Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Threat exploitation

An eccentric owner extensively remodeled the ancient castle he'd turned into his home. He was so passionate about the decor that he threatened to return to haunt the place if anyone ever moved any of his furniture.

What if someone deliberately moved furniture to make him come back? To punish him so he can't rest? To make the house more interesting to tourists? (Perhaps its been turned into a hotel and they want a real ghost as a selling point.) Is the threat a binding obligation? Is the ghost going along with the assumption of an obligation for his own reasons?

(Inspired by the description of the Treasurer's House in England for Dummies.)

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