Nebula 16

[zombiemessiah]

VIDEO|CW: ZOMBIE RELATED STUFF

Alright. Alright. One of those opinion posts.

[For those that don't know Murphy, the man on the screen outright just looks likes Voltaire wet dream, complete with red skin, Satan aesthetic, black suit with a red shirt and he's got the voice of a story-telling podcaster.]

Moral Quandary Time! Where do you draw the line in killing people? Are you a 'no, never' person? A 'only in self-defense person'? A 'the world'd be better without this person' person? Maybe even a 'You killed my father, prepare to die!' type. Or, maybe? All it would take is something that'll line your pockets.

Maybe the setting counts. Somewhere like my world, where billions of undead roam hungry and the living trample each other to survive. Definitely one where even the softest heart would be hard-pressed to stay their hand. Or you go to one of those colorful, magical places where the grass looks like astroturf and there are rainbows with no clouds. But you found out all the cute, adorable fuzzy things there were slowly going to cause the extinction of five other species.

This isn't just a question about murder philosophy. Missions are tough and some just want to help and some of us are desensitized. You might need someone who can easily do what you'd struggle with. Then again, you might need someone with a little more patience so you don't snap someone's neck.

[Murphy withholds the question about whether someone would rather him get information one way or the other if it came down to a choice. He'll wait on that one 'cause he's sure the initial answer would be, 'I would rather you do neither.]

Also hello to the new people! Hiiii. Yeah. You might get mindfucked. There's a lot of that recently. I'm sure someone else with a healthy dose of PTSD can fill you in on how that went.

Comments

[zombiemessiah]

[Sir, he sees you there. Because mostly he's the only one who's asked anything otherwise he might have not paid attention.]

Just a question. I don't like to fight but I don't feel particularly guilty to have to kill. What about you, big guy? What's a handsome guy like yourself prefer.

[wewillwewill]

[Quips about the vessel's appearance are noted but ignored; possibly because it's pretty easy to see they appear to be a habit of speech. Well, probably.]

Killing is oft a grim necessity to survive for many where I come from. Because of this, the term 'murder' may cover a smaller range of acts than more peaceful worlds. I can kill if I must, but it is not the first course of action I would turn to.

[It's definitely honest if nothing else, even if there's a lot of context missing. But in fairness, Murphy is only asking about whether Elidibus can kill or would prefer to kill. And those have been duly answered.]

[zombiemessiah]

[Murphy's just a flirt, so it's a generally good idea to ignore him.]

Same. Same. [Because zombie situations aren't a good time. His world plays it free and loose on the defense rules and there isn't exactly jail anymore. Thank God.]

So you do see it as something that the culture affects or the history of the world affects or the person's individual background affects?

If given a situation and you were with someone a little trigger-happy for your taste, what lengths would you go to in order to discourage them? On a scale of 'gentle talking to' to 'I'm knocking your ass out'?

[wewillwewill]

That is a difficult question to answer without sounding discourteous. But I suppose you may say that my experience does suggest it has to do with one's environment among other matters. There's also the possibility of outside influence.

[Absolutely straightface. Just talking about what he's seen, yup.]

Yet I believe you mentioned this wasn't meant to be about philosophy. In the end, it is more oft the individual's choice to kill, however one chooses to justify it. Not that there aren't exceptions.

[Elidibus then answers the second question without hesitation.]

I would choose the best course of action for the situation.

[zombiemessiah]

See? That answer is easy enough.

They're questions that can happen. For me, it wasn't philosophical. It's one I've run into.

[His fix might have been construed as more brutal than 'knocking your ass out'.]

[wewillwewill]

I meant when it comes to whether the culture or environment affects a person's willingness to kill. The full answer I have to the philosophy behind this is what I meant by a discourtesy.

[It doesn't sound like he's going to share that full answer anytime soon.]

That it can happen, especially with the countless worlds and possibilities among them, is only to be expected. Did it trouble you to have to take whatever action you did at the time?

[zombiemessiah]

Nope.

Even when I disagree with my past actions, I don't let them trouble me too much. I just learn and move on. If there's anything I've learned from traveling, it's to try not to carry around unnecessary baggage because it slows you down.

[This is why Murphy is occasionally insufferable. He often kicks others in the ass and expects them to move on, too, even when they're not ready. At least he can be solid when he's standing up for someone, if he likes them enough to go for it.]