Friday, April 24, 2015

Positively Sinful

There are seven villains, and they reveal themselves without revealing.

They have many appearances, and even if two people are standing right next to each other, they may see them differently. There are almost no attributes they always share.

One appears with a haughty look--they make you feel less than, and are often called Pride, but if asked would name themself after what they inspire: Envy.

Pride is constantly whispering how you are so great, so much better than anyone else, and often is mistaken for Lust. A pretty woman whispering pretty words in your oh-so-pretty ear; though they are just as easily the fan who would defend you to the death.

Gluttony and Greed usually come together. They like how often people lose track of who is which, how often everyone will assume their twins, how often there's no difference between how one inspires wasteful consumption and how one inspires thoughtless consumption.

Sloth is mistaken for many things--Lust, or Pride. Simply, they do a job just well enough that it might go unnoticed, for a time, if one chose to do nothing. They rarely encourage skipping a thing completely, at least not at first. They'll just present themself as a distraction.

Wrath may not be seen as themself, but they are never mistaken for another Sin. They are too loud, or too shrill, too thoughtless, too small, too good at what they do, too much...or sometimes, simply, angry. Wrath inspires wrath even more easily than Greed inspires gluttony.

Lust is gorgeous. You deserve gorgeous things.

And then, there's... They're not the Virtues, quite. But they are nearly that.

Rivalry makes you want to be as good as they are, and they help you find your way there. They're a helping hand, too--it's no fun competing against someone who can't get up.

I couldn't say how Esteem looks to you, but she comes to me with rainbow ribbons in her kinky hair, and dating tips pouring out of her mouth or a fist raised in the air. I see her with her capital-v Virtue, more often than not--Humility, shy but stronger in Esteem's presence, fiddling with a rainbow ring on her finger, hair braided tight against her head. Holding Esteem's hand, when Esteem can give her the courage.

Use knows how things connect together. They tend to roll their eyes at people who make things up based on bad understandings of economics and the phrase "perfectly rational agents". Ambition has the quickest eyes you'll ever see, taking everything in and spitting out connections, and will point out to Use that starting simple can give you more intelligence in the long run.

Rest is all easy smiles an quiet jokes that make you laugh hard enough to surprise yourself, soft sweaters and quilts and good hugs.

Justice is...Justice often walks by Lust, Wrath and Pride. It's not that they bring each other along, it's just that the same events call all of them. When Justice wants to fight, really fight, they'll call for Kindness and Rivalry, and that trio sings songs the world has never heard before, every time.
© 2009-2013 Taylor Hobart