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Re: Why I Hate Glasslands
Posted By: Train Dodger <tmesisrevenge@gmail.com>	Date: 9/19/12 11:36 a.m.
In Response To: Re: Why I Hate Glasslands (Archilen) : That, and I think Lucy was made far too feeble in other respects as well. KT : actually has the Gamma Company S-IIIs, the ones Lucy helped train, hug and : console her after her Operation TORPEDO flashback and her outburst against : the totally-out-of-character Halsey. Sure, she did always have a kind of : PTSD in the form of her inability (or unwillingness) to speak, but : trainees hugging their instructors is just ridiculous. If she was always : this mentally fragile, constantly getting vivid flashbacks or going : berserk, they would've never let her have any part in training Gamma : Company, regardless of Kurt's requests. : As for Lucy's punch not shattering Halsey's skull, maybe KT didn't get that : the S-IIIs were supposed to have augmentations as well. She was obviously : ignorant of an alarming number of other details; for one, she has Mendez : claim that there were no genetic screenings for the S-III program, and : uses this as a justification for the program being more morally right than : the S-II project. Apparently to prove a point that, and I quote, : "genetic supermen" don't win wars, a statement uttered by no one : else than the man who trained generations of said supermen, in a setting : where those supermen were directly responsible for winning the war. Normal : people played their part for sure, but the Halo series has made it very : clear that the Spartans' fame was well deserved. : Yes, in the real world, genetically superior, biochemically and : cybernetically augmented superhumans don't win wars, because they don't : exist. In a scenario set in the future where such technology is available, : though, it's completely nonsensical to claim that augmented humans are : somehow less capable than normal ones, especially when all evidence tells : the opposite. It's strange that someone who thinks this way is writing : science fiction to begin with; she isn't exploring what it means to be : superior to the vast majority of humans or how others react to that, she : just flat-out denies that they may be in any way superior to baselines. : It's all part of this odd anti-technology, anti-science attitude you : mentioned. And like the rest of her moral crusading, it's a juvenile and : oversimplified stance to take, and it becomes downright bizarre when you : consider its potential real-world implications. You know how a lot of : fiction tries to make a point that it's okay to be different or gifted in : some special way? Not KT, though. If you're somehow more gifted than the : general population (intellectually, physically or supernaturally), you're : likely to be sinister in some way (see her comments on Force users) and : there's probably something horribly wrong with you. The only way to redeem : yourself for having special talents is to carefully hide them from the : public and never use them. I think a lot of people would find something : wrong with what a stance like this. Really? I've never read her Star Wars tie-in novels, thank goodness. I think I'd probably have a coronary. See, part of what disturbs me so much about her baseline-chauvinism and primitivism when writing science fiction is that I'm a futurist. More specifically, a Singularitarian. Lots and lots of Halo fans are, actually. I see the potential for technology to fundamentally and quite radically transform all of human civilization for the better (think Iain Banks' Culture, only real, along with all the new problems and solutions that brings along with it), and sooner than one might think. I also see enemies in people like Karen Traviss, who are just the sort I'd expect to editorialize against that future. The reason why her prejudice puts me so ill-at-ease is because futurism is a part of my identity, just as much as one's sexual orientation or political ideals. I equate technophobia to homophobia in a great many ways, because the feelings and intent behind both are so similar; this notion that mankind must only do "as nature intended", and that to go a step beyond that is akin to playing god. Now, I don't mind that she expresses such feelings. I do, however, mind that she's using our preferred medium to do so. One of my favorite fictional universes from that medium, no less. Now, I believe in the principle of the death of the author, most of the time. But with Karen Traviss, directing my criticism upon her and her views is almost impossible to avoid, because her intentions permeate her work to such an absurd degree that it cannot even be called a story; more like an opinion piece with fictional characters. A sock puppet play. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that when I do employ that principle, using my own faculties to interpret the text instead of the author's biographic data, I suddenly become more aware of my own character flaws; things that stem from my own selfish desires. It's like Karen Traviss is in the business of forcing the audience in front of a mirror, saying "look, this is you, you miserable wretch -- this is what you're becoming". Science fiction fans unequivocally hate it when authors force readers to examine themselves under a magnifying glass like that, especially when said fans are not supposed to like what they see. The chief problem with Karen Traviss's work is that it doesn't maintain the sort of cheery solipsism that genre fiction in general is known for. It breaks all sorts of storytelling rules and introduces a million plot holes into the Haloverse in exchange for the kind of intersubjectivity you'd find in a cheesy YA novel, just to get the readers to seriously contemplate all these aspects of the canon that she assumes we take for granted. See, that's the problem right there. I don't want to think. I want to be medicated, to put it bluntly. I want to be given the feeling that the world revolves around me and my ideals as I read, as awkward and immature as that sounds. I mean, that's what entertainment is all about isn't it? Choosing something that makes you feel entertained, right? I used to be able to trust Halo to do that for me. Not anymore.

Message Index

Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/17/12 10:22 p.m.
I agree with Williams, but I can see your points.	Rice	9/17/12 10:41 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Battuta	9/17/12 10:42 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Battuta	9/17/12 10:44 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/17/12 11:54 p.m.
