So Light tries to use the Death Note to make the world a better place. Do you think what Light is doing is righteous, or do you see him as an evil murderer?

Well I believe Light is well intended. I don't see him as evil. Not everything he does is morally right. However he has no choice in the position he's in. If he's already killed people, there is no going back. Plus the police goes after him. If he's trying to make the world a better place, he has to do whatever he can by stopping people in his way.

It's not like he was going about it like Higuchi or Mikami.

I believe Light is well-intended too, but then again Pol Pot was well-intended. He truly believed he was doing something for the good of Cambodia. You know how that turned out.

Light wanted a utopian world free of crime, hate and suffering, but as humans, we define our reality from hate and suffering. It is how we grow psychologically.

Recall that the time you've most grown mentally and spiritually was also the worst event that has happened to you. e.g. death, break-up, etc.

If Light created that utopia, humanity will most certain fall as they cannot grow mentally and spiritually, and will ultimately lose their identity as a human.

Alex_Dy wrote:If Light created that utopia, humanity will most certain fall as they cannot grow mentally and spiritually, and will ultimately lose their identity as a human.

When you look at the U.S and how everything is so dumbed down, it pretty much backs what you're saying here. The U.S culture is very spoiled and cushioned resulting in the lack of growth you're talking about: misguided kids wanting to be criminals, girls finding it empowering to dress like whores, adults being childish in politics, COLLEGE students having their parents debate with their instructor about their low grade, etc.

There's no consequence or anyone to say what's right in wrong where it matters.

On the other hand this also reinforces what Light is trying to do.

You can take a horse to a lake and for sure he'll drink if you have a gun to its head. If there is some kind of force out there, making it MISERABLE or life-threatening for criminals, they'll have no choice but to shape up. If they have death hanging above their heads from a string, they're going to grow. Some people just don't listen unless they face some kind of consequence.

The whole genocide going on in Darfur, is the result of people just doing what they want. The criminals behind this aren't growing because there isn't anyone stopping them. Certainly with things like that, Light's Utopia can't be all that bad.

Light and Pol Pot are like comparing oranges and tangerines though. They're both extreme which is why Light aint an apple, but Pol Pot is killing innocent people with no proof of them betraying Angkar(sp?) or whatever his ridiculous goal was. Light, at least looks at police records as his proof to kill criminals. That's Light's only aim but oddly enough, he is considered a mass murderer despite how the death penalty is still acceptable in some places.

T wrote:Some people just don't listen unless they face some kind of consequence.

I really hate that fact that people just don't want to do anything to change their lives, yet expect to have a "happily ever after" ending. If you want to be happy, then change something in your life to make it better. They don't want to do anything until something bad is going to happen or it has already happened.

Going back on topic:

In my own shallow and superficial opinion, Light is doing good for the world for getting rid of the criminals, even for minor offenses. It shows the general public that if you do bad, you will die, so shape up and get yourself together. Its a good ideal, but in practice it'll never work.

I don't know about the people who accidentally killed or killed in self-defense, and the falsely accused as Light cannot possibly have any knowledge of their actions. It kinda shows that humans cannot play the role of a God or to pass judgment on another person they know nothing about.

Hmm... Speaking about Death Note, what would you do if a death note fell in front of your feet?

I'll just take out whoever is on the World's Most Wanted list, then leave it alone until more shows up on that list. But I know I will go power hungry and end up taking out half the population of Earth.

P.S. Its spelled Angka (Agency).

What Light is doing kinda makes me think of what affect religion has on people. There's no way religion is entirely responsible for people to behave but I would think fear/reward of the afterlife is what inspires most people to be good. Well for religions that follow that concept anyway.

A reward system is likely more effective than punishment however, being the vengeful person I am, I quite like the idea of ruling with an iron fist. It may not teach people properly but it sure is one hell of a deterrent.

If the Death Note fell in front of my feet, I wouldn't try to save humanity like Light is trying to do. I think I wouldn't take it seriously and accidentally kill off George W. Bush by experimenting with it. Or mistake it for a journal and accidentally kill people I write about that day. Just like in Death Note 0.

You read Death Note 0 yet?

But anyway, if I knew how the Death Note worked, I'd honestly use it to benefit myself. I can't think of any other way I'd use it.

I haven't read it yet. Link plz?!

Here you go.

http://www.onemanga.com/Death_Note/0/001/

Thanks