Chaos: culturally relative? (was Re: Uroxi sense Chaos-tainted/marked ?)

From: Andrew Solovay <asolovay_at_...>
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 15:50:44 -0700


Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_...> wrote:
> Peter Larsen
>
>> So certainly there is some degree of "cultural relativity" in
>> what is evil and what is chaotic.
>
> There is no cultural relativity in what is chaotic.

Can we say that? Let me try a f'rinstance:

Treason is chaotic, yes? We can all agree on that? (Krjalk, God of Traitors and all of that?) But the definitions of "treason" will, *necessarily*, vary from one culture to the next. In Dara Happa, questioning the emperor's orders may count as "treason", whereas in Sartar, you might not count as a traitor unless you specifically violate an oath that *you personally* swore to the overlord in question. In both cases, "treason" is chaotic; but an act which one culture views as "treasonous" (and thus as chaotic) is considered normal dissent in another culture.

So... in one sense, there is no cultural relativity. The chaotic action is "treason", that is, deciding to place yourself and your personal interests above the loyalty you owe to society. That's chaos, wherever and however it is.

But a particular, specific action--say, telling your overlord, "Screw you--I'm not going on that mission unless you do something about my taxes"--might be treasonous (and thus chaotic) in one place, and non-treasonous (and thus non-chaotic) in another. A Malkioni who does that might turn into a broo; a Sazdorfi faces no such risk.

I *think* (Peter L., correct me if I'm mistaken!) that's all PL meant about "cultural relativity" vis a vis chaos.

...or am I dead wrong on this?

--AMS

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