Solipsism
"Her name is Cassandra, princess to the throne of Drevlin," I declared. The other voice snorted, but said nothing. I started to sculpt the rest of the world, placing her castle at the top of a mountain peak which overlooked the entirely of her land. The peasants were simple farmers, happy though they were. The realm was fairly isolated, although the nearby port allowed for trade and commerce.
"I thought you were making a hero?" said the other voice. "Looks to me like you've just gift-wrapped a perfect kingdom and presented it to her."
"I'll have you know I'm planning on challenging her soon. I just have to establish things for her, first."
"What, because she can't earn it on her own?"
"Shut up, already!" I yelled. "I... look. She's going to be one of the most successful rulers this kingdom has known. But for right now? Right now she's just a princess. There will be an unfortunate accident, her parents don't have any other children, and despite all the odds she will come to take the throne. The townspeople will be hesitant at first, but soon they'll learn to accept her, and eventually they'll love her. Okay? It'll be great. Not all heroes have to start out in abject poverty! Now who's dealing in stereotypes?"
The other voice started laughing; that was not the reaction I was expecting.
"What?" I asked. "Just what is so funny?"
"Oh, nothing," said the other voice. "It's just that, while you were ranting, the kingdom just traded Cassandra away in a political marriage, and now she's the wife of some larger kingdom's second youngest prince. What was that you were saying? Something about her ascent to becoming a famous hero?"
I sighed.
"I thought you were making a hero?" said the other voice. "Looks to me like you've just gift-wrapped a perfect kingdom and presented it to her."
"I'll have you know I'm planning on challenging her soon. I just have to establish things for her, first."
"What, because she can't earn it on her own?"
"Shut up, already!" I yelled. "I... look. She's going to be one of the most successful rulers this kingdom has known. But for right now? Right now she's just a princess. There will be an unfortunate accident, her parents don't have any other children, and despite all the odds she will come to take the throne. The townspeople will be hesitant at first, but soon they'll learn to accept her, and eventually they'll love her. Okay? It'll be great. Not all heroes have to start out in abject poverty! Now who's dealing in stereotypes?"
The other voice started laughing; that was not the reaction I was expecting.
"What?" I asked. "Just what is so funny?"
"Oh, nothing," said the other voice. "It's just that, while you were ranting, the kingdom just traded Cassandra away in a political marriage, and now she's the wife of some larger kingdom's second youngest prince. What was that you were saying? Something about her ascent to becoming a famous hero?"
I sighed.