Morality on the Island

Hyzepher

A number of episodes have dealt with right and wrong - indeed the whole series has a 'Ying/Yang' feel to it. However, for me there have been some inconsistancies - these have been brought to the front in 'Born to Run'

For most of the characters there has been some incident in their lives that they regret or maybe considered dubious. On the Island some central characters have acted in yet more questionable ways - 'Walt and the Raft', 'Locke and Boone's death', 'Locke knocking Sayid out', 'Sayid's torcher of Sawyer', and maybe the most controversal 'Charlie's killing of Ethan'.

Now in 'Born to Run' Kate ends up being isolated by the group because she is a fugitive - for what no one knows. Yet Charlie is accepted without question despite his 'murder' of Ethan. I use the word murder as I feel that's what it was. Sayid is accepted despite his Iraqi past - which includes torcher and murder of US people. Saywer admits killing someone. Jin is a hired hand. Sun betrayed her husband. Charlie is a drug addict and has swindled his girlfriend.

For me there just seems to be an unbalance of what is acceptable and what isn't - any thoughts?

Hyzepher

doh.ie

Seems that when you lie - as Kate did from the very beginning - you lose everyone's trust. They all shun her. I suppose that she kept quiet when the rows over who the marshal was escorting in ep 2 and many times after that was considered to be her unforgivable. And then she goes and does the same thing when the issue of Michael's poisoning comes up - keep quiet and no one will be pissed with you!

But remember, folks, when you murder and *don't* lie, it's OK, and you can become the island's babysitter! (To be fair, though, Ethan was an Evil Guy and he probably would've killed them all.) And if Kate thinks she's so innocent of any crime (a la Charlie), she could've just explained it to them.

The island must have some lessons in store for Kate - she's sneaky and needs some.

savemejebus

Hmm i don't think kate was isolated cos of what she is, more what she's done. Her manipulation of others would for me be the main cause of her Isolation. She hides her true nature very well and i guess you have to face it, if someone is an asshole all their life they are tolerated as people know what to expect (eg sawyer), However if someone you like and respect turns out to be an asshole it's a betrayal, which is a whole lot worse.

In a community that needs to depend on each other betrayal by a firend/ally would obviously be seen as a much more serious crime than someone just continuing their asshole ways.

As for chalie, come on, with no lawyers or judicial system around to temper/pervert the course of justice who would blame him for killing ethan. Look at the facts:

Ethan tortured and killed a member of the group
Ethan kidnapped charlie + claire
Ethan hung charlie and left him for dead
Ethan therefore made himself an enemy, and more importantly a threat to the group.

Charlies act wouldn't be looked upon as murder in this act, any more than a soldier shooting an enemy in a war. He was a threat, he was eliminated. An act for the greater good.

Wait you may say, Jack, Sayid, Kate and Locke wanted him alive but at the end of the day, they are not everyone, they are the self imposed ruling council if you will, thats all. I betcha the majority of the group would have wanted him dead. Even if they didn't think like this he could just say "We can't know for sure Ethan was finished when Jack beat him, who knows what was up his sleeve" and claim self defence