Wraith Defenders Club

[Wraith Cake]

I can't speak others but I'm well aware that my own survival instinct is very, very strong indeed - which is precisely why I can have sympathy for wraith either as a species or as individuals - because I can appreciate that I would do whatever it takes to stay alive.
If I was a wraith worshipper in Pegasus and the wraith whose prtotection I was under fed on however many people in order to keep me alive for 4 or 5 times my normal life span, then so be it.
Yeah, I know that's gonna have some folk throw their hands up in horror, but I did warn you my survival instinct is migthy powerful - probably stems form a problematic family life that left me with no concept of "roots" or connectedness to the human race!

The ONLY person I would even consider giving up my life for is my son, and even then I'd attempt negotiation before just throwing myself onto a wraith feeding hand!

I think it also comes down to your own personal line in the sand. I think of that idea "the boiling frog syndrome" mentioned in Roger and Me from '89. Essentially what it means is that a creature like a frog can be boiled alive, if the temperature is turned up on the pot only one degree an hour. People living next to volcanoes are like this; they won't leave even if they see the lava rolling down the slopes.

Nonetheless, everyone has a breaking point. There does come a point, and it is completely different for everyone, when an individual will no longer tolerate something happening. And it is amazing at that point how altruistic and sacrificing people become.



WK


Then again, everyone's metal is tested during suffering. I dunno, I'm blathering.

[Wraith Cake]

I notice as you do that if you want to make a society or a person worthless then you make derogatory comments.

OK I'm being very simplistic here:-

Collins New English Dictionary 1982:- It refers to a nonhuman, animal, plant, or inanimate thing.

New Gresham Dictionary 1926:- It is a pronoun of the neuter gender corresponding with he and she.

To me It means neither a he or a she, a nothing. So in making the Wraith seem nothing there not worth of being considered as a sentinel being and worthy of respect. So humans can shoot to kill and that it doesn't matter or should feel regret for the killing.

Or as a farming friend said about chickens MCH you have females Hens, the males Cockerels and finally Capons. A Capon MCH is a sexless chicken and I call a Capon an It.
He finished by saying and very tasty Capons are too....

MCH

Genocide--How To Guide

Step #1 Dehumanize the people you intend to wipe out.


WK

[Wraith Cake]

Don’t belittle yourself . People under extreme stress may behave unpredictably, so you simply don’t know what you are capable of. It’s a mere supposition. Strangely enough, but your affection toward your own kind or hostility may let you down as well. Nobody knows for sure.



It’s a very important comment. Where is the guarantee that your supposed worshipper’s career wouldn’t begin from such an "exam"? We have seen by the example of Ronon’s friends how the wraith break their captives as individuals and change them into docile beings from which no act of resistance could arise. Perhaps the worshippers study the same course.

The novel 1984 explores this type of brainwashing caused by suffering. Not all people can be brainwashed, but there is certainly the desire in each of us to be relinquished from suffering, any long term intense suffering. No one knows for sure how we will react in an unpredictable situation, but I think this is where religion and philosophy intersect--On one hand, if you are the type of person who lives life the way Plato viewed the universe: there is a perfect exterior force that is a template for everything, then perhaps you may have a "faith" that rivals devotion to God or a god. In other words, you believe that your life is shaped by perfect governed forces, you believe you will never be given more than you can handle, or that you will never be tempted with evil beyond what you can bear. On the other hand, if you have a Machiavellian view of the world, where there is no perfection except what you create, you then are at odds with the universe and must try to recon your place in it. You are the master of your own fate, therefore in order to have a favourable outcome, all your decisions must make perfect sense all the time. This is a great deal of pressure, and boils down to whether you think you are alone in the universe.


WK


Ah...philosophy.

[dasNdanger]

Just 'cause...


das

[Wraith Cake]

Just 'cause...


das

I love that picture!! But without the words.

Or put these ones in: I had a chill that went through my will, realized it was that pill I left on the sill...

So I seized that pill with all my skill upon that sill
'til I looked at the BILL
"Oh FRILL!" It must have been that dill I ate with the pill that they put on the BILL
"Oh FRILL!"



Why don't you make that shot into a Pert Ad or a Head and Shoulders commercial: Wraith Shampoo! Itzz a killa!


I'ma jusss bein' silly.


WK

[Starry Waters]

Just 'cause...


das

Love the banner. The lyrics really fit well.

It's certainly been a muscial evening ranging from HIM's "Wicked Game" (one of Eddie's songs) to Evanescence's "Bring Me Back to Life" (one of Steve's songs) to Annihilator's "Hunter Killer." LOL Which wraith is that in the banner?

