Catalog of the Weird Parallels

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Jasonft

Over a century and nobody built flying warships? That might be the one unbelievable thing about this world. Someone will *always* take the newest thing and try to make a weapon out of it.

Just how long was it from Kittyhawk to the Red Baron? Less than twenty years.

It was matter of expense and figuring out how to steer. Besides, weird parallels aren't meant to be as well described.

[Flyndaran]

So a hidden reason for why humans aren't within orders of magnitude as violent as they are in the real world / Homeline?
Now that does make for a weird parallel.

Whenever anything new is invented, humans will find ways to use it for killing, sex, and controlling others.

Worlds with a technology that isn't used such but is in our world would make me highly suspicious setting foot in them. Exactly what a GM would want to make it weird, I guess.

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

So a hidden reason for why humans aren't within orders of magnitude as violent as they are in the real world / Homeline?
Now that does make for a weird parallel.

Whenever anything new is invented, humans will find ways to use it for killing, sex, and controlling others.

Worlds with a technology that isn't used such but is in our world would make me highly suspicious setting foot in them. Exactly what a GM would want to make it weird, I guess.

I think that it is more that technology is used for killing, sex, or controlling others. If you look at birth control, it is a technology that facilitates sex or controlling others. If you look at firearms, it is a technology that facilitates killing or controlling other.

Patriarchal cultures tend to focus on killing while egalitarian cultures tend to focus on sex. Either type of culture seems to desire control (for the purpose of expansion in the case of patriarchal cultures and for the purpose of protection in the case of egalitarian cultures). Of course, these are broad generalizations, as Tokugawa Japan was very patriarchal but focused on protection (and possessed a somewhat liberated view of sex) while the USA is leaning egalitarian but focuses on expansion (and possesses the highest murder rate of any developed country).

[sir_pudding]

Yes, soft serve ice cream is a terrible weapon of war, an aphrodisiac, and a viscous tool of totalitarianism.

[PTTG]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Yes, soft serve ice cream is a terrible weapon of war, an aphrodisiac, and a viscous tool of totalitarianism.

I mean these are all literally true. It can also be said to produce a chilling effect when introduced to political discourse.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Yes, soft serve ice cream is a terrible weapon of war, an aphrodisiac, and a viscous tool of totalitarianism.

One could see its commonality as a minor offshoot of refrigeration and air blowing technology. Those probably have some uses in war, and cultural control, but I'd rather not imagine their use for sex.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

One could see its commonality as a minor offshoot of refrigeration and air blowing technology. Those probably have some uses in war, and cultural control, but I'd rather not imagine their use for sex.

Sure, but if you extend any technology out to the extent that it intersects one of those spheres, of course it supports this thesis. That's a bit of goalpost moving I think. Eventually all technology is a subset of the core human technologies of symbolic language, culture, and tool use, and that includes those with obvious reproductive, military, or organizational applications but it also includes lots of things that I think it's a stretch to include.

[Flyndaran]

I responded to your silly post with a silly post of my own.
I doubt anyone could read my post as saying that all inventions, bar none, are used for sex, warfare, or social control.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I responded to your silly post with a silly post of my own.
I doubt anyone could read my post as saying that all inventions, bar none, are used for sex, warfare, or social control.

AlexanderHowl's statement was more definitive than yours.

[AlexanderHowl]

Since I have used soft serve to seal the deal on a number of dates, it can be used for sex.