01. voice. angels dancing on the head of a pin

[ikanteven]

[ Chidi has been contemplating it ever since his arrival—what does the fact that people have powers here mean for the state of ethics in this world? Are people being responsible with what they’ve been given? Is everyone here like him, a person who could never have dreamed of having these types of powers in the worlds he came from?

In the end, he makes a decision that he needs to get more input before deciding. The communicator he’s been given is familiar technology, and he has no problem navigating its interface. He turns on the voice function and begins to broadcast. ]

I have a question for everyone here. Actually, a few questions. I’d like to get everyone’s input, if I can—don’t feel like you’re bothering me with your answer. I want to know everyone’s experience with this and everyone’s opinion.

First, a little background on me. My field of expertise is in the field of ethics and moral philosophy. I have written a lot about this subject, and I’d like to start a new study based on how these fields may be different in this world than in the one I was trained in.

So, here are my questions:

One: Do you personally come from a world where people have the kinds of powers that they have here? Furthermore, did you have powers yourself?

Two: If so, what were the moral and ethical implications of people deciding to use these powers, or choosing not to use them? And if not, do you feel a moral and ethical obligation to use your powers to help people?

And three: Do you consider yourself a good person?

Comments

[text]

[robberofgraves]

Why be good or bad person when you can be a little of both?

The powers are new but ethics are old.

[That's not an answer at all, is it?]

[text]

[ikanteven]

I prefer to be the best person I can be...

I wouldn't have gone into this field if that wasn't important.

voice

[metaphorbia]

[ Oh boy, that's a loaded question for David. One step at a time... ]

Yeah, we had superpowers back home. They, uh. Ruined everything?

voice

[ikanteven]

[ Chidi has his notebook ready and is prepared to take notes. This is definitely someone he wants to talk to. ]

By ruined everything, you mean from a standpoint of looking at things through a moral framework?

voice;

[kanyounot]

First question: yes, and yes.

Second question: I was raised in the understanding that my abilities were a moral obligation - those who have the kind of power I have are supposed to use it to help people in need. To make the galaxy a better place.

Not everyone who has these abilities is of that mindset though. There are people who embrace the dark side. Who use their powers only to serve themselves. If anything, that makes what I do even more necessary.

Third question: Depends on the day.

[ That last bit might be a joke. ]

voice;

[ikanteven]

[ Chidi is taking notes; his hand is getting cramped already, and he hasn't even had that many respondents. ]

I see. That's very helpful. So...the people who are opposed to helping people are literally called 'the dark side', are they? Is that only those who oppose them who call them by that name?

Voice

[drivesadesk]

Well, we didn't have people with powers like they have here, but my world does have aliens and space age technology, so that would be like having powers by human standards.

Although, since that's a 'our whole species has this' thing, there's no special moral or ethical obligation that comes with that. I mean, I guess there are some just because of what technology we have available to us. I think there might be some ethics someone might consider with wiping someone's memories, but I can't think of what?

Voice

[ikanteven]

Well...that's something that belongs to them, in a fundamental sense. You taking that away means you're taking something that has shaped them away from them. So I would tend to disagree that there are no special morals in regard to having that sort of technology.

voice

[queenofseers]

[ You'd think that, as Cassandra has done similar question-and-answer posts on the Network before (though on a very different topic), she'd be sympathetic to Chidi's line of questioning.

Nah, she's still gonna nitpick. ]

Wait, aren't the moral and ethical implications of using powers completely subjective? How are you supposed to get an accurate view of an entire world by asking the one or two people here who just happen to be from it a question like that?

voice

[ikanteven]

I certainly intend to do as much research into the history of powers here as I can; however, I'm also interested to learn as much as I can from the viewpoint of people who have come from worlds with similar powers. I want to learn what sort of ethical frameworks are in place wherever they are from, and perhaps a bit about the history of how such systems came to be in place.

Voice

[governorkang]

[This is definitely not a human voice. It's too deep, and there's a very faint hissing quality to it. The accent is also very harsh, all hard sounds, and reminiscent of eastern europe.]

It's normal for people in my world to have such abilities. For many races, it's simply something we have because of what we are, and for others, it's learned or gifted. [A pause.] The inclination to help others is also largely dependent on one's race, and what gods are followed. Yes, I know how it may sound to you, but the world I come from has different... rules, is the best way to put it.

