Build Your Own Philosophy, Period 2, 2/15/10

[tyler_gone]

The board read:

Fortune ... displays her might where there is no organized strength to resist her, and directs her onset where she knows that there is neither barrier nor embankment to confine her. -- Machiavelli

Ino's flowers were in a vase on Tyler's desk, and he seemed to be in a good mood as he waited for the class to come together.

"Housekeeping first," he announced. "Next week is Spring Break. Week after that, you'll be handing in midterm papers and discussing them in class. Your assignment is to pick one philosopher or writer we talked about in class and write a short paper discussing how you agree or disagree. You have two weeks to do that; I'm sure you can all handle it."

God, he sounded like a real teacher.

"We're spending our last week with Machiavelli this week, and we're talking about luck -- fortune. Basically, what Machiavelli is saying is that luck is important, but you have to know how to control your luck. The example he gives is that you can't make it so it won't flood. Floods happen all the time. Not anybody's fault, unless you want to waste time blaming God. But if you're smart and you've built floodwalls while it's dry, you can make it so nobody dies during the flood."

"The point he's making is that if you're a ruler, you have to be able to adjust to the things you can't control if you want to stay in charge. It might seem obvious, but there have always been people who want to lay it all on the fates -- fortune, luck, God, whatever you want to cal it -- and not recognize they can make their own luck."

"Your exercise today is this: Think about something that's happened to you, through sheer chance. Can be an invasion, can be who your parents are, whatever. And talk to a partner about how you can 'build floodwalls' to turn whatever it is into something you can manage. Now, this isn't therapy hour. Nobody has to share more than they want to. If you can't think of a personal example, one from history is fine."

"Let's go."

Comments

Sign In [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

Luckily!

Re: Sign In [2/15]

[unborn-renegade.livejournal.com]

Jak

Re: Sign In [2/15]

[future_sandworm]

Leto Atreides

Re: Sign In [2/15]

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan Girardi

Re: Sign In [2/15]

[intraspective]

Yamanaka Ino

General Class Stuff [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

Take notes, pass notes, sleep, whatever.

Re: General Class Stuff [2/15]

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan wrote down the details of the midterm assignment and made plans to hit the library looking for information about different philosophers soon.

Re: General Class Stuff [2/15]

[intraspective]

Ino was giggly over radio--two radio nights in a row now that had made her giggly--and grinning like a total dork at the flowers on Tyler-sensei's desk as scribbled down notes about the midterm and then...

Erm.

Ino wrinkled her nose slightly as she tried to think of... ah. Okay, that one she could do.

Back to smiling.

Re: General Class Stuff [2/15]

[not_tylerdurden]

Calvin? Still a tiger, still chewing on Hobbes, still hadn't realised there was anything wrong.

This would be the major disadvantage of only accepting your own reality.

Re: General Class Stuff [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

"You're a tiger," Tyler informed him.

He was helpful like that.

Discussion [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

Pair up and talk about how you've been mistreated by that bitch Fortune.

Re: Discussion [2/15]

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

There were a lot of things Joan wasn't going to touch with a ten foot pole, but she was pretty sure she could come up with something.

Re: Discussion [2/15]

[intraspective]

"So," Ino said, sliding into a seat by Joan. "Has Fortune mistreated you any?"

General questions were fun that way--they could be answered in so many ways.

Re: Discussion [2/15]

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Sure," Joan said with a shrug. "Hasn't it mistreated everyone?"

Re: Discussion [2/15]

[future_sandworm]

Fortune - or Fate, rather - was a topic that he did think about quite often. This might not be something Leto was prepared to talk about in class, but he was sure he could improvise.

Re: Discussion [2/15]

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah really believed in making your own luck, but some stuff was pretty personal to talk about. Still, she could manage a discussion about this without it getting too awkward.

Re: Discussion [2/15]

[nodaintyflower.livejournal.com]

Mulan sometimes felt like an expert about luck, or rather lack of it, considering she seemed to be cursed with clumsiness at times. She'd be okay with discussing it.

Talk to Tyler [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

If you are lucky enough to be able to do so.

Re: Talk to Tyler [2/15]

[intraspective]

"Nice flowers," she chirped impishly.

She'd tried to resist the urge to say anything but, well, resisting things like that was a... definite work in progress.

Besides, they were nice flowers.

Re: Talk to Tyler [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

"Thanks," Tyler said, flashing a quick smile. "Some student gave them to me. Pretty nice present."

Re: Talk to Tyler [2/15]

[intraspective]

"It was that sort of day yesterday," she noted cheerfully. "Flowers everywhere for everyone and all of that. Maybe they thought it a good time to join in the fun?"

Talk to the TAs [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

If they were lucky enough to make it to class.

Re: Talk to the TAs [2/15]

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan was lucky enough to make it to class and be in a pretty darn good mood after having a great weekend.

Re: Talk to the TAs [2/15]

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir was lucky enough to be there. And lucky enough to be able to call TA rank and 'supervise' instead of talking with anyone.

This was probably A#1 of Things He Didn't Feel Like Discussing With Anyone Ever.

OOC [2/15]

[tyler_gone]

They call you Lady Luck.
But there is room for doubt
At times you have a very unladylike way of running out
You're on a date with me
The pickings have been lush
And yet before this night is over
You might give me the brush
You might forget your manners
You might refuse to stay
So the best that I can to is pray.