The Practice War [Complete]
- Thread starter Snowfire
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
Vote Tally : Original - Sci-Fi - The Practice War | Page 353 | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 8833-8876]
##### NetTally 1.9.9
Task: Plan
[6][Plan] Plan: ◈Amanda Antistress
[4][Plan] Plan: ◈Group Practice
[4][Plan] Plan: ◈Alternate Growth
[2][Plan] Plan: ◈Growth of Circles
[1][Plan] Plan: ◈Growth
[1][Plan] Plan: ◈Synergy
Task: Answer
[6][Answer] How has the advent of biological immortality, and then the Week of Sorrows, affected relationships, marriage, and those aspects of society?
[1][Answer] In the past, humans were mortal - A Greek word that meant 'Doomed to Die'. Much of our culture was influenced and shaped by that one fact…which is no longer true. How has biological immortality changed humanity?
Total No. of Voters: 18
I'll close this tomorrow morning.
##### NetTally 1.9.9
Task: Plan
[6][Plan] Plan: ◈Amanda Antistress
[4][Plan] Plan: ◈Group Practice
[4][Plan] Plan: ◈Alternate Growth
[2][Plan] Plan: ◈Growth of Circles
[1][Plan] Plan: ◈Growth
[1][Plan] Plan: ◈Synergy
Task: Answer
[6][Answer] How has the advent of biological immortality, and then the Week of Sorrows, affected relationships, marriage, and those aspects of society?
[1][Answer] In the past, humans were mortal - A Greek word that meant 'Doomed to Die'. Much of our culture was influenced and shaped by that one fact…which is no longer true. How has biological immortality changed humanity?
Total No. of Voters: 18
I'll close this tomorrow morning.
[X][Plan] Plan Amanda Antistress
Could someone explain why the decision to take more vacation time is so popular? Amanda's own family doesn't seem to think she needs it, and last time Amanda seemed to go a little stir-crazy near the end of her vacation, putting her workaholic tendencies into a her "leisure" time. Does she actually need or want another?
- Location
- Somewhere out there
People who can't help but work during their vacations are the people who need vacations the most, because they don't realize that they're cutting into their own recovery. People can become addicted to the act of helping others (or some other grand mission) to the detriment of the self. It's a particularly insidious disorder because nobody wants to say "it's bad for you to help other people," and selflessness, diligence, and generosity are seen as virtuous. People with this disorder will become distressed at the suggestion that they need to cut back on these activities and spend more time in personal pursuits, and they will come up with any number of reasons as to why they shouldn't -- and the reasons are often valid, at least superficially. Vacations can become stressful because the individual perceives it as being selfish (even if they would never believe that about anyone else) and would prefer to feed the addiction by cutting that self-care time short in favor of doing more to help other people.
The other part might be a meaningful argument here, but I don't remember where Amanda's family said otherwise.
- Location
- Somewhere out there
Without what?
I'd assume SF means "without knowing what the major action choice will be", though I am putting words in someone else's mouth there.
On another note, I'm glad to see a Mother of Circles plan won. (Sorry for not voting, I really didn't want to try to figure out the right personal actions.)
A Second Ring
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
The Second Ring
A year ago you set out to return to the world, and the Circles to which you've given so much. What had been received in return was the welcome you'd hoped and prayed for. Peace without expectation, freely given by the family you'd founded. You'd reached out and found the hands of billions extended in fellowship. None of the hidden wounds that you'd feared in the deepest parts of your mind, and the Lady in Fire Enfolded were more disturbing than truly worrying right now. You'd watch them, you didn't have much choice given that they were your creation too. But for now, they could be.
The connection between you and the Circle had been restored, as strong as it had ever been. Maybe even stronger, and with what you believed the Circles might be capable of, that would matter. You wondered though; would the members of LiFE take better to the mutual model of working that should be possible if every human truly possessed a fragment of power in their souls. You hoped that they wouldn't, but stranger things had happened. And if they did…you would find a way to endure, without becoming an object of worship. Yet the possibilities of the future were little against the needs of the present.
