The cages we see

[Chambers]

The smallest of smirks flickers like a shadow across the face of the Moros. Even so he takes his time to formulate his response either lost in thought or considering his choice carefully. ''You praise the art of innovation, but how can you innovate if you lack knowledge of what already exists.'' It risks wasting so much effort. ''It would not be the first time western scholars have invented or discovered something only to find themselves actually hundreds of years behind the curve.'' And then still. ''And is not the spirit of innovation against the current by definition? The need to push in directions society is not already looking at or exploring?'' Come now Libertine at the very least stick to your guns.

These are arguments he had heard before. And ones that to someone who knew the rules of reality were not so, held little sway. ''Is it advancing if it was so before it was put on paper? and is not a faux pas to say we understand something even as more is learnt about it? to set something in stone.'' Oh I see the irony there. ''Like that is short sighted surely. When only so recently it has been shown that all there is to know is not known.'' To reinforce the lie like that is nothing short of the anthesis to what any good mage knows to be elsewise. ''Would you like to know a interesting titbit on a related but perpendicular note?'' Something Americans might not appreciate but is quite curious none the less.

[Corn]

Ah, a nice day in the zoo for the entire family: Maria next to him eating an icecream, little Jason, the small bundle of joy set in his baby stroller. His brother Vincent was on the phone nearby trying to impress his newest girlfriend by appearing more busy than he is. The little every day joys that give life so much meaning...

"So, Chris raised the quartz sample and brought it to the window for light. Just then, right then, a bird flew right towards the window. It ducked away but Chris was startled... and the quartz dropped two stories down, to the garden. The rector was there!" Corn says laughing. "You should have seen Chris' face..."
Then he senses it. Magic.
As Maria chuckles, Corn's smile remains plastered in his face - he has practiced for years not letting his expression drop when others wouldn't know - but his eyes look around. He already starts to form the imago to extend protection to his family in his mind... and then he spots Salem and Chambers . Ah. All good. No need for magic.
"Too much sun..." he says to Maria and he lowers the shades of Jason's stroller, hiding the view of his son from the mages to prevent any kind of sympathy towards his son. "Should we head towards the avians, love? That story of the mischievous bird made me want to see the Emus, the most mischievous of birds."
They will probably understand why I am not saying hello.
As Maria nodded, Corn turned to his brother, "We're going to the Emus! Tell her how sophisticated you are for an older uncle," and turned the stroller away from the other mages.

[Salem]

The Warlock's vision is wide enough that he can appear to keep his gaze on the man before him while also looking at the otters playing just over there and the people milling about.

"Who says we lack the knowledge? Yes, some knowledge is lost to us as a whole but who's to say that knowledge is useful or even beneficial? Some knowledge might have been forgotten for a reason.." he comments, uncrossing his arms. "I'm not saying I know everything, or even that I know a lot. I know enough and I use what I know to further my own scientific discoveries. I also use others discoveries to further my knowledge. It's something you do as a scientist." He nods an agreement. "That could be viewed as the spirit of innovation, sure, but push too hard and the world snaps back. We have to learn to figure out how to push in just the right way that society accepts it and learns a valuable thing. It's a tight line to walk."

"How would we know though? If there's no record of it, if no one remembers it, what's the point? We have to relearn it anyway if that's the case. We're always learning. It's a great big world out there and while a lot of people think they know everything that can be known, there are things being discovered and rediscovered all the time. I'm not entirely sure that we're arguing against each other at this point really..."

He spots Corn with the small group of people, noting likely they are his family and he nods to Chambers at the last question he asked.

[Chambers]

A small smile creases his face. Expected, no one likes being called out. ''You do.'' In answer. ''Knowing your bias is a good thing but does not change that it is a limitation.'' Not being overcome by them is a continuous struggle. ''Approaching problems and innovations with a western influenced view, it being the sum of your experience suggests a lack of knowledge of other perspectives.'' Time for a lesson. ''Many Buddhists and Gurus talk of Enlightenment. A stated free from emotion or bias, free from the influence of memory. In which you simply are aware of the moment as it is.'' By no means an easy feat. ''Before innovating I would simply offer that you learn about the world beyond your experience and bias. You will be surprised what you find.'' Set the foundation first before reaching for the sky. I'm not the best at thinking in the moment for sure, but looking always to the future alone is holds many dangers.

I'm not so sure on that. ''It seems to me I am more focused on knowing what there is to know. Making the effort to find what has been lost.'' And stopping more heading the same way. ''In that sense I find myself opposed to advancement and innovation when we have left so much by the way side.'' When we know there are those who try to rip knowledge out of the world to keep it in its cage recovering that should be a priority. ''You if you'll excuse me, seem more in the mind set of using knowledge for discovering new innovations or advancements.'' An ideological difference that he expects and might in fact be seeing more then it is present. ''I would draw on the common phrase those who don't know history are doomed to repeat. Not in its exact situation I think but the gist the message being you need to learn first rather then leap forward wearing a blind fold.'' The man did not seem opposed to learning per say but the idea that innovations and advancements were inevitable had not sat well. Especially when such things are often argued to be the reason for the weakening of magic in the fallen world, we don't want society accepting these things its how the lie wraps around them. ''When I was a boy Dinosaurs did not have feathers.'' In answer to the accept question. There a lesson for you to puzzle out.

The familiar voice makes him look and he does note each person with Corn, an eyebrow arching. Given I put my outing on the noticeboard odd choice to bring your family here today. He's an odd one for sure.

Turning back to the younger man. ''It seems we approach closing time. Thank you for the conversation.'' He offers a last smile not having considered it an argument despite the disagreements. ''See you around.'' And he will make his way to the exit.

Closing the scene with this one, thank you jumping in some quite interesting conversations there I enjoyed it