gary
Full Member
Posts: 121
|
Post by gary on Sept 14, 2012 15:38:49 GMT
For some reason there are a fair number of people on the forum who like to do this series a disservice and think of it as a shallow "technology bad, nature good" fable. Yeah, plus if you really have to reduce this complicated tale to a shallow fable "technology good, nature bad" seems closer to the the truth. Not that I think that's the moral either. Just goes to show that neither side is innocent, and both has its good and bad characters. We still haven't really seen a bad court character or a good forest character in the present day. I like this, in two pages, we're reminded that this isn't a game, that it's not a silly contest between the stodgy court and the whimsical forest. There are serious forces at work, and Annie will be caught in the middle. Surely we knew that already. I got it somewhere between Coyote threatening to cut off Annie's hand, Ysengrin trying to kill her twice and Jeannie being sacrificed and enslaved by the court, myself.
|
|
|
Post by jasaebushae on Sept 14, 2012 15:52:02 GMT
Yeah...Im gonna have to go with the theory that the forest is the villians of this story be it through the authors choosing or coyote trying to have some fun. ^^;
Excepting bad things done in the courts past it has never been portrayed as perticularly villianous. any problems caused within the court are generally due to some sorta magic, something from a darker era in its history or caused by Carvers father. The worst thats been shown about the modern day court has been a suspicious looking bird and mentions that they look down on the forest. there hasnt been any point in the present that has shown the gunnerkrigg court as anything but benign in the comic thus far. (plus you know, its the actual title of the story and short of a couple exceptions have been centrically built around the court)
on the other hand we have never actually at any point been given the chance to see the forest or get to know it. (because this comic being centered around gunnerkrigg court, i think the point is that we will never get to see a forest viewpoint) It has been responsible for alot of the problems that have cropped up in the comic and at the best of times it has only been shown as sympathetic. Never actually showing a benign side to it at all. Possessing characters, exiling those who were different, acting like rabid monsters and using people as playthings sums up most of the portrayals of the forest so far. and while there has been some positive characters related to magic, all of them live in the court and no longer have any connection to the forest with the exception of Carver. While yes, comments made by carver regarding her time spent in the forest would suggest that it is alot nicer and grander than we have been shown, the comic has deliberately avoided showing those aspects in full.
So in a nutshell the courts the good guys with a dark past and the forest are the savage monsters which drive the court to desperation to keep itself safe. Not because it is necessarily the court is good and the forest is evil. but because the story is called gunnerkrigg court which means that it would of course focus on the court.
And thats my interpretation of the comic thus far.
oh and to toss out a very far out speculative theory, i kinda get the impression that coyote is messing with Carver and orchestrated ysengrin's psychotic episode and is fueling information to the protaganist for the Lols and he is just doing all of this for the fun of it.
|
|
|
Post by aaroncampbell on Sept 14, 2012 15:54:06 GMT
A thought occurred to me. Even though we're immediately villifying Coyote (and I jumped on that bandwagon myself,) we don't know that maybe Ysengrin made a prior agreement with Coyote to do this for him, regardless of whether he would plea otherwise in the future.....
Perhaps the mind-losing that Ysengrin is experiencing is something that he's dealing with no matter what, and things like traumatic memories only accelererate the degeneration? If that's the case, he may have, in an earlier period, made a deal with Coyote to wipe the slate for him as it were. If I had the ability to do that for a close friend, to carry their burdens for them so they could have a few more years of quality in their life, I would do it.
And something I don't think I've seen brought up yet: we don't know what this does to Coyote. Does he suffer? There was a joke about indigestion, but imagine having to carry a friend's encapsulated memories of insanity, rage and violence. What would that do to you?
|
|
gary
Full Member
Posts: 121
|
Post by gary on Sept 14, 2012 16:06:43 GMT
A thought occurred to me. Even though we're immediately villifying Coyote (and I jumped on that bandwagon myself,) we don't know that maybe Ysengrin made a prior agreement with Coyote to do this for him, regardless of whether he would plea otherwise in the future..... A character begging "please, no" is an established dramatic shorthand way of establishing that what's happening is against their will.
