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Sharina did not have the Spark, nor did Nicola darius_sedai Send a noteboard - 30/10/2012 05:16:40 PM
As is said, every strong channeller in the book we know the origins of had the spark, in a similar way that there are too many weak channellers around now. I just don't see Maria's remarks being true (to at least what RJ put in the books). I appreciate this makes all of what I'm going to say next irrelevant if you believe what Maria says makes sense in context with the books but for me it doesn't.

I dislike using one bell curve to visualise all channelers, I much prefer a male and a female curve on the same graph which have different peaks either side of the "average". If it's anything like physical sexual dimorphism in humans then those peaks could be closer to 33 for females and 66 for males anyway (working off purely upper body strength studies, it could be a bit closer).

Again if you separated out the female channelers into those with the spark and without (This goes back to me not believing Maria). If you need to be a wilder to have a decent chance of being above AOL average and wilders have been continually ignored for 3000 years it's very possible that you're simply looking at the wrong side of the bell curve for people born without the spark.

If you accept Maria's statement then I fully understand that what I've said isn't applicable but I personally just can't accept what she says when the books to me say otherwise.


And Tarna and Theodrin were both Wilders (meaning they had the Spark) and neither of them are in the very top tiers of AS strength, which shows the Spark is not linked to strength. In fact there are many AS who had the Spark and are weak, we just don't see a ton of them onscreen. But they must exist since there is a special classification for them within AS hierarchy and we hear from Verin how many women come to the Tower with "tricks".

IMO the "Spark" is simply a literary device RJ used to include things like Nynaeve's block, ensuring there was a 100% solid reason Egwene had to accompany the group and why Rand couldn't help but Channel. It also explains the purpose of the Red Ajah, who would have no job if there were no male sparkers.

In fact the Spark seems to be either a purely genetic trait that appears at random or something the Wheel spins out as necessary. Which may explain why there are Ages with no Channeling at all.

