Megatron
05-03-2009, 01:19 AM
Our very first Ask Megatron session features two user questions, both of which address important issues. Read on, and learn.
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Dear Megatron,
I got into an argument with my friend over his carrot cake. I say the only frosting you should EVER use on that type of cake is cream cheese. HE used vanilla...
Please, help us settle this fight, cream cheese or vanilla.
Signed,
Creamy Goodness
Dear Creamy,
Though I personally am not very familiar with the culinary phenomenon you humans call cake, I did some research on the topic and I have come to the conclusion that only a fool would enjoy vanilla icing on carrot cake.
Googlefight confirms my conclusion, with cream cheese icing kicking vanilla icing's aft 640 000 to 247 000.
I hope this helps your friend realize what a moron he is.
--M
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I wish to pick your processor regarding the issue of Decepticon ethics and motives. A few branches of the canon have attempted to assert that Cybertronian factions (namely, Autobots and Decepticons) are grounded in lineage (the Marvel G2 comics, for instance, claimed that the 'Cons were all descendants of the Liege Maximo and the 'Bots were descended from the first Prime). This, of course, was uninteresting to the fandom as it provided for no good conflicting-morals-angst and became a rather unpopular explanation.
Beast Wars introduced the concept that a good deal of Cybertronian philosophy is inseparably linked to one's shell programming (hence very Predacon Maximals like Blackarachnia who could later have the false shell program destroyed to release the Goodness Within, or some other suitably corny somesuch). And, of course, there were black sheep like Dinobot who joined the faction that seemed to best suit their needs when they wanted to, and of their own free will.
The point of my question is this: What drives Decepticons to do what they do? Is it an inherent program in all 'Cons that allows them to take pleasure from mercilessly slaughtering enemies on the battlefield while their Autobot counterparts blanch, if only internally? Is it a learned response as a result of hard, long millenia of hostile stereotyping? Or is there something entirely different at work when you, as Decepticon Leader, declare war on entire civilizations? Something that we humans have been unable to see?
I thank you for your time and for the answer to this question, as it has been plaguing me for a long time now. *salutes*
(Anonymous)
Dear Anonymous fan,
This is a very good question and it is an issue that is of great interest to me personally. In these matters all people are inclined to overgeneralize by labelling one side 'good' and one side 'evil'. However, how we define these terms has always been more or less up in the air. I would like to address this briefly before answering your question.
If you define evil as pure self interest, then even certain people motivated by 'good' intentions fall into that category. For example, someone giving money to the poor because it makes them feel good. If you define evil by actions rather than motivations, then many people who had good intentions but made mistakes would be classified as evil. In other words, it's not an easy thing to define by any means, and there will always be a lot of crossing over from one side to the other. In this manner I believe that it is impossible to separate good from evil in any certain way.
That being said, I will tell you about the Decepticon mindset. Decepticons believe in absolutes, as do Autobots. We are the same in that way. The absolutes themselves are different, however. Decepticons believe in a world united by power and complete autocratic control by the fittest leader. Autobots prefer a liberal society, choosing their leaders based on political factors rather than constant power struggles. In a Decepticon society, the wisest, strongest, and fittest would always hold the most power. Those who show weakness and corruption eventually get theirs without a lot of 'red tape' interfering with the process. Corruption in an Autobot government is a lot messier and takes far longer to clean up. It also causes far more long term effects.
Neither system appears to be ideal, but IS there an ideal system anywhere that is feasible? While to you Decepticon methods may seem brutal and 'evil' you can't deny that there is a certain integrity to them. If you recall your history then you may remember that no Autobot government was ever without its flaws. There was and is dissention even among the Autobot ranks, as there always will be in any society anywhere.
I suppose what all this is leading up to is that no, I don't think Autobots and Decepticons are inherently different for any particular reason. Yes, our base programming is different but we also all possess free will. What we choose to do is ultimately up to us. It's merely a matter of personal preference which side we're on, though admittedly because of tension there is little crossing over. I personally have always been willing to accept the Autobots among my ranks, but they are mostly inflexible in their values and tend to be very stubborn about joining me in my glorious cause. Most Decepticons have far more moral flexibility, and thus, are overall intellectually superior (obvious exceptions apply).
