fandomhigh | Ethics [Tuesday, February 10, 2nd period]

Anakin was in a very good mood this morning. Something about seeing old friends and a wife's ex-boyfriend transformed into a girl had cheered him right up.

"Today we talk about something called the Golden Rule, a concept which unites many separate religions on this planet," he began, leaning against his desk and stared around the classroom. "It sounds altruistic: 'do unto others as you would have done unto you', but there's a couple of logical flaws in it. What if you don't mind getting poked in the stomach? Does it follow that you could wander around aimlessly poking people? What if you don't see what's wrong with stealing? Or killing? Or hating entire groups of people on principle? If the practical application is supposed to be you randomly help people because they could be good, wouldn't the opposite be that you could randomly harm people because they might be evil?"

He shrugged. "I suppose the Golden Rule could be broken down to 'be nice to people, and they'll be nice to you' but out here in the real world, we all know it doesn't exactly work like that, and the concept could also be reinterpreted as 'it doesn't bother me, so why does it bother you?' Is this a case of aiming for an ideal and hoping that it will cause a ripple effect of positive things, or something overly simplistic that taken to its logical extreme renders itself useless? Has seeing it on everything from coffee mugs to tea towels made the very idea of it trite, or does it still have a place in the mind of someone trying to lead an ethical life?"

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Anakin, eyes twinkling in amusement, waved Jess inside after the rest of his students were gone. "Good morning."

"Morning," Jess said weakly as he came inside. "You look like you're in a good mood for once." Gee, why could that be?

"I'm often in a good mood," Anakin replied. Big liar. "It was a nice weekend. How was yours?"

"It could have been better," Jess said casually. "I don't suppose you went crazy like everyone else and can't remember anything?"

Big smile. "No."

"And if I said I spent all weekend in my room and never left...?"

"I'm not sure I'd buy that," Anakin replied.

"I'm assuming everyone around here knows, thanks to the freaking radio," Jess said. "But people who don't live on the island don't need to know I was a vapid, annoying girl this weekend, don't you think?"

"Who got grounded for almost joining a cult," Anakin added helpfully.

"I've never joined a cult," Jess pointed out, because that really made a difference right now.

"And you're not a cheerleader, right?" Anakin asked oh-so-innocently.

"Only in my nightmares."

Anakin snickered. He might be having a little too much fun with this.

"I'm glad you're finding this amusing," Jess said, rolling his eyes. "Does Rory know what happened?"

"If I say yes, what will you do?" Anakin asked.

"I won't be surprised," Jess answered. "You having the chance to make me look like an idiot and not taking it would be highly unlike you."

"You were funny," Anakin pointed out.

"I wasn't trying to be funny," Jess said. "I'm not exactly in the business of entertaining people."

"Turn into a girl more often," Anakin advised, the corners of his mouth curling up.

"No thanks. It's a lot better to be a guy," Jess insisted. "Especially when turning into a girl seems to involve an IQ reduction."

"Just that particular girl, maybe," Anakin said. "I certainly wouldn't think it's all of them."

"Okay, well, I'm never turning into that girl again. I just wanted you to know that you'll have to find your amusement somewhere else," Jess said, sighing.

"Never say never here," Anakin said. "The island has a sense of humor."

Ethics [Tuesday, February 10, 2nd period]

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