I'm sorry if I sound irrational, but I have to express myself...

[byronius]

37. None of us have seen anything like this during our lifetimes.

Shock. Dismay. Loud sounds. Threats! Then nothing.

Think of prehuman tribal behavior -- lots of kabuki, not so much killing. Apparently nature rewards spectacle but not so much the act of violence, especially within a basic tribal unit. In our case it's a massive tribal unit, at least in theory -- and just like with the small tribe it all comes down to the combined emotional makeup and behavior of individual members, the sounds they make, the choices they make.

Every once in awhile a guy comes along who has an ability to do the kabuki better than anyone. He can stomp and shout, churn and burn, glower and take power beyond all other members of his tribe. Many submit to his kabuki -- it's just too impressive, too loud -- and over time, they become mildly programmed to hear his voice above all others.

And if that guy is a ultra-narcisisstic child-raping bloodthirsty beast, well -- the programmed just hear the voice, and see the stomping and churning.

But when that comes crashing down as rotted human structures often do, the survivors tend to mark that particular guy's type of kabuki as fricking dangerous and we gotta never do that. Mostly. A small percentage always loves bad kabuki, it's just genetic.

So they live long and prosper. But a couple of generations down the line everyone living has never seen such a thing and would never believe it could happen to them -- they are the futuristics, after all -- and when it does everyone steps back and displays shock and dismay, then loud sounds and threats. And if that doesn't work -- well, it happens all over again but in a different way.

Humans! Gotta love that million-year old subroutine stuff. If you don't read enough, you're doomed to repeat it.