022 + BUT WE SPEAK OF THE WISDOM OF GOD IN MYSTERY

[trenchcoatedly]

[Castiel is in the greenhouse. This should not be a surprise.]

I realize I haven't said anything in a while. This is probably not conducive to wardening. I apologize.

That being said, I'd like to point something out.

The first being that up until a certain point, all warden and inmate arrivals happened on certain dates and on a schedule. Some of them posted late, but it's my hunch that that group waited to mention their arrival. This no longer seems to be the case. Rather than a group arriving, people are arriving one by one. I don't know what or what reason this could be; perhaps it indicates the Admiral is in a hurry for something, though I don't know what. Or perhaps there was some kind of line or judging process in which it went through with the upcoming barge residents and while it was previously doing group reviews, that's no longer the case. Perhaps there was a quota it had to meet before granting access to the barge to any particular group that no longer applies. Or, maybe it's changed the process based on recommendation from superiors.

I also wonder about floods and breaches. I don't think these are accidental and if the Admiral wanted to stop the barge from experiencing them, it would be more than capable of doing so. However, I feel that it views floods and breaches - and ports, though these seem less false-accidental than the other two - as a way for us to experience different emotions and different circumstances. It uses floods as a vehicle for wardens and inmates alike to end up in places and situations where they would otherwise never be, being forced to make decisions they wouldn't otherwise have to make. In this way, it forces us to consider our deeper personalities. Whether this is coming to a conclusion about one being more like they thought or less, or realizing a certain font of their personality is stronger or weaker leads us to learn more about ourselves. This is not always an easy process. But it's a good process. Additionally, while the Admiral can drive the barge into floods and breaches, I don't believe he controls the inner workings of them - universes are how they are. And they can be modified to suit one's needs - but controlling a person's mind would probably teach them less than having this person come to a conclusion all on his or her own.

[He pauses for a moment, perhaps realizing he has gone on a lengthy ramble. He looks up a wall of vines and then back to the camera.]

As an unrelated note, I don't know what good this will do, but if anyone has any problems, listening is one of my best talents.

Comments

[strangehistorian]

Hm. I had noticed that about new arrivals. I wish the Admiral would be more communicative about his intentions.

[trenchcoatedly]

As that seems doubtful, all we can do is guess.

[shortsightedlove]

I'm not sure the floods are as productive as you're implying here.

[trenchcoatedly]

Maybe they aren't. I was simply constructing a hypothesis - and, as floods don't always apply to everyone at the same time, or in the same manner - I doubt that if this is the case, then it's most likely not even happening during the same floods, or even in the same manner or at the same time to any us.

[shortsightedlove]

Hmm. With some of them I would be surprised if they had a positive effect on any of us. Or if the negative effect for some can be justified with the positive effect for others.

[trenchcoatedly]

There probably is an element of randomness, of course - especially given the Admiral's penchant for so - but even included, there is also the goal to learn about oneself. Maybe this isn't happening in every flood, or maybe it's happening on a level we don't understand, not consciously, or maybe only a certain amount of people are affected every flood, and those people change every time, while the rest are afflicted by seemingly random effects.

But I don't believe that what we become in floods or breaches is totally random, every time.

[shortsightedlove]

But does... "learning about oneself" justify it? There is a reason why people insist on complaining afterwards. And I can't say I'm keen on some of the things that happened during floods, whatever may have been learned. Particularly when it comes to the... more deadly floods.

[omar]

I was pretty much the same in that last breach. So what you think that supposed to be teaching me?

[trenchcoatedly]

Was your universe the 1920's era of United States history?

[omar]

2000s. But the rest been seen and done.

[trenchcoatedly]

While there may be similar types and characters of individuals, these type periods were fairly different. While you may have been in a similar faction or trade, these two time periods would have different definitions of important traits like honor or virtue or the concept of success, or even betrayal or to cheat.

[omar]

[Something in his eyes darkens at the word "cheat."] I didn't cheat no one. That ain't me, then or now.

[Text, ~30 mins later]

[scarlet_discord]

[Wanda has to wait for a while to calm down before posting. She answers in text to hide symptoms of her upset and have a chance to edit herself.]

You know, normally you're a really insightful guy. And I don't mean any disrespect. But I have to say that your theory on floods and breaches doesn't seem to have much basis in reality. I'm sorry if you believe what you say, because it means the Admiral's put one over on you too.

You're trusting that the Admiral is benevolent and actually means to help us on this "progress toward redemption" thing. That ignores the torment Inmates and even many Wardens go through living here. It ignores the fact that he often responds to desperation or outrage with sarcasm and cookies. That he doesn't hold his "employees" to any real standard. That, as was evidenced by a recent Flood, he's a liar. And most importantly, the fact that people do not generally respond to these events with "progress".

