(no subject)

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

After seeing Cayce's poll on the bulletin board and much flicking through the notes he had already made on the park, Beaufort still found himself rather unable to answer some of the questions asked. Simply because most of them struck him as a lot more complicated as ticking a box. This reminded him that there were certain people who he needed to talk to on the subject on politics and the park. Notebly, historical figures.


Again, written on Ministerial paper.

Dear Mr Adams,

I must confess I am only writing because Mr Crowley mentioned your name and your reputation does precede you. At first, I was only going to ask if you had any books on political philosophy, but after much thought, I was wondering if you would be interested in meeting, perhaps for coffee, to discuss how it could, or could not, be possible to relate some of the ideas in political philosophy to the way this park works. I only ask you, as I must concede that you will know more about philosophy and how the park works than I do, simply because you probably have more first hand experience of the application of philosophy than I do, and because I have only been here a short time.

I do understand if you don't want to, as I haven't actually met you yet, but it would be my pleasure.

Yours sincerely,
Jean-Etienne Beaufort

Comments

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

((apologies. I'll be nice. It's the thing I do well, unfortunately.))

"I wasn't suggesting changing it, and I don't think there's much possibility of doing so. I'm just curious as to how we can be living in political anarchy, without government, without social anarchy, as in chaos, or how we somehow ended up with the world's most laissez-faire dictatorship." He took a long drink of his coffee and came to a conclusion on what he was actually looking for, which is a good thing to do before you start looking, but never mind, "I suppose I just want to know how it works. Because it shouldn't."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"Apathy," said John shortly. "That and what you've already pointed out. No shortage of necessary goods and the inability to harm one another. Perhaps, too, without the ability to leave, we realize we must attempt to get along." That was the hope, at least.

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

Beaufort smiled at a small thought in his head, "So, in a sense, we're being forced into anarchy. Or being forced to be...happy. Well, happy as the force keeping us here sees fit." He laughed at the idea of it all, "It's um...how do you say? Ironic, I think." He was certainly less hopeful about the prospect of it all than John, but he had come from a generation whose optimism had been crushed by economic failure, extreme politics and war. Cynicism was a default.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"Forced to be happy is more correct, I believe," he said thoughtfully. "As I understand it, that was the original intent of this place. A park designed for pure amusement."

John's own time period wasn't any better, but the people did have an optimism that things would be better if and when they ruled themselves. He had to believe in that and he had to do whatever he could to make it true.

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

"Then whoever's in charge is clearly insane with zeal, I'd say. As it can't be the mouse, really. They took 'amusement' to an extreme which..." Beaufort thought about what he was about to say, as he wasn't so sure any more, "means it's negated. Because surely freedom is part of being happy. And you can't force that on people, can you?" Totalitarian regimes tried to enforce happiness and prosperity certainly, but he didn't think it possible. Things were never as simple as that.

He finished off his now rather cold coffee and added as an after thought, "That's terrifying. Because who ever is in charge must believe they are doing us all a great favour."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

John frowned. "I do not believe you can credit the presence behind the park with a human intelligence or judge it by human standards. It does not appear to me to be actively malicious or toying with us for its own amusement. I would rather a being with misguided intentions of making us happy to that instance. Yet I ultimately believe that we are here for some good purpose of the Lord's that may or may not ever be revealed to us. I cannot mind it entirely when I have found such people and learned such things. Though I confess, I should not mind to be home. Whether I can entirely regain my former life... well, it remains to be seen."

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

Beaufort considered this, and seriously, "I do not believe it to be malicious, no, but I'm concerned that misguided intentions, even the best of them, can lead to terrible things. I haven't seen any evidence to say that they will, but it's a concern." As for the religious aspect, Beaufort could appreciate that, even if, by habit, he kept it out of his immediate thought. "I must admit, my original thought was that either my subconscious or God had brought me here to teach me a lesson." To hear how he was a coward and how he'd made a mess of things and to...so on. "It's possible. But I find it difficult just to accept that it is the work of God and move on." It just wasn't his political culture, if anything else.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"I have been here some time now and the most unusual thing I have been forced to endure was a kiss from a gentleman. If that is the worst that occurs due to misguided intentions, I cannot bring myself to worry," he said prosaically. "I have learned many important lessons while here, which I cannot regret."

John peered at the frenchman who seemed to be struggling. "May I ask, sir, why you have difficulty getting past this point? I understand that it is new and that change is rarely comfortable, but you seem to have unusual resistance to the idea. This won't be a permanent home, I do not think. Many people have come and gone in my time here. We need only wait and learn."

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

Beaufort doesn't quite know how to answer that question, "I don't know. I suppose, from experience, I am cautious before becoming too optimistic about anything. It is difficult just to accept that something is benevolent when the optimism I had for Europe...for peace twenty years ago has basically been rendered pointless. I guess imagining things to be more malevolent than they appear has become a starting point." His political philosophy was currently placed around no real ideology and more 'resigned pessimism'.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just displacing worry for my own country. It's probably irrational, I know." Despite his resignation to surrender, he did worry about what would become of France, especially after some of the things he had already heard.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"I do not know if it helps, sir, but I was given a biography of my life by a well-meaning friend. In it, it says that I participated in that historic vote which was to take place the morning after my departure. I then went on to become an Ambassador and President of my country, eventually to die fifty years hence. Provided that it is I and not an imposter, then I must leave this place in time to return to where I left off. No other explanation makes sense. In truth, I hope that for you as well. We are men of action. We must be allowed to make things right."

