Sable Rhapsody wrote...
Sjofn wrote...
I am not sure what that has to do with anything? He's never saying he is less free or as restricted as mages. He's more warning Anders that even if the Circles all fall tomorrow, Anders still won't be free. Because the freedom Anders wants does not exist.
Yes, it does. Anders himself says earlier in that banter that he only ever wanted "the freedom that every man, woman, and child in Thedas is born with" or somesuch. Sure, there are always restrictions. No one can do whatever the hell they want. Anders doesn't want anarchy. He just wants mages to be able to have families, fall in love, travel...all things that your average Thedas citizen can do without a templar breathing down their spine.
I think you think the people of Thedas have a lot more freedom than they actually do. Oh, you're free to fall in love, but that doesn't mean you can act on it necessarily. You're free to travel ... assuming you have the money, can fight off bandits, that sort of thing.
That's the point. "Freedom" never matters very much in the real world. You are never truly free.
We now, in the real world are not truly free. We can't be. Because we don't all live in our own personal bubbles where no one is affected by us. I'm technically "free" to start a family, but I sure as hell don't feel free to do so, because it doesn't happen in a bubble with no consequences.
That is Sebastian's point. And frankly, I'm on his side on this one. Idealism is only going to carry so far, but Anders is setting himself up to be bitterly, bitterly disappointed once he can't blame templars for reasons he can't do stuff.