|
|
|
Post by Eversist on Sept 14, 2012 16:08:56 GMT
And something I don't think I've seen brought up yet: we don't know what this does to Coyote. Does he suffer? There was a joke about indigestion, but imagine having to carry a friend's encapsulated memories of insanity, rage and violence. What would that do to you? Coyote =/= Friend of Ys' I seriously doubt he's doing this for anyone's benefit other than his own twisted desires. Sometimes evil is just evil. A thought occurred to me. Even though we're immediately villifying Coyote (and I jumped on that bandwagon myself,) we don't know that maybe Ysengrin made a prior agreement with Coyote to do this for him, regardless of whether he would plea otherwise in the future..... A character begging "please, no" is an established dramatic shorthand way of establishing that what's happening is against their will. Hah. I think he was inferring that Coyote took the memory of Ys asking for this to be done.
|
|
Anthony
Full Member
No, not THAT guy.
Posts: 112
|
Post by Anthony on Sept 14, 2012 16:24:38 GMT
The court has a shady past yes but all the current staff are portrayed relatively sympathetically and we've never seen them given morally dubious orders by the higher ups. Oh really?
|
|
|
Post by imaginaryfriend on Sept 14, 2012 16:44:45 GMT
^It is interesting to wonder if Renard would be in the same set of circumstances as Ysengrin by now, if he hadn't been seduced and tricked into coming to the Court. There might be a connection to the giving of powers and Coyote directly feeding from someone.
Also this may be an unpopular view but I think of Coyote's actions this chapter as being amoral, not immoral. I was a bit surprised to actually see him extract something from Ys and eat it, but I am not at all surprised to see Coyote perpetuate the belief in his own powers and trickery by breaking someone down completely in this chapter. If his theory on his own origin is correct then it probably perpetuates Coyote's power and unlife. At least Ys is still alive. In the Wood creatures eat each other and we've known this for a while. Is this really worse than Ys eating faeries or other sentient creatures to fill his stomach? The only way that I can say yes is to observe that since Ys can be "eaten" more than once this way.
|
|
|
Post by jasaebushae on Sept 14, 2012 16:53:06 GMT
That really just further shows that the court is frightened of the forest and acting to protect itself. In fact...each and every action the court has done can be viewed as lesser and greater forms of self defense... Plus that event place at least a decade and maybe even two before this story began which could count as part of its shady past ^^;
|
|
Earin
Full Member
Posts: 115
|
Post by Earin on Sept 14, 2012 17:19:24 GMT
As soon as you begin tampering with people's memories, you are an unacceptable identity risk, and probably The Bad Guys.
As other people have said, time to Pose as a Team, because s--- just got real.
Also, I want Reynardine to find out.
|
|
|
Post by Lightice on Sept 14, 2012 17:29:56 GMT
Yeah...Im gonna have to go with the theory that the forest is the villians of this story be it through the authors choosing or coyote trying to have some fun. ^^; I really doubt that there is a "villain" to this story at all. Coyote is not a nice guy, but he doesn't lust for power, influence or any ideological goal, nor does he enjoy destruction for its own sake. He's about as moral and as threatening as the forest he resides in; if you get lost in there, that's your own fault. I feel sorry for Ysengrin, and don't think that Coyote is justified in what he's doing, but Ys accepted Coyote's gifts and pledged himself to him. Here's the result. The term "evil" is in itself a huge can of worms, but even under the best circumstances I don't think it's applicable here. See above.
|
|
|
Post by Eversist on Sept 14, 2012 18:06:49 GMT
The term "evil" is in itself a huge can of worms, but even under the best circumstances I don't think it's applicable here. See above. I knew someone was going to pick on that, hah. I meant that he's probably reading too much into Coyote's actions in this instance; there isn't always a twist to people's actions, even in GC. But I honestly can't see what's happening here in any light other than "badbad, very bad." I feel sorry for Ysengrin, and don't think that Coyote is justified in what he's doing, but Ys accepted Coyote's gifts and pledged himself to him. Here's the result. If I remember correctly Coyote brought Rey and Ys with him to the forest. Who knows if that was by choice or by force. *shrug*
|
|
|
Post by OrzBrain on Sept 14, 2012 20:02:01 GMT
"Remember, Coyote ain't your bro". Something along those lines. But I wonder why people immediately think it's an act of evil. Ys goes berserk, then Coyote deletes his memory about the case. Undoing it. Maybe that's what keeps Ys (relatively) sane? Ys clearly doesn't like it, but come and think of it, medical interventions are rarely pleasant for the patient. Uh This is clearly the REASON for him being insane. And even if it's not (and I'm 100% positive it is), You can't expect someone to recognize their errors and learn from their mistakes if you deny them from remembering them. Discipline and self control are established by recollecting past errors and understanding where we have gone wrong before. This helps us remember where our way of behaving and/or thinking is flawed. Take away memories of our mistakes, and there is no way to learn from them, or to avoid repeating them. Coyote is in no way doing Ysengrin any favors. There is no evidence that the memory wipes are the reason for Ys going insane. They could just as well be retarding the already present insanity. I highly doubt Coyote is evil. Simply speaking, Coyote as a character is both too powerful and too smart to be evil. He has demonstrated levels of power that are actually God with a big G like (the fingerprint on the moon). Since he is a trickster, being very smart is an inherent trait. No equivalently powerful defense has been revealed on the Court side. Heck, the most powerful single artifact we have seen is Coyote's own tooth, given by him to Annie. If Coyote were truly the antagonist, this story would be over before it began.
