fandomhigh | Friday Ethics Class #2, 8-10am

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.~~

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cameron frowns and squeezes her hand right back. He's definitely not liking what this is doing to Liz and Janet.

"No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery
and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms." she whispers. "Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," Angelus pointed out. "Some are very happy being slaves."

"What about the children sold into slavery for $30? Or the little boy who drank his own urine for three days because the plantation owner locked him up without food or water?"

"Well that sucks to be him," Angelus said. "What's that got to do with a thirty year old man who likes getting on his knees for a woman in liquid latex?"

"Because that's slavery. A thirty year old man and his... his kinks..." she shudders. "They have their choices, they have their options."

"To a true submissive there are no choices," Angelus said. "They don't want them. They want a life where their Master could kill them if they so desired, and they are happy with it. Who are we to tell them we know their lives better than they do?"

"Because without choice, what is the point? Are we human without free-will?"

"Why can't someone decide that their choice is that they want no choice?" Angelus asked, his tone one of curiosity and not challenge.

"Well, that's fine and dandy for them, then," Elizabeth sighs. "But that's not the problem of slavery in the world. We're not facing voluntary slaves."

"Elizabeth, answer me this. How do you take away another person's free will? If I ordered you to hit Janet, would you do it? What if I threatened you with detention? Or death?

You've still got choices. All I've defined is the consequences. Whether you do it or not is entirely up to you.

Slavery isn't losing your free will. It's just a different set of circumstances - a closed society of laws."

"But if the only choice is doing something or death, is that really a choice?"

"It may not be much of a choice, but it's still a choice. Aren't there things you would rather die than do?"

"Yes," Elizabeth admits. "But I wasn't sold into slavery at six years old. I know there's a different life I could be leading."

"When this assignment is over, Elizabeth, I am going to ask you to tell me what your rights are. Not your privileges - the things that can be taken away, or the rights that are assigned to you by society and law. I'm going to ask you what rights you have that no-one can take from you, no matter what. I want you to think about that, over the course of the next week."

Elizabeth nods. "Yes, ma'am."

"For the purpose of this exercise we're not necessarily talking about involuntary ones," Angelus pointed out. "We're talking about slavery and ownership as a concept. That concept spans the distance from happy kink to abject misery. However, to condemn all slavery as bad because some of it is bad is not unlike condemning all cooking because some people get food poisoning. The goal of Ethics is to truly question what is good and evil, not make blanket statements that remain unexplored."

"Fine. I think ownership of another person is bad. I think it's morally wrong. Even if a person gives up his or her right to be responsible for his or her self, there's still the chance that he or she will be exploited. And damnit, even they want to be exploited, then they probably need some help."

"A child has a chance that they'll be abused by a parent," Angelus said. "We don't send all babies out to be raised by wolves. Everything has a chance that it could go wrong. We can't condemn on that chance alone.

"And if someone should have the right to be their own person," Angelus asked, "aren't you violating that right by telling them that according to you they can't be slaves if they want to?"

"And you could accidentally fall out of an open window and be dusted by the sun... I know... I know," Elizabeth said, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"Wanting to be a slave is akin to giving up your responsibilities. You don't want to be responsible for your own life? Fine - be a slave."

"It's not for everyone," Angelus agreed. He grinned. "Then again, I don't much enjoy tanning either. Won't stop my friends from enjoying the beach though."