Making Money

[flemmings]

Whatever Pterry may or may not have known about Japan when he wrote Interesting Times, he now knows a lot more. I shall cherish the sight of Lord Vetinari taking 17 seconds to finish a Jikan no Muda puzzle.

Speculation on the discworld lj community is that Vetinari is grooming Moist as his successor. I devoutly hope not. Moist in this one comes off as about as dumb as Rincewind, and as likely to lose control of events. Would Vetinari truly leave the government of his city to someone whose mouth runs ahead of his brain so regularly? Moist doesn't think, than which I at least can hardly conceive of a greater character flaw. If it turns out that Vetinari sees it differently, then I've been reading Vetinari wrong all these, uhh, months.

Comments

[tammylee.livejournal.com]

The Jikan no Muda puzzle solving had me swooning!

I did have the thought of Moist as successor flash through my head. Frankly, I believe Vetinari's tickled a charismatic guy like Moist can be led to make the changes Vetinari desires. I think Vetinari accepts his role as the big bad government and if HE'D try to impose the changes he wants well, they'd be impositions and people would resent them. Moist can make the changes because people like him and he knows how to sell a concept.

I don't think Vetinari would groom Moist to replace him; he's a useful tool in the right hands but as wily as he is he isn't wily enough to be Patrician.

[incandescens]

I think that Vetinari isn't so much grooming Moist as a personal successor, as culturing Moist as one of a group of able and competent people who is useful to the city. The fact that Moist happens to be useful in a lot of different situations is convenient, but I don't think it makes him Vetinari's successor.

Or at least, so I read it.

[sodzilla.livejournal.com]

Agree with the above posters; Moist would never make a good Patrician and I think Vetinari realizes that. Rather, I believe he's one of a group of people Vetinari is setting up to be a... I don't know, ruling council? damage control in case of sucky successor? if he should drop dead. Vimes and William de Worde spring to mind as well.

Actually, that could work very well. They're all honorable enough (though Moist and to a lesser extent Vimes would fervently deny it) to cooperate for the greater good, but none of them like or trust each other enough that any one could get the others to go along with some selfish pet scheme. Plus which, I'm sure it'd give Vetinari a posthumous fit of chuckles to know the arguments they'd have even while his body cooled.

[sodzilla.livejournal.com]

Well, Death doesn't seem to care much what becomes of his clients after they're safely discorporated, so I guess he could. *grins*

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

I don't see Vetinari with the mule-headedness it takes to become a zombie, and he'd probably think having an eternal Patrician a bad idea, but he does have the option at need.

[sodzilla.livejournal.com]

Well, I was thinking more in terms of his haunting the Oblong Office.

[incandescens]

Isn't there a line for Vetinari somewhere in The Truth where he says that it isn't a case of everyone pulling together, but everyone pulling in different directions?

... ah, how convenient that people love quoting Pratchett online.

Vetinari: "In return, however, I must ask you not to upset Commander Vimes. More than necessary."
William: "I'm sure we can pull together, sir."
Vetinari: "Oh, I do hope not, I really do hope not. Pulling together is the aim of despotism and tyranny. Free men pull in all kinds of directions. It's the only way to make progress."

[sodzilla.livejournal.com]

Well, this IS the guy who says juggling is so easy, it's hardly even a skill.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

And who does it effortlessly the first time he tries it. With physical objects, that is.