005. Text // my world is unaffected

[manufactured]

It's been some time since Retrospec has properly dropped some sort of identity crisis on us, though I suppose it's good to know that we're getting a bit more information out of them now than we were in the past; I'm in no way looking down on small favors and silver linings. Just the same, I wonder for the time being where that leaves us - I know I've asked a few of you about this in the past, and I'm sure that a fair amount of you have made your decisions regarding it since.

I suppose what I want to hear is your thoughts on these people you're receiving memories of, whether you consider them "you" or otherwise - do you still think of them as a separate person from yourself or do you consider them to be the same as "you", and why you've come to feel that way. I'm not going to argue for feeling one way or another on the matter, I'm just wondering how you've come to see these people that technically don't exist anymore.

Of course, if you reject this entire matter completely and just consider this to be an example of some corporate entity you hate ruining your life for no apparent reason, that's likewise fair.

I've formed my own views on this fairly recently; I tend to find it calming, having some sort of conclusion that I can accept as reasonably true for the time being. It's not always convenient, but it's calming.

Comments

[dulynoted]

Is that so? Then all the more reason I'd like to know your thoughts.

Inherently supposed to be is an interesting way to look at it. What makes you feel that the person in these visions is our real self? Or should I say "ideal self"?

[ He isn't sure he agrees, but he doesn't disagree, either. (At least for now. Give him a few months and he'll be singing a different tune entirely.) ]

[manufactured]

I don't know if I'd say "ideal," per se - again, my own personal memories have a tendency to trend negative, intensely so. But I do believe that the person whose memories I've been experiencing is more or less who I've always been. There's a fundamental similarity there, between those memories and my current life - I don't know if it can properly be called the soul, because that's always seemed a little metaphysical for my liking, but I suppose it will do for now.

I don't know if there's any one thing that makes me sure of it. Given that my life is one that I've dedicated to science, that's moderately infuriating to me; I like things to be quantifiable. But I can certainly identify the thoughts and feelings present in those memories as being mine, easily at this point.

[dulynoted]

[ Something fundamental, intrinsic...hm. The idea in and of itself has merit. He had been trying to investigate common themes in visions and memories, more so to see if people are linked because of them, if they prompt more frequent memories. Not what sort of value they could hold, or how closely they may fit to someone's idea of themselves.

It's food for thought. He appreciates it. ]

I admit I hadn't considered that vein, that there's something core to ourselves that is in both instances. I also agree that the concept of the soul is one difficult to reconcile without subscribing to belief as opposed to evidence, which makes it difficult to quantity. But I don't need to tell you that.

I feel that entertaining any sort of thought experiments with Retrospec requires that we accept some some level of belief.

[manufactured]

At least until they provide tangible evidence of a soul, beyond the stones we received last February, at which point the matter moves from faith to fact. Until then, however, a fair amount of what we take into consideration has to be based on subjective matter at best.

[dulynoted]

Those stones were interesting, to say the least. An acquaintance of mine was wondering what might happen if he broke his, but I never found out if he did or not.

[manufactured]

Apparently a few people did, from the sound of it. I didn't find myself inclined to do so due to the number of unknown variables involved; admittedly, had this happened several months ago I may have tried it.

[dulynoted]

What changed? If you don't mind me asking.

[manufactured]

The stone induced sentiments toward people that I'm far closer to now than I was previously.

[dulynoted]

Understandable. Experiencing extreme emotion seemed to be the main purpose of them. But I'm still not sure how intentional these events are.

[manufactured]

From the sound of it, the effects don't seem to be something within their control. They're aware of the fact that they may be about to happen, but they don't seem to be deciding what the result is going to look like.

[dulynoted]

So you believe them?

[manufactured]

It's more that I haven't seen any reason to disbelieve them. It's a situation in which lying doesn't serve to benefit them.

[dulynoted]

No apparent benefit, I will give you that.

[ He's definitely on the fence about that. ]