Alignments: Team America Style

[davidschwartznz]

Let me start by saying that I liked the movie Team America: World Police, but I don't agree with the moral, at least as far as real world politics go. However, it seem to me to fit perfectly into the moralities of most fantasy worlds.

Now the moral was summed up by a three word sentence, not one of which is Eric's Grandma friendly. Let's just say, people are divided into three categories: yin, yang, and evil.

Yang is the, er, mascualine aspect of good. The active aspect. Yang is alright with killing evil creatures, because, well, their evil.

Yin is described as, shall we say, feminine. This is the passive aspect of good. Most people prefer peace to war, but some problems can't be solved by peaceful means (monsters, for example), so this creates a tension in the forces of good between the potentially ineffectual yin and the potentially overzealous yang.

Because, you see, evil exists in both the male and female aspects (if you know what I'm saying), and it's only the play between yin and yang that keep either from going evil. And by evil, I mean the kind of evil that can only be solved through non-peaceful means.

Thus, to paraphrase the movie: Only Yang can fight Evil, but sometimes Yang goes to far and hurts Yin. Thus Yins means of opposing evil is to make sure Yang is pointing in the right direction (I feel so dirty), but Yin can't stifle Yang too much, or it leaves itself defenseless from Evil.

So in summation: Adventurers are Yang, NPCs are Yin, Bad Guys are Evil.

The problem with Paladins is no one can agree on whether they are Yin or Yang. And If I didn't have to be Grandma friendly, I so would have titled this thread: "Paladins: [yangs] or [yins]?"

 

[Aikuchi]

I comprehend the analogy.

But I find it a little restrictivei n the roles of what Yang and Yin are to each other.
(I will ponder on the issue more to formulate an answer).

 

[ForceUser]

...and a terrible beauty is born.

New posters, new perspectives. Glee!

 

[the Jester]

Let me start by saying that I liked the movie Team America: World Police, but I don't agree with the moral, at least as far as real world politics go. However, it seem to me to fit perfectly into the moralities of most fantasy worlds.

Now the moral was summed up by a three word sentence, not one of which is Eric's Grandma friendly. Let's just say, people are divided into three categories: yin, yang, and evil.

Yang is the, er, mascualine aspect of good. The active aspect. Yang is alright with killing evil creatures, because, well, their evil.

Yin is described as, shall we say, feminine. This is the passive aspect of good. Most people prefer peace to war, but some problems can't be solved by peaceful means (monsters, for example), so this creates a tension in the forces of good between the potentially ineffectual yin and the potentially overzealous yang.

Because, you see, evil exists in both the male and female aspects (if you know what I'm saying), and it's only the play between yin and yang that keep either from going evil. And by evil, I mean the kind of evil that can only be solved through non-peaceful means.

Thus, to paraphrase the movie: Only Yang can fight Evil, but sometimes Yang goes to far and hurts Yin. Thus Yins means of opposing evil is to make sure Yang is pointing in the right direction (I feel so dirty), but Yin can't stifle Yang too much, or it leaves itself defenseless from Evil.

So in summation: Adventurers are Yang, NPCs are Yin, Bad Guys are Evil.

The problem with Paladins is no one can agree on whether they are Yin or Yang. And If I didn't have to be Grandma friendly, I so would have titled this thread: "Paladins: [yangs] or [yins]?"

My god, that's beautiful.

I'm putting that movie on right now.

See you kids later.

 

[Woas]

How far away from each other are ying and yang?

Knowing what the real words behind ying, yang and evil, it actually does make a lot of sense.

 

[DM_Matt]

Knowing what the real words behind ying, yang and evil, it actually does make a lot of sense.

Indeed.

A shorter explanation is that the masculine form of good is all about smacking down the evil. They may accidently hurt some innocents in the process, may misprioritize the evils and go after them in the wrong order, or otherwise bungle the mission, but the bottom line is that there is evil out there that needs killing, and thus the masculine form of good is necessary, despite its flaws.

 

[Aikuchi]

I guess I'm feeling uncertain that the concepts of Yin and Yang are being used to designate varying degrees of good truimphing over evil whether by and between overt force and subtle restraint.

I feel it encompasses more.

Both Yin and Yang radiate across the black, white and grey areas of morality. Acts of benevolence and maliciousness fall within its struggle to peak and wane or in that fine delicate truce of perfect balance. both define each other because they exists in harmony and dissention at the same time.

I guess its hard for me to try and place it in terms I can express.

By far, I doubt that the Yin are ineffectual in the least.

 

[DM_Matt]

I guess I'm feeling uncertain that the concepts of Yin and Yang are being used to designate varying degrees of good truimphing over evil whether by and between overt force and subtle restraint.

I feel it encompasses more.

Both Yin and Yang radiate across the black, white and grey areas of morality. Acts of benevolence and maliciousness fall within its struggle to peak and wane or in that fine delicate truce of perfect balance. both define each other because they exists in harmony and dissention at the same time.

I guess its hard for me to try and place it in terms I can express.

By far, I doubt that the Yin are ineffectual in the least.

Yin and Yang have nothing to do with this per se. They are being used as stand-ins for anatomical references that Eric's Grandma would not appreciate.

 

[Hussar]

This has become my paladin bible. I use this code for all my games now. It's simple, it works and it has the added bonus of actually fitting in with core mechanics.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Yin and Yang have nothing to do with this per se.

Indeed.

Aikuchi, perhaps you should check out Team America if you really want to get a handle on the sublime, subtle wisdom being referenced.

It's highly likely you'll either love it or loathe it.