[ Matt's recollection of the topic centers more around the question "does love have to feel good"? The Kenoma conception of love, as he noted back then, sounds to him like the idea of attachment: a desire wrapped up in the shortsighted self, that focuses on narrow outcome. No wonder they think it's overrated. But when it comes to the alternative ... can love hurt? Can you love someone and act against what they perceive their interests to be? ]
I don't know if I would've really grokked it before everything that happened in Venera. I mean, intellectually, sure, but just in terms of--
[ Matt pauses. ]
Being cruel got people out of it. Or at least, making them sufficiently uncomfortable made it so they couldn't stay in the ... Innocence state, whatever you want to call it. The delusion.
no subject
[ Matt's recollection of the topic centers more around the question "does love have to feel good"? The Kenoma conception of love, as he noted back then, sounds to him like the idea of attachment: a desire wrapped up in the shortsighted self, that focuses on narrow outcome. No wonder they think it's overrated. But when it comes to the alternative ... can love hurt? Can you love someone and act against what they perceive their interests to be? ]
I don't know if I would've really grokked it before everything that happened in Venera. I mean, intellectually, sure, but just in terms of--
[ Matt pauses. ]
Being cruel got people out of it. Or at least, making them sufficiently uncomfortable made it so they couldn't stay in the ... Innocence state, whatever you want to call it. The delusion.