Thursday, July 14, 2011

Dear Matty: Nietzsche Edition

From Alternate History: (Text is written in Ye Olde Butcherede Russian; translations courtesy of Professor Larry Feinberg)
Star Wars TOP: And here is Luke Skywalker. He is on a flying saucer (1), and a smart samovar (2) helps propel him along. LEFT: Luke spent a long time looking for his father, and once he found him, slew him with a fiery sword (3), which brought on grief and sorrow. CENTER Here I might have had some vodka to ease my grief, but my father cut off my hand. I can't pick up a glass; looks like I'll be living sober from now on. RIGHT: And here is his friend Chewbacca, something between a monkey and a dog. He speaks no words, but roars and howls. Evil men took him captive and turned him into ice. [Writing on samovar in lower left-hand corner: R2D2]



Dear Matty:
I have worked long and hard on my main character in WoW, and have achieved some level of success and acclamations for my performance. Of late, however, I have lost all patience with underlings and "stupid" or rude players. Normally, if some poor little druid cub is in Stormwind, asking for a few pieces of silver for training costs, I'd toss them a few gold. Now I just feel like everyone is hustling me, everyone has a dark side. The Force, well, just feels more force-fed right now than all Zen-ny. A few weeks ago, I lost my hand in a bad accident, sort of an "atonement with the father" moment, and am starting to transform into the sort of monster I have sworn to fight. In the past, I used to run with my sister, this rogue, a few droids, and a tall walking carpet, but lately the taller droid is starting to get on my last nerve,  and I feel like every minute I spend not doing something heroic and superbly executed is wasted, that they are dragging me down. How do I get back to my original vows of truth and justice, when all I feel are annoyance and irritation?


Please help,
Robotic Reflections


Postscript: Here's that autographed picture of me you wanted.
Yours, LS


Dear Robot:
 "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster." -Friedrich Nietzsche ... 


There is a moment, sometimes more than one, when we do not always make great decisions. We use the best of our upbringing, resources, and information at hand (sorry, no pun intended), to go metaphorically left or right, or get run over if we sit in the middle. I think the first thing you've done is admirable, just recognizing that you're questioning your character and trying to recalibrate your moral compass. You are only human, after all, and keeping your humanity and humility is what will keep you sane and happy. In every story, sometimes we have to fight fire with fire, or get in the mind of the 'monster' we're trying to conquer. It's the getting out, having an escape plan or exit strategy when we falter that defines us, not that we made a mistake in the first place. 

Now, my advice is, go hug a warm Wookie, and you'll feel right as rain. And don't be an jerk. Your friends come first. It's only a game.
Matty

PS Repeat: It's only a game. The pixels are not going to remember you, but your friends will. There's an old saying, people don't remember what you do, but how you made them feel.

Theme song: Reflection/Mulan Soundtrack (no, not above playing the Disney card once in awhile)



Other "Dear Matty" Columns: 
Love Hurts Edition: http://wowsugar.blogspot.com/2011/05/little-self-respect-please.html
Significant Other Edition: http://wowsugar.blogspot.com/2011/06/dear-matty-significant-other-and.html

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