|
|
Necropaxx
Full Member
The natural choice for a shoulder to cry on.
Posts: 135
|
Post by Necropaxx on Sept 14, 2012 20:04:06 GMT
I KNEW IT! (Coyote scares me in the real lifes now)
|
|
|
Post by Mitth'raw'nuruodo on Sept 14, 2012 20:36:31 GMT
There is no evidence that the memory wipes are the reason for Ys going insane. They could just as well be retarding the already present insanity. Highly improbable. Humans (being the only sapient beings that humans on Terra are aware of) learn through trial and effect, and through shared memories. Either of which requires knowledge of an ill repercussion in order to correct behavior. Please note: Coyote has not removed the memory of what caused the anger solely, as to allow Ysengrin to interact with Annie without prejudice, but the entire event. Therefore, not allowing his behavior to correct. Furtherance: His shape-change is highly significant. He has only recently shown his ability to be 'Dry Coyote' (bone-form) and this only seems to be displayed when he is acting at his Machiavellian best. I highly doubt Coyote is evil. Simply speaking, Coyote as a character is both too powerful and too smart to be evil. He has demonstrated levels of power that are actually God with a big G like (the fingerprint on the moon). Since he is a trickster, being very smart is an inherent trait. No equivalently powerful defense has been revealed on the Court side. Heck, the most powerful single artifact we have seen is Coyote's own tooth, given by him to Annie. He has promised to respect the Court's borders and to not intrude on the sovereignty of the Court. As such, he is not allowed to do as he wills. As such it is entirely plausible that he is 'Lawful-Evil', as the Lord Vader is and was, and cannot intervene as he desires. It is entirely plausible that he is raising up an insane Ysengrin who is ultimately loyal only to Coyote as an attempt to take over the Court. This could be seen as a ploy to gain power and control over the Court. As illustrated here: Coyote drives Ysengrin to a berserk rage -> Ysengrin asks for Coyote's powers to destroy Court -> Ysengrin succeeds -> Coyote wins Coyote drives Ysengrin to a berserk rage -> Ysengrin asks for Coyote's powers to destroy Court -> Ysengrin fails -> Court asks for Coyote to help them restore order -> Coyote wins Coyote drives Ysengrin to a berserk rage -> Ysengrin asks for Coyote's powers to destroy Court -> Ysengrin fails and Court is enraged at Forest -> Court attacks Forest -> Forest gangs up on Court behind Coyote -> Coyote wins If Coyote were truly the antagonist, this story would be over before it began. Remember, gods grow in strength. He might not have had the powers he does now when the Court was founded.
|
|
|
Post by lemarc on Sept 14, 2012 20:55:45 GMT
Also this may be an unpopular view but I think of Coyote's actions this chapter as being amoral, not immoral. I don't think that word means what you think it means, at least not in that context. An amoral act would be something like crossing the street. Stealing someone's memories and eating them is definitely something to which moral judgements can be applied, so it could be moral or immoral depending on your point of view, but not amoral. (It could be moral without being benevolent, for example.) If on the other hand you're suggesting that Coyote is amoral, I agree. I don't think he's necessarily outright malicious, he just seems to have no respect for the rights of others - he's probably too self-centred for the concept of morality to even occur to him.
