fandomhigh | Build Your Own Philosophy, Period 2, 3/8/10

Our fathers were our models for God. And, if our fathers bailed, what does that tell us about God?

Unlike in most weeks, there's no attribution to go with the quote.

"So our theme of the week," Tyler said -- and if he seemed a little grumpy, it was the natural aftereffects of a weekend spent in diapers -- "is parental issues. How badly mommy and daddy screwed us up, and how badly we're going to screw up our own kids in turn."

"I don't need to hear about how your mommy never bought you the cool sandals, or whatever your actual issue is. I don't care if you never knew your parents. But one thing about building a philosophy is, you gotta live with it. And your children will be the most helpless beings you'll ever get to inflict your philosophy on."

"I admit, that's big. Most of you won't have to think about it -- not counting the weekend after prom -- for ten years. At least. Some of you won't have to think about it ever."

"But today, I'm asking you to think about it. Take some time and decide what you want to teach your kids. It can be a religion or the golden rule. It can be leading by example. It can be never quitting. And, statistically, for some of your kids it'll probably be what you teach them when you take off -- for divorce, for a job, because you die." A pause. "I hope you're all exceptions."

He gestured to spur the class into action. "Pair up and talk about it. If you can't talk about it, sit alone and write about it. If you don't want to talk or write, sit and stair at the ceiling."

"Also," he added as an afterthought. "Speaking from recent personal experience? Whatever else you decide today, find a philosophy that bans strained green beans. They taste like crap."

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What do you plan for your parenting philosophy to be? Discuss or write about it.

Edited 2010-03-08 04:54 (UTC)

Dinah was trying to make a list. Although talking about it might be less awkward.

1. Don't bail.
2. Don't kick your kids out into the snow even if they screw up.
3. Help people.
4. Never give up....

Raven...had nothing to discuss. She still had no intention of having children and putting them through what she'd gone through with her demonic heritage. It didn't seem fair.

"You got through the weekend okay?" Joan asked.

Raven nodded. "I was fine," she said. "But the squirrels made me do the radio broadcast, and I learned that many people were not themselves."

"I heard it," Joan said. "You didn't have any weird run-ins with people?"

"I...am not certain now," Raven said. "I met someone in the park who looked much like Professor Skywalker, though he was younger and had the ability to teleport. I thought he was new to the island, but now I am not so sure."

"Guess you'll find out soon enough," Joan said. "I ran into some girl who looked kinda familiar and tried to tell me about my past lives."

She tried to play it off, like she didn't believe it, but Raven would probably sense there was something making her uncomfortable.

"Did she say something that upset you?" Raven said, totally sensing her friend's discomfort.

Joan shrugged. "Kinda? Not on purpose but it was unsettling."

"What did she say?" Raven asked. "If you do not mind telling me."

"I don't mind," Joan said, knowing that it was past time for her to actually tell Raven her secret. "But, uh, not here. Stop by my room this evening?"

Re: Activity [3/8]

trigons_child - 2010-03-08 05:51 (UTC) - Expand

joan-notjane.livejournal.com - 2010-03-08 05:52 (UTC) - Expand

The way he was raised was one of the few things about Jak's life that hadn't sucked, so he was really stuck on let Sandover raise them, or something.

He didn't know.

He mostly looked clueless.

Dinah looked up from her list to see Jak looking clueless, and tilted her head. "Problems? Or just wrung out from the weekend?"

"The village didn't do a bad job," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Dinah? You okay?"

Dinah had to grin back at him, even if it was a little sad. "No, they didn't. They did a great job." She blinked a little, trying to switch gears, and said, "Mostly? Weird, weird weekend...." Then she remembered Friday's Radio broadcast, and covered her face. "Ohhh. Uh." Um.... "Yeah? Mostly."

"Sounds like you got hurt," he said.

You know.

That. Hurt. Yep.

Dinah darted a look over at Raven before she realized it, then wanted to facepalm at the giveaway. Although maybe Jak didn't know she was a healer? "Yes. Well." She blew out a breath, and temporized, "Gassed, bruised, tied up." She rubbed her throat unconsciously, swallowing. "Momoko and a bunch of the guys came and got me. Raven healed it up."

Jak rolled that over in his brain a couple of times, and wound up with a, "That's good."

Yeah.

You know.

Well. No. Dinah didn't.

These were always weird conversations to have with Jak. Yup.

But she was getting used to them. "Yeah. I, uh. Got a new power out of it. Sort of. Probably because I got stressed."

"Something about screaming, right?"

blondecanary.livejournal.com - 2010-03-08 16:41 (UTC) - Expand

Priestly went with staring at the ceiling. It was a step up from the floor.

Effy was very doubtful she'd ever have kids. Very, very doubtful.

Funny enough, that meant she wasn't really thinking about a parenting philosophy. Instead, trying to remember if she'd tried to start a fight with anyone she knew over the weekend.

"Try not to have kids." Marco mused out loud. "And if that fails, just uh, try to help them to be decent people who know that sometimes the right option is sometimes also the hard one?"

Mulan gave this a lot of thought. Maybe she would have kids someday. If so, she would encourage them to be themselves and send them here so that could be a possibility.