Voice

[ikanteven]

So you'd say the teachings of each religion have a different sense of what is moral, or 'right'. Is that correct?

[ Chidi is continuing to conduct his conversations as though they were interviews, and is clearly pausing to take notes as he speaks. ]

voice

[burlyboy]

All right, for the first one, yeppers! People have powers where I'm from. I didn't have powers but apparently me being really strong counts as a power here, which is bull-dooders if you ask me. I worked for that!

And for the second, hell yeah you should use 'em to help people.

And for the third... yes? I'm, like, 90% a good person. Maybe 85%. Numbers aren't my forte.

voice

[ikanteven]

All right, good, that's helpful information...

[ Chidi's tone makes it clear he's taking notes and trying to talk at the same time. ]

So when you say yes, you feel it's important to use your powers to help people, you also imply there was no specific moral code in your world about using powers. Do I read you right?

voice;

[crassidy]

[The reply back is from the only slightly slurred speech of an Irishman, who sounds entertained by the whole post at the very least.]

Christ, man, that's a whole lotta words to say nothin', right there. Y'don't think "good" is leavin' is a little vague, like?

voice;

[ikanteven]

Perhaps. It's a concept that's debated rather hotly in moral philosophy. When the first philosophers were expounding on the issue, it was more about being happy, making sure your actions gave you joy, but now in the modern age—where I'm from—it's more about the consequences of your actions and how it affects others and the greater culture.

[video]

[yaaas_queen]

If you're going to start doing academic studies, you should be offering those $50 gift cards to a mall store or something, just fyi.

[She shrugs lightly, inspecting her nails more than the camera lens.] But why not? I'll answer them in order of importance.

First, I'm an amazing specimen of what people can aspire to be, persona non parallel. The only thing I'm bad at is being humble, but even then I'm amazing at humblebrags. Such is the confusing nature of mankind.

Second, the kind of powers in my world are more like how Serena Williams continues to dominate all comers and look fashionable doing so. No flying under your own power or eye lasers.

Third, I've already kind of forgotten this one. Something about obligations? It was the most boring sounding one, and it was in the middle where most people's attention drops off...

[video]

[ikanteven]

[ He nods, trying not to feel nervous being on camera. This feels a bit odd, talking to someone this way. ]

Do you feel an obligation to use your powers for the good of others was the question, yes.

text;

[imaphantomthief]

1. Not most people.

2. Y

3. Average?

text;

[ikanteven]

Your answer for 2 is a bit short for me to understand what you mean. Yes, there was a moral framework for the use of powers? Yes, you feel you should use them to help people? Both?

voice;

[rekt]

One - no powers in my world, just here. Two - depends how far you stretch the definition of 'help'. Three - Sometimes.

voice;

[ikanteven]

How would you define 'help' then?

voice

[justaskalice]

How about you? What is your stance on the moral and ethical obligations and ramifications of superpowers? I understand that, sure, openly stating your own position on something as subjective as morals and ethics could taint your survey results, but considering you're already relying on-- (by necessity, sure, but still) --on self-reporting, the validity and reliability of your results are going to be skewed anyway.

So?

voice

[ikanteven]

[ Chidi pauses, giving a few sputters before he finds his words again. He didn't really expect to be questioned on this himself. ]

Well, first, there were stories in my world about people with powers, but no one actually had powers themselves, not like we have here.

Second, I certainly believe there is a moral obligation to use the powers we have here to help people.

And third...I'm still working on whether I'm a good person or not. I had some...ah, I had a very specific reason to think I'm not, where I came from, and it had sort of rocked my whole perception of who I was.

[slightlyoffchilt]

In such an order: no, not applicable, and of course. But I'm an exception to my world's rule.

[ikanteven]

You're an exception? What makes you that?

voice

[h2no]

Not people, really, no, though psychics exist. The kind that can move things with their minds.

[he's seen the psychics here. yikes.]

There isn't really one? It's not like here, where it's a massive abnormality. I-- would prefer to use mine for good while I can here. It's a healing set, so it seems a little selfish to keep it to myself when it doesn't even work on me. That's just me, though.

