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Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. Fanatic-Templar Send a noteboard - 08/12/2010 06:48:50 PM
No really, this is a serious debate. I'm a bit disappointed that you've taken this down into the gutter from the beginning, unless you're just starting some banter between us.


No, seriously, I really thought this was a joke. So I was preparing for some archnemesising.

...

Awkward :tinfoilhat:.

I personally think that you, like many posters, have serious oversights regarding the function of the test. Serenity is not about looking like a cold mask and not spreading panic. Its a rather idiotic analogy you made, as were many of your other examples. The purpose of the serenity exercise is to help her maintain inner calm which you would know is essential to mastering saidar if you'd paid attention to the series. As I pointed out Graendal almost lost saidar due to panic and that is what needs to be prevented in a crisis. It's about being surrounded at dumai wells and channeling with calm and not becoming hysterical and running all over the place, and losing the ability to hold the power.


You need look no further than the Seanchan attack on the White Tower to see that the test does not do what you think it does. I needn't remind you that the Captain-General of the Green Ajah - who passed the test - was flailing around like a headless chicken. The most competent woman there was Egwene, and she hasn't passed the test.

As for the Taim comment, its untrue and stupid. Sometimes a greater goal is present that supercedes an indiviual. Anyone of any important rank whose ever commanded people will tell you that.


And what greater goal is there in ignoring your responsibilities or human suffering in order to obey the voices in your head?

The purpose of the test is to prove that a woman can function under stress. The series has provided tons of examples where this is essential in an aes sedai. And anyway, you miss the point just like Nynaeve did. Its not a test to see what you would do in a situation! Its a test for you to weave while under stress. Your judgment is a non-issue, but your skills with saidar certainly are. Finding a deeper meaning in this test is like finding a deeper meaning in a driving test. They just want to see you drive the car. Don't bitch and whine if you fail because you object to the philosophy of the test and take the car for a wild spin, claiming that you were rushing to help an injured dog :rolleyes: just do the damn test like they want. When you have the shawl you can run off and help children, or shield men, or become a darkfriend. Whatever...


Again, this notion fails because of the whole memory erasing. A more accurate analogy would be, say, being the only one capable of saving the city if you arrive on the other side of town within the next five minutes. But a voice in your head keeps saying "don't pass the speed limit, come to a complete stop at that corner, be steadfast." The tests do the opposite of what you claim. It claims women who are willing to ignore the greater goal to fulfill their selfish ambitions.

Need I remind you in one of Egwene's Acceptance tests, she was given the choice between keeping the Dragon Reborn from being turned to the Shadow, or jumping through the phantom arches. So what is this greater goal that warrants giving the saviour of the world to Shai'tan?
The first rule of being a ninja is "do no harm". Unless you intend to do harm, then do lots of harm.
~Master Splinter

