markofthebrave | [ Action, Written ] .052

[Filtered 100 percent AWAY from: Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Yue, Suki, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Shino, Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi, Trafalgar, Nami, Sanji, Luffy, Chopper, and anyone else she thinks might recognize her handwriting, despite the pains she's going to in order to disguise it, or show the journal to people she really doesn't want to see this - Raine and Temari and Iroh.

All replies will be written unless stated otherwise. The camera is obscured by a wrapped around piece of brown cloth.]

Do you think that there's such a thing as a power that is wrong, not because of how it's used, but just because of what it does?

[After staying holed up in her room with the door shut - quite an unusual break of habit for her - Katara decides to head into town. She wants to check out that night club that she'd heard about - she heard there would be music!

From there it's the usual errands, like the grocery store and the Item Shop. Dinner tonight will be Something Spicy, but she hasn't figured out what yet. Maybe it'll help get Sokka out of his funk.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[That's an image which it's easy to wrap her mind around, but it still doesn't quite - feel right.]

I think that would be easy to say for a lot of types of power, but I'm not sure that holds true for every kind.

I think it does. There are certainly some types where it is a bit harder to do good things than bad things, but there is always the potential to do either. The same is true for the opposite situation--there is the potential for harmful deeds to be done through power that is normally used for good.

There is where I come from, for instance, a power that can be used to heal and is normally a very good thing, but that also recently caused a victim to go violently insane during one application. Or, more generally, there is a kind of power that can be used to burn down buildings or to light and heat them, depending on where you use it and how much of it you apply. You could say the same about more figurative types of power--political authority, perhaps. I have met tyrannical leaders who give into the possibilities of abuse and very kind, altruistic people of the exact same rank who use their clout in very different ways. So it really does depend.

But all these kinds of power that you've listed deal with things outside a person. What about the kinds of power that override free will? Or the kinds of power that change the nature of who someone is?

Sometimes people don't do what's in their best interest. They can be too emotional and not thinking clearly, or they can become too fixated on some goal that will ultimately cause great problems for them. I can see in such cases overriding their will as being beneficial. If you know how they should be acting and they are not to be convinced otherwise, it could help to guide them in that way to keep them from harm.

With anything that would undermine someone's judgment or identity, though, you would have to be very sure you have a greater understanding than them. It would not be good to lead them into other, unforeseen issues.

[Talking about this makes her so uncomfortable.]

I don't think understanding something better justifies taking their choice away. To violate who someone is... that's wrong.

[And she thinks about the many times the Malnosso have done just that and her lips form into a line.]

But there are powers like this in combat as well - in a fight, is there a line that shouldn't be crossed?

How about I offer an example? What if someone is, for instance, a serial killer who cannot be reasoned with? If cutting off their free will can save lives, wouldn't that be justified? Or what if someone is about to kill themselves? Wouldn't it make sense to take over for a moment, just to pull them back from the edge?

It depends on what type of fight, I think. If it is simply sparring, there are certain rules of conduct that are necessary to keep anyone from getting terribly hurt. If you in war and fighting for your life, then you are certainly allowed to try and save yourself with whatever resources you have. Torture and the like is often unnecessary, but when you are up against people that are trying to kill you, then there are many actions that are justifiable that ordinarily might be unacceptable.

[Wouldn't it make sense to take over for a moment, just to pull them back from the edge? Yes. Yes it would. It would be so tempting.

But then what would stop that person from just doing it again? Would you take over again? And again? And again? Where is the line?]

So what you think it comes down to is the circumstances. Even if something is considered wrong, if it seems to be the best solution to a problem then it's all right, is that what you mean?

Yes. It's always a matter of the circumstances. You have to take the time to consider your options if you can, because sometimes what seems like the best solution really carries unpleasant consequences later on. But if it is truly the best solution--or the only solution with potential to help--then I don't think you can be condemned for trying it.

I understand what you're saying. I'm just not sure I agree with it. If something has to be justified, then - doesn't that mean there's something wrong with its nature in the first place?

Well, no. Justification is only explaining and clarifying--showing that something is right in whatever context. It only means that the correct circumstances for that thing to be right aren't immediately obvious. There always are such circumstances for a power, even if they're a rare occurrence or only theoretical right now. Everything with the capacity to make significant change has a good, valid use--you just have to find it.

That's really the challenge of the whole matter.

[Everything with the capacity to make significant change has a good, valid use--you just have to find it.

She pauses for a long time. It still goes against her internal barometer of right and wrong. It still feels like a violation. The way it had been used on her, and on her friends... she couldn't imagine anything more horrible, before Luceti.]

I see. I'll think about what you've said. Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer. I appreciate it.

You're welcome. It was a nice little philosophical exercise. Certainly got me thinking.

_{[He signs the post like a letter out of habit, scrawling '-Yeager' in sharply pointed, only partially legible scrawl.]}

[ Action, Written ] .052

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