Watchmen (comics)/Headscratchers: Difference between revisions

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*** That does not mean people are either "good" or "evil". They're not. But that does not reject the concept of absolutes. The protagonist and antagonist of [[Les Misérables]], for instance, both believe in cut and dried morality; the antagonist simply falls flat in believing people are either-or.
*** That does not mean people are either "good" or "evil". They're not. But that does not reject the concept of absolutes. The protagonist and antagonist of [[Les Misérables]], for instance, both believe in cut and dried morality; the antagonist simply falls flat in believing people are either-or.
*** Ozymandias is pretty far from being objectivist. His view seems to be that morality is an incredibly complex thing, made up almost entirely of conflict of things that would generally be deemed 'good'. He doesn't even seem to believe that good and evil exist objectively, but rather that they're defined by a mix of genetic imperatives and cultural memes.
*** Ozymandias is pretty far from being objectivist. His view seems to be that morality is an incredibly complex thing, made up almost entirely of conflict of things that would generally be deemed 'good'. He doesn't even seem to believe that good and evil exist objectively, but rather that they're defined by a mix of genetic imperatives and cultural memes.
**** That's called "subjective morality" and it's exactly the thing people use to justify stuff like, oh, eugenics.
** Probably just a [[Misaimed Fandom]]. I think the book makes it obvious that Rorschach's cut-and-dry morality... well, everything you said. He's not supposed to be sympathetic.
** Probably just a [[Misaimed Fandom]]. I think the book makes it obvious that Rorschach's cut-and-dry morality... well, everything you said. He's not supposed to be sympathetic.
** [[Main/Gattsuru|This Troper]] will admit it's a matter of Misaimed Fandom -- Rorschach's viewpoint is rather obviously demonstrated as being less-than-viable over the long term, so it's clear we're not supposed to think he's the good guy. I still like the character's morality; he sees evil, true and consistent evil, and ''actually does something about it''. That's something that's far too rare in the real world. We watch other government's leaders kill millions, or sit a few dozen feet away from this week's Catherine Genovese, content in our knowledge that the government did it 'for the greater good' and that we are individually safe from the murderer. A character who can get past that with only a slight death wish and sexual abnormalities is ''impressive''. Yes, he killed animals that had been trained and used by a child murderer as guard dogs. They were tools used and trained for undeniably evil purposes, and probably couldn't be retrained even if someone had the time and intent to do so. Yes, it's a recipe for leaping off the slippery slope, but we ''don't see him become a monster''. He commits Suicide By Deity-Cop rather than let himself violate his rules or turn into a monster.
** [[Main/Gattsuru|This Troper]] will admit it's a matter of Misaimed Fandom -- Rorschach's viewpoint is rather obviously demonstrated as being less-than-viable over the long term, so it's clear we're not supposed to think he's the good guy. I still like the character's morality; he sees evil, true and consistent evil, and ''actually does something about it''. That's something that's far too rare in the real world. We watch other government's leaders kill millions, or sit a few dozen feet away from this week's Catherine Genovese, content in our knowledge that the government did it 'for the greater good' and that we are individually safe from the murderer. A character who can get past that with only a slight death wish and sexual abnormalities is ''impressive''. Yes, he killed animals that had been trained and used by a child murderer as guard dogs. They were tools used and trained for undeniably evil purposes, and probably couldn't be retrained even if someone had the time and intent to do so. Yes, it's a recipe for leaping off the slippery slope, but we ''don't see him become a monster''. He commits Suicide By Deity-Cop rather than let himself violate his rules or turn into a monster.
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== One More Body Amongst The Foundations / (Spoilers) Was It Worth It?! ==
== One More Body Amongst The Foundations / (Spoilers) Was It Worth It?! ==
* You know what bugs me? The ending. Rorschach's death bugged me, if only because the character could be used for some interesting moral/psychological exporation. The implication that ''half of New York'' died for naught bugs me.
* You know what bugs me? The ending. Rorschach's death bugged me, if only because the character could be used for some interesting moral/psychological exporation. The implication that ''half of New York'' died for naught bugs me.