with the exception of damane, of course, and how much worse that is than the White Tower is somewhat arguable.
What they do have which is unique (except in Elayne's Andor, and that by fiat rather than by culture) is a centralized bureaucratic government and universal code of justice...however draconian in some instances. Their military is based on adaptation, and they're one of the societies best equipped to take advantage of the industrial revolution that's beginning to happen.
You're upset about slaves, presumably (while completely brushing under the carpet that those slaves are treated as well or better than free peasants in most of Randland... remember Mat's friend complaining that the laws Rand was imposing were preventing him from raping commoner women like he used to?) and now about the genocide of the Aiel.
Well, genocide of primitive peoples was part of our own journey to modernity, too. It happens, and if the Seanchan had been driven across the sea it would have been the Cairhienin and Tairens and Shienarans who wiped out the Aiel with flintlock rifles and cannon in the way they've longed to do but couldn't with swords. It's regrettable, but unless the Aiel change, they will be destroyed; there is no place in the modern industrial world for their kind of culture.
What they do have which is unique (except in Elayne's Andor, and that by fiat rather than by culture) is a centralized bureaucratic government and universal code of justice...however draconian in some instances. Their military is based on adaptation, and they're one of the societies best equipped to take advantage of the industrial revolution that's beginning to happen.
You're upset about slaves, presumably (while completely brushing under the carpet that those slaves are treated as well or better than free peasants in most of Randland... remember Mat's friend complaining that the laws Rand was imposing were preventing him from raping commoner women like he used to?) and now about the genocide of the Aiel.
Well, genocide of primitive peoples was part of our own journey to modernity, too. It happens, and if the Seanchan had been driven across the sea it would have been the Cairhienin and Tairens and Shienarans who wiped out the Aiel with flintlock rifles and cannon in the way they've longed to do but couldn't with swords. It's regrettable, but unless the Aiel change, they will be destroyed; there is no place in the modern industrial world for their kind of culture.
Thanks for standing up for the Seanchan! I don't agree with everything they do and I think the institutions of slavery and damane need to go, but I don't think they're as evil as everyone is making them out to be. I suspect that part of the negativity is Avi's scene in Rhuidean. I don't want that to play out, but I wouldn't mind seeing the cultural importance of the Aiel decline, since I really dislike many facets of their societal structure.
Also on topic, I love Mat and Tuon too!
Tuon and Mat
22/11/2010 12:05:12 AM
- 1563 Views
The Seanchan are actually more worrisome to me than the DO.
23/11/2010 02:45:27 AM
- 849 Views
Modernity scares you more than non-existence? *NM*
23/11/2010 05:47:05 AM
- 412 Views
uhm, no.
23/11/2010 06:22:44 AM
- 883 Views
Nothing worse than anyone else has
23/11/2010 07:07:59 AM
- 815 Views
Re: Nothing worse than anyone else has
23/11/2010 03:48:47 PM
- 982 Views
What's the point of existing if the existence is a miserable one?
26/11/2010 09:38:56 AM
- 697 Views
Re: What's the point of existing if the existence is a miserable one?
27/11/2010 01:03:41 AM
- 822 Views
I agree. The Seanchan represent a world order based upon all the principles of evil.
23/11/2010 06:37:13 PM
- 733 Views
Agreed.
24/11/2010 01:14:59 AM
- 718 Views
Personally, I'm rooting for the Seanchan to take over Randland.
24/11/2010 02:09:15 AM
- 772 Views
it's easy to ignore treaties when those that made them are dead.
24/11/2010 05:19:19 PM
- 645 Views
who on earth sympathizes with zealous racist colonizers in this day and age?
27/11/2010 08:12:46 AM
- 767 Views
"rigidly hierarchical oligarchy" How the fuck is Randland any different?
30/11/2010 09:54:13 AM
- 794 Views