fandomhigh | Heroes v Villains | Period 1 | Wednesday

Sadly, the students weren't in the Danger Shop today which meant Loki couldn't send them to fake jail in their orange jumpsuits. Alas, he'd get over it but he was still sad. He waited until everyone filed in before starting the lecture.

"Today," he started easily, "we're going to be talking about activism. Activism, for those that don't know, is intentional action to bring about social, economic, or political change. Simply put, you've gotten up off your ass to change things because you don't like the status quo. Now, most of the time, this is seen as a very fucking good thing. And I agree. If things stayed stagnant and the same, this fucking planet would be boring as shit. Activists help change things. Very rarely is it an immediate change, though. It takes time, it takes money, it takes passion and it takes a lot of fucking commitment."

Loki paused and got up from his desk to circle in front of it. "Unfortunately, sometimes people take it too far and completely fucking skew the point they're trying to get across. Look, if you walk into a medical establishment and blow it up because you don't agree with what they're doing? You're not a fucking activist, you're a murderer. The thing you're working to change is going to get buried under your act of violence. Sure, you'll be seen as a martyr to your small group but it takes more than a small group to bring about change. That small group starts it but it takes their time and commitment to try and sway the opinion of the masses. If you're going around killing people and blowing shit up in the name of your cause? It's probably not going to work."

Of course, humanity was a fucking cesspool sometimes so Loki figured that kind of shit might work somewhere. Humans liked their violence. "So, why do you some people go to the lengths they do in the name of their cause? Why do they kill others because they disagree with their ways? I don't fucking know. Humans like to kill each other, simple as that. When there's an easy reason, they like it even more. Hey, maybe they think if they kill everyone that disagrees with them, their cause will be default and they won't have to be active anymore. Let me tell you right fucking now, that won't work. It's been tried in the past and while it's been effective at times, it doesn't work as an endgame. Stop fucking killing people in the name of your cause. Just fucking stop it. A gun isn't going to get people to listen. It's going to make people piss their pants."

Loki...had experience with that one, unfortunately. Ew. "Everyone has the right to fight for what they believe in. If I believe that Principal Winchester was an alien and I wanted to an aliens from administrative positions, that would be my fucking cause and it'd be up to me to convince you guys to agree. Now, if I blew all of you up with a bomb, would that be helpful? Fucking no. If I showed you literature, showed you studies, spoke truthfully, that might be heard more than an explosion. Think, people. Fucking think. For today's activity, I'm going to give each of you a cause. You're going to tell me one good and one bad day to be an activist for that cause. Got it? Good. Go.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"So, if I believed Rumor Gal was a shit show and campaigned to get it canceled, I'd be a bad person?" he wondered.

"I do not think it would necessarily make you a bad person," Raven said carefully. "But you would be wrong. It is a wonderful show full of emotions and passion."

And Charlie. Mmm, Charlie.

"And I don't think I'd be wrong," he said, shaking his head. "That's your opinion, not a solid fact. You're judging me based on a television show."

"I am not judging you," Raven protested. She wasn't Dan, after all. "I just know that in this particular instance you would be wrong."

"And you're basing that on what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your opinion?"

"It is my opinion, yes," Raven admitted. "But it the same opinion of millions of other viewers. Just because you do not care for it does not mean it is right for you to campaign to see it canceled."

That would be an act of evil.

"And millions of people probably don't give a fuck and would be on my side," Loki pointed out. "Are millions of people wrong? Do you think millions of people should keep their mouths shut when they believe in something?"

"If they do not care then they would not necessarily be on your side," Raven pointed out. "I do not understand. How could you believe so strongly in seeing a show canceled? How is the pleasure of other people watching it affecting your life adversely? You merely need to change the channel."

Edited 2010-08-04 12:50 (UTC)

"Maybe it preaches values that I don't agree with," Loki said, shrugging. "Maybe one of the actors is part of a religious movement I don't agree with and I think the show's showcasing of him means they're supportive of his religion. It could be many things. Why should I have to be quiet when you can be loud about how much you like the show?"

Raven frowned. "You do not have to be," she said grudgingly. "But I do not have to believe you are correct."

"That's fine. Saying you don't believe I'm correct is different than outright saying I'm wrong when there's really no right or wrong here," he said, nodding. "I think I have a right to campaign to get a show canceled just as much as you have the right to save the show should it be canceled."

"I will accept that," Raven said. "You may do so. But I will not." She paused, confused. "Have I completed the assignment?"

No, not really.

"No, but I think we got off topic and got into something else that was pretty equal to the assignment," he said, nodding.

"You can still try the assignment if you want but I'll take our discussion as credit too."

She wanted to truly complete the assignment, as distasteful as it was, so she thought for a moment. "I would say a good way to be an activist would be to explain rationally and politely why the show makes you uncomfortable or how you think it is a bad influence," she said. "And a bad way would be to...kidnap the actor who plays Charlie so he could not film the show."

In which case she'd be forced to act to save him.

"Good," he said, nodding. "Kidnapping would definitely have you painted as a wacko and your point would get lost. Good."

She was certain she'd seen fanfic involving that kind of scenario, though it had been written by people who liked the show, so that was confusing. "Thank you," she said, inclining her head. "Violence such as that is never the correct answer."

"Let's hope you never have to kidnap anyone," he said, nodding, "for any reason, then. But, good job on the assignment. You thought outside your comfort zone and that's what I was looking for."

Heroes v Villains | Period 1 | Wednesday | August 4

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