The Others - True Motivations?

[losty09]

Alrighty, so let's get a little Other discussion going on in here. What do you guys think about them?

I find it interesting that they would say Ana Lucia was a killer, and yet their own people have. It seemed clear that Ethan did not intend to let Claire live, they shot at the people on the raft, etc etc. And yet, you look at the death toll... the losties have killed way more people during their time on the island than the others.

The others keep repeating that they are the good guys... do you think this is so? I personally believe it's all a matter or perspective. Darth Vader thought he was good kinda guy too. I think they believe their motivations are for the greater good, but what are these motivations? Were Cindy and the rest of the tailies won over by their intentions. Are they truly good, and did they gain the support of the tailies? Or were they brainwashed? And does anyone else think Cindy might have know about them from the start....?

Are they some kind of Utopian society, some kind of cult? If they could leave the island, why didn't the skip on off it on their merry way? It seems clear now that Dharma and the Others are not the same thing, but are instead waring factions, and that the hostiles and the others are the same thing. Something I noticed - Mikhail and Kelvin both referred to the others as hostiles... were they given warning BEFORE entering the dharma programs that such people exist? Or did they find out about this later? Granted, Mikhail was a fake, but all the same....

More a series of questions than theories, but i figured it would be a place to start.

[IThinkICrashedYourPlane]

Not to use the religious aspect again but for metaphoric purposes the knights of templar (protectors of the Holy Arch of the covenant) killed thousands of people but were considered good guys. Good guys have to do bad things in order to stay good. We will have to wait to find out what they are hiding in order to really judge whether they are good guys are not. If they are protecting something sacred then they may very well be justified to kill people to keep their secret. Just some food for thought.

[Michelle]

it all depends on the interpretation of the word good... or the ways in which people percieve goodness

[Charlies_Chick_1201]

Yes, I think it depends as well... I mean, in a sense, the Others COULD be good to them, but sitll be considered "evil" to our losties...

I do find the whole matter interesting though, and can't wait to find out more! I'm working on thinking about this and a few other things, so I'd most definitely like to hear other peoples theories, and if I'd get off my lazy butt and look for answers, maybe I'd have some to share with you all.

[cassiel]

I suspect we'll only be able to make a more accurate determination when we find out the actual reason the Others are there - once we know their motivations and their purpose, we'll be able to draw the lines in the sand and decide for ourselves which side to stand on. I'm begining to think that the Others' plan might not be something sinister after all. I wont be surprised if we the Forum become divided about it ourselves. Maybe they've revealed their true purpose to Jack and he's made a rational determination and is no longer antagonistic towards them.

[cassiel]

Oh, and I think Mikhail said that the hostiles were on the island before Dharma arrived. Of course, he could have been lying...

[Michelle]

yeah but i always thought that there would have been life on the island before dharma

[cassiel]

Well, the hostiles must have been on the island for some reason - exiled community living apart from the evils of the modern world?, discoverers of some rare secret to eternal life?, etc. Dharma must have picked that island for some specific reason - maybe to study the hostiles?

[Michelle]

nah i think the island was picked because it was uncharted or something, n the hostiles just happen to be the original inhabitants of the island, who were opressed by dharma and then went all hositle on them

[Angel07]

Originally Posted by IThinkICrashedYourPlane

Not to use the religious aspect again but for metaphoric purposes the knights of templar (protectors of the Holy Arch of the covenant) killed thousands of people but were considered good guys. Good guys have to do bad things in order to stay good. We will have to wait to find out what they are hiding in order to really judge whether they are good guys are not. If they are protecting something sacred then they may very well be justified to kill people to keep their secret. Just some food for thought.

I have to disagree here! Jesus did never ever kill anyone, did he? And he preached to offer the other cheek if you are slapped! I am not religious, in fact I am Atheist, but I consider a GOOD Person , someone not carrying a weapon. Because if you have one you intend to use it somehow. And if you need to reach a goal like that you are not good.

And Locke was right when he asked Ben about having all this, electricity and so on , and knowing a plane had crashed and not helping in one way or the other.