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In most stories and adventures, there is always the hero fighting against the villain. Classically the hero represents the side of human goodness and virtue, while the enemy single-mindedly seeks power and self-gain. I deliberately avoid the term evil because it has little meaning outside its religious connotations of faith-based restrictions. Currently in mainstream media the concept of anti-heros has become increasingly popular, trying to blur the line between these two parties. This formula makes stories much more interesting, yet may already have started to become stale in repetition. The hero is merely saddled with difficult decisions that have negative consequences on both sides, and the villain often has a tragic past the evokes sympathy for them and justifies their drive for rebellion.
Without opposition there would be no chance for heroics. We admire the qualities of heros but often forget they would not cast any light in the absence of the darkness of malefice.
In the real world there is no such clear distinguishment of heros and villains. I hold the belief that the majority of people are raised under good values, have instilled in them good morals, and belong on the side of “goodness”. As for the adversary, these usually come in the form of criminals – people who break the law to acquire self gain at the expense of the pain of others. In most every criminal case, the miscreant has simplistic and short sighted goals, usually in the end to steal money. Is that truly the extent of “evil” we experience in society? Where are the crazy, honourable, insightful antagonists who have a rational underlying motive to achieve long-sighted goals? They are mostly limited to the products of movies and imagination.
But of course there have been. The immediate example of course is Hitler. He had grander visions than hoarding money and luxury. He wanted to change the world to make it, in his sense, better. Let me make it perfectly clear I am not a Nazi supporter. His goals and visions were ghastly and unjust. I just use this case as an illustration.
Having said that most people are “good”, where do I fit in the picture? If you’ve read the extent of my previous blogs, I’m sure some of you have come to the conclusion that I am a veritable asshole. I am well aware of this perception, and for the most part agree. Yet that does not label me a degenerate gangster. Modern crimes, whether responsibility is claimed by the low-level felon or untouchable organized crime boss, are all dishonourable acts of idiocy. They are committed by those that lack the proper moral fibre to abide by the rules of conduct that aim to keep society fair. These simple minded hooligans are therefore worthless scum to be exterminated.
That went a bit off track there. Returning to my point, I remember someone posted once on TL a survey for everyone’s Dungeons and Dragons defined alignment (ie. Lawful, neutral, chaotic and good, neutral, evil). That was my first introduction to that system, which I found quite interesting. I am sure most people would not associate themselves as evil, and would normally reserve that designation for criminals. Everyone considered themselves either good or neutral. But what about someone who appears like a nice guy on the surface but harbours much more sinister and dire motives inside?
I suppose its better to altogether avoid the trap of exclusively using the classification of good and evil. My point is that from my own independent mind, I embrace many values and ideas that would not be very acceptable in the common morals of modern “good” society.
One example is racism. Simplistic media portrayals of the proper attitude towards this issue is to treat everyone of all skin colours equally. While the ulterior motive is to avoid harsh forms of discrimination among different races, the resulting message is ridiculous. Say I am walking down a sidewalk late at night with no one around. I come across a Chinese woman and cross paths without any concern. Then I walk past a black man and my senses immediately pick up on full alert, getting ready to run or defend as necessary. Other more cautious or vulnerable “racists” might go so far as to cross the street to walk on the other side of the road. Yes, it definitely sucks for the black man who means no harm. But anyone from personal experience would understand that that subject is more likely to display aggressive, dangerous behaviour. I do not understand the perceived furor over racial profiling (the tendency for cops to investigate blacks more closely than other races). It is simply statistically more likely that this demographic would do something dangerous. Blacks are over-represented in prison population not because society is racist, but because they are the ones committing the violent crimes. One could accuse me of being racist, and I would not deny that. If that is what drawing conclusions from statistical trends is called, then so be it. Better than being a mindless bandwagoner in societal propaganda with good intentions but flawed implications.
I think my issue is that I am inherently a good guy. As a small child I was praised for my thoughtfulness and generosity towards others. Later on, my parents would say, “What happened to the old (name)?” as they recognized my leanings towards assholeness. I craved a good world but was disappointed in what I saw in the ugliness and inelegance of society and lost hope.