[dasNdanger]

I love that picture!! But without the words.

Or put these ones in: I had a chill that went through my will, realized it was that pill I left on the sill...

So I seized that pill with all my skill upon that sill
'til I looked at the BILL
"Oh FRILL!" It must have been that dill I ate with the pill that they put on the BILL
"Oh FRILL!"



Why don't you make that shot into a Pert Ad or a Head and Shoulders commercial: Wraith Shampoo! Itzz a killa!


I'ma jusss bein' silly.


WK

Yes, yes you are.

But silly is welcome around these parts!

Love the banner. The lyrics really fit well.

It's certainly been a muscial evening ranging from HIM's "Wicked Game" (Eddie's song) to Evanescence's "Bring Me Back to Life" (Steve's song) to Annihilator's "Hunter Killer." LOL Which wraith is that in the banner?

That is Craig from Tracker...the one who ALMOST got his hands on Rodney. I have a few nice ones of him...he's one of my favorites from last season. Darn hot, too!


das

[Starry Waters]

Yes, yes you are.

But silly is welcome around these parts!

That is Craig from Tracker...the one who ALMOST got his hands on Rodney. I have a few nice ones of him...he's one of my favorites from last season. Darn hot, too!


das

LOL The lyrics fit even better cause now I'm visualizing him flying after Rodney through the woods....stalking him indeed. Excellent job, das!!

[dasNdanger]

LOL The lyrics fit even better cause now I'm visualizing him flying after Rodney through the woods....stalking him indeed. Excellent job, das!!

That's what I liked about it. It's very hard to find good 'hunter' lyrics, since most are about love. But this one's just perfect.

I'd love to see one hunter actually hunt, and succeed in the kill. I guess it's from spending my childhood watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.


das

[Norvely]

^^ I love all your wraiths and poems....and wraith....and wraith.....*grabs wraith and margaritas*. I'm new to this forum but glimpsed randomly at the posts. Wow all....965 pages and going....and still cute wraith goodness....THIS IS AWESOME! I first came across gateworld by finding T64's fanfic: Honor. SevenofNine suggested reading this forum but my goodness....I will keep up from here I think ^_^.

[Draco-Stellaris]

Because English is a relatively unique language in that it has a long clear history, yet belongs to everyone, the idea of "it" being attached to a sentient being is a little ambiguous. Originally, "it" would not have been considered offensive, but again because the language has a long history and belongs to everyone it changes quite quickly, thus "it" is inappropriate to use on sentient beings. Most people do not refer to animals as "it" anymore, though it is typical to refer to a foetus this ways, especially if the parents do not know the gender of the child. I guess in a nutshell, the best way to surmise the "it" issue is, it depends on the context and the speaker.
I know this isn't a very clear answer, but I hope it helps
WK

Thank you! It is clear enough.

Just 'cause...
das

Nice composition!

^^ I love all your wraiths and poems....and wraith....and wraith.....*grabs wraith and margaritas*. I'm new to this forum but glimpsed randomly at the posts. Wow all....965 pages and going....and still cute wraith goodness....THIS IS AWESOME! I first came across gateworld by finding T64's fanfic: Honor. SevenofNine suggested reading this forum but my goodness....I will keep up from here I think ^_^.

Welcome to the WDC! Keeping up is definitely worth it.

[Starry Waters]

^^ I love all your wraiths and poems....and wraith....and wraith.....*grabs wraith and margaritas*. I'm new to this forum but glimpsed randomly at the posts. Wow all....965 pages and going....and still cute wraith goodness....THIS IS AWESOME! I first came across gateworld by finding T64's fanfic: Honor. SevenofNine suggested reading this forum but my goodness....I will keep up from here I think ^_^.

Welcome. It's good to see someone new!!

