*pops into thread*

Hmm, more activity. It seems we hit the sweet spot.

Anyways, I've made a screening of Anni and Fishie's posting (I do that as a habit, or why do the forum has a posts made by member section if you aren't going to use it?) Considering both are smart, funny, original, and just about anything that makes people awesome, I give my two thumbs and my two big toes on their approval. Celtic and Sinis have more than approved your application, so do I.

(BTW, love the comic Anni. Keep working on it, very well drawn, and work on the coloring. Done a comic about the factions already? I'd like to see that world's perspective on factions. Also, Fishie, you remind me of the reason I actually got over here: trivias!!! I have to return to active trivia duty, or I'll be getting dusty all of a sudden)

Ahh, discussions. I can't get enough of 'em.

The means by which a person reaches an end speak a lot of themselves. Not always will a person choose the path deemed the right one by society/religion/parents/friends/etc. But, deep down, one's own way of seeing the world shapes the options you choose. The examples given by Celtic refer to a person that, in the case of women, have a sense of responsibility upon them, and even a sense of duty to protect them, as both ends imply saving and/or protecting the girl. It also speaks of romanticism. There are many other ends which can be deemed the "best" ends by a person, in an arbitrary way. Mauling the guys to earn points with the girl, for example.

Personally, I often tend to use the most passive means of achieving an end, very rarely taking active actions upon the matter. Using the aforementioned example, I'd rather cool things down with the guys and use diplomacy to leave the lady alone, without resorting to combat. Perhaps it'll end having to resort to violence, or serving as a meat shield, but I can't say I didn't try reasoning with them. Still, just being mean with the lady is rude in my book, so I may just resort to more "active" ways of gaining their attention (essentially shouting on the guys to stop what they're doing, and then realize I can try to speak the girl out of the situation)

Pretty complex, yeah, but I don't just look things the simple way. Quirk of mine.

Essentially, looking for the best means almost never happens when you need to react quickly, since you need to have the mindset to reflexively do it. If you are given time to think about it, then analyzing the situation allows to choose the best way to do it. The ends never justify the means, for it does not lead to a change in behavior, but to the perpetuation of the status quo: meaning, if you hit someone, that someone will consider that his way of thinking is the right one because he was expecting someone to try and act the hero, but will be dissuaded to achieve his end. Doing it in a way that someone does not expect to react to can cause a change in opinion, but that's something that takes more time than anything.

But when you have no time to react, the means you'll follow are defined by the mindset you follow, so you'll act rough if you like roughness and you'll act as a meat shield if you like sacrificing for your beliefs. Or you'll act smart if you are a smart-aleck, and so on.

In a nutshell: ends don't justify the means, the best way is to think about it and look the best mean to get the best end, but when you have no time, just do as you always do. Won't justify the means, but you aren't going to have time to think about it, so might as well do it if you can.