See Hyperborea.
War Of The Gods, IX.A storm delays the Viking fleet but teaches Hadding sea skills - as if to speed his success. He learns fast - unsurprising given who he is. We realize this but the chieftain, Lysir Eyvindson, spells it out anyhow:
"'It's as though you recall what you were born knowing but had forgotten...and as if our woes came on us for you to do so.'" (p. 67)
Some people learn so quickly that it is as if they recall what they had previously known. Reincarnation? Platonic pre-existence? Or just the fact that human psychophysical organisms have been naturally selected to internalize social inputs, learn language and develop practical skills, with some brains learning more efficiently than others?
It is as if I have always known that social values should be questioned whereas, for some others, it is as if they have always known that such values should be fully accepted. Society will progress - or, alternatively, regress - through contradictions.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I choose to pick what you said in your third paragraph: some people really are simply more able and quicker to learn than others. No need for mysticism about reincarnation or Platonic pre-existence (meaning archetypes?).
Ad astra! Sean
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