Poisoning the Well
Dec 2, 2018 3:28:43 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Dec 2, 2018 3:28:43 GMT -5
*The scene opens to a pristine river running through a forest teeming with healthy life. As the camera pans right, it focuses on Universal Battle League's NEXUS Champion, Matt Rivers. He is wearing hiking gear and putting on a backpack after cleaning up what looks to be a picnic campfire.*
[Matt:] "I come here when I need to clear my mind. Call it getting back to basics or just re-convening with the world, it works wonders for me. People know that I used to be a weather man, and they joke about the fact I was destined to be one cause my last name is Rivers, but they don't realize the actual reason I first chose that vocation. It's because I love being outside. I'm at peace here and so I get in touch with my true nature."
*Matt takes in a deep breath and looks satisfied at the result.*
[Matt:] "However, this isn't the only place I do that. I've also found myself inside of a wrestling ring. In fact, wrestling has always been about finding my true nature - pushing myself to discover who I really am. And you can't really do that until you are tested. It's easy to pretend to be someone when you aren't up against an obstacle. If you say you're a man who embodies restraint but then preemptively attacks someone who you think may be the slightest threat to you, you've been exposed. If you say you're someone who takes on all comers but then runs away at the faintest whiff of a challenge, you're proven a charlatan. The world of wrestling is filled with actors who can't even look in the mirror at their own lies.
I've been on a 12 year journey trying to prove to myself and others that I am everything I say I am. The most common thing people have said about my career is that I've evolved. That's a polite way of saying I've gotten better and I appreciate it. But when I ask what has evolved, they usually say my in ring abilities. When I ask about my character and values, people say I'm the same man that I was when I first joined UBL."
*Matt takes a drink from his canteen and then starts walking along the river.*
[Matt:] "The same can't be said about Geese Walker, the challenger for my NEXUS Championship in less than two weeks at 'Lunar Eclipse of the Heart.' Whereas my values and character have been constant and steadfast, Geese has been the polar opposite in embodying chaos and change. I don't have enough water in my canteen to cover me for an entire career retrospective of him and it would fall short coming from me anyway. More people watching this know who he is than I am and that will likely always be the case. You know the twists and turns in his careers, the betrayals - of him and to him, the shifting alliances, and the winding road that he took to capture his first World Championship and hold onto it. You know he did and said anything to ensure his success until he finally paid for the sins of his past and eventually left our world behind.
However, Geese's latest change is perhaps the most striking of his career. He suddenly returned after a seven year retirement. How does a man who seemed so content in his choice of retirement, suddenly return to this world that he seemed so determined to leave behind? What changed in his mind?
That may not be a question we'll ever know the answer to but the results merit close observation. Upon his return, he immediately made an impact across the wrestling world. In his re-debut, he defeated an old rival and the first FPCPP Champion, Sonny X. He then came to UBL, defeated my #1 contender RYOMA, and took his place to challenge me.
Although success has always been a constant in Geese's career, what came next surprised us all. Geese explained his current state of mind. Millions of people that heard his words immediately jumped to one conclusion:
Geese didn't change. There is no doubt that he craves victory most of all.
Where the doubt lies is how far he will go to achieve it. And this is the next question that we need to answer so that we can discover the true nature of Geese. Has he actually changed his ways? I didn't initially count myself among the millions who jumped to the conclusion that his 'Threshold' speech is just the latest form of his propaganda. But I didn't count myself in the numbers of those holding the opposing theory either.
The fact is - I simply don't know where Geese stands. Is he simply dressing up his 'ends justify the means' approach into some new philosophy? Is he pretending to be a returning, grizzled hero set out to toughen up a younger generation out of the goodness of his heart? Is he looking out for their legacy or his own? Is he still a master manipulator who knew how to use nuance to convert his doubters while still intimidating his rivals?
To try to answer those questions, I repeatedly listened to his message. I watched every single action of his against RYOMA: during and after the match. But I still came to no decisive conclusion. So then I thought of past interactions with him, some more recent than the world may know. The world can know this now, because Destiny has been defeated, but Geese was the one who trained me to defeat Joachim and win my NEXUS Title back. Geese was the one who welcomed me into his household, practically into his family, for six months. He fed me, he trained me, he supported me, he befriended me, and he never asked for anything in return other than my purest effort to defeat Joachim and land a blow to Destiny.
So when I heard his words about thresholds, I wanted to trust his intentions even though I knew what was at stake if he had reverted to his old ways. I wanted to listen to his words for what they were - and they were interesting. Nuance is important in life as is finding the right balance. I didn't disagree with what he was saying even though I knew people could get unintentionally hurt if everyone tried to find their exact limits as Geese was advocating. I thought UBL had strived because the majority of us agreed not to get so close to the line approaching violence that we accidentally cross it. However, if you take him on his word, his message constituted just another approach of self-improvement to one's nature in the ring.
