Things that annoy me about Acotar (2/5) pt2
Let's get into more politics guys! Todays topic:
(Warning: I will be disscussing many sensitive topics, which include abuse, mental dissorders, ptsd, trauma, slavery, torture, self-harm, alcoholism, nonconsent, sexual assault, medical abuse, and lots of other topics) These warnings apply for all of my rants. Also not that this has shitty spelling and gramar, good luck.
So remember how Hewn City is where everyone who hates/dissagrees with Rhysand. That the residents of Hewn city are known for their cruelty and for being heartless, and that they tolerate his rule. according to the wiki "They're happy to stay in the Hewn City, rarely leaving, ruling themselves, and being as wicked as they please, for all eternity."
But the thing is, no one is born evil. People have opinions, different ideologies, and beliefs. Those change, and can be changed. So the question is why?
Rhysands treatment and atitude toward Hewn City is a prime example of:
the difference between giving someone respect and actually respecting them.
The only reason why they begrudgingly give Rhysand respect is because Rhysand rules with fear.
Rhysand "pretends" to be cruel in their eyes, shows off his 'power' and keeps kier in check with threats and fear. Which is a whole seperate issue.
Giving someone respect and respecting someone is key here.
You can give someone respect and absolutely hate their guts. Let's say your boss. You can't be disrespectfull because you'll loose your job, so instead you give him basic respect. Even if you want to punch his face.
In that case you feel 0 respect for that person.
While if you respect someone, you tend to give them that respect. Which is why I believe Tarquine is going to be a great Highlord, sure he'll make mistakes, he wasn't trained afterall, but he seems to have his peoples genuin respect.
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Back to Hewn city, Rhysand letting them self govern is a terrible mistake when Kier is the one in charge.
Theres nothing you can say to me that convinces me that Kier doesn't do child labour, exploitation, allow forced marriages, abuse and so much more.
Now if the ruler enables a cicle, is it the peoples fault? Specifically the innocent and the childrens?
Rhysand lumps everyone into the same mold. Everyone there is evil, and terrible people. He has no desire to change that though, even though no one is just born that way.
You see, a childs sense of the world and beliefs are often passed down from a figure of great influence (a mother, father, brother, sister, essentially family) through the little things like: "Oh those shoes/clothes are for girls" The child makes a connection between, dresses or pink shoes = things girls wear, and boys don't. They are learning about societal standards and beliefs as they grow, learning through family, friends, classmates, teachers, and other adult figures.
Sometimes a child will challenge those views, experiment with diferent beliefs. But what happens when everyone around them acts or believes the same thing. That child doesn't know that theres other possibilities, other beliefs, or ways of being.
In Hewn City's case, a child will observe the people around them and make the association High fae = better Lesser fae = lesser (ground breaking i know)
As they grow and the more they see that association, that childs beliefs may also become High fae are better than lesser fae. Abuse? same thing. If everywhere they see Husbands hitting their wives, that same child might come to the conclusion that its normal. Even if they dislike it or don't do it themselves.
So when it comes to things like power, a child is conditioned to learn that you either born with power or don't have any at all.
Rhysand? Power, BUT he's lesser fae. Mom and Dad says that Rhysand is to be dislike becaus hes lesser fae, but must be respected because he has power. They don't like him, so I shouldn't like him either.
A child born in a wealthier, more powerfull house hold will see those with similar status abuse their power and grow to think the same and do the same. They will see exploitation and think thats how its done. Growing up with the belief that they are more powerfull and worth because they are high fae, and that the lesser should do their bidding, can lead to that very child to develope that belief. Even if a child decides not to, they could be shuned for being "soft" or exploited.
Now let's dig a little deeper. When you put all of the fae who hates you, you arn't creating an environment that allows other beliefs to exist. By pushing that narrative that Hewn city residents are evil, you don't see the victims of the narrative thats being pushed.
When you shove every person who is cruel and put a cruel person in charge, you really arn't doing the next generations that follow a favour. Because everyone around them hates Rhysand, they learn to hate him too.
And when the only time you apear in Hewn city, and do nothing to convince them otherwise, you prove to those children and teens that you too are cruel, hatefull, and everything mom and dad told them.
This is just an endless cycle.
Rhysand doesn't involve himself in the governance of Hewn city. Problematic as fuck because, for someone who wants to be pogressive and lessen the difference between fae, you are sure as hell providing classism a nice feeding ground to play in.
No rules against inequality, Kier still in power, and what you think its fine because they are all cruel? Sorry honney but like... you are enabling all sorts of abuse toward innocent children.
How come Mor is allowed out of this hell hole? but those who suffer from the exact same fates are left to wither and rot beneath?
Those who need Rhysand the most, hates him because they too believe him to be cruel. That he won't help (because he never fucking does, he doesn't do shit) so they are stuck with abusive partners, children beaten and exploited, being unable to run away or dissobey their fathers.
Rhysand is the reason why Hewn city residents can't leave. It not that no one wants to, that they are happy to stay and be cruel... They don't have the ability TO LEAVE.
Rhysands lack of involvment means that both HIGH AND LESSER FAE don't have either the power, money, ability or place to go. How can you leave if the cage is the only place you've been?
No wonder they continue to hate Rhysand, Rhysand has never once done anything to let those who are victims or innocent see the light, that cruelty isn't everything.
Rhysand is quite litterally playing psycological warfare on those people...
The victims? Children. Children whose minds are still learning and developing, Rhysand is turning them into the thing he hates the most (and hate him the most) He feeds this cycle consciously, and he knows it
Who tf thinks that this is a good idea? Knowing Kier is a terrible person and letting him live?
Rhysand is the best highlord...
Best highlord at cultivating his own enemies in his own court, willingly and knowingly creating generational abuse and hate.
This is giving the women of Illyria all over again...
If Hewn city decides they are fucking done, Rhysand is going to be missing half his court. Especially if the Illyrians don't give a fuck and refuse to help him. He's cultivated enough hatred to last them thousands of generations, and they have incentive to fuck him over.
izzy806
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