The Great Zalanthian Spitwad

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

Hi. I've heard some mixed messages about spitting.

If you spit on some one, is it a sign of:
-Disrespect?
-Respect?
-Love?
-A challenge?
-An insult?
-Considered a sign that the spitter is an indentured servant to the spittee?
-A sign that you're a newb that doesn't realize how precious the gift of saliva is?

I'd like a final say on it, regarding city-states or whatnot. I'm sure those screwy tribals have rituals in which they stand around and spit on a painted scrab-shell... But in short, I'd like to know is it more appropriate to spit on the 'rinther you despise, the Templar you fear, the woman you love, or is spitting considered a foolish thing on Zalanthas, kind of like throwing dollar bills out the window here?

[Xygax]

Different cultures on Zalanthas treat spitting differently.  There are most certainly cultures that interpret spitting as a respectful or friendly giving of moisture.  Others might think it was a personal affront.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

On average though, is insulting, complimentary, or just weird? Use Allanak as an example, if you can...

[Xygax]

I would think in a comparatively water-wealthy culture (Allanak is, compared to a desert tribe, and Tuluk moreso, compared to Allanak), that spitting on people would generally be considered insulting.  Especially green loogies!!  But I'm just guessing.

--X

[Shy One]

My character recently witnessed a scen where spitting occurred.

It baffled another person so much that they actually asked. From the reply it was reduced that in this case it was a gesture of respect. The person accepted that, but was still wondering if it was proper to do that indoors.

[Boggis]

If you look at RL desert societies spitting on somebody is by and large considered a fairly base insult. It's just not pleasant in fairness. I can't see it really being a sign of respect on Zalanthas. It's hard to feel thankful wiping a big, fat green gozzy off your face I'd say.

The pudgy, honey-haired templar shouts, his voice ringing out over the cheering crowd of grubby peasants as he gestures to the tall, muscular man, "Oh people of Allanak. Our mighty general has just won a famous victory. Shower him with your respect!"

The tall, muscular man thinks, his face suddenly turning downcast, "Bollocks".

Or...

The busty, yet very slim woman asks, as she turns over on the bed to face the lusty, well-endowed man, "But will you respect me in the morning?"  

The lusty, well-endowed man thinks, a bit shit-eating grin on his face, "Oh yeah, baby".

[Carnage]

You people have obviously never seen Ace Ventura 2.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

Yes. Well, I ask not because of Ace Ventura 2, but because of some one's vague comment on the discussion board of old...

Anyways, some one said that in Darksun or something, spitting was considered a sign of respect of friendship, because you're willing to 'use your water on them', or something. I read this shortly after spitting on an elf in game... And I was curious as to whether or not it was good RP.

I could see spitting as a way of flaunting your wealth. You know, 'Oh, look at me, I have so much water in my private well that I can hauck luggies all day without worrying about dehydration'. *Shrug* Just thought I'd ask...

[Kyleite]

I dunno... Maybe you should try spitting on someone, like a noble of allanak, or someone improtant, then see what they do, it wight suprise you. Wait for me to be around when you do it though.

Just jokin' anyway, I think that it is just plain stupid... There is hardly enough water in your body, due to the fact we live in a freaking desert, and secondly, When you do it on someone that you hate, it would be like giving them free water, and if I remember correctly, "THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES ON ZALANTHAS" so, you would  be giving something away for free, that's stupid, especially to someone you hate.

Now, as for doing it to someone you love...

You spit on the Young Red haired lady

You say to the Young red haired lady: "You look all pretty today"

You think:
"especially with all that green crap that I just spread on your nice dress"
============================================================================

Ya, I'm kinda intrested in that myself, but I would say, over all that I have already said.....
GO, TRY, THEN THINK. Now that may sound kinda stupid, but it works. I don't know what your parents tought you when you were little about how you should think about the consiquences before doing something, but this really works.
Go try out spitting on a noble, I would suggest one that you hate, because you don't know what will happen, maybe one of the Fales, then, If they like it, it will become really popular, if not, then run as fast as you can to tuluk where you are safe from all the people in Allanak.

