You people are gonna give me ulcers...

At 07:13 AM 2/25/98 -0600, Richard Lawson wrote:

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the 'act' thing, I was
already using my remaining brainpower to formulate
some psychological theories when I started on my
last message :P  Although considering the fact that
Ranma went home crying, maybe it meant more to her
than an act, eh?

Exactly my impression.  Plus the fact that Kodachi had the bejeezus scared
out of her gave the unmistakable impression:  Male is Evil.  Ranma
believes it, Kodachi believes it.  It didn't come across as an "act" at
all.  It came across as Ranma's true feelings on the subject, finding
expression in her anger towards Kodachi, and I didn't like that.  I don't
think Ranma would ever feel that way.

But again, my opinion only.  Personally, I've always hated "Men are Evil"
or "Women are Evil" attitudes, which perhaps explains why this chapter
made me feel so uncomfortable.

Okay.  

Richard, you're assuming an all-or-nothing viewpoint here, that if Ranma
didn't mean her words, that the emotions behind them would have no effect.
You're assuming that since Ranma's words have a strong effect on her, the
words must therefore be true.  

Truth?

1. Ranma's words are an act.  That much is made clear by comparing it to
what she previously told Kunou.  

2. Ranma's emotions are NOT an act.  She has a lot of frustration over the
past year's events, in paricular the pain and humiliation of losing her
masculinity and the anger at her fiancees' treatment of her.  This has
remained largely unreleased, especially the anger at her fiancees and her
humiliation at losing her manhood.  

Any release of emotions like that would be a traumatic experience.  No
offense, but within each of us are some emotions which would terrify us if
they were released.  Ranma releases hers and, once she's allowed to put the
emotions away, does something normal for the situation: she runs away to a
safer place.  

As for the effect the words had on Kodachi... remember that Kodachi
considers herself a proper Japanese woman.  She would find the idea of
changing into a man repulsive, as it would effectively destroy who she is
(much as the Jusenkyo springs effectively destroyed the 'old' Ranma).  She
would cease to be who she was, and the very idea of that would send her
running.  

-Richard

-- Nick