Regret

Thought For Today:

” Regret is the worst of human emotions. There is no going back with regret. There is no future with regret. Regret is not something I live with. If there is something I wished I hadn’t done, I don’t do it anymore or I forgive myself and try better.
My life is my statement and I try to be true to myself and thusly to other people. Whatever my failings are, they are human and I try to perfect it each day. “
-William Fucking Shatner, at Slashdot

Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

72 thoughts on “Regret”

  2. Did you mean “William Fucking Shatner” as a term of endearment.. or are you pissed about the reply he gave you in his interview?
    About the interview — why did you choose Slashdot as a medium for your conversation with Shatner? Couldn’t you have called him up or dropped him an email?

  3. Hey – i’ve visited your site a couple times, and i’ve enjoyed reading it! but I’m wondering why the William F-ing Shatner … is there a story here as to why he deserves this?

  4. I think the “William Fucking Shatner” is kind of a joke at this point. Before the Weakest Link show, it was serious, but now that they’ve kissed and made up (awww… shmoopy…), all is well.

  5. Hmmm…poignant thought of the day, eh? If only he wrote like that he wouldn’t need Judith Reeves-Stevens to ghost write his books.

  6. I thought his slashdot answers were too brief and all-around lame. What’s with the “personal time” at the end of his response to you? Did you really watch the world series together?

  7. Ah, the wonders of slashdot. I’m a little disappointed with the interview (Shatner’s responses are too short to too many questions), but seeing as how you’re so cool with the dude, Wil, maybe a little interview for WWDN? Eh?

  9. I smiled when I saw that “CleverNickname” got a question in, but was puzzled as to why you thought Shatner didn’t like you (and why that matters). I missed the Weakest Link episode, and now I wished I had seen it, so as to have a clue.

  11. Ok, good to know i’m not the only one who doesn’t get the WFS thing. I read the Slashdot thing, so glad to know you and Bill are cool, seriously 🙂 saw all the hello my name is … sticker shirts at the store, so whats the deal??

  12. I like Shatner’s regret quote, though I suspect that most of us regret the things we didn’t do more than the things we did (hence the old chestnut about how it’s better to look back and wish you hadn’t done something than etc.)
    Also, “I look forward to some personal time with you” — hark, I hear the sound of a hundred slash-fiction writers (metaphorically) sharpening their pencils in anticipation…!

  13. I was so happily surprised to see your question in the slashdot interview. I was really losing interest reading the short answers until I came across your question :-).

  15. Okay i’m going to say that the /. interview was pretty good. They just had some of the wrong questions.
    When i saw that CleverNickName got a question in i started laughing before i even read the question. That’s just funny. But again. So is this personal time your planning with Mr. Shatner going to be a private interview for wwdn? Maybe you can get better questions to ask from your readers than /. did.
    Peace all.

  16. You know … he doesn’t strike me as someone who TRIES to be a dick. He’s just honestly a bit clueless. It’s still frustrating for those around him, but he’s just … dense when it comes to human interaction. But not a *bad* guy. I’ve known people like that … still can’t stand to be around them, but they aren’t actively malicious. Just clueless.

  17. You gotta love The Shat.
    Oh and Wil, when you spend this so-called “personal time” with him, you should DEFINITELY wear the shirt. Just a suggestion.

  21. I dunno.
    I think it’s counter productive to continue to regret, to allow it to follow you for ages.
    But regret is the driving force (or should be) behind any true apology.
    If you wish that an action of yours had not caused someone pain, or that you had not done an action that caused someone pain. –That’s regret.
    And it’s okay to move past it, put it behind you, learn and grow and move on.
    But if there is no regret to motivate–would you do it again and repeat actions that caused pain?
    (sorry about the rant, that’s a sore spot for me–as I have an ex-friend who refused to feel bad about any of her actions. She didn’t believe in ‘regret’)
    irv

  22. Wow. William “fucking” Shatner said that.
    I gained a new respect for the man.
    Thanks for sharing Wil. Very Poignant.

  23. Who knew that Shatner could be so profound…?
    Wil, I read you latest comment about FofR & boy or boy are you RIGHT about that! The extended version is phenomenal! And all the special futures (though some argue, take away from the realism of the final product on film) provide an amazing insight into the loving care and blood, sweat and tears that went into making of this movie. It is definately more than a film – it’s an experience and the craft of the cast and the director (and all the crew) is just wonderfu. I can’t sing enough praises about this movie & I can’t wait to see Two Towers. BTW, last Sunday we went to the TT exhibit here in Toronto & we got to see the costumes and the weapons – what a treat!

