Poll: Who Do You Think Are Jon's Parents?

Considering how much the published novels mirror the outline, I think a complete disregard is a tad bit extreme, but I respect your position.

I am surprised by your position though, because in the 1993 letter, GRRM states quite clearly that the mystery of Jon's parentage was inserted for the sole purpose of creating a means by which Jon and Arya might resolve and justify their passions for each other. If you favor a Jon+Arya romance, the letter is on your side. 



Completely agree. But as you have just demonstrated, rather create romantic feelings for each other, those traits are sought out in non-kin romantic partnerships.



Hmm. While I am a westerner, I am fairly well-traveled and familiar with many other worldviews. Incest as an immorality is not limited to western cultures, and in fact, throughout history, western societies have been some of the most influential proponents of incest.

Institutionalized acceptance of incest seems to be universally coupled with patriarchies, and the disenfranchisement of women. I apologize if that argument sounds a bit too feminist. It isn't meant to be. Rather, anthropoligally speaking, a cultural acceptance of incest seems to be directly tied to patrilineal access to education, wealth, and political power. 

And, rather than be shunned by westerners, incest was widely accepted in western monarchies and dynasties... as it has been throughout the world. So instead of being an East vs West dichotomy, I would argue that the normalization of incest, vs the non-normalization of it, really depends upon whether or not a given society objectifies women or deifies royal semen. 

I do not equate it with rape, unless of course rape was committed in the act of said incest. 

In the case of the books and the Valyrian tradition, we have the normalization of incest by a culture group that is dynastic, patriarchal, ethnically-supremacist, and monarchist. So in a remnant Valyrian colony/family (House Targaryen), it was really to be expected.  
And considering the ambitions and cultural role models of House Lannister, it is to be expected for them as well. 



Glad we agree on the 5's. 

While I recall GRRM saying something to that effect as well, I still think the reason he required a 5-year gap was to age his characters and dragons. In place of it, he has given us the gift of the Meereenese Knot and the adventures of Brienne and Pod. 

As Arya is now 11 years old, I think the Jon-and-Arya relationship is unlikely to develop beyond that of familial affection.