You know, I think there's a reason I seem to get along with Proxies so well. I think it's because I treat them like human beings and not sub-human scum. (That or they're playing nice so I'll be easier to stab later, but I'm giving them the benefit of a doubt... while not ever taking my eyes off of them.) Too many people nowadays seem to see "Proxy" and immediately designate them as "Enemy." Then the inevitable fighting starts.
I really don't think it has to be that way.
We're all a lot more alike than you think. Right up to, in many cases, being murderous bastards.
I mean, what? You really think that because you're a Runner that makes killing a Proxy okay? That makes it somehow different? No. A Runner killing a Proxy is no different than a Proxy killing a Runner. They're both human. You just killed a Person. A real living breathing person, Just. Like. YOU.
In reality, from my observations, there is no legitimate difference between any of the groups, be they Runner, Fighter, or Proxy. Each of these groups has the Exact Same Goal. "Survival." The only key difference between them is how they go about accomplishing that goal.
Runners survive by, what else? Running. They seek to evade the Construct by keeping out of his reach and trying to stay one step ahead of him at every turn. They search for new means of escape, for new ways of tricking the Construct's vision.
Fighters, on the other hand, are not content to simply evade their fate. They seek to eliminate the Construct and end the game once and for all. They experiment to find potential weaknesses in the Construct, confront the creature in direct combat, or simply attempt to sabotage it's operations by killing his minions.
And Proxies have chosen to lay down their freedoms and Serve the Construct in exchange for their continued survival. It is a sound tactic, in all honesty, but it has the unfortunate side effect of putting them at the mercy of the Construct's whims. And the Construct seems to enjoy seeing watching people get stabbed.
But Proxies are still much more than mindless killing drones. They come in many flavors, as all humans do. Some Proxies are your average Joe, just trying to survive by whatever means necessary. Some Proxies regret the situation they've been dragged into and would do anything to escape from their torment. Some Proxies are intelligent and cunning, plotting grand schemes and adding a theatrical flare to their performances. Some Proxies are batshit insane assholes who go around murdering people without mercy or conscious.
Now stop for just a moment... copy and paste that last paragraph into notepad and do yourself a little Ctrl-H (Find and Replace) work. Just replace the word "Proxies" with "Runners" or "Fighters," then read over it again. See how it still fits? Isn't it funny how that works?
Now, don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying to go out and hug the next Proxy you meet and everything will be better because Hope and Love and Happiness and Rainbows... because they'll probably stab you. All I'm trying to point out is that we're really not so different after all. We're all after the same Goal and we're all Human. We're just having to live with an unfortunate side effect of allegiance that pits us against one another. But at the end of the day, Proxies are not the "Enemy" of the Runners. The Construct Is.
So I guess the long and short of this is... Defend yourself, but Remember who you're fighting against. The Construct is the Enemy. The Proxy is merely a Victim.
Well... I wouldn't say taht all proxies ar victims, but you make a good point that should be made more often: poeple on either side of this struggle are still people, they have faces and names and stories, and murder should not be taken lightly. I love it when everybody posts about the same thing on accident, it's always so much fun to compare the perspectives.
ReplyDeleteSee you around
-Free
I prefer to believe that one gives up all right to being referred to as a Victim once they've bathed themselves in the Life Blood of another for the first time. After that point, you simple are what you are - a murderer - and you get what comes to you. Runner and Proxy alike.
ReplyDeleteSince you continuously admit to being closer to Us than Them, it brings about an interesting thought. Eventually - as you have said earlier - you will require assistance to leave your little hobbit hole. As it stands, it seems... you will have a choice between Proxy, Proxy, or Proxy. Unless your friend miraculously turns up, that is.
I suggest either working to befriend ONE Runner... or start thinking now which way you'd prefer to die, should we all be not but liars.
I agree with Nightscream in regards to whether one has the right to call oneself a victim. I certainly don't think of myself as one.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in terms of whether to trust a proxy or a runner, I think you might as well just flip a coin, Mouse.
You are right in that we are all different no matter where we stand in this. We all have our reasons to do what we do. Personally though, I don't do this for survival.
