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Eyrie Productions, Unlimited
Gryphon
Charter Member
11559 posts |
Nov-26-12, 08:22 PM (EST) |
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"The Aha Moment"
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Ever had one of those moments where it's a slow night at your work study gig and you're thinking about the Force, and you suddenly see - through the eyes of a character who has been grappling with its underlying nature for years - that what has been presented in all the lore as a fundamental dichotomy is actually a kind of weird parallelism? That what they all - including the character who's having the insight - have spent millennia calling "darkness" is really a different, less predictable, more dangerous, but in the end undeniably luminous form of light? There is no "Dark Side" of the Force. There is only the difference between white light and a flame. The latter is a lot more dangerous if you let it get out of hand, but it's also hella useful if you hold it right. At least, that's one character's take on it... --G. -><- Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ zgryphon at that email service Google has Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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Lethosos
Member since Sep-23-08
49 posts |
Nov-27-12, 11:42 AM (EST) |
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4. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #0
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About time! :D In seriousness, though... I've felt that the best reflection of the Force is that of the traditional Chinese Taoist philosophy--the dualism of the Yin and Yang, as commonly viewed by the Dao (the swirly black/white circle thingy. Koreans have an angular version.) If you consider the rationale behind both sides of the Dao, there's huge similarities on both sides. The Jedi better represent the Yin aspect, with all the stillness and avoidance of emotional extremes. The flip side, the Dark Side, is all about being controlled by emotion and action that embodies the Yang. Of course, the worst aspects do show up--that's why there's a dot of the other side in each half, to remind us to balance ourselves in harmony with the Tao/Force. Hence, the appearance of the true Sith and the Jedi Knights, as both are supposed to act in accordance to harmony on their respective sides. I suspect this is why the small Jedi "religion" in England is still fairly active--it's really geeky Buddism. :D --- "Life's like a banana." *tosses banana into a blender* "Any questions?" |
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Gryphon
Charter Member
11559 posts |
Dec-03-12, 08:08 PM (EST) |
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7. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #6
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>Hasn't anyone else been tempted to put in "pantheistic multiperson >solipsism", or is it just me...? I was in the emergency department at a Bangor hospital the other day (sudden epic back/side pain: medical science shrugs, assumes I've had a interesting convergence of bad luck, muscle strain, and an internal suture from the Surgery Adventure), and they asked me for my religion during check-in. I was unable to keep myself from giving the clerk a What Has That Got To Do With Anything? face for a second or two, then told her I'm an atheist. That got me a momentary odd look in return and a box checked on some computerized hospital form, which presumably means if I die in that hospital at any future point they'll just strip me for parts and toss me on the burn pile. Which I'm OK with as long as they're sure I'm really dead. --G. -><- Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ zgryphon at that email service Google has Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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Gryphon
Charter Member
11559 posts |
Dec-03-12, 11:07 PM (EST) |
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10. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #8
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>Probably it also means you're not going to have a hospital chaplain of >any denomination stopping by. That happened (at that same hospital) during the Great Brain Adventure. It was a baffling experience, for two reasons: 1) I'm sure I had told them when I checked in that time, too, that I'm not religious; and 2) He was the hospital's Catholic chaplain and he hailed from someplace in Africa, so I found him both procedurally and linguistically incomprehensible. I think he might've given me absolution? Or possibly validated my parking. I really have no idea what happened there. Nice man, very cheerful, zero idea what he was on about at any point. --G. -><- Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ zgryphon at that email service Google has Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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zojojojo
Charter Member
542 posts |
Dec-06-12, 11:13 AM (EST) |
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19. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #10
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> I think he might've given me >absolution? Or possibly validated my parking. I really have no idea >what happened there. Nice man, very cheerful, zero idea what >he was on about at any point. >same thing really.... car, soul... whatever gets you through the night -Z --- Remember kids: guns make you stupid, duct tape makes you smart.
