LG, sex and Star Trek

[S'mon]

From BoEF preview:

"LAWFUL GOOD

A lawful good character acts with thought, looking ahead to the implications of his actions. He earnestly endeavors to be honest and respectful with any potential partner. Some choose to be celibate or chaste. Others wait for sex until a permanent relationship, such as a marriage, is formalized.

A lawful good alignment does not prohibit sex outside of marriage. It just means that the character must clearly communicate what he is offering and what he expects from his partner. Are they intending to spend just one night of passion together with no obligations? Are they beginning an ongoing relationship with commitments excluding other partners? What happens if a partner conceives? Even paladins can have robust, varied sex lives, but they need to come to clear terms with their lovers in advance."

- This seems to say that you can be both sexually promiscuous and LG (perhaps a Paladin). I was trying to think whether this was justifiable in terms of any real-life societies I could think of. Off-hand all I can think of is the modern (Next Generation on, especially) Star Trek series' depictions of their characters and the normative values placed on their love lives - ie many characters are presented as to my mind 'lawful', 'good' and fairly promiscuous, in conformance with the BoEF text above. I suspect the way that both the BoEF and Star Trek are the products of modern west-coast-USA culture may have something to do with this congruence.

Other literary/fictional examples elude me - in 'Brave New World' the highly promiscuous society might seem 'lawful' and 'good' in some sense, but the author Aldous Huxley clearly disapproves of it.
I was wondering if there are other examples of LG sexual mores that could be related to an RPG, or if people disagree with what I see as the scriptwriters' characterisation of Star Trek mores?

 

[LightPhoenix]

From BoEF preview:
I was trying to think whether this was justifiable in terms of any real-life societies I could think of. Off-hand all I can think of is the modern (Next Generation on, especially) Star Trek series' depictions *snip*

Being an jerk, but I find it amusing you say "real-life" societies and then talk about Star Trek.

On subject though, I think this certainly applies to any western society (I can't speak for the eastern or african ones). I think the definition is definitely more slanted toward "good" than it is "lawful", but that may just be my interpretation of lawful, YMMV. By this, I mean that honesty is generally considered a good trait, as opposed to deception to get what you want. So really, all you have to do is take a look at the whole Nice Guy/Nice Girl population and you have an example of this sort of behavior.

 

[S'mon]

Being an jerk, but I find it amusing you say "real-life" societies and then talk about Star Trek.

To clarify - I meant that I couldn't think of any real life societies so I started thinking about fictional depictions.

 

[S'mon]

On subject though, I think this certainly applies to any western society (I can't speak for the eastern or african ones). I think the definition is definitely more slanted toward "good" than it is "lawful", but that may just be my interpretation of lawful, YMMV. By this, I mean that honesty is generally considered a good trait, as opposed to deception to get what you want. So really, all you have to do is take a look at the whole Nice Guy/Nice Girl population and you have an example of this sort of behavior.

Hm, I think you're saying it could fit a (modern western society) view of Neutral Good, which I'd agree with. My problem is with the idea that it can be Lawful Good.

 

[Dispater]

i wouldnt know,

the whole alignement thing doesnt go well with sexual relationships. But I think when interpreting lawful in the terms of a medieval setting it would be a strict monogamous relationship (maybe something on the side, but not officially). Whether its good or not, can be discussed.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Hm, I think you're saying it could fit a (modern western society) view of Neutral Good, which I'd agree with. My problem is with the idea that it can be Lawful Good.

Which in a round-about way I agreed with - the definition is slanted more towards "good" and not really "lawful".

Personally, I would see a lawful person as being very regimented, very methodical and organized, and seeing things in, very generally, black and white. What this might mean in terms of sexuality is that they would prefer the same types of people (whereas a chaotic person might take whomever), prefer the same types of intercourse (versus variety), and would believe very much in the "right" way of doing things (whatever they may believe that to be).

For a modern American example, the whole idea of what happens on which date. The saying is that things generally happen on the third date. A neutral or chaotic person probably wouldn't care, but the lawful person, if they believe in this, would very much care, for both positive and negative.

 

[LightPhoenix]

the whole alignement thing doesnt go well with sexual relationships.

Verily. Alignment is very poor at modelling real-world situations.

But I think when interpreting lawful in the terms of a medieval setting it would be a strict monogamous relationship (maybe something on the side, but not officially). Whether its good or not, can be discussed.

In terms of a Christian setting, that would generally be true. But a LG person who comes from a bonobo-like society wouldn't necessarily view it like that. Even someone from a Christian setting might not view it like that, if they didn't believe in it.

I guess, for me, it comes down to the idea that "lawful" people are generally true to their word (be it evil or good); draw strength from their beliefs; organized in mind, body, and spirit; and most importantly keep to what they know. Whereas neutral people don't really tend toward one or the other (which is why the example above to me really is more NG), and chaotic people are generally the opposite - will lie or tell truth at a whim; draw strength from experience; rather disorganized in all aspects of life; and generally are always doubting and trying new things.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

bleh. lawfull society.
you mean one where its legal to give away sex for free but illegal to sell it?

 

[hong]

Mmm, LG.

Mmm, sexy.

 

[S'mon]

Mmm, LG.

Mmm, sexy.

Did you know LG (as in LG group) stands for Lucky Goldstar?
It's a Korean thing I think...