One of my all time favourite questions: Do the ends justify the means? For me, in my world of black and white, yes, definitely. I can stand some sacrifice if the end product is close enough to perfection. Such epic boss figures have existed in history, one that particularly stands out for me being emperor Qin Shi Huang.
I lack the tragedy and personal strife that people like to see in villains as driving forces behind their motives. I guess I’ll never measure up in terms of dramatic value in that respect. Some may find my imagination and fantasizing to be overblown and childish. Like everything else, as always, I am well of aware of that. But I would not attribute my thoughts to be products of media influence. I draw such conclusions from independent reasoning and observation. I enjoy shows such as Code Geass not because that’s where I get my ideas from, but rather it is a entertaining manifestation of many of the values I hold myself. It is refreshing to know that others in the world have an understanding of some my beliefs. Emperor Charles was awesome heheh. All Hail Britannia!
  
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Jesus christ
You're not a philosopher.
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Dominican Republic463 Posts
I think you're confused with racism and its history, while you have good points you have a flawed approach on the causes of it. Though lets leave it at that... discussing racism and religion is.... lol on the intrawebz :p
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DoctorHelvetica said it already. You aren't nearly as insightful, unique, creative, or enlightened as you seem to think you are.
You sound like you are an intelligent kid, perhaps in your mid teens, starting to think independently, and just assuming that the things you are thinking are somehow special. They really aren't. Not trying to be cruel, just honest.
And from your blog: "If you’ve read the extent of my previous blogs, I’m sure some of you have come to the conclusion that I am a veritable asshole." I don't think anybody thinks you are an asshole. You are a pretentious douchebag, there's a big difference.
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Jee, you guys are pretty harsh. Give the poor kid a break =/
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you need to work on reducing your repeated use of redundant words.
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YOu need some personal experiences
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You need to stop watching anime.
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On March 09 2009 03:25 Racenilatr wrote:
You need some sex
fixed.
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get some black friends
i grew up in a racist household and i used to think like you
you're wrong
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I used to think like that, but you can't blame black people btw.
It's a socioeconomic problem, not genetic.
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On March 09 2009 03:36 anotak wrote:
get some black friends
i grew up in a racist household and i used to think like you
you're wrong
I actually have parents like that. They get nervous around black people. Although my best friend is not black, he is not white either. I don't get the stupidly of some people or my parents. There are good and bad people of every race, country, etc.
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Your logic concerning racism is flawed, like someone else mentioned. Other than that, I thought it was a good read.
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what amazes me the most is your willingness to write an entire essay, almost like homework just for a blog entry.
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"Becoming the Villain" could be like a metal album or something.
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On March 09 2009 04:01 ilj.psa wrote:
what amazes me the most is your willingness to write an entire essay, almost like homework just for a blog entry.
that's what i was thinking haha.
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On March 09 2009 03:14 GGQ wrote:
DoctorHelvetica said it already. You aren't nearly as insightful, unique, creative, or enlightened as you seem to think you are.
You sound like you are an intelligent kid, perhaps in your mid teens, starting to think independently, and just assuming that the things you are thinking are somehow special. They really aren't. Not trying to be cruel, just honest.
And from your blog: "If you’ve read the extent of my previous blogs, I’m sure some of you have come to the conclusion that I am a veritable asshole." I don't think anybody thinks you are an asshole. You are a pretentious douchebag, there's a big difference.
Tbh being a pretentious douche is worse, being an asshole is expected.
And lol i bet you are one of those kids that hangs out by himself while lamenting the fact that he has no friends despite being superior to everyone else.
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There is a swedish saying of sorts which goes like "Don't ever think you are anything". Swedes use it to jokingly describe their aversion for people who try to stick out.
However I don't think that I in my entire life have encountered a group of people who adhere to that saying as much as americans on team liquid =p
Seriously, way to shut down someone who is actually trying to develop his own view on the world?
If anyone here is pretentious, elitist or "wannabe adult" it's you guys.