[SKILLFULLY AVOIDS 3RD Q]

voice

[ikanteven]

Makes sense. All right...

[ Chidi's tone makes it clear he's in the middle of taking notes. ]

...and what about the third question? Do you feel following this code of morality you've laid out for yourself with regard to your powers makes you a good person?

Text; UN: D33

[d33tached]

["Ethics", you say? It's just one of many concepts that has always eluded D33's understanding. He is curious, though - always so curious.]

When you speak of ethics, I suppose that would inherently lead to ideals surrounding the concepts of "right" and "wrong".

You've asked the network now whether or not its users consider themselves to be "good" people. That's a difficult question to answer without being given any parameters as to what constitutes a "good" person in the first place.

What do you consider those to be?

[He's also a much bigger fan of asking questions than he is answering them.]

Text;

[ikanteven]

The question is more about gauging the sense of the individual who responds rather than mine. I've done years of research on this topic. What I haven't researched as of yet is how superpowers figure into it.

Voice

[dun_moch]

[How rare- an introductory post that is actually of interest to the Count. A deep, rich voice comes through the connection in response.]

You are a rather thoughtful person, aren't you? At any rate, you ask interesting questions. Very well then:

I do come from such a world, yes. And my powers are quite significant. The obligations of those with power have been a topic of debate and conflict for a very, very long time. For myself, I do consider myself bound to use my strength to improve the universe around me.

And yet for the third question, I must answer 'no.' The exercise of my power and the acts of violence it demands render such considerations rather irrelevant, I'm afraid.

Voice

[ikanteven]

Interesting. So serving the greater good has caused you to use your powers to do harm, in other words.

Voice;

[fridgeflower]

Wow. You're diving right in.

Okay, one: Yes and yes.

Two: Moral and ethical impact on that would be really difficult to measure, I'd think. In my world, public opinion on the morality of superpowers depends pretty heavily on how an individual is granted those powers. Even outside of that, there's... If you can fly, whether or not you use that may not affect much outside of yourself. If you can, for example, control others' emotions... That only affects others, and whether you use it, and how you use it, is going to raise a lot of questions to think over. That's where I'm at.

That said... I really try to use my powers to help people. I never want to hurt anybody with them, and I-- It's not logical or possible, but I want to make up for the hurt that's been done by somebody else who's just like me.

So... Three: Yes? Mostly? I've messed up here and there, but I try to be good to everybody. I try to make a positive impact. Though... Does saying you're good make you less good?

Voice;

[ikanteven]

I don't believe so. I'm not trying to catch someone in an act of immodesty—I'm just trying to gauge whether the individual who responds, in this case you, would consider following their world's moral code on this issue to make them a good person. Doing good for others, as well as someone can manage, does make them a good person on the simplest measures of the term. So in other words, if you've done your best to be a good person and truly believe that to be true...it probably is.

[ He's hedging just a bit at the end there, just because of what he's learned about being a good person in the afterlife. It's not quite as cut-and-dried as his studies would have led him to believe. ]

[Voice]

[ghoulking]

Not powers, but there are inhuman creatures who are stronger than humans. It was not how this world works at all, thus ethical discussion about usage of said "powers" falls null, I think-

In any case, you last question about being a "good person", I must ask first: under what definition?

[Voice]

[ikanteven]

Your own, I would expect. I'm not trying to fool you into giving the wrong answer, after all.

audio; can i just say i adore your username

[nextsymbol]

Um, yeah, most people in my world have Quirks--er, superpowers. [Technically, he was born Quirkless, but...ah, that's a secret.] I have one too.

[There's a slight hesitation, here, because it's strange to try to break down a feeling in your heart that's always been there into questions of morality and ethics, but it sounds like the kind of question one asks when it's been bothering them personally, and isn't that a Hero's job too? To help people feel safe when they're scared or anxious? Maybe he's wrong and the man is just curious, but even then, he doesn't mind.]

...I wanted to be a Hero and save people ever since I was a little kid, and I didn't really know much about moral and ethical things, then. It was just my dream--so I don't know if it counts, in my case. I guess that's an answer to the third question, in a way? I always try to live up to the ideals of a Hero, at least.

