(no subject)
What's the worst thing someone could do?
Break a promise - or say things that are not true. Lying. Especially lying to pretend to be kind when really you are going to hurt people; that is the worst.
What's the worst thing someone could do to you?
Turn me into a rock Bespell me to think things that are not true. And do things I would not do. And break my promises.
What's the worst thing that could happen to you?
Having to work for the Dark, in India. And not be able to have a garden. Or to see any of my friends. Or to learn anything that is interesting and new, but only be bored all the time.
What's the worst thing someone could say about a person?
That they lied when they did not.
What's the best thing someone could say about a person?
That they are Magic. Dickon's Magic, not like all the other kinds of Magic. But like Dickon.
Or that they are your friend.
Are men and women basically different?
. . . yes. They have different parts. If they were the same there would not be different words.
Which is better, to be a woman or to be a man?
They let boys do more things. But that only matters if you let it. I am not going to.
What can men do that women can't do?
Use the toilet standing up. Although I suppose girls could if they really tried.
What can women do that men can't do?
Grow babies in their wombs. And sing very high.
Is it possible to change genders?
It is in the future. I do not know if it is now.
How old is old enough to have sex?
You can do it once you have started bleeding. I do not know why you really would want to, though.
Is it wrong to have sex if you're unmarried?
You have to be careful about it because you could catch diseases or get pregnant and things.
Is it wrong to have sex with someone other than your spouse if you're married?
It is breaking a promise. When you get married you are promising not to have sex with anyone else, so if you do, it is breaking a promise and that is wrong.
Is it wrong to have sex with a person of the same gender?
It seems awfully silly but the book I have says that people do it in the future.
Is it wrong to have sex with a person of a different race (or a different intelligent non-human species)?
You ought not to marry natives. And it does not seem to make much sense to have sex with people of different specieses. The parts would not fit.
Is it wrong to have more than one sexual partner at the same time?
It would be awfully complicated.
Is it wrong to have sex with someone you don't love?
Lots of people marry people they do not love, and then they have to have sex. And people have sex with Companions and they do not love them.
What are the responsibilities of a mother toward a child?
I do not know. I suppose you ought not to have them if you do not want them. Unless you are married and you have to.
What are the responsibilities of a father toward a child?
If you are not going to care about them you ought at least to make sure you are not getting stupid people to look after them.
What are the responsibilities of a child toward a parent?
You have to say the rites when they are dead or they will become pisachas.
Which should be more important to you, your parent or your child?
Children are not supposed to have to take care of parents. Parents can take care of themselves. So can children, but not when they are only babies.
Which should be more important to you, your parent or your spouse?
I suppose it depends who you like more. But you have to live with the person you are married to.
Which should be more important to you, your child or your spouse?
Most people like the people they are married to better than they like their children. I expect because they could choose them. But some people do not like the people they are married to and then it is their children.
Is it wrong to have a child if you're unmarried?
I do not know why you would want to.
Is abortion wrong?
My book says it is awfully dangerous if you do it wrong.
Is contraception wrong?
It is stupid to have children if you do not want.
Is there one true religion?
I have met lots of gods, so there must be lots.
Does a deity or deities exist?
. . . yes. I have met lots.
How important is it to believe in a deity or deities?
It is stupid not to believe in things that are true.
How important is it to actively practice your religion?
I do not suppose the gods much care.
Does magic exist?
Of course.
Is practicing magic wrong?
No!
Is killing always wrong?
No. If bad people are dead they cannot hurt anyone anymore.
Is war always wrong?
You have to fight against bad people. And sometimes you have to fight against the natives for their own good.
How old is old enough to fight in a war?
Ingress is learning to fight, and she is only seven.
Is rape always wrong?
It is hurting people for no reason or because you are stupid and selfish and that is always wrong. If you really want to have sex you ought just to pay somebody.
Is torture always wrong?
It is wrong to hurt people, I suppose.
Is theft always wrong?
I know lots of people who have stolen things - like pirates - and most of them are not bad, so I do not expect it is. But you ought not to steal things people really care about, or that they really need. Stealing money from people who have lots of it is different.
Is slavery wrong?
We do not have slaves in England anymore. We got rid of them before America did because America is very new and slow.
(Note: Mary is thinking about slavery in a very stereotypical ball-and-chain way here. That being said, I really doubt that the servants in India had a whole lot of freedom, and I also really doubt that even now Mary would much care.)
