[ There's something that hurts about hearing that. It felt like she had so many ideas, and now that she's giving the reins over to others... ]
Mm, I don't really mean for the world as a whole, but... I guess, my place here. But I can't start there, honestly. I uh...
[ Ryoko's hesitant to say really... much of anything. She's not sure how much Inaba knows about what's going on, and how much she's comfortable with talking about. But her advice has been thoughtful and she'd like that... ugh. ]
It's a lot of stuff that I'm thinking on from before I got here. I can't really "save" anything here until I figure that out for myself.
Alright, I should have some in the kitchen at least...
[ Inaba goes to walk towards the kitchen, which isn't actually all that far away from the living room in the slightest. ]
You need to find yourself before you're able to truly help anybody else. I get that. It's not easy, but... it's something that's worth it, once you're able to figure it out.
So basically... let's say you're a conductor on a train. You find out that on one track, there's a group of five people that you might run over. However, if you change to the secondary track, you'll only run over one person. So: what would you do?
[ Ryoko goes quiet. It might seem like she's thinking about it, but it's... a little deeper than that. So, she starts speaking. ]
I was wrong. I do know this problem.
Without context, the answer is meant to be obvious. One person to save five? That's obvious. The problem's supposed to lay in who that one person is, isn't it? How willing are you to kill a group of people just to save one person?
[ Selfishly, she could internalize that answer pretty easily. That wasn't what she was thinking of, though. ]
In that moment, I'd have three options. The first two would be to play along and choose. Of course, it makes perfect sense to kill the one to save five, doesn't it? If you make the wrong choice, you'll kill even more than that. But, you could go with the option that seems unthinkable. Decide that the life of one person you consider important is worth more than five others. Make that terrible sacrifice and be unable to look that important person in the eye for the rest of your life.
In the end, you're weighing that one life against five others. In most cases, yes - you'd save the one person. But then that changes depending on other factors. But... if I'm the 'one person' on that track. I'd want them to save the other five.
I'm the same way. I wouldn't want anyone to save me if they could save others first.
...but, then again, up until the end, I'd hope for the third choice. Do whatever it takes, anything you can to stop the train completely. Either you're successful, or instead of five lives or one life, you wind up taking seven. Yourself included.
Whenever I have to make a decision like that, I'm reminded that lives are always on the line no matter what I do. If I'm wrong, then I'll have to live with that and keep that in my mind for the rest of my life.
But, I can't just play an unfair game and try not to be unfair myself.
I suppose. I've been in many unfair games, after all. But you see: the best way to play an unfair game is just simply not to play. Their win condition is something that I will vehemently reject for the entirety of my life, after all. So I'm not the one who should be concerned over.
... Well. I certainly don't plan on dying again here unless it's a last case resort, anyway.
[ It's not fun! ]
But my point is more that - the world is much more essential than a single person. If someone needs to choose between saving the world and saving me, the world is more important. I'm just a miniscule thing in comparison. And I'll be fine, anyway.
[ ...Ryoko closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. Of course, that made sense. The world was important. If it were her, she wouldn't want the world to end on her behalf.
Instead, she thinks about it from the opposite side. ]
Who decided that it had to be one or the other, Inaba-san? If everyone wants the world to be saved, then let them save it.
But if you mean the world to someone else, then they should be able to make that choice themselves. I...
[ She's trying to find the words, trying to be careful. Really... someone else from her past is popping up in her mind. ]
...my friends are my world. If I can't save them, then there's no world for me to go back to. So don't think for a second that you're as miniscule as you think you are.
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Do you want popcorn, by the way?
[ Might as well ask. ]
I guess for me it's... I don't know. Others can probably focus on this one now, I guess.
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[ There's something that hurts about hearing that. It felt like she had so many ideas, and now that she's giving the reins over to others... ]
Mm, I don't really mean for the world as a whole, but... I guess, my place here. But I can't start there, honestly. I uh...
[ Ryoko's hesitant to say really... much of anything. She's not sure how much Inaba knows about what's going on, and how much she's comfortable with talking about. But her advice has been thoughtful and she'd like that... ugh. ]
It's a lot of stuff that I'm thinking on from before I got here. I can't really "save" anything here until I figure that out for myself.
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[ Inaba goes to walk towards the kitchen, which isn't actually all that far away from the living room in the slightest. ]
You need to find yourself before you're able to truly help anybody else. I get that. It's not easy, but... it's something that's worth it, once you're able to figure it out.
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...but. She has to ask. ]
Do you... know where you are right now, Inaba-san?
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...but, I guess that's kind of the point of finding my place, so I'll hold up on that for now.
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I don't think that really matters in the overall picture, does it?
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[ She's trying to hold herself back. But... no, she can't. ]
Why wouldn't your feelings matter? Who cares about the overall picture?
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Because they don't--
[ She starts, but then shakes her head. ]
Actually, let me put it like this. Are you familiar with the trolley problem?
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And there's... no way to stop the train, is there?
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I was wrong. I do know this problem.
Without context, the answer is meant to be obvious. One person to save five? That's obvious. The problem's supposed to lay in who that one person is, isn't it? How willing are you to kill a group of people just to save one person?
[ Selfishly, she could internalize that answer pretty easily. That wasn't what she was thinking of, though. ]
In that moment, I'd have three options. The first two would be to play along and choose. Of course, it makes perfect sense to kill the one to save five, doesn't it? If you make the wrong choice, you'll kill even more than that. But, you could go with the option that seems unthinkable. Decide that the life of one person you consider important is worth more than five others. Make that terrible sacrifice and be unable to look that important person in the eye for the rest of your life.
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[ ... ]
In the end, you're weighing that one life against five others. In most cases, yes - you'd save the one person. But then that changes depending on other factors. But... if I'm the 'one person' on that track. I'd want them to save the other five.
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...but, then again, up until the end, I'd hope for the third choice. Do whatever it takes, anything you can to stop the train completely. Either you're successful, or instead of five lives or one life, you wind up taking seven. Yourself included.
Whenever I have to make a decision like that, I'm reminded that lives are always on the line no matter what I do. If I'm wrong, then I'll have to live with that and keep that in my mind for the rest of my life.
But, I can't just play an unfair game and try not to be unfair myself.
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[ No, she can't go down two roads here. Not right now. ]
Sorry to say, but I'm going to be concerned anyway. That's just in my nature.
But for now, as long as I can see you're safe, I'll be content enough with that.
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[ It's not fun! ]
But my point is more that - the world is much more essential than a single person. If someone needs to choose between saving the world and saving me, the world is more important. I'm just a miniscule thing in comparison. And I'll be fine, anyway.
[ Will she, though? ]
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Instead, she thinks about it from the opposite side. ]
Who decided that it had to be one or the other, Inaba-san? If everyone wants the world to be saved, then let them save it.
But if you mean the world to someone else, then they should be able to make that choice themselves. I...
[ She's trying to find the words, trying to be careful. Really... someone else from her past is popping up in her mind. ]
...my friends are my world. If I can't save them, then there's no world for me to go back to. So don't think for a second that you're as miniscule as you think you are.