  24. I work hard to live without regret. In fact, I can safely and honestly say that I regret NOTHING I’ve ever said or done in my life. Nothing. And I’m able to do that because I’m self-aware enough to check and double-check the decisions that I make to be sure they are the right ones for me. I just wish the rest of the world lived that way.

  25. Phil–as someone who actually enjoys slash, can I just say: Bill and Wil? No. Just no. In fact, ewwwwwwww even. *shudders dramatically*

  27. He’s right. And he speaks like a true nice, polite Canadian. I try to live my life with the same attitude. Live and learn, kids.
    Vive la capitaine (or is that “il capitaine”).

  28. Had just finished reading slashdot and was popping to your site to see if you had a comment on them using your question.
    The regret statement was the best part of the interview and a good one to bring over to the site.
    If you do spend personal time with WFS, tell him that he was a defining person in my life (I was a kid, how did I know it was bad acting?) and is likely the reason I became interested in sci-fi to begin with, and stuck around long enough to be a fan o’ yours.
    Now my kids watch TNG repeats like I watched ST repeats and I have to smile.

  29. Wil, you gotta explain WFS for the WWDN newbies or they get all confused and wonder if you secretly hate the guy =)

  34. Correct me if I’m wrong, WW, but I think the F in WFS is just an “can you believe it’s actually him?!” kind of thing and not meant pejoratively. Maybe it’s used a bit ironically, but I don’t think it was meant as “that scumbag”.
    You might say “Dude – that’s George Freaking Lucas over there!” but it’s doubtful you’d say, “Dude – that’s Avery Freaking Shriver!”

  37. When I saw the Weakest Link episode I wondered if the tiff with the woman who played Torres was real or acting. She seemed really pissed at you which I thought was weird.

  40. Just on a sidenote; Turn off your tv once in a while, and live in the real world instead. Shatner was right, you know? It was just a tv-show.

  41. Matt wrote: “Wil, you gotta explain WFS for the WWDN newbies or they get all confused and wonder if you secretly hate the guy =)”
    Yeah, we need a definitive history of the whole thing from the horse’s (or rather monkey’s) mouth, Wil. I *did* used to have it all straight in my mind, but I’m all confuzzled now.

  42. Okay, Cherish posted this above but it was so funny, I felt I must repost it.
    I don’t know if anyone even got it, more’s the pity.
    But here’s another chance:
    “Hey Will,
    you and Bil are so cool!!!”
    There.
    I do have to say that the comment in the interview about personal time really does have to make you go “Hm.”

  43. What’s with mis-spelling your name, man?
    jeesh.
    i think it’s funny that you’re still catching flack for the weakest link show. like you were being anything better than HALF the asshole that the host is.
    RE: the personal time – marrasaff suggested you wear the shirt. I want to one-up that suggestion, and propose that you have printed and wear the THONG. he need never see it. but YOU’D know, and wouldn’t that be worth a lot?

  44. Shatner didn’t learn much French while in Montreal, apparently – “Oh Contrare”? Come on…

  45. My understanding from reading the comments associated with the interview was that Shatner was not typing his responses himself. He was responding verbally and someone else was typing the replies. If true, you can’t indict him for the spelling.
    Say what you like about his acting, but his acting was excellent in his two Twilight Zone appearances. I thought it was just right in the original Star Trek, as well. He -was- Captain Kirk, and that was what Kirk was like. (I’ve known people in real life who should be accused of bad acting…unfortunately, that’s how they are.) I think he became a bit too self-conscious of himself as Kirk in the movies…almost a self-parody.
    IMO, of course.

  47. This sounds like it could be a “Successories” quote. I bet Wm. F. Shatner has his house fully decorated with those.

  48. Wil with two L’s *shakes head*
    Silly Slashdot…
    I remember the days when people knew that WFS was a symbol of hate and toupes but sadly no longer.
    This interview may change things.
    Long live needless grudges and hammy actors!!!
    Oh and Wil. Always Wil.

  50. I second — wait, third — wait, fourth? what the hell, who cares which number I am — the motion to retell the WFS story. My newbie mind is curled up on the floor in the fetal position, whimpering in confusion…

Comments are closed.

Related Posts

Recent Posts