The problem exists if you don't believe his intentions: then the old Geese is back and everyone in UBL is in grave danger. And it is the type of danger that UBL has barely fought back from on a few occasions but always suffered in the process: Careers ended, bodies injured, psyche's ruined. Jinchuu and Destiny almost destroyed us, we can't have a ruthless and rested Geese picking the bones. What he advocated for is chilling if he lied about why. He would corrupt with violence all those with the right intentions and arm with propaganda all of those with the wrong ones. He would poison the UBL."
*Matt comes up to an old well. He peers inside and takes a moment to collect his thoughts.*
[Matt:] "I used to be a member of my high school debate club. During that time, we learned types of 'logical fallacies.' Those are arguments that should be rejected at all costs because they are an affront to reasoning. One of those fallacies is called 'the poison well' and it essentially operates like this. It involves attacking the character or the actions of a person to hurt their credibility before they even have a chance to say what they are going to say. It's assuming that a person's past actions disqualify them from making a logical and correct argument or even being truthful. It is an attempt to destroy an argument before it is even made by harming the presenter which, of course, is illogical. I was taught to avoid this type of thinking, as difficult as it may be.
But what do I do when I see someone who may metaphorically poison our well as others logically do it to him? How do I respond to the millions of fans and a locker room of peers who refuse to believe Geese's intentions and attack his words based on his past? How do I do so when I see the extent of that danger clearest of all: having been drafted into the war against Jinchuu and been the direct target of Destiny??
Would Geese's method work for others if he was telling the truth? Perhaps? Would it endanger the entire promotion if he was lying? Absolutely. However, it's possible we are misjudging him and so I set out this one test.
Geese - you have to understand how your words sound to everyone else when they come from you.
You can prove your message if you prove your intentions. But you have to compromise to do so.
You refused to shake RYOMA's hand after you defeated him but claimed you had his best interests in mind. You are against these displays of sportmanship because you think it weakens us from approaching our threshold.
But if you want to be trusted, you have to show good faith against me. When we face each other, shake my hand before the match and shake it afterward: no matter who wins. Show the world you have returned for the right reasons and that your philosophy is truly intended to help everyone and not just yourself.
Don't poison this well and we won't do the same to you."
*Matt dips his water canteen into the well, pulls it up, and takes a drink. He waits a few seconds, then nods at the well and smiles. The scene fades.*
[Matt:] "I come here when I need to clear my mind. Call it getting back to basics or just re-convening with the world, it works wonders for me. People know that I used to be a weather man, and they joke about the fact I was destined to be one cause my last name is Rivers, but they don't realize the actual reason I first chose that vocation. It's because I love being outside. I'm at peace here and so I get in touch with my true nature."
*Matt takes in a deep breath and looks satisfied at the result.*
[Matt:] "However, this isn't the only place I do that. I've also found myself inside of a wrestling ring. In fact, wrestling has always been about finding my true nature - pushing myself to discover who I really am. And you can't really do that until you are tested. It's easy to pretend to be someone when you aren't up against an obstacle. If you say you're a man who embodies restraint but then preemptively attacks someone who you think may be the slightest threat to you, you've been exposed. If you say you're someone who takes on all comers but then runs away at the faintest whiff of a challenge, you're proven a charlatan. The world of wrestling is filled with actors who can't even look in the mirror at their own lies.
I've been on a 12 year journey trying to prove to myself and others that I am everything I say I am. The most common thing people have said about my career is that I've evolved. That's a polite way of saying I've gotten better and I appreciate it. But when I ask what has evolved, they usually say my in ring abilities. When I ask about my character and values, people say I'm the same man that I was when I first joined UBL."
*Matt takes a drink from his canteen and then starts walking along the river.*
[Matt:] "The same can't be said about Geese Walker, the challenger for my NEXUS Championship in less than two weeks at 'Lunar Eclipse of the Heart.' Whereas my values and character have been constant and steadfast, Geese has been the polar opposite in embodying chaos and change. I don't have enough water in my canteen to cover me for an entire career retrospective of him and it would fall short coming from me anyway. More people watching this know who he is than I am and that will likely always be the case. You know the twists and turns in his careers, the betrayals - of him and to him, the shifting alliances, and the winding road that he took to capture his first World Championship and hold onto it. You know he did and said anything to ensure his success until he finally paid for the sins of his past and eventually left our world behind.
However, Geese's latest change is perhaps the most striking of his career. He suddenly returned after a seven year retirement. How does a man who seemed so content in his choice of retirement, suddenly return to this world that he seemed so determined to leave behind? What changed in his mind?