On second thought...	Train Dodger	9/18/12 6:24 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	ZackDark	9/17/12 10:49 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	SonGoharotto	9/17/12 11:24 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Chewbaccawakka	9/17/12 11:29 p.m.
Correction.	Quirel	9/18/12 12:10 a.m.
Got it	ZackDark	9/18/12 12:26 a.m.
Re: Correction.	Chewbaccawakka	9/18/12 1:12 a.m.
Re: Correction.	Quirel	9/18/12 1:34 a.m.
Re: Correction.	Chewbaccawakka	9/18/12 1:48 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Battuta	9/17/12 11:32 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Beckx	9/18/12 9:40 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/18/12 7:26 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/18/12 12:28 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Quirel	9/18/12 12:32 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	ZackDark	9/18/12 12:49 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Quirel	9/18/12 12:55 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	bluerunner	9/18/12 9:05 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	ZackDark	9/18/12 9:41 p.m.
Total war	Flynn J Taggart	9/18/12 12:36 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	SonGoharotto	9/17/12 11:19 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Jaydee	9/18/12 12:12 a.m.
On Halsey being demonized.	Rice	9/18/12 12:32 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	TDSpiral	9/18/12 12:33 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Hawki	9/18/12 1:49 a.m.
Projecting guilt	scarab	9/18/12 2:44 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Jaydee	9/18/12 3:01 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Hawki	9/18/12 3:12 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	scarab	9/18/12 3:52 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Train Dodger	9/18/12 4:25 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Quirel	9/18/12 9:41 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Harmanimus	9/18/12 3:39 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	scarab	9/18/12 4:07 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Hawki	9/18/12 4:46 a.m.
Re: Projecting guilt	Harmanimus	9/18/12 3:00 p.m.
More like projecting Quilt	bryan newman	9/18/12 4:52 a.m.
Re: More like projecting Quilt	Hawki	9/18/12 5:23 a.m.
Re: More like projecting Quilt	bryan newman	9/18/12 5:28 a.m.
Re: More like projecting Quilt	Hawki	9/18/12 5:34 a.m.
Re: More like projecting Quilt	scarab	9/18/12 1:20 p.m.
Re: More like projecting Quilt	Hawki	9/18/12 4:36 p.m.
Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hoovaloov	9/18/12 2:09 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hawki	9/18/12 2:12 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Quirel	9/18/12 2:16 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hoovaloov	9/18/12 2:22 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Train Dodger	9/18/12 2:25 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hoovaloov	9/18/12 3:01 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	bluerunner	9/18/12 8:59 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hawki	9/18/12 2:28 a.m.
Agree with all but the last sentence! *NM*	Lurono	9/18/12 2:43 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hoovaloov	9/18/12 2:48 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Lurono	9/18/12 3:12 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hoovaloov	9/18/12 3:29 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Lurono	9/18/12 9:35 p.m.
This: *NM*	thebruce0	9/18/12 9:01 a.m.
D'oh, attempt 2 :) This:	thebruce0	9/18/12 9:06 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Hoovaloov	9/18/12 2:18 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Train Dodger	9/18/12 2:40 a.m.
Re: Best Line of the Whole Debate	Lurono	9/18/12 2:55 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	scarab	9/18/12 3:22 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/18/12 3:54 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Archilen	9/18/12 3:38 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/18/12 11:45 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Archilen	9/19/12 9:14 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/19/12 11:36 a.m.
Corollary	Train Dodger	9/19/12 11:52 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Archilen	9/19/12 2:36 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/19/12 4:07 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	SonGoharotto	9/19/12 5:01 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/19/12 5:04 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/19/12 7:15 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	ZackDark	9/19/12 7:19 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/19/12 7:56 p.m.
This is why Gameplay/Canon Segregation exists. *NM*	Rice	9/19/12 11:56 p.m.
Nope.	uberfoop	9/20/12 12:05 a.m.
To be fair to the UNSC...	SonGoharotto	9/20/12 12:19 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Quirel	9/20/12 1:02 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Gravemind	9/20/12 2:17 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/20/12 6:11 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/20/12 9:32 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/20/12 11:13 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/20/12 8:36 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/20/12 9:09 p.m.
Parangosky in GoO.	Rice	9/25/12 4:19 a.m.
Also	Rice	9/25/12 5:26 a.m.
On matters of execution	davidfuchs	9/25/12 7:07 a.m.
Re: On matters of execution	General Battuta	9/25/12 2:46 p.m.
The Halsey Jaw Punch	Rice	9/26/12 2:26 a.m.
Re: The Halsey Jaw Punch	Subtank	9/26/12 5:06 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/19/12 7:41 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	SonGoharotto	9/19/12 7:48 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Train Dodger	9/19/12 8:08 p.m.
Update To Original Thread	Train Dodger	9/18/12 9:04 p.m.
Re: Update To Original Thread	SonGoharotto	9/19/12 3:54 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	vlad3163	9/23/12 2:27 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	bryan newman	9/24/12 1:17 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Archilen	9/24/12 9:04 a.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/24/12 3:20 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	General Vagueness	9/24/12 3:04 p.m.
Re: Why I Hate Glasslands	Tsudico	10/30/12 2:22 p.m.