Post by Amandus on Feb 13, 2016 21:27:04 GMT -5
How does life in Yosemite affect the Outcasts' state of mind?
Many backpackers realize their treks through the wilderness aren't easy. But imagine living in this environment for the rest of your life? It can put a strain on you, both physically and mentally, especially since people are now growing up in a heavily industrialized, developed, and clean setting. Hence their name, a distinct trait of the Outcasts is their value of isolation. Whenever they are among their fellow human beings in Yosemite, they only walk in the shadows without them knowing.
An Outcast only interacting with members of her Clan, for the most part, may cause her social skills to generally fall behind compared to those of Domestics. Sure, she will develop strong and secure relationships with her Clanmates, but this combined with the Outcasts' isolation as well as their agenda against the outside world can cause anxiety and insecurity whenever they are actually faced with it. Many leaders possess this trait, and so out of all that things that may worry them the most, it is almost always Domestics.
Living in the mountains has proved to be detrimental to the Outcasts' health, particularly because of their sudden transition from a developed world to an undeveloped one upon joining. As a result, their lifespan is shortened severely. The Clans constantly face the deaths of their Clanmates - some Outcasts grow "numb" to this fact, having experiencing it dozens of times by the time they died, themselves. Others, though, can never get over their grief.
Depression for an Outcast can be develop all too easily. Even if she joined only a couple of years before, a Clan member may already question why she joined in the first place. She may have escaped a dangerous household, for example, but she may realize that her situation in the Outcasts isn't any better. Her life will be cut short all because she bought into a sort of propaganda by older kids she had never seen before in her life. Unless she can somehow run away overnight, an Outcast has no escape from this reality.
On the other hand, Yosemite can be a very uplifting place, spiritually. Many apprentices join after coming to the park for the first time, and were tempted to join so they would never have to leave its beauty. This along with the belief system of SpiritClan have caused many Outcasts to come to revelations related to themselves, society, and nature. Joining this group might have relieved them of some kind of pain and longing after all.
An Outcast only interacting with members of her Clan, for the most part, may cause her social skills to generally fall behind compared to those of Domestics. Sure, she will develop strong and secure relationships with her Clanmates, but this combined with the Outcasts' isolation as well as their agenda against the outside world can cause anxiety and insecurity whenever they are actually faced with it. Many leaders possess this trait, and so out of all that things that may worry them the most, it is almost always Domestics.
Living in the mountains has proved to be detrimental to the Outcasts' health, particularly because of their sudden transition from a developed world to an undeveloped one upon joining. As a result, their lifespan is shortened severely. The Clans constantly face the deaths of their Clanmates - some Outcasts grow "numb" to this fact, having experiencing it dozens of times by the time they died, themselves. Others, though, can never get over their grief.
Depression for an Outcast can be develop all too easily. Even if she joined only a couple of years before, a Clan member may already question why she joined in the first place. She may have escaped a dangerous household, for example, but she may realize that her situation in the Outcasts isn't any better. Her life will be cut short all because she bought into a sort of propaganda by older kids she had never seen before in her life. Unless she can somehow run away overnight, an Outcast has no escape from this reality.
On the other hand, Yosemite can be a very uplifting place, spiritually. Many apprentices join after coming to the park for the first time, and were tempted to join so they would never have to leave its beauty. This along with the belief system of SpiritClan have caused many Outcasts to come to revelations related to themselves, society, and nature. Joining this group might have relieved them of some kind of pain and longing after all.
How is the Outcasts' distinctive mentality developed over time?
When an apprentice first registers into a Clan, she still only has that "default" Domestic mindset and level of knowledge and consideration for the Outcasts. But much like a child being raised with a certain family's traditions, apprentices eventually a develop a bias based on the Clan they are part of, and always against the Domestic society from which they came in the first place.
From the beginning, apprentices may be given rather skewed viewpoints by their mentors and Clanmates, particularly about the other Clans. WindClan apprentices are often told that ShadowClan is psychotic, and disrespectful to SpiritClan. On the other hand, ShadowClan apprentices are told that WindClan is full of bitter, defensive cowards. This leads to an endless cycle of stereotypes and hatred between the Clans.
Apprentices are also taught that the lifestyle they had before as a Domestic is inferior, or even blatantly wrong. If she hasn't known this already, an apprentice will come to the realization that the human race is greedy, cruel, and disrespectful to each other and the planet. What many don't realize is that the Outcasts are potentially the same thing, but on a smaller scale. They can be so absorbed in their own bias and agenda that they just don't see the similarities, that they and the Domestics aren't all that different.
From the beginning, apprentices may be given rather skewed viewpoints by their mentors and Clanmates, particularly about the other Clans. WindClan apprentices are often told that ShadowClan is psychotic, and disrespectful to SpiritClan. On the other hand, ShadowClan apprentices are told that WindClan is full of bitter, defensive cowards. This leads to an endless cycle of stereotypes and hatred between the Clans.
Apprentices are also taught that the lifestyle they had before as a Domestic is inferior, or even blatantly wrong. If she hasn't known this already, an apprentice will come to the realization that the human race is greedy, cruel, and disrespectful to each other and the planet. What many don't realize is that the Outcasts are potentially the same thing, but on a smaller scale. They can be so absorbed in their own bias and agenda that they just don't see the similarities, that they and the Domestics aren't all that different.
