re: Crackpot ASOIAF Theories SPOILERS

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I think the long summer and the years without a significant threat had alto t odo wit hit. That added to the reputation brought by sending the prisoners to the wall made it seem beneath most families to even send a third son.

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I think this is the main reason. Mixed with the constant wars and threat of wars.

I mean before Robert's Rebellion there was the constant threat of rebellion by numerous lords (defiance of duskendale for instance). Then Robert rebelled. Then he had some relative peace but he still fought the iron born and now the war of five kings.

Thats an entire generation who have lived in a world where the threat to the kingdom is INSIDE the wall. Thats also a large number of third sons dead or knighted or given lands. The wall just wasn't worth it to them anymore. Their attitude became one of "Let the thieves, bastards and rapers guard the world from grumpkins and snarks. I have a lord and kingdom to fight for"