Ethics [Thursday, September 17, 1st period]

[sith_happened]

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."

Comments

Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[sith_happened]

Take notes, pass notes, take a nap...prepare for detention on those last two, though.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[trigons_child]

Raven had felt fine before the lecture began, but after a few moments she began to experience a strange feeling. She couldn't give it a name, but something inside her stirred.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[sith_happened]

Anakin shot her a slightly concerned look.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[trigons_child]

Raven looked back at Anakin and shook her head, confused. "I feel strange," she said. "I do not think it is any cause for alarm, it is just...strange."

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[sith_happened]

Anakin made a mental note to keep half an eye on her during the discussion, but nodded and moved on.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

Azula kept her eyes forward. This lesson pricked... in more ways than one.

"He's a good teacher," her mother's voice echoed in her head, "it's no wonder you call him 'sifu'."

Azula's jaw clenched and focused on the board.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

This, again, was a subject on which Katchoo had no shortage of Thoughts.

This, again, was something about which she was keeping her mouth fairly well shut within earshot of Francine.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

For someone that had never really experienced this, Jonas found himself relating to it nonetheless. Or, rather, he found himself relating it to his past, to his life, to the Community and the Elders who thought they were that right that everyone only needed to know what was chosen for them.

He took quick, messy notes (as always) but found himself wondering if, maybe, he'd been the wrong one. He'd thought he was better and he'd escaped because he wanted to be. Had that been wrong?

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[officetightass]

For the first time Angela found herself not agreeing with the professor's lecture. It seemed to her that she had common sense and logic and wasn't an idiot, and therefore she was definitely more than certain other people. Even if they weren't sitting next to her right at this moment.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[life_inshadow]

Pride ... really wasn't Tara's problem; she was very much a light-under-the-bushel kind of girl. Still she dutifully took notes.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 9/17]

[icecoldfrost]

Was he serious? Emma was doing her best to keep her incredulity buried under her shields, the only outward sign of her annoyance was the tight grip on her pencil.

People were never going to be equals. Some were always going to be better, and some were worse, and Emma didn't see anything wrong in taking pride in that. False humility was a far more disgusting habit, as far as she was concerned.