OOTS #1262 - The Discussion Thread

[brian 333]

When I was young, it was easy to tell the sane from the insane. (Robin Williams, again.) With earbuds it is now common to see people walking around talking to themselves. That used to get attention from the crowd. Now everyone just assumes there is an actual person on the other side of the conversation.

Telepathic streaming will only make the problem worse. That guy running down the block screaming and hitting people, is he in need of psychiatric assistance? Or is he streaming Enter The Dragon?

[Ruck]

I damn near said that above, she really held her own next to those two giants, but I was afraid it would sound denigrating since I didn't really have any experience with her work before.

I wasn't really familiar with her work either (a little too old for the live-action Disney Channel era, at least past the first couple of seasons of Kids Incorporated), but if nothing else, those two have been practicing their craft for well longer than she's even been alive, so I don't see it as an insult.

[bunsen_h]

Anything leaning in the direction of 'inevitable technological movement towards telepathically streaming into our own heads' is likely something that should have work done before we are all spammed with ads using the same technology.

If you haven't read it, I recommend Raphael Carter's The Fortunate Fall. While it uses a number of cyberpunk-ish tropes, and has some rather dark turns, it doesn't have the "grittiness" of a lot of cyberpunk. It's mostly about people trying to get by. But it makes some strong points about the dangers of letting other people into your head.

[Aquillion]

So, hands up who thinks Oona is placing little-bald-cape-man in a different village to the one he's placing himself in

I mean, she flatly says that she needs to "protect the bridge" so "things will stay rosy and nice." She wouldn't need to do that if she thought he would make he right choice - she pretty unambiguously said she thought he'd choose his ego.

(I'm surprised he missed that subtly, but perhaps it's because Oona is usually more blunt. Or perhaps the very fact that he's the sort of person who always chooses the wrong village ensures it - he interprets what Oona says in the most favorable way because to do otherwise would bruise his ego, and she knows he'll do this.)

In fact, I almost have to concede that it could never happen in the narrative, because it's almost too easy. She might be too willing to have a nice chat for the story to accommodate, if you know what I mean, and the consequences can only be good as far as I can see, even if she didn't give up her allegiance. I'd say she and them definitely can't ever get that delicious dialogue going on, if it weren't for the fact that Rich is wonderful at surprising me.

Remind me again, for no particular reason - what are the requirements to inherit the Crimson Mantle and become its bearer?

(It probably wouldn't work because I doubt it makes you capable of casting 9th level spells right off the bat. But it's a thought.)

[Ruck]

I mean, she flatly says that she needs to "protect the bridge" so "things will stay rosy and nice." She wouldn't need to do that if she thought he would make he right choice - she pretty unambiguously said she thought he'd choose his ego.

(I'm surprised he missed that subtly, but perhaps it's because Oona is usually more blunt. Or perhaps the very fact that he's the sort of person who always chooses the wrong village ensures it - he interprets what Oona says in the most favorable way because to do otherwise would bruise his ego, and she knows he'll do this.)

I don't think he missed it. I think he just decided to set it aside since, as he said, it doesn't matter too much what she thinks in that regard as long as she's continuing to help.

[F.Harr]

This is the funniest strip in a while!

And Oona has a point. But I'm not sure which village Redcloak would choose. :/