Sanctuary Musing: The Definition of Man
Apr. 16th, 2011 07:15 pm("The Definition of Man" comes from "The Chryslids", by John Wyndham. In the book, any person who does not meet the description outlined in "The Definition" is deemed subhuman, and cast out of society. In the book, they use the phrase "deviation from the norm". Plants and animals have their own definitions, and anything outside of them is killed and burned.)
This started a really long time ago, based on a conversation I had with
tielan about what exactly makes an abnormal (and, by extension, why pretty much everything in Australia doesn't qualify). It's become something a little more since then, particularly in light of Pax Romana.
I realize there's no way the show could possibly account for everything. But Abnormality is kind of important. According to Martin Wood (I think), an abnormal is anything that punches in above its weight class, which is just so dramatically vague that it encompasses everything from that Exxon-Valdez thing in "End of Nights" to Jimmy-From-Chicago. Which, again, would not be a huge problem because nothing is perfect...but when you add in Gregory Magnus, Praxis and the way the show completely glosses over social status, it's starting to bug me anyway.
Cut for length and spoilers. (And seriously, my meta posts wander but this one freaking hitchhiked across Asia when I wasn't paying attention.)
( On Morals, Station, and Questions Helen Magnus Doesn't Ask )
++++
( Fic Recs )
I am SURE I am missing fics here, so please add more in the comments.
This started a really long time ago, based on a conversation I had with
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
I realize there's no way the show could possibly account for everything. But Abnormality is kind of important. According to Martin Wood (I think), an abnormal is anything that punches in above its weight class, which is just so dramatically vague that it encompasses everything from that Exxon-Valdez thing in "End of Nights" to Jimmy-From-Chicago. Which, again, would not be a huge problem because nothing is perfect...but when you add in Gregory Magnus, Praxis and the way the show completely glosses over social status, it's starting to bug me anyway.
Cut for length and spoilers. (And seriously, my meta posts wander but this one freaking hitchhiked across Asia when I wasn't paying attention.)
( On Morals, Station, and Questions Helen Magnus Doesn't Ask )
++++
( Fic Recs )
I am SURE I am missing fics here, so please add more in the comments.