Constrained and Open-Ended Choices

I've been thinking about, if I were putting together a full system for Librarians Errant (aka Battle Librarians of Gnosi), what it would look like. I've thought about it both in powered-by-the-apocalypse terms and Chuubo's terms (which makes sense, as those are the main systems I'm manic about these days). And in thinking about how I'd express something in either system, I came to realize how the systems feel different to me. They're both systems with a focus on narrative, to large extent. But Apocalypse World feels more focused on choices within limits, whereas Chuubo's is more on open-ended creativity. And this division reminds me on distinctions in Guild LARPs.

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Sunflowers, Continuing

A sunflower might only follow the sun. A scorpion might, by its nature, sting regardless of circumstance. But we are full of massing contradictions, triggered by consequence and reaction.

If you assume a logical contradiction, you can prove anything. All is true, nothing is meaningful.

Most would not say, for us, that nothing is true and everything is permitted. But nevertheless, our contradictory tangle has similar weaknesses. We think we have consistent, firm views, but it's easy to set our goals in conflict, and exploit this to create new beliefs and new goals. Our desires for fellowship, to avoid doubt, to avoid admitting a mistake... There are many paths through the tangle. In the right environment, a conscious person can believe anything.

Which leads me to wonder. It's clear you're not a sunflower. But from where do your beliefs spring?