Re: Vinga/Nandan/Sexualty/Gender

From: John Hughes <john.hughes_at_Hq4WyeGTAjAS5RoOoRcq7E2bcG9--AzU3rpJxTQxP5tpdh4dxsoKrvaOMnyOW_Ht>
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 17:17:16 +1000


At 11:11 AM 14/04/2007, PU2 wrote:

>
> > There seems to be a major gender equation for the
> > Heortlings: Storm Acts, Earth endures. To put it in binary terms
> >
> > MALE : STORM : ACTION :: FEMALE : EARTH : ENDURANCE
>
>Waitaminit -- Maran Gor is the Active Earth, and Babeester Gor is an
>Earth goddess who does not endure suffering, but avenges it. Only if
>you equate "female" and "earth" with Ernalda does the above hold.

Obviously its a generalisation, an Orlanthi 'all'.

But you're making my next point for me.

In structural myth theory, once you have cultural oppositions, they have to be mediated. So you look for the sorts of mythic figures that embody seeming contradictory oppositions: they will be in a minority, put potent. Active Earth, Enduring Storm - BB Gor and Vinga. Male Earth, Female Storm: the highly-charged figures of Nandan and, again, Vinga. All small cultus, all opposed to 'mainstream society' in some way, all very important mythic figures, the exceptions that both prove and mediate the rule.

BTW, no one takes structural theory too seriously in academia any more, but it enjoys amazing popularity in the advertising industry. Think of a couple of oppositions, mix them in a contrary way, and you have a 'mythically resonant' idea to sell stuff.

ANIMAL : HUMAN :: CAGED : FREE So a freed animal (an elephant) playing with kids in the back seat of a car is an ad enjoying saturation coverage in my part of the world right now. Or

FAST FOOD : REAL FOOD :: SICK : HEALTHY So healthy junk food is what McDonalds is now telling us it is.

Binary theory is a game, but it can a good tool for story and background development.

If you want to explore this a bit more google 'The Myth at The Heart of The Brand' and download the Word file from Semiotic Solutions.

Lets take a Gloranthan example. A basic Orlanthi opposition is

EVIL : RULER :: GOOD : REBEL with of course, Yelm and Orlanth in the starring roles. You would expect most stories to be about good rebels and evil rulers, but also a few, highly significant stories about good rulers and evil rebels. You would expect Orlanthi rulers to have a tough time justifying their existence, with kingship being a very ambivalent concept for most Orlanthi.

You get the drift...

And of course, questioning received cultural wisdom, daring to think beyond the myth, thinking the unthinkable, can be a lot of what real herodom (and satisfying gaming) is about.

John            

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