From nv91-asa@nada.kth.se Thu Oct 28 05:51:45 1996 Status: RO X-Status: D Path: news.kth.se!eru.mt.luth.se!news-stkh.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!news-peer.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!news.sprintlink.net!news-peer.sprintlink.net!howland.erols.net!agate!not-for-mail From: erikred@soda.CSUA.Berkeley.EDU (Erik Nielsen) Newsgroups: alt.games.whitewolf Subject: Re: A Motivational Seminar for Mages Date: 28 Oct 1996 05:51:45 -0800 Organization: UC Berkeley Computer Science Undergraduate Organization Lines: 90 Message-ID: <552dph$sid@soda.CSUA.Berkeley.EDU> References: <54r4qt$bfs@news.ccit.arizona.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: soda.csua.berkeley.edu Keywords: and it was this or an evangelical speech CATALOG: LEC/25501-32-666N Not Doissetep July 14, 1996 Speaker: Unknown Subject: Rebuttal Hello, friends. Can I call you friends? I'd like that. I'd like that very much. You may be asking yourself, "Now, why does this guy want to call me 'friend'? We've never met before." But you see, that's where you're wrong. You've met me before, or someone like me. That's because I'm a winner, friend. I used to be meek and mild. I used to care what other people thought about me. I went to the office Monday through Friday, nine to five. I went to Church on Sundays. I even collected stamps. I was a pretty dull fellow. But one day a woman came up to me just like I'm coming up to you. And that woman said, "Hello, friend," just like I did to you. And do you know what else she told me, friends? She told me the Truth. Now I'm not talking about a small "t" truth here; I'm talking about a capital "T," eternal verity, Truth. She said, "Friend, what are you doing with your life? Are you happy? Are you fulfilled?" And I had to answer no, I was not happy. I was not fulfilled. She asked me, "Do you feel like you are doing something worthwhile with your life?" And I looked long and hard at my life, at my wife and two boys, at my job at the bank, at fifty-two Sundays of every year spent at Church, listening to some guy talking about how the meek inherit the Earth and how we're all supposed to turn the other cheek, and I answered, "No. No, I do not feel like I am doing something worthwhile with my life." And then do you know what she did? I'll tell you what that kind, wonderful woman did. She leaned in real close, and then, when I was listening with all my heart, waiting with all my soul for her words, she slapped me. That's right. She hit me dead on the side of the face. And she said, "Does that make you angry? Does that make you mad?" And believe me friends, I was plenty sore, but I still was not a violent man; I was still meek and mild, a lamb walking in the lions' den. So she slapped me again and again. "Does that make you angry, you worm? Does that make you mad, you loser?" And then I snapped, and I hit back, and do you know what friends? Do you know what I found out when I finally let go? It. Felt. Good. Now I know you don't want to believe me here, friends. I know you're thinking, "I could never do that." But you're wrong, friends. You do have that strength, believe me. All your life, since kindergarten, They've been telling you lies. Share your toys. Be a good boy. Don't hurt the weak. Do as you're told. But you're wearing chains, friends. Chains They fastened to your neck a long time ago. Chains you didn't even know you had. You know the enemy's name, friends. The Technocracy. Who succeeds in this world, friends? Who gets the best jobs? The most money? The beautiful sex partners? The ruthless. The callous. The Strong. Do you think Rupert Murdoch ever said, "That's all right, you go ahead, you deserve it more than I do"? Do you think Bill Gates ever told his competitors, "There's plenty of this money to go around, why don't you have some, too"? Do you think Ronald Reagan ever said, "I'm sorry"? No, no, and no. They knew what they wanted, and they got it. They focused on their goals, and they achieved them. And they didn't give a damn who got in the way. Now some of you are probably thinking, "This is immoral and unethical." That's the sheep in you thinking. That's the fear talking. Be stronger than that, friends. The enemy wants you to believe that we're the enemy, but that's just another set of chains. We're here to help you, friends. Do you know what? We even want you to join us. All you have to do is throw off their chains. Stand free. Stop serving your Technocratic Masters and start serving yourself. Our Lords of Light need your help to overthrow the Technocratic slavery that's ruined so many Tradition mages. Come and stand with us, friends. Stand tall. Stand proud. Come over to us through the Caul. ====End==== Erik "Not my beliefs, mind you, but for every action...." Nielsen -- "To sleep perchance to dream, Ay, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death, what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause...." The Bard, waxing poetic...