BewilderedKat 16h ago

Hypothetical Scenario: You are going about your day and you come across someone basically naked, covered in mud, looking a bit frightened and seemingly, well *you*

They would be acting like how you might act if you came-to covered in nothing but mud and watching a (probably) clothed version of you cautiously approaching.

They have some memory loss and can't remember much from say, the past few weeks, but everything else is there.

What would you do? Like actually envision this happening, look at yourself in the mirror if you have to.

Assuming you help get them cleaned up, clothed, fed, etc. What do you think that situation will feel like? Would you be asking about memories to get a feel for how those line up? What if they remember more things than you?

How will this situation proceed? And what does your reaction tell you about who you are as a person? How does your reaction from the other perspective tell you about yourself?

What are some of the differences in how you wish it might go vs how it would be most likely to go?

I'm hoping for a sincere #Discussion and welcome anyone to reply   

#WhatIf #Imitosis #SelfReflection #MusingsOfAKat #KatQs

Show threadKK Jade 💜16h ago

@h3mmy they would have the same curiosity I have, so I'm sure we'd be able to talk through everything and figure out if we're (effectively) the same person.

From there, gosh, I mean the logistics are a huge headache. Healthcare, food, relationships, etc etc. I imagine my clone would want to be their own person, right?

Do we risk going to *generic science* to try to figure stuff out? Is it a situation where there's some crazy secret cloning project and we'll be killed for going public? Etc

Show threadBewilderedKat 

@cd_kk
There's definitely a whole identity crisis to manage. First the acute phase of how to handle the reality of the situation. This would ideally end with accepting that the entity is sufficiently similar (not a low standard by any means). And I had to simulate it from both perspectives to get a better idea of how it might go for me.

Then, the logistics... One of my big things when I was initially thinking it through was healthcare. My meds are expensive even with insurance. What sort of "crime" would I need to get up to simply to have an equivalent supply of medication?

The hypothetical scenario is based on a mini-series with a similar but ultimately different premise. But to borrow an element from it, the "other" version may lack some of the health issues. This sent me down a wildly different sidequest of self-reflection.

Anyway, you mentioned that your clone would want to be their own person. What does that mean exactly? They're autonomous already, but they have the same self-identity as you

2:37amWeb
Show threadKK Jade 💜15h ago

@h3mmy my read is that one benefit of this scenario is that it's reasonable to assume that I'd still be the "original" (if that's applicable), at least until we had some info about how this happened. Though I know that'd be hard for the other entity to accept 😬

The other entity not having some health issues is a tricksy prospect, especially thinking about mental health - am I still "me" without them? Would the "other" one be an upgraded version of me, in a way?

Show threadBewilderedKat 14h ago

@cd_kk
That's an interesting thought. If you had the experience of waking up in a weird place covered in mud and a "you" looking entity found you, would you be thinking of it the same way?

I know several people IRL that assumed they were the original, but also felt like they were the original when in the flipped scenario.

It's totally valid to feel that way! I just think it's interesting.

You're definitely asking good questions around identity and disability. I had a lot of reflection to do on the matter. I was mainly concerned about how it might slowly cause me to get shifted out of my social bonds and then realizing I have some significant insecurities to work through; particularly arout how my friends perceive me based on how they interact with me.

Show threadKK Jade 💜2h ago

@h3mmy I'd be incredibly confused for a while, but I believe that once we realized I (the muddy one) was missing a chunk of memories, that'd be a marker that I wasn't the original. Whether or not I'd accept that is another question😅

What do you mean by getting shifted out of your social bonds? Being replaced by the other, having to share friends with the other, living as 1 identity and having to "debrief" the other and only experiencing half a friendship? Something along those lines?

Show threadKK Jade 💜15h ago
@h3mmy
Honestly, the Star Trek TNG "Thomas Riker" situation is what I'm thinking. I don't believe I'd be content "sharing" my life with someone, plus all the logistical issues... Having two physical entities living one life/sharing one identity feels pretty much impossible. I don't know how it'd work exactly, but one of us would have to take on a new identity and try to forge their own way in the world. Much easier said than done, though, and that likely means saying goodbye to many loved ones.
Show threadMedea Vanamonde 🏳️‍⚧️14h ago
@cd_kk @h3mmy
You are not factoring in time travel duplication (mud you is future you) or probability shadow of yourself either from a nearby history or a history so far off your main that they still look like you but …
Show threadKK Jade 💜2h ago
@MedeaVanamonde that is true! And in those scenarios the question becomes: "can we get you back to where you're supposed to be?" (assuming they want that).