042. [Text, and one other thing.]

[explosivecombat]

[TEXT]

I've noticed that when people are asked the question of whether they would change any major events in their past, a prevalent answer seems to be "No, because everything that's happened to me and everything I've chosen to do have made me who I am today." Sometimes I find that position unbearably arrogant; who's to say that the person you could have been – as terrifying though that notion seems to be for most – wouldn't be an improvement on you are now?

Not all changes are for the better, but there's no reason to assume they'll be for the worse, either.

I hold to a general principle of not regretting anything I've done; that hasn't changed, even now. Just the same, that doesn't mean that sometimes I don't wonder what would have happened if I've chosen to do something different at critical junctures of my life, regardless of how pointless that practice actually is in reality.

The idea of seeking solidarity in such notions is also pointless, but I suppose today is good for indulging in things like that. If I have any questions to pose to the rest of you today – and I admit I didn't start this with that sort of thing in mind for once – I suppose what I want to know is whether you would change anything or not. What it is doesn't matter; I just want to know whether such doubts have crossed your mind before, whether you find it plausible or not.

At the very least those feathers from on high are good for one thing, and that's ensuring that such insipid thoughts aren't keeping me up at night; I've been sleeping surprisingly well since picking one up.


[PRIVATE MESSAGE – ARCHER]

I imagine it would be a good idea for me to let you know that I haven't simply vanished into the aether.

I'm feeling reclusive tonight; do let Isaac know I won't be around.

Comments

[TEXT - LOCKED]

[sadisticwarfare]

I'll be sure to do that.

Are you going to be alright?

[He knows why Kimblee wants to be alone, but he figures he'd better check just to be safe.]

[explosivecombat]

Aren't I always?

[It doesn't exactly answer the question, but it's close enough.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Of course you are, but that's not answering the question. Are you going to be alright now?

[Anon Text]

[unkinder]

I find it rather hard to believe that there is anyone who hasn't had the thought of wanting to change some instance in their past in the hopes that perhaps the situation would turn out differently if they did. One would hope that a different path taken or approach used would cause things to turn out more favorably in some way or another.

I think it is foolish to regret ones actions simply because you would not have done what you did if you weren't intending to do so at the time. But one may certainly regret the outcome of that action, no matter the intentions behind it.

But to answer your question, no. I cannot say I would necessarily change anything even if I had the opportunity, because that would require knowing exactly what you would do differently. It is one thing to say you know you would do a certain thing if you could do it all over again, but it is entirely another to be placed in that situation and expect yourself to be able to make the right decision. It is just as likely the change could make you into a different person in a way you never wanted.

[explosivecombat]

I stand by what I said, in that I regret nothing about what I've done in the past. Nor do I particularly regret the outcome; I accomplished what it was I set out to do in the first place, and ultimately that's what matters. I suppose my own concerns are more with whether there was a different method or not - perhaps there would have been a way to achieve that outcome via slightly less unfortunate means.

Regardless, I likewise stand by what I said regarding one's future - it's arrogant to assume that the way you are now is the best possible outcome. But then, I've always believed in nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[unkinder]

I am sure that any number of circumstances could result in a person being made better for it than they are currently, so I do agree with you there. There are just as many that could make someone worse.

The future is so easily changed by even the smallest instances. You could go through your entire life living the same way you did before and decide to change just one detail, a small change that could easily alter the course of everything following, not just that one event. But it is interesting to think about what could happen if one could do such a thing, I suppose.

text;

[me_first]

i suppose i would change a few things! things did not go as planned in the way i and others wanted to change our city.

though i do think that it would be unfortunate. it would require the termination of someone i've grown somewhat fond of. as much as i can, at least. i'm the sort that you might call 'married to their work'.

[explosivecombat]

Likewise, with regards to work and not allowing my personal life to interfere with it, as unfortunate as the outcome may ultimately be. It's unusual to find someone else who compartmentalizes it like that; apparently it's not something most are willing to do.

[me_first]

people allow feelings to get in the way of what they need to do.

though some might question the methods used, but... well. we did try to figure out other ways of doing things, even if other people think we might not have!

[Private Text]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I would've taken that island years ago instead of wasting my time with various other schemes.

[Now, he does not regret said schemes at al...okay, he regrets the casino bombing. Definitely that one. But for the most part, he'd still do almost everything all over again, just from his secret (or at least he thinks so) island base.]