But with that resolution, the question remained; what would you seek to do within the Circles this year? More of the same, tightening the bonds that were already drawn close? Or maybe something new. A beginning to the process the Circles had been unknowingly built for, and that you'd tapped during the Second Battle of Sol. But if you were to do that, which direction would you come from? Knowledge, or the act of Practice itself? It was a hard question.
Choose One:
[] [Major] Halo
The strength of the Circles has always been in their greater connection, and you are a part of that no less than the newest member. You've walked among them for a year, rejuvenating and strengthening further your bond with them. But there's still more that could be done. If the Circles are to be used as a foundation for communal Practice, why not make it the strongest foundation possible?
[] [Major] A Shared Brilliance
What you're trying to do here is unlike anything else you've deliberately attempted. To tap the well of power through many, all with only a fraction of the strength that you possess yourself. Put bluntly, you're flying blind here. The Circles possess a great many scientists, however. Between all of you, a better understanding of what you're attempting to do should be well within your ability to grasp. With how the Circles appear to be put together on some levels, this might be able to help your scheduled work with Vega as well.
[] [Major] Beacon of Souls
Practice is, at its core, an act. It is not theory, although humanity's understanding of it has grown in leaps and bounds over the last two decades. To try and understand an act before it has been made is backwards. During the Second Battle of Sol, the focus of billions gave you power beyond anything you'd thought possible. As bizarre as it sounds, sometimes just trying to do can be the best way.
A year ago you set out to return to the world, and the Circles to which you've given so much. What had been received in return was the welcome you'd hoped and prayed for. Peace without expectation, freely given by the family you'd founded. You'd reached out and found the hands of billions extended in fellowship. None of the hidden wounds that you'd feared in the deepest parts of your mind, and the Lady in Fire Enfolded were more disturbing than truly worrying right now. You'd watch them, you didn't have much choice given that they were your creation too. But for now, they could be.
The connection between you and the Circle had been restored, as strong as it had ever been. Maybe even stronger, and with what you believed the Circles might be capable of, that would matter. You wondered though; would the members of LiFE take better to the mutual model of working that should be possible if every human truly possessed a fragment of power in their souls. You hoped that they wouldn't, but stranger things had happened. And if they did…you would find a way to endure, without becoming an object of worship. Yet the possibilities of the future were little against the needs of the present.
But with that resolution, the question remained; what would you seek to do within the Circles this year? More of the same, tightening the bonds that were already drawn close? Or maybe something new. A beginning to the process the Circles had been unknowingly built for, and that you'd tapped during the Second Battle of Sol. But if you were to do that, which direction would you come from? Knowledge, or the act of Practice itself? It was a hard question.
Choose One:
[] [Major] Halo
The strength of the Circles has always been in their greater connection, and you are a part of that no less than the newest member. You've walked among them for a year, rejuvenating and strengthening further your bond with them. But there's still more that could be done. If the Circles are to be used as a foundation for communal Practice, why not make it the strongest foundation possible?
[] [Major] A Shared Brilliance
What you're trying to do here is unlike anything else you've deliberately attempted. To tap the well of power through many, all with only a fraction of the strength that you possess yourself. Put bluntly, you're flying blind here. The Circles possess a great many scientists, however. Between all of you, a better understanding of what you're attempting to do should be well within your ability to grasp. With how the Circles appear to be put together on some levels, this might be able to help your scheduled work with Vega as well.
[] [Major] Beacon of Souls
Practice is, at its core, an act. It is not theory, although humanity's understanding of it has grown in leaps and bounds over the last two decades. To try and understand an act before it has been made is backwards. During the Second Battle of Sol, the focus of billions gave you power beyond anything you'd thought possible. As bizarre as it sounds, sometimes just trying to do can be the best way.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
You'll note that these choices haven't changed. Amusingly, you picked the only Major Action that hadn't undergone some rather serious rework in the wake of Mytikas. So...that. Sorry about this taking so long, my brain just refused to function properly when I got home. I'll plan to close this out tomorrow afternoon; hopefully I'll have enough votes by then, I know it's Christmas weekend.
Garm352
Bearer of the Stars of Creation
- Location
- The Void Between Stars
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] [Major] A Shared Brilliance
I'm torn between this one and Halo, but I chose this one because of the potential synergy with the work with Vega. I trust in the Circles to be strong, so I feel this would be our best choice.