|
|
|
Post by jasaebushae on Sept 14, 2012 21:04:00 GMT
Regarding the whole memory thing, something occurs to me. www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=373 Specifically mentioned how trouble cropped up when the original court people began questioning their surroundings. Annnnnd Coyote came to pick yggsegrins brain right after he started asking why he acted the way he did... So....maybe the forest just doesnt like development or something? and maybe the whole memory knappingness is just par for the course of a human coming to live in the forest? a bit of a long shot admittedly and a bit of a hairball theory but could be interesting to consider
|
|
|
Post by bluevitriol on Sept 14, 2012 21:21:01 GMT
So the stars that Coyote showed Annie look about the same as Ys memories... Not sure if that was on purpose or what to think about that. Stars can't be Coyote's collection of captive memories... Or maybe only some of them are. Maybe he's still placing stars. Edit: Grammar. I'm thinking in that instance Coyote was showing off his big god-like version of a Dream-Catcher... spooky if you think about it. Maybe he has memories from tons of people there, including Surma. What would Annie do if she got hold of her mom's memories... if Annie has her mothers energy, would the memories make Surma resurface as an alternate personality? Interesting.
|
|
myzelf
Junior Member
Posts: 83
|
Post by myzelf on Sept 14, 2012 21:58:46 GMT
Well, that's even worse than I expected.
|
|
|
Post by nero on Sept 14, 2012 22:02:43 GMT
I knew Coyote couldn't really be trusted but messing with Ysengrin this way was awful to see. I wonder if the reason Ysengrin went after Annie is because a similar situation happened before. It might be possible that the same thing had happened after telling someone the great secret because Coyote had warned Annie.
|
|
|
Post by imaginaryfriend on Sept 14, 2012 22:13:05 GMT
Also this may be an unpopular view but I think of Coyote's actions this chapter as being amoral, not immoral. I don't think that word means what you think it means, at least not in that context. An amoral act would be something like crossing the street. Stealing someone's memories and eating them is definitely something to which moral judgements can be applied, so it could be moral or immoral depending on your point of view, but not amoral. (It could be moral without being benevolent, for example.) If on the other hand you're suggesting that Coyote is amoral, I agree. I don't think he's necessarily outright malicious, he just seems to have no respect for the rights of others - he's probably too self-centred for the concept of morality to even occur to him. Yep I am indeed saying that the torment of Ysengrin by Coyote is as amoral an action as any carnivore eating its prey. Since Coyote's unlife apparently depends on his breaking down and defeating "real" beings human ideas of morality do not enter the picture except possibly as an obstacle or amusement. While it is natural for humans who read this chapter to empathize with Antimony and/or Ysengrin as much as they would feel sorry for baby seal eaten by an orca or a kitten snatched from its mother's den by a fox, I would argue that these actions are also amoral in nature... as amoral as a human crossing a street, all else held equal. While Coyote is intelligent and able to understand human points of view I agree that he probably just thinks human morality is funny, or part of the disease called human intellect, and he is not a moral agent. And that makes him a dangerous creature indeed. To Coyote I figure Ysengrin's suffering just affects the flavor and anything else is an abstract concept. Might as well try to explain to a shark how unchivalrous it is to attack a wounded fish. Heh. Fire-head girl, welcome to my forest. And yeah, I recognize this may be an unpopular position on the forum.
|
|
|
Post by GK Sierra on Sept 14, 2012 23:48:29 GMT
If there was anyone still arguing that poor Ysengrin is a headcase who just didn't want to admit to himself he attacked Annie, and that Coyote is any kind of benevolent character.... Coyote As People's Favourite Character, RIP: 2008-2012. Welcome to the world, Coyote As People's Most Hated Character! Born 14 September 2012. You can join Diego and Sir Young up there. Don't forget Tony.
|
|
|
Post by Dvandaemon on Sept 14, 2012 23:57:30 GMT
Sometimes this forum's speculation is even wilder than Gillitie Woods.
I think people are taking Coyote "eating" Ys' memory too literally. He did say he'll be holding it.
