caughtinanetwork

Being selfless is not an easy thing.

[Hello, Vatheon. Once again, your resident not-god of a spiritual being, Jacob, is here to illuminate your lives with philosophical pondering and introspection to boot.]

[Don't mind him, it's just what he does on a regular basis.]

In fact, no one is completely selfless. Everyone has the need and desire to take care of themselves before anyone else. It's a natural thing. But even so, it's amazing that people can put aside their own wants and needs to help others around them. It goes against the grain, so to speak.

Sometimes...somebody is so selfless that they put their life in harm's way in order to protect others. For in those moments that mean life and death, they put aside the thought of danger and charge into it willingly. All because they realize that their life was, at that moment, not the thing that mattered most.

[A pause as he glances at the camera with those wide blue eyes of his which are as unchanging as the horizon of a calm sea.]

Sacrifice is a powerful thing, indeed. For sacrifice can impact people so deeply that they can experience an entire turn-around in their character. Because, I think, sacrifice makes us all realize that we are all miniscule specks in the cloak of the universe. We are not as important by ourselves as we think. And therefore, selflessness comes into play- we do things for a higher goal. A higher purpose. We hope that one day, our actions can influence things as large as an entire nation or an entire world.

[He lets the words sink in for a bit, and then:]

So, people of Vatheon. What do you see selflessness as? Is it a means to an end, or are we all just specks that can barely put a ripple in the fabric of the universe we live in?

[ooc: Don't forget to fill out Jacob's permission post if you haven't done so already!]

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Haa... Man, this is reminding me of when I did that with Lea. I could've died way back when that curfew was put in, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to make sure Lea was safe.

_{[A beat.]}

But I dunno. Can there really ever be an end for something that isn't meant to exist in the first place?

[He smiles warmly at the camera.] Did you now? That was very brave of you.

I don't know. But you exist, as I am talking to you and you are talking back, and you've shown that you care, so I think that you have as much right to a proper end as other people do.

Sacrifice is very rarely born from true selflessness. People act in such a way so that they can feel better about themselves. That is not to say that those people are bad, but it isn't about being selfless.

You think so?

_{[He scratches at the back of his neck, brows furrowed.]} But what's... a proper end?

[While he doesn't understand all the words mentioned, Serph understands the general gist of it.

...This is a very painful post for Serph. He knows the strength gained by having comrades; he can barely remember a time he hasn't done something with his Tribe in mind. As the leader of his Tribe, he's known nothing but sacrifice from his members. Sometimes sacrifices need to made... but he's working to reach a world where they don't need to be made; in the end, most of his comrades, hundreds of them, are now dead.

But his voice is calm, unfaltering.]

It's what you are to help a comrade. But we are still ourselves.

Is that so?

Yes, smaller forms of sacrifice may be born from selfish desires...but I do not think it's so easy to explain when they give up their entire life for something. How can a person make themselves feel better by giving up their own life?

An act of penance, perhaps? Maybe they wished for an end regardless, and simply found a means to it that was comforting.

Besides, it's quite selfish to sacrifice yourself and leave behind everyone that cares about you with all of that guilt.

Yes, I do.

A proper end? I am hardly the one who can say that. Some people want to be remembered when their lives end, others want to go out fighting, some want to die to protect their loved ones...

But I think that a proper ending should mean that the people around you know you existed. That you mattered. I think one of the worst things for anyone to have happen to them is to die alone and forgotten...

Of course you are still yourself when you make such decisions. Because you and only you makes that decision for others.

Nobody should stop caring about themselves completely. But no one should care only about themselves.

But even so, they thought of others. Penance means that you feel guilty over something you did, and guilt means that you thought of how your actions hurt others. Feeling no guilt over it means you could care less what people think.

True. But at the same time, if you sacrifice yourself, it means you are putting forward your life in exchange for a result that is even bigger than the feelings of your loved ones.

Alone and forgotten, huh? Yeah... I know what that's like.

_{[And then he flashes a small grin.]} A-At least here I don't gotta worry about that, right? No one really does.

It can't really be called selflessness, though. I just don't believe that such a thing exists.

Not pure selflessness, of course. But bits of selfishness and selflessness exist in every person.

It is up to that person to determine which they want to focus on more than the other.

It's a horrible end...

[And he smiles back.] Of course. For there will always be somebody who will remember you here. Who knew that you were here and you lived and breathed.

[She looks at video quietly before sending a short response. It's a difficult subject for her, and she's not sure why she even answered.]

That's true.

Humanity are complicated. Even after all my years of observing them, people always surprised me.

Nobody can predict what people become. That's the way it has always been.

[Can he just +1 this forever? This guy gets it.]

Are you a leader, in your world?

[He doesn't answer for a little bit as he muses on it, looking slightly amused.]

I guess I am, in a way.

[He was the leader of the Others, even if none of them except for Richard ever saw his face.]

Maybe I should put spray paint on a building that says 'Demyx was here' just incase, huh?

[Sitting down with his arms crossed against his chest and a brow raised.]
I think it's one of those things ya think too much about, when ya really should just be enjoying the ride.
No one is selfless. If ya help another by putting yourself at risk, it's for your own reasons, aye? Whether it's for the bond ya hold with your crew or mates, or if the person is important, you're doing it because you want them to make it. Your own reasons which you push on another without thinking of what they might say if ya bite the big one.

[His smile grows wider at that.]

If you feel that is what you have to make your mark, then sure.

That's true. But even so, those thoughts, while they are your own, are not about you. They are about others. And that is what selflessness is- not necessarily doing thing because you want to, but doing things because you know it will benefit someone over yourself.

No one is truly selfless. But everyone has selflessness in them.

I'd bust out a couple albums but I don't think Vatheon has a record company here. Wanna join me?

Me?

[He looks slightly surprised at the offer.]

Well, I know how to play a few instruments. And I've been listening to those CDs Gamzee gave me for Christmas. I don't know if that's enough experience or not...

Yeah? What can you play?

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