Zealous

[secondlina]

There's a lot of jerks in the world. What's up with that?

Maybe i'm too much of an idealist, but I expect people to get up on the bus for old ladies and children. I expect people to hold doors for each other, to discuss things politely, to be honest, to respect animals. Why doesn't anybody respect the animals? Where's the respect in general?  I saw a really beaten up dog this morning on the way to work. I emptied my water bottle in his bowl. Hopefully he won't be dehydrated.

Am I just too nice? Or stupid? Am I one of the last gallant idealists in the world? Where's D'Artagnan and Cyrano de Bergerac and Don Quixotte, men who were knights when no one else wanted to be? When I was a kid, I wanted to be a knight or a musketeer or a samourai. Someone with honor and pride.

At least fictional characters still make nice role models for people. Fanart of Fullmetal alchemist and Hellboy characters on top. The Hellboy characters aren't really good role models, but Nuada does present an interesting debate about honor and respect. I wish people would talk more about how fiction inspires them to be great. Places like "fandom secrets" only seems to have negative secrets these days.

I'm proud to say that I adore fictional characters, they are precious friends, just like people are. Fiction is in my blood. Or rather, I have ink in my blood? Hahahah!

- Isa

EDIT : I'm going to see if I can't make positive "Fandom secrets" messages. I just need to think of stuff to post. Who's with me!

Comments

[comicaddict.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting aspect of honor in fictional characters. You have Superman being one for example. I know cliche but you have to say he is an honorable character. Actually that would make for a fun longer topic. Honor in Fiction. Think about it.

[eveshka.livejournal.com]

Honor in fiction?

Harry Dresden.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Any superhero is pretty honor-full. Wonderwoman I found was a bit mixed. She won't hesitate to kill.

[dqbunny.livejournal.com]

Poor dog. :(

You're not stupid. I'm still an idealist too, and I'm always still very much surprised when I see someone being cruel toward me or someone else (especially animals) because I always expected people to do better.

And, yes, you have ink in your blood ... literally. You inhale Sharpie fumes. :P

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Especially against animals. Animal just keep loving you even when you hurt them. why, people, why? Please, just... stop.

Hey, I have masks for that now. *laughs*

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

I really wonder sometimes where's people common sense and courtesy are? It really doesn't take much and one kind word can make a day for another person.

The first fictional character I think of when I think of honour is Dinobot from beast wars. He was originally from the "bad guys" side, but he had a strict code of honour that lead him to one of the most badass death scenes I have ever scene in an animated series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u7Rb2fU4cA&feature=related

[comicaddict.livejournal.com]

Okay thank you for that! Seriously one of the more amazing sequences done indeed in an animated series. I remember first time I saw that and I was literally in pure shock at what I was seeing on the screen.

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

Dinobot! :O

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Woah! Nostalgia!

Dinobot T_T

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

You and me, we should chat about this.

Honor is, and always has been, a huge thing in my life. I love characters that explore the various aspects and interpretation of honor, and part of me is disappointed to see how few people value it today.

Also, pretty arts! I ♥ Nuada.

P.S. We could always organize a series of secret submissions about honorable characters that inspire!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I could write a chapter about this. I try to live by a code of honor. And i'm often pointed out as a fool for it. I just seems like something important to me. Yeah, we should chat about this. Hopefully, we might catch each other online soon. Since you're a bit less busy and I should be less busy soon too!

OMG. I like the way you think. We should create a bunch of positive secrets. And ask people on LJ to do it. The would be awesome.

[quasiarti.livejournal.com]

You now what's worse that people seems to love more characters who are bastards or amoral, and you know when a villain it's preferred. I'm still shocked to see how people prefer the downright bittersweet ending of the first fullmetal alchemist series than the earned you happy ending of the original story.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I liked the ending of the first series after they added the movie. Because at least both brothers were together. But admit the manga ending is a lot more awesome. And powerful. Even though I still like the first series XD

People like anti-heroes. I fell weird about there being violence fanfictions and rape fanfictions. Strange way to love a character or something.

[brendala.livejournal.com]

Whoo Hellboy fanart! ^_^

I share your love of honorable fictional characters. I really like shows about characters who are flawed and do their best to overcome their shortcomings (Balloo from Talespin is a good example).


It was sweet of you to give your water to the dog (hopefully he's OK now).
Sadly, common decency seems to be a rare thing these days and part of me wonders if it's because our generation just sucks. During my last job I lived in a dorm with my co-workers (all between the ages of 18-24). We rode in government vans to get to our job sites and my (mostly White) co-workers loved blasting the REALLY vulgar, misogynist rap music in the car. Every time I tried to tell someone that the music made me uncomfortable and that I didn't think songs about "shooting ni**ers in the head" were appropriate for a GOVERNMENT CAR, I was told I needed to be "more tolerant". My bosses (all of whom were about 22-years-old) wouldn't even compromise by putting aside one day a week where that music wouldn't be allowed in the car. Keep in mind, we all HAD to ride in this van in order to get to work!
The worst part was that the people there made me out to be a religious fanatic simply because I complained about the music and never drank alcohol. -_-

I once tried to explain to one of my co-workers that, while I also enjoy some things that many people consider vulgar (like South Park), I would never force someone to watch South Park if I knew it offended them and I'd never make them feel like a prude for not liking it.
...the co-worker totally missed the point and called me a "hypocrite" for complaining about disgusting rap music even though I'm a fan of South Park. -_-

Sorry about the tangent there. I tend to prattle on when I get reminded of those inconsiderate pieces of $%^&#. >_<

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I come off as a huge prude myself. Especially in my online life. Then people hear me swear and make sexy jokes and wonder what happened. *laughs* I don't think it's prude to ask for respect.

