(02-23-2014, 07:52 AM)Norna Wrote: Erm, does this make sense? Because I'm pretty sleep-deprived and almost seeing double right now.
Amen to sleep deprivation. No, I totally get what you're saying and I don't really disagree on any particular point. And I'm appreciative that you used in-game sources and examples. I think my argument tried to progress beyond just the whole new Nunh killing old Nunh + children thing. I feel like, if you're wanting to write that into your story, it's so easy to swing no one will dispute such a thing. There are whackos out there.Â
I was more trying to get at the fact that when you look at the many many different cultures in Eorzea, it's highly unlikely that all of these cultures would have one collective act that was considered taboo across the board. If that makes sense? Miqo'te infanticide just happened to be said example used since it was already being discussed.Â
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Like let's look at just the starter city-states by themselves, and we'll leave out the numerous subcultures within each of those for simplicity. In Gridania, you have a society that is actively and (for the most part) unashamedly racist and xenophobic. They discriminate against any outsider, despite their "tolerating" their presence, because the Elder Seedseer told them too. And Gridanian's have an unwarranted hatred for the Duskwights and most Keepers of the Moon.Â
Slightly ironic because Gridania was only possible because Elezen and Hyur set aside their 500 year territorial wars and racial differences to unite under the Gelmorran Standard. (Their relationship is represented 500 years later on the Gridanian flag as the two wrapped Adders.) Rather than a lore mistake though, I see this more as a growth of a nation towards a way of life that the "Founding Fathers" had not intended.Â
Anyways, racism and xenophobia are generally greatly frowned upon in most Earth cultures.Â
In Ul'dah, I'll reference the lore behind Thaumaturge in 1.0 as an example. Thaumaturges were originally glorified morticians. But in the Lv30 quest in the Thaumaturge storyline, you find out (by way of echo) that Thaumaturges engage in a fairly common practice of stealing dead people's personal belongings and selling them back to their respective families. At the same time, pretty much blackmailing the family by saying their recently departed family member wouldn't find his/her way into Thal's Realm if they didn't. After you find this out in the Echo, your character goes to discuss this with Yayake (the Guildmaster at the time) and she pretty much brushes you off saying what this particular other thaumaturge did wasn't entirely in the wrong.
I, personally, find this practice to be disgusting. But in 1.0 it was fairly common place.Â
In Limsa, cold-blooded murder is an integral part of their electoral system. I forget every how many years, but every so often the Pirate Captains have an opportunity to become Admiral of Limsa Lominsa by competing against one another in a gauntlet called the Trident. It's a no holds barred kind of race, and whoever makes it across the finish line, becomes the Admiral. In the last Trident, current Admiral, Captain Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn squared off against the favorite for the Admiralcy, Captain Hyllfyr of the Bloody Executioners. By the end of the Trident, both crews were dead and the only ones left standing were the two captains. Again, accepted practice.
In the real world, most people take issue with world leaders who kill off their opposition.Â
Now, let's compare. In Gridania, it is a damnable act to commit murder that is unsanctioned by the Elementals. This includes game like antelope or wolves that are eating your face. Especially back in 1.0 when the Elementals were powerful enough to do something to every person who did it. That's why there is a conjurer who accompanies Wood Wailers when they are defending the Hedge and assist the God's Quiver with their rangings. They're there to sanction the kills and appease the Elementals.Â
In Ul'dah, xenophobia and racism aren't really found anywhere. Because Ul'dah accepts anyone from anywhere who has money they can swindle. The Bloodsands would never turn you away no matter what your race or origins if you were betting on a match.
Anyways, enough examples, I think my points been made as best as I can make it. Each culture has so many different rights and wrongs, what is acceptable and what isn't, how can we possibly say with 100% assurance that each of them find one particular topic taboo to all of them. And how can we possibly say that a particular culture's beliefs (such as the Raptor Tribe Seeker Miqo'te) are right or wrong in the eyes of all other Eorzeans when we have a group of Eorzeans who are racist, a group of Eorzeans who kill their way into power, a group of Eorzeans who wipe out a whole sister civilization just because, and a group of Eorzeans who commit genocide and Salem Witch Trials in the name of their religious leader?
That's all I was getting at. And I do apologize Myxie for sorta hijacking this thread to add my rebuttle to the discussion of ethics and Miqo'te culture stuff.