That may not be a question we'll ever know the answer to but the results merit close observation. Upon his return, he immediately made an impact across the wrestling world. In his re-debut, he defeated an old rival and the first FPCPP Champion, Sonny X. He then came to UBL, defeated my #1 contender RYOMA, and took his place to challenge me.
Although success has always been a constant in Geese's career, what came next surprised us all. Geese explained his current state of mind. Millions of people that heard his words immediately jumped to one conclusion:
Geese didn't change. There is no doubt that he craves victory most of all.
Where the doubt lies is how far he will go to achieve it. And this is the next question that we need to answer so that we can discover the true nature of Geese. Has he actually changed his ways? I didn't initially count myself among the millions who jumped to the conclusion that his 'Threshold' speech is just the latest form of his propaganda. But I didn't count myself in the numbers of those holding the opposing theory either.
The fact is - I simply don't know where Geese stands. Is he simply dressing up his 'ends justify the means' approach into some new philosophy? Is he pretending to be a returning, grizzled hero set out to toughen up a younger generation out of the goodness of his heart? Is he looking out for their legacy or his own? Is he still a master manipulator who knew how to use nuance to convert his doubters while still intimidating his rivals?
To try to answer those questions, I repeatedly listened to his message. I watched every single action of his against RYOMA: during and after the match. But I still came to no decisive conclusion. So then I thought of past interactions with him, some more recent than the world may know. The world can know this now, because Destiny has been defeated, but Geese was the one who trained me to defeat Joachim and win my NEXUS Title back. Geese was the one who welcomed me into his household, practically into his family, for six months. He fed me, he trained me, he supported me, he befriended me, and he never asked for anything in return other than my purest effort to defeat Joachim and land a blow to Destiny.
So when I heard his words about thresholds, I wanted to trust his intentions even though I knew what was at stake if he had reverted to his old ways. I wanted to listen to his words for what they were - and they were interesting. Nuance is important in life as is finding the right balance. I didn't disagree with what he was saying even though I knew people could get unintentionally hurt if everyone tried to find their exact limits as Geese was advocating. I thought UBL had strived because the majority of us agreed not to get so close to the line approaching violence that we accidentally cross it. However, if you take him on his word, his message constituted just another approach of self-improvement to one's nature in the ring.
The problem exists if you don't believe his intentions: then the old Geese is back and everyone in UBL is in grave danger. And it is the type of danger that UBL has barely fought back from on a few occasions but always suffered in the process: Careers ended, bodies injured, psyche's ruined. Jinchuu and Destiny almost destroyed us, we can't have a ruthless and rested Geese picking the bones. What he advocated for is chilling if he lied about why. He would corrupt with violence all those with the right intentions and arm with propaganda all of those with the wrong ones. He would poison the UBL."
*Matt comes up to an old well. He peers inside and takes a moment to collect his thoughts.*
[Matt:] "I used to be a member of my high school debate club. During that time, we learned types of 'logical fallacies.' Those are arguments that should be rejected at all costs because they are an affront to reasoning. One of those fallacies is called 'the poison well' and it essentially operates like this. It involves attacking the character or the actions of a person to hurt their credibility before they even have a chance to say what they are going to say. It's assuming that a person's past actions disqualify them from making a logical and correct argument or even being truthful. It is an attempt to destroy an argument before it is even made by harming the presenter which, of course, is illogical. I was taught to avoid this type of thinking, as difficult as it may be.
But what do I do when I see someone who may metaphorically poison our well as others logically do it to him? How do I respond to the millions of fans and a locker room of peers who refuse to believe Geese's intentions and attack his words based on his past? How do I do so when I see the extent of that danger clearest of all: having been drafted into the war against Jinchuu and been the direct target of Destiny??
Would Geese's method work for others if he was telling the truth? Perhaps? Would it endanger the entire promotion if he was lying? Absolutely. However, it's possible we are misjudging him and so I set out this one test.
Geese - you have to understand how your words sound to everyone else when they come from you.
You can prove your message if you prove your intentions. But you have to compromise to do so.
You refused to shake RYOMA's hand after you defeated him but claimed you had his best interests in mind. You are against these displays of sportmanship because you think it weakens us from approaching our threshold.
But if you want to be trusted, you have to show good faith against me. When we face each other, shake my hand before the match and shake it afterward: no matter who wins. Show the world you have returned for the right reasons and that your philosophy is truly intended to help everyone and not just yourself.
Don't poison this well and we won't do the same to you."
*Matt dips his water canteen into the well, pulls it up, and takes a drink. He waits a few seconds, then nods at the well and smiles. The scene fades.*