I'm torn between this one and Halo, but I chose this one because of the potential synergy with the work with Vega. I trust in the Circles to be strong, so I feel this would be our best choice.
- Location
- United States
[X] [Major] A Shared Brilliance
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[] [Major] Halo
// A stable foundation is nice. However, if you later find out that the building has the wrong layout, it's harder to change something.
Means, before Amanda knows better how the Web and the drawing thereof works, how can she know the exact shape she/humanity needs?
[] [Major] A Shared Brilliance
[] [Major] Beacon of Souls
// Confusing. I'd thought that would be both - start experimenting, get data, formulate hypotheses, refine to theories, test.
// A stable foundation is nice. However, if you later find out that the building has the wrong layout, it's harder to change something.
Means, before Amanda knows better how the Web and the drawing thereof works, how can she know the exact shape she/humanity needs?
[] [Major] A Shared Brilliance
[] [Major] Beacon of Souls
// Confusing. I'd thought that would be both - start experimenting, get data, formulate hypotheses, refine to theories, test.
Shared Brilliance is starting theory-first, Beacon is starting with experiments, if I understand correctly.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The first experiment was 'Purify'. That made Amanda aware that she could tap the 'web'. The experiment with the circles would be to define the parameters of that, to see if, and how it can be repeated.
At least that's what would be logical for me, but that would be a merge of both options.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
But that action is already based on a hypothesis - "if I tell the circle to concentrate on me, to support me, I can access their power", or something along these lines. Or 'the web is always there, I just have to use it', that's also a hypothesis that's testable with an experiment.
Annoying how Amanda keeps going on about LiFE. Like, this is a good third of the pre-vote update dedicated to it, despite us NOT having chosen the LiFE option.
I wonder if we would have had the luxury of NOT hearing about it if we hadn't chosen to look into LiFE in the first place? Just live and let live?
Anyways, might as well vote.
[X] [Major] Beacon of Souls
I wonder if we would have had the luxury of NOT hearing about it if we hadn't chosen to look into LiFE in the first place? Just live and let live?
Anyways, might as well vote.
[X] [Major] Beacon of Souls
Yes, exactly, and in order to test this hypothesis she would need to act on it.
I honestly do not see many chances to succeed in theory before more experimental data is gathered, and to get this data in the first place Amanda needs to use Practice.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
... I didn't think we got a major option that's "Let's theorize into the blue, who needs experiments".
Thanks for removing that blind.
[x] [Major] Beacon of Souls
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
So to express here for a moment on the options in front of you:
A Shared Brilliance involves approaching the matter from a theoretical position, working with the Hearts and others in the Circles to spread a much wider understanding of what you're trying to do with them. Extending the metaphor of foundations from bonds, this action would represent Amanda going out and getting people to help her design the house before building it. There would be some experimentation here, but the entire process would be deeply focused on deciphering how what Amanda did worked and then getting groups within the Circles to go through the motions. It's slower, but far more likely to avoid a Hightower situation. Also probably safer.
Beacon of Souls goes at it from the other end, and is very alike to the leap of faith that @tenchifew described. To further extend the foundations/design metaphor, this options involves effectively throwing bricks and mortar at your foundation until something house-shaped sticks. You have the advantage of Practice to one point or another seeming to just work like this; Potentials aren't involved in the higher thought processes of their work beyond basic intent in most cases. The risk here is that you're not using a known grounding, like Project Insight and the Harmonic Circle have. Backlash is unlikely, and even if it does occur it shouldn't be beyond Amanda's ability to remedy, but if it does occur to that level there will be other consequences.
Basically, you're choosing between high theory or high practical. You're not able to do both. Before any complaints, yes, each option involves the other. But its the focus of your work that you're choosing here. There's also the matter of how much you're trusting the Circles with, which will dictate certain reactions depending on the results of your roll.
