eternallywithoutfear | 2nd Suitor ❦ Video/Action for Rocket Goldenrod Base, then Anonymous Text ❦

[Justine still is pretty disoriented by the video function, so she tends to stick to audio when making public posts, like right now.]

As predicted, my transition into this new time is rocky at best. Is there anyone in Goldenrod kind enough to escort me through the shops and explain the various novelties invented within the last century and a half or so? I would be most grateful for the gesture.

Ah, and if possible, does anyone know where I might find books that are not dedicated to the animals here? I would quite like to catch up on literature. [And also designs for modern technology, but she's not saying that.

For someone else from the 1800's, this is pretty clearly a flirt, and simply expected of a woman. She's showing off vulnerability that she's actually capable of handling herself in order to play into the role she is used to being in.

Although the act isn't quite perfect. She doesn't sound like she's completely in over her head, and she forgot to throw something in there implying that she's just not smart enough to deal with all the books on animals, but that's just because the people of her time fill in those blanks themselves.]

[Anonymous Public Text, a few hours after the previous message]

But whether on the scaffold high,
Or in the battle's van,
The fittest place where man can die
Is where he dies for man.

Or so said a man long ago in 1844. I can't help but think he's optimistic if he thinks people will even try to die in their 'fittest place'. Of course you hear stories of brave men taking a bullet for a comrade in battle, but they become stories because of how rare it is. I don't think I've met anyone who would sacrifice themselves for another.

Would you?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I try not to die in general

but to answer the question: yeah, I would.

Even if that 'another' were a complete stranger to you?

Edited 2013-02-18 03:26 (UTC)

[Well, now, that's a little curious, isn't it. Okay, he'll play the philosophy game today. Why not.]

I have. Moreover, I can say with certainty that any one of my associates would unhesitatingly die for the sake of our captain, if such a thing were possible.

Loyalty. A much admired trait, but I have to wonder how admirable it really is.

Say it was a complete stranger. Would you still do it?

A perfect stranger? Don't be ridiculous. That's an entirely different circumstance.

Then let's make the circumstances less certain. What if you were just risking your life for theirs instead?

But still for our perfect stranger?

In that case, it would depend on who was watching.

What a question!

I would, and I have known at least as many others who would likewise sacrifice themselves for another as I've known cowards.

No one.

No one at all.

You're so certain. How can you be sure?

Then I would say that's quite the unfortunate predicament, for our hypothetical perfect stranger.

You're quite honest. I suppose our deceased poet wouldn't like you very much.

But I do.

I've traveled in the company of scores of those who would throw themselves within range of a bomb's blast for someone else, and I've seen them do so times enough for my confidence to be steady.

If you'll pardon, what's the reason for your skepticism?

Your poet is quite the idealist. However, his views are rather unfortunately simplistic. There's no inherent duty to die for the sake of another, or even to risk personal harm in an attempt to rescue. On the contrary, assuming one puts stock in the nobility and glory of dying for another, as the poet seems to, doesn't it also cheapen the act itself to suggest that it's something that ought to be done for anyone, rather than out of true strength of conviction in the name of someone who deserves it?

Simply put, there are three people I would die for, unhesitatingly. There are others I would risk it for. But the common denominator is that they're all people worthy of my allegiance, and the same can't be said for my hypothetical fellow man.

if I had to and could choose I'd rather die for someone I know

but that's not what you're asking about so

depends on the circumstances? I wanna say yes but whatever I say here while lying on my damn comfy bed in my hotel room and eating snacks and mulling over your questions for however long I feel like doing is kinda different than if I was there and had to make decision right now without room for debate or doubt and knowing there's no turning back

[... Okay fuck that was probably needlessly dramatic.]

uh what I'm trying to say is

I guess it's one of those things you don't know until you experience them?

but I still think yes

would suck for me if whoever I sacrificed myself for turned out to be an ass later on though

[...he's not usually one to reply to posts asking for help outside of questions about training Pokemon, but this one catches his interest...]

You would be from... the 1850s, then? Unless I'm off by a decade or so... I'll admit, this place is over a decade off from my point in time-not only that, but the technology here is different from what it seems like we'll have in the near future.

In any case, while it's extremely difficult to find books that have nothing to do with these Pokemon whatsoever, the literature isn't particularly difficult to come across. It can be a bit... strange, though, of course.

[ Normally, he wouldn't bother with questions like these, but dead people seem to be the flavor of the day. So what's a little more.

Lazy, lazy texting: ]

depends on the person circumstance other factors

Are you expecting to get an answer that isn't "That depends on the circumstances"? That's the most that can be said to such a vague question, I think.

depends on the person

Gwa ha ha! Good luck finding anything that doesn't revolve around Pokémon in this place. Ya might be able to dig up some cook books, but given how much this world revolves around 'em, I doubt you'd find much else.

[He chuckles, and... why yes, those are some very sharp teeth.]

If you don't know what you would do, then assume the worst. People tend to be more accurate that way.

Yet even so, would you like to find out for sure?

It comes down to how much life itself is worth. The poet seems to be under the impression that life is worth fighting for regardless of who it belongs to, but I am not convinced.

You sound very convinced of yourself, though. Have you ever been forced into a situation where you demonstrated what you are telling me now?

Oddities of this world aside, you must admit I'm fairly lively for a hypothetically dead person.

Have you ever been forced into a situation where you wished you could die in someone's place and couldn't? I'd argue futility can often be a fate worse than death.

in that example either me or the other person die

it sucks either way. hard to say which is "the worst"

you mean find out before or after the fact?

The reason is because I know man. Man is a selfish, fickle creature, and so far, I have not found one who could prove their willingness to die for another.

In short, I am skeptical because of experience.

Page 1 of 3

2nd Suitor ❦ Video/Action for Rocket Goldenrod Base, then Anonymous Text ❦

[text]

[Anonymous Text]

[anonymous text]

[anonymous text]

[anonymous text]

[anonymous text]

[anonymous text]

[Text]

[anonymous text]

[Anonymous Text]

[anonymous text]

[anonymous text]

[Text]

[anonymous text]

[text]

[audio] c-c-c-combo breaker

text.

[Anonymous Text]

[Text]

video

[Anonymous Text]

[anonymous text]

[anonymous text]

[text]

[Anonymous Text]