Supplemental Episode 004: Yuan Shao and Yu Rang
We bid goodbye to the once-mighty warlord of the North and delve into the story of a determined assassin.
We bid goodbye to the once-mighty warlord of the North and delve into the story of a determined assassin.
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Yuan Shao
Yu Rang
I find the notion of loyalty to a good master to be … oddly touching, when I think about it. In particular, given the emphasis in Chinese culture on modesty about one’s talents, it would be really validating to have a superior who appreciates your abilities.
American culture has this big emphasis on knowing your own worth and finding your own opportunities. That’s particularly true for men; for women it’s more complicated (as evidenced by the occasional guy who feels the need to tell me that he just can’t stand the way Hillary Clinton seems to think she ‘deserves’ to be president).
One of my favourite fictional characters right now is Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The way she always wants the approval of authority is played for laughs, but they still give her a lot of sympathy. She means a lot to me, because I can see myself in her flaws. So I guess what I’m saying, in a round-about way, is, yeah, a boss who recognizes your abilities and gives you the opportunity to be as good as you can be is a rare and wonderful thing.
I wouldn’t actually kill to avenge one, mind you. But I think I sort of understand the sentiment.