075 | [Voice]

[with_discipline]

[Open, but filtered AWAY from the Borg Queen and O'Brien]

[So T'Pol is really bad at small talk. Really, really bad. She tends to need a few minutes just to figure out what to say, because it's awkward. So there's a few seconds of silence, because on some level she can't believe she's actually bothering.]

I'm - curious. Most take individuality for granted; I hope I'll be forgiven when I say humans particularly so. On Vulcan, individuality is honored and respected, to an extent, but even on Earth, there are those who would give up a portion of their identity as an individual in order to be a part of something. It is, I believe, more than a 'mob mentality.'[She's throwing in human phrases with less and less hesitation lately, but it still sounds kind of. weird.]'

I would like to know what the majority of you find an acceptable cause for one to give up his or her individual identity. [And that sounds terribly awkward, because she's thought about this plenty, and it's really just an almost desperate hope for new answers.]

[Private to Data]

What can you tell me of the Ba'ku?

[Private to the EMH]

[She actually sounds almost impatient.] Have you made preparations?


((OOC: Slightly backdated to earlier today. T'Pol's been acting off because her daughter died about this time a year ago for her. So recklessness and idle chatter, yay! :|))

Comments

[notarabiddog.livejournal.com]

For the greater good; to fall in line for a great cause.

[Private]

Is everything alright, T'Pol?

[with_discipline]

A military aspect, then. Biting one's tongue in order to do a duty.

[Private]

Everything is a broad term. [Sob no. But she wants to say yes. Just. Doesn't want to lie.]

[notarabiddog.livejournal.com]

The only individuals permitted at the order makers and strategists; but even then they must follow directions from those above them. Dissention within the ranks leads to dissolution of the chain of command and then the cause is lost.

[Private]

I do not know you were one for small talk.

Private

[inhistorybooks]

[So Trip has been feeling kind of funny all day. And now this happened, and it's just setting off all kinds of red flags.]

... Everything all right? [You can almost hear the 'darlin' he almost tacked on there.]

Private

[with_discipline]

[Lots and lots of red flags. She is actually contemplating lying to him.]

Why do you ask? [What her voice isn't doing that tight slightly higher than normal thing at all.]

Private

[inhistorybooks]

Because you sound... stressed. [It was really hard to pick what word to use. :|]

[creatingalegacy]

To rehabilitate those people who do not appreciate life.

[with_discipline]

[Man she does not want to ask this.] If you would explain.

[creatingalegacy]

[She should've gone with that D: ]

Those who don't appreciate life don't deserve it. This goes for the self-destructive--such as drug addicts--and those who do harm to others. They need to be given a choice: change or die.

Private

[captain-jtkirk.livejournal.com]

Red flag.

Private

[with_discipline]

Excuse me?

Private

[captain-jtkirk.livejournal.com]

Something's wrong I can tell.

[Filtered | Voice]

[most_feared]

In my experience, humans are better as individuals. They're smarter, more understanding, and capable of rational thought. As a collective, they're stupid, impetuous, impulsive, and destructive.

However, humans have brains structured to encourage troupe units. We want to be in groups and we'll accept others of a foreign nature into our group. We'll protect them as if they're one of our own.

Giving up one's individual identity is suicide.

[Filtered | Voice]

[with_discipline]

That is...poetic, but it seems inaccurate. There are those who would choose the collective identity over the singular one. Clearly there is a line between what level of collectivity is acceptable, and what is not.

text

[darknessb4me]

It is suicide. But you can do it for something. You can make it mean something.

[Private | Voice]

[empirical_data]

Yes, but might I ask the reasoning behind this inquiry?

[Private | Voice]

[with_discipline]

Dealing with my inmate has proven difficult. I'm only seeking opinions. [Mostly distractions.l]

[acid_rayne]

Commies are dicks, hon.

[with_discipline]

'Commies.' [This is how she asks questions.]

[i_like_your]

Survivability.

[with_discipline]

Would you explain?

Voice, Filter

[darknessb4me]

[Bitter.]

To save people. When there's no other hope.

Voice, Filter

[with_discipline]

Self-sacrifice, then. Is that the only acceptable situation to you?

filtered/text

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

I think that an individual identity is not something that comes as one huge chunk. I think people everywhere, at least on Earth, surrender little bits of that individuality every single day. If we're talking individual desires, and individual freedom - people surrender bits of those to feel safe and protected within a society, they surrender bits of them so they can get along and live their daily lives all at the same time.

Because otherwise... some people have the individual desire to go and stab someone else. But that isn't tolerated within a society, and in order to feel safe from, say, being stabbed, we all agree we'd surrender that freedom too.

I think that's perhaps the thing. You surrender things on the grounds that everyone else has to surrender the same. Tiny little pieces of yourself, in order to have a relatively ordered and functioning society, one that isn't anarchic. So to ask what would cause someone to give up their individual identity is a bit...difficult to answer. Because I think we all do it.

Some people do it more than others, though. But I think, perhaps, under there, there is a desire to either feel safe, absolve themselves of personal responsibility, perhaps even feel powerful by being part of something larger.

I will admit my biases here, though, on this subject. I am religious, and do believe in a greater, divine power, and I am also a policeman, and do have great faith in law and order.

Re: filtered/text

[with_discipline]

You make an interesting point. Sacrificing individuality in the way you've described can be to sacrifice a modicum of power; I was thinking more of the absolution or responsibility, or the gain of power. But I suppose there is also comfort in losing that.