Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 1290650" data-attributes="member: 812">Not if I'm wearing my "mace-resistant hat" it's not.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />That's very well stated, Ag. And illustrates very well what I've been trying to say -- that the defender CHOOSES to start a war. It is one response among many that they may select.Understanding that makes the defender's decision-making easier. Rather than taking for granted that the war has started, a defender can come to a reasoned decision as to whether or not war is required.Now THAT'S an interesting point. To go back to an earlier interchange on Aikido, there is a school of thought that a victim bears some responsibility for allowing violence to happen.Please note: this is not some "Nanking was dressed provocatively" argument. If it sounds like it is, then I'm explaining it poorly.The idea is first of all that we are all of us sensible, powerful, independent grown-ups. We are capable of controlling ourselves and through ourselves we can control our surroundings and help direct the people around us in healthy ways.If we don't do that, we are failing in our primary responsibility as human beings -- to make the world a better place.So if somebody punches us in the head (or say, clonks us with a mace), then in some fashion we have allowed our surroundings to degenerate to a point where such an act is possible -- which we should not do. We should be able to handle all situations through peace and love. Yep, all. We should be able to protect the people around us (even random strangers walking by) from degenerating to such a point that they even consider such actions.The fact that being able to do so is very, very difficult should not dissuade us from making the attempt. Our recurring failures to do so should not discourage us.We cannot do this through simple submission. Submission only encourages threats and bullying. We cannot do this through superior firepower. Firepower only frightens and builds resentment. We can only do this through love.Whoa. That got a little heavier than I expected (probably the mace blow to the head). Sorry about that. Now returning you to your regularly scheduled argument...<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /></blockquote>

Verification