fandomhigh | Ethics [Thursday, September 6]

Anakin walked into his classroom precisely on time and gave the students assembled there an appraising glance.

It wasn't possible to tell what he thought of them.

"I'm Master Skywalker," he said in a voice that was intended to carry, "this is Ethics, and we're going to skip the introductions--I'll figure out who you are--and move straight to our first discussion."

He paced around the room, cloak flaring out behind him, as he handed out the syllabus. "Today's topic," he said. "Self sacrifice: knowing the difference between saving people and being a pretentious twit."

"Any time I ask a a group of people what they would do to save someone they love, they all blither on about how they would set the world on fire, lie, cheat, steal, kill, die, et cetera, et cetera. I've been at this school too long to believe that half of you haven't already been put into this situation and I'm in no mood to hear adolescent ramblings about how wonderful you were or might hypothetically be. We're going to ground it in reality.

"A month ago there was a woman who was in charge of this school. She had been placed in power legitimately, was allowed to punish in accordance with that power, and began pushing the boundaries of her authority almost immediately. She called students to her office, punished them for slights genuine or imagined, and began escalating the severity and frequency of her punishments, going over the line into what was no longer acceptable."

Anakin crossed his arms over his chest, the scar across his face very evident in the light coming through the window. "It eventually took a team of highly qualified adults to take her out. Today's topic: when do you draw the line? When do you admit to yourself that a problem cannot be solved, that to sacrifice yourself isn't a statement, it's merely pointless? How long does it take for you to check your ego?"

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Jamie nodded in agreement with a somewhat indescribable expression on his face.

"I guess that feeds into your topic of the day," he replied.

"But I also have to wonder about that line you were talking about," Jamie said after a moments hesitation. "And what actions are justifiable against someone or someones who... has taken severe actions against you."

"It depends on your motive," Anakin said promptly. "If you go after him because he's harmed you--for revenge--things get a little dark. If you go after him to prevent him from hurting others in the same way, you're on slightly firmer footing. I've done both. The second way makes it easier to sleep at night."

"Does self-preservation somehow work into that anywhere?" Jamie asked looking concerned.

"There are worse things than being killed," Anakin said, "but yes, self-preservation can be a factor. But that's much more something you decide in the moment. You can't go hunting for someone and then declare it was self-preservation. In that case you were picking a fight and you need to own up to it."

"Yeah. That sounds about right I guess," Jamie said with a troubled look. "I do have one more question for you, if that's okay?"

"Of course," Anakin said, watching Jamie carefully.

"What exactly would you do... for a klondike bar?" Jamie asked breaking into a big grin.

Anakin pointed to the door. "Goodbye, Mister Madrox. Life was entirely too normal without you."

Jamie grinned and left the room singing the Klondike ice cream jingle.

Ethics [Thursday, September 6]

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