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Bad Moon
Member since Dec-17-02
217 posts |
Dec-04-12, 00:49 AM (EST) |
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12. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #7
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>>Hasn't anyone else been tempted to put in "pantheistic multiperson >>solipsism", or is it just me...? > >I was in the emergency department at a Bangor hospital the other day >(sudden epic back/side pain: medical science shrugs, assumes I've had >a interesting convergence of bad luck, muscle strain, and an internal >suture from the Surgery Adventure), and they asked me for my religion >during check-in. I was unable to keep myself from giving the clerk a >What Has That Got To Do With Anything? face for a second or two, then >told her I'm an atheist. That got me a momentary odd look in return >and a box checked on some computerized hospital form, which presumably >means if I die in that hospital at any future point they'll just strip >me for parts and toss me on the burn pile. Which I'm OK with as long >as they're sure I'm really dead. Sort of tangetally related, but a while back when I was looking at different funeral markers for my father's military funeral at the local National Cemetery, they had little icons for every religion under the sun for engraving. The mark for the athiest was a stylized Atom, which I thought looked neat. I was a little disappointed they didn't have a guy shrugging for agnostic. ------ Jon Helscher Oh God, it was me. I was the grognard all along. |
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Gryphon
Charter Member
11559 posts |
Dec-04-12, 00:55 AM (EST) |
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13. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #12
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LAST EDITED ON Dec-04-12 AT 09:46 AM (EST) >I was a little disappointed they >didn't have a guy shrugging for agnostic. It really ought to be a question mark. Also, on my first reading I didn't get the impression that this was a recent thing, but now I'm not sure - and regardless, I should've offered condolences. It's a neat story, but I'm sorry you found yourself having to do that. --G. If you're a Unitarian Universalist, do you get all of them? -><- Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ zgryphon at that email service Google has Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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Bad Moon
Member since Dec-17-02
217 posts |
Dec-13-12, 03:10 AM (EST) |
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26. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #13
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>Also, on my first reading I didn't get the impression that this was a >recent thing, but now I'm not sure - and regardless, I should've >offered condolences. It's a neat story, but I'm sorry you found >yourself having to do that. Thanks. It seems like a lot of time has passed but a little over a year really isn't that much time. Let that be a lesson to you kiddies, make sure your parents have their affairs in order. It can get a little cray cray if they don't. If you're looking at it as an outsider, the whole funerary business and it's related products are a fascinating study in what people want to be remembered as, or what people choose for them when there's no input. ------ Jon Helscher Oh God, it was me. I was the grognard all along. |
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Lethosos
Member since Sep-23-08
49 posts |
Dec-04-12, 04:38 PM (EST) |
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16. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #12
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>Sort of tangetally related, but a while back when I was looking at >different funeral markers for my father's military funeral at the >local National Cemetery, they had little icons for every religion >under the sun for engraving. The mark for the athiest was a stylized >Atom, which I thought looked neat.Discordians should get an engraving of a hot dog, sans sausage. (I know, I know, the Golden Apple of Kallisti is the "official" symbol, but you know how they are. :D ) --- "Life's like a banana." *tosses banana into a blender* "Any questions?" |
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CdrMike
Member since Feb-19-05
262 posts |
Dec-05-12, 05:50 AM (EST) |
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18. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #7
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>I was in the emergency department at a Bangor hospital the other day >(sudden epic back/side pain: medical science shrugs, assumes I've had >a interesting convergence of bad luck, muscle strain, and an internal >suture from the Surgery Adventure), and they asked me for my religion >during check-in. I was unable to keep myself from giving the clerk a >What Has That Got To Do With Anything? face for a second or two, then >told her I'm an atheist. That got me a momentary odd look in return >and a box checked on some computerized hospital form, which presumably >means if I die in that hospital at any future point they'll just strip >me for parts and toss me on the burn pile. Which I'm OK with as long >as they're sure I'm really dead.Ah, you saw the remake of Coma too, eh? -------------------------- CdrMike, XCom Cannon Fodder "You wanna believe the world can be perfect That anyone can be redeemed The good is always better than bad That's when it all goes bad." - Everclear, "Be Careful What You Ask For"
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Offsides
Charter Member
1064 posts |
Dec-07-12, 02:56 PM (EST) |
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23. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #22
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>No, I just have a longstanding fear of premature burial/disposal. >Like, since about when I was old enough to understand the whole >death-and-burial thing. > BTDT. My great-grandmother's funeral when I was 3 gave me nightmares that would even occasionally show up into my 20's...Offsides [...] in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles. -- David Ben Gurion EPU RCW #π #include <stdsig.h> |
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Gryphon
Charter Member
11559 posts |
Dec-07-12, 03:02 PM (EST) |
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24. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #23
