• theneverfox
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    10 months ago

    Nah, it’s guest rites. Or guest rights, depending on your perspective

    It’s a huge thing in all ancient cultures and probably all religions. Not even just ancient cultures, the US had similar things in the frontier days.

    People used to walk across continents - humans can’t just hike for 6 months, we’re not built for that - we have to take breaks and build up a bit before we keep moving, it takes time to keep yourself supplied.

    Humans leap frog, it’s how we spread worldwide. We have guest rites - sets of expectations for guests and hosts, and violating them is a major taboo. Even in our media, it still fills us with instinctive revulsion

    Is this example ridiculous and morally dubious even in it’s own context? Absolutely.

    But it’s not just about shielding a foreigner, it’s about the moral imperative to follow through once you’ve offered someone shelter