Is lying wrong?
Yes.
Is swearing wrong?
No. It is only words.
Break a promise - or say things that are not true. Lying. Especially lying to pretend to be kind when really you are going to hurt people; that is the worst.
What's the worst thing someone could do to you?
What's the worst thing that could happen to you?
Having to work for the Dark, in India. And not be able to have a garden. Or to see any of my friends. Or to learn anything that is interesting and new, but only be bored all the time.
What's the worst thing someone could say about a person?
That they lied when they did not.
What's the best thing someone could say about a person?
That they are Magic. Dickon's Magic, not like all the other kinds of Magic. But like Dickon.
Or that they are your friend.
Are men and women basically different?
. . . yes. They have different parts. If they were the same there would not be different words.
Which is better, to be a woman or to be a man?
They let boys do more things. But that only matters if you let it. I am not going to.
What can men do that women can't do?
Use the toilet standing up. Although I suppose girls could if they really tried.
What can women do that men can't do?
Grow babies in their wombs. And sing very high.
Is it possible to change genders?
It is in the future. I do not know if it is now.
How old is old enough to have sex?
You can do it once you have started bleeding. I do not know why you really would want to, though.
Is it wrong to have sex if you're unmarried?
You have to be careful about it because you could catch diseases or get pregnant and things.
Is it wrong to have sex with someone other than your spouse if you're married?
It is breaking a promise. When you get married you are promising not to have sex with anyone else, so if you do, it is breaking a promise and that is wrong.
Is it wrong to have sex with a person of the same gender?
It seems awfully silly but the book I have says that people do it in the future.
Is it wrong to have sex with a person of a different race (or a different intelligent non-human species)?
You ought not to marry natives. And it does not seem to make much sense to have sex with people of different specieses. The parts would not fit.
Is it wrong to have more than one sexual partner at the same time?
It would be awfully complicated.
Is it wrong to have sex with someone you don't love?
Lots of people marry people they do not love, and then they have to have sex. And people have sex with Companions and they do not love them.
What are the responsibilities of a mother toward a child?
I do not know. I suppose you ought not to have them if you do not want them. Unless you are married and you have to.
What are the responsibilities of a father toward a child?
If you are not going to care about them you ought at least to make sure you are not getting stupid people to look after them.
What are the responsibilities of a child toward a parent?
You have to say the rites when they are dead or they will become pisachas.
Which should be more important to you, your parent or your child?
Children are not supposed to have to take care of parents. Parents can take care of themselves. So can children, but not when they are only babies.
Which should be more important to you, your parent or your spouse?
I suppose it depends who you like more. But you have to live with the person you are married to.
Which should be more important to you, your child or your spouse?
Most people like the people they are married to better than they like their children. I expect because they could choose them. But some people do not like the people they are married to and then it is their children.
Is it wrong to have a child if you're unmarried?
I do not know why you would want to.
Is abortion wrong?
My book says it is awfully dangerous if you do it wrong.
Is contraception wrong?
It is stupid to have children if you do not want.
Is there one true religion?
I have met lots of gods, so there must be lots.
Does a deity or deities exist?
. . . yes. I have met lots.
How important is it to believe in a deity or deities?
It is stupid not to believe in things that are true.
How important is it to actively practice your religion?
I do not suppose the gods much care.
Does magic exist?
Of course.
Is practicing magic wrong?
No!
Is killing always wrong?
No. If bad people are dead they cannot hurt anyone anymore.
Is war always wrong?
You have to fight against bad people. And sometimes you have to fight against the natives for their own good.
How old is old enough to fight in a war?
Ingress is learning to fight, and she is only seven.
Is rape always wrong?
It is hurting people for no reason or because you are stupid and selfish and that is always wrong. If you really want to have sex you ought just to pay somebody.
Is torture always wrong?
It is wrong to hurt people, I suppose.
Is theft always wrong?
I know lots of people who have stolen things - like pirates - and most of them are not bad, so I do not expect it is. But you ought not to steal things people really care about, or that they really need. Stealing money from people who have lots of it is different.
Is slavery wrong?
We do not have slaves in England anymore. We got rid of them before America did because America is very new and slow.
(Note: Mary is thinking about slavery in a very stereotypical ball-and-chain way here. That being said, I really doubt that the servants in India had a whole lot of freedom, and I also really doubt that even now Mary would much care.)
Is lying wrong?
Yes.
Is swearing wrong?
No. It is only words.