The usual reactions seem to be shock, outrage, bitterness, grief and the occasional violent outburst. If we don't come out of it Death Tolling. What kind of benevolent person doles out "lessons" that come with a body count? Please think about this.

Then there's the nature of the events themselves. I'd really like to know what sort of lesson people are supposed to learn by suddenly becoming old, or turning into children or animals? Or going to Sanitarium Island after a bad landing and ending up being hunted by friends-turned-vivisectionists? I know at least three people who were really hit hard by the last Breach. What happened to them wasn't fair.

Any lessons I have learned here have come from real people, not that overpowered...whatever he is. If people react nobly to bad situations and inspire us, or learn something themselves, it's not because of the Admiral benevolently providing them the opportunity. It's because of what's in us and what we do for others. In spite of all the crap we do have some stand-up people here. And they deserve all the credit.

Anyway. My countertheory is this: if the Admiral's doing all this deliberately, it's because he has a sick sense of humor. Alternately, he's driving high and doesn't care either way.

video;

[trenchcoatedly]

[Castiel studies the text for a while, clearly putting a great deal of thought into the answer.]

I don't think the Admiral is a benevolent creature, and nowhere did I suggest that it was. It doesn't run the barge - more or less - with a goal of being kind, or nice, or thoughtful. It has one intention, which is to redeem inmates. This is no way implies benevolence or goodness. Oftentimes, trying to redeem one inmate simply alienates other ones - and given that the Admiral has a theoretically unlimited amount of time with the inmates, this is a sensible strategy for it to go by, simply not the most efficient.

Additionally, and I've said this before, it's also possible that the Admiral doesn't understand how to be benevolent to us, because it's a much grander creature. What it does, it does with the intention of 'this will help you in the long run.' And this progress that inmates may or may not make does not have to be viewed as progress by the inmate. The progress may be subconscious. It may be painful, because realizing something is wrong with you is a painful experience. And again, it seems reasonable that not every inmate may progress in the same flood, port or breach, in the same manner, or at the same time. Given the the Admiral has a theoretically unlimited timespan, he can afford inefficiencies.

To have a goal that is good does not mean you accomplish it in a goodly way, nor does it make you a good person. So it's possible the Admiral can have a sick sense of humor and have the goal to redeem inmates, and he can do both while driving high - though I don't know what this means, so I can't say if that's possible or not.

I know this doesn't answer your question fully, nor is it the answer I suppose you'd like to hear. But it's the answer I have. And if you believe me to be a fool for it, so be it.

text after another long while

[scarlet_discord]

You believe in him when you shouldn't. I am not a better person for being here. When I came here I had dreams of joining SHIELD and becoming a superhero. Now all I want is to use my powers to make a pile of money and have as little contact with people as possible. Is this "progress"? Is this "redemption"? Is this "for the greater good"? How precisely the Hell is this making me a better person?

You're serving a monster with an insane agenda. Don't try to justify it by talking about the greater good. You're talking to the wrong person about that. I've gotten too much of the bad end of this place to be "better" for it. It will take years to recover once I get out of this hellhole, and believe me, I'm far less concerned with the "greater good" than when that piece of crap got his hands on me.

Re: text

[trenchcoatedly]

I'm sorry, Wanda.

[doctor_j_crane]

You seem to have a keen eye for detail. Have you considered the issue of comas?

[trenchcoatedly]

Yes, though I've yet to come up with a reasonable conclusion that does more than suggest people randomly enter stasis for long periods of time.

[doctor_j_crane]

It does seem quite purposeless. Maybe we should just try interrogating the Admiral more thoroughly.

[trenchcoatedly]

I presume there is a purpose; I just don't know what it is yet.

[doctor_j_crane]

I can offer you my medical notes that I've taken regarding the condition of some of the coma patients, if you'd like.

[wecanavenge]

And when the day comes that we are all singing tea kettles, will you still think there's something to be learned?

[trenchcoatedly]

Perhaps the admiral thinks there is. Or perhaps singing tea kettles is something that could help one particular inmate.

[wecanavenge]

You can't be serious.

[trenchcoatedly]

Why not? Being a singing tea kettle might suggets one relax. Or perhaps it would allow one to see everyone without the judgement of their species or gender. Or perhaps it will teach someone else the value of objects or other people, or that being fragile is not always a bad thing.

Or perhaps the singing tea kettle part is simply a cover for some other effect - being honest with oneself, being forced to tell the truth, being forced to express one's thoughts, or something along those lines.