035. [ANON TEXT]

[explosivecombat]

[Well, good evening, network - it seems Seth's device is active again, though at the very least he's not inviting everyone to war like he's throwing the world's most unasked-for party this time around.]

You know, one of the things I've always found most fascinating about human morality is the idea that we're higher beings due to our natural inclination to put others before ourselves. It's generally accepted in society that we should be willing to sacrifice ourselves before harming another; I've always found adhering to that sort of notion to both vaguely admirable and sickeningly saccharine. If you must kill one to save another, that's still a life that's lost; why shouldn't the reward go to the one who's willing to fight for it, rather than the one who did nothing to earn it but sit there in pious devotion to doing nothing wrong?

We claim superiority for suppressing our instincts to survive; if anything, I think that would put us lower than dogs, not above them. All this intelligence and no will to live; it's pitiful.

But then, I suppose my lack of understanding of these things is why I can't be considered one of you.

For the time being, however, say I were to humor you in discussion for a while. Do you think your will to fight to ensure your survival actually needs to be tested? Since I suspect the answer will overwhelmingly be "No," I have another pre-emptive question for the heroic types.

Is there anything outside of arrogance and so-called moral superiority that makes you say so?

[...O...kay that's really not any better but apparently, it's just that kind of night.

You know, full of misanthropy.

Because some nights are like that.]

Comments

[beholdmydemons]

Of course I can, that's what this world has. But it couldn't be so if people didn't challenge themselves first. Real well-being doesn't come from giving in to what's easy and just seeking peace.

[explosivecombat]

So you're acknowledging that this place exists outside of those two options you just set down as absolutes.

[beholdmydemons]

I just said it doesn't come from seeking peace.

[this is like the part in ace attorney where the witness is freaking out but keeps sitting on the point anyways]

[explosivecombat]

All right, then. My mistake. Clarify for me.

Where does this place fall within your two absolutes?

[beholdmydemons]

[......


............

???????]

Paradise.

[HE'S NOT EQUIPPED FOR THIS]

[explosivecombat]

I see. And what does that entail?

[beholdmydemons]

[THE PLAN NEVER ACTUALLY EXTENDED THIS FAR someone help]

Freedom and power. And true strength earning its glory. Humans ruling themselves and nobody being restrained.

[explosivecombat]

[...look if there was a plan at all you're still doing better than kimblee on most days]

And Paradise is the logical conclusion of neither of your two options, is that correct?

[beholdmydemons]

It's what happens when humans start fighting for themselves instead of praying for peace to come to them.

[explosivecombat]

You're not answering the question.

Is it the logical conclusion of either of your two absolutes or not?

[beholdmydemons]

Yes, it's the end of the side that favors adversity. I thought that's what I'd said.

[explosivecombat]

It favors adversity so strongly that peace happens, then?

[beholdmydemons]

[....And something just got brute-forced into clicking in his head. It's not something that he's particularly comfortable with, but it's...it's a thing all right. He takes a moment to process it before answering.]

I guess so, in this world.

[explosivecombat]

Only in this world?

[beholdmydemons]

How should I know?

[explosivecombat]

Fair enough.

But the potential exists in others, at least. Or at least I'd assume it would.

[beholdmydemons]

Pokemon enter into it somehow. A man could throw a punch to knock a lion flat and he'd still have no power here if his character were too sour to keep a team at his side. I imagine it keeps tyrants at bay.

[explosivecombat]

Which is a valid point, but at the same time, power tends to create tyrants out of rational men.

[beholdmydemons]

[....crying BUT FLYNN, THO doesn't really work when flynn starts doing

what flynn is apparently doing down there


we're kind of a travesty]

Out of weak men.

[explosivecombat]

[...what, you mean advocating for Soylent Green and then resorting to NO U like it's not a really stupid point?

honey, Flynn ain't even close to rational

Flynn isn't even on the same plane of existence as rational]

Tyrants would pose no threat, were they truly weak.

[beholdmydemons]

[tl;dr when protags refuse to protag things go to shit]

If you think that then perhaps I've seen something you haven't.

[explosivecombat]

I'm not making a morality judgment or trying to insinuate anything about their will with that statement, you know.

It's just an objective fact - tyrants have a sort of strength that tends to be difficult to overcome for one reason or another.

[beholdmydemons]

[...Damn. For a moment there he'd gotten a little ego boost.]

Oh. Ill-gotten power. Yeah, that I know.