As an all encompassing response, Victim and Murderer are not mutually exclusive titles. You're tied to what you do now... even if you chose your line of work, what choice do you have anymore? You can't exactly leave now if you change your mind or get bored with it. You're his pawn now, everything you're able to do right now, you do because he allows you to do it... am I not correct in that? And at any given moment, for no reason at all, he may choose to terminate your service... and whether by his own hand or not, something or someone is eventually going to kill you. What will you be then, but a Victim?
ReplyDelete@Free, yeah, I swear, one of us is psychic or otherwise cheating. I can't seem to go a week without writing up a topic and then seeing you post about almost the same topic a few hours before me or something... XD
@Nightscream, I think my eligibility for employment will depend heavily upon how things actually play out in the event I have to bail from my little burrow. I have this sneaking suspicion that if I don't die immediately, then he's really really not going to like me. But I guess we'll see.
Working on the Runner friend thing btw...
@Wolf, I think I hit most of what I'd have said here in that first paragraph.... so to touch on that other thing you asked me instead. The "like a drug" thing... I guess I had a Stargate Atlantis flashback to the addictive effects of the Wraith venom and how that changed the people brought into the Wraith's service. I could kind of draw some parallels there, assuming that this "Sigma" stuff the Hybrids found in their blood could be related to such an effect. I was going to type something up later about how I think the stuff is being used as a beacon and whatnot... but since it would be hiiiiighly speculative, I think I'll skip any suggestions that it could be acting as a narcotic.
Oh yes, actually, what I do is hack your blog from time to time, note that you have a topic like this saved to drafts, and hurridly write something on the same subject in a single sitting. One day I'm going to get on here and leav a bunch of cryptic binary messages for no appareant reason. As the internet fails at conveying tone I feel obligated to point out that I'm being sarcastic here. I know my way around a computer, but I have yet to try my hand at hacking, maybe I'll add it to my skill set later, but for now your posts are safe. What I find truely amusing, though, is that it wasn't just us who posted something along these lines, there have also been similiar posts from The Messenger, Adam, and a few others. I would even put Nightscreams question in that pile, as it does touch directly on the idea of morality. It's always a sight to behold when things just fall into place like that.
ReplyDeleteSee you around
-Cage
As for you're other point about His influnce being like a drug I want to point out that I can feel when someone has come in to contact with him. I don't know if it's the sigma radiation the HYBRID's "discovered" or something else, but I do know there is a definitive diffrence between hunted and proxies and even subtler diffrences than that based on some specifics. Don't know if that proves your theory or anything, but I thought you might appreciate the information.
ReplyDeleteSee you around
- Free
Well, I imagine that Proxies generally have more contact with the Construct... which could simply mean that they're under the effects of a stronger dose of the radiation, thus making them stand out. Or it could simply related to a closer tie, perhaps related to hivemind theory, distorting the radiation field somehow.
ReplyDeleteAnd when you make a post 3-4 days from now about how the Construct follows us because you know I'm planning to write a piece on Sigma now, then I will so totally call "Hax!" on you.
Well my next post is on the Path of Black leaves, does that help ease your concern for your firewalls?
ReplyDeleteSee you around
-Cage
Nope, no plans for Path discussion in the near future... maybe I should throw something together real quick anyways? XD
ReplyDeleteHmm... come to think of it, I'm not sure what I could say about the Path anyways. I guess I'll read your post and think about it then.
Hey. Hey! HEY! You goddamn stole my line, you motherfucker! Plagiarism, I call you on this, you thieving motherfucker. I thought the first time you used it was by accident. But no. Fuck off, and gimme back my tagline, or at least goddamn give credit where credit is due. And you CAPITALIZED the shit just as an extra dig! Hell, it's been my fucking username, and you think I wouldn't recognize it?
ReplyDeleteYou have some explaining to do. Alot of it. Not to mention that I am indeed one of the people that has made a post... pretty much saying exactly this. I can't say I came up with the idea, but are you kidding me? Seriously?! I.. you.. -sighs- At least I learned my lesson.
And no, they are not all victims, it's all just a series of choices.
And I reiterate. You fucking asshole!