three, text;;

[fridgeflower]

Do you think that it's possible for people to be inherently bad? Not all the way, necessarily, but like maybe there's a bigger chance of messing up if you come from something bad, or like you've got some kind of latent seed planted deep that could burst someday.

I don't think that's true, if you look at it objectively. It still makes me really nervous sometimes, though, so I wonder if some part of me thinks it's a real possibility. I can't shake it off, so I get frustrated with myself sometimes.

I'm sure other people must feel like that. I'm sorry if you do.

Comments

text | private;

[notyourfathersosborn]

I think it's possible to get so wrapped up in feeling that it's a real possibility that you start to believe that it's the only option. That you get almost overwhelmed by those feelings.

But no, I don't think anyone is inherently bad. And if you're even questioning it, then you aren't.

text | private;

[fridgeflower]

Somebody already told me that questioning is a good indicator of not-badness.

I know it's not reasonable, but I'm still worried that I'm not worth much, given everything.

[notyourfathersosborn]

I know at least with me, that worry never goes away. The rational part of me knows I'm a good person, but that irrational side just keeps whispering "are you?"

And it gets hard to ignore after a while, but you have to ignore it. Talking to friends have helped.

[fridgeflower]

I guess I felt that the general public was a good substitute.

I don't want to annoy people with my problems and scare them away, especially if it's just me being unreasonable.

[notyourfathersosborn]

You're braver than me, then. I don't think I could do that.

Shutting yourself away when you're feeling unreasonable is the worst thing you can do, because then you're just alone with your thoughts. You just spiral deeper.

Look, I know I'm a total stranger, but if you want to talk to me about it, I'm up for listening. You won't annoy me or scare me away with your problems.

[fridgeflower]

I shut myself away for most of my life. I don't want to be like that anymore. Breaking away from that is hard, too.

I know the Network displays people's names and everything, but hi. I'm Laurie.

[notyourfathersosborn]

You don't have to break away from it all at once. You break away one tiny bit, then another, and soon you're not that person anymore.

Hey. I'm Norman.

[After a moment, there's a new text.]

Normie.

[fridgeflower]

Hi, Normie.

Your nickname's cute, but now I can't help thinking that it sounds like a word for poking fun at humans. Not that I would ever do anything like that.

[notyourfathersosborn]

My parents started calling me that when I was a baby and it stuck. Definitely not poking fun at me.

[fridgeflower]

Well, that's good.

Have you been here for very long?

[notyourfathersosborn]

Not at all. I think it's just over a month now.

How about you?

[fridgeflower]

I've been here since April.

You came it at a pretty chaotic time, huh?

[notyourfathersosborn]

Oh wow, so almost a year?

What, you mean it's not every day cities get blown up and people get mind-controlled here?

[fridgeflower]

Nope. Maybe just every OTHER day.

[notyourfathersosborn]

Lol.

So what happens when things aren't that eventful?

[fridgeflower]

People go to school and work like normal, mostly. At least, that's what I do. Lots of others, too, I think.

[notyourfathersosborn]

Darn, it was apparently too much to ask for fun, non-city destroying events, huh?

[fridgeflower]

They happen every once in a while.

Sometimes they even go uninterrupted!

[notyourfathersosborn]

No!

And here I thought every time something nice happens, Galactus or whoever this universe's equivalent is is duty-bound to show up.