There is an unfinished webcomic, a few of which's features I think on from time to time,
One of them was this brief spoken concept of some tortured individual,
'Seemingly kept in place, for the benefit of others. 'despite the individuals suffering.
"Cleric of the Tortured Child: Hi there!
Maxo: Gahh! A lands of sadness denizen!!
Cleric of the Tortured Child: Indeed. I have travelled far to seek council with you.
Maxo: You want me to become a Cleric of the Tortured Child, don't you?
Cleric of the Tortured Child: Oh dear, did that Priestess I saw, already convert you? Am I too late?
Maxo: Well no, I didn't join her religion.
Cleric of the Tortured Child: Well allow me to tell you a bit about the dogma of the Tortured Child, then. . .
Maxo: Okay, just allow me to get out of touching range. . .
Cleric of the Tortured Child: Our god was created by the other gods to act as. . . a sponge, if you will. The gods have siphoned excess pain their creatures endure to him, so they may function better.
Briefly possessed Maxo: Tloonal must always suffer for the benefit of everyone else.
Cleric of the Tortured Child: Sigh. . .
Maxo: Ugh. . . What in the three hells was that about. . .?
Cleric of the Tortured Child: That happens to any who think about the Tortured Child's fate. Even to the purest of Celestials. It unfortunately means you may not yet be ready for-"
It's not an uncommon idea,
It can be seen in other works of fiction,
Or viewed in ancient cultures past,
. . .
Though even if one walks away from Omelas,
How does one avoid walking into 'another Omelas?
Does walking away 'truly cease a situation?
I've never actually 'read Omelas, but I think on the concept at times.
. . .
In 'society, it is hard to 'avoid Omelas, perhaps,
Even living alone in the wilderness,
All the land upon Earth seems claimed.
Even living alone,
One's safety is protected by the government, and all it's actions, moral and immoral,
Should they be destroyed, other governments, less kind may come.
Unless one should find some deep dark hole away from all,
How to avoid Omelas?
Yet 'knowledge follows us,
Knowledge 'gained by civilizations, their actions moral and immoral,
Unless one were to wipe clean their mind, how to avoid Omelas?
Yet even were one to wipe their mind. . .
There 'starting point, and thanks, was Omelas. . .
. . . .
Course there's something to be said for the present and future,
Not participating,
Even if one cannot avoid the past.
. . .
I imagine the scapegoat be a common philosophy thought as well,
. . .
I'm more fond of voluntary self sacrifice,
Than involuntary sacrifice of another,
Though even self sacrifice, I might caution some against.
. . .
The choice of being born,
For me it is that 'one moment,
Not all the risks after, that bother me so,
But that one moment,
Though why be it magnified in my mind, if 'not for the magnitude of possible risk, scope of 'life, after?
. . .
Mm. . .
Coherent framework people make,
To inflict some suffering for self or clan interest.
. .
Raiding enemy tribes for life and safety of one's own clan,
Or forcing one's rule, to avoid worse rule,
Magnifying whatever one values. . .
... . . .
I suppose people who argue that everyone is one,
Might argue we can not harm another, only ourselves,
But I don't know much about such beliefs, I might be representing them,
Though it falls a bit into practical incoherence for me, , , well, 'my current 'coherence, set ideas of existence,
Chess rules I follow, though nihilist,
Humans have rules, frameworks, genetics, drives.
But this is as far as my random musing goes today, (Probably)
Perhaps tomorrow, new browser tabs to be opened.