan in the 17th century was
undergoing rapid change (unlike say, 18th century Japan) as was France. Dune
was changing so rapidly as to be about to explode and conquer the galaxy.
Arthur's Britain (the real or the imaginary) was undergoing rapid change.
I will admit that China in many centuries did not change much, and the same
is true of Tekumel and Egypt, but by stretching his non-changing Egypt all
the way up to Cleopatra, Sandy is overdoing the point. Am I correct in
guessing that what Sandy is getting at is that formalized rules for cultures
makes adventuring more fun than the Conan's Empire, 5th-century barabarian
invasions syndrome where Anything goes? If so, I agree with him, for the
same reason that art without standards becomes almost impossible to judge:
as witness the most recent Whitney exhibitions here in NYC! Jim Chapin
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