Inspiration

[Benji]

So, in response to people asking how to donate to the game creators, there is a response about donating to a charity.

I'm in a position where I can influence donations for a large(ish) nonprofit foundation. Really, I'm just an intern, but I've been spending the past few months working on how to invest donations in the future. Never really had the guts to do anything about my findings, but I had developed a large body of convincing arguments for a new direction in our policies.

That's when I came across KS. I guess a couple of the storylines touched a nerve in me, and I requested an audience with the senior leadership team. That audience was today. For the entirety of today, we've been hammering out a new investment strategy. A lot of people's lives are about to change, and hopefully in a really good way, as a result of the work I finally got the nerve to present.

So, I guess what I'm saying, is that inspiration can come from a lot of things. Has anyone else been affected to do something, or break out of a rut, after playing?

[gRaViJa]

Yeah, I did. KS was NOT the only reason, but one of the reasons i started changing my life 2 months ago. Now i'm completing the 5k run-plan, started helping out at the local youth café/concert hall and got more social again like i was a few years ago.

Really cool what you did, btw!

[Alexbond45]

I have begun short jogs and push ups, It is all I really need to get a better push into Marching season in Band.

On the other hand, I have also begun to get slightly more social, When I finished Lilly's Arc, there was a sudden disruption in my daily life, I lost interest in all shooters, strategy games, and TV. All I could do was practice music and watch the forums. I have only JUST begun to get back into stuff I was into.
Anyway, what I am saying is, is that I have been inspired to at least pick up my life a little, Its a tough world, and If you can't do what your good at, then you are not getting far. I am GOOD at Music, but thats not good enough, I will do better.

[ShadeHaven]

After playing Emi's arc, i've began to start exercising again as well. This is my first VN and its sort of been an eye opener for me. I'm starting to find ways to be more sociable with friends as well as trying to display my true thoughts and emotions more often.

[Sin of my sins]

Well, I can say that playing this VN was a real eye opener. I had always been little inconsiderate with other people's feelings and maybe slightly arrogant, but after playing through Hanako arc I realized the error of my ways. It's not like I've been bullying people or anything, but I have made some people upset with my behavior nonetheless. The arc really made me feel sad, happy, a whole lot of emotions all at once. Not something I really feel often when playing a game. I've began to make things up for those I might have wronged, and now I am a lot more open minded towards new people.

A word of advice; be nice, arrogance only results in anger and misery for both you and others. Everyone is equal, no human being should be considered better than other.

[Alexbond45]

Well, I can say that playing this VN was a real eye opener. I had always been little inconsiderate with other people's feelings and maybe slightly arrogant, but after playing through Hanako arc I realized the error of my ways. It's not like I've been bullying people or anything, but I have made some people upset with my behavior nonetheless. The arc really made me feel sad, happy, a whole lot of emotions all at once. Not something I really feel often when playing a game. I've began to make things up for those I might have wronged, and now I am a lot more open minded towards new people.

A word of advice; be nice, arrogance only results in anger and misery for both you and others. Everyone is equal, no human being should be considered better than other.

Hmm, no offense, but that ideal is what started communism, so be careful and don't get arrongant about equality.

[Sin of my sins]

Well, I can say that playing this VN was a real eye opener. I had always been little inconsiderate with other people's feelings and maybe slightly arrogant, but after playing through Hanako arc I realized the error of my ways. It's not like I've been bullying people or anything, but I have made some people upset with my behavior nonetheless. The arc really made me feel sad, happy, a whole lot of emotions all at once. Not something I really feel often when playing a game. I've began to make things up for those I might have wronged, and now I am a lot more open minded towards new people.

A word of advice; be nice, arrogance only results in anger and misery for both you and others. Everyone is equal, no human being should be considered better than other.

Hmm, no offense, but that ideal is what started communism, so be careful and don't get arrongant about equality.

Yea lol that was not the point. I don't mean equal as in equal in every way, but as a whole, as a person, you know? What I'm referring to is the arrogance of overlooking other people because of their looks, or other superficial matters.

[Tilting Clock]

It never ceases to amaze me how many lives were really touched by KS, and how willing the members on this forum are to just put that out there. Here's to all of you in your journeys! We'll be here to raise glasses to your success, and to place a hand on your shoulder while you mend the pieces of a once-more broken heart.

@Alexbond45: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." -Jefferson
I think living with an understanding that everyone you meet, on some level or another, is no different from you isn't an unhealthy philosophy. Moderation in all things, naturally, but that's a balance that will never be truly set so long as we keep on living and experiencing things that defy easy categorization.

[Alexbond45]

It never ceases to amaze me how many lives were really touched by KS, and how willing the members on this forum are to just put that out there. Here's to all of you in your journeys! We'll be here to raise glasses to your success, and to place a hand on your shoulder while you mend the pieces of a once-more broken heart.

@Alexbond45: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." -Jefferson
I think living with an understanding that everyone you meet, on some level or another, is no different from you isn't an unhealthy philosophy. Moderation in all things, naturally, but that's a balance that will never be truly set so long as we keep on living and experiencing things that defy easy categorization.

The hardest part of treating everyone equally is dealing with the people who think they are more equal than you.
(Animal Farm, anyone?)

[Genesis]

Started exercising a bit more, and have been trying to enjoy life for what it is, day by day.

[Tilting Clock]

@Alexbond45: Most certainly, and that's the force that will be a push from the altruism end of the spectrum, but at the end of the day I'm not really responsible for what others believe or do. I just try to place myself among the people who most deserve my respect. Trying to make other people my responsibility will only bring me to bitterness sooner or later.
(Yeah, I caught the Orwell reference.)

[Alexbond45]

@Alexbond45: Most certainly, and that's the force that will be a push from the altruism end of the spectrum, but at the end of the day I'm not really responsible for what others believe or do. I just try to place myself among the people who most deserve my respect. Trying to make other people my responsibility will only bring me to bitterness sooner or later.
(Yeah, I caught the Orwell reference.)

Yeah but you also HAVE to be partly responsible for another person's actions or you aren't really acting as a friend, but on the other hand, If you do this too much, It easily becomes a Burden.

[Paddy]

Yeah but you also HAVE to be partly responsible for another person's actions or you aren't really acting as a friend, but on the other hand, If you do this too much, It easily becomes a Burden.

Amen, amen.

We must love others. This doesn't mean assimilating them so they look just like you or think just like you or act just like you. It means wanting what is best for them, and helping them toward it as best you can, even if they refuse your help. It means suffering if those you love don't love themselves. And it means never wanting anything of them selfishly.

In short, it means treating them as we ourselves would want to be treated.

St. Paul of Tarsus spoke well of love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13: 1-9a, ESV)

[Alexbond45]

Ok, on a serious note, let us stray back on topic ok?

[encrypted12345]

Hmm.... This forum's power to evoke life stories is legendary. Actually, almost every forum with a discussion thread about Katawa Shoujo has at least one life story. The more mainstream websites even have people who jeer then change their minds.

I think that's because this visual novel is more than just simple escapism. It induces a person to introspect himself as he sees the people he knows in the well-developed characters. The writing style is quite slice of life because the mix of matter-of-fact descriptions and stream-of-consciousness thinking, so the reason that you feel is not because of the visual novel is forcing you to feel emotion. It really doesn't care if you feel sympathy or not as it weaves the five differing love stories, so the writing style isn't really fancy or lyrical. It's because you, the audience, get interested in these character's lives and make a connection with these characters yourself. You feel ... empathy.

This image explains it better than I could.