Friday Ethics Class #2, 8-10am

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara looks excited, as students trickle in, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

"Okay, we've got a lot to get through today. Two announcements to start:

First, Teacher's Assistants have been chosen. I have a carrot - Major K! - and a stick - Angelus. If you're having trouble grasping a concept, talk to Major K!. He'll guide you through the thinking. If you think you've got a hold on it, talk to Angelus. He'll challenge your thinking, give you the opportunity to clarify your position.

Second, and related to the latter - this class is not an easy A. At some point in this course you will find yourself challenged and confronted. For many of you, that will be today. If you walk out of this classroom before class is over, and without checking it with me, I may be understandably upset. However, I recognise that if you get angry or upset, you may need some time alone, or away from the group. To that end, I present to you the Emo Closet Time Out Room." She walks to the back of the classroom and opens the door to what previously was a supply cabinet. Inside is what looks very much like a white padded room. "This room is soundproofed. You can cry, scream and punch things all you want, and I will not penalise you for leaving the class or the discussion. Major K! or I will come to check on anyone who goes to the Emo Closet Time Out Room, in case you need help or support. Feel free to tell us to leave you alone.

Now, we've got our first debate to hear, a discussion topic to... um, discuss, and your first out of class assignment. Which you are going to kill, or at least seriously maim, me for giving you.

Comments

Re: Assignment briefing

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Cameron, Janet - explain to me what you already know about slavery."

Re: Assignment briefing

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"That taking away someone's free will is bad?" Cameron asks, he sounds irritated and not his usual polite self at all;

Re: Assignment briefing

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"This assignment does not take away your free will, Cameron. Slaves can run away. Slaves can rebel. You still have all your choices. Now tell me again what you now about slavery?"

Re: Assignment briefing

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Nothing that I remember," Cameron snaps but avoids going any deeper in on it. "And that's easier said than done. If a person grows up in a society that condones slavery, they will accept it and not even consider that it might be wrong."

Re: Assignment briefing

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"You're currently living in a world where a lot of people eat meat," Angelus pointed out. "You're telling me nobody's thought of becoming vegetarian?"

Re: Assignment briefing

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Cameron shook his head. "No, I'm not but you of all people should know that the concept of vegetarianism is a recent development in the western society. It took centuries before the concept of slavery died. It's still not completely gone. And I wouldn't compare sentient beings to animals, no matter how much I love my dog."

Re: Assignment briefing

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Actually I of all people know that vegetarianism isn't a recent development," Angelus replied. "You think everyone can afford to keep and kill a cow? But let me ask you this: if it's so wrong for one person to tell another what to do, why do you get to decide for somebody else that they shouldn't be a slave?"

Re: Assignment briefing

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"I don't," Cameron answered simply. "But I wonder how many people enter it willfully when they are fully informed about what it means."

Re: Assignment briefing

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Aha," Angelus said. "You see? Separate issue. Slavery does not mean one single thing to all people or cultures."

Re: Assignment briefing

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Sure and everything's relative. Doesn't suddenly mean it's going to be a good thing for anyone here. I don't see a lot of people jumping at the chance to be a slave."

Re: Assignment briefing

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angelus quirked an eyebrow at him. "Besides me? (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomhigh/251737.html?thread=12111705#t12111705)"

Re: Assignment briefing

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Exception to the rule?" Cameron couldn't help but grin.

Re: Assignment briefing

[janet_fraiser]

"Have you ever been in a situation where you had no control over your own actions?" asked Janet. "I don't mean that psychologically you felt you had no free will. I mean where you had literally no control over your own body."

Re: Assignment briefing

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara looks at her calmly. "Yes. And it was the most horrifying experience of my life. But I'm not taking away your free will, and neither will your partner. What you're describing isn't slavery, Janet. Slaves can run away. Slaves can rebel."

Re: Assignment briefing

[janet_fraiser]

"Then what, precisely, do you call it?" asked Janet. "Being forced to be inside your body, watching, as something else forces your mouth to say hateful words and forces your hands to harm your friends?"

She looks at the guidelines she's been handed and quotes. "'The life of slavery means one of ease, and comfort.'" She looks back up at Professor Maclay. "That's not real slavery. I've seen real slavery." She'd seen, and read the reports on, planet upon planet of human slaves, ground into the dirt, forced to labor in subhuman conditions and tortured and killed at the whims of their so-called gods--not to mention the Jaffa who'd been bred to serve as soldiers and human incubators for their masters.

Teal'c would be ashamed of her participation in this 'project' and, more to the point, she would be ashamed of herself.

"I'm not doing this project," says Janet. "I'll take the detention. But I am not participating in this exercise."

Re: Assignment briefing

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"I'm not offering you detention, Janet," Tara replies calmly. "I would like you to go discuss this with your partner. See if you two can come to an arrangement that you both feel comfortable with to complete the assignment. If not, come back to me and I will make appropriate arrangements."

She smiles softly at Janet. "And no, that's not real slavery. I wouldn't ask any of you to undertake real slavery, even for an hour. You still have your free will. You still have the right to say no. What I'm asking you to do is trust your partner, and use this as a learning opportunity. Talk to Liz. Then come back and see me. Okay?"

Re: Assignment briefing

[janet_fraiser]

"Fine," says Janet, still glaring. "I'll talk to Liz."

Re: Assignment briefing

[janet_fraiser]

Janet and Liz walk back over to Professor Maclay. "I'm not doing this assignment," says Janet firmly. "And I'm not going to take the assignment, not do it, and lie to you about it. If you'd rather I write a paper, then I'll do so.:

Re: Assignment briefing

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara nods, thoughtfully. "I appreciate your honesty. Liz, do you feel the same way?"

Re: Assignment briefing

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"Yes, Professor."

Liz & Janet

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara takes a seat, gesturing for the two to sit down.

"Okay, two things are going to happen as a result of this decision.

First, since you have offered to write me a paper, I will accept that. You will define slavery in different contexts - including consensual and institutional, not just the the kind that involves abuse and degradation. You're going to identify what exactly bothers you about the issues involved in these, and you're going to identify whether that's a personal issue or something you believe ought to be an objective, moral standpoint. You're going to relate this back to any relevant personal experiences you may have.

What you are *not* going to do is treat the slave as less than human, and that includes depriving the slave of their ability to make their own choices given limited situations.

Can you accept that as the first part of your assignment?" Tara looks to both for confirmation before she continues.

Re: Liz & Janet

[janet_fraiser]

There are a lot of things Janet could say here, but if she starts talking, she won't stop. "Yes," she says tightly.

Re: Liz & Janet

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"The second thing you're going to do is watch the people who are participating - and more importantly, watch the people watching them. I want you both to report back to me on the ways, if any, people react to them differently when they are in their roles."

Tara looks very serious. "It's probably more work than the original assignment - but it's going to be a lot less difficult, so I think that's a fair trade. The second part is due at the end of the week when the assignment finishes for everyone else. You have two weeks for the first part. It's important for me to understand why you two have reacted so strongly."

"One last thing. I'm not angry. I'm not upset. I accept that you are probably both. I hope you decide to continue with the class, and I hope that your essays give me more insight into your characters, so I don't make the mistake of asking too much of you again."

Re: Liz & Janet

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth nods, her features calm and collected. "Yes, ma'am."

Re: Assignment briefing

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"I'm not doing it either," Elizabeth adds. "And same as Janet, I'll write a paper."