Random Thought of the Day: Misbehavior is the offspring of the negative interrogative

Doesn't that just sound peculiar?

And so the dilemma begins. Either you agree with me that the above heading sounds peculiar, or you don't. A seemingly innocuous situation, but one which can lead to, admittedly unfounded yet entirely plausible, conclusions. Couldn't it be that our responses to such questions are less about how we truly react to the topic than as to how we react to the manner in which it's asked?

See, I did it again. The manner being presented here is one that almost begs compliance, as if there could be no other alternative. It verily challenges the listener to disagree with the speaker, and it never fails in breeding a sense of conformity. To agree is to instantly be on the same wave length as the speaker, while to disagree only serves to draw a deeper line in the sand. Either you're in or you're out.

Here are some contextual scenarios to help bring this into focus.

How might Cain have behaved if Eve hadn't posed the question this way…?
"Lo, now, dearest Cain, can't thee at least consider pig farming or keeping a pheasantry as a suitable pastime?"

Or one of his many lovers to Alexander the Great…
"Dearest Lex, can't we just settle down somewhere and adopt ourselves a nice little brood of rugrats?"

Or Anne Boleyn to Henry VII?
"Come now, dear, won't you reconsider?"

Or one of his many advisors to Napoleon…
"Pardon my liege, but shouldn't we postpone the advance into Russia until after winter breaks?"

Or one of his many advisors to Hitler…
"Pardon mein führer, but shouldn't we postpone the blitzkrieg into Russia until after winter breaks?"

[Updated July 2018]
Or a common Trump supporter commenting on Trump's words after the Helsinki summit with Putin…
"Wouldn't he have meant what he said after he corrected what he said from that time when he said that one thing?"

But this sort of distinction is detected less in writing than it is in actual speech. The same thing exists in Japanese dialogue with the use of the interrogative tag marker pronounced, "…ne?" In Japanese, the negation's sense of uniform conformity of ideas is more implied and conversational than hard and demanding, but the way in which it's emphasized can really have an effect on the listener. Perhaps it's not the negative interrogative so much as it is the emphasis placed on certain words when speaking in a such a manner. Read the following lines aloud, placing stress on the italics, and observe.

Don't you think a glass of arsenic is good for building strong bones?

Haven't you ever played dodge-the-automobile before?

Don't these jeans make me look porcine?

In every case the danger is obvious. Even if you replaced certain key words with the more standard "milk," "football," or "fat" (in the latter case, gentlemen, the danger is two-fold), you get the same result. Where do you stand? Are you someone with whom the questioner would care to hang out with, or sooner leave dead in the gutter? There's also that tendency when someone tells us what or what not to do, we do the exact opposite. Subversively divisive and pricking us right at our prideful centers, these linguistic devices are gateways into misbehavior, and closely related to that most fiendish of argumentative styles: devil's advocate.

Don't believe me. Why don't you go find out for yourself? (I already know you won't.)

The Man In The Hat

Recent movie viewing has prompted me to dust off this, my d20 rendition of the greatest film character of all time.

Dr. HENRY WALTON "INDIANA" JONES, JR., PhD 

(circa Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1936)

Male Human Legendary Strong Hero 2/Smart Hero 3/Dedicated Hero 2/Soldier 2/Relic Seeker* 6; CR 15;  LA +1

Medium Humanoid (height 6' 1", weight 176 lb.); Age 36
* See the Blood & Relics d20 compatible compendium

Init +6; Senses (core) Listen +8, Search +13, Spot +10; Senses (house) Listen/Spot +13, Search + 17
Languages Arabic (speak only), English, French (speak only), German (speak only), Greek (speak only), Hindi (speak only), Latin (read/write only), Mandarin (speak only), Russian (speak only), Sign, Spanish (speak only), Swahili (speak only), Turkish (speak only), Vietnamese (speak only)

Defense (core) 23, touch 22, flat-footed 23; Defense (house) 23, touch 14, flat-footed 23; Dodge (+2 Dex, +10 class, +1 equip)
hp 103 (15 HD); Mas 18
Fort +11 (+15 vs hot/cold environments, suffocation/drowning), Ref +10, Will +10
Action Points 10

Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +13/+8 (1d6+4 nonlethal, 20) or
Melee by weapon +11/+6
Ranged bullwhip +12/+7 (1d2+2, 20, 15 ft.) or
Ranged S&W pistol +11/+6 (2d6 ballistic, 20, 50 ft., 6 cyl.) or
Ranged Browning pistol +11/+6 (2d6 ballistic, 20, 30 ft., 13 box) or
Ranged by weapon +11/+6
Space 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +9; Grp +12
Atk Options Knockout Punch, Point Blank Shot, Streetfighting
Special Qualities legend traits (3)

