Author Topic: PC239: Catching the Spirit  (Read 11455 times)

Scattercat

  • Caution:
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 4904
  • Amateur wordsmith
    • Mirrorshards
Reply #25 on: January 07, 2013, 08:02:48 AM
Don't be too hard on ElectricPaladin, his heart is made of cogs that are three sizes too small.

I was made to defend mankind from all its foes, but I was never designed to love.

What happens when mankind's foes try to destroy us by removing emotion?

When that happens, only Scattercat can save you.

Because I'm... too emotional?  Because I'm so annoying that no alien power will be able to stop people from sighing about it, and thus that scrap of emotion will be retained forever, and we will defeat our enemies with the power of mild irritation?



Anyhoo, I was okay with this story, although I'd rather have seen the birthday party scene first, to really create some suspense about what's going on, followed by the boss at the party, where the nature of the disease becomes readily apparent (and which would create an "ooooh, so that's what was going on!" reaction to my newly place first scene), and follow THAT with the framing device of Santa's captain's log entries.  As it was, the birthday scene, while fun, felt kind of redundant; we'd already had the source and the nature of the "disease" explained to us.  Not to mention that the birthday scene involved an honest, sincere attempt to give someone something nice for no reason other than to be generous, yet Santa's heart remains unmoved until... another child makes a similar honest attempt to give something out of generosity, except this time only after their parents nagged them (as opposed to the birthday kid, whose parents tried to convince him NOT to give the cards).  It made Santa's abrupt turnaround feel completely unjustified, whereas if we'd just seen the boss-at-the-party scene and had it implied that this was by far the more common scenario, his unbroken cynicism would make more sense.

I do gotta agree that the flood of Santa Claus stories around this time of year (mostly "edgy" and "subversive" reinterpretations) gets a little wearing, and I was raised in the religion in question.  (Electric Paladin, I happen to know, was not, and thus his reaction to Santa Claus is perhaps more understandable.)



eytanz

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6109
Reply #26 on: January 07, 2013, 02:43:40 PM
Not to mention that the birthday scene involved an honest, sincere attempt to give someone something nice for no reason other than to be generous, yet Santa's heart remains unmoved until... another child makes a similar honest attempt to give something out of generosity, except this time only after their parents nagged them (as opposed to the birthday kid, whose parents tried to convince him NOT to give the cards).  It made Santa's abrupt turnaround feel completely unjustified, whereas if we'd just seen the boss-at-the-party scene and had it implied that this was by far the more common scenario, his unbroken cynicism would make more sense.

The main difference, I thought, was that in the birthday party, it was two children being generous to each other, while the children at Santa's door were giving something to him. Which is really what this story seems to be about. Dave's intro and outro made it sound like the story is promoting the spirit of giving, but it's really not - it's a story about how giving is unrewarding and has to be motivated by an external agent or reward. If you're generous, eventually you'll get worn out and cynical and regret it. What makes you appreciate people is receiving stuff from them. I don't think it's the message Pratt and Shaw were aiming for, but it's the only one the story is selling.



Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #27 on: January 09, 2013, 02:45:58 PM
The main difference, I thought, was that in the birthday party, it was two children being generous to each other, while the children at Santa's door were giving something to him. Which is really what this story seems to be about. Dave's intro and outro made it sound like the story is promoting the spirit of giving, but it's really not - it's a story about how giving is unrewarding and has to be motivated by an external agent or reward. If you're generous, eventually you'll get worn out and cynical and regret it. What makes you appreciate people is receiving stuff from them. I don't think it's the message Pratt and Shaw were aiming for, but it's the only one the story is selling.

That hadn't crossed my mind while listening, but yeah thinking back on it that seems like a fair interpretation, not what they intended I think.

I do gotta agree that the flood of Santa Claus stories around this time of year (mostly "edgy" and "subversive" reinterpretations) gets a little wearing, and I was raised in the religion in question.  (Electric Paladin, I happen to know, was not, and thus his reaction to Santa Claus is perhaps more understandable.)

Me too.  Even more so when I'm away from the Internet from the 21st through New Year and get to listen to the backlog of Santa Claus related stories the first week of January.



