Discriminating Tastes
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 61495
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Fred looked at the woman whose leathery wings extended from her
arms. "You are confusing prejudice with common sense," he
said. "Prejudice is the generalization of truths which are only true in
specific situations. But our distrust of the different, well, that
is based on our daily life - the
walking dead and werewolves, vengeful witches and assassins, these are
different from us.
We discriminate between what is
known and unknown, we separate the good from the bad and we deal with each
accordingly: embracing the good and rejecting the bad. This keeps us
alive."
"Allarian opinion and bias is based on the observations of our elders," continued Fred. "True, some take it too far, never making their own observations, but of themselves our biases are a good thing in my book. Our opinions are formed by experience, and they allow us the ability to differentiate, to make a distinction, to make a judgement call between the just and the unjust. In my land, when a man is said to have discriminating tastes, that is a compliment! In my land, to be able to discern between a lie and a truth is a sign of high wisdom. In my land, those who cannot see the difference between a snake and a piece of rope die from their own stupidity. There are differences in this world and some differences can kill, or are you so sheltered that you know this not?" Before she could answer, Fred spoke again: "We have fought wars and we have battled against honorable soldiers but we have also fought monsters. You can call us Allarians prejudiced if you want - but if that means we are against the evils of this world then I take your insult as a compliment. Yes, we are prejudiced against dragons that breathe flame and burn our villages, we are prejudiced against giants who throw boulders upon our sons, we are prejudiced against kobolds and gnoles who dig under the earth pulling our sisters down into their depths. And we are prejudiced against those who trespass the natural laws, who dabble in magick without any understanding, who experiment in the occult without any guidance. We control our mages and sorceresses; they study a dangerous power but they do so without any subterfuge, without any secrets – and they only go so far." Stralene was stunned. She felt the sincerity in the Allarian’s voice and his words echoed the warnings her own father had given her so long ago about the Mage-Craft. She felt ashamed at having shown her own power in a prideful display of arrogance with the hope of making the knight see her as his better. She descended to the ground and her wings dissolved in an effervescence, replaced by simple, human arms. Then they heard the screams. It was Jake! And it was the monkeys!
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9/1/2006 7:58:25 AM
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