((Last night, I was out taking a leisurely evening stroll when I was struck by the concept for yet another alt. The character's look, powers, and behavior all came to me in a flash. The image presented in the following story was part of the same seamless burst of inspiration. Immediately upon getting home, I cranked up the character creation system and put together my first attempt at a kinetic defender. For various reasons, I was surprised that I could get the name. So if you're wandering around the Triumph server, keep an eye out forÂ… the Walk Man.))
Two friends were out walking down the street, engaged in a heated philosophical discussion on the nature of criminal behavior.
"Fred, I'm sorry, but you're an idiot. You can't honestly believe that those acts are at all similar. I don't even think you can make much arguement for cause and effect."
"From the standpoint of the impact on society, I'll admit there is an entire spectrum in the severity of various crimes. However, from the perspective of the criminal there is an equal disdain for the rules of society no matter what particular form of legal infraction is being performed."
"So you're saying that if I were to, I don't know, drop a chewing gum wrapper on the street instead of in a garbage can, I've made the same moral deviations as a mass murderer or armed robber?"
"Not morals, Bill. Ethics. You either recognise the laws of society as a whole and follow them, or you put yourself above the law. The particular expression is ethically a side-issue once you've chosen to ignore the codes of social living. Morally, you may get a bit squeemish about hacking up corpses like Dr. V, or be offended by thievery. A serial killer could be so fastidious that he'd be outraged by littering, while most of society would view his actions as much worse. That's personal moral preference. Ethically, they're all bad because they all ignore the social contract."
"You're nuts, Fred. Positively loony."
They went on a bit further in silence until they approached the next intersection.
"Look! It's the walk signal!"
"What about it? The Clockwork haven't torn it down again, have they?"
"No! It's a message! Someone's in trouble!"
"In this town? Someone's always in trouble, Fred. Now come on, let's cross the street before the light changes."
"I need to find a place to change into my outfit. The government wouldn't have signaled me if it weren't an emergency!"
"Outfit? Government emergency? Fred, it's a street light."
"Ha! You think it was mere chance that it came on just as I approached? My arch-nemesis, Jay Walker, must be loose upon the streets again!"
"Jay Walker? Isn't he the kid that works the counter down at Major Flander's chicken? Admittedly, he isn't the most polite individual, but arch-nemesis? Fred, I think you need to go home and lie down for a bit. I'll call your doctor and you can tell him all about it."
"Lie down?!? There are things to be done! Didn't you see the signal?!?"
"It's a walk signal, Fred. They have one on just about every corner of just about every street in just about every city in the world. Trust me, Fred, it's part of a general impersonal effort to keep traffic moving safely. It's not any sort of personal notice to you. That light goes on every 30 seconds."
"Every 30 seconds? Jay Walker, you've gone too far this time! Quick, Saunter Boy, to the Mosey-Mobile! Walk Man to the rescue!"
"Fred! I'll put up with a lot from you, but I will NOT be 'Saunter Boy'!"
Will Walk Man stop the nefarious Jay Walker? Will Bill embrace his destiny as Saunter Boy? Or is Fred just a very confused individual? Find out, in the next installment of ... The Walk Man!
((Last night, I was out taking a leisurely evening stroll when I was struck by the concept for yet another alt. The character's look, powers, and behavior all came to me in a flash. The image presented in the following story was part of the same seamless burst of inspiration. Immediately upon getting home, I cranked up the character creation system and put together my first attempt at a kinetic defender. For various reasons, I was surprised that I could get the name. So if you're wandering around the Triumph server, keep an eye out forÂ… the Walk Man.))
Two friends were out walking down the street, engaged in a heated philosophical discussion on the nature of criminal behavior.
"Fred, I'm sorry, but you're an idiot. You can't honestly believe that those acts are at all similar. I don't even think you can make much arguement for cause and effect."
"From the standpoint of the impact on society, I'll admit there is an entire spectrum in the severity of various crimes. However, from the perspective of the criminal there is an equal disdain for the rules of society no matter what particular form of legal infraction is being performed."
"So you're saying that if I were to, I don't know, drop a chewing gum wrapper on the street instead of in a garbage can, I've made the same moral deviations as a mass murderer or armed robber?"
"Not morals, Bill. Ethics. You either recognise the laws of society as a whole and follow them, or you put yourself above the law. The particular expression is ethically a side-issue once you've chosen to ignore the codes of social living. Morally, you may get a bit squeemish about hacking up corpses like Dr. V, or be offended by thievery. A serial killer could be so fastidious that he'd be outraged by littering, while most of society would view his actions as much worse. That's personal moral preference. Ethically, they're all bad because they all ignore the social contract."
"You're nuts, Fred. Positively loony."
They went on a bit further in silence until they approached the next intersection.
"Look! It's the walk signal!"
"What about it? The Clockwork haven't torn it down again, have they?"
"No! It's a message! Someone's in trouble!"
"In this town? Someone's always in trouble, Fred. Now come on, let's cross the street before the light changes."
"I need to find a place to change into my outfit. The government wouldn't have signaled me if it weren't an emergency!"
"Outfit? Government emergency? Fred, it's a street light."
"Ha! You think it was mere chance that it came on just as I approached? My arch-nemesis, Jay Walker, must be loose upon the streets again!"
"Jay Walker? Isn't he the kid that works the counter down at Major Flander's chicken? Admittedly, he isn't the most polite individual, but arch-nemesis? Fred, I think you need to go home and lie down for a bit. I'll call your doctor and you can tell him all about it."
"Lie down?!? There are things to be done! Didn't you see the signal?!?"
"It's a walk signal, Fred. They have one on just about every corner of just about every street in just about every city in the world. Trust me, Fred, it's part of a general impersonal effort to keep traffic moving safely. It's not any sort of personal notice to you. That light goes on every 30 seconds."
"Every 30 seconds? Jay Walker, you've gone too far this time! Quick, Saunter Boy, to the Mosey-Mobile! Walk Man to the rescue!"
"Fred! I'll put up with a lot from you, but I will NOT be 'Saunter Boy'!"
Will Walk Man stop the nefarious Jay Walker? Will Bill embrace his destiny as Saunter Boy? Or is Fred just a very confused individual? Find out, in the next installment of ... The Walk Man!
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((Comments welcome))