Random Idea #59: "A Life That Burns Brightly ..."

"...also tends to burn quickly."
A quote I read in a few stories.

A knee jerk reaction that I also often have is "Fuck your shit I'mma cyber them up."

Comments

[Lord Of Dorkness]

Ehh, I've seen it work once or twice.

That one replicant in Bladerunner, for instance. There's some real horrible and subtle implications in how the head of the megacorp basically verbally pats himself on the back for how well his company managed to overclock a soldier model, caring not one iota for the dying man that android has grown into pleading for more life.

As a stock Aesop, though? Yeah, mega annoying bullshit by the type of writer that's been living of daddy's bank-account since they were fourteen, and think back-breaking labor is making their own latte in the morning.

So, yeah, definitely one of those 'works only in the right hands' type bits of writing.

[AppleTank]

4818940
The quote I saw it used was in reference to those naturally born that way. Characters who seem to be geniuses, accomplishing feats left and right until they suddenly drop dead when they're 20.

There was a character in Ender's Game who was extremely smart but also never stopped growing until I think he needed to float in 0G otherwise his heart would fail. There's this Jursassic fic where there was a offhand quote that the dino in focus were unlikely to live very long.

There's also the occasional pony fic where unicorns live a lot longer than earth ponies (though personally I think it should be the opposite) and I go "haha no you're going to live a long life with your friends, eat shit, biology"

[Lord Of Dorkness]

4819082

The quote I saw it used was in reference to those naturally born that way. Characters who seem to be geniuses, accomplishing feats left and right until they suddenly drop dead when they're 20.

There was a character in Ender's Game who was extremely smart but also never stopped growing until I think he needed to float in 0G otherwise his heart would fail. There's this Jursassic fic where there was a offhand quote that the dino in focus were unlikely to live very long.

Yeah, I'd definitely consider those two rather dull old chestnuts, honestly. The prodigy that burns out in their twenties is sadly something of a truth in real life, but it's hardly that dramatic most of the time. The sky-high expectations that they'll cure cancer while playing the violin and performing opera, or whatever, just burns them out.

There's also the occasional pony fic where unicorns live a lot longer than earth ponies (though personally I think it should be the opposite) and I go "haha no you're going to live a long life with your friends, eat shit, biology"

Honestly, I have a hard time imagining a natural horse life-span for creatures with so much magic as ponies, be they unicorns, pegasi or earth ponies.

I know that was in the original intent slash in the original show bible, but given how even Granny Smith hasn't really gained a single new wrinkle or the CMC haven't grown an inch in seven seasons it rings rather hollow.

Heck, if nothing else, these equines have medical care, education and personal hygiene. That's bound to add a decade or two alone, not even counting magic.

[AppleTank]

4819137
I think the CMC have actually gotten taller. its not much, but noticable in comparison pictures next to adults.

Also Granny Smith is clearly a lich.