14 ⚜ Video-Text

[restingstitchface]

[The video feed flicks off and on at different times. There's different people on screen; eating, drinking, chatting in different places. They're captured at different times in different cities - where lights are shining and the traffic is noisily moving, or just quietly sitting there, or cannot be seen at all.

Some of the characters might be familiar. Could even be imPorts. Perhaps some are standing closer than others, might even notice they're being watched. There is the matter, however, that Crane just doesn't look like he used to. The fact the video isn't turned on him makes him harder to place.

In short, Crane's been sitting down somewhere, or standing elsewhere, observing people living their lives, psychologically analyzing them without their consent. He might even be watching that book burning, if it's happening.]


"How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is!
O brave new world,
That has such people in it!"
It's time we returned back to culture. Yes, actually to culture. You cannot be well-minded people if you burn books.

Philistines! You're nothing but a blight upon human intellect. Nothing but cowards rolling around in your ignorant squalor like pigs in filth. I find myself constantly amazed by your primitive behavior. For only animals would threaten to burn what they cannot understand.

[Chilton can fight his own battles, but don't even joke about burning literature.]

Comments

[morethan084]

Says the guy saying all of this from a communicator instead of face to face.

[restingstitchface]

My appearance is irrelevant really. Whether I'm speaking face to face or like this, the fact is this threat still exists. Honestly, I think those people threatening it require closer watch than I do.

[Call him a coward. He will fight you.]

[mightthinkthat]

You are aware that you can perfectly understand something and decide that you want to destroy it?

[ This isn't about Saul being the man behind the burning, he certainly wouldn't believe talking about it would stop any reprisal. Crane is just being a little bit hypocritical with the understanding line, though. He claims to understand everyone and yet isn't exactly in the running for Most Heroic Import. ]

[restingstitchface]

Yes. I am aware that some likely understand what they are doing, but it's likely they don't understand the consequences of their actions. I am also curious, on a concerned note, about the state of this world's American schooling for people to resort to such barbarism.

[Shut up, Crane. You're from Georgia.]

[acclimatized]

How is your nose?

[restingstitchface]

Fine.

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[112ounces]

Since it's you, more people are going to burn books just to spite you.

[ Is it often that Carl jab at his tormentors? Not really. He tends to kill them. But Crane is an imPort, and thus cannot really die, so the lines are not as so clear to Carl other than the feeling of fuck this and fuck everyone ]

[restingstitchface]

Really? I think implies more about the subject's impulse control than anything else.

[slightlyoffchilt]

At least you and I can agree that this book-burning anti-intellectualism is obscene.

[restingstitchface]

So it seems. But we cannot claim the modern penchant for the glorification of ignorance is new, can we? People nearly always choose the somatic bliss ignorance brings, compared to the psychological pain afforded by insight, because it's easier.

video;

[fayzedandconfused]

What's a philistine?

[ Asking the real questions right here. ]

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[restingstitchface]

Philistine
A: A person who is guided by materialism and is usually disdainful of intellectual or artistic values.
B: One uninformed in a special area of knowledge.

[Did he just throw the dictionary at you? You betcha!]

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[dragony]

You know, you almost had a point, but animals can't really threaten to burn anything, can they? Being unable to create fire in the first place, and certainly not prone to sending invitations out prematurely. It's a completely human response; nothing more, nothing less.

If you're going to insult humanity, you should at least try to do a proper job of it.

[infomodder]

[u stole his thought]

Can you think of any animals capable of creating fire?

video;

[brushoff]

Fifty Shades of Gray's a book.

[ look, just saying, if he's going to be all bluh bluh bluh cultureeeee then Dorian, in all his snobby glory, will remind Crane just what culture IS. ]

[restingstitchface]

That is nothing but a story for individuals suffering sexual dysfunction. I wouldn't compare them.

[He is going to die on this hill, damnit.

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[flowerette]

The fact that they're coming out of the woodwork to try and defend their stupidity further proves your point, I would say.

permatext; perma-private

[restingstitchface]

[Ah. To mellow out with age. Feels great.]

Of course.

Still, I wonder. Do they know what happens to worms and lice when they crawl out where they can be seen? Or even what happens to the woodwork with them still inside?

video

[mousquetaire]

[ Dear God, finally. To say d'Artagnan looks irritated is something of an understatement. For now, he doesn't comment on the fact that Crane looks different. He'll deal with that later. ]

Where the hell have you been? House arrest, Crane. Does that mean nothing to you?

Tell me where you are before I hunt you down myself.

[restingstitchface]

Vacationing. Florida. Beautiful this time of year, so I hear. Oh, and it's Dr. Crane, if you would.

[He nods sagely. Yes, well, it's the porter that dragged him in and spat him out, but who's counting?]

[textualhealing]

It's already been said, but I'll say it again:
You can understand something and still want to destroy it.
I kind of think you're holding books on a pretty high pedestal there. Have you even read it?

[restingstitchface]

Actually no, at the time it was published the Porter sent me away on vacation.

[And then it brought him back. Surprise!]

[text]

[helladoomed]

Isn't it some trashy tabloid thing?

It's not like they're burning Vonnegut or something that matters.

[restingstitchface]

Well, publishers do not count against nonsense if it can be sold. So there's a perfectly reasonable method of demonstrating their unreasonable wariness. They can exercise restraint and choose not to spend their money.

text;

[angelfire]

Isn't it a little generous to refer to Frederick's work as "culture and the arts"?

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[restingstitchface]

Well, I can't say I generally consider Dr. Chilton's work as either. I especially don't consider biographical works published to garner fame as conductive to furthering intelligent understanding of the human mind. But burning is no answer to the fact that in their hearts exists an unspoken , unspeakable fear. Books terrify them. Throw one into the room, and they'll run around like a mouse in panic.

[wizzardly]

[the video bit confuses him. What does that have to do with all this? But:]

Good to know not everyone is eager to light a torch. I understand not liking something, but I don't get why fire has to come into it.

[restingstitchface]

[You've opened the fear door, Rincewind. Prepare yourself.]

It's simply because they are scared.

Have you heard of bibliophobia where you're from?