Re: Story Fodder

On Jan 1, 6:14 pm, a...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Andrew Stephenson) wrote:
In article <13nlibihus1m...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
sueb...@xxxxxxxxxx "Suzanne Blom" writes:

[...] Humans often endow things that are secret with power by
that very fact. Also, learning a rite in a specialized setting
endows acts/knowledge with power. [...]

Frex, see "skull & bones". ;-)

She's got a point though.

Ritual and secrecy have power. Granted, it can back-fire when
people start passing the rumor that your group sacrifices infants
when you're actually baptizing them. (Or convince people there's
a big conspiracy involving drunken frat boys.)

Considering the time of year... a present in a wrapper is different
than one you've been told about and have seen or that's been
given to you without the anticipation. (Same with clothes vs.
nakedness?) And ritual, even if it's not secret, can put extra
meaning into events like officially becoming an adult.

I wonder how our culture would be different if instead of pushing
adulthood off indefinitely we made a big deal out of a "now you're
officially an adult" ritual.

-Julie
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: A Traveler in Space: In Search of Female Identity in Tibetan Buddhism
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  • Re: Getting Villain Strength "Just Right"
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  • Re: Treasongate
    ... No softball. ... No volleyball. ... And I remember that feeling of power, of being an adult, and knowing that no one had the power to ever make me put on green bloomers and make a fool out of myself ever again. ...
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  • Re: web-based sf forums
    ... What do you mean by power? ... and no power over any other adult. ... be held in common and run to benefit the community as a whole. ... That's certainly not the kind of anarchy I advocate. ...
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