are the combine really evil?

[SirYiffsaLot]

I don't see what is so bad about unification, but still, if you joined you could learn more about the universe and stuff


also in a irl scenario humanity wouldn't probably really stand against something like the combine, do you think the combine are really evil? or is it just humanity refusing to cooperate?

[Major Havoc]

I think the Combine might qualify as a Type 2 or 3 civilization and see us as useful ants. Watch this video to see what I mean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GooNhOIMY0

[_GoldSrc_]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOhi1ATMkUM

that video makes the combine look not as bad as we think.

[darkside0ptown]

well; concepts of good and evil can be quantified by intent. I would normally agree with above mentioned comments but for one thing. At the begining of HL2, you notice a combine soldier purposely knock a soda can off a trash can for the joy of making us pick it up. To me they make no mistake in communicating that not only do they view us as "ants" to quaote top comment; but they also just barely tollerate us. I guess asking if the combine are good or evil is like asking if Rome was good or evil, as well as the Nazi's from WWII, lol

[WhoToTrus]

Originally posted by darkside0ptown:

well; concepts of good and evil can be quantified by intent. I would normally agree with above mentioned comments but for one thing. At the begining of HL2, you notice a combine soldier purposely knock a soda can off a trash can for the joy of making us pick it up. To me they make no mistake in communicating that not only do they view us as "ants" to quaote top comment; but they also just barely tollerate us. I guess asking if the combine are good or evil is like asking if Rome was good or evil, as well as the Nazi's from WWII, lol

They ain't combine soliders, it's a normal citizen as a CP.

[Eru]

The Combine is most comparable to an 'evil' organisation not because of what they are capable of achieving but how they treat their people. If you look at those who go against the Combine, it's not a happy story.

[that's what she said]

If I were a cow I'd think humanity is evil.
If I were a potato I'd still think humanity is evil.
It's relative concept depending on point of view. There is no such things as good or bad, we created them to regulate our own society. Just the same way as our brain creates colours. It's just a human concept. Combines are evil because what they do differs from OUR own concept of good that we created by ourselves for ourselves.
In the end we are a resource, and they are gathering resources. Just like we do. And all of us are so unique yet uniqueness of everyone is what makes us equal. Combines may have another social concepts. And they have to have different concepts of morality as they are not all human after all so our concepts don't work for them.
Combines can't be evil. We just don't like them.

[The Longest Rose]

The Combine...
Violently turn rebels into freaks of nature enslaved to them.
Suppress human reproduction to end the species.
Commit atrocities, brutalities, and genocide on a regular basis.
Use zombies and headcrabs to eliminate rebel strongholds.
Are in the process of stripping Earth dry of resources.
Enslave entire populations of planets.
Forcibly modify entire populations of planets.
Somehow I don't think they have our best intentions in mind.

[born to shit, forced to wipe]

Have you ever lived in a communistic country, or one under occupation? These guys are like Nazis x10.

[Canopus]

I wouldn't call the advisors evil because they are so different than we are. Maybe they have the best intentions in mind for us. Maybe they don't know the concept of different opinions if they have some kind of Hivemind themselves, so for them rebels would just be troublemaking terrorists that disturb peace for no good reason. Yes they drastically alter the earths ecosystem maybe intentionally or accidentaly through bringing Aliens here but they probably think we humans won't need it anymore once we have been upgraded to their standarts.
Dr Breen and the human elements of the Combine (atleast the ones that still think for themselves) most likely just became corrupted by the power the advisors gave to them over the regular citizens.

[AlexeY]

I second OP. http://youtu.be/gsuJgNjDMSE

[Panda]

ummmmmm the combine wont let you reproduce... that is pretty evil.

[Cats Own]

Originally posted by Ambassador of the PC Masterrace:

Have you ever lived in a communistic country, or one under occupation? These guys are like Nazis x10.

It make me wonder if they brought Adolf Hitler back to life or just made a clone of him to fight for the Combine.

[Satanic Warhamster]

It's not that what they are doing to us is evil. I believe, the actions of combine portrays what humans do to each other and puts us in the underdog position. Just like people from the old world killing Native Americans. There are many more examples if you care to look for them.

Also, Breen made some very good points about the combine.

Originally posted by Dr. Breen:

Did the lungfish refuse to breathe air? It did not. It crept forth boldly while its brethren remained in the blackest ocean abyss, with lidless eyes forever staring at the dark, ignorant and doomed despite their eternal vigilance. Would we model ourselves on the trilobite? Are all the accomplishments of humanity fated to be nothing more than a layer of broken plastic shards thinly strewn across a fossil bed, sandwiched between the Burgess shale and an eon's worth of mud? In order to be true to our nature, and our destiny, we must aspire to greater things. We have outgrown our cradle.

On my n-th run of HL2, this speech really got to me and I couldn't shake the cognitive dissonance for the rest of the game. Why am I fighting for the rebels when combine is clearly the way to go? Now that's brilliant writing.

[Satanic Warhamster]

Good point. Still, take any major genocide throughout recentish history and you'll get many similarities.

[Mandla]

Originally posted by Major Havoc:

I think the Combine might qualify as a Type 2 or 3 civilization and see us as useful ants. Watch this video to see what I mean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GooNhOIMY0

Whoa.