I'm more than sure Coyote was just as powerful at the founding of the Court as he is now. He's been around with the earliest humans after all.
|
|
|
Post by imaginaryfriend on Sept 15, 2012 1:41:24 GMT
I think people are taking Coyote "eating" Ys' memory too literally. He did say he'll be holding it. Well, he is holding it in his mouth. "Along with the others" that he must have taken earlier but I do not see in his mouth currently? And I am thinking the change in panel 6 to skeletal Coyote and back the next when it goes in his mouth is no accident. But eating or not eating is not the main issue here. I doubt Coyote absolutely needs to pull out memories and consume them himself to sustain himself; he doesn't describe himself as being born that way. I think as long as the "stories" go into the ether Coyote will stay Coyote as we currently know him. I'm betting that this way is more satisfying, though, and he probably could "return" the memories (or copies) without ill effect. And nobody has to die this way.
|
|
|
Post by aaroncampbell on Sept 15, 2012 1:43:46 GMT
And something I don't think I've seen brought up yet: we don't know what this does to Coyote. Does he suffer? There was a joke about indigestion, but imagine having to carry a friend's encapsulated memories of insanity, rage and violence. What would that do to you? Coyote =/= Friend of Ys' I seriously doubt he's doing this for anyone's benefit other than his own twisted desires. Sometimes evil is just evil. Hah. I think he was inferring that Coyote took the memory of Ys asking for this to be done. Yes, this is what I was putting forth as a possibility. To give a more recognizable parallel, consider a living will. Imagine an aging family member who has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. They tell you, "If I ever get to the point where I do X, please do Y to/for me, even if I object. I'm saying this because I am of sound enough mind now to make this decision, but I may not be then -- in fact, I must not be if I am doing X. Thank you very much; I trust you to take care of me when I am unable to take care of myself." I don't know if that's what actually happening in this case, but it might be. Just sayin'.
|
|
yhbc
Junior Member
Posts: 83
|
Post by yhbc on Sept 15, 2012 4:23:10 GMT
It kinda feels like (and I use this because it's a shining example of an abrupt shift, not because I'm arguing it's good writing) the end of the 4th Harry Potter book, where Cedric is killed and the entire tone changes. Hey. . . SPOILER ALERT, please!!! ;D
|
|
|
Post by Fhqwhgads on Sept 15, 2012 4:45:20 GMT
As soon as you begin tampering with people's memories, you are an unacceptable identity risk, and probably The Bad Guys. As other people have said, time to Pose as a Team, because s--- just got real. Also, I want Reynardine to find out. ooooh this this this. Everything you just said. That. *poses* *in a corner**alone*
|
|
|
Post by Serenissima on Sept 15, 2012 5:16:36 GMT
It kinda feels like (and I use this because it's a shining example of an abrupt shift, not because I'm arguing it's good writing) the end of the 4th Harry Potter book, where Cedric is killed and the entire tone changes. Hey. . . SPOILER ALERT, please!!! ;D It was his sled.
|
|
|
Post by bshanks on Sept 15, 2012 7:46:41 GMT
What i don't understand is: on this page it seems that Coyote actually cares that Annie is sad: www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=489 . And Jones tells us that he does not lie, and he seems to keep his word. So why would he be so cruel to Ysengrin? If he cares about Annie's sadness, why does not he not care that he tortures Ysengrin? If he cares about not lying and keeping promises, why would he not care about not altering people's minds without their consent? (not because these are both ethical rules, but because they seem to be a similar kind of ethical rule, deriving from an idea that people are independent and responsible for taking care of themselves, free even to enter into disadvantageous bargains with others; this kind of thinking seems to resonate with Coyote: he likes it when people do something stupid of their own free will (even though they were tricked); he likes people like Annie who disrespect power, and dislikes people like Ysengrin who respect it; he thought Reynard deserved what he got when he was captured because "he was a fool, blinded by love. It was his own fault!"). If a god comes along who alters people's minds, and then they do something stupid, it can't be said to be their own fault anymore; it's as if you programmed them like you might program a computer (it might still be funny to Coyote, though; maybe if you gave him one of those wind up toys that walked, he'd spend hours laughing as he wound it up then watched it walk into a tree and fall over; i suppose if he were sufficiently intelligent then tricking humans would seem similar to this, but he doesn't seem to be more intelligent than a clever human (pls don't tell him i said that though )). Some theories are: (a) he plays favorites. He actually cares about Annie and Reynard, but not about Ysengrin. (b) He cares about what's funny (to him). A child crying about her dead mother is too sad to be funny, but making someone crazy by eating their memories is. The idea of a god who is evil and powerful but who, for no apparent reason, is courteous and never lies, is funny. (c) (the ethereal