OPINION } from Images May Disturb You, the Blog of Georgia Mason, entry #2

[choosetruth]

If there's one thing I've learned about Wonderland in the weeks that I've been forced to start calling it home: it's that it lies to you.

But so do lots of people, right? Everyone has a reason to lie. Some people lie to hurt other people, but some people lie out of kindness. Some people try to protect you with comforting falsehoods. How do we know that Wonderland isn't lying for our own good?

I can't tell you that. I don't know Wonderland's motivations, if there even is any sort of guiding intelligence behind it and not just pure chance.

What I can tell you is this: it doesn't matter. Lying out of kindness is just as bad as lying out of cruelty. Possibly even worse. Comforting falsehoods might be nicer in the moment than cruel truths, but I'll take the truth every time. Is it better to spare a family by telling them their dying child might get better? Or to allow them to cherish the time they have left? Is it better to tell someone their writing is good? Or send them an honest critique that could let them actually improve until you could say so without it being a lie?

Is it better to lose the memories that have hurt you and spend a weekend in blissful ignorance? Or hold onto every iota of the pain that has built you and remember exactly why you fight? Lies won't take the time to heal you. Only the truth can do that.

Wonderland is the biggest lie I've ever seen. I cannot promise a way out of this gilded, wonderful cage. That would be a lie, even if it's one I'd like to believe. I can only promise that I'll do everything I can to find the truth all of those lies are working at concealing. I won't quit until I uncover all the secrets Wonderland is hiding.

Or until Wonderland gets tired of all the prodding and sends me home. Here's hoping, right?

Comments

[text] Hope this is ok

[theothermrgray]

[While we're on the subject of Wonderland being cruel, Dorian's going to gossip about it.]

Did you see those strange card men on the network last night?

I'm starting to feel a bit concerned about this weekend.

[text]

[choosetruth]

[Georgia doesn't play for gossip. She's here for the facts.]

Yes, they're one of several entities that usually precede an event. That's well documented.

text;

[noreason]

I'm on the fence. I can appreciate the magic or whatever it is, but I'd much rather get it figured out, whatever's behind this.

text;

[choosetruth]

I can't appreciate any so-called magic done to me without my consent.

[mypartnerintime]

What do you mean it lies to you?

[choosetruth]

Exactly what I said. It changes your thoughts and memories and tricks you into believing illusions. That's lying.

text

[postictal]

we get it.
you hate liars.

[Guess that means she hates him too. Go figure.]

text

[choosetruth]

Do you have a problem with that?

[Because this is an interesting response.]

Text;

[lightgunhustler]

Truth is always better. Even when it's ugly.
I'm one of the people who actually likes Wonderland, and I still believe that.
It keeps too many secrets from us. I've been here for years, and there's still too much I don't know.
If you do manage to uncover more, I hope you'll share.

Text;

[choosetruth]

[She likes you.]

I will absolutely share anything I uncover. I'm a journalist. That's what I do.

If I can ask, why do you actually like it?

[Text]

[voiceinthedark]

Even if I like it here, gotta agree there's a lot that I would like to know about the place.

[Text]

[choosetruth]

[He's not the first to say he like sit, which is interesting.]

Why do you like it?

video;

[chocolatepudding]

[ he read that whole thing and didn't once get antsy good job in keeping the reader's attention, georgia!

He comments not because he views this as a call to arms, but because it reminds him of something Mike told Eleven. Friends don't lie. Wonderland shouldn't, either, but here they are. ]

You're right. If the party argues too much or trust is broken, nothing can get done and the orcs win.

video;

[choosetruth]

[Georgia raises an eyebrow behind her sunglasses, her face as unexpressive as usual, except for the very slightest quirk of her lip. She's amused.]

That... was a bit more fantasy than I would go with, but the general gist is right.

[beatupgrass]

So is not tellin' people everyone the same as lyin' to you.

I ask, 'cause I ain't really interested in tellin' everyone my life story just so everyone can feel warm and fuzzy.

[choosetruth]

[Wow. That sure is a raccoon.]

It can be, if the thing you're not telling them is something they need to know. Your no doubt fascinating life story probably doesn't qualify.

[George has things she doesn't tell the world too. They're not the world's damn business.]

...I guess you're always like this, then? It wasn't just for the event?

Text

[pottershotter]

[James can't say he agrees with one hundred percent of this (if only because he believes in kind white lies when they won't hurt someone), but so much of the message rings true that he can't help piping up.]

