I had originally intended to keep quiet, but I felt rather bad that you
got no public response to your preaching - be it positive or negative.
So I suppose this could be considered something of a philosophical pity
date. I consider myself a reasonable individual, after all, and everyone
deserves their fifteen minutes of recognition, it may as well come from
me.

I will begin by stating that I can certainly understand the necessity of
competition. Why, what would this world be without people constantly
pointing fingers at one another and calling out names in an effort to
undermine the efforts of our mortal peers? People would actually be
expected to make something of themselves independantly and by their own
merit in lieu of heckling whatever group has the misfortune of being the
worldly punching bag this year. Perish the thought.

Moreover, while it's really quite charming to see my Lady Indrani's
teachings regurgitated upon the public boards awash with
misinterpretations and with a rather heavy handed release from the
personal accountability that we as Sinners strive above all to realize
and exhibit, I must enthuse that three posts of it consecutively might
be a bit much. Still, in the spirit of fair play, your words are
available for the public review, and it would hardly be sporting of me
to make a claim without backing it up. Let's begin, shall we?

"Strife is necessary in our own lives because without it, we would not
strive to be anything more than what we are today. Strife cause (I can
only assume you meant to write 'caused') by the jealousy of our
neighbor's possessions or accomplishments ignites our desire to be
better, smarter, stronger, faster. This, in turn, creates Strife within
our competitors, driving them to establish their supremacy, causing a
never-ending circle of improvement."

Going through the list: Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, Wrath, and
Dominion - Envy, in desiring that which one cannot yet possess, Gluttony
in the adknowledgement that one can never improve 'too much' - Greed in
that one can always accomplish more. Lust, being driven to share one's
accomplishments with one's neighbor - Pride, the desire for supremacy
and something to stand up for and call one's own. Vrass, the response to
one's newly acclaimed position, and Dominion, in how the overall
improvement of mortality was the ultimate payout all along.

Really, if you're going to be preaching 'Sin lite', you should at least
make an effort to disguise it. The only real noted difference is that
when a Sinner messes up during the course of his or her endeavours, he
or she might actually strive to learn something from their mistake in an
effort to avoid mishap, come the second attempt.

Rather than dismiss it as a victory because everything is a little bit
less predictable than it was a moment before, a paltry comfort in the
face of otherwise outstandingly unfavorable circumstance. Nothing went
the way we want it, but things are a bit more difficult now! I suppose
that's a... net win, if you're a masochist?

I wouldn't know, unfortunately. I'm not.

Amicably yours,
Dr. Inc Ir'Ardehn Calaier


Penned by my hand on the 9th of Mayan, in the year 567 AF.