INTERVIEW: Nov 21st, 2009
Driving Mr. Sanderson - Matt Hatch

MATT HATCH
...there is a quote I brought that we asked at DragonCon, Jordan said: “I don't think I have said if you are born with the spark you would have the have the spark again. I have said if you were born with the ability to channel, to learn or with the spark, you will, when your soul is born again, you will have the ability again, whether with the spark or without...” So, in essence he said it’s inherent you have the ability. Whether or not you spark or you can learn it that depends on the life.
Domani Drag Queen in the White Tower ... Aran'gar watch out!
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The Bell Curve revisited - 29/10/2012 09:44:09 AM 1498 Views
Re: The Bell Curve revisited - 29/10/2012 10:21:27 AM 894 Views
That's incorrect... - 29/10/2012 10:26:49 AM 1468 Views
Re: That's incorrect... - 29/10/2012 10:36:32 AM 900 Views
RJ the physicist didn't know math, so that Shannow could be right... - 29/10/2012 02:11:19 PM 814 Views
Response to a few of your poorly researched points... - 29/10/2012 02:31:17 PM 760 Views
Re: RJ the physicist didn't know math, so that Shannow could be right... - 29/10/2012 02:37:33 PM 775 Views
Exactly... - 29/10/2012 02:39:30 PM 774 Views
there are dozens of reasons for this - 29/10/2012 08:18:18 PM 791 Views
Excellent point. - 29/10/2012 08:24:37 PM 820 Views
Re: there are dozens of reasons for this - 29/10/2012 09:07:35 PM 721 Views
Again I don't argue that genetics play no role - 30/10/2012 01:57:24 AM 697 Views
Re: Again I don't argue that genetics play no role - 30/10/2012 07:07:17 AM 723 Views
I don't think it plays much role in the plot - 30/10/2012 03:17:55 PM 876 Views
Once again just so,we are clear on my stance with Genetics and Strength - 30/10/2012 03:27:11 PM 736 Views
That the 1000 Novices aren't a random sample of the population? - 29/10/2012 08:23:47 PM 675 Views
And why would it be biased towards those with lower strength? - 29/10/2012 09:11:25 PM 681 Views
Absolutely no reason... - 30/10/2012 01:35:35 AM 782 Views
Re: Absolutely no reason... - 30/10/2012 06:43:54 AM 682 Views
Only if it was a random sampling. Which this is not. - 30/10/2012 01:58:34 PM 769 Views
That's exactly the point. I want you to explain why it wasn't random. - 30/10/2012 02:14:59 PM 691 Views
It wasn't random because it was a self-selected sample! - 30/10/2012 02:43:03 PM 707 Views
Re: It wasn't random because it was a self-selected sample! - 30/10/2012 02:47:30 PM 705 Views
Go read a stats text will you? - 30/10/2012 02:54:16 PM 700 Views
Done - 31/10/2012 09:34:11 AM 1372 Views
You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 10/11/2012 10:14:19 PM 961 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 11:37:16 AM 730 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 07:14:48 PM 659 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 08:33:59 PM 1399 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 08:43:19 PM 924 Views
Still nothing? - 10/11/2012 03:33:15 PM 713 Views
Still doesn't explain the difference - 30/10/2012 07:01:53 PM 646 Views
Re: Still doesn't explain the difference - 10/11/2012 10:21:00 PM 730 Views
Yes that totally makes sense - 30/10/2012 08:07:16 AM 820 Views
Thank you! *NM* - 30/10/2012 10:19:15 AM 380 Views
That's not what happened... - 30/10/2012 02:01:52 PM 743 Views
Re: That's not what happened... - 30/10/2012 02:15:57 PM 706 Views
Who said it would? - 30/10/2012 02:44:17 PM 711 Views
let's not mix up "random" and "representative" - 30/10/2012 05:28:09 PM 775 Views
Doesn't mean RJ applied it to his series - 30/10/2012 08:23:29 AM 784 Views
But of course he did.. - 30/10/2012 02:13:07 PM 806 Views
I hate to get into these things - 29/10/2012 05:45:50 PM 849 Views
I would love for you to be right, because it would solve all our problems, but 0 is the challenge... - 29/10/2012 07:56:34 PM 807 Views
In the truest sense, you are probably right that it is skewed - 29/10/2012 08:20:52 PM 832 Views
Overwhelm Lanfear, not match her. *NM* - 29/10/2012 08:26:09 PM 412 Views
Truth is, Moiraine was being overly optimistic... - 29/10/2012 08:39:17 PM 751 Views
You're pathetic... - 30/10/2012 01:20:01 AM 693 Views
The quote isn't specific - 30/10/2012 08:32:36 AM 814 Views
Its highly specific... - 30/10/2012 02:15:38 PM 644 Views
Yet neither of them are at full potential and at least equal a Forsaken - 30/10/2012 03:45:24 PM 1299 Views
Honestly! - 30/10/2012 02:07:37 AM 743 Views
Re: In the truest sense, you are probably right that it is skewed - 29/10/2012 09:10:27 PM 748 Views
Lots of people mean perfectly normal distribution when they say it - 30/10/2012 05:25:35 PM 687 Views
Couldn't the Towers method of obtaining Aes Sedai be to blame? - 30/10/2012 12:04:01 AM 890 Views
Re: Couldn't the Towers method of obtaining Aes Sedai be to blame? - 30/10/2012 09:33:44 AM 814 Views
Are you sure about that? - 30/10/2012 12:03:43 PM 816 Views
Re: Are you sure about that? - 30/10/2012 12:19:34 PM 721 Views
That doesn't seem a coherent narrative to me - 30/10/2012 04:26:25 PM 1018 Views
Sharina did not have the Spark, nor did Nicola - 30/10/2012 05:16:40 PM 827 Views
Re: Sharina did not have the Spark, nor did Nicola - 30/10/2012 05:54:41 PM 712 Views
We do not know if Cadsuane or any of the Forsaken are Sparkers - 30/10/2012 10:33:55 PM 840 Views
you're confusing 2 things - 30/10/2012 04:27:32 AM 889 Views
+1 *NM* - 30/10/2012 09:17:07 AM 818 Views
Re: you're confusing 2 things - 30/10/2012 09:21:39 AM 789 Views
Not true... - 30/10/2012 11:49:57 AM 801 Views
One thing - 30/10/2012 05:23:17 PM 778 Views
That's the problem. The BC RJ has "built" has a minimum and a maximum value - 30/10/2012 05:48:55 PM 799 Views

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