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Mar. 12th, 2013 04:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jedi_of_urthSo, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wheatear tagged me to answer some questions not related to FMM, and I ended up doing it. I suppose part of the challenge is to tag other people with new questions but I think I have written up enough for the moment. I *may* come back and do that part later, but no promises (or treats).
1. What is your guilty pleasure in fiction?
The shipping angle. When I get invested in it (which is more often than I should) I get *way* invested. While romantic story points are not by their nature a guilty pleasure, the amount of enjoyment I get out of them when I’m invested turns it into one I’d say.
2. How will the world end?
The *world* ends when the sun expands and consumes the planet. I’m pretty sure life as we know it is dead long before then though. Some natural disaster/extinction level event will come far ahead of the sun destroying us.
3. Describe something you're very talented at.
Honestly? I’m not all that talented at a lot of things, or at least I don’t feel like it. I’m moderately talented at things, but I don’t feel very talented at any these days.
4. You get to write an episode of your favourite show. What happens?
I’m not sure how to approach this one, a) my “favorite show” sort of depends on a few different factors, b) what I’d write depends on how much impact I’m allowed to have or if I can rewrite certain events, and c) what sort of episode it ought to be. Plus d) if it’s allowed to go back into a story that’s done or effectively done (sort of tied in with b but not completely).
There’s a part of me that says I’d write an episode of something where characters just sit around and talk for the length of the episode; in part because a lot of characters don’t get a chance to do it, and partly because that’s what I like to write. But if I got a chance to really get in there and shake things up there are usually things I would do, but that depends on the show so...I don’t know.
5. What work of fiction has had the most formative influence on your life?
Babylon 5. I got into this show around the age of 11/12 and it really impacted me. It introduced me to fandom (such as it was in the mid 90s), opened my eyes to the sort of stories I still look for in TV (and in other mediums but most directly TV), and shaped a lot of my values actually.
I discovered this show at just the right time for it to greatly influence the way I saw storytelling, especially television storytelling. While I liked Star Trek first, it was B5 that showed me a world of epic storytelling; of characters who grew and changed, shaped and were shaped by the events of the story; that could tell a galaxy spanning story of the rise and fall of empires through the prism of the characters we knew and loved; that didn’t do things for shock value only to revert to the status quo as soon as possible, things changed and even if/when they changed back they were still changed by what had happened. This is the show I end up comparing most other shows to because this is the show that showed me at a formative age what television could be, that it could have a plan and carry it through and tell a damn fine story during it.
And the show delved into all kinds of questions that again came at me at a time when I was just starting to think about such things. Questions of belief, questions of politics, questions of morality and ethics; themes of sacrifice and struggle, of understanding and forgiveness, and the fact that we’re not angels, we make mistakes but we can be better. While I don’t necessarily take a ton of my beliefs directly from the show it really influenced how perceive the questions.
6. Is it right to prioritize the interests of family, friends and loved ones over people we don't know?
For example, this is a pretty complicated question. While I wouldn’t say it’s exactly “right” it is understandable *to a point*. Arguably this attitude is behind a whole lot of problems in the world, where standing up for one’s own brings people into conflict with other people doing the same. On the other hand it’s also in many ways a necessary reaction, if you feel the same way about the idea of anyone dying as you do about your family members you would be paralyzed with constant grief because people die all the time.
All other things being equal it is perfectly understandable, and yes acceptable (or as discussed even necessary), to attach more value to those issues that most directly impact one’s self and those around them. However that perfectly understandable, acceptable, and even necessary attitude taken to extremes ceases to be any of those things and must be tempered with compassion and understanding for those that are not in one’s immediate circle.
(If you were looking for a more direct TVD answer I could probably give one.)
7. Favourite member of the Spice Girls?
I actually know nothing about the Spice Girls beyond the fact that they exist at all. I was pretty much avoiding pop music while they were a thing.
8. "There is no such thing as a soul." Discuss.
It depends on how it’s being discussed. Because some people use it in a religious/spiritual context to which I say “I don’t know” but to some the idea of a soul is that which makes up the essence of a person/makes a person a unique individual, in which case...I guess I still don’t know where memory/experience/thought/emotion ends and where “soul” begins. I don’t know that that’s any kind of answer either, but I don’t really have one for this.
(However, watch B5, seriously. Second episode was basically about this question.)
9. Tumblr: Yay or nay?
NAY, NAY, A THOUSAND TIMES NAY. Tumblr may be okay if people were just passing graphics around (although they wouldn’t need to have gone to Tumblr) but I hate the way it’s set up when it comes to anything else so people need to stop it. STOP IT I SAY.
10. Four prisoners have been jailed for committing a crime. The jailer puts three of the men sitting in a line. The fourth man is put behind a screen (or in a separate room). He gives all four men party hats (see diagram below). The jailer explains that there are two red and two blue hats; that each prisoner is wearing one of the hats; and that each of the prisoners is only to see the hats in front of them but not on themselves or behind. The fourth man behind the screen can't see or be seen by any other prisoner. No communication between the prisoners is allowed.
If any prisoner can figure out and say to the jailer what colour hat he has on his head all four prisoners go free. If any prisoner suggests an incorrect answer, all four prisoners are executed.
Which prisoner can work out the answer? (No looking this up and cheating!)
I can’t work it out. I suppose C has the best chance assuming A and B have the same color of hat, if they’re different then C couldn’t predict with certainly. There’s probably something I’m missing here, but word problems have always been the bane of my existence (literally, ever since elementary school I’ve struggled with the issue).
wheatear tagged me to answer some questions not related to FMM, and I ended up doing it. I suppose part of the challenge is to tag other people with new questions but I think I have written up enough for the moment. I *may* come back and do that part later, but no promises (or treats).1. What is your guilty pleasure in fiction?
