genessia | [Video]

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So...I have a curiosity. There have been many discussion regarding good vs. evil, or more prominently, "right" vs. "wrong." But do you not think those terms are rather subjective? What's "right" for one group may not necessarily be "right" for another.

I'll take one example straight from Everglade - the tension between humans and the other species who live there. I've seen many claims about the species being angry with humans, because humans have been hostile towards them...but can you really blame humans for being wary of species that would normally consider them as lunch? And the species feed on humans, because it's essentially mandatory for their survival. So who is "right," and who is "wrong?" The answer is "neither." Neither humans nor the other species are right or wrong. This is how nature works.

That said, I do applaud those who are working to help humans and their would-be predators to co-exist as peacefully as possible.

I could offer another example from my own world, but I'll spare the details.

So how would I define what's "wrong?" I would define it as anything that disturbs lives outside of their "circle" for no reason other than personal gain, power grabs, or just to make themselves look good.

On the other hand, what is "right?" Who can really say? We all do what we believe is best for ourselves, our lands, and our ways of life. And then we do what is necessary, which can get downright ugly when conflict occurs. It's foolish to believe ourselves to be perfect. It's foolish to expect anyone else to be perfect. If we were all perfect, there would be nothing to work for. And that would make life rather dull, wouldn't it?

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Maybe it would be better if humans were separated from anything else?

...Why?

[It may sound like an elementary question, but Qubine can sense a grudge behind this creature's response.]

Then both sides would be... safer. You know? Each having their own cities.

...I'm not so sure...at least not in this world.

I don't know if you know about the barrier surrounding this world? From my understanding, Everglade appears to be the source of the barriers, which is largely generated by fear. Believe it or not, it has already been suggested to remove humans from Everglade, but that brought about the concern for the barrier. Without humans there to fear the other creatures, the barrier would weaken, leaving it at risk for the spirits outside of the barrier to break through. And when the spirits break through the barrier, then no one is safe.

Even without the spirits and barrier issue, if humans were removed from Everglade, would the other creatures be able to feed?

Even in a world of grey, there can be absolutes. For example, I think just about everyone outside a select group of demonkind can agree that preying upon children is Wrong, and defending them Right. Those particular demons tend... not to be the most savory types, if you take my meaning.

The wrong and right argument can also be applied to dark and light, as well as evil and good. It all comes down to power. What's 'wrong' and 'right' or 'good' and 'evil' all comes down to who holds the most power.

Unfortunately, without defined concepts of right and wrong, order gives way to chaos - so concessions must be made for the 'greater good'. Groups are ostracized. Actions that are benign or benevolent in one society become anathema. Inquisitions are formed. People die, innocent in their beliefs but sacrificed because the majority believes them to be malignant. Order itself breeds chaos.

Only in a place where one individual holds absolute power can true order be obtained - and then, only by there being no one left to oppose them. Even then, the individuals will revolt against themselves, eventually descending into madness - thus, again, breeding chaos.

Any form of sapient life that has emotions faces this problem. There is, so far as I am aware, no solution - just efforts to control the chaos.

[The dragon takes a moment to absorb everything. Unfortunately, there isn't any one being in Sornieth who holds the "most power."]

Children... [He can certainly agree that the hatchlings should be protected, since they are usually unable to protect themselves.] That's right, humans are stuck as children for quite a long time, aren't they?

I don't think right and wrong should be applied to light and dark, since they are merely elements of nature, the elements that bring us day and night. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any one being who holds the most power here or in my world. The eleven deities in my world are equal in power, and any one of them could destroy the world. The truce they hold is a shaky one, but it's all they can do to keep the world from falling apart. That is why dragonkind was born, to help keep the peace and shape the world without the risk of going overboard with the power.

The last part I can certainly agree with.

Twelve to eighteen years, depending on the society they're reared in; that's how it worked back home, anyway. Light and dark being subjected to the same criteria as right and wrong is... a bit of a grey area. There are those who equate light with good, and dark with evil - while others can attest to the fact that either can be used in service to the other. Wielding a dark power, whose source lies in realms most would agree are evil, in the name of good - I can personally confirm that's possible.

I do it every day.

As for absolute power... I'm not sure anyone here can claim it. Most of the people here know to contain their own power, but we know there are those who have claimed the power to destroy worlds, or even entire universes. Just being able to do those things doesn't necessarily mean one wields a consummate power on the personal level; you can't use a cannon to kill a mosquito. I'm not sure if they check their power personally or if this place puts some kind of... mental compulsion on us, not to go overboard. Given some things I've seen and experienced, I'd say it does, but that it can be overcome. I wish we had more information about how this place works.

