S03.E08: The Worst Possible Use of Free Will

[Loandbehold]

10 hours ago, bros402 said:

I thought Doug Forcett got it 72% correct?

I just rewatched the episode this morning (pure coincidence) and it's 92%.

[Captain Carrot]

On 11/12/2018 at 6:20 PM, PityFree said:

Even though the stoner guy from Calgary guessed what the afterlife would be like, that doesn’t mean he’s an example of an “ideal human.” 

I have a feeling that he'll be an example of an 'ideal human' based on the point system, but the result will be a horrifying disappointment.

(Imagine you believed that someone monitored everything you did, gave positive and negative points for everything from major events to minor annoyances, and used those points to determine if you got into heaven. How would that affect your behavior)?

[PityFree]

1 hour ago, Captain Carrot said:

I have a feeling that he'll be an example of an 'ideal human' based on the point system, but the result will be a horrifying disappointment.

(Imagine you believed that someone monitored everything you did, gave positive and negative points for everything from major events to minor annoyances, and used those points to determine if you got into heaven. How would that affect your behavior)?

Ohhhh! I like that.  It would give the soul squad extra ammunition to fight the whole points system.

[Wandering Snark]

On 11/12/2018 at 5:26 PM, dusang said:

Also, I get the whimsy/joke/whatever but Eleanor's hair and teeth fell out on Earth -- that stuff doesn't just grow back in 5 minutes.

Well she did have a banana as well *grins*

[bros402]

5 hours ago, Captain Carrot said:

I have a feeling that he'll be an example of an 'ideal human' based on the point system, but the result will be a horrifying disappointment.

(Imagine you believed that someone monitored everything you did, gave positive and negative points for everything from major events to minor annoyances, and used those points to determine if you got into heaven. How would that affect your behavior)?

That is what I am hoping too - or he will be a creepy cult leader without a cult. Maybe a moose will be a member.

[lucindabelle]

I 

10 hours ago, Wandering Snark said:

Well she did have a banana as well *grins*

I love that her hair was still smoking as they continued.

[Zuleikha]

When would the situation of someone alive on earth getting memories of the afterlife even have come up before? Is this a glimpse that reincarnation is a part of The Good Place mythology that we haven't encountered yet? Or did the writers just not think through how little sense it made to have the joke?

[Amarsir]

On 11/11/2018 at 9:50 PM, jmonique said:

One of the things that's making me miss the first two seasons is all of the philosophy lessons this season are soooooo ham-fisted and After-School Special like. 

Do you think it's more ham-fisted than Chidi literally writing them on the chalkboard? I agree that reading the definition from the book was clearly for the audience's benefit and pretty convenient even after granting that they're in a library. But the topic of determinism came up pretty organically as a result of Eleanor's parental issues. I think it was one of the more natural uses of philosophy this show has done.

On 11/12/2018 at 2:08 AM, Zuleikha said:

I am not super excited about the Bad Place demons because what purpose can they actually serve? They don't (or shouldn't) have their powers. They don't logically lead to any kind of showdown with the Good Place over the point system. They don't directly relate to the Soul Squad trying to help people get to the Good Place.

I figure they'll be the catalyst for getting back to the afterlife. Surely they don't plan to run out the rest of the series on Earth, and having them all die would be gruesome and awkward. So Sean's portal forces the issue.

Quote

I am also really over Janet pining for Jason. It's not interesting, and it doesn't serve her character. Meanwhile, all of the really interesting stuff that can be happening with Janet dealing with who she is when she is not a functional Janet is being overlooked.

I agree. Janet needs something to do other than pining. And while I'm on the subject, I think it's just awkward to play Jason with childlike innocence and yet be trying to pair him up with anyone. If he's capable of a relationship then I want him to take more responsibility for stuff as well.

[ByTor]

I think the problem with Jason is that they made him way too stupid.  Like getting all excited over a sparkler or a Pikachu balloon...just no.

[Jamesa]

On 11/10/2018 at 5:26 AM, mammaM said:

The whole afterlife system is unjust.

Actually, it is just. It would be an injustice to mankind if those who fail the test of life aren't given what they deserve.

God didn’t create man perfect but perfectly balanced to decide between right and wrong. We aren't the strongest, fastest, biggest but we are the smartest. We can harpoon a whale and tame a lion. 

Consider a role play (RPG) video game.

The player in the game has options which affect the course of the game. The developer has already established all the cut scenes and every option that changes due to the players choice, even the final ending of the game will change based on the journey you take.

The developer of the game knows all the choices that can be made and if he had not considered all the choices he would have to rewrite the entire game all over again with every new choice. 

If the player decides to play the game strategically, physically etc then the game adapts and leads them down a path based on the choice. 

At the end of the game, you are given a rundown of your choices and then justly rewarded.

God works in the same way.

He created life, each with our own RPGs and let us decide the journey we take. He doesn't answer our questions but only asks.

Our actions are recorded as we go, they are not prerecorded and on that day we will witness for ourselves our lives and agree with exactly what we deserve.

God does know everything but by doing it this way everyone judges for themselves their actions and so he allows each person who sat the test to decide for themselves if they were worthy of being created and rewarded accordingly.

As stated earlier God created mankind not perfect but perfectly balanced to choose between right and wrong.  Human error is a part of every life so even if you made mistakes he has given the option of repenting and being forgiven. Boasting and being proud of your mistake/error/sin is the greatest sin. 

[possibilities]

Your description of how the world works doesn't match what the show is portraying as how the show's world works, though.

[Bruinsfan]

The show hasn't ever actually stated what set up the whole system, has it? The Judge is the highest authority we've seen and she's clearly neither omniscient nor omnipotent.

[possibilities]

They've shown how the points system works. We don't know yet if there is more to it than that.

[Mockingbird]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

They've shown how the points system works. We don't know yet if there is more to it than that.

And—assuming we can trust Micheal when he was telling Eleanor about Doug Forcett—all of the major religions only guessed around 5% correctly about the afterlife. Since he was telling the truth about Doug, he was probably telling the truth about that, too. 

[ByTor]

22 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

The show hasn't ever actually stated what set up the whole system, has it? The Judge is the highest authority we've seen and she's clearly neither omniscient nor omnipotent.

She's kind of a flake, she forgot to eat her burrito!

[Harry24]

Spoiler

Isn't the loosing teeth thing a dream element that represents death?

IIRC, in the Jungian view losing teeth is more about transitioning from one phase of life to another, like when kids lose their teeth.  

[aradia22]

"Tostitos Presents a Public Library Brought To You By GoDaddy." The people who write this show need to write a sequel or TV series version of Idiocracy.

I forgot the boards... Ambien Hamster Mishap, Lifetime Ban From Post Office, Dad Forgot Birthday Changed Birth Certificate So He Wasn't Wrong, Sexual Attraction to Sam the Eagle

Michael plucking out the lemon and straw from his ice tea so casually before dumping it on Eleanor was perfection.

Demons on earth? How much will this escalate?