Well-put.
The events with memory loss are the worst ones, hands-down. It's horrifying that Wonderland's got the power to take all of the fight out of us and make us complacent, even temporarily.
It sounds like you're someone good to have on our side.

Text

[choosetruth]

[Not many people are as uncompromising about lies as George is. It's probably a good thing for the continued functionality of the world.]

It's the only damn way they'll get me complacent.

[Georgia's a fighter. Even if her usual weapon is words.]

Glad to hear it. The way I see it, it's my job to find the truth. The fact that I'm in a different universe doesn't make it any less important.

[mulletrock]

I like your style kid

[Whatever she went through to make her so damn open and honest doesn't matter, a soldier knows a soldier. It doesn't matter why you fight, just that you do.]

Its a little bleak
and long winded
but youre not wrong

[choosetruth]

[As a writer, long winded isn't exactly what she wants to hear. As a newsie, it's what she's used to hearing. There's a reason her ratings aren't as high as her brother's.]

It's an opinion piece, so it's not really objectively right or wrong, but I'm glad to hear you agree.

video;

[thisismadfreaky]

[Having actually experienced one of these infamous events people were talking about has him singing a bit of a different tune than the last time they spoke, when he was borderline jealous of the whole Harry Potter thing he'd missed. That loss of everything that made him who he was, the scrambling of memories, twisting of everything he knew? It didn't sit well with him. At all.]

I'm getting pretty tired of liars myself. [Eobard, Jay...even Harry had lied to them for awhile. He's decided he should just distrust the next something-like-a-mentor that tries to waltz around STAR Labs on sheer principle. And he's not entirely sure how to feel about the fact that it's a place doing all of this now.] This place is finding it's way shooting toward the top of that list.

video;

[choosetruth]

[A corner of her mouth tilts up and she nods.] I guess your first taste of events wasn't as awesome as you'd hoped?

text;

[allaboutme]

you forgot about people lying to themselves.

text;

[choosetruth]

[Oh, she likes you already.]

Another fun one. Harder to fight, though. Most people who make a habit of lying to themselves are very good at it.

text;

[uncaging]

If you're looking for the truth about this place, there's something it's worth showing you.

text;

[choosetruth]

[....huh. She didn't expect any leads to come from this, but she's certainly intrigued.]

I'd be very interested in seeing it.

text. un: klausmikaelson

[poppycock]

[ ok georgia you have klaus' interest ] Well, I doubt Wonderland is lying to us for our own good. Perhaps its own.

text.

[choosetruth]

That does seem more likely. Though I would argue that considering how comfortable our cage is, the guiding minds behind Wonderland may consider it for our benefit in some way. Lies intended to pacify are never really for our benefit, but the intention may be there.

text sorry this is late

[punful]

[This is why he keeps his presence on the Undernet to a bare minimum. There's always some joker online with an opinion.]

hey so how's the weather up on that high horse?

text it's amazing tho

[choosetruth]

[Not the first time she's gotten comments like these, not even close. That's what happens when you're loud about your principles. There are always people waiting to catch her in a lie, and there are always people who want to, well, tear her down from her high horse.

Hasn't worked so far. She has no reason to think it's going to work this time.]

It's an opinion piece. You're welcome to write an opposing opinion if you feel strongly about it.

[And in comic sans no less. Buffy would be rolling in her grave.]

text

[garrick]

I'd say it still comes down to what the lie is, but when it comes to this place I completely agree. They can give us everything they want, but without a way home it is nothing more than a cell.

text

[choosetruth]

Everyone has reasons to believe their lie is an exception. The people being lied to usually would disagree.

There are some people who prefer it here, and I understand that, but for me, there's far too many unknowns and far too little choice.

text;

[mandrakes]

I have found through long observation that it is in the nature of mortals and immortals alike to lie, though the latter often for different reasons.

I would not speak against your words - I prefer to tell the truth, where possible, save where it is necessary to protect myself with a falsehood. However, I must ask... while you might tell a family that their child is dying, what would you tell the child?

text;

[choosetruth]

The truth, if the child is old enough to comprehend what death is. If they're not, then things get a little more complicated. But if the child can comprehend, then yeah. They deserve the truth.

text;

[noble_son]

I agree.

Lies I have been told have caused me to commit deeds I regret, and to almost commit others that I would later not have been able to forgive myself for. Whatever is to be gained by lies, it is not worth what is lost.

text;

[choosetruth]

Precisely. Without full and honest information, we don't get real choices. The liar is making the choice for us.