What are some great life-lessons you learned from a Final Fantasy game?

Mister Goober

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What are some great life-lessons you learned from a Final Fantasy game?



First, allow me to quote the great Fyodor Dostoevsky...

At first, art imitates life. Then life will imitate art. Then life will find its very existence from the arts.

There are realms in human phenomena that science is simply incapable of grabbing a hold of. For example, what does science have to say about absolute moral values? What does science have to say about love? Science is a tool, nothing more. There are things that cannot be scientifically explained, and stuff like those is where art constantly dwell in.

I am a Christian who believes in God and Jesus Christ. But try as I might to intellectually justify the validity of the Christian message, I can't deny that my emotions play a huge role with my chosen beliefs. Part of it is cultural upbringing, and a bigger part of it is Final Fantasy VIII. I learned that we draw our strength from godlike beings. Angels, to me, exist, the same way Guardian Forces exist in the Final Fantasy VIII universe. These angels of mine help me in my life and give me strength. I won't have it any other way. I owe everything to them, and to my very own Griever, Jesus. That is what I learned from Final Fantasy VIII.

What about you?
 
What are some great life-lessons you learned from a Final Fantasy game?



First, allow me to quote the great Fyodor Dostoevsky...

At first, art imitates life. Then life will imitate art. Then life will find its very existence from the arts.

There are realms in human phenomena that science is simply incapable of grabbing a hold of. For example, what does science have to say about absolute moral values? What does science have to say about love? Science is a tool, nothing more. There are things that cannot be scientifically explained, and stuff like those is where art constantly dwell in.

I am a Christian who believes in God and Jesus Christ. But try as I might to intellectually justify the validity of the Christian message, I can't deny that my emotions play a huge role with my chosen beliefs. Part of it is cultural upbringing, and a bigger part of it is Final Fantasy VIII. I learned that we draw our strength from godlike beings. Angels, to me, exist, the same way Guardian Forces exist in the Final Fantasy VIII universe. These angels of mine help me in my life and give me strength. I won't have it any other way. I owe everything to them, and to my very own Griever, Jesus. That is what I learned from Final Fantasy VIII.

What about you?
Final Fantasy 9 has huge lessons for me about life, friendship, and death. That game and the themes of it helped me so much when I played it
 
Great thread!

I'll have to think about this for a bit longer in order to answer this properly. I think there are multiple answers for me because FFVII-FFIX in particular were a huge part of me growing up. Together they were my first RPG games and the first video game characters and stories which truly connected with me.

Some lessons I may have learned but then forgotten again. They still stuck with me nonetheless.

Not giving up being one of them. Repeatedly throughout the franchise the heroes think about giving up but then the pull together and get through the situation or overcome impossible odds.

I think to me this is best encapsulated in FFIX's iconic 'You're not alone!' scene. Sometimes when it feels like world is ending and you doubt yourself and who you really are, and think that nobody cares, all it takes is a few of your friends to reach out and tell you that you matter to them and your spirits can be lifted. Having people on your side can be a confidence booster and it doesn't matter if it is only a handful of people.

That scene is the 'It's a Wonderful Life' moment of Final Fantasy, I think.

That's one lesson, and it is one I need to keep reminding myself about.

I'll post some more when I can think of them.
 
I think I aced a lot of English classes when I was in secondary school thanks to Final Fantasy XII of all things!

I recall one of the tasks assigned to us by our English class teacher was to write an inspiring speech to a crowd of disenchanted citizens from the perspective of a charismatic leader figure. While claiming the vocabulary I picked up from Final Fantasy XII's excellent English localisation amounts to a life lesson is a tad over the top, I did have fun channeling my inner Vayne Solidor and heavily based what I wrote on his stirring speech as consul to pacify a malcontent Rabanastre populace. I picked up more subtle things from the game, such as the importance of tone, language and knowing who you're speaking to and how to appeal to a specific audience.

While the series is a big part of my formative years, I'm not sure there's a definitive thing I can genuinely point to and say is a fulfilling life lesson I've learnt. At most there are isolated or overarching moments with meaningful social commentary that really hits you as a young teenager still attempting to grapple with the realities of the world she'd soon have to contend with and understand. Even though I'm now fully aware that most JRPGs have you turn against a established religious order and/or brawl with God in some form or another, at the time FFX and FFX-2 were very influential. I suppose the former helped give me the inspiration to be more questioning and critical of dogma and of authority, while affirming in me the desire to never be like Wakka's character for much of the game (the overt racism and prejudice).

