Sixth Candelbram - Voice

[firstofthefallen]

What is strength to you, or what it is to be strong?

Alternatively, who is it that has right to rulership, or to command? Do you agree with the sentiment that those who are strong are superior and thus have greater rights than those who are weak?

And if that is the case: may the weak become strong?

Comments

[calculatedfire]

When I came to the village, an alter user and his guards kept people as slaves and forced them to dig for gold. He starved them and beat them when they did not dig.

What do you mean by strong?

[firstofthefallen]

That is the right of the strong. And should those slaves break their chains and overrun those holding them captive, then that is those slaves rights as they become the strong.

I mean power. And excellence. To excel in physical, mental, and emotional capabilities. To stand for what you believe in, and what you desire, and to never falter or bend in moving towards it. No matter what the cost of it might be.

[calculatedfire]

I freed them, but it was not that man's right to hold them. Because I had the strength to save them, it was my duty to do so.

Strength does not always dominate others. A small girl stood up to those men, although they were all larger than she. She was braver than they were, they would not stand against a single unarmed man.

[firstofthefallen]

Duty does not exist aside from what one owes themselves.

And did she live after her defiance?

[calculatedfire]

Society is interlinked. Without the duty owed to others, no one could be strong or survive.

I saw that, so I intervened.

[firstofthefallen]

I will agree there is a chain to some degree. But it should begin to become more arbitrary then necessary. What one wants one should do, provided they have the strength to do it and that they will pay the price if they fail to have the strength they believe they do.

Then luck was on her side. Most would not be so lucky.

[calculatedfire]

To overcome selfishness is strength.

[firstofthefallen]

No.

Selfishness is strength.

Only a fool believes true strength resides in others. In the end the only one who matters in the world is yourself. Better that people learn to care for themselves then waste themselves away in concern for others.

[calculatedfire]

A village is strong while an individual is weak, and failing to plan for the future by setting aside desires today will come back to haunt.

[firstofthefallen]

What a foolish sentiment.

A village can be as weak as a single individual if those who compose the village are incapable. Even a single fool in a village brings the strength of a village down greatly. It is quite possible for a village to be weaker than an individual, and a village can only be as strong as it's weakest member.

One may pursue ones desires and plan for the future when one's desires are the future.

[calculatedfire]

People must be many things to survive, and no one can be all of them. A man may be a strong fighter, but he will eventually fall ill and need a doctor, or he will need food, or a shelter.

Victory does not always go to the strong, but mainly to the skilled.

[firstofthefallen]

When I say strength, I do not mean solely physical strength. To be skilled is necessary to ge strong as well.

[calculatedfire]

Learning how to deal with others is a skill.

[firstofthefallen]

I agree. It is.

[calculatedfire]

How do you define that?

[firstofthefallen]

One must learn how to cope with other people. To know who is worth one's attention, and who is not. To know what is worth reacting to, and what is not.

[calculatedfire]

One can find value in people that is not immediately apparent.

[firstofthefallen]

And with that I agree.

This does not mean I should help them solely to ensure they might reach that value, or it might be clear. Rather, they are needed to make sure of this themselves.

[calculatedfire]

If you do not help others, no one has a reason to help you.

[firstofthefallen]

I have no need for the help of others.

[calculatedfire]

At this time.

[firstofthefallen]

Or most times.

[calculatedfire]

But, not all times?

[firstofthefallen]

Only once have I given someone true aid, and received their aid in turn.

And the once was enough.

[calculatedfire]

You also gain enemies by refusing to take others into account.