Wilson Fowlie

  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 1475
    • The Maple Leaf Singers
Reply #28 on: January 10, 2013, 06:27:34 PM
(Side note: I wonder if the marketing gods at Escape Artists would create a CD of the Shaw/Pratt Christmas stories and sell them?  They would make a super gift/stocking stuffer and I would buy a bunch. I bet others would too.)

And perhaps add the Lafferty Christmas stories from Escape Pod, too!

(Ooo, I wonder if EP will be getting those again now that Mur's not editing there any more. That'd be an up side.)

(Not that Norm isn't, but still.)

"People commonly use the word 'procrastination' to describe what they do on the Internet. It seems to me too mild to describe what's happening as merely not-doing-work. We don't call it procrastination when someone gets drunk instead of working." - Paul Graham


Fenrix

  • Curmudgeonly Co-Editor of PseudoPod
  • Editor
  • *****
  • Posts: 3996
  • I always lock the door when I creep by daylight.
Reply #29 on: January 10, 2013, 07:47:33 PM
(Side note: I wonder if the marketing gods at Escape Artists would create a CD of the Shaw/Pratt Christmas stories and sell them?  They would make a super gift/stocking stuffer and I would buy a bunch. I bet others would too.)

And perhaps add the Lafferty Christmas stories from Escape Pod, too!

(Ooo, I wonder if EP will be getting those again now that Mur's not editing there any more. That'd be an up side.)

(Not that Norm isn't, but still.)

All the Holiday stories plus maybe a bonus or two, burned to CD or available as a download in a bundle. Maybe a gift download link? Turn that into a holiday fund raising campaign. Get folks to donate and buy gifts at the same time. To entice donors it should be something that has new content as well as previously "aired" episodes.

Another thing worth considering is the Halloween bonus that was released a few years back and is no longer available.

I have most of a list of Christmas stories together. I should probably finish that up and get folks to fill in the gaps of what I'm missing.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


LaShawn

  • Lochage
  • *****
  • Posts: 550
  • Writer Mommies Rule!
    • The Cafe in the Woods
Reply #30 on: February 15, 2013, 07:36:55 PM
Lstening to this on Valetine's day (heh, the catchup). Heartwarming, though I was most touched by Dave's statement on how caroling is the inverse of trick-or-treat. I want to go caroling now.

--
Visit LaShawn at The Cafe in the Woods:
http://tbonecafe.wordpress.com
Another writer's antiblog: In Touch With Yours Truly


Talia

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2682
  • Muahahahaha
Reply #31 on: February 15, 2013, 07:49:51 PM
I was going to make a joke about wanting to go caroling on Halloween, but then I realized my choir has been hired a time or two to provide strolling entertainment for the nearby town's Halloween festivities. So I have sort of done it! :p

Next up, caroling and candy cane distribution on Easter. We won't stop until all holidays are rolled into one.

Happy Hallopatrimasikkahentineastboxing Day, everyone.



Fenrix

  • Curmudgeonly Co-Editor of PseudoPod
  • Editor
  • *****
  • Posts: 3996
  • I always lock the door when I creep by daylight.
Reply #32 on: February 15, 2013, 09:47:04 PM
I was going to make a joke about wanting to go caroling on Halloween, but then I realized my choir has been hired a time or two to provide strolling entertainment for the nearby town's Halloween festivities. So I have sort of done it! :p

Next up, caroling and candy cane distribution on Easter. We won't stop until all holidays are rolled into one.

Happy Hallopatrimasikkahentineastboxing Day, everyone.

We're halfway there with candy marketing and sections of stores that just rotate from one holiday to the next.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Max e^{i pi}

  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 1038
  • Have towel, will travel.
Reply #33 on: February 16, 2013, 06:15:52 PM
Next up, caroling and candy cane distribution on Easter. We won't stop until all holidays are rolled into one.

We're halfway there with candy marketing and sections of stores that just rotate from one holiday to the next.

In related news:


Image is clickable.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2013, 06:18:12 PM by Max e^{i pi} »

Cogito ergo surf - I think therefore I network

Registered Linux user #481826 Get Counted!



Wilson Fowlie

  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 1475
    • The Maple Leaf Singers
Reply #34 on: November 05, 2013, 04:46:13 PM

"People commonly use the word 'procrastination' to describe what they do on the Internet. It seems to me too mild to describe what's happening as merely not-doing-work. We don't call it procrastination when someone gets drunk instead of working." - Paul Graham