But um, there's plenty of people with Quirks that don't become Heroes! So I don't think, you have to, if that's not what you want to do. There's other ways to help people, too.

Um, but if you don't want to use your powers at all...I feel like I'd want to ask why, first. Because it's usually something people are rejecting about themselves, and I...don't want anyone to feel that way.

audio; thank you so much!

[ikanteven]

[ What an interesting response. Chidi takes a moment to think before answering. ]

It's not that I'm rejecting them, it's just that they strike so close to home for me that it feels sort of like someone is mocking me? If that makes sense? I don't like that feeling.

VOICE.

[selfconducts]

One: Yes and yes. Only fourteen people at a time have powers where I come from, including myself. Not too unlike this place on a smaller scale.

[ And with vastly different rules and implications, but Baal won't get into that part yet. ]

Two: We're meant to use our abilities to help inspire humanity for the better. That's our role. That said, many don't. Once you have the powers you can technically do whatever you'd like with them. I don't especially consider it part of our duty to help people any more than that, but we should at least strive not to hurt them either.

Three: No.

Is that helpful?

VOICE.

[ikanteven]

Yes, it is.

[ Chidi pauses a moment; he's taking notes. ]

Your answer to the last question, is this related to how you apply the second?

video;

[recommendations]

Eighty percent of my world's population has some kind of quirk-- what you would call a superpower. I have a quirk myself, though I was given an additional power when I was ported in.

Public use of one's quirk is illegal, unless you have a license to act as a Pro Hero. So most people don't use their quirk outside of the privacy of their own homes. Those of us who choose to become Pro Heroes do so in part because we feel an obligation to, like you said, use our quirks to help people. There are, unfortunately, also those who decide to become villains, who use their quirks to commit crimes and hurt people.

I'd like to think I'm a good person. I try to be, anyway.

video;

[ikanteven]

What is the purpose of banning something that's so fundamental to so many people? I would think the portion of the population with quirks would find that very frustrating.

video

[girlybruiser]

[ She's still a young eighteen year old, probably impressionable to a degree. Haru thinks about these things sometimes, a lot more than she did back home for some odd reason. ]

No, there are no superpowers back home like here. [ Except Persona. ] Um, but the powers I have been given... I do feel it's only right to help those without power. Like in all those TV shows and movies about superheroes.

video

[ikanteven]

That's what I thought of too, when I decided to ask. Seems like in those shows, people debate the use of powers a lot, doesn't it?

voice; Chloe has an Australian accent

[mostlyprofessional]

One: No powers back home, unless you count a particular tree's sap turning people into monsters, which does not apply to me.

[So she's skipping two.]

Three: No.

voice;

[ikanteven]

Okay, thank you for your responses.

I'm interested in your decision to give such a short, blunt answer for part three. Do you want to expand on that at all? It's okay if you don't.

text;

[setmatch]

1. Yes and no. A select few have powers given to them as their birthright as children of gods. Others are creatures beyond the veil.


[ He blatantly avoids the question about his having powers. ]

2. There was really no moral or ethical use of those powers beyond "serving the greater good". Translation being "serving your divine parent who is too lazy or weak to do things themselves".

3. I'm a lawyer. Take that as you will.

text;

[ikanteven]

Interesting. You're the second one to mention powers as a function of the relationship to a god or gods. I'm curious, how do you know for sure there are gods involved?

voice;

[snarkbot]

[ He's using his voice but it's distinctly and noticeably robotic, though not monotone. ]

I'm from a world where powers - metahuman or otherwise - are far more common than they are here. There's additionally a much longer tradition of using these powers for either superheroism or supervillainy. Usually if one were to use their powers responsibly, they would try to use them to help others, fight evil, and save the world. Most of those calling themselves "heroes" would also have rules against murder, however causing injuries was often accepted. Not everyone who have powers used them for the ideal of good, or in many cases at all.

As for myself, I was brought along for the ride, as it were. Whether or not the fact that I'm a robot counts as "powers" appears to be debatable -- but regardless, I do consider myself a person. Whether or not I am a good person is something I believe isn't for me to conclude.

But I do de facto run the Justice League, so I should hope so, sir.

voice;

[ikanteven]

I would hope so, with a position like that.

Do you believe yourself to be sentient? Having the ability to make independent decisions?