(no subject)

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

Another quick note - the Wilson/Stacy parallel and divergence.

THAT scene in the context of Wilson vs. Stacy

Comments

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Wilson does care whether House lives or dies, far more than House himself.

I disagree. I don't think House didn't care whether he lived or died, I just think he thought that the "knowing" might be worth dying.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

Same thing, essentially, as not caring whether he lives or dies. If he had wanted to live, he'd wait to find out at the same time as everyone else - it's not like he'll escape havign to die. But the idea of knowing *right now* outweighed all benefits of living. That's basically the same as not really care if you live.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

I still disagree :D Saying one doesn't care whether they live or die, on my opinion, is a sign of apathy or disinterest. I think House is still keen on living. Personally, if I was given the choice, right now, to choose between knowing and living, I don't know which I'd choose. Does that mean I don't care if I live or die?

And anyway. I also think House was just sure that he wasn't gonna die. There was a possibility that he mightäve died, but he didn't believe that.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Blah typos.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

>Personally, if I was given the choice, right now, to choose between knowing and living, I don't know which I'd choose. Does that mean I don't care if I live or die?

Well.. yes. o_0

You would trade all of your future life away just to find out *right now*? For what purpose? Whom will you tell? It's like that old adage - everyone wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die. Well, there are knives and sockets all around you - go for it. You'll know. You probably won't live, but you'll know.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm worried I wouldn't know, and I'm not risking my life for that. Sticking a knife into socket wouldn't guarantee knowing. But if somehow, magically, I was given the choice that I'd be told the truth but I'd have to die for it, it'd be a hard choice. Dying to know wouldn't work, since in nothingness there's no realisation. So I'd either have to know before dying or I'd have to come back from whatever there isn't, like House did.


Well.. yes. o_0

Also, you're wrong, but that's okat, I wasn't really expecting you'd understand. It's practically impossible to know what someone else feels. Just so you know, I'm very keen on living. But there are bigger things. Or there aren't, rather. Hmm. Whatever.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

My Html skills, let me show you them.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

>Actually, I'm worried I wouldn't know, and I'm not risking my life for that. Sticking a knife into socket wouldn't guarantee knowing. But if somehow, magically, I was given the choice that I'd be told the truth but I'd have to die for it, it'd be a hard choice. Dying to know wouldn't work, since in nothingness there's no realisation. So I'd either have to know before dying or I'd have to come back from whatever there isn't, like House did.

Why are we talking about magical choices? House was not given any magical choices. His chance to learn the truth would have to come *during* death, and there was no magic involved, just electricity frying his insides.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Yes, but once again, House was sure he wouldn't die. He was sure he'd come back. I'm not sure I would, therefore I'm not gonna do it, no matter how the truth tempts me.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

He might've been sure that they will revive him, but remember how he spoke about that guy's action earlier? "Frying his organs on a skillet." If he really fried himself, he might not *want* to survive for long, even if his heart got re-started. It wasn't the clean choice you're imagining it to be: 90% I learn the truth and escape unscathed vs. 10% I learn the truth and die. It's more like, 40% (or some other number) I learn the truth and escape with minimal damage, 40% I learn the truth but fry myself to the point of making myself even *more* miserable, 20% I learn the truth and die.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

The point still remains, just because someone's willing to risk their life for the truth about life, the universe and everything, does not mean they don't care whether they live or die. This is death with a price. Not the equality of life and death. I very much choose life over death, but I might choose the truth over life. I don't see the truth as death. I guess that's where our views differ.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

Do you think you will find out the truth after you die automatically?

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Actually, there's a conflict here. According to my world view, there's nothing there (I'm also an Atheist), so if I died, I'd have no consceous left to know the truth. That's why I've been trying to tell you that I'd either have to come back to know the truth, which is what House seemed to think, too, or trade the knowledge for my life before I'd die. Waiting to die would just result in death and never knowing the truth.

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

*consciousness. Fucking English :D

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

Well, then I'm even more confused. House obviously thought he'd take a dip into the Nothingness, see that it's really Nothingness, then dive back out and live again. With some possibility of internal injuries, etc. But in any case, whatever there was or wasn't to see in the Thereafter, he'd see it.

You on the other hand, don't mind trading the Truth for death. So if someone told you, with all dire certainty, there there was Nothing out there, then killed you, this would be a fair trade? What can one do with a knowledge that only survives in their mind for an instant, before the mind itself is extinguished?

((Side note: I'm starting to see why Russians think Finns are all terminally depressed. :))

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Eh. Do you think I'm depressed? :D

I suppose it would seem illogical to exchange the rest of one's life for information one would only get to enjoy for a short while, but the way I see it, that's one of the Big Truths that are worth it. It still doesn't mean I don't want to live in other circumstances. The truth is the only condition which will make me think twice. I'm still not saying I'd choose the truth. I'm just saying there's a possibility I might.

I realise that this might truly sound like someone who doesn't care about life, but it's all in the way one views life and death, I suppose.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

(I don't know about 'depressed', but definitely gloomy. Prehaps it's just the sun leaving. I was raised in Moscow, which was nowhere near as bad, but even so the seasonal shift got to me.)

Anyway, I still want to know something. Why would a Big Truth be worth it if you only got to learn it but not actually *act* on it, in any way? Is an instant of understanding really the same as *knowing*?

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Heh, maybe I'm gloomy, but I definitely haven't given up on life ;)

Why would a Big Truth be worth it if you only got to learn it but not actually *act* on it

Because you'd know. You wouldn't have to end your life without knowing! I'm already bothered by the fact that I'll never know how the universe came to be, or to where Space is expanding. If I got to know at least one of the big things, I'd die happy. So, I suppose it all comes down to curiosity, in the end...

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

So it wouldn't make a difference to you if you did or didn't get to *do* anything with that knowledge? I'm all for curiosity, but what's the point of knowing everything if you die a second later? That's not even a Faustian deal - that's just... well, depressing. :)

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Well, of course I'd rather know and live and maybe do something with the knowledge! Naturally. But I'd rather know and die than die without knowing.

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

Well, you'll die regardless of knowing. That much is given. The question is, how much time will you need between knowing and dying for it to be worth it?

[synekdokee.livejournal.com]

Enough to realise I know. I'm still saying it would be that much sweeter to live with the knowledge.

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

Quick note for you, I just notice the mod posted this (http://community.livejournal.com/house_wilson/1831072.html?mode=reply) about links regarding this scene.

anyway. I'm off to your journal now!!

[thewlisian-afer.livejournal.com]

XD Yeah, they were posted so close together (despite what time stamps say) that I knew there was little to no chance that axmxz saw my post before putting this up, so I just tossed a tag on it and wasn't even going to comment. ♥

[axmxz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the time stamps are bogus...