08-05-2017, 03:33 PM
Tearen grinned widely and clapped a friendly hand on the clown's shoulder.
"Come, there's something I want to show you." he said, guiding Gamzee down the steps of the pavilion. They walked a short distance into the forest before the elder Prime stopped abruptly, and motioned for the bard to come closer. Gamzee stepped next to the Shadow and looked where Tearen was looking. There, on the trunk of a mossy tree, was a river of black movement. Looking closer, Gamzee could see the stream of black was actually a column of tiny, marching bug things. Thousands of them, going up and down the tree, going both ways. Gamzee was, by default, delighted.
"I wanted to show you an example, because I'm not certain they have these on your world. These are called ants, Gamzee." Tearen said softly. Gamzee nodded and reached out with a hand before Tearen made a halting noise from his throat.
"Mm. I wouldn't. They're vicious little buggers. But here's the point; are you familiar with the concept of emergence?" Tearen asked. The clown thought about it for a moment before nodding.
"Yeh. I mean. I think so. Like when I'm done usin' the load-gaper and I all up and emergence outta the squat-chamber. Or like...when I emergence outta my slime-pod in the morning." Gamzee said, his yellow eyes shining brightly. Tearen chuckled softly.
"That's not exactly what I mean. Emergence is the idea that, from disordered components, and ordered system can emerge. Like these ants." Tearen said, gesturing at the crawling motes of life. "Taken individually they are...depressingly, hopelessly stupid. They just follow basic instincts and compulsions. A single ant can accomplish nothing, and sometimes ants from the same colony will work in opposition of each other for days. But! When you put thousands of the together, each living their own life, they form a larger system. A larger, hive organism capable of amazing things." Tearen said, casting a hand down at the ground. He reached out to Gamzee's sense of vision and allowed the clown to peer deep into the soil, catching a glimpse of the miles of tiny tunnels that wound down deep into the loamy soil.
"Whoaaa..." Gamzee said, his eyes sparkling. He flashed a toothy grin up at Tearen before speaking.
"So yeah about being God though?"
Tearen nodded.
"Yes. Taken individually, I am not a god. You are not a god. Each of these ants are not a god. But we together, all of us, the tree, the ants, you, me, Strazio, Maru...we are all God." Tearen said, giving Gamzee a moment to consider.
"Oookay. But then like...how come we all don't up and have the same thoughts in our thinkpans? If we all God, then God is one confused-ass motherfucker." Gamzee said, trying to be serious. Tearen clapped his hands together and laughed, loudly.
"Ah. Yes. Truer words were never spoken. But consider this; do you not argue with yourself? Do you have urges and desires that you must pick and choose, despite wanting several possibilities at once? God must be no different. We are all God, but God is...complicated. The universe is infinitely complicated. There's room for more than one mind, within the collective 'I'...and when we disagree or argue?" Tearen said, gesturing down at the scurrying insects, "...just ants. Dragging sticks the wrong way. The universe goes on, and we are allowed our internal differences. That doesn't make our collective identity as the supreme being any less real." Tearen said, with a tone that denoted finality. Gamzee was sitting down at this point, pondering. It was becoming a bit too much again.
"So then...what...do we...? What does God DO with all that? What do we do?" Gamzee asked softly.
"Finding that answer...is why we exist..." Tearen said.
"Come, there's something I want to show you." he said, guiding Gamzee down the steps of the pavilion. They walked a short distance into the forest before the elder Prime stopped abruptly, and motioned for the bard to come closer. Gamzee stepped next to the Shadow and looked where Tearen was looking. There, on the trunk of a mossy tree, was a river of black movement. Looking closer, Gamzee could see the stream of black was actually a column of tiny, marching bug things. Thousands of them, going up and down the tree, going both ways. Gamzee was, by default, delighted.
"I wanted to show you an example, because I'm not certain they have these on your world. These are called ants, Gamzee." Tearen said softly. Gamzee nodded and reached out with a hand before Tearen made a halting noise from his throat.
"Mm. I wouldn't. They're vicious little buggers. But here's the point; are you familiar with the concept of emergence?" Tearen asked. The clown thought about it for a moment before nodding.
"Yeh. I mean. I think so. Like when I'm done usin' the load-gaper and I all up and emergence outta the squat-chamber. Or like...when I emergence outta my slime-pod in the morning." Gamzee said, his yellow eyes shining brightly. Tearen chuckled softly.
"That's not exactly what I mean. Emergence is the idea that, from disordered components, and ordered system can emerge. Like these ants." Tearen said, gesturing at the crawling motes of life. "Taken individually they are...depressingly, hopelessly stupid. They just follow basic instincts and compulsions. A single ant can accomplish nothing, and sometimes ants from the same colony will work in opposition of each other for days. But! When you put thousands of the together, each living their own life, they form a larger system. A larger, hive organism capable of amazing things." Tearen said, casting a hand down at the ground. He reached out to Gamzee's sense of vision and allowed the clown to peer deep into the soil, catching a glimpse of the miles of tiny tunnels that wound down deep into the loamy soil.
"Whoaaa..." Gamzee said, his eyes sparkling. He flashed a toothy grin up at Tearen before speaking.
"So yeah about being God though?"
Tearen nodded.
"Yes. Taken individually, I am not a god. You are not a god. Each of these ants are not a god. But we together, all of us, the tree, the ants, you, me, Strazio, Maru...we are all God." Tearen said, giving Gamzee a moment to consider.
"Oookay. But then like...how come we all don't up and have the same thoughts in our thinkpans? If we all God, then God is one confused-ass motherfucker." Gamzee said, trying to be serious. Tearen clapped his hands together and laughed, loudly.
"Ah. Yes. Truer words were never spoken. But consider this; do you not argue with yourself? Do you have urges and desires that you must pick and choose, despite wanting several possibilities at once? God must be no different. We are all God, but God is...complicated. The universe is infinitely complicated. There's room for more than one mind, within the collective 'I'...and when we disagree or argue?" Tearen said, gesturing down at the scurrying insects, "...just ants. Dragging sticks the wrong way. The universe goes on, and we are allowed our internal differences. That doesn't make our collective identity as the supreme being any less real." Tearen said, with a tone that denoted finality. Gamzee was sitting down at this point, pondering. It was becoming a bit too much again.
"So then...what...do we...? What does God DO with all that? What do we do?" Gamzee asked softly.
"Finding that answer...is why we exist..." Tearen said.
And, we dream of home I dream of life out of here Their dreams are small My dreams don't know fear I got my heart full of hope I will change everything No matter what I'm told How impossible it seems We did it before And we'll do it again We're indestructible Even when we're tired And we've been here before Just you and I
Don't try to rescue me I don't need to be rescued
Don't try to rescue me I don't need to be rescued