FFX-2 is also interesting given its whole premise is a world still freshly reverberating from a seismic social change that had lasted for a whole millennium. You kinda identify with that feeling of Spira feeling lost and uncertain during your teenage years - unclear as to where you're going, who you really are, and whether you're hanging out with the right people. I suppose the closest thing to a life lesson I can take from FFX-2 is to learn to embrace with change in the way that you're most comfortable with. Some people adjust to rapid change very quickly, while others are more cautious and need that bit of incrementalism. There's no sense attacking others for differing approaches to societal change so long as you're all ultimately headed the same direction, one that isn't backwards and regressive.
 
Besides teaching me how to cry, grunt and nod insanely at every person in a room (it's crazy how many FF characters do that!), I suppose the most remarkable life lesson I've taken away from the franchise is perseverance - that no matter what, there's no giving up. It's an important lesson I guess, especially these days :lew:
 
Hmm. I can't recall any life-altering lessons that I learned from specific events in Final Fantasy. I could definitely relate to some things for various characters in different scenarios of course, but I'm not sure it's anything that has impacted me in a way where I learned some kind of a lesson from it.

I kind of relate a bit to the dynamic between Queen Brahne & Garnet in Final Fantasy IX. Sometimes even family can hurt us, blinded by other things, like hate or greed. Or something like that anyway. I dunno, I don't really draw a huge connection between it and my own life circumstances though. It's nice to be able to relate and maybe more closely draw yourself into a moment though, especially after going back in to these games that I've played as a kid and am able to more identify with characters that experienced the world a bit more than myself up until now.

There probably is small silly mannerisms I probably have inherited though. I fidget quite a bit in settings that I'm uncomfortable in - I guess just doing some kind of motion makes me feel a bit better, so fixing a hat, clothes, scratching the back of my head - I'm sure I could draw certain things back to certain characters that I've observed over the years. Small sayings & the like as well, etc., etc.~ Just nothing huge or revolutionary to myself personally.
 
I'm a philosopher, and I also love Final Fantasy 8. Here's what I learned...

The Diablos GF in Final Fantasy 8 manifests in our lives in many ways. Firstly, just pay attention to the name. "Diablos". Demonic. FORBIDDEN.

I discovered a secret to success, which is borderline forbidden due to how effective it is. Ashwagandha, a Vedic herb that is classified as an adaptogen. Adaptogens are compounds used by old-school Bulgarian weightlifters to help them train and attain gold medals. And now I will take advantage of it.

I will tell you more things I learned from playing Final Fantasy.

What do you think? What has the Final Fantasy franchise taught you about life?
 

I am extremely skeptical when people make claims about roots and super supplements - it's all very "selling snake-oil", which is why I linked WebMD! The secret to life... Is reading what the experts think, really.

Anyway, I will give Final Fantasy credit for certain things:

1. It taught me how to feel second hand embarrassment for voice actors (see FFX's laughing scene)

2. It taught me that you don't need strong graphics or even a voice to connect with a character - just enough heart and soul in the writing to make someone care (Vivi in FF IX)

3. It taught me how special and unique this series is, how special it is, compared to its compatriots in the JRPG space. I've never been able to connect to another JRPG like I have with Final Fantasy. Hell, I don't know if there's more than one, maybe two game series I connect with on the same level?

4. Lastly, it taught me a special lesson: that it's not so much the media you consume but the people you consume it with. The times I've shared discussing the games with my friends here in Ireland; this particular community and the fun, delightful times we have. I finally get why people connect so much to conventions, to their spaces. Even when people are grumpy, shitposting or just disagreeing there's still a connection binding them together.


That last point was cringe but fuck it, yeah?
 
I am extremely skeptical when people make claims about roots and super supplements - it's all very "selling snake-oil", which is why I linked WebMD! The secret to life... Is reading what the experts think, really.

I can understand people's skepticism, but it's true that certain weightlifting teams, at least the old school ones, did in fact use adaptogens.

And there's a limit to how skeptical you can be. I mean, are you gonna question whether or not the world as you see it is an illusion? If you go out of your way and embrace an extremely skeptic worldview, why would you be different from someone suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia?
 
I can understand people's skepticism, but it's true that certain weightlifting teams, at least the old school ones, did in fact use adaptogens.

