// continued ...
Going back to the whole thing about creating a new reality within the virtual reality without the individual experiencing it actually realizing it, I just came to the conclusion that I spent well over half an hour reading a manga that is a complete lie. It just hit me, but nothing was true to begin with. Jesse never had amnesia, he was never hurt in any way, shape or form. This isnt even a thing one can possibly explain anymore. I havent read such a great manga in a long time that is as confusining as this one.
In one chapter, Jesse says that the Moritat system was good because criminals could use it for their own benefit. A possible foreshadow?
Im questioning my entire existance right now. What if Im not real either.
Dear god. Im a psychology major.
You.. Why do you do this to me now?
And.. Are you okay?
I...what did I do?
Yes...for now...
God.. this reminds me of the theory my friend told me about from his philosophy class... that there is a higher chance that we are actually not real and that we "live" in a virtual program with an infinite amount of routes... that the simulation is so real that we believe that we are "alive" and "self-thinking"
I might be in your friends philosophy class. Sometimes I like to question my own existence and when that theory comes to mind, it just brings up the question "well, who created the simulation? Is there someone keeping an eye on us? What are we?" If we're talking about real life theories and not Moritat, there's this popular theory that we may be subjects to other civilizations who are spectating us. We may even be bacteria for another civilization. No one can prove another's existence if you really take a look at it. I may not be real and just a part of your imagination. What if you're the only one here and everything else is fictional. Who determined that we are "humans," we might as well be considered as ants in another place. We're not the only ones in this universe and that's the frightening thing. What are we. What is our purpose. What if we actually live in a virtual reality and when we die, there is no heaven, hell or just "buried under ground." What if when we die we wake up from the simulation and continue with our "actual" lives just like Moritat?
What is reality. What are we. Who are we.
I don't particularly believe in many theories but they can't be denied as well since there is no other proof off our existence other than what we witness from our world here. People believe the bacteria theory to be most likely so hello, fellow bacterias.
Having said all that, I'm completely sane if anyone was wondering.
Though the story makes reference to Plato's cave, you may find it helpful to look at this as Descartes might. Where Plato believed in a soul which was separate than the body, and an ultimate reality that one may not be able to directly access, Descartes saw the mind as the only thing we could know as true. We know we must exist because we are conscious--and if we are aware and thinking, we know that awareness and those thoughts are true (for us) even if nothing else is. At least that's how I recall it. It's been a while since I read up on this.
So--if Jesse experienced feelings and was aware of them, they were "real' even if the situation on which they were based were false. And Jesse may experience a change of feelings when what he knows or experiences as truth changes. What he feels then was still true at that time. What he may feel or think later is true at the time he experiences it.
Plato's cave? Was the story not referencing Plato's sun? Law was reading it before Jesse came in to see him. (Somewhere in chapters 21-24)
To be honest, I don't know anymore. It feels like there are so many hidden meanings within this manga that if we were to actually try to figure them out, there would be continuous strands of theories due to different interpretations. I kind of shrugged a lot of things off but now that you're explaining it to me like this, it makes me want to go back and reread every page with caution..
It feels as we're discussing this, we're setting up expectations along the way. I have a strange sense that we're getting way too logical here when it wasn't meant to be...
// WARNING ; Spoilers , thoughts , confusing theories //
Gut is saying Jesse is going to kill himself.
Thank you so much for the group translating this manga. Tried to access Lezhin for the raws but I have underminded the Korean language.
Finished reading chapter 33 at 1AM, have my final essay tomorrow and god knows Im not getting any sleep tonight.
The whole concept about the Moritat system and having the ability to erase and implant memories into someone was so creative and unique. I couldnt stop reading once I started putting the pieces together up until the recent chapters about a virtual reality. Both Jesse and Laws relationship in the virtual reality was so ..gentle in a weird way even though Law was a bit unstable. I enjoyed their relationship back there than now. When you realize that Law was acting the whole part, it makes everything so upsetting mostly because Jesse started to develop real feelings for Law, which now may be considered as fake since nothing was ever real? The scene where Jesse fell down the stair railings when Law tried to leave him made my heart tinge so much. The fact that Law even made that up, is disgusting. I dont understand the plot completely and everything Im saying may not even be one percent correct, but the whole relationship based on trust thing seemed so fragile but now ever so cynical. Law probably did this to take revenge on Jesse or his parents for whatever reason and if that was really the case, as bad as this may sound, I hope Law develops feelings for Jesse only having Jesse commit suicide afterwards. That may sound like a longshot but considering suicide and death are a vital aspect in this manga, I might not be insane.
Since there are only 40 some chapters, I hope the plot becomes more clear. Whos dead, whos not. Whats real, whats not. I mean, what if this was all a conspiracy between Jesses parents and Law? Because of this manga, Im also becoming slightly insane. I have a urge to reread this but Ill probably wait until its fully completed to do so.
Im just so upset and confused at the same time. What aspects within the virtual reality, a reality? Or was none of it ever true? Did Jesse really lose his memories? Did Law ever loved Jesse or only acting on pure hatred? Or the times Law embraced Jesse and treated him with such care, perhaps that was fake as well. Law mentioned that the virtual reality system has a feature to create a reality different than the actual reality of the individuals who enter it. What if , using actual modern virtual reality games as a reference, had everything already planned out in the beginning? If I didnt sound insane to you already, youre about to send me to psychologist. I mean you could still pick your choices and make decisions but the plot in the virtual reality was already all thought out, even the most tiny little things. Jesse said that the maids atitude and behaviour never changes. Perhaps it was already predetermined what she was going to do. In chapter 33/34, Law wakes up normally, possibly meaning he has the ability to switch in and out of the virtual reality and the real world, same goes to the maid. He also mentions that he keeps check of himself with his cigarette burns. It takes on a whole new level of disgusting twists in this manga.
To be honest, Im just overthinking everything. Watch the ending be simple and cliche.
--2AM goodnight.