I’ve seen one solid answer to this kind of demonization (courtesy of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan series; not quite parallel, but it fits). Occasionally you can use their own “logic” against them, get them to fear the retribution of the “witch.” To paraphrase the source: “If you’re so certain I’m a monster, why are you still standing in my way?”
I was about to boast about having seen this coming, but going through the comments to previous strips I didn’t find anything about it in my posts. So while I might have thought this is what would happen I never wrote it down… Stupid!
Well, looking back now it isn’t quite the surprise that it ended up this way. If people really think witches are a real threat then Mercy laying out the largest and most accomplished brawler in the village has to be a sign that she’s another witch. Once someone reminds them that no one in the village can explain just how Quigg is able to get his ship to go into space, not to mention other worlds, they will probably start claiming him to be another witch.
You can’t win with irrational people, only lose or just not fight, trying to do anything else is a waste of time.
I’ve seen one solid answer to this kind of demonization (courtesy of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan series; not quite parallel, but it fits). Occasionally you can use their own “logic” against them, get them to fear the retribution of the “witch.” To paraphrase the source: “If you’re so certain I’m a monster, why are you still standing in my way?”
I was about to boast about having seen this coming, but going through the comments to previous strips I didn’t find anything about it in my posts. So while I might have thought this is what would happen I never wrote it down… Stupid!
Well, looking back now it isn’t quite the surprise that it ended up this way. If people really think witches are a real threat then Mercy laying out the largest and most accomplished brawler in the village has to be a sign that she’s another witch. Once someone reminds them that no one in the village can explain just how Quigg is able to get his ship to go into space, not to mention other worlds, they will probably start claiming him to be another witch.