ataraxion | 007

Entry tags:

007 :: TEXT

Please humour me the fact I've no desire to go down there and find out for myself: was all the tech from the genetics labs destroyed? The computers are what I'm wondering about, specifically.

I believe some were retrieved shortly after the place was discovered, as well, but I admit I have no idea who they ended up with. Word on either would be appreciated. I have a personal investment, as much as I'm loathe to associate myself so directly with the place.

Thank you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Are you "disquieted" when someone changes their bedtime?

If they have always kept to early nights and suddenly start staying up, or perhaps flip to sleeping the day away and being active during the night, or start experiencing insomnia? Yes.

Though perhaps "concerned" would be the better term.

Fine. I'll argue. Will that make you happier?

Is my happiness important?

[A pause.]

Everyone's happiness is important.

So you'll be going out of your way to make sure everyone on the ship is happier from now on. I imagine that's going to take a lot of work. Very selfless of you.

That is what I have always endeavored to do, so it's not precisely a radical development.

No, you have always endeavoured to make sure they're safe. Two related but different things.

I see the difference as being so small as to be negligible.

Even if someone was happiest when they were engaged in mindless vandalism? Or arson, maybe. Theft. I could go into the nastier practices that some people take enjoyment from, but I'd rather not waste time typing them out.

No one is actually made happy by those things. Not unless they have a severe mental illness.

In your idea of society. But as time has proven, we have examples from many different kinds of societies on board.

All right. So someone kills and it makes them happy. Would you define that person as normal?

Are they happy for the act of killing? Or for having successfully protected their freedom/territory/family/honour/king?

It doesn't matter
Anyone who would kill anyone and be happy afterwards is mentally abnormal

The celebration and glory of battle was the backbone to many ancient societies. When an act we would know as abnormal and reprehensible is considered necessary to the point of being normal in itself, can we really apply our understanding to it? Do we understand, at all?

Is this truly the argument you wish to have with me?

No, I suppose we have got rather off point.

[If this were speech, his voice would be miserable; as it stands, his sentences are just clipped.]

Fine. I'm glad you've regained capacity for written communication.

Oh, is that it?

[And, losing his temper more than a little bit:]

What do you wish of me? For me to admit that there are certain people who are simply sadistic? I think that much has been well-documented. To say I'm not qualified to stand in judgment over them? Is that it?

[Oh. That's... disappointing. Josias sighs, and takes his time typing his reply.]

The point was more that there are some people who are not simply sadistic, but that their views about such matters might seem sadistic from our perspective because their environments and societies were radically different from our own.

None of it was meant on any personal note against you, Edgeworth. If anything, if we have the subject shift to something less extreme, it's more likely to apply to me. But regardless, it was just meant as a discussion.

[He doesn't reply for a moment; when he finally does, his words hold an uncharacteristic amount of self-awareness and honesty.]

I'm sure that's an interesting topic, but at this point in time, I am not exactly prepared to discuss it with you.

That's fine.

[A pause, then:]

Sorry.

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