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Author Topic: Should I feel offended?  (Read 36166 times)

Offline Chiroptera

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #45 on: October 29, 2015, 04:15:13 PM »
Steampunk societies often portray alternative history and a post-apocalyptic future, and tend to maintain stylistic and cultural elements of the historical period it's drawn from.
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Offline Quantus

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #46 on: October 29, 2015, 05:57:54 PM »
Quote from: Dina on October 29, 2015, 03:25:21 PM
I had not been offended, only he was. And he has not finished it yet.
That said, I don't think that changes. As I said, the problem is not the actual characters, but the stereotype about the government.
And again, this is not a history book, it is probably a book about the future. So because there was a bad government all future governments would be bad?
My biggest take-away from the scenes at the end was the idea that while the governments might be at war, even though loyalties and perspectives may be different, at least among the Aeronauts (our hero class, like Knights or Samurai or Musketeers) they are proven honorable, all proper Gentlemen Soldiers on both sides.  I took it as the classic theme of Governments are all generally bad in their own ways, but that doesnt mean the Soldiers under tehir command cant be honorable folks that just want to protect their homes and families and way of life from outside attack. 

But then, Im an American mutt; I dont  have no strong feelings toward the cultures of my ancestors across the pond, we tend to idealize the era and motives that led us to break away too much for that sort of favorable link to remain (plus as a whole we Americans are jerks).  So I dont have a very good analoge experience to compare to the Latin America/Spain feelings.
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Offline Dina

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #47 on: October 29, 2015, 08:13:07 PM »
Yep, the offensive part was against the governments.

(minor quarrel I've already said many times. i consider myself American too. I live in South America. I was raised believing i am a citizen of Earth, America, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Flores (that is my neighbourhood). The way people of USA have to refer themselves as the only Americans it's what we call "cultural colonialism". And it is something that irritates me specially when a Latin American said it too. it's contagious! And no, I don't believe people is USA is being mean with us, I just think they are oblivious)
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Offline Quantus

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #48 on: October 29, 2015, 08:41:48 PM »
Quote from: Dina on October 29, 2015, 08:13:07 PM
Yep, the offensive part was against the governments.

(minor quarrel I've already said many times. i consider myself American too. I live in South America. I was raised believing i am a citizen of Earth, America, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Flores (that is my neighbourhood). The way people of USA have to refer themselves as the only Americans it's what we call "cultural colonialism". And it is something that irritates me specially when a Latin American said it too. it's contagious! And no, I don't believe people is USA is being mean with us, I just think they are oblivious)
Well, I can attest that I certainly was Oblivious, but Ill endeavor to get better about that.  Sorry  :-[
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Offline Rygar

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #49 on: October 29, 2015, 08:48:33 PM »
It's worth pointing out that there is no other term in the (US) American lexicon for ourselves.  The idea that we are the only Americans seems to be waning at least.
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Offline Dina

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #50 on: October 29, 2015, 08:49:56 PM »
Quote from: Quantus on October 29, 2015, 08:41:48 PM
Well, I can attest that I certainly was Oblivious, but Ill endeavor to get better about that.  Sorry  :-[

Don't. Everybody uses that. i used to talk about that with Grey Knight and I miss our chats.  He was well aware I never use "Americans" unless I meant people of the whole continent, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. I use "people from USA" , but I sometimes joke with USers  :D. Probably not here because I have to explain the joke.

If you are curious, the "correct" word in Spanish is "Estadounidense" which means exactly "from United States"

My only intention was call the attention about that for a moment, nothing else. I understand it is easier for you to say "American".

Oh, we sometimes call you "yankees", which is unaccurate as not all people from USA are yankees. But then, we use to call all the Spaniards "Gallegos", even when that means only "from Galice". It is because we received many Gallegos. (and probably because we are lazy too). I mean, everybody uses unaccurate words.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2015, 08:51:29 PM by Dina »
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Offline wyltok

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #51 on: October 29, 2015, 09:21:20 PM »
I'm partial to "US citizens" myself.

(From Puerto Rico)
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Offline Dina

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #52 on: October 29, 2015, 09:22:57 PM »
I use that too  :D
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Offline Shecky

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #53 on: October 30, 2015, 02:34:56 AM »
'Muricans! ;)
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Offline Dina

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #54 on: October 30, 2015, 02:42:39 AM »
LOL! First time I've read that (here!) I was so confused, In my mind, Murica sounds so different from America that took me a long while to make the connection.
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Offline Shecky

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #55 on: October 30, 2015, 11:40:57 AM »
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Offline Quantus

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #56 on: October 30, 2015, 12:25:29 PM »
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Offline novaseaker

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #57 on: October 30, 2015, 08:32:28 PM »
Hey Dina,

I did some further research, and while reading the Tv tropes page for the Cinder Spires, I came across something interesting.

"Aurora" is the name of the Roman goddess of dawn. Furthmore, Ciriaco is a given name in both Italy as well as Spain.

So Spire Aurora may not be faux-Spain. It may be faux-Italy/Rome? The British vs. Spainards angle might be more appropriate to the Victorian themes, but the naming schemes of Aurora being a Roman goddess and soldiers bearing Italian names may point in a different direction entirely. This is a made up world, after all, and not all parallels need to be maintained.

Also, as someone who's entire family spanning back generations is 100% Sicilian, and I can tell you I don't personally take offense if Ciriaco is essentially faux-Italian, or if the Italian government of Spire Aurora is thought of as corrupt by the people they're being attacked by.


(Also Quantus, that action figure is amazing. I want one, and I'm not even from the South)
« Last Edit: October 30, 2015, 09:24:59 PM by novaseaker »
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Offline Dina

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #58 on: October 30, 2015, 09:05:23 PM »
Oh. I know who Aurora is, but that is also one Spanish name for dawn itself. For instance, one of our (Argentinian) patriotic marchs in an Opera called Aurora.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JdvjBpcOWE). So of course it could be Italian but I think names like Ciervo or Castillo point to Spain. That said, I (like most Argentinians) have as many Italian blood as Spanish one but it could appaise hubby who is pretty much a Spanish product

Speaking of names, I laughed at the fact that the young men that Gwen killed was called Lazarus.
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Offline Mith

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Re: Should I feel offended?
« Reply #59 on: October 31, 2015, 02:55:07 AM »
Quote
Speaking of names, I laughed at the fact that the young men that Gwen killed was called Lazarus.

Good catch!  I had missed that.
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