Building a fictional world for storytelling - need input

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ActingUpAgain
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24 Jan 2024, 2:07 pm

Ok, working on a germ of an idea for a story, and could use input/inspiration/poking holes in the logic:

You've heard the quote about "perception is reality", and maybe you even ascribe to it. Many counter that perception is only our view of reality - a self-created illusion.

And that this point, I'm sure you're pretty well-versed in multiversal theory. Between comics, movies, and actual scientific theories, the idea is pretty mainstream at this point.

So the world I'm building is that perception is actually your own self-contained reality. The only person in your actual universe is you. Everyone else you know is in their own universe, separated by a thin veil, so you can interact but not actually exist in each others' reality. Think the Matrix, but naturally evolved, i.e. no higher design.

This would explain why two people could look at the same well-known politician, yet one sees a man of God that had a productive, fruitful term and was screwed out of a second term, and the other sees a serial crooked cult leader that checks all the boxes of the Antichrist. (Can you see my inspiration for this idea yet?)

Other facets of this theory:
* When people die, they actually escape their universe and enter a larger multiverse. Ghosts are actually these people trying to interact with you in your reality. Success at this varies, depending on the "ghost's" natural ability and the thickness of the veil.
* Aliens are actually people that escaped and formed a scientific community to study individual realities, and have successfully entered it through technology.
* Animals have their own universe as well, and in theirs humans are the same to them as we preceive dolphins, monkeys, etc.
* Non-alive objects (dirt, metal, plastics, etc.) can and fopass through these veils. This why you can hand someone an object, or someone can shoot you.
* People with recognized mental disorders and psychics are more likely to be able to see past their own veil, but nothing additional. As a result, they are more likely to become ghosts once they pass (see above).

So there's the core of it. Ask questions to clarify points, challenge a facet to make me think harder on it and come up with a correction, ask about something I hadn't considered so I can codify it. Be my playtester!


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Honey69
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24 Jan 2024, 5:56 pm

Looks like you're off to a good start. Now, just start writing!


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IsabellaLinton
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24 Jan 2024, 6:14 pm

ActingUpAgain wrote:

So the world I'm building is that perception is actually your own self-contained reality. The only person in your actual universe is you. Everyone else you know is in their own universe, separated by a thin veil, so you can interact but not actually exist in each others' reality.



That's how I've felt since I was a child.

I distinctly remember realizing that we all have separate points of view (perceptions / realities) and that everyone only belongs to their own bubble. The reason I can't be around people is because that means there are too many universes and I get overwhelmed by that magnitude. I've been aware of it for over 50 years. I don't mean that I'm egocentric. The other universes matter as much as mine, but that's why I shy away to protect myself.


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