Litner

[franktoast]

I wonder if Litner's a good guy.

He's great at his job, but he knew sending Obrien out to Forest Bluffs might get him killed.

No wonder Dr. Wang ditched him, the cold yet likeable robot bastard.

I like him though. Better to lay down someone else's life for the greater good than your own

[thezirubclub]

I never questioned Litner's character (but, of course, now I am). I trusted his motives and I trusted his sincerity. But that's always an interesting issue: should one person be sacrificed for many? And also, should a king send in subjects to battle because he needs to organize and plan? But that's two issues and both are complicated.

In Lord of the Rings, Aragorn is always right at the front of the battle line--wouldn't send anyone to do what he wasn't willing to do himself (yeah, I have to resort to fictional because our leaders wouldn't step near the battle, and wouldn't send their kids or nieces or cousins or neighbors or someone who had the same taste as them...); but also, Theoden took the roll of commander up to a certain point--yet, then he joined in too. I think Litner was being commander and would definitely have sacrificed himself to save Patrick (though he was also willing to sacrifice Patrick to stop a more widely destructive event).

Which leads to the second complicated issue. It's like the train car scenario. You're in control of a switching track. A train car gets loose with a car full of people (all ages), charging down the track. The left track is under construction and the car of people will definitely crash at the end of it, and it will probably kill some people; on the right track, right at the start, a train car is stalled, carrying one child in it. She will definitely die. Do you switch right or left?

I think most people choose left because we hold on to chance--the possibility that still holds a bit of hope. Maybe for Litner, Patrick was that chance, that bit of hope that this could all be resolved. Or then again, maybe he was just underestimating Shep and his plan and thinking they wouldn't kill their best friend. He was learning as he went along too. Hmmm...still thinking about it because I do think he'd be willing to sacrifice some people for the cause--that's what rescuers do in general, I guess. And that's why we hate having anything happen to them, despite the choices they made.

Sheesh, that opens up a new set of questions. You know what I'm beginning to think? Either this book has every kind of personality and human dilemma represented in it (and that's why it's so fascinating), or franktoast raises doubts that get the mind examining things that would have been left contentedly stored away.

[Bill the Awesome]

I wouldn't say Litner sacrifieced Patrick. He used him because he knew he could get into Forest Bluffs easier than anyone. But when the shit went down, he was right in there with the rest of them, fighting alongside.

[Adrienne]

Litner is good at his job, but he has issues, hence the thwacking of his temple with his pen constantly. He's a control freak of the highest order, OCD to say the least. Which is why I pitted him against Shep, the one thing on the planet he couldn't predict/control.

[Bill the Awesome]

But who would win in a fight? ;D

[franktoast]

Bill said:

But who would win in a fight? ;D

Kelinda

[pesposito]

franktoast said:

Bill said:

But who would win in a fight? ;D

Kelinda

Ha! No way, no way, no way. No one will ever beat Shep. The only thing that will ever do him in is his love for the brothers or Patrick. That's my opinion and I'd kill Kelinda so fast if she messed with Shep. Litner too for that matter. So ... there.