Submitted by Frank3634 t3_zzw8dc in television
bigcup321 t1_j2eavp6 wrote
Reply to comment by Frank3634 in Question about Travelers by Frank3634
That's the point.
If they have to remember to call each by their host name in public and traveler numbers in private, that means that they get a lot of time practicing using traveler numbers out loud to each other.
The more you practice something, the easier it is to do. Because of that frequent practice of using the traveler number, they would become more likely to accidentally use the traveler number in public and raise questions.
If instead they use the traveler number as little as possible, and constantly practice addressing each other by the host names, it reduces the possibility of accidentally using the traveler number in front of non-travelers.
They live their full lives in that host, including times when they might be drunk, injured, or otherwise mentally not at their best, and in any state under any circumstances they must continue to maintain the illusion that they are the hosts or they will risk the success of the entire program (consistent with what Spartyjason said about going undercover in general).
Frank3634 OP t1_j2eek9y wrote
>If they have to remember to call each by their host name in public and traveler numbers in private, that means that they get a lot of time practicing using traveler numbers out loud to each other.
Huh? But why traveler #s? Don't they have real names in the future? Like they would ever answer to what is your name with "4532" I don't think so.
I am talking about an actual name, didn't they have these in the future? How would a human in the present know what a travel number is?
bigcup321 t1_j2eik8n wrote
Was your whole question really supposed to be about their future names?
It looks like everybody understandably took your main question to be what you actually started with, "Why do the travelers keep the names of their host bodies?" plus "I understand when interacting with people from the present. Why keep the ruse amongst themselves?"
The part about future names seemed easy to overlook if you're assuming that all of the questions were supposed to be ways to elaborate on a single topic of the value of sticking only to the host name in all situations.
Forgetting all that and just addressing future names, in season 3, episode 9, "David asks Mac what his real name is, in the future. Mac gives Marcy the side eye for letting David know about the future- maybe there’s still time to give him some memory serum before he dies. But he tells David his name is 3468" (quote from a recap).
There's no reason for Mac to lie, though logically we can't rule it out. Barring any further clues, it does seem like Mac's only future name is this number. I'm not aware of there being any official explanation, but if I had to write the backstory on that, I'd guess travelers would probably be required to abandon their original lives and identities in service of the program because they needed to be ready to become the host identity as much as necessary without distraction or conflict created by clinging to any past names, ties, or habits. Assigning a number instead of a name would be one way of maintaining clear identification without reminding them of their original lives.
Frank3634 OP t1_j2ej52m wrote
The question is pretty straightforward.
​
>I'd guess travelers would probably be required to abandon their original
lives and identities in service of the program because they needed to
be ready to become the host identity as much as necessary without
distraction or conflict created by clinging to any past names, ties, or
habits.
Best answer so far. Was this given in the show. If not a misfire for the series.
bigcup321 t1_j2eklg0 wrote
If your question is why travelers used host names among themselves even when no people from the present were around, it is straightforward.
Otherwise, the fact that everyone was answering the above question instead of what you actually wanted to know proves that your question was not straightforward.
Frank3634 OP t1_j2ekqxj wrote
It was, but I guess not for you.
BeautifulHindsight t1_j2ehkir wrote
Wow lmfao
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