John finished his coffee and looked with sympathy at his companion. "I cannot reprimand a man with love for his country. May I ask what has happened to so cruelly crush Europe's great spirit?"

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

"Really? Well, that's good to know. I got the impression the war had gone off without me, but that's reassuring, definately." Even if he did get the impression his political career went down hill from that night. Severely downhill.

Beaufort had no idea where to start answering that question. From a French perspective, he should probably start in 1870, but that wasn't the most crushing part of it all. "To put it far too simply, the Great War in 1914. I only fought in it for six months, for that was when I was old enough and...it was brutal, to say the least. It was war on a scale you can't comprehend. Millions of people died. I'm not exaggurating, I mean millions. It was unprecedented. I...I can't even describe it that well, I can only come up with sickeningly pointless words by comparison. But after, we punished Germany, for they were...well, warmongering to begin with, we set up a sort of international organisation and there there was hope for peace."

Beaufort took a deep breath as this was a long and complicated history to say it spanned 20 years. "It was genuine, I think. It certainly felt genuine as a student, but I suppose the governments were a bit more cynical. All that hope collapsed, economies fell apart during the 1930s, people turned to extreme politics. Communism, Fascism, politics which took war and revolution as a first resort, and not a last one. Germany became a strong fascist state. It took Austria, parts of Czechoslovakia, the whole of Czechoslovakia. We kept thinking that our first peace was too harsh, that they were taking back what they deserved. But they kept going. Poland, Belgium, France. Without giving you a vast history of Europe since 1800, that's it." Having to recount that history of Europe to a genuine historical figure was almost as bad as having to recount it to a fellow countrywoman.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

John stared. Quite apart from not having the faintest idea what Beaufort was talking about in terms of political movements, the death of millions in one war was horrifying. In his own time there were only three million people on the entire continent, so far as they'd explored it anyway, and that included indians, slaves, and Canadians.

"Germany..." he murmured. Then, "That's extraordinary. I have heard tales of the American Civil War, which were horrifying enough," mostly because it was his fault, "but you are correct. I cannot comprehend it. Though I offer you my deepest sympathies. Sometimes I think that being a politician when one's country is at war is the most difficult endeavor in the world."

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

Beaufort realised he had probably gone on about things John could not understand, but there was little other way of explaining Europe in 1940. He swallowed hard, as he didn't quite know where to go from there. "I would be thankful you cannot comprehend it, because it does start to become thinking the unthinkable." He sighed with a certain resignation, "But yes, it is. Apart from being a politician at war and then having to admit that you've lost. And your people no longer trust you." Having to contemplate moving the government to Senegal or other absurd ideas was shameful. He knew it was humiliating, but he also knew he had little other choice.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

Compassion softened John's eyes and he patted Beaufort's hand manfully. "I pray God my people will not lose, and history tells otherwise, but who knows what else can happen when one finds oneself in a place where time means nothing? War is terrible enough, and you know it has always been a close thing, but I've never been able to imagine the sad alternative. I feel most deeply for you, sir."

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

Beaufort smiled in thanks for John's compassion on the subject, as he had already been rather taken aback at how other people had reacted, "I hope you never do have to feel what it is like to have to admit defeat in war. It's the most humiliating thing, to surrender your nation, your people to another state. But in some respects, to have people tell you that Europe eventually finds peace and France is liberated is...reassuring in a sense."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"I cannot imagine," he said sincerely. "But it is good to know that everything resolves itself for the better. Perhaps that is why you have come in your darkest moment; to learn from others who know that your future is more bright than you can conceive."

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

"I sincerely hope so. I hope it's not to teach me a lesson, or to punish me for...well," He hesitated on the word, "It now, having heard what everyone says, feels very cowardly. I hope I'm not being punished for that."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"I would not think this place could be used as punishment for you exclusively. Having found joy here myself, I would think it most odd. Do not berate yourself for your actions, whatever they may have been. You have been granted the gift of time and reflection. Use it wisely." That was John's advice, anyway.

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

"A fair point indeed. Working on the assumption that I haven't gone mad, or anything like that. Which...I don't think I have." Well, not anymore. Madness wouldn't have this kind of detail, this kind of reality, even if entirely unreal, about it.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"Nor do I. It's a possibility we've all considered at one point or another. I believe you'd be mad not to," John chuckled.

((Gah! I'm sorry I'm so bloody slow. Might be good to wrap this up before I disappear for a month or something. XP))

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

"You would have to, as to not even blink at something like this would make you...that would be more worrying." Beaufort realised that it might be time he allowed John to have the rest of his day back, and it never really did to be impolite the first time you met someone from history. "There are many things I am yet to find out about this park, so perhaps I should explore further and leave you to your day. Thank you, though, for the most interesting and reassuring conversation."

((s'okay. I'd have been just as slow. Busy atm.))

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

John stood and bowed politely. "It was my pleasure, sir. Do call on me again if there's anything else I can do. I would be most interested to hear your conclusions."

The line of his jaw softened slightly. "And I would not worry so. I have faith that everything will be fine for you."

[oui-ministre.livejournal.com]

Beaufort gave John a polite nod and offered his hand to shake, "Thank you, sir, and I will make sure to do so. Au revoir."