003 » ANONYMOUS; TEXT aka more questions at 2 am

[givenofox]

I guess there's no way to ask this that doesn't sound like a philosophy major trying to do their thesis at the last second so...

There's a lot of hero types here. You rush in to help when something happens and don't even think about it. I'd say that makes you good people.

Do you (or all of us here, I guess) think it's possible, if someone really tries, to start being a good person? Even if you've done horrible things? Like really, really bad things. Does the reason you did them matter?

Or maybe we're just meant to be bad and trying to pretend otherwise.

[ ...wow this sounds so much more melodramatic than he intended. ]

Comments

Anonymous

[sheisthewind]

Until we have someone among our number who went home and then came back with their memories in tact, we have no way of knowing that. The changes you make here will still impact your life here until you have the chance to go home, though.

text; anonymous

[fafa]

Does it matter if you're a good or bad person, if you're doing a good thing? Is doing the right thing that's more important, or what people think of you?

You can't escape your past. But that doesn't mean that you have to be trapped by it, either. Each choice you make is the one that matters to the people you're choosing for, or against.

anon

[sarcaskick]

+1

text; anon

[lacunas]

You still did those things, no matter what the reason. Can't change that, no matter what you do in the future. But you can stop doing the bad shit you did, and try to do better.

[givenofox]

But what if it's too hard for some people?

Or maybe the stuff you've done is too bad.

anon

[givenofox]

What if your conscious isn't...good anymore?

[ When Ren had initially asked his question, it had been more or less casual curiosity. Or he'd thought it had.

But the way all these responses are making him really think... Maybe that's just what he was telling himself. ]

What if right and wrong got all messed up? And you're not sure which is which anymore?

[oncebrokenway]

I guess it's up to those people to decide if it really is too hard for them.
But I don't think that's a set thing. Like - it's harder on some days? And a lot easier when you have support.
There were times when I felt like it might be too hard for me to ever be "good" again, and I'm still not sure I've made it.
But I know I'm at least better than I was.

As for the stuff being too bad...
I mean, I'd need some examples. But going back to your original post, the reason does matter. The reason you're trying to be better matters, too. So do the circumstances.
In any case... I think it's always worth trying.
It's better to at least try to be a better person than you were before, than to just give up and decide you'll be bad forever, right?

text

[givenofox]

[ it's intriguing to see someone willing to put a face and name to their beliefs, in the sea of anonymous responses. ]

How do you know when you finally, really want it, do you think?

anon;

[givenofox]

You don't think it's possible, even if you really try?

Anon

[givenofox]

They forgave you? Even though you hurt them?

Re: anon;

[givenofox]

Do you think it's possible to off-set the bad you've done with more good?

Anon

[givenofox]

It sounds like the 'trying to be better' thing would be a whole lot better without the worry of the things you did coming back to haunt you.

anon

[givenofox]

So it's not just me, right? There's a bizarre amount of hero types here.

[ this is the important part, for sure. ]

[givenofox]

[ Ren has to quickly stomp out that little part of him that immediately wants to cling to the validation. ]

You don't even know me or how bad the stuff I've done is.

anon

[givenofox]

I used to want to be better just for a certain person. For a while, that made me willing to at least try and be a good person or do good things.

But now...I feel like maybe I could do it for me too.

anon

[givenofox]

I mean...to be fair, they are charging right into possible death without a thought over and over so the rest of us don't have to. We can have blind faith in that, at least.

Looots of hero types here.

[givenofox]

It's the 'you'll still have done it' that's the problem.

Can you ever really be better with that hanging over your head?

[givenofox]

I've definitely known someone who wouldn't even think about it.

He didn't care at all if what he did was good or bad...Just that it was fun.

anon

[godcards]

You believe in their stupidity that much?

anon;

[givenofox]

What if theoretically you're already a little behind on the 'don't hurt anybody or make them suffer your misery' thing?

text; anonymous

[givenofox]

If you can't escape your past, than how are you not trapped by it?

Maybe being a better person would be easier if you could just...pretend it never happened.

Re: anon

[givenofox]

I'd like to think it's genuine. I want it to be.

[givenofox]

But maybe those circumstances just brought out who they really are?

[fridgeninja]

You can be the person who will never do that again.

That's better than the person who might.

Anon

[givenofox]

'You can if you try hard enough' seems to be the consensus.

It sounds so easy when you say it like that.