[explosivecombat]

[...Bless you, Cobra, for this distraction right now.]

Might I ask what prevented you from doing so before?

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Well, he certainly is distracting. That's for sure. Though he's not really aware of it right now.]

Nothing. I just figured some stupid boat trip wasn't worth my time. How was I supposed to know there was an entire chain of islands there that I'd never even heard of?

locked text;

[ossifragant]

Forgive me for asking, but are you okay?

[explosivecombat]

I don't mind the question, you know.

As for an answer...not particularly, but I'll be fine; I always am. Today tends to be a little difficult for me sometimes, that's all.

text; | private

[aufsassig]

Isn't there some really shitty poem about that? And everybody gets it wrong because they think it means something all uplifting or whatever, but the guy's actually saying he had no idea what the fuck he was doing when he picked what to do, he just went with one option and spun it afterward to sound like he made some big philosophical choice about it?

[explosivecombat]

I both wouldn't know and wouldn't be surprised at all; if there ever were a subject to spawn terrible poetry, I'd think this would be it, honestly.

[capitald]

I suppose I'm in a unique predicament in that I don't recall a vast majority of my life. As such, it's difficult to contemplate different outcomes beyond more recent events.

Nonetheless, it's an interesting thought puzzle. For example, my friends and I once got became captives inside the manor of an important military and political figure, the culprit having posed as one of us. It was a complicated affair, complete with a supposed murder and further death threats. But, suspicious as I was, I prodded the so-called corpse until she awoke, revealing her as an assassin and foiling her scheme.

But had I not blown a hole in her ruse, I suspect the outcome would have changed considerably and quite possibly for the worst.

[explosivecombat]

That's a reasonable assumption, given the nature of assassins.

Do you end up on adventures like that often, then?

[Text]

[tearsofademon]

Anything I'd change is out of my control anyway.

[explosivecombat]

Shame that you haven't done anything of value with your life, then, if you've never even considered alternatives.

[VIDEO]

[adai]

[Breaking the chain of texts here, Rossiu's going to send this as a video. He's in a small room that looks like it's one of the ones being rented from somewhere. There's nothing interesting in the background and the only thing really interesting is Rossiu's overly serious expression as he studies the 'Gear.]

Hello. I apologize for responding with a video, but I'm not very good at texting.

[It's not a lie! It takes him literally forever to find the right letters. Why are they arranged so weirdly??]

The question you've asked is very interesting. I'm still young so I don't have the experience many people have, but I've found that there really isn't a point in spending time regretting things. There's always something else to focus on - whether that's an external threat or something simple. Taking things one step at a time to move beyond it has never seemed difficult to me.

But I understand that my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's. The only thing that's happened in my life that I regret wasn't even my fault. I was raised believing a false religion and once I saw what the real world was like, I left. I do regret the time I spent blind to the truth of the world, but it isn't something I spend a lot of my time dwelling on.

[He's silent for a moment, glancing somewhere off-screen as he tries to gather his thoughts. He had a point but he kind of lost it for a moment there.]

If it's alright, may I ask you a question?

[...wait.]

Ah, you don't need to respond with a video or anything if you don't want to, but I may be a little slow in replying.

[text forever]

[explosivecombat]

[...Goodness, child.]

I don't believe in regretting things, either. I'll admit the outcome of some of my actions weren't as clean as I would have preferred, but ultimately my life is the result of pursuing what I wanted and as such I got to see through the completion of my life's work. That's enough for me, I think, and certainly not worth complaining about or regretting.

You can ask me anything you like; I won't guarantee that I'll answer, but if it's something that I would prefer not to get into, I'll tell you as much. Does that sound fair?

And I don't mind if you take a while. I'm not particularly busy, nor do I plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

[scoutingangel]

It probably wouldn't make much difference to what happened after it, honestly, but we were supposed to stay as calm as possible in any situation...

I panicked at the wrong moment, I'd change that.

[And a lot of other stuff too if she really starts going about events she'd like to change! But well, they are supposed to go with no regrets and if she's trying to focus on just one thing about events in her own life here, that she'd like to change to something that she wouldn't regret from that moment... Wrong moment is such a huge understatement there.]

[explosivecombat]

[...Well, then.]

That does sound unfortunate...I'm assuming it was some sort of combat situation?

Video

[silentscales]

If it were in my power to change it, yes, says John.