text;

[hawkattack]

[Really, he shouldn't be using this detestable thing. Some of its functions are helpful, but the babbling and barking of the masses, not as much. Still, there is something on his mind, and he has seen enough to know that there are some people who come here from worlds very different than his own. Even Hinoto-Ri's laws had needed studying before he could even attempt to practice law. Perhaps there is some measure of knowledge amongst the filth here.]

What is "truth" to you? And how far would you go to pursue it?

[Of course, he knows full well whom this message could reach... but he'll try to ignore that person just the same.]

Comments

[Text]

[stridercentric]

truth is the opposite of lies.

duh.

[Text]

[hawkattack]

[... Well, he can't disagree with that definition. Sort of.]

And how far would you go to reveal a lie?

[Text]

[stridercentric]

depends how big the lie is.

like. say a guy claims he had a lucky charms for breakfast and it was just those shitty fruit loops. who gives a shit? let him live that lie man.

but say a guy claims he had lucky charms for breakfast and it was actually human organs because he spent the night on some insane killing spree? yeah id say wed better debunk that one pretty damn fast.

[Text]

[hawkattack]

But would you, personally, go out to prove it?

[STOP BEING EVASIVE.]

[Text]

[stridercentric]

if i suspected my neighbors a fucked up cannibal? sure. id find proof and then kick his ass.

i mean. thats the kinda thing the police should be doing. but if theyre too busy inhaling donuts im gonna take matters into my own hands.

1/2 (Yes hello this is a SPOILER WARNING)

[spiritofjustice]

[Simon Blackquill... He's still pondering these sort of things, is he?]

[Text | Anon]

[spiritofjustice]

[Much as it would've been in his best interest to avoid this question entirely, not even the Phantom is immune to temptation. He can afford to stop being Bobby Fulbright for a little bit. That aside, Blackquill's been far too quiet for his liking.

Time to do a little anonymous digging.]

Truth has to do with facts. The reality of a situation. However, facts can be manipulated and the only reality that matters is reality that affects you yourself.

[Text]

[hawkattack]

[... An anonymous answer? Worth being careful around... and worth remembering.]

Everyone's reality is different. No one can truly know what goes on in another's mind. There are still some facts that are common to all. Facts that have been manipulated, however, are no longer facts, but lies.

[Text | Anon]

[spiritofjustice]

Facts that have been manipulated can still be facts. Adding one fact onto another fact does not make either of the facts any less real. It simply helps cover the original fact. That's why everything needs to be doublechecked.

As for knowing what's going on in another's mind, it's like I stated. The only reality that truly matters is the reality you yourself know of, because another's reality may be littered with mistakes and misconceptions.

Text

[whyshouldyoucare]

Moral dilemmas are annoying. I'd really prefer to not have to wrestle with them. Besides, I was made to fight, not to think.

[...Not that it'll stop MiRa from thinking about it anyway.]

Truth and justice are kind of intertwined, though, aren't they? I guess for me, truth is what is real. That's about as close as I can get without a circular definition, but it feels like it's missing something.

Text

[hawkattack]

['Made'? Interesting.]

They can be. Truth is more knowing the reality of a situation. Justice is applying punishment to those who bend truth for their own uses.

At least in the way I see things.

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[whyshouldyoucare]

"Justice is applying punishment to those who bend truth for their own uses." Sounds about right to me. The guys I was up against weren't really guilty of bending truth, but they did make an effort to bend pretty much everything else. People's safety, the law of the land, entire buildings... things like that.

[Way to go from figurative to literal bending.]

Text

[hawkattack]

... Buildings?

[Okay, he has to ask. He can't not.]

[Text]

[dekillerqueen]

The plain definition of truth is rather simple, no? It consists of pure, unadulterated facts. It is only in practice that truth becomes complex, in my opinion.

That said, as long as this "truth" was important to me... I would go as far as necessary in order to reach it.

[Text]

[hawkattack]

Would you bend other truths in order to pursue the one you wish to find out?

[Text]

[dekillerqueen]

[Shelly gets the distinct impression this is more than a hypothetical question.]

It may depend on which truths are at stake.

[Text]

[hawkattack]

One of the truths you hold most dear, for example.

text

[softreset]

Truth hurts and it protects.

But it's better to pursue it in order to prevent others from being hurt.

[ She hasn't given her opinions on this yet. ]

text

[hawkattack]

And how far would you go for it?

[softreset]

As far as needed if it means protecting her.

[hawkattack]

[... Ah.]

And would you then atone for your crimes, had you broken the law to do so?

[not_heavens_adam]

Well, that would depend on your morals, wouldn't it? One man's truth could be another man's evil. It's a very subjective thing. At least, that's what I've been finding out more recently.

[hawkattack]

Which is why I'm asking. Though there are some things that I cannot accept as morally right. And there are certain things that the law will punish regardless of whether the perpetrator thinks it's right or not.

[not_heavens_adam]

True, though you didn't ask what the law saw as truth, only individuals. They're not always the same.

Plus, some places laws are different than others which can affect such ideas. It's a very fascinating question, indeed.

[hawkattack]

That's true. Though to some people they are largely, if not entirely, the same.