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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sundragon2012" data-source="post: 2553426" data-attributes="member: 7624">I am saying that using human nature as a baseline might be a foolish assumption and that as I said before:" It is important to note for the nature vs. nurture question that a useful model to consider would be that culture doesn't just mold character, it reflects the natural character of the race in question forming a vicious cycle in which members of a race that is intrinsically cruel and violent has these natural qualities reinforced throughout its entire life by others around them. The entire culture exists to support and reinforce the worst qualities of a already violent nature."What evidence is there that entire species who have been, for millenia, evil that somewhere deep inside is anything remotely human in regard to intrinsic nature and capacity for love, compassion and empathy? There is no reason to assume this. In fact there is every reason to assume that there is something different regarding temperment and instinct that makes these creatures tend toward a cruel and warlike nature. I think my argument is bolstered by the fact that in fantasy settings these creatures are 95% likely to be evil and have always been this way and have dieties who actively promote that state both psychologically and culturally.All arguements against this are using human nature as a baseline but I see that as an error because the creatures we are discussing have, in all settings I am aware of, been utterly wicked and cruel. Claiming that deep inside a orc child is a sweet, loving human child is demonstrated nowhere in gaming or literature and is countered by the very reality of these creatures being nearly universally evil no matter where they appear (with very few exceptions).Chris</blockquote>

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