Codex

I think the word "offended" has become warped to the point of uselessness, and I think it hurts how we relate to the world.

To be offended is normal. Being offended is supposed to be the first rung on the anger ladder.

But it's been changed to be represented as the stereotypical frothing at the mouth and overreacting to something.

While I wouldn't say this is an organized conspiracy, I would point out that it is a normal thing for authoritarian governments (especially far-right ones) to say emotions are weakness and to be abandoned.

So by making "offended" into something to be ridiculed and mocked as being "overreacting" it keeps us from feeling it as we should.

It's okay to be offended when someone doesn't like your taste in music. Or when they misgender someone. Or even when they forget something minor.

Because being offended isn't a big deal. It's normal. It's human. It's an emotion you feel briefly and let go.

So feel your emotions, let them go, move on. But don't be afraid to feel it.

The narrative reinforces how unlucky he is, but... I wonder.

If I remember correctly, Douglas Adam's battled depression pretty heavily, and it varied wildly (same man, same). That's why his last book ended so negatively, but he left notes for a happier ending.

So, what made me think is this: at the beginning of the story, Arthur blows his chance with Trillian. And you know what? He *really did*. He was in the ideal point in life to drop everything and travel with her - his house was going to be demolished the next week!

But at the same time, if he had, they would have both died with the earth's destruction.

This kind of thread appears all the time in the series. Yes he's unlucky, but it's usually when he fights the obvious choice out of fear. But it all ends up being a good thing, though he doesn't even realize it most of the time.

So I wonder then how much Mr. Adams was struggling with and questioning in the narrative meaning, self determination, and an idea of fate.

We all have choices, and sometimes we bungle it. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. Most of the time we don't even know (you rarely know when you don't die).

So how much is luck, fate, choice?

I love posts about how "unrealistic" real-world geography seems, so here's one from me I've been thinking about as I worldbuild for D&D:

The Americas. Just overall.

Like, you're telling me there's this big long single landmass that just so happens to span the entire height of the globe, blocking travel in that direction.

Oh, there's one narrow passage?

It's on the exact opposite end as most of the population of the world?

It's almost always stormy and dangerous to travel?

There's a big zone of dead winds halfway there to make travel there harder?

Many wasted time and lives to try to find an easier path in the north that doesn't exist?

Wait no, I mean he/them.

I've heard of people assisting others by "pulling them out."