sith_happened: (Anakin: from behind)
Anakin Skywalker ([personal profile] sith_happened) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2008-01-23 11:05 pm
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Ethics [Thursday, January 24]

When the students came into the classroom, they found Anakin scrawling a quote on the board:

In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.”--John Ruskin


He turned around with an eyebrow raised. "Is Master Ruskin correct? How about Master Lao Tzu? He said: 'Pride attaches undue importance to the superiority of one's status in the eyes of others; and shame is fear of humiliation at one's inferior status in the estimation of others. When one sets his heart on being highly esteemed, and achieves such rating, then he is automatically involved in fear of losing his status.'"

He began pacing around the room. "Does pride always go before a fall? Do we have to be humiliated before we can learn? How high do the stakes have to be before we'll admit we've made a mistake, or have been fooled?"

"In order to deal ethically with other people, we need to acknowledge this very human flaw in ourselves and others. We want to believe that we are different, better than everyone around us." His gaze sharpened. "We're not. Everything is connected. You, me, the desks, the rocks outside, the deer in the preserve, the annoying person in the dorm who plays their music too loudly. Take pride in being yourself, certainly," he concluded. "But don't for a moment believe that who you are makes you more than the person sitting next to you. Because that kind of pride is where you make your first mistake."

Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[personal profile] blessed_twice 2008-01-24 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not at all," Wyatt said. "You can learn from your mistakes, but that doesn't mean you have to make them in order to learn."

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[personal profile] blessed_twice 2008-01-25 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
Wyatt blinked. "No," he said slowly. "I said you can learn from your mistakes. Something goes wrong with your plan, you can figure out where the flaw in your thinking was and try again with more success. But if everything goes right on the first try, well, then you've learned what works without any embarrassment or humiliation. So it's totally not required."

Wyatt didn't need to learn anything. He knew he was as good as he thought he was.

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[personal profile] blessed_twice 2008-01-25 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
Wyatt rolled his eyes at Anakin's back.