sith_happened: (Anakin: seriously?!)
Anakin Skywalker ([personal profile] sith_happened) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2009-09-16 11:30 pm
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Ethics [Thursday, September 17, 1st period]

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."
longislandiceme: (airquotes)

Re: Answer the questions [Ethics 9/17]

[personal profile] longislandiceme 2009-09-17 04:28 am (UTC)(link)
Bobby shrugged. "I think the stakes are different for everyone," he said. "I'm not the smartest person ever, and I know that, so it's pretty easy for me to admit that oops, I was wrong. If you're, like, some super-genius or even someone who just thinks they're a genius, it can be a lot harder to admit to being wrong. Because there's all that outside pressure to be right all the time, you know?"

Re: Answer the questions [Ethics 9/17]

[identity profile] azuldragon.livejournal.com 2009-09-17 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
She wasn't trying to listen but it was hard not to. Azula turned her head away and frowned.
longislandiceme: (serious)

Re: Answer the questions [Ethics 9/17]

[personal profile] longislandiceme 2009-09-17 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Usually," Bobby said with a nod. "Especially if their pride in something is how they define themselves."