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<blockquote data-quote="Nifft" data-source="post: 897192" data-attributes="member: 6562">Legitimacy, writes Roberto Calasso, is the ability to dispel a certain kind of fear: the fear that one is doing the wrong thing.We grant our leaders Legitimacy, and they in turn dispel our fear.The specific mechanics of how we go about granting Legitimacy are not well understood. However, they are subject to change.In the Renaissance, that which was verifiably older was regarded as more legitimate. Today, that which is newer -- especially in terms of knowlege and technology -- is regarded as more legitimate.In the Enlightenment, Nature was a savage force which needed to be tamed and harnessed. Today, it is regarded as fragile and worthy of protection.Religion and political situations are probably better examples of extremes of legitimacy, but they're also much more likely to result in a flame war -- so I'm going to suggest that we avoid real-world religion and politics as examples.As to fantasy examples:- (from the movie LoTR:TTT) Legolas thinks it is stupid to remain with the doomed Men at Helm's Deep. He is using a &quot;Common Sense / Self Preservation&quot; mechanism for determining a legitimate action. Aragorn chastises him using a &quot;Heroic / Self Sacrifice&quot; mechanism. Aragorn has a high Charisma (in D&amp;D terms), and infects Legolas with his world-view. Legolas, viewing the same situation through his new world view, decides that fighting is the more Legitimate action.&nbsp;-- Nifft</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Nifft, post: 897192, member: 6562"] Legitimacy, writes Roberto Calasso, is the ability to dispel a certain kind of fear: the fear that one is doing the wrong thing. We grant our leaders Legitimacy, and they in turn dispel our fear. The specific mechanics of how we go about granting Legitimacy are not well understood. However, they are subject to change. In the Renaissance, that which was verifiably older was regarded as more legitimate. Today, that which is newer -- especially in terms of knowlege and technology -- is regarded as more legitimate. In the Enlightenment, Nature was a savage force which needed to be tamed and harnessed. Today, it is regarded as fragile and worthy of protection. Religion and political situations are probably better examples of extremes of legitimacy, but they're also much more likely to result in a flame war -- so I'm going to suggest that we avoid real-world religion and politics as examples. As to fantasy examples: - (from the movie LoTR:TTT) Legolas thinks it is stupid to remain with the doomed Men at Helm's Deep. He is using a "Common Sense / Self Preservation" mechanism for determining a legitimate action. Aragorn chastises him using a "Heroic / Self Sacrifice" mechanism. Aragorn has a high Charisma (in D&D terms), and infects Legolas with his world-view. Legolas, viewing the same situation through his new world view, decides that fighting is the more Legitimate action. -- Nifft [/QUOTE]

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