Got GUILT?

[Jenna]

Well that kinds a complicated question, I'd like to say no because I was defending myself but then again I'm ot the hardest person ir most "thick skinned" guy in the world. Me and my one of my old sensei was discussing my lack of heartlessness in a fight when we where shooting pool last night.

The sad reality is I've never reached that numb point where I could hurt others and walk away un-effected. So yes I would regret it but then again I have allot of regrets I can say I wouldn't let regret stop my from getting on with my life...

hey mister Dark I do not know what is your honest experience in these things but I will take you at your word and not second guess you and in reply yes.. it is a complicated non-B&W question otherwise I would not have asked on here but just asked myself.. and I put this question in this corporeal form because i think it is a form that subscribers to the forum understand..

and let me ask you regarding your second point.. you never reached that "numb" point and this I understand absolutely and so you live with certain "regrets" as you have it.. well let me ask how do you do this? Do you wilfully suppress these thoughts over what you have done? Or do they get forgotten? Let me simplify.. in this here situation, you did someone permanent damage ..you put them out of the game FOR EVER.. you killed them in this case.. you are not that "numb" killer.. so how do you live with yourself?

thank you
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Jenna]

which is on the logical/analytical side, I'm fairly sure that after the initial shock wore off, I would rationalize it as a "him or me" decision of survival that was forced upon me by someone clearly trying to kill me. I suppose it would always be in the back of my mind that I had killed another human being, but I don't THINK I would feel guilt (read: feel like I had done something wrong, or immoral).

Hey MT thank you once again my illiminated friend.. I would say for me the logical side is not a help but an hindrance.. the logical side is like the little Scottie terrier who wont let go of your jeans even after you show him the back of your hand he still keeps coming back.. does that make sense? In the aftermath of what you did in this hypothetical case for someone logical like yourself.. how do you stop that incessant analysis? hope this is understandable.. thank you for bearing with me ..

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[pstarr]

Amen-

 

[MJS]

and let me ask you regarding your second point.. you never reached that "numb" point and this I understand absolutely and so you live with certain "regrets" as you have it.. well let me ask how do you do this? Do you wilfully suppress these thoughts over what you have done? Or do they get forgotten? Let me simplify.. in this here situation, you did someone permanent damage ..you put them out of the game FOR EVER.. you killed them in this case.. you are not that "numb" killer.. so how do you live with yourself?

thank you
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

I'm not speaking for Dark here, but I'll give my point of view on this. I have to wonder if anyone ever reaches that point. I mean, aside from being a serial killer, I'd think that the average person would always have something on their mind after the fact. I think my posts, #29 and #30, pretty much sum up my thoughts.

Mike

 

[CuongNhuka]

Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe there's just something wrong with me for not feeling guilty over this. I'm open to that possibilty. But maybe, just maybe, you might be painting with a rather broad brush when you make a statement like that. No offense. :asian:

I take no offense. I suppose I should be more specific. Extreme violence (the kind that comes with the other person being dead) comes with some feeling of guilt in all but the most de-humanized.
A good example of what I'm talking about is soldiers from past wars (WWI, WWII, and similar) were know to wake up in the middle of the night haveing night mares about what they had done and seen in war. Even though many said they had to, and felt no guilt, there subconcious said otherwise.

 

[Dark]

you never reached that "numb" point and this I understand absolutely and so you live with certain "regrets" as you have it.. well let me ask how do you do this? Do you wilfully suppress these thoughts over what you have done? Or do they get forgotten? Let me simplify.. in this here situation, you did someone permanent damage ..you put them out of the game FOR EVER.. you killed them in this case.. you are not that "numb" killer.. so how do you live with yourself?

I tend to see things as black and white, though not as cavalerly as others would. The black is I took a human life, in that senario and thus I am a murder. The White is I did it to save another, the white doesn't blur the black in a gray. To me a wrong for the right reason is still wrong, so as much as I might be a "hero" the reality is I'm just the "villian of different shade."

As to how I'd deal with the regret, same as I do the regrets I have now. Wake and face the day as best I can and then drink myself to sleep at night, it ain't glamerous but it's life. Would I think about it? Sure. Would it bother me? You bet. Can I change it? No... Simple really, if you aren't naturally numb to human suffering, find something to numb you...

 

[IcemanSK]

Since I haven't weighed in on this one as of yet, I will now. (And by the way, Jenna. Kudos to you once again for bringing up an interesting topic!)

I'm sure I would feel the unbelievable weight of such an event. I would feel both incredibly sad over what happened & happy that my companion wasn't injured more seriously. While I doubt it would be guilt that I would feel, I'm sure it would take some time on a Shrink's couch to sort it all out. And I say that with no shame at all. The incident is no small thing. And I would carry it with for the rest of my life. But guilt wouldn't be why.