@PrimalShadow whilst I appreciate your irritation, the concern is a valid one here given Amanda's mindset and how much she knows about the process of communal Practice. In that it could be considered very similar to prayer, in some ways. She was deeply disturbed by the Lady in Fire Enfolded, even if they're not exactly a cult at this point and don't have any obvious signs of heading there. Existing within the Circles or even leading was always a communal process, even if Amanda's words were deeply respected. LiFE takes that to another level. They're still a product of the social constructs laid down by the Elder First and reinforced by Amanda (and others), but they're also clearly moving into the territory of informed faith. And informed or not, having millions believe in you like that isn't something that Amanda is well equipped to handle. Trust, respect, even some degree of adulation, those are things she knows how to deal with. But faith is different, both in her personal context and also actual fact. She doesn't know how she even wants to start approaching LiFE, the idea of making the organisation larger and therefore even harder to work with...doesn't appeal.
If I didn't make this clear enough from the character piece on the matter last turn, my apologies. Yes, you can look at it from an OoC perspective and see it as you did "They're currently not dangerous, no need to worry.". You're even entirely right at this juncture. But the emotional component isn't to be discounted, especially when you've dedicated a pair of years to Amanda taking the time to get back in touch with herself.
Also, if you hadn't taken the time to look into it? No, probably wouldn't be so much in her thoughts. It's likely to fade from there given time, but right now it's much more present. If it will get the chance to fade is...another matter. And not one that I have any control over, because it revolves around your votes.
A Shared Brilliance involves approaching the matter from a theoretical position, working with the Hearts and others in the Circles to spread a much wider understanding of what you're trying to do with them. Extending the metaphor of foundations from bonds, this action would represent Amanda going out and getting people to help her design the house before building it. There would be some experimentation here, but the entire process would be deeply focused on deciphering how what Amanda did worked and then getting groups within the Circles to go through the motions. It's slower, but far more likely to avoid a Hightower situation. Also probably safer.
Beacon of Souls goes at it from the other end, and is very alike to the leap of faith that @tenchifew described. To further extend the foundations/design metaphor, this options involves effectively throwing bricks and mortar at your foundation until something house-shaped sticks. You have the advantage of Practice to one point or another seeming to just work like this; Potentials aren't involved in the higher thought processes of their work beyond basic intent in most cases. The risk here is that you're not using a known grounding, like Project Insight and the Harmonic Circle have. Backlash is unlikely, and even if it does occur it shouldn't be beyond Amanda's ability to remedy, but if it does occur to that level there will be other consequences.
Basically, you're choosing between high theory or high practical. You're not able to do both. Before any complaints, yes, each option involves the other. But its the focus of your work that you're choosing here. There's also the matter of how much you're trusting the Circles with, which will dictate certain reactions depending on the results of your roll.
@PrimalShadow whilst I appreciate your irritation, the concern is a valid one here given Amanda's mindset and how much she knows about the process of communal Practice. In that it could be considered very similar to prayer, in some ways. She was deeply disturbed by the Lady in Fire Enfolded, even if they're not exactly a cult at this point and don't have any obvious signs of heading there. Existing within the Circles or even leading was always a communal process, even if Amanda's words were deeply respected. LiFE takes that to another level. They're still a product of the social constructs laid down by the Elder First and reinforced by Amanda (and others), but they're also clearly moving into the territory of informed faith. And informed or not, having millions believe in you like that isn't something that Amanda is well equipped to handle. Trust, respect, even some degree of adulation, those are things she knows how to deal with. But faith is different, both in her personal context and also actual fact. She doesn't know how she even wants to start approaching LiFE, the idea of making the organisation larger and therefore even harder to work with...doesn't appeal.
If I didn't make this clear enough from the character piece on the matter last turn, my apologies. Yes, you can look at it from an OoC perspective and see it as you did "They're currently not dangerous, no need to worry.". You're even entirely right at this juncture. But the emotional component isn't to be discounted, especially when you've dedicated a pair of years to Amanda taking the time to get back in touch with herself.
Also, if you hadn't taken the time to look into it? No, probably wouldn't be so much in her thoughts. It's likely to fade from there given time, but right now it's much more present. If it will get the chance to fade is...another matter. And not one that I have any control over, because it revolves around your votes.
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I get why it exists in character, and I don't disagree with having it in the story, but that doesn't stop it from being annoying. I guess it is just one of the things about Amanda's character and POV which rubs me the wrong way.