What you see here is a duel, with the result being that typical of a dueling society - - rules/manners enforced by violence, with the more skilled, capable duelist prevailing over the less capable, and the non-violent majority browbeaten into silence. An armed society is a polite society, Heinlein famously said, but in practice duelling societies consist of a minority of bullies acting as they will and a browbeaten majority suffering in silence. Heinlein possibly mistook this silence for politeness rather than fear of offending. Even in a society where most were armed, as in the Old West, every town had men that no one crossed, because to do so meant certain death.
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Very good example of rules vs manners.
ReplyDeleteWe need more manners.
What you see here is a duel, with the result being that typical of a dueling society - - rules/manners enforced by violence, with the more skilled, capable duelist prevailing over the less capable, and the non-violent majority browbeaten into silence. An armed society is a polite society, Heinlein famously said, but in practice duelling societies consist of a minority of bullies acting as they will and a browbeaten majority suffering in silence. Heinlein possibly mistook this silence for politeness rather than fear of offending. Even in a society where most were armed, as in the Old West, every town had men that no one crossed, because to do so meant certain death.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that lesson, McThag. recognize that I could benefit from better manners. Rules are asshole.
ReplyDelete