[Text] [Anon]

[grapeeater]

[He's been thinking over this for days. Is it his duty or not? It's not like he really needs the opinions of other people... but maybe another perspective might not hurt. Not like any of them here are normal, but some... are closer than he was.]

I've got a question. If you don't care, feel free to skip this over - there's no obligation to answer.

Say you're someone powerful, whatever that means to you. You might have money, you might have skills, or you might have whatever else that gives you an advantage over other people.

Now say there's a threat, something that risks destroying you and the people you have an advantage over. If you do nothing, you might be safe but other people would die. But if you give everything, they might be safe but you would die.

How much are you obligated to give? Be selfish and survive? Or sacrifice yourself for people who might not be thankful? And why?

Comments

[preybeforemeals]

I have someone who's more important to me than anyone or anything else that I know of.

It's not right to say that I would die for them, however - that isn't how I would word it.

[grapeeater]

Then how would you word it?

[preybeforemeals]

"Dying for" someone implies a level of self-sacrifice that I'm not interested in giving to anyone. I'm not here to be anyone's shield; I won't serve as anyone's armor.

However, I can be their sword, should they be important enough to me.

I'll do whatever I can for them, but I do it because I choose to do it, not because it's my purpose or because I'm obligated to do so. I won't die for them, but I'll fight for them; if that fight results in my death, then it does so because I wasn't able to prevent things from working out that way.

Saying that I "would die for" the person I care about removes my agency from the situation, and furthermore it implies that it's their fault if I die, which is a little insulting to both of us, I think.

[grapeeater]

... I think I see your point. But... there's very little I wouldn't do to keep her safe. And I'm better as armor than I am as a sword. I'm not the sort to run into battle foolishly. Usually, at least. Defending... I can do.

It doesn't really matter here, I guess.

[preybeforemeals]

I know someone like that as well. I won't say I agree with what they do, but apparently their contributions are important to the person we're both working for.

And really, if you're running into battle foolishly then you're probably doing it wrong; I don't do that, either. Plans are more than acceptable.

Did you decide to do anything, in your case? It's a specific question to ask with no basis.

[grapeeater]

I did. I ended up trying to defend her. It wasn't enough, I guess.

[preybeforemeals]

[...And something in that doesn't strike him right.

"...but at least you tried. Really."
"What else am I supposed to do?!"

He doesn't know for sure, but he suspects and he isn't sure what he thinks of that, other than the fact that if he's correct, this is the second damn time he's had a "goddamn it I know it's you" reaction to something someone has said to him 'anonymously' over the last month.

He doesn't know for sure. But he suspects. And he's not going to say anything directly just yet, but...]

It wasn't enough in my case, either.

[grapeeater]

I guess all we can do is try to pick ourselves up and move on.

[preybeforemeals]

If we can.

This place has given me a reminder of my failure as of late.

[grapeeater]

It seems to like doing that, unfortunately.

[preybeforemeals]

Is that why you're asking us about this? You received some sort of reminder...?

[grapeeater]

Something like that, yes.

[preybeforemeals]

...What are you looking for, if I may?

[grapeeater]

... I wanted to know if my reaction was unusual. Maybe it's a little bit on the childish side, but I wanted to know if others would act the same way. Because maybe that means I'm not crazy.

No one likes to think that they're losing their grip on things.