prismatica | 003 » ANONYMOUS; TEXT aka more questions at 2 am

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003 » ANONYMOUS; TEXT aka more questions at 2 am

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. ]

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[ ...oh, this sure is a Topic. ]

change is always possible for a person if they genuinely put in the effort. the key word here is GENUINE. that's my opinion, anyway.

How do you recognize the difference in genuinely trying but having setbacks and pretending?

anon;

dereban - 2019-10-05 03:56 (UTC) - Expand

Re: anon;

givenofox - 2019-10-11 03:51 (UTC) - Expand

anon;

dereban - 2019-10-11 03:54 (UTC) - Expand

We are free from the circumstances of our home worlds here. If you want to be a good person, then do the things that you think a good person should do.

On one hand it makes sense. On the other, "Does returning home undo all of that effort and if it does, what does that mean?" might be a little too existential as a follow-up.

Anonymous

sheisthewind - 2019-10-06 20:53 (UTC) - Expand

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givenofox - 2019-10-11 03:52 (UTC) - Expand

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sheisthewind - 2019-10-13 03:52 (UTC) - Expand

I've learned that you can change, but you can't expect people to accept the new you right away. Or ever. Do it because you want to be a better person with no expectations of redemption or recognition for it.

I guess that last part is easy when all the people who you'd want to accept it are...gone.

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fireface - 2019-10-05 04:12 (UTC) - Expand

I don't think anyone's meant to be bad.
It might be harder for some people than others, but...
I have to believe change is possible.
It's the only way my life makes sense.

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

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

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oncebrokenway - 2019-10-09 01:41 (UTC) - Expand

Having seen what beings of absolute good and evil are like?

I'm not sure mortals are inherently either. Do what your conscience guides you to, but just know that it's going to be cold comfort to those you've hurt.

The only real way you can go is forward.

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?

Edited 2019-10-09 01:14 (UTC)

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necroyalty - 2019-10-13 05:05 (UTC) - Expand

I believe anyone can change. But they have to want to.

[ 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?

[Oh. This was a topic he had thought about on occasion, but never really finding himself changing his views. He had no right being forgiven, nor asking for it. He also didn't believe he could ever be a good person, despite what Rey wanted for him.]

There is no sense in lying to yourself or denying the truth of what you are. You can struggle all you like against it, but there is no changing it. That is what I believe.]

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

I've been struggling with this same thing. I've hurt a lot of people, many of them innocents, and worry if the regret I feel means anything at all.

But, I've been getting support here, even from some of the people I hurt. They think I can change, so I think it's worth trying.

They forgave you? Even though you hurt them?

[He'll just ignore that idea of a hero or a good person-- regardless of what he tried to do, he still doesn't feel like either of those.

Besides, he's got lots more melodrama.]

I have been questioning this myself, after hearing about how so many have suffered at the hands of someone who now strives to do good. Yet it's not as simple as a good person or an evildoer receiving the results of their karma.

If it means that there is more good done in the world, and it isn't to gain favors, then that's more important than whatever happened in the past. That is what I've been trying to believe, at least.

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

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blindforlove - 2019-10-13 07:07 (UTC) - Expand

It might sound a bit cliche, but it really is up to the individual. if that person wants to change, and really does try, then I think it is possible for them to change. People might not realize they're changing, and they may never trust or believe the person is trying to be better. But if they keep at it for the sake of being good, then I think they can start being good.

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

It sounds so easy when you say it like that.

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timefordinner - 2019-10-11 10:00 (UTC) - Expand

I don't believe you're a bad person.

That you're able to acknowledge what you've done wrong makes you good. There aren't many people who have the strength enough to do that, you know.

[ 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.

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clodpole - 2019-10-11 04:09 (UTC) - Expand

Of course it's possible to start being a good person. Everyone has to start SOMEWHERE, right?

