186 réponses à ce sujet

[Volus Warlord]

EternalAmbiguity wrote...

Saphra Deden wrote...

@EternalAmbiguity wrote...

1. Primitive instincts are bad.

Not always. They exist for a reason. They are a double-edged sword. You have to know when to ignore them. Like scratching an itch, say.

2. Drive to survive is...rationalism?

Understanding why it isn't something to feel guilty about.

3. And thus, Drive to survive is NOT a primitive instinct.

The desire for resources is certainly a base instinct.

What I'd consider superstitious are arguments about our "duty to other animals or the environment" or ecological rights. Our only duty to the enviroment is to maintain it as one that is livable for us. After all, destroying it and having nothing to live off of wouldn't be very rational.

Ah, I see. I didn't really understand what you were saying.


And I agree on the whole superstition part. Though I don't like the thought of completely eradicating a species, whether it be dodo, fruit fly, or chimpanzee.

Well, maybe the fruit flies can go.

We've been trying to eradicate mosquitos for the longest time. No luck.

[DiebytheSword]

Saphra Deden wrote...
What I'd consider superstitious are arguments about our "duty to other animals or the environment" or ecological rights. Our only duty to the enviroment is to maintain it as one that is livable for us. After all, destroying it and having nothing to live off of wouldn't be very rational.

Conservationism versus Enviromentalism.  I agree very much with this, there are times when I scratch my head in awe at people who don't understand that if we "save the enviroment" to the detriment of mankind, we are denying ourselves scarce resources in the name of a life form that would not think to act in kind should the tables ever be reversed.  If there is one constant observable in nature, it is survival of the fittest.

You do what you can when you can to make sure you have the resource in the future, but to not use it at all doesn't make sense in this context.

I actually understand your reasoning to keep the collector base much better from just this stance.  I still disagree on that particular issue, but I see your point.

[AlexXIV]

Saphra Deden wrote...

AlexXIV wrote...

'Human' is a term to discribe a certain group of people. Just like 'white people' or 'black people'. At some point we noticed that, despite differences, different human races are not so different. And some point we notice that aliens are not so 'alien'.

Unless you can fuck an alien and produce a hybrid child that is fertile, then they are differen't and always will be.

Maybe they think differently too, or maybe they don't. It doesn't matter. Biological barriers concerning reproduction will ensure that we are always separate.

And no, before you foolishly bring it up, you cannot reproduce with asari.

Reproduction is irrelevant to what I said. Life is not about survival. Some people don't have children, some cannot have children. Is their life worthless? If you are Darwinist maybe. You can live on in someone else, even if they are not your family. You can be an example, inspiration. Like we quote people who are long dead and probably not our ancestors. Yet their words live on in us. That's probably stronger than genetics. You are focusing too much on superficials. Looks, sounds, etc. It doesn't matter what they look like. What matters is if they will carry our legacy.

Modifié par AlexXIV, 10 janvier 2012 - 04:43 .

[Kaiser Shepard]

In the end it all comes down to genetics, Alex. Nothing else matters.

[AlexXIV]

Kaiser Shepard wrote...

In the end it all comes down to genetics, Alex. Nothing else matters.

Then you got everything that matters in life when you were born ... kind of disappointing tbh.

[Aimi]

OP, I don't consistently play any one kind of Shepard on the P/R scale. Conveniently, I'm total garbage on ethics and whatnot and "attempting to codify my habits" in RL as well.

[RolandX9]

EternalAmbiguity wrote...

Relatively simple. How does your personal life/feelings about life/belief affect your place on the Paragon vs. Renegade scale. I'll provide an example by going first:

I didn't have the best childhood. It wasn't bad physically, but mentally it just about destroyed me: I still struggle with it today. Only through the truly unconditional care of a few people I know did I turn out not to be a psychopath (that isn't exaggeration; I'm quite serious). As a result, I don't want to choose things that cause hurt to people when there are other options available (things like killing the colonists on Feros or Shiala). I value life, and wish to preserve it whenever possible.

What about you?

Well, first off... (((((EternalAmbiguity)))))

Now, as to your question: I had a fairly idyllic home life in my formative years, but as an almost painfully stereotypical nerd (I even had taped glasses and braces at one point), I was picked on relentlessly. Together, those contributed to an exaggerated sense of fair play and idealizing "good guy" heroes. Other kids wanted to be The Lancer; a brief Han Solo phase aside, I wanted to be The Hero. Nearly all of my playthroughs are mostly Paragon. My "main" Shepard committed exactly one Renegade act in ME1 ("just a quick slave grab?" Not on this Colonist's watch, buster!), and only got "extra" Renegade points in ME2 for interrupts that would have been stupid not to do (bye-bye, gunship guy).

None of my Shepards have met Urdnot Wreav; all of them met a certain nameless asari contact upon first arriving on Illium. The only reason I even have a Renegon Shepard (I literally could not play a full Renegade) is my love for Mass Effect; it was literally emotionally painful for me to listen to him. He (said R!Shep is male) feels like a bully and a jerk, and I quite frankly loathe him. I'm not sure I'll even play him in ME3.

