fandomhigh | Ethics [Tuesday, November 25]

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Ethics [Tuesday, November 25]

Today the desks in Anakin's classroom had been pushed along the walls and replaced with cushy pillows and blankets. There was a giant table in the front of the room creaking with the weight of Thanksgiving treats. Fear not--it was all ordered in. Anakin wasn't a fan of ovens.

"Today we talk about sloth," Anakin said, holding himself even more carefully and clearly uncomfortable with the very idea of relaxing. The students were certainly not expected to be held to the same standard. "Originally, sloth was described as 'an uneasiness of the mind'," Anakin continued. "Apathy. Melancholy. Joylessness. And importantly, the decision not to do anything about it."

He shrugged. "The modern view understands that the mind is slightly more complicated than that and sometimes it is impossible to will yourself not to be sad. Instead, this sin focuses on the failure to utilize your talents and gifts."

He gestured at the table. "This Thursday, there is a holiday celebrating sloth--or at least the lethargy that comes from overeating. Millions of people in this country will spend time ignoring their relatives and watching football. It's a national holiday." He shrugged again. "I don't pretend to understand it."

He lit his lightsaber and began slicing the turkey, mostly because he would never, ever, ever get away with that at the Thanksgiving he'd be going to. "So today, embrace your inner sloth and eat until you're ready to take a nap. But first find a fellow student, tell them one of your talents--and no one is allowed to cop out and say they don't have one--and how you use it here at school."

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"I think so too," he said, poking at it with a fork. "Caprica doesn't celebrate this type of thing. A holiday specifically for food, that is."

"Caprica is where you're from? I've never heard of this place," she commented before taking a bite of her stuffing.

"Different planet," Lee supplied. "Far, far away from this place. I've only been here for about a year and a half or so."

Penelope smiled. "I'm still getting used to people actually living on other planets, but interestingly so. I've been here only since the beginning of this semester; my first school."

"Caprica's not very different from Earth. It's a little less crowded." Lee asked. "Where're you from?"

"I haven't traveled much, but I would like to," she said. But that might very well come after the curse has been broken. "I'm from London, England ~~without the lovely accent, la!~~. Quite a ways from home myself. Are you a senior, Lee?"

"I'm a senior," he said, nodding. "So, outta here in few months. What about you?"

"A junior and I'm looking forward to spending the time here," she said, her grin slightly impish.

"Would you like to tell me now about a talent, or gift you might have?"

"Uh, pretty good at flying things," he said. "Pilot and all."

"A pilot? Wow, that's amazing. For how long?"

"Couple of years," he said. "My dad's military so I kind of had to learn some things. I just took to flying more than anything else."

"That's wonderful; definitely a talent to be proud of," she told him, feeling awkward now because she had nothing to remotely compare to.

"What about you?" Lee asked.

"Oh," she said in a small voice, "I don't have anything to compare to flying, but I play the piano."

"It compares fine," he said. "I can't play the piano. I can't play any kind of instrument."

She smiled. "I'm in music club and I love it. I've only ever just played for my family, so it's nice to get to share it." A beat. "Do you have a plane here you get to fly?"

"Nah, nothing here," he said. "I've used the sim on a few occasions but I don't have enough money or anything to get one of my own here."

"Oh, I see," she nodded. "Is the sim very comparable to the real thing?"

"It's not bad," he said thoughtfully. "I mean, it's obvious that it's not real but it's good in a pinch and it's better than nothing."

"I like your talent, Lee. Now that I know it, you definitely look like a pilot."

He laughed and said, "Thanks. You don't look like a piano player but I've only known one of those."

Penelope laughed and ducked her head somewhat. "Someday, maybe I'll have the opportunity to play for you. I just can't really tote around a piano."

She was a dork sometimes.

"Yeah, I bet that'd be hell on your back," he agreed with a laugh. "I can't carry around a sim either so I know the feeling."

Lee was cute, Penelope decided.

"Do you think a talent and a gift, are the same thing?"

"I don't know if I've ever thought about it in those terms," he admitted. "I think they could be the same thing though talent brings to mind something you practice more at than a gift. Gift sounds naturally occurring."

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