I hope all this has been enlightening. I could write more on this subject but I'd prefer that people actually read it.
--M
----
Dear Megatron,
I got into an argument with my friend over his carrot cake. I say the only frosting you should EVER use on that type of cake is cream cheese. HE used vanilla...
Please, help us settle this fight, cream cheese or vanilla.
Signed,
Creamy Goodness
Dear Creamy,
Though I personally am not very familiar with the culinary phenomenon you humans call cake, I did some research on the topic and I have come to the conclusion that only a fool would enjoy vanilla icing on carrot cake.
Googlefight confirms my conclusion, with cream cheese icing kicking vanilla icing's aft 640 000 to 247 000.
I hope this helps your friend realize what a moron he is.
--M
-----
I wish to pick your processor regarding the issue of Decepticon ethics and motives. A few branches of the canon have attempted to assert that Cybertronian factions (namely, Autobots and Decepticons) are grounded in lineage (the Marvel G2 comics, for instance, claimed that the 'Cons were all descendants of the Liege Maximo and the 'Bots were descended from the first Prime). This, of course, was uninteresting to the fandom as it provided for no good conflicting-morals-angst and became a rather unpopular explanation.
Beast Wars introduced the concept that a good deal of Cybertronian philosophy is inseparably linked to one's shell programming (hence very Predacon Maximals like Blackarachnia who could later have the false shell program destroyed to release the Goodness Within, or some other suitably corny somesuch). And, of course, there were black sheep like Dinobot who joined the faction that seemed to best suit their needs when they wanted to, and of their own free will.
The point of my question is this: What drives Decepticons to do what they do? Is it an inherent program in all 'Cons that allows them to take pleasure from mercilessly slaughtering enemies on the battlefield while their Autobot counterparts blanch, if only internally? Is it a learned response as a result of hard, long millenia of hostile stereotyping? Or is there something entirely different at work when you, as Decepticon Leader, declare war on entire civilizations? Something that we humans have been unable to see?
I thank you for your time and for the answer to this question, as it has been plaguing me for a long time now. *salutes*
(Anonymous)
Dear Anonymous fan,
This is a very good question and it is an issue that is of great interest to me personally. In these matters all people are inclined to overgeneralize by labelling one side 'good' and one side 'evil'. However, how we define these terms has always been more or less up in the air. I would like to address this briefly before answering your question.
If you define evil as pure self interest, then even certain people motivated by 'good' intentions fall into that category. For example, someone giving money to the poor because it makes them feel good. If you define evil by actions rather than motivations, then many people who had good intentions but made mistakes would be classified as evil. In other words, it's not an easy thing to define by any means, and there will always be a lot of crossing over from one side to the other. In this manner I believe that it is impossible to separate good from evil in any certain way.
That being said, I will tell you about the Decepticon mindset. Decepticons believe in absolutes, as do Autobots. We are the same in that way. The absolutes themselves are different, however. Decepticons believe in a world united by power and complete autocratic control by the fittest leader. Autobots prefer a liberal society, choosing their leaders based on political factors rather than constant power struggles. In a Decepticon society, the wisest, strongest, and fittest would always hold the most power. Those who show weakness and corruption eventually get theirs without a lot of 'red tape' interfering with the process. Corruption in an Autobot government is a lot messier and takes far longer to clean up. It also causes far more long term effects.
Neither system appears to be ideal, but IS there an ideal system anywhere that is feasible? While to you Decepticon methods may seem brutal and 'evil' you can't deny that there is a certain integrity to them. If you recall your history then you may remember that no Autobot government was ever without its flaws. There was and is dissention even among the Autobot ranks, as there always will be in any society anywhere.
I suppose what all this is leading up to is that no, I don't think Autobots and Decepticons are inherently different for any particular reason. Yes, our base programming is different but we also all possess free will. What we choose to do is ultimately up to us. It's merely a matter of personal preference which side we're on, though admittedly because of tension there is little crossing over. I personally have always been willing to accept the Autobots among my ranks, but they are mostly inflexible in their values and tend to be very stubborn about joining me in my glorious cause. Most Decepticons have far more moral flexibility, and thus, are overall intellectually superior (obvious exceptions apply).
I hope all this has been enlightening. I could write more on this subject but I'd prefer that people actually read it.
--M