tenet answer) There's no reason, it's just his nature. He doesn't like making people sad, and he doesn't lie, but he likes altering people's minds against their will; that's just the way he's wired. (d) He's inconsistent. As he once said in www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=490 , he liked it when "powerful dog creatures rained misery and joy on the humans". Sometimes he'd find it funny to make a little girl cry by reminding her of her dead mother, and there are other times when that would make him sad. There are some rules (like lying) that he cares about, and others (like not altering people's minds without their consent) that he does not care about. He's an animal, not a human, his actions depend on his mood, not his "moral fiber" or goals for the world or system of ethics. (e) He does dislike making others sad, which is why he's removing the memory. He'd do the same to himself (in fact, he probably has messed with his own mind, he's not exactly sane). When he thinks he has a solution to a problem (something making you sad? alter your mind so it doesn't!), he doesn't really care if others think it's "crazy" or "unethical"; Ysengrin's protests bother Coyote a little but Coyote knows they'll stop once the 'operation' is completed (f) He actually does have a special love for humans, as he claims in www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=1069 . Out of these alternatives, I lean towards (b), but none of them seem particularly satisfactory. Regarding (b)'s unsatisfactoriness, Coyote does seem to have drives besides humor, after all he tried to give his powers to Reynard, and he likes others to talk about how great he is. Sure, his most notable aspect is his twisted sense of humor, but it seems that there's more to him that that; he's more complex than just the embodiment of the idea of Trickster taken to the logical extreme. I suppose "a little of all of these, mixed together" might suffice. Any other ideas? Btw for me Coyote's voice is Mr. Burns from the Simpsons.
|
|
|
Post by lemarc on Sept 15, 2012 9:07:37 GMT
Yep I am indeed saying that the torment of Ysengrin by Coyote is as amoral an action as any carnivore eating its prey. Since Coyote's unlife apparently depends on his breaking down and defeating "real" beings human ideas of morality do not enter the picture except possibly as an obstacle or amusement. While it is natural for humans who read this chapter to empathize with Antimony and/or Ysengrin as much as they would feel sorry for baby seal eaten by an orca or a kitten snatched from its mother's den by a fox, I would argue that these actions are also amoral in nature... as amoral as a human crossing a street, all else held equal. While Coyote is intelligent and able to understand human points of view I agree that he probably just thinks human morality is funny, or part of the disease called human intellect, and he is not a moral agent. And that makes him a dangerous creature indeed. To Coyote I figure Ysengrin's suffering just affects the flavor and anything else is an abstract concept. Might as well try to explain to a shark how unchivalrous it is to attack a wounded fish. When an amoral person (a.k.a. a psychopath) commits an action, that doesn't make the action amoral simply by virtue of the perpetrator having no sense of morality. Whether the action is moral is a subjective judgement made by each observer as to whether the act conforms or conflicts with their, the observer's, moral code. If you're saying Coyote's behaviour this chaptor is amoral, what you're is saying we should neither condone nor condemn his actions, and if I follow your reasoning correctly you're saying we should do this because he's a psychopath. Is that right, or am I misrepresenting you?
|
|
|
Post by imaginaryfriend on Sept 15, 2012 11:53:04 GMT
I believe it has been formspring'd that Coyote just didn't want a sad girl hanging around. If you're saying Coyote's behaviour this chaptor is amoral, what you're is saying we should neither condone nor condemn his actions, and if I follow your reasoning correctly you're saying we should do this because he's a psychopath. Is that right, or am I misrepresenting you? You are correct in that I am saying that Coyote's actions in this and any other chapter are removed from moral judgment but not because Coyote is a psychopath. While Coyote is intelligent and understands human concepts such as morality, I believe Coyote's motives stem only from feeding and/or his predictions about the result being interesting or not. He is sophisticated in the means by which he achieves those ends and that leads to confusion. When he wants to he can fake emotions like a sociopath does though he is not a sociopath. Additionally I theorize that Coyote's real nature is that of an overlay of personality and memories on top of a flow of ether, somewhat similar to the way the guides die or change but people will always flow back to the ether. Analyzing Coyote using human psychology or philosophy is a GIGO situation. Though his intelligence makes it tricky, it is far better to think of him as an animal. If I am correct about his real nature it might be more useful to think of him as a weather front, always moving towards areas of interest... though game theory is absolutely in play, he is adaptive to others' expected responses and has many thousands of years experience with humans to draw on.
|
|