Personally I find people who have not spent quite some time thinking about the world, their place in it, their morals etc extremely boring. And while I disagree with more or less everything in the OP I comend his effort to actually _think_.
Finally, to the guy with the obligatory get laid comment:
"An intellectual is someone who has found something more interesting in life than sex"
=p
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i think pretentions are underrated
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On March 09 2009 05:24 KlaCkoN wrote:
There is a swedish saying of sorts which goes like "Don't ever think you are anything". Swedes use it to jokingly describe their aversion for people who try to stick out.
However I don't think that I in my entire life have encountered a group of people who adhere to that saying as much as americans on team liquid =p
Seriously, way to shut down someone who is actually trying to develop his own view on the world?
If anyone here is pretentious, elitist or "wannabe adult" it's you guys.
Personally I find people who have not spent quite some time thinking about the world, their place in it, their morals etc extremely boring. And while I disagree with more or less everything in the OP I comend his effort to actually _think_.
Finally, to the guy with the obligatory get laid comment:
"An intellectual is someone who has found something more interesting in life than sex"
=p
the trouble is a lot of kids convince themselves they're some kind of great thinker because of narcissistic ideas like what you're suggesting. think however much you want, just don't delude yourself into thinking it makes you somehow special. the op is probably a smart guy, but there are lots of "smart" and talented guys out there, but only so many that have actually developed that talent into anything.
in fact, op doesn't know shit about life, writing, or philosophy. but you're suggesting he should go on pretending? how is that productive?
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You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else.
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hey what should i do if im like god except that i exist and god doesnt
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On March 09 2009 05:38 ahrara_ wrote:Show nested quote +On March 09 2009 05:24 KlaCkoN wrote:
There is a swedish saying of sorts which goes like "Don't ever think you are anything". Swedes use it to jokingly describe their aversion for people who try to stick out.
However I don't think that I in my entire life have encountered a group of people who adhere to that saying as much as americans on team liquid =p
Seriously, way to shut down someone who is actually trying to develop his own view on the world?
If anyone here is pretentious, elitist or "wannabe adult" it's you guys.
Personally I find people who have not spent quite some time thinking about the world, their place in it, their morals etc extremely boring. And while I disagree with more or less everything in the OP I comend his effort to actually _think_.
Finally, to the guy with the obligatory get laid comment:
"An intellectual is someone who has found something more interesting in life than sex"
=p the trouble is a lot of kids convince themselves they're some kind of great thinker because of narcissistic ideas like what you're suggesting. think however much you want, just don't delude yourself into thinking it makes you somehow special. the op is probably a smart guy, but there are lots of "smart" and talented guys out there, but only so many that have actually developed that talent into anything. in fact, op doesn't know shit about life, writing, or philosophy. but you're suggesting he should go on pretending? how is that productive?
Noone, including the OP, is claiming that he is some "great thinker".
On the same token I doubt that anyone, OP yet again included, seriously believes themselves to be among the smartest people on the planet.
"Special" is obviously an extremely subjective word. Is the OP somewhat unusual in that he would rather spend his free time writing than smoking weed?
Definitely.
Yes there are a lot of smart and talented people around, what's your point?
Oh and for the last part of your post, just judging from your TL posts I would conclude that neither do you. But again, what's your point? Thankfully we do not live in a society where only the absolutely brightest and most experienced have the right to express themselves, or more importantly develop themselves.
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On March 09 2009 05:48 Hittegods wrote:
You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else.
I hate that quote. On an atomic level humans are much more different from each other than snow flakes. Beautiful is subjective, I think life is more beautiful than crystals. And he is not decaying until he is dead.
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indeed, i am quite ignorant in every regard.
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"Blacks are over-represented in prison population not because society is racist, but because they are the ones committing the violent crimes. One could accuse me of being racist, and I would not deny that. If that is what drawing conclusions from statistical trends is called, then so be it. Better than being a mindless bandwagoner in societal propaganda with good intentions but flawed implications."
Correlation does not lead to causation. Just because there are more African Americans in prison does not mean they are genetically born to be more violent/ruthless/unlawful. It is because the system in place makes it very hard for them NOT to do so.