The shipping angle. When I get invested in it (which is more often than I should) I get *way* invested. While romantic story points are not by their nature a guilty pleasure, the amount of enjoyment I get out of them when I’m invested turns it into one I’d say.
2. How will the world end?
The *world* ends when the sun expands and consumes the planet. I’m pretty sure life as we know it is dead long before then though. Some natural disaster/extinction level event will come far ahead of the sun destroying us.
3. Describe something you're very talented at.
Honestly? I’m not all that talented at a lot of things, or at least I don’t feel like it. I’m moderately talented at things, but I don’t feel very talented at any these days.
4. You get to write an episode of your favourite show. What happens?
I’m not sure how to approach this one, a) my “favorite show” sort of depends on a few different factors, b) what I’d write depends on how much impact I’m allowed to have or if I can rewrite certain events, and c) what sort of episode it ought to be. Plus d) if it’s allowed to go back into a story that’s done or effectively done (sort of tied in with b but not completely).
There’s a part of me that says I’d write an episode of something where characters just sit around and talk for the length of the episode; in part because a lot of characters don’t get a chance to do it, and partly because that’s what I like to write. But if I got a chance to really get in there and shake things up there are usually things I would do, but that depends on the show so...I don’t know.
5. What work of fiction has had the most formative influence on your life?
Babylon 5. I got into this show around the age of 11/12 and it really impacted me. It introduced me to fandom (such as it was in the mid 90s), opened my eyes to the sort of stories I still look for in TV (and in other mediums but most directly TV), and shaped a lot of my values actually.
I discovered this show at just the right time for it to greatly influence the way I saw storytelling, especially television storytelling. While I liked Star Trek first, it was B5 that showed me a world of epic storytelling; of characters who grew and changed, shaped and were shaped by the events of the story; that could tell a galaxy spanning story of the rise and fall of empires through the prism of the characters we knew and loved; that didn’t do things for shock value only to revert to the status quo as soon as possible, things changed and even if/when they changed back they were still changed by what had happened. This is the show I end up comparing most other shows to because this is the show that showed me at a formative age what television could be, that it could have a plan and carry it through and tell a damn fine story during it.
And the show delved into all kinds of questions that again came at me at a time when I was just starting to think about such things. Questions of belief, questions of politics, questions of morality and ethics; themes of sacrifice and struggle, of understanding and forgiveness, and the fact that we’re not angels, we make mistakes but we can be better. While I don’t necessarily take a ton of my beliefs directly from the show it really influenced how perceive the questions.
6. Is it right to prioritize the interests of family, friends and loved ones over people we don't know?
For example, this is a pretty complicated question. While I wouldn’t say it’s exactly “right” it is understandable *to a point*. Arguably this attitude is behind a whole lot of problems in the world, where standing up for one’s own brings people into conflict with other people doing the same. On the other hand it’s also in many ways a necessary reaction, if you feel the same way about the idea of anyone dying as you do about your family members you would be paralyzed with constant grief because people die all the time.
All other things being equal it is perfectly understandable, and yes acceptable (or as discussed even necessary), to attach more value to those issues that most directly impact one’s self and those around them. However that perfectly understandable, acceptable, and even necessary attitude taken to extremes ceases to be any of those things and must be tempered with compassion and understanding for those that are not in one’s immediate circle.
(If you were looking for a more direct TVD answer I could probably give one.)
7. Favourite member of the Spice Girls?
I actually know nothing about the Spice Girls beyond the fact that they exist at all. I was pretty much avoiding pop music while they were a thing.
8. "There is no such thing as a soul." Discuss.
It depends on how it’s being discussed. Because some people use it in a religious/spiritual context to which I say “I don’t know” but to some the idea of a soul is that which makes up the essence of a person/makes a person a unique individual, in which case...I guess I still don’t know where memory/experience/thought/emotion ends and where “soul” begins. I don’t know that that’s any kind of answer either, but I don’t really have one for this.
(However, watch B5, seriously. Second episode was basically about this question.)
9. Tumblr: Yay or nay?
NAY, NAY, A THOUSAND TIMES NAY. Tumblr may be okay if people were just passing graphics around (although they wouldn’t need to have gone to Tumblr) but I hate the way it’s set up when it comes to anything else so people need to stop it. STOP IT I SAY.
10. Four prisoners have been jailed for committing a crime. The jailer puts three of the men sitting in a line. The fourth man is put behind a screen (or in a separate room). He gives all four men party hats (see diagram below). The jailer explains that there are two red and two blue hats; that each prisoner is wearing one of the hats; and that each of the prisoners is only to see the hats in front of them but not on themselves or behind. The fourth man behind the screen can't see or be seen by any other prisoner. No communication between the prisoners is allowed.
If any prisoner can figure out and say to the jailer what colour hat he has on his head all four prisoners go free. If any prisoner suggests an incorrect answer, all four prisoners are executed.
Which prisoner can work out the answer? (No looking this up and cheating!)
I can’t work it out. I suppose C has the best chance assuming A and B have the same color of hat, if they’re different then C couldn’t predict with certainly. There’s probably something I’m missing here, but word problems have always been the bane of my existence (literally, ever since elementary school I’ve struggled with the issue).
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Date: 2013-03-13 07:59 pm (UTC)Aw, c'mon, this was totally your chance to give yourself an ego boost and say how awesome you are!
(If you were looking for a more direct TVD answer I could probably give one.)
I wasn't necessarily because it's a question that very much applies to the real world, but the tribal morality as depicted on TVD is interesting in how it reflects the logical extreme of family values.
I suppose C has the best chance assuming A and B have the same color of hat, if they’re different then C couldn’t predict with certainly.
If it helps, A and B have different coloured hats.