-Kyleite

P.S. Write down what happens back here, so we can either laugh ourselfs silly, or nod our heads saying hmmmm alot, maybe give the log to the staff and have them laugh too.

I don't know if all spitting gestures would involve spitting -on- someone. When you wave to someone, you don't walk up and slap them in the face, you address them with your wave, you can address someone with your spit. It could be spitting at your feet, spitting off to the side, or maybe just spitting upwards and letting it land on your head, I don't reall know, but I would imagine any respectful gesture would not be spitting on the person.

[JollyGreenGiant]

If I had to make a comparison, I'd be most likely to view spitting as being similar to the Fremen attitude towards it in Dune.

[Rindan]

I think that it would depend on the way it is done and the location you are in.  In the cities where water is (relatively) plentiful, I imagine it would be insulting, especially if you actually hit the person in question.  Out in the desert or more desert oriented cultures like Red Storm, I imagine that spitting might be considered more of a sign of respect, depending upon the way it is done.  I think if you just spit a wad of green snot at someone it is going to be an insult anywhere.  However, I think that if you were to gather up a little bit of clean spit of pure water (not your mucus) and spit it off to the side while saying something like, "I respect you, have my water", then I imagine it would be a compliment to most people.

[creeper386]

I'm going to have to say it's not really considered an insulting gesture. Now, it might be considered disrespectful to hawk up a loogy on some guy... And they guy might be insulted, but I think on a whole, most Zalanthans wouldn't even CONSIDER spitting on people as something to do when angry at them.

I think alot of real world societies are something clear on this. Some things are just not done, not because they are considered bad or anything, but because they aren't concieved by the society. I don't think spitting on someone would really catch on in Zalanthas. Now if you accidently spit on someone because you drank something bad, that'd probably not make them happy.

Now, I can see spitting off to the side, as being a grandly respectful greeting, in some Zalanthan culturals, but I don't imagine going around and spitting on people is grandly common.

So and so spits on you.

You say, "WTF are you doing? You just got phlegm on my new silk shirt you, bastard child of a half-elven wench and a gortok!"

I don't think there is any underlying things that would make spitting on someone worse. It wouldn't be considered as something commonly done as an insult. Like flipping someone off on Earth wouldn't be taken as an insult in different cultures.


Creeper

[Tmp]

Just a couple of thoughts on this whole spitting thing (disclaimer: I'm pretty much a noob)-

The whole Fremen spitting at people means showing at respect thing is a fairly unique custom due to the way they conserved water. Theirs was the concept of recycling, due to their lovable stilt-suit technology and as such, spitting on a person direct impacts the amount of total water you have to recycle.

Sure, water is precious on Zalanthas, but it isn't precious in the Arrakis-Fremen recycling-conservation way, so I doubt spitting would be regarded as a sign of respect.

When you're traveling out in the harsh Zalanthas desert I doubt you'd want to or be able to spit on anybody anyway ... and if you spit on somebody in a civilized area, it'll just cost you money to refil your water bottle you know. It's not like after you spit ... you can refil less of your water bottle, eg.

[spawnloser]

To avoid going too IC, there is a group of people on Zalanthas that DO spit in greetings to show respect.

[witchman]

spitting a sign of respect?
i think not.

the argument presented is that spitting is "giving free water" so it's sign of repect.

this is flawed in the following ways:

1. if the above statement is true, how much more respectful would it be to give a gift of a bucket of spit you've been working on all month?

2. saliva is not water, it is body fluid.  most cultures have rules that regulate how body fluids get transmitted - it protects the society from disease.

3. if giving body fluid is respectful, why not just take a piss in a cup and hand it to the noble?  

We have to make a distinction here between drinkable water and everything else.  If "giving free water" is a sign of respect - could you give someone sewage or poisoned water?  No.  

Therefore, DRINKABLE water is a sign of respect.

[flurry]

It's symbolic - you're not literally providing water in a useful way.

And yes, there are at least tribal Zalanthans for whom spitting is a display of respect.