@DragonParadox, this part felt more than a little weird. Elia should be aware of the various ways we desecrate the corpses of our enemies. She's part of the royal family (and an adult), so it's not like this would be hidden from her.
It's possible to be fully aware of some of the foibles, perceived or otherwise, of your family, still love them, but disagree with them.
The thing is, all the democracy was always meant as another layer of societal control, but the narrative keeps treating is as a genuine attempt at democracy.
It felt more than a little silly and hypocritical to get hung up on a vassal doing this when the king himself is engaging in far worse. I'd have more respect for the argument if she acknowledged the elephant in the room.
This. The lower elected councils were just to give the citizens minor power to fight over. It was never actual democracy.
Wait... are you saying democracy naturally isn't a layer of societal control? That's news to me.
We're all aware it makes it difficult for single people to gather massive amounts of power since the levers and mechanisms of government are too unwieldy to direct in a top-down fashion like they were in the early 20th century.Wait... are you saying democracy naturally isn't a layer of societal control? That's news to me.
Yep. Unregulated protests are a great way for our various enemies to incite riot after riot. I feel like DP was baiting us into a trap with this.
She must not be comfortable with quite a lot in that case if that's really a line for her. But eh. Relath did good in eating the traitors. I'm jealous he was able to get away with it. If we did that we'd be tarnished as a monster forever.
I know what you're talking about, but I can't remember the name of the spell. If you can remind me, I can see about adding something to the crafting schedule or commission list.
Well, Viserys repeatedly sounded as if he has great hopes and expectations of positive results from involving the citizenry in politics, while the behind the scene design process always had the goal to channel political dissent into a system that ensures it dies in committee. All while the state controls all mass media and can manipulate public opinion as necessary.Wait... are you saying democracy naturally isn't a layer of societal control? That's news to me.
The reason he can get away with it is because he has us in his corner. So long as someone can look at the Imperium and say, "At least a human is in charge" (even if it's only a monkey suit) then they'll forgive the dragon subordinate acting like a dragon, to a point at least.
The current stockpile sounds good for our needs. Crowds will largely disperse after a short salvo of those fired from Launchers.
He did not "get away with it" in the PR sense.
He also doesn't care about what monkeys think about him. He's a dragon and above such nonsense. So long as they pay their tribute he probably doesn't even register it.
...Is this your thought as a
...Is this your thought as aplayerwriter, Viserys' thought IC, or her thought IC?
Because I can't distinguish it at this point, too reasonable either way
I noticed nobody seems to have gotten the memo there. Is that going to be... a problem?
The way I see it. And this is an opinion.
Viserys has a very weird take on it. He's still nobility born and raised in ASOIAF, but bitter experience has taught him that commoners can sometimes outstrip nobility in talent and reliability. However, for the regular commoner who isn't all that educated or just doesn't have much innate talent, he doesn't actually value their opinions at all, and certainly not on politics and rulership. They're valued as citizens and are thus under his protection, but he's not about to listen to their opinions on topics of state purely because he doesn't trust them to be informed and smart about it.
What the local lords do with it is largely their cup of tea. As long as there is no dissent or sedition brewing under their watch, I don't see reason to interfere there.
True, bot those can always make a career for themselves in the bureaucracy. Democracy doesn't favor sensible people, but demagogues.
"Behold Aedon of Lys, much beloved by his people..."