Comfort, and the lack thereof.
OOC: Reposted from theatrical_muse from 7/8/2006, 43 of 50.
What does "comfort" mean to you?
Not a whole lot.
The Q don't need comfort. We're immortal and omnipotent, and we were all born (or created, if you like) this way. None of us were ever children (well, with the exception of the two that were, one of whom, my son, still is). And we are tied to each other through the Continuum, the overmind that links us all, which means that we never need reassuring that we have a place to belong or that there are people who care about us. We know all that, thank you very much, now go away. Our problem isn't isolation, it's that we can never be truly alone. So we generally spend a lot of time defending ourselves against mental incursions from the others. We can't let down our defenses to our fellows, and while some of us are willing to do so with mortals, asking a mortal to comfort you is rather like expecting comfort from your goldfish. Or, to be fair, maybe your cat.
I don't need comfort. Most especially, I don't need comfort when I do. Because the times in my life I've been the most afraid, isolated and humiliated are the times I most needed to at least *pretend* I was strong enough not to need anybody. And of course, most of the time, I really don't need anyone.
However, it turns out that this is a problem. Because children *do* need comfort. And I have one. And I have absolutely no idea how to give him what he needs. If he comes to me hurt because he tried something beyond his capabilities and he skinned his metaphorical knees, I generally make fun of him and then show him how to do it right, or else yell at him if it was something he was phenomenally stupid for trying to do in the first place. This... doesn't seem to meet any *other* being's operational definition of comfort, but I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do. I mean, the Q do not do hugs and kisses. We just *don't*. And if I taught him to expect that, he'd grow up with a huge glaring weakness the others could use to take advantage of him.
What is your favorite retreat from the world?
Depends on what I'm retreating from. The Continuum is home, chicken soup and apple pie. If chicken soup and apple pie had nails in it. Sometimes I need to get away from the mortal universe because the stupidity is just overwhelming, and I need the witty banter and entertaining conflicts I can get at home. Or to be someplace where I'm a person, not some god or demon or projection of whatever bizarre ideas mortals want to pretend I represent. On the other hand, home is often incredibly boring, or incredibly vicious, or both at the same time. And there are times I really need to get *away* from these people.
I build private pocket universes and hang out in them, watching what goes on with moderately entertaining mortals. It's sort of like coming home from work, plopping down on the sofa and putting on the television. Of course, like the television, sometimes I have six billion channels and even still nothing good's on, but that's the trouble with being as old and knowledgeable as I am -- you've seen it all, and it's very hard to find something entertaining and new.
Close your eyes and think about what you've been missing in your life lately. It could be a person, pet, place, thing, occasion, feeling. Anything at all that you miss dearly.
A sense of purpose?
Something new to learn or observe?
Fun?
What makes you angriest?
Stupidity. Especially from those who *should* be smarter than they are.
What does "comfort" mean to you?
Not a whole lot.
The Q don't need comfort. We're immortal and omnipotent, and we were all born (or created, if you like) this way. None of us were ever children (well, with the exception of the two that were, one of whom, my son, still is). And we are tied to each other through the Continuum, the overmind that links us all, which means that we never need reassuring that we have a place to belong or that there are people who care about us. We know all that, thank you very much, now go away. Our problem isn't isolation, it's that we can never be truly alone. So we generally spend a lot of time defending ourselves against mental incursions from the others. We can't let down our defenses to our fellows, and while some of us are willing to do so with mortals, asking a mortal to comfort you is rather like expecting comfort from your goldfish. Or, to be fair, maybe your cat.
I don't need comfort. Most especially, I don't need comfort when I do. Because the times in my life I've been the most afraid, isolated and humiliated are the times I most needed to at least *pretend* I was strong enough not to need anybody. And of course, most of the time, I really don't need anyone.
However, it turns out that this is a problem. Because children *do* need comfort. And I have one. And I have absolutely no idea how to give him what he needs. If he comes to me hurt because he tried something beyond his capabilities and he skinned his metaphorical knees, I generally make fun of him and then show him how to do it right, or else yell at him if it was something he was phenomenally stupid for trying to do in the first place. This... doesn't seem to meet any *other* being's operational definition of comfort, but I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do. I mean, the Q do not do hugs and kisses. We just *don't*. And if I taught him to expect that, he'd grow up with a huge glaring weakness the others could use to take advantage of him.
What is your favorite retreat from the world?
Depends on what I'm retreating from. The Continuum is home, chicken soup and apple pie. If chicken soup and apple pie had nails in it. Sometimes I need to get away from the mortal universe because the stupidity is just overwhelming, and I need the witty banter and entertaining conflicts I can get at home. Or to be someplace where I'm a person, not some god or demon or projection of whatever bizarre ideas mortals want to pretend I represent. On the other hand, home is often incredibly boring, or incredibly vicious, or both at the same time. And there are times I really need to get *away* from these people.
I build private pocket universes and hang out in them, watching what goes on with moderately entertaining mortals. It's sort of like coming home from work, plopping down on the sofa and putting on the television. Of course, like the television, sometimes I have six billion channels and even still nothing good's on, but that's the trouble with being as old and knowledgeable as I am -- you've seen it all, and it's very hard to find something entertaining and new.
Close your eyes and think about what you've been missing in your life lately. It could be a person, pet, place, thing, occasion, feeling. Anything at all that you miss dearly.
A sense of purpose?
Something new to learn or observe?
Fun?
What makes you angriest?
Stupidity. Especially from those who *should* be smarter than they are.