"You do not realize how backwards your concepts and morals are. You say that you wish to save Earth. Why? Because you were born there, because you and all the other earthlings descended from the same strain of DNA? You do not understand how stupid such reasoning is. Your planet is still full of concepts of discrimination because of race, of sex, of culture, of class, of disability, of sexuality, of age, of species, of point of origin. You still have obscure, esoteric religions that people wholeheartedly believe in, for goodness’ sake. The Game was created to prevent wanton destruction for such idiotic reasons!

"And do you really think you are wrong, that your ideals are backwards? Of course not! This is going in one ear and out the other. But you’ll learn. When you see the universe, the Game in all its glory and shame, perhaps your mind will slowly open. Perhaps not. You were born on a small planet, and have only just begun your journey. You are not yet ready, Traveler.”

“How stupid such reasoning is!?” Alan shouted back. “I don’t think you understand. If such bonds are meaningless, does that mean that I should not care about my family? How can you assert that I should not care for other humans? What do you propose I should fight for instead, myself? With what aim, to simply get stronger?

"I don’t think you understand what the world was like before the Game, where because of selfishness people allowed others to starve, to die, to war. And for what, a bit of wealth? You say the Game was created to prevent such wanton destruction, but now that it is created, what next? People surely continue to fight, just the results are less destructive.

"Before the Game, before all this happened, I had no real cause. I was simply going to school, to college, following the path set before me because there was nothing else. I never really tried, never really even felt like trying. What was the point? There was only so much that I could do. I wasn’t any genius like Einstein, or a brilliant artist, so I silently trudged down the path. Not quite happy, but not quite sad, continuing forward. But now, finally, I have a purpose, a goal. I can see that I can change the world, perhaps even save it from outside control. How is that wrong?”

Phantom shook his head, looking at Alan calmly. “You could have always strived to change your world, to save it. The Game just makes it deceptively easier to do so. It also allows you to make greater mistakes than ever before. I am not saying that it is wrong to care for others, to try to help your world, I’m simply saying you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. What happens after you ‘save’ your world, after the conquerors have been fought back? Have you thought at all about how your education system should be reformed, about the social aspects of your own world?