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Do some community service. Interact with the unwashed masses. It will really help you develop your ideas.
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On March 09 2009 05:24 KlaCkoN wrote:
There is a swedish saying of sorts which goes like "Don't ever think you are anything". Swedes use it to jokingly describe their aversion for people who try to stick out.
However I don't think that I in my entire life have encountered a group of people who adhere to that saying as much as americans on team liquid =p
Seriously, way to shut down someone who is actually trying to develop his own view on the world?
If anyone here is pretentious, elitist or "wannabe adult" it's you guys.
Personally I find people who have not spent quite some time thinking about the world, their place in it, their morals etc extremely boring. And while I disagree with more or less everything in the OP I comend his effort to actually _think_.
Finally, to the guy with the obligatory get laid comment:
"An intellectual is someone who has found something more interesting in life than sex"
=p
Alright, I'll admit that my earlier comment was completely negative and not at all helpful. I don't take it back, though, because it was, in my opinion, completely true. I'll try to explain my thoughts more openly, by sharing a few of my own philosophies on life.
Shiverfish, the reason you sound pretentious when you talk about life is because you clearly don't know what you are talking about. Just like you can't talk authentically about literary analysis or quantum physics without studying in those fields, you can't talk authentically about life unless you go out there and live. However, it is painfully obvious from your blogs that you don't do a lot of living. And if, as you wrote in your other blog, these blogs are a big step for you in communicating or interacting with other people, then your ability to talk authentically about life is very small indeed. Without experience in something, you lack the language to even describe it (on a sidenote, the blog of yours that I found most interesting was the one about Light in Death Note. Even though I disagree with your thesis, it was clear that for parts of it, you were actually speaking, not just trying to speak. Because you had read Death Note, you could speak its language). Even if you steal the language from other people, the words will sound awkward when you use them because you don't really understand what they mean. This is as true when talking about life as it is when talking about mechanical engineering or the flow of rhythm in Baroque compositions. When you are writing your blogs, Shiverfish, you are stealing the language of life from other people, and unfortunately we can tell.
So what do I mean by life and living? Well, mostly, I mean interaction with other people. Humans are social creatures, and are happiest when interacting with other humans. First look into activities and such that interest you. Try a broad range of activities; the more well-rounded you are, the better your outlook on life and your ability to interact with a wide variety of people (you will have access to more languages of life). Don't be close-minded about other people. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, just like your mommy always told you. You seem to value only the strengths that you have, and not the ones that you don't. Sure, that blonde chick may not have any strengths that interest you (apart from being straight sexy) so she wouldn't be a good person to try to make friends with, but there are things that she is damn good at, which are just as valuable as what you are good at. You could learn a lot from her, and if you ever have a chance to talk with her you should do it with the recognition that you are gaining something from it. Every interaction with another person is an opportunity to better yourself (because you'll quickly realise that there always ways for a person to get better). Finally, don't be afraid to share yourself with other people. Start speaking the language of your life with people that have life languages that interest you. Yeah, you'll get hurt sometimes, but when you make a good friend that shares your language, that's pretty fucking awesome. You may think you are sharing yourself with your blogs, but you really aren't, as I've already established. You are sharing some overcooked musings on subjects that you aren't certified to speak about. If you want to share yourself in a blog, you have to actually use your language.
So what about the future of your blog? Well, I recommend writing your thoughts about something that you know quite well. Write about the books you are reading (if you don't read, start now. Seriously. Do it), or a television show you watched, or your favourite movie. Write about things that happen in your school or at work, if you want. Give your opinions and critiques, just be honest and real about it. Stop trying to turn it into a grand intellectual process, and simply speak. You are a person, and as I've said every person has an interesting language. That implies that your language is interesting. Go ahead and start speaking it, and I'm sure there will be people who enjoy hearing it.
tl:dr Without experiencing something, you have no access to its language. Therefore, you need to live life before you can talk about it authentically. Write about something you have experience in.
ps, You might guess from my constant use of language imagery that I'm an English major. Even if English isn't your thing, I hope I could speak to you in some way.
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EPT