Victorious in Bergioyn's legendary 'Reverse Mafia'. *MySmiley*
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Nynaeve's stupidity and the test for Aes Sedai - 07/12/2010 08:27:05 PM 4471 Views
Just like all women. - 07/12/2010 09:15:12 PM 1300 Views
Way to totally misunderstand the chapter - 07/12/2010 09:39:08 PM 1786 Views
I second this - 07/12/2010 10:10:24 PM 1460 Views
your bold is stuck. *NM* - 07/12/2010 10:21:22 PM 625 Views
He BOLDLY seconded it... *NM* - 08/12/2010 03:04:33 PM 597 Views
which is quite excellent. I was just leting him know *NM* - 08/12/2010 03:28:24 PM 504 Views
I think that statement says it all. - 07/12/2010 10:19:50 PM 1491 Views
Thanks. That's exactly what I think. - 08/12/2010 08:29:28 AM 1353 Views
+1, well said *NM* - 08/12/2010 11:19:29 AM 560 Views
Agrees *NM* - 09/12/2010 03:27:53 PM 1069 Views
Yes, the OP totally whiffed here. Nyn couldn't remember.. - 11/12/2010 01:50:11 AM 1316 Views
On the whole, the test is innappropriate IMO - 07/12/2010 09:40:08 PM 1590 Views
I agree with this entirely *NM* - 07/12/2010 10:07:52 PM 555 Views
very well said *NM* - 07/12/2010 10:23:06 PM 498 Views
It's kind of a chicken and egg thing - 07/12/2010 11:13:19 PM 1234 Views
Re: It's kind of a chicken and egg thing - 08/12/2010 12:37:20 AM 1521 Views
nice post - 08/12/2010 09:20:02 AM 1351 Views
Isn't it implied - 08/12/2010 02:16:58 PM 1119 Views
no they were students together - 08/12/2010 05:33:17 PM 1076 Views
No, Lanfear was older than Lews - 08/12/2010 07:21:45 PM 1297 Views
Where on earth did you get that from? - 08/12/2010 08:41:16 PM 1219 Views
Re: Where on earth did you get that from? - 09/12/2010 10:27:20 AM 1240 Views
Re: Where on earth did you get that from? - 09/12/2010 03:56:32 PM 1323 Views
I always got the impression that they were together for quiet some time - 09/12/2010 04:34:23 PM 1252 Views
I think skill with Saidar is easy enough to judge as it's a simple matter to see the skill - 08/12/2010 05:37:27 PM 1144 Views
I think the greens should have been on Nynaeve's side as well - 08/12/2010 06:18:16 PM 1273 Views
Problem is they are Aes Sedai and thus more likley to be political rather than rational! *NM* - 08/12/2010 08:52:00 PM 862 Views
too f'n true *NM* - 09/12/2010 12:17:58 AM 565 Views
Re: nice post - 09/12/2010 01:23:50 PM 1336 Views
On the matter of strength - 09/12/2010 08:51:36 PM 1177 Views
Re: On the matter of strength - 10/12/2010 10:38:42 AM 1163 Views
Strength was "prized" in the AoL ... but lack of strength was not a negative - 12/12/2010 01:41:08 AM 1132 Views
The test is stupid and it was about time someone pointed it out - 07/12/2010 10:29:38 PM 1163 Views
Channeling under duress IS necessary for ALL Aes Sedai - 05/01/2011 12:04:53 AM 1304 Views
Well - 07/12/2010 11:03:38 PM 1222 Views
Status is not an end in itself. *NM* - 07/12/2010 11:52:37 PM 575 Views
They're not really stupid... - 08/12/2010 01:00:20 AM 1263 Views
They're constantly outsmarted by a teenage girl that has spent most of her life in a damn farm. - 08/12/2010 10:32:50 AM 1227 Views
yeah because that's so realistic - 08/12/2010 12:17:29 PM 1170 Views
Egwene had everything handed to her on a silver platter. - 08/12/2010 11:50:17 PM 1131 Views
Bah... - 09/12/2010 10:56:24 AM 1284 Views
Nope, the Sitters were always stupid - 09/12/2010 12:37:05 PM 1223 Views
cause being rural automatically makes you dumb?..... *NM* - 09/12/2010 05:34:11 PM 643 Views
It makes you uneducated - 09/12/2010 05:46:49 PM 1136 Views
You are not only wrong in your call, - 08/12/2010 04:39:44 AM 1479 Views
Re: You are not only wrong in your call, - 08/12/2010 09:13:37 AM 1464 Views
if that is the purpose of the test - 08/12/2010 01:34:45 PM 1168 Views
minor disagreement - 08/12/2010 05:27:51 PM 1244 Views
Yes, but you can be not-panicked and not calm of body - 08/12/2010 06:38:56 PM 1072 Views
not really the same thing as what the AS are getting at though - 08/12/2010 09:02:05 PM 1739 Views
that's retarded, imo - 09/12/2010 12:21:27 AM 1206 Views
About Elaida... - 09/12/2010 12:29:21 PM 1246 Views
...no wonder the Aes Sedai are floundering - 09/12/2010 01:43:42 PM 998 Views
Oh it's totally stupid! - 09/12/2010 04:37:14 PM 1228 Views
No I know why she took the job. I just don't understand why she got it - 09/12/2010 04:52:34 PM 1164 Views
I think Elaida just smarmed up at the right time, Morgase was very young then - 09/12/2010 05:52:29 PM 1265 Views
hmm. curse smarming, then *NM* - 09/12/2010 07:47:26 PM 506 Views
As I recall... - 10/12/2010 05:18:25 AM 1195 Views
Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. - 08/12/2010 06:48:50 PM 1225 Views
I think it has already been established that the purpose of the test is to ensure that - 08/12/2010 09:59:18 PM 971 Views
Yeah, but how does that work? - 08/12/2010 10:24:35 PM 1106 Views
Somewhere in the sub-conscious they know what they're doing is important to them. - 09/12/2010 12:20:47 AM 1234 Views
Even so, it wouldn't work. - 09/12/2010 03:32:55 AM 1156 Views
Another headless chicken example. - 09/12/2010 12:30:02 AM 1134 Views
the headless chicken is just such a lovely metaphor for panic *NM* - 09/12/2010 04:48:11 AM 509 Views
Re: Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. - 09/12/2010 12:07:15 PM 1215 Views
Re: Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. - 10/12/2010 05:32:27 AM 1298 Views
The main difference - 10/12/2010 05:50:43 AM 1156 Views
I'm not sure I agree. - 08/12/2010 12:17:12 PM 1217 Views
You seem to have no grasp of the difference between "politic" and "right" - 09/12/2010 02:59:50 AM 1315 Views
I hate it when I love you just a little *NM* - 09/12/2010 04:46:57 AM 542 Views
Re: You seem to have no grasp of the difference between "politic" and "right" - 09/12/2010 09:26:21 AM 1187 Views
That's not the dilema - 09/12/2010 05:23:19 PM 1382 Views
That's not what it's really about - 10/12/2010 05:44:12 AM 1132 Views
The paralells are not obvious to me... - 15/12/2010 11:42:51 AM 1211 Views
More like - 15/12/2010 01:26:40 PM 1119 Views

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