Nue Quest Vth Vanguard: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "Just to be clear, your definition of a better reality."

>"Tell me, Nue," says Rinnosuke, "You have heard the phrase that you cannot buy happiness, haven't you? Have you ever considered asking why shouldn't it be so?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shrug.
> "Don't think I can say I've ever dwelled on it that much."

[Rin Kagamine]

> "Probably because happiness isn't a physical material object that can be purchased or traded?  We can obtain things that grant us happiness via that object, but we cannot obtain happiness itself in a physical manifestation."

[Hello Purvis]

> Shrug.
> "Don't think I can say I've ever dwelled on it that much."

> "Probably because happiness isn't a physical material object that can be purchased or traded?  We can obtain things that grant us happiness via that object, but we cannot obtain happiness itself in a physical manifestation."

>"And why not?" he says. "Why can one not exchange happiness for something else they desire? Or youth? Or disease? Yet you can offer your time in exchange, and it is no less a physical object. There are so many things we cannot trade, and I see no reason to prevent it. So, I shall offer up one economy to gain another, one that shall allow us to do so."

>_

[Rin Kagamine]

> "And this new economy of yours will enable us to exchange immaterial objects and abstract concepts straight across for goods and services?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And this new economy of yours will enable us to exchange immaterial objects and abstract concepts straight across for goods and services?"

>"Or immaterial things for other immaterial things," says Rinnosuke. "Would you trade beauty for youth? That is fine. Or you may trade goods for goods. It does not matter. Only that there are exchanges."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And what of those that do not have the inherent resources to keep up?"

[Rin Kagamine]

> "So that's why you needed my essence.  You want to use my abilities to allow people to change themselves.  That about right?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And what of those that do not have the inherent resources to keep up?"

>"What about them right now?" says Rinnosuke.

> "So that's why you needed my essence.  You want to use my abilities to allow people to change themselves.  That about right?"

>"And to change the universe we live in," he says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Them right now can still put in effort to get by. The system we have now bases returns more on how much effort one puts into it. The system you propose bases returns strictly on what one was lucky or unlucky to come into being with."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Them right now can still put in effort to get by. The system we have now bases returns more on how much effort one puts into it. The system you propose bases returns strictly on what one was lucky or unlucky to come into being with."

>"Howso?" he says. "Can one not learn to produce goods? Can one not work for another? Need one consider exchanging anything immaterial about themselves? Those who would have nothing then are the ones that have nothing now."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Depends on the individual skill set. What if someone only has services to offer that aren't in demand, and the only exchange opportunities are in fields that the person either hates doing or flat doesn't know how, and can't obtain the knowledge on how because they don't have anything desirable to offer in exchange for being taught?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Depends on the individual skill set. What if someone only has services to offer that aren't in demand, and the only exchange opportunities are in fields that the person either hates doing or flat doesn't know how, and can't obtain the knowledge on how because they don't have anything desirable to offer in exchange for being taught?"

>"And what if that happens today?" says Rinnosuke.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Then they can still get by with whatever money they've accrued, even if just for a little while."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Then they can still get by with whatever money they've accrued, even if just for a little while."

>"And they cannot get by on goods they've accrued?" says Rinnosuke. "There is no difference between the scenarios, save they would have a new thing to offer up if they wished to."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Goods that may have important functional or emotional value."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Goods that may have important functional or emotional value."

>"And if they have no money, they are in the same position," says Rinnosuke. "And if they have a savings in money, why would they not have a savings in goods. You are complaining about problems that would not change no matter what is done in this regard."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I suppose that may be true. But then again, I haven't had the time to sit down and think about it thoroughly, and neither has anyone else, other than you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I suppose that may be true. But then again, I haven't had the time to sit down and think about it thoroughly, and neither has anyone else, other than you."

>"And no one would," says Rinnosuke. "The vulgarity of money is taken as a necessity, rather than a tragedy. The gross ideal of a standard triumphs over the truth of fluidity. Nothing of value will be lost in the transition."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Still sounds to me like you're forcing what you think is best on the entire countryside, and making it a power grab to boot since you're the only one that's had the opportunity to sit down and think out the advantages and disadvantages of how to work the system. You're no better than the Yamato."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Still sounds to me like you're forcing what you think is best on the entire countryside, and making it a power grab to boot since you're the only one that's had the opportunity to sit down and think out the advantages and disadvantages of how to work the system. You're no better than the Yamato."

>"I prefer to think I offer the advantages for others to find, rather than horde them for myself as things are," says Rinnosuke. "And such wonderful advantages they are."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Then you'd have no problem sharing them all with everyone right before you went live with this new economy, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Then you'd have no problem sharing them all with everyone right before you went live with this new economy, right?"

>"In what sense?" says Rinnosuke.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't know. Write up a flier, maybe. Or grab a tengu and have them write a news article about it. Describe exactly what's going to happen, what people can do, what people should so, what people shouldn't do, and precisely why it's better than the current system. Get your news spread around the countryside, so everyone has a chance to prepare for what's coming."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't know. Write up a flier, maybe. Or grab a tengu and have them write a news article about it. Describe exactly what's going to happen, what people can do, what people should so, what people shouldn't do, and precisely why it's better than the current system. Get your news spread around the countryside, so everyone has a chance to prepare for what's coming."

>"People didn't need to be warned about the advent of metallurgy or any other major changes to the world."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Were they undergoing a forced total sacrifice of a way of life when those changes occurred? Or were they able to ease their way in, slowly weaning off the old systems into the new ones?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Were they undergoing a forced total sacrifice of a way of life when those changes occurred? Or were they able to ease their way in, slowly weaning off the old systems into the new ones?"

>"Wouldn't someone who used Yamato as an insult know all about that kind of thing? Regardless, there will be market adjustments no matter what. Best to make them quick rather than drag them out."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. If you don't want a tengu newspaper, I'll be your herald instead. It's the least I can do for breaking into your house."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. If you don't want a tengu newspaper, I'll be your herald instead. It's the least I can do for breaking into your house."

>"I would be just as happy for you to let things progress as they are," says Rinnosuke.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh, but I insist."