Greeting Terrans. It’s been a long minute. I see I missed updates on the slap heard round the world. (Rock Smith.) On the one hand, I am glad. The whole story feels like being stuck between gossipy brats at chow. On the other hand, it seems like quite a test case for differences about getting along, violence, and reconciliation and such. So, I’m not sure how I feel about missing out on the updates.
Back to the first hand, I got troubles of my own. My gryphon is sick, and some enchantress seems to be attempting to drain me of energy. She clearly doesn’t know how much coffee I drink. Recently, I also got a tour of the menagerie, but frankly, I got the impression they were hiding a lot. To what end?
So, the Casey book and I didn’t get a great deal of time. But there is still an update there. I was struck by Casey’s mention that he believes free people can bind themselves. This makes sense to me, but it occurred to me that it does seem to go against the idea of inalienable rights entertained by American terrans. So which way?
Personally, I’ve seen people who’ve chosen slavery for the relief of their debts (and to avoid the public disgrace). I’ve also seen people abducted by their creditors. I can’t abide the latter. But, as for the former scenario… I mean… if they want to, you know? Why not, right? It was even rumored that, long ago, one slave had been king in his own country! Life there was so severe that he chose life as a foreign rich man’s slave instead! Frankly, I wouldn’t have made that call, but he was happy with it. I can imagine the interview:
“So we have one position open. It is 24/7, and you’d have to forsake all legal recourse as a free man, but the position typically comes with those provisions becoming one of my servants, and you don’t have to live in perpetual squalor under the sword of Damocles.”
“Shut up and take my freedom!”
Probably he was hiding from an enemy. But I like my version better.
The question is: what if he wasn’t happy with the arrangement later? One is usually obligated to keep their word, but it could be argued that such an obligation is merely moral, not necessarily legal, not a matter of justice. So, what? Would the royal slave just owe the rich man whatever the material equivalent of whatever his on-going labor would be? Must he re-bargain for his liberty? I’m not sure. One guy says a person has the ability to bind themselves. Another says no. I’m inclined to agree with the first, but the second idea is attractive. I’ll have to think more on this.
Oh, I wanted to mention I collected them little coffee poems and made them into a little ebook. It’s cute. Feel free to check it out. It's around here somewhere.
Well, fare well Terrans.
-Pen
73 Hon 7380