<h1 class="gameName">Mind & Heart</h1>
<div class="gameNameText">[[Play->Who you are]]</div>You are Caroline. A highly successful law student who just graduated at the top of her class, and you were just offered a job at a big international law firm, which has been around for over 70 years, and is considered one of the most prestigious law firms aroudnd, and a leader in the field.
This would be a great step in your burgeoning career. It would give you many valuable experience and open numerous doors for you career in the future. However, you feel conflicted because this firm is known for being very profit and results driven, and not really known for putting people first. You see your place in the world as defending people who can’t do it themselves. To you, ethics and morality are very important.
[[Next->Bar Setup]]You enter a bright and colorful bar that just opened up in the city center. It’s one of those chic new bars that everyone is raving to get to, although you consider them over priced and tacky. The place is crowded because the bar has been the talk of the town in the last few months. You would’ve preferred something more low key, but your friends wanted to go here, so what the hell. Ah, you can see your friends at a table and you approach them.
You sit down by your two friends, greeting them. Jared is a self-proclaimed artist who lives life by what he feels and wants. He is very in touch with his feelings and often finds depth and meaning in even the most mundane things. He has naturally dark hair with rainbow colored highlights, and one side of his head is shaved down to a buzz cut. He has a dark hazel complexion and always seems to be wearing clothes which are too big for him, but somehow he pulls it off.
Connie is a successful cook, who already at the age of 28, owns her own restaurant which is doing quite well. She approaches things from a very pragmatic and logical standpoint, listening to data and reason over emotions and wants. She has pale white skin and shoulder length blonde hair which she always wears up. She has a very minimalistic style to her clothing and can often be seen wearing just black with few details.
You’re meeting with them today to discuss your dilemma.
[[Next->Conversation Start]]You: “Hey you two! So nice to see you. So I wanted to meet with you today because I was offered a job at that huge law firm I talked to you about. It’s super exciting but I feel conflicted. Like, the pay is really good, but would I be betraying my values?”
Connie looks at you with excitement in her eyes.
Connie: “That’s amazing, Caroline! Of course you should take the job! It would be a tremendous step in your career, and with pay that good, how could you say no?”
Jared scoffs.
Jared: “I know how, that place is the spitting image of ruthless corporate greed. That job isn’t going to make you happy in the long run, Caroline. Yeah, you’ll have a lot of money and you’ll be able to buy shit but so what? It’s just random shit!”
[[Rational Answer->Money Rational Answer]]
[[Emotional Answer->Money Emotional Answer]]You: “Well that money would be really good for my future, I could start saving that money for investing in something, or if I ever want to have a family, I could save for my children’s future.”
Connie: “Exactly! You could save that money for a rainy day. You could start your own law firm one day with that money! Also, it wouldn’t hurt to pamper yourself from time to time.”
Jared: “Aw come on! You think that money will bring you security and happiness in the future? You’re wrong! It will only be a burden for you and will eat you up on the inside!”
[[Next->Experience]]You: “All that money wouldn’t make me happy, it’s just stuff. Besides, what kind of person would I be if I put money before my beliefs and values?”
Jared: “There you go! You need to stay true to yourself, rather than getting corrupted by the greed of money.”
Connie: “The greed of money? Oh, so you think you can eat and pay for rent with happy thoughts alone? And what if something bad happens in the future or if you want to start that law firm of yours one day? How will you do that without money?”
[[Next->Experience]]You: “Well this would look really good on my resume and the experience would be invaluable for my career.”
Connie: “Absolutely! You can’t pass up an opportunity like this! Think of all the doors this will open for you.”
Jared: "You can get work experience elsewhere. This isn’t the be all and end all of your career. I’m sure you could easily get hired to firm that’s a better fit for you.”
[[Rational Answer->Experience Rational Answer]]
[[Emotional Answer->Experience Emotional Answer]]You: “This would open so many doors for me in the future that passing this up would be insane! I can’t miss an opportunity like this!”
Jared: “But think of yourself! Is this really what you want?”
Connie: “Of course she wants this! Who wouldn’t want an opportunity like this?”
[[Next->Long Hours]]You: “I think you’re right, Jared. This isn’t the only job out there and I can get experience somewhere else where they are truer to my values.”
Jared: “That’s what I’m talking about! Stay true to yourself.”
Connie: “But this kind of opportunity come once in a life time! Nothing will look as good on your resume as this firm! Think about it, Caroline!”
[[Next->Long Hours]]You: “Well, another thing that worries me is that this job would entail long hours at the office, and not that much time for myself. I would probably be looking at 80-hour work weeks because I need to prove myself. Should I really be sacrificing myself like this?”
Jared: “Why on earth would you sacrifice yourself for some corporation like that? What would they give you back? Just some money? That won’t buy back the time that you lost while slaving for them”
Connie: “Yes, it’s a big sacrifice, but you have to prove yourself so that you can advance within the firm, and get more responsibility. Imagine all the things you could accomplish after you've climbed the ladder at the firm!”
[[Rational Answer->Long Hours Rational Answer]]
[[Emotional Answer->Long Hours Emotional Answer]]You: “Yeah I could really make a difference at the firm if I climb the ladder! I’d have to sacrifice a bit of myself now, but later on I would reap the benefits, and then I would have more time to enjoy things. I’m still young, I have the energy for this.”
Connie: “Precisely. You can have time for yourself when you're older. Now is the time for a little self-sacrifice while you still have the energy for it.”
Jared: “Are you kidding me? You’ll just be tired all the time and hate your life! And later on what will you have as a reward? You can’t use money to get all that lost time back!”
[[Next->Values]]You: “You’re right, Jared. I can never get that time back, and I would just be tired and unhappy with my life since it would be consumed by work. I don’t know if I could live like that.”