No.

Wrong is hurting others for personal gain, as you suggested for motivations. Right is protecting others even when it hurts yourself.

Just that simple.

I appreciate the input.

[He can agree with those things. Gods know he's gotten plenty hurt when protecting Shayla...]

[....]

That was easy.

[He was expecting a lot more of a fight, to be honest.]

[He shrugs.]

Well, I wasn't looking for an argument, more of a discussion.

Yeah, but I mean... isn't there more to it? [Rubs the back of his neck.] Or maybe for you there isn't either, huh.

There probably is. That's another reason I was looking for input...

There seems to be a general consensus of what is "right," but no solid definition...

Having been on both sides of the 'good' and 'evil' coin in my own world, I tend to agree with your definition what makes something 'wrong', for the most part. Though I'd add 'just because they feel like it' to the list of reasons why people do things that are wrong. Because some people are just sadistic like that, and will do cruel things just because they think it's funny or because they like hurting people.

'Right's always been a lot harder to define, though. There've probably been hundreds of books and things written about it and people still can't agree, so I don't think we'll ever come up with one solid definition of what makes something 'right' that works for everybody, especially in a place like this. But for me, at least, it means making sure my friends and the other people around me can live reasonably safe and happy lives, and doing my best to stop people who I know are doing things that are 'wrong'. Especially big things that could cause a lot of serious harm.

...Yes, that would be another valid definition of what is "wrong." As for what is "right," it's true that everyone has their own perceptions of it. But it's good to have at least something of a general consensus here. At least in this world.

Hmmm... well I guess you could set up a poll or something about it. Then you could see what the most common answers were and go from there. That might not satisfy everyone, but it'd be something the majority of people would at least be OK with.

[A DRAGON? Certainly not something that Rika was expecting to see here..!!

She pockets that shock for now so that she can listen carefully. These are good points, and good information about what to expect from this place. Especially from Everglade.]

Mii. I did not realize the situation here was so complicated... I do not mean this harshly, but I am reminded of my villages' folklore about the demons that lived in our village.

Complicated...I suppose one could call it that.

But what about these demons? What were they like?

In Hinamizawa, there is a story that 'ogres' or 'demons' once came out of a swamp near our village. They were dangerous to humans and very scary. Then our guardian deity, Oyashiro-sama, came down from the heavens and told the demons to go away.

But the demons had no where to go. They lived there too. When the people in the village learned that, they felt very bad and offered to let the demons live with them. Oyashiro-sama was touched by the villagers and agreed to give the demons human forms so they could live in Onigafuchi Village-- what Hinamizawa was called back then.

Because of that, the people of my village are said to have demon blood in their veins. We are all bound by the fact we share the village... Maybe it would help if people in Genessia stopped thinking of themselves as from different worlds, but as people of Genessia with a common link.

S-so you're from a different world, but you're also a Draconic-!

[said fluff dragon wiggled in the video]

Ahm, I mean..in my realm, I guess? The Shadow determined all of those complicated questions, and because of that, there's been nothing but peace and understanding. Does this place not have a leader such as that?

We knew that we all needed to survive, there wasn't a right or wrong...

...I'm a dragon.

[He's not sure if he's the same as a "Draconic" that she's speaking of. But this "Shadow" makes him curious.]

The "Shadow"? I don't believe we have any leader like that in this world...not one that determines "right" and "wrong," anyway. Just some..."computer" that lets us do whatever we want. We don't know much about it, because it doesn't communicate with us often.

My world has a Shadow flight, with its deity being the Shadowbinder. But she is only one of eleven deities, and they don't determine what's right or wrong either. They're just working to keep our world together.

ELEVEN deities?

[how could a world fit that many of them? And with such immense power-!]

What a strange world..and you call yourselves dragons, and yet you look just like our kind..!

Computer must be powerful, and must have it's reasons for letting everyone do what they want. That's still quite dangerous-!

[Qubine's face falls a bit. This person looks completely human. How does he possibly look like her kind?]

...We call ourselves dragons, because that's what we are. We may be different species, but we are still dragons all the same. We don't have the ability to assume a human form.

Yes, we have eleven primary elements in our world, and each one has a deity. Deities of Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, Shadow, Ice, Lightning, Arcane, Nature, and Plague.

As for the computer...we can only suspect that it needs something from us, though we're not sure what it is. Weiss's Genessia Scientific Research Foundation is studying all of that, but I fear they have much more to learn before they can truly understand this world...

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