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LAST EDITED ON Dec-07-12 AT 03:03 PM (EST) >>No, I just have a longstanding fear of premature burial/disposal. >>Like, since about when I was old enough to understand the whole >>death-and-burial thing. >> >BTDT. My great-grandmother's funeral when I was 3 gave me nightmares >that would even occasionally show up into my 20's... KHAN I shall leave you as you left me, as you left her. Marooned for all eternity in the center of a dead planet. Buried alive. KIRK KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! --G. that's more or less how I ultimately got over it -><- Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ zgryphon at that email service Google has Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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Hotaru Lind
Member since Apr-3-12
12 posts |
Dec-07-12, 01:38 PM (EST) |
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21. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #7
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>>Hasn't anyone else been tempted to put in "pantheistic multiperson >>solipsism", or is it just me...? > >I was in the emergency department at a Bangor hospital the other day >(sudden epic back/side pain: medical science shrugs, assumes I've had >a interesting convergence of bad luck, muscle strain, and an internal >suture from the Surgery Adventure), and they asked me for my religion >during check-in. I was unable to keep myself from giving the clerk a >What Has That Got To Do With Anything? face for a second or two, then >told her I'm an atheist. That got me a momentary odd look in return >and a box checked on some computerized hospital form, which presumably >means if I die in that hospital at any future point they'll just strip >me for parts and toss me on the burn pile. Which I'm OK with as long >as they're sure I'm really dead. >I've been tempted a few times to answer with Pastafarian, just to watch the reactions. I think it'd be quite amusing. Still, it's probably dietary related or so the staff know which denominational dispenser of Godly wisdom to send to your bedside When Bad Things Occur. - - - - - - Hotaru Lind Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn |
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remande
Member since Jul-30-07
73 posts |
Jan-05-13, 06:08 PM (EST) |
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36. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #21
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>I've been tempted a few times to answer with Pastafarian, just to >watch the reactions. >I think it'd be quite amusing. >Still, it's probably dietary related or so the staff know which >denominational dispenser of Godly wisdom to send to your bedside When >Bad Things Occur. You mentioned Pastafarianism along with dietary restrictions, and my head just started putting things together... "At 6:30 on Saturday night, The First Pastafarian Church of Windale is sponsoring a spaghetti supper/communion service. The public is welcome to attend, at $7.00/person. Garlic bread and salad included" --rR
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jhosmer1
Member since Jan-11-07
67 posts |
Dec-19-12, 09:25 AM (EST) |
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27. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #0
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I had a similar moment the other night, while playing Star Wars: the Old Republic. Bioware seems to have disconnected Light Side/Dark Side from Jedi/Sith. You can earn Light Side points as a Sith. You can earn Dark Side points as a Jedi. Being a Roleplaying geek, this immediately reminded me of the old AD&D alignment system. Jedi/Sith = Law/Chaos Light/Dark = Good/Evil. YMMV, but it's an interesting idea if I ever run a RPG in the Star Wars universe again. |
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mdg1
Member since Aug-25-04
706 posts |
Dec-19-12, 10:16 AM (EST) |
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28. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #27
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>I had a similar moment the other night, while playing Star Wars: the >Old Republic. > >Bioware seems to have disconnected Light Side/Dark Side from >Jedi/Sith. You can earn Light Side points as a Sith. You can earn >Dark Side points as a Jedi. Being a Roleplaying geek, this >immediately reminded me of the old AD&D alignment system. > >Jedi/Sith = Law/Chaos >Light/Dark = Good/Evil. > >YMMV, but it's an interesting idea if I ever run a RPG in the Star >Wars universe again. Interesting thought, but I'd tweak it a bit: Jedi/Sith: Good/Evil Light/Dark: Chaos/Order. After all, as Alan Dean Foster once put it "Freedom is just Chaos with better lighting." Mario |
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Gryphon
Charter Member
11559 posts |
Dec-26-12, 11:34 PM (EST) |
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31. "RE: The Aha Moment"
In response to message #27
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>Bioware seems to have disconnected Light Side/Dark Side from >Jedi/Sith. You can earn Light Side points as a Sith. You can earn >Dark Side points as a Jedi.This reminds me of Dara Ó Briain's riff about how he doesn't believe in God, but he's still Catholic, because not believing in God isn't enough to get you out of the Catholic Church. "You could join the Taliban," he observes, "you'd simply be regarded as a bad Catholic." Similarly, I have a Sith Warrior who has a Light/Dark over-under a Jedi Master would be pleased with, because he's constantly, compulsively Doing The Right Thing. I can only assume that if his colleagues knew about that, they wouldn't chuck him out of the Order or try to kill him, because he's a player character and such things cannot happen to persistent-world player characters; they'd simply regard him as a bad Sith. (That feature of the game world does make it difficult to take darkside Major Bad Guy characters seriously. Darth Baras just isn't scary when you know he can't do anything but let your constant insubordination slide. :) --G. "AAAAUUUURRRRGGGHHHH! I CANNOT BREAK HIM!!" "But you sure can shout." "BE SILENT OR I WILL CUT OUT YOUR TONGUE!" "Yeah, yeah. Stop whining and gimme my next assignment, Tubs. I'm double-parked." -><- Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ zgryphon at that email service Google has Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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Eyrie Productions,
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Benjamin
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