Jared: “You need to listen to yourself, girl. You need to hear what your body is telling you.”
Connie: “Yes, that time won’t come back, but it wouldn’t be wasted! You would be using it to make yourself a better lawyer and you would gain recognition at the firm. Think about what you could do with all that experience and that position!”
[[Next->Values]]You: “But how could I spend all this time out of my life working for a company that puts profit and numbers before people? We’re supposed to be helping people!”
Jared: "That’s just typical corporate greed. You need to go out there, help people, and make a difference instead of just bringing value to some soulless shareholders!”
Connie: “Ah, Jared, always the romantic. Caroline, sometimes we have to work for companies which we don’t fully agree with. That’s just how the world works. These corporations are calculative, but in the end they exist to make money.”
[[Rational Answer->Values Rational Answer]]
[[Emotional Answer->Values Emotional Answer]]You: “I guess you’re right, Connie. I need to put my personal values aside for a while to further my career.”
Connie: “You know I’m right. We don’t live in some fantasy world where everything runs on rainbows and happiness. We need to make compromises in the real world.”
Jared: “I do not fucking agree with you, Connie. Caroline shouldn't sacrifice her core values for money and greed like this.”
[[Next->Motivation]]You: “How could I sell myself out like this? To a company which doesn’t share my values at all?”
Jared: “You shouldn’t. It’s not right.”
Connie: “And how is she supposed to live, Jared? This is an amazing opportunity that she would be crazy to pass by! A little sacrifice now will take her a long way in the future."
[[Next->Motivation]]You: “But if I took the job how could I keep myself motivated to work day after day at a place like that? This career path isn’t the thing that sets me on fire, exactly. It’s what I’m good at but I don’t have a huge passion for this…”
Connie: “Listen, Caroline. Sometimes we have to take jobs which aren't exactly our biggest passions. It’s hard, but it will give you a career in the long run. And in the future once you’ve done this long enough, you can transition to a different role within the firm. It’s just a bit of self-sacrifice.”
Jared: “Nah, that’s bullshit. Why should you pursue something that isn’t your passion? Sounds to me like you need to reinvent yourself.”
[[Rational Answer->Motivation Rational Answer]]
[[Emotional Answer->Motivation Emotional Answer]]You: “Yeah, I think you have a point, Connie. If I just put my personal feelings aside for some time and work hard now, I can do something really cool in the future.”
Connie: “A little sacrifice now will take you a long way later. Just push through it.”
Jared: “You know you’re just going to hate your life, right? Every moment you won’t be at work, you’ll be dreading going back to work. It’s going to really suck. Mark my words.”
[[Next->Purpose]]You: “I think I really need to consider what I actually want from my life. Is being lawyer what I really want?”
Jared: “Dig deep inside yourself, Caroline. Find out what you really want from life.”
Connie: “Oh please, Jared. Stop with that pretentious crap. Caroline, you can think about all this stuff while you’re working at that firm. That way you won’t have to risk your financial situation because of your uncertainties.”
[[Next->Purpose]]You: “But if this isn’t what I want in life then what should I be doing? How do I know what I want?”
Connie: “Hey you wouldn’t have spent all those years in law school and graduated at the top of your class if you didn’t want this. Think about it. You just need to push through the beginning of your career.”
Jared: “Or you just did this because you thought you have to. Your parents always pushed you to law school. Maybe you never wanted this after all.”
[[Rational Answer->Purpose Rational Answer]]
[[Emotional Answer->Purpose Emotional Answer]]You: “I wouldn’t have spent all that time in law school for nothing, you’re right. I just need to work hard now!”
Jared: “You’re fooling yourself! You’re just trying to convince yourself you actually want this so that you won’t have to face your feelings. You can’t run from your feelings forever.”
Connie: “She’s not running from anything, Jared. She knows what she wants and now she just needs to grit her teeth and keep pushing forward.”
[[Next->Decision]]You: “I’m not sure I ever really wanted this. I went to law school so that my parents would be happy. I wanted to make them proud.”
Connie: “And that’s very admirable that you wanted to make them proud. But you can’t just throw away all of that hard work now! You have to see this through!”
Jared: “Don’t listen to her, Caroline. There is no need for you to continue down this path if you don’t want to. Don’t turn away from how you feel.”
[[Next->Decision]]You: “Thanks a lot for your input, you two. I knew I could trust you to give me your honest opinions.”
Jared: “Any time Connie, I’m always here for you. I don’t think you should take this job. You don’t sound like you want it, and you’d be selling your happiness away.”
Connie: “Glad I could help but I have to disagree with Jared here. You should absolutely take this job. It’ll be tough but the benefits you’ll reap from this many years later will be substantial.”
What will you choose?
[[Rational Choice->Rational Ending]]
[[Emotional Choice->Emotional Ending]]You take the job and start working at the prestigious law firm next week. The work is tough and the hours are long, but the pay is very good and the experience immeasurable. However, you feel very tired outside of work and you barely have time for yourself, not to mention your family and friends.
You keep telling yourself that this will all pay off in the future, but you can’t stop thinking whether this line of work is actually what you want and if will this make you happy in the long term.
[[Play Again->Main Menu]]You reject the offer and decide you don’t want to be lawyer. You feel an immense sense of relief after making this big life changing decision, although your parents aren’t happy about this change.
At first the freedom is liberating, but after a while you feel lost because you don’t know what it is you want in life. You get a menial job, which isn’t very challenging or interesting, but allows you to pay for rent while you try to figure out what it is that you want from life.
[[Play Again->Main Menu]]<h1 class="intro">An interactive short story by Aromatic Sennel & juleswhatevs</h1>
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