I'm sure they did, similar parents used certain beverages for treating colds in old wives tales. Previous usage doesn't imply future success, it simply implies previous usage.


And there's a limit to how skeptical you can be. I mean, are you gonna question whether or not the world as you see it is an illusion? If you go out of your way and embrace an extremely skeptic worldview, why would you be different from someone suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia?

This is some straw-man you've put together here - I never said anything about the world or a worldview. I am simply skeptical of touting anything as a miracle cure or "secret to life" and rebuff such attempts with links to sources people can use to decide for themselves.

I very much disagree with conflating me being skeptical on some "snake oil" claims with being skeptical for the world, let alone the weird conflation with mental illness.
 
I didn't know the FFF had members with their own MLM schemes, that's neat but it's a hard pass from me. My medication prohibits the use of herbal remedies in case they negatively interact with it.

I literally grew up playing Final Fantasy, and the first time I played FFIX was as part of a family activity with my dad. I credit that as the main reason I got into the series and gaming overall, but the games themselves are enjoyable.

What have I learned? Grand Dragons can hurt if you're not prepared. Seymour was messed up. Laguna is beautiful. I would hate to meet Vincent in an alleyway at night. Kuja is a drama queen. Balamb Garden was not a healthy environment for the Orphanage children.
 
I didn't know the FFF had members with their own MLM schemes, that's neat but it's a hard pass from me. My medication prohibits the use of herbal remedies in case they negatively interact with it.

I literally grew up playing Final Fantasy, and the first time I played FFIX was as part of a family activity with my dad. I credit that as the main reason I got into the series and gaming overall, but the games themselves are enjoyable.

What have I learned? Grand Dragons can hurt if you're not prepared. Seymour was messed up. Laguna is beautiful. I would hate to meet Vincent in an alleyway at night. Kuja is a drama queen. Balamb Garden was not a healthy environment for the Orphanage children.

Oh come on man, I wasn't trying to sell anything. Just sharing a realization.

I'm a meathead. lol. And meatheads tend to be obsessive at finding an edge to becoming bigger and stronger. I'm a meathead who hangs out with other meatheads.

The alternative to natural herbal supplements are steroids, and considering how Doug Hepburn of Canada and Paul Anderson of America are my heroes in the world of weightlifting, I refuse to juice up like every other cheater in the gym. So naturally, I gravitate towards supplements that show promise.



I'm sure they did, similar parents used certain beverages for treating colds in old wives tales. Previous usage doesn't imply future success, it simply implies previous usage.




This is some straw-man you've put together here - I never said anything about the world or a worldview. I am simply skeptical of touting anything as a miracle cure or "secret to life" and rebuff such attempts with links to sources people can use to decide for themselves.

I very much disagree with conflating me being skeptical on some "snake oil" claims with being skeptical for the world, let alone the weird conflation with mental illness.

You mention snake oil. We live in the 21st century. It's been proven that Creatine works in the gym. It's been proven protein powders are a legitimate, non-shortcut convenience for people needing more protein in their lives without having to swallow loads of chicken breast. Heck, it's even proven that HYPNOSIS works for lots of people.

Ultimately, the secret to health is diet and exercise. Those two are the foundations. But it doesn't mean certain things don't make a difference. And if you're not gonna get your boost from drugs (which you shouldn't), why not be open-minded and look for natural boosters? This isn't just ashwagandha. Siberian ginseng and rhodiola rosea also work. They are ADAPTOGENS. To put it bluntly, they will mess with your hormonal profile. To put it lightly, they will help with your quality of life by positively messing with your hormonal profile. And it's not like they're carcinogens.
 
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Hey Mister Goober - I've gone ahead and merged your double post into a single post. I'm not sure if you're aware but you're actually able to multi-quote in a single post, so we can keep it all together in a single post! Go ahead and check the rules if you have any questions about that, or feel free to PM me if you have any other questions!

I've also gone ahead and merged your thread with the other Life-lessons thread you made earlier since they are essentially the same topic at hand in regards to Final Fantasy and life lessons along the way. Again, if you have any questions please feel free to send myself or any other member of staff a PM with your concerns!



About the way the thread discussion is going, please make sure to relate your posts to Final Fantasy, as it is in the Final Fantasy General section. You're more than welcome to continue to discuss these things (such as supplements as stated above) over in The LifeStream where more serious topics (not related to Final Fantasy) are more suitable. Go ahead and check the Guidelines for more info!


Thanks :)

~Miko
 
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