This isn't to say that a few of my other Shepards don't dip into the Renegade pool just a tad now and then (my primary femShep neither suffers fools gladly nor has patience for true monsters), and even my main Shepard is willing to wade through the entrails of the hordes stupid enough to stand against him. However, most of my Shepards are Paragons with very similar choices in morality-related matters, and primarily differ in morality-neutral decisions and in romances. Long story, short version, I'm Paragon all the way because that's what I'd want to be if I were as badass as Commander Shepard.

[Kaiser Shepard]

AlexXIV wrote...

Kaiser Shepard wrote...

In the end it all comes down to genetics, Alex. Nothing else matters.

Then you got everything that matters in life when you were born ... kind of disappointing tbh.

No, then everything that matters would be finding a suitable female to propagate my genes. Not for the act of it, mind you, but as its own purpose.

Of course, it would be an empty life if one didn't have another value to live by, so I have justice for that.

Modifié par Kaiser Shepard, 10 janvier 2012 - 04:49 .

[Volus Warlord]

Kaiser Shepard wrote...

AlexXIV wrote...

Kaiser Shepard wrote...

In the end it all comes down to genetics, Alex. Nothing else matters.

Then you got everything that matters in life when you were born ... kind of disappointing tbh.

No, then everything that matters would be finding a suitable female to propagate my genes. Not for the act of it, mind you, but as its own purpose.

Of course, it would be an empty life if one didn't have another value to live by, so I have justice for that.

You're sterile, so you're SOL.

[Volus Warlord]

EternalAmbiguity wrote...

Saphra Deden wrote...

Of-course. They don't have cute faces for you to empathize with despite the fact that they play a much bigger role in their ecosystem than a chimp does.

(NOTE: THIS IS A JOKE)

Ooh, smooth, very smooth.

I think it has more to do with the fact that I'm somehow a magnet for bugs. Spring and fall are h*ll.

I don't really like chimapnzees anyway. Look too much like black people.

(That was a joke, folks. I am, in fact, black. I couldn't resist a perfect set up like that)

I call BS. They are no black people on the internet.

[someone else]

Great thread OP - from the title I would have bet heavily it would be deep into the ren/para forever war. Nice to be wrong.

Character affect how I play - I will deviate in order to accomplish a play-through goal - to see the alternate for Wrex, to have the rest of the galaxy PO'd at humans for taking over the citadel, to have everyone die at the end - but many of these are hard - killing the rachni queen is a prime example -

But there are other factors that shape play - the quality of the narrative - my "headcanon" - how does the choice sit with the character I'm creating - a tough, take-no-prisoners, victory-at-all-costs gal, or an idealistic, dedicated champion of the sentient races - complicated of course by some of the unfortunate writing and options courtesy of BW - both for rens and paras - so aesthetics is as much a driver for me as my own morals (I think still have one or two of those laying around) and psychological makeup.

[Kaiser Shepard]

jreezy wrote...

EternalAmbiguity wrote...

Saphra Deden wrote...

Of-course. They don't have cute faces for you to empathize with despite the fact that they play a much bigger role in their ecosystem than a chimp does.

(NOTE: THIS IS A JOKE)

Ooh, smooth, very smooth.

I think it has more to do with the fact that I'm somehow a magnet for bugs. Spring and fall are h*ll.

I don't really like chimapnzees anyway. Look too much like black people.

(That was a joke, folks. I am, in fact, black. I couldn't resist a perfect set up like that)

Is it wrong that I laughed at this?

I did as well, but probably for different reasons.

[Homey C-Dawg]

RolandX9 wrote...
...I was picked on relentlessly.

...He (said R!Shep is male) feels like a bully and a jerk, and I quite frankly loathe him. I'm not sure I'll even play him in ME3.
 

RenShep reminds you of the kids from school doesn't he?

Modifié par Homey C-Dawg, 10 janvier 2012 - 04:57 .

[Kaiser Shepard]

EternalAmbiguity wrote...

I'm still laughing at it.

Laughing at your own joke?

Stay classy, Ambi.

[GodWood]

Homey C-Dawg wrote...
RenShep reminds you of the kids from school doesn't he?

It all makes sense now

[Bekkael]

jreezy wrote...

EternalAmbiguity wrote...

Saphra Deden wrote...

Of-course. They don't have cute faces for you to empathize with despite the fact that they play a much bigger role in their ecosystem than a chimp does.

(NOTE: THIS IS A JOKE)

Ooh, smooth, very smooth.

I think it has more to do with the fact that I'm somehow a magnet for bugs. Spring and fall are h*ll.

I don't really like chimapnzees anyway. Look too much like black people.

(That was a joke, folks. I am, in fact, black. I couldn't resist a perfect set up like that)

Is it wrong that I laughed at this?

Only if you did it while sipping racist coffee.