I think the reason why you did things matters, but not as much as the reason you want to do better now. The important thing is knowing what you did was wrong, and wanting to stop being that way.

We're definitely not meant to be bad. That you had reasons for doing what you did proves that, doesn't it?

It's also true what other people have said: that you can't expect people to forgive you for the bad things you've done. But if you're only trying to be a good person to earn forgiveness, I don't think that makes you a good person anyway. You should do it because you believe in what you're doing, yourself. And if people see you doing good things because you truly believe in what you're doing, they'll forgive you too.

Sorry, this came out really long.

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.

(no subject)

talkscrap - 2019-10-11 08:51 (UTC) - Expand

"Heroes" are only better at getting away with their own misdeeds. Putting blind faith into them doesn't make anyone better.

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.

anon

godcards - 2019-10-11 03:13 (UTC) - Expand

Everything you've done, you'll still have done. Nothing changes that. But your choices have meaning. Choosing to be different won't erase anything. And not choosing... that's a choice, too.

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?

(no subject)

fridgeninja - 2019-10-11 03:26 (UTC) - Expand

Just being a 'Hero' doesn't make you a great person or anything.

Well, it all probably depends on what you did. I know there's some people I could never trust or forgive, but I guess if somebody was really trying hard to fix their mistakes I could let that slide.

The people who are really unforgivable are the ones who'd never even think to try in the first place.

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.

sure some people can be better
some people also just remain the shitbags they are in reality
it's circumstantial

You might as well continue being bad. There are way too many 'heroes' in the world as it is.

anon

givenofox - 2019-10-11 02:31 (UTC) - Expand

anon

ensuredsurvival - 2019-10-14 16:51 (UTC) - Expand

I believe people can change, yes. I also believe circumstance plays a large role in how people got to where they are.

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

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sleepinglotus - 2019-10-11 04:43 (UTC) - Expand

Everyone is capable of change for the better, even the worse kind of person.

[Talking about himself, here.]

You acknowledge what you did was wrong. What matters is if your effort to change is genuine.

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

You don't have to be a good person just to makeup for what you've done. Just don't make things worse.

Most of what makes bad people bad in the first place is because life was unfair to them in the first place. We didn't deserve what happened to us, and we got mixed up in something we didn't want to. We don't need to deserve to be happy any more than we deserved to be miserable to begin with. You don't have to be a good person. You can be yourself, and just try not to hurt anybody and make more people suffer that same misery you didn't deserve in the first place. Chances are they don't deserve it either, and that's what makes you a bad person.

At least that's how I'm seeing it. Otherwise it's just a lifetime of tormenting yourself for making the wrong choices when there wasn't a right one to begin with.

Edited 2019-10-06 18:38 (UTC)

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

Re: anon;

unhappy - 2019-10-12 07:22 (UTC) - Expand

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.

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.

text; anonymous

fafa - 2019-10-11 04:12 (UTC) - Expand

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.

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.

[This topic certainly hits a bit close to home, and as such Noiz ensures to comment anonymously.]

hero types don't make any sense to me in the first place. people always do things for a reason, and it's their own stupidity or naivete if they aren't aiming to at least benefit themselves somehow. whether that's gaining something monetary or material, or just to feel better about themselves, it's always smarter and more efficient than doing things thoughtlessly without regard for the fact they're just gonna lose collateral. and some might claim they're being selfless when they "do good" when they in fact are gaining something.

as for your question, I wouldn't know how to answer that. I don't put much thought into the moral affairs of others, and the world is unfair by nature. it's a world where two people who unintentionally did something shitty will get treated completely differently, with one forgiven by friends and family and the other locked away by the same. the latter might happen because that person who caused problems was different from others, so his intentions didn't matter.

you sound like you care too much about what others think about you. it's better and smarter to focus on doing what benefits you. some things can't be changed. Some can. some things are outside your control. some are within it.

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anonymous; pretend I'm not super late tagging in, I can't not tag Ren