Are the Outcasts really no better than people who exploit the environment for profit?
In a way, the Outcasts in fact are exploiting Yosemite for their own purposes, not just the environment itself, but also its patterns of tourism. Park rangers and scientists in Yosemite make efforts to protect the fragile ecosystem in it, but the Outcasts have indirectly destroyed those efforts through hunting, the nurses gathering herbs, and erosion of the mountains from their patrols. For what? Because they wanted to leave their lives with their families, only for the sake of adventure or greater understanding.
The Outcasts say that they are closer and more knowledgeable of the environment than the tourists and park rangers. Supposedly they are, with their knowledge of the Moonstone's and SpiritClan's existence. But because they became the "know-all" when it comes to death and what lies beyond the mortal world, they feel they should also know better than the Domestics about the area they occupy in the first place.
The Outcasts firmly believe that Domestic laws don't apply to them.
And they don't care how much distress they cause to them because of this. They pillage and steal in the night, terrorizing tourists, but only as apparitions. Park officials and the NPS themselves have not been able to do much about it, despite efforts for heightened security in the campgrounds and Yosemite Valley.
Nopoaching hunting in Yosemite? We have to get food somehow. Don't wander off the trails in the wilderness? We have to set up camp somewhere. Along with the Outcasts' idea of their secret society eventually came a sense of entitlement. Even if doing those things are illegal, the Outcasts believe that they are breaking the law for perfectly valid reasons, even to the point where ShadowClan can back up why they should kill park rangers, though most other Outcasts think that's taking it too far. They haven't quite realized the massive disturbance they have caused to those managing the park over the years. Well, maybe they do know, but...reasons?
Does ShadowClan have a valid reason to kill Domestics?
In the canon timeline, many members of ShadowClan could be considered serial killers. GraySpirit is the one who originally came up with the idea of killing any trespassers in their territory in an effort to "scare off" anyone that tries to come into the area in the future. You could say that she encouraged this just to protect her Clan, but was that the true reason?
You may sometimes hear that serial killers kill people for the "thrill" of it, that something about it feels right to them. Similarly, GraySpirit thought that killing Domestics would be the "right" thing to do. When StoneSpirit became leader after her, though, her behavior was the textbook definition of a sociopath. She always said at the Gathering that it was an effort to "defend her Clan". As a compulsive liar, no. In reality, she thought that they deserved to die, and actually loved the idea of her Clan having major leverage over Domestics.
Once BrookSpirit became leader, who was much milder than the previous two, she still allowed her Clanmates to kill them if they felt the need to, but reminded them to think before doing so. Would this person really be a threat to us in our territory? She tells them that Domestics should only be killed for security efforts only.
Even with BrookSpirit's policy, the thought of killing someone just for happening to wander into their land can still be remarkably morbid to outside Clans. Though the other Clans would rather have ShadowClan drop this regime, they may still have good grounds on the matter depending on the leadership and attitude behind it.
In a way, the Outcasts in fact are exploiting Yosemite for their own purposes, not just the environment itself, but also its patterns of tourism. Park rangers and scientists in Yosemite make efforts to protect the fragile ecosystem in it, but the Outcasts have indirectly destroyed those efforts through hunting, the nurses gathering herbs, and erosion of the mountains from their patrols. For what? Because they wanted to leave their lives with their families, only for the sake of adventure or greater understanding.
The Outcasts say that they are closer and more knowledgeable of the environment than the tourists and park rangers. Supposedly they are, with their knowledge of the Moonstone's and SpiritClan's existence. But because they became the "know-all" when it comes to death and what lies beyond the mortal world, they feel they should also know better than the Domestics about the area they occupy in the first place.
The Outcasts firmly believe that Domestic laws don't apply to them.
And they don't care how much distress they cause to them because of this. They pillage and steal in the night, terrorizing tourists, but only as apparitions. Park officials and the NPS themselves have not been able to do much about it, despite efforts for heightened security in the campgrounds and Yosemite Valley.
No
Does ShadowClan have a valid reason to kill Domestics?
In the canon timeline, many members of ShadowClan could be considered serial killers. GraySpirit is the one who originally came up with the idea of killing any trespassers in their territory in an effort to "scare off" anyone that tries to come into the area in the future. You could say that she encouraged this just to protect her Clan, but was that the true reason?
You may sometimes hear that serial killers kill people for the "thrill" of it, that something about it feels right to them. Similarly, GraySpirit thought that killing Domestics would be the "right" thing to do. When StoneSpirit became leader after her, though, her behavior was the textbook definition of a sociopath. She always said at the Gathering that it was an effort to "defend her Clan". As a compulsive liar, no. In reality, she thought that they deserved to die, and actually loved the idea of her Clan having major leverage over Domestics.
Once BrookSpirit became leader, who was much milder than the previous two, she still allowed her Clanmates to kill them if they felt the need to, but reminded them to think before doing so. Would this person really be a threat to us in our territory? She tells them that Domestics should only be killed for security efforts only.
Even with BrookSpirit's policy, the thought of killing someone just for happening to wander into their land can still be remarkably morbid to outside Clans. Though the other Clans would rather have ShadowClan drop this regime, they may still have good grounds on the matter depending on the leadership and attitude behind it.