fandomhigh | Ethics [Thursday, February 7]

If Anakin seemed a little tense today, well, it was kind of to be expected. Not that he'd be opening up about that at all.

"Today we talk about envy," he said quietly. "There's always something that someone else seems to have that we want: clothing, grades, family, love, looks, acclaim...their achievements remind us of something we don't think we have enough of."

He began pacing as he warmed to his subject. "A wise man once said that envy is the art of counting the other person's blessings instead of your own. An entire industry has sprung up and flourished exploiting the idea that we envy those who have achieved fame." Anakin made a face. "With the equally charming dark side that we'll take joy in watching their failures."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "So today we'll be gossip mongers. Come up with a story about one of the people in this class, in the school, or on the island. It doesn't have to be true. It just has to be something that would get people's attention. Then pass it on. We'll see the ramifications of envy for ourselves."

He was kind of counting on the students choosing to start rumors about people they didn't like. He knew human nature that way.

Someday

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Evey glanced over, noting his frown and raising an eyebrow. "You don't like it either?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "I think I understand what Professor Skywalker is trying to show us, but I don't think I can create a rumour about someone. It's just such a cruel thing to do."

"I can't do it either," she said quietly. "I've seen how much power gossip and ignorance have over people firsthand. But rumors aren't always mean."

He turned in his seat to consider her thoughtfully, leaning forward a little. "They're not?" he finally asked, smiling a little.

She returned the smile and shook her head. "A rumor could be passed about someone doing something wonderful, even if it's not true. Gossip and rumors can move entire populations. It's just rarely in a positive way."

He was nodding slowly as she spoke. "But even if it is a rumour of something wonderful, it could still be harmful," he countered. "And not just because it would be spreading untruths."

"And a rumor of something terrible could potentially do some good, too," she pointed out.

And now he was looking at her curiously. "How so?" he asked.

"If there was a rumor that...I don't know, I was going to throw a pie at Professor Skywalker on the fifteenth," she said, coming up with something random because 'blow up Parliament' was the first example that came to mind, "you would probably try to prevent that before the day in question, or warn him, and people could band together through their desire to prevent this heinous action. Whatever conclusion was reached, people might come together. Unity through chaos."

Karal's eyes went wide and he snuck a peek over his shoulder to make sure the potential pie-victim in question, however hypothetical, hadn't heard. "Yes, but brought together under false pretences. It's just as likely that, when they discovered they'd been lied to, their faith would be damaged, and so they'd be less likely to ever come together again," he replied. "And apart from that, lying should be avoided at all costs. It hurts everyone involved."

"But what if I really was going to do it?" she wondered. "Rumors aren't always lies. There's almost always a grain of truth in there."

"I'm not sure. I have trouble thinking of a rumour as something truthful," he admitted. "And your example is different, somehow. It's saying that something may happen, and it will prove to be right or wrong in time. Rumours that a person has done this thing or that, or believes one way or another - they seem far more harmful." He paused, then added, "Umm, please don't throw a pie at the Professor, or pretend your going to. I really wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

"I won't," she said, having to smile at that. "I'll grant you that, though -- slandering people isn't right. Ever."

"That's good," he said, a touch distracted by her smile. He'd been right when he'd described her to Andrew.

The tips of his ears went faintly pink and he hastily continued, "And I am not going to slander my fellow classmates. Even if everyone here knows it's not true, it could still cause the target to be hurt, and who knows what the squirrels would make of it."

"I agree," Evey said thoughtfully. "Though, really, there has to be a way to manage the assignment without hurting anyone."

"You could make up a rumour about me," he offered with a smile. "I'd know you didn't mean me any harm, so I wouldn't mind."

Evey raised an eyebrow. "All right," she said thoughtfully. "And you can make one up about me."

"That will work well," Karal decided, and tilted his head, trying to think of something. Something harmless and, by preference, nice. He didn't think he could be mean to Evey, not even if it was simply pretending. "Glory, this is difficult."

Evey actually laughed softy. "It kind of is," she said, trying to think of something at least marginally amusing.

Ethics [Thursday, February 7]

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