Overcoming characters FTW.

[mangaka-chan.livejournal.com]

I donno, I mean, I was brought up in a family, in a culture where respect is very important. Being raised in the US has made me a little more rebellious yes, I do back-talk my parents sometimes but I try to be courteous and polite to everyone I meet. The sad part is, I've noticed that even people in China these days aren't as respectful as they use to be. You'd think with all the Confucian belief about respect and politeness people would be more courteous, but that's not always the case. When my grandparents and I take the bus a lot of the times the ticket attendant has to ask for someone to yield a seat for my grandparents instead of someone doing so voluntarily.

And from what I've heard about fandom secrets I think I'll stand away from it with a 9 foot pole. There seems to be a lot of wank there and all the negativity just turns me off.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between talking back to your parents and telling someone to F*ck off on the street for asking to sit down. I saw that earlier this week. People get angry, and it's normal to have fights. But to be downright agressive and disrespectful is just bleh.

I try to ignore the comments. The secret themselves are kinda entertaining. Less as of late. Too much trolling.

[engelen.livejournal.com]

Don Quixote was crazy, so I don't think he's a good example...
on the other hand, I suffer from your same ailment :( It is not uncommon for me to be let down by people :(

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Here, we had this really heroic version of Don Quixotte in a french play. He WAS crazy, since he though he was a knight, but he was this incredibly honorable and badass type of crazy. I was a bit disapointed when I read the original novels. *laughs*

[jason-register.livejournal.com]

Someone asking for chivalry? I like you more by day, my dear. I love characters that show moral and honorable character, based on lofty ideals or merely common sense.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

chivalry is awesome. At least the modern vision of it (knights back in the day where just soldiers). Kinda like how Ronin samourais and real samourais aren't the same thing at all.

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Fandom can be a beautifully positive experience, where in the end all involved are left in a state of 'what is deserved for their actions.' :)

It is sad that the general populace these days have poor morals. It makes me sick to think of someone abusing animals or letting an old person or child stand on the bus when they are perfectly healthy :/

There are still knights in this world, they are just a lot harder to find it seems. I always wanted to be a knight too, that strong sense to fight for justice and die for what you believe is virtuous.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Let's form a round table of awesome!

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

I think it really just depends on where you happen to live. I've been fortunate to live in a place where people are generally honorable toward other people and animals, and such traits are not frowned upon at all..unless the person happens to be from out of state and just doesn't understand, but so it goes.

Actually, while my parents were in Victoria, B.C. recently they encountered a family visiting from Denmark. The husband was talking to my mom and told her how much he loved the Pacific Northwest because of just how kind people were to each other. Where he's from it's much more common not to aid people in need and to even mock them behind their back, but since coming to the Northwest it's made him see that there are still good people out there, and it's made him change his behavior when he's back home now. I found it really great that he continues to return with his wife and kids so his children can be exposed to a different way of life than what is the norm for them.

(Call me weird, but I've never looked to fictional characters as role models. I've had so many in my personal life and in the scriptures that I didn't need that, but I am glad it is there for people. I do tend to prefer real people since they're flawed though. It makes it easier to accept that none of us will ever be the perfect role model, but we should never stop being the best we can be.)

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I guess Montréal is full of jerks then. Maybe it's like that in big cities.

I lacked role models as a kid. I guess that's why fictionnal characters are so important to me. :D

[putri-nih.livejournal.com]

Not much t add. I think the same way.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

:(

[ameban.livejournal.com]

I guess I won't say anything new here since so many people has answered you already, but I agree with you.
I also adore characters that follow certain honor code, at least in some sense, even if it's just for themselves. I don't know about "Hellboy", but I do about Edward Elric, which also is a great sample of how to get mathure because you thought you could do anything.

Perhaps the problem is people have forggoten about those ideals. Daily life is nasty enough for thinking highly and people just "would like to be" instead "trying to be". I think I value people acording with their ideals; better linking people because the good things that person has instead just hatting because the bad things... After all, people have both. Anyway, acording with my experience, "not honoured" people finds hard to believe there is people with "honor" out there. Perhaps if they admit it, they'll do it esier than now.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

people with honor don't believe it, and they apply dishonor everywhere, discouraging honorful people who just eventually give up. It's like a vicious circle.

[angelchan-2004.livejournal.com]

I spy Ed and Winryyyy<3

Maybe I'm an idealist, too. I do all of that, and kind of expect similar from others (then get really sad when people don't do it).

I think we need some positive Fandom Secrets! Yes!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

EDWIN IS AWESOME *ahem*

I think us idealist need to stick together!

[bonemarch.livejournal.com]

I think we're in the same boat on this one. I would be nice if everyone in the world could act with more kindness and honor. But at least if there are still a few good people willing to do what's right then the world is made into a better place, even if just a little bit.

Funny enough there is a little dog herding tale, you should poke D about it. ^_^

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will!