Abilities Str 14 (13), Dex 14 (13), Con 15, Int 16, Wis 16 (15), Cha 14

'(-)' indicate original ability scores.
Allegiances good, "fortune and glory," antiquities, law, Marshall College; Rep +9; San 80
Feats Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Brawl, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Educated (Knowledge [arcane lore, history]), Endurance, Heroic Surge**, Improved Damage Threshold**, Improved Initiative**, Knockout Punch, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Renown, Sidekick (Leader score: 25+; from Past), Simple Weapons Proficiency, Streetfighting, Studious

** Bonus feats acquired from the Legend template.
Flaws Ophidiophobia (Indy's fear of snakes imposes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, checks, and saves so long as any live snake remains knowingly close to him. Every minute, he must succeed on a Will save DC 20 to remain near or move toward a live snake that is within 30 feet of him. Failure means he must stay outside that range. If he is unable to stay outside the range, he suffers the cowering condition (no actions, loses Dex mod and -2 to Defense, lasts 10 rounds). Should he fail the Will save by 5+, he suffers the cowering condition. If he succeeds on the Will save by 10+, he may physically interact with any live snake for one round.)—Bonus feat selected: Streetfighting
Skills (core) Balance +7, Bluff +8, Climb +9, Decipher Script +12, Demolitions +5, Disable Device +8, Disguise +6, Drive +5, Escape Artist +7, Gather Information +6, Hide +8, Investigate +7, Jump +8, Knowledge (arcane lore) +14, Knowledge (art) +9, Knowledge (earth and life sciences) +9, Knowledge (history) +18, Knowledge (streetwise) +7, Knowledge (theology and philosophy) +8, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Navigate +6, Profession (teacher) +5, Read/Write English, Read/Write Latin, Read/Write Sign, Repair +4, Research +12, Ride +8, Search +13, Speak Arabic, Speak English, Speak French, Speak German, Speak Greek, Speak Hindi, Speak Mandarin, Speak Russian, Speak Spanish, Speak Swahili, Speak Turkish, Speak Vietnamese, Spot +10, Survival +7, Swim +7 (+4 to avoid becoming fatigued), Treat Injury +4, Tumble +7
Skills (house) Athletics +14 (+4 on Swim to avoid becoming fatigued), Control +8, Deduce +17 (+2 on Decipher Script), Demolitions +5, Disable Device +10, Disguise +6, Drive +5, Escape Artist +8, Gather Information +6, Knowledge (arcane lore) +15, Knowledge (art) +9, Knowledge (current events) +6, Knowledge (earth and life sciences) +9, Knowledge (history) +18, Knowledge (streetwise) +8, Knowledge (tactics) +7, Knowledge (theology and philosophy) +8, Navigate +8, Perceive +13, Persuade +8, Profession (teacher) +5, Read/Write English, Read/Write Latin, Read/Write Sign, Repair +5, Research +13, Ride +9, Sneak +13, Speak Arabic, Speak English, Speak French, Speak German, Speak Greek, Speak Hindi, Speak Mandarin, Speak Russian, Speak Spanish, Speak Swahili, Speak Turkish, Speak Vietnamese, Survival +8, Treat Injury +5, Tumble +7

Talents (Strong Hero) Extreme Effort
Talents (Smart Hero) Linguist, Savant (Knowledge [arcane lore])
Talents (Dedicated Hero) Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [history])
Talents (Soldier) Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Weapon Specialization (unarmed strike)
Talents (Relic Seeker) Evasion, Improvised Tools, Improvised Weapons, Uncanny Dodge 1 & 2
Starting Occupation Adventurer (Bluff, Move Silently as permanent class skills; Brawl)
Wealth Bonus +11
Possessions (total weight 17.5 lb.) brown felt fedora (“Indy’s hat” behaves as a minor FX item radiating a low abjuration aura; when worn the hat provides a +1 bonus on all saves and a +1 to all action point results), mastercraft bullwhip (+2 on opposed disarm attempt, maximum range 15 ft.; 2 lb.), brown leather jacket (4 lb.), Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector II (3 lb.), Browning HP 9 mm parabellum (2 lb.), hip holster (1 lb.), casual outfit (collared shirt & khakis w/hiking boots; 3.5 lb.), satchel (as standard range pack; 2 lb.), cigarette lighter, Swiss Army knife, compass, pocket journal, various personal items

"Trust me." —Indy