[Solla]

There are no guarantees in life. In this world, we can die at the hands of a criminal, or from an accident, or disease. But in a large part of this world - from South America to Africa to Asia - people die simply from over-population and the poverty that comes with it. Quality of life depends on many things, but on THIS planet, it is greatly affected by over-population and corrupt governments. The Pegasus humans live in no more fear than we do, faced as we are by crime and war and disease and poverty. We all suffer - we all die - it's just that the circumstances are different. In both the fantasy world of SGA, and in our world, survival is just a matter of 'dodging the bullet'

What about the reverse of the medal? Most developed countries of the world (I mean Europe and North America) are over-populated in ecological terms, it means they should destroy existing ecosystems, impoverishe the planet and generate the wastes (that must be assimilated somehow) to support their current material standards, their chosen lifestyle. A nice big house (with electricity, running water and gas, of course) stuffed with different modern gadgets, several cars in a garage plus other stuff that considered to be vitally important for every «normal» man, all these things have their price. If nature could claim compensation from humans the maintenance cost of average "first-worlder" was compared to dozen of African or Asian guys. In comparison with these high-developed giants of economics the so-called third-worlders are just small kids with sticks and slingshots. Then we shouldn't forget about the following point. If we look at modern European cities we can hardly deny the fact that their demographic setting has been greatly changed - many of those who live in poverty leave their countries because they sincerely think that Western countries are kind of dream lands where everyone has heaps of money. They grow roots, invite their friends and relatives, give birth to kids and their kids assimilate with the local population through inter-marriages. We all in the same sinking boat here .

So it's not that the Pegasus is a 'dream world', but it is a much simpler, basic world, where most people have been portrayed as healthy, happy, and fulfilled. They have meaningful work, families, friends...something that most people on earth can only hope for. Let's face it, it seems the majority of people here today are miserable - unhappy with everything, stuck in bad jobs, and hating their families. Divorce is rampant, crime is becoming more violent, and people just don't care about their neighbors or communities anymore.

It seems to be true. But I personally don't think it depends on social order or economic advancement in the first placel. IMO, it happens when our souls are dry and empty and our minds are lazy. Nobody can force you to suffer in a bad relationship or devote yourself to a hateful job. And there is no point to complain of loneliness if you are ready to forget your friends the moment you don’t need them any more. Of course, it is easier to say that unfavourable circumstances forced me to stick with jobs I really disliked and people I met in life were not always like they seemed in the beginning (so I have a good reason to hate and despise them). There are some things in life we can’t change, that’s true, no matter how ardently we wish to do it, while at the same time there are many changes we can make.

So, would I prefer the Pegasus to earth? Perhaps. There are many planets that have never been culled. There are others that are only culled every few hundred years. This planet hasn't seen peace in 5 years, let alone 500. Think of how many humans have been killed since World War I. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, if you include civilans.
Now...how is that any different from what Wraith do? Only thing is, Wraith are not killing out of hate or greed, but because they need to eat. I can be far more forgiving of that than what humans do to one another.

Human beings really are the worse kind - judging from their actions... But it’s quite another thing that I meant. We are sitting here and sipping tea before a monitor... and fictional culling in the Pegasus Galaxy as well as those terrible things that have been happening in this world are too distant for us and it makes the suffering disconnected and turns it into a TV-plot or mere statistic or words on the screen. While those people (who have their hopes and families) have to deal with more than many of us will ever know. Individual suffering highlights key points wery well.

[Solla]

Ahh im new

Wraith ftw.

^^ I love all your wraiths and poems....and wraith....and wraith.....*grabs wraith and margaritas*. I'm new to this forum but glimpsed randomly at the posts. Wow all....965 pages and going....and still cute wraith goodness....THIS IS AWESOME! I first came across gateworld by finding T64's fanfic: Honor. SevenofNine suggested reading this forum but my goodness....I will keep up from here I think ^_^.

Hello and welcome to the WDC

[Solla]

It is also important to remember that while various underdeveloped nations who have endured decades of civil war suffer, equating a simple way of life with a lower quality of life is a very American, very "Western" Perspective. The difference isn't so much in the lack of "stuff" people have or do not have, but rather it's in their access to infrastructure--is there a food agency close by, a welfare system in place etc?
And in several African nations, Angola for instance, (I know this because my university roommate is Kenyan whose parents are from Angola) consider having many children our equivalent to "wealth".

WK

Also, at the end of the day our planet right now can feed the entire Earth's population fifty times over. It's not so much an over population issue (though in some parts of the world this is evident--for instance the three most populous nations in the world: China, India and the United States), but it is a distribution of those resources.

Exactly. They have another conceptions of well-being that order them to act accordingly . In many of these high birth rate countries culture encourages women to have many children as a sign of fertility (that is considered a blessing), totally ignoring the difficulty in providing for all of them. And the birth control campaigns can’t help to improve the situation. For example, many women escaped to the remote villages to give birth as a result of China’s one child policy. Also we shouldn’t forget that as a rule the high birth rate is closely connected with the high infant mortality (perhaps it is connected with our survival instincts somehow), besides children can be seen there as an economic resource - they can earn money and help to keep house.