Why the Island timeline is better by sweetpea2720

I have heard people debate that the alternate time line seems better than the Island time line. I can understand that logic, in the alternate time line they are not being chased by polar bears, black smoke monsters, other's, the freighter folk, they aren't being shot at and shot, no flaming arrows, their not dead! The list goes on and on.

So what do I think the show is telling us by comparing the two? I think it's that even though there was enouph misery according to Jack there were incredible and emotional moments that maybe will never compare to their existence in the alternate time line, that even though as viewers our lives may suck for whatever reason, it is these moments that make life worth living.

Take a look at Jack, yes in the alt time line he has a son that he reconnects with but do these moments compare with finding out who his sister is, falling in love with Kate, his love for Aaron, the moment he has with Sawyer when he finds out that his Dad really did love him and didn't blame him?

As far as Kate goes were not entirely sure if her alt time line is any better at all but if it were I'm sure she would trade it for 3 years of being a mother to Aaron, and her time with Jack and Sawyer.

If we look at Sawyer, I don't see too many improvements accept for the fact that he didn't kill an innocent man that we know of but in the island time line he meets the love of his life even though he loses her but maybe he'll still get to have coffee with her in the alt time line.

With Sun and Jin, to me it's obvious that without their time on the island they would have never fallen in love again.

I'm not so sure about Sayid and Claire, personally I hope that they are able to come out of their zombieness and craziness by the finale. For Sayid I'm sure he wouldn't trade his 9 months of happiness with Nadia to see her "happy" with his brother.

And as far as Locke goes it would be easy to say his alt time line is better mostly because as far as we know he isn't dead in 2007, he could be of course and that he gets to marry Helen but does any of that compare to waking up on a island and being able to walk or believing you have found your ultimate destiny? I know Locke is dead and that dead is dead but I still have hopes for Locke.

The comparisons of the alt time line and the island time line reminds me of a line in Steel Magnolis, "I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special".

Thanks for reading!