Philosophy classroom: Ethics class #2, Monday, 2-4pm

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara looks more nervous than excited as students take their seats, but tries hard to school her face into a confident mask.

"Okay, first off - you've probably heard about the assignment. From the radio, if nothing else. I promise you, it's not anywhere near as bad as you're imagining. I won't keep people in suspense - we'll do the debate last, because I suspect no-one will be able to focus until this is out of the way.

Before I explain that, however, I need to make two announcements.


"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 on to the assignment. Yes, it's a Master/slave exercise. Please don't jump to conclusions about that. There is a difference between slavery and abuse, although the two do often go hand in hand. The rules for this assignment prevent any form of abuse - both Master and slave must have a safeword so that they can stop things at any time. What we're exploring here is slavery. That's all, and that's quite enough. Please, please try not to confuse it with other ethical issues, even the ones that often attend this one.

"The TAs will be handing out to you a copy of the rules, and the guidelines for your role, as well as a badge that will either declare 'I am an Ethics Class slave' or 'I am an Ethics Class Master'. These badges must be worn when you are in your role. If you're not in your role, life continues on as normal. As a further distinction, I urge all of you to adopt another name or title for the role you are playing. To that end, you may call me 'My Lady', Angelus 'Daddy' and Major K! 'Rabbit'."

Jonathan, Kitty, Chiana, Angela, Six, Allie, Lindsay, Shane and Veronica are given Master rules by 'Daddy'
Sydney, Stark, Rory, Archie, Hotaru, John Connor, Paige, Chloe and John Sheppard are given slave rules by 'Rabbit'.

"The pairings are as follows, Master listed first:
Jonathan/Sydney
Kitty/Stark
Chiana/Rory
Angela/Archie
Six/Hotaru
Allie/John
Lindsay/Joan
Shane/Chloe
Veronica/Lisa Cuddy (from Friday's class)
Piper (from Friday's class)/John Sheppard.
Quinn/Bridge (from Friday's class)

Please go with the relevant TA to discuss any concerns you have about this project, or clarify your instructions. In light of the furour from Friday's class, this will serve as today's discussion topic."

Comments

The assignment

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Discussion about the assignment goes here, or in the rules posts for attention by your relevant TA.

Re: The assignment

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica reads through the rules she was given on being a master. She's not sure she actually likes the idea of having a slave, but she figures it can't hurt for a limited period of time. She hasn't met her slave yet since she didn't know for sure if she was registered for Ethics until too late for Friday's class, but she figures they have time.

Re: The assignment

[allie-cameron.livejournal.com]

Allie blushes intensely when she reads the rules for the assignment. She cannot imagine making anyone call her a special name or telling anyone what they can or can't do. She wonders how exactly she was chosen as a master, she thinks she would probably make a better slave.

But, she realizes this assignment might do her good, since she'll need to overcome her natural shyness if she really wants to be a doctor.

Re: The assignment

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"So... you're Allie?"

Re: The assignment

[allie-cameron.livejournal.com]

Allie looks up.

"Yeah, you must be John."

Re: The assignment

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Shane accepts the information sheet about a master's responsibilities and places it on top of her notebook, pulling out a pair of wire-framed glasses and slipping them on. Slouched in her seat, she crosses one leg neatly over the other and continues to chew on her pen cap as she carefully reads over the rules again.

Re: The assignment

[mycanonhatesme]

Chloe takes her information sheet and looks at the assignment, glancing over at Shane shyly.

Re: The assignment

[shane-mcc.livejournal.com]

Looking up from her paper, Shane's eyes search for Chloe in the classroom and when she finds her she catches her eye and offers her a small, reassuring smile.

Re: The assignment

[chasingangela]

Angela accepts the assignment with interest. It strikes her as a weird and kind of creepy idea, but she's willing to try if Archie is up for it.

Re: The assignment

[defiantlyyours.livejournal.com]

6 shudders. The idea of being a prisoner is terrible, but... he'd never considered how uncomfortable being the keeper would make him. "Ms. Maclay? My Lady? Er, um, I'm not sure... if I'm able to do this. It goes against everything I stand for."

Re: The assignment

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara smiles gently. "Mr. Six, I know that you value freedom. Please remember, though, that you and your partner will both have safewords. You cannot make them do anything they are not willing to do. It is an illusion of control - but one that you may find very informative. I'd like you to talk to your partner about it, and see if you can find an arrangement that you're both happy with. If you can't, we can discuss an alternate assignment for you."

Re: The assignment

[defiantlyyours.livejournal.com]

"We shall see."

Re: The assignment

[wannabelawyer.livejournal.com]

Lindsey is kind of unsettled by the assignment. But since apparently nobody's going to actually hurt anyone else, unlike the collar exercise in Speech, he'll go along for now.




[ooc:argh! bad LJ! Stop moving my comments around!]

Re: The assignment

[stykera]

*Stark had managed to not hear about this over the weekend. He's Stark, after all, and doesn't really talk with anyone more than is necessary most days. Perhaps, in retrospect, he ought to talk to his classmates more often. Not that he's thinking that now. Right now he's just looking around the room completely horrified because he stopped thinking clearly at the word "slave." He's very, very close to completely freaking out.*

*He lets out an involuntary whimper and tugs at the strap around his neck that holds his mask in place.*


[ooc:I'm so mean to my characters. hee. Somebody want to look at him funny or something and set him off? It'll be fun. Really.]

Re: The assignment

[miss-monochrome.livejournal.com]

::hearing something, Chiana looks up from the sheet and sees the absolute *last* person she would've expected to see in this class::

Aw frell. Here I was thinkin' today couldn't get worse.

Re: The assignment

[miss-monochrome.livejournal.com]

[Having spent all of yesterday trying to convince herself to go through with this, Chiana takes the information sheet without comment. While she was trying to be calm on the outside, inside she was just trying to keep herself from freaking out again. The way Beka had explained it once she had calmed down enough to listen, it hadn't sounded.... completely awful. And everybody else seemed to be dealing ok with it. Maybe... maybe she could do this.

And maybe she could pretend that her hands weren't clenched so tightly that her nails were digging into her palms.]

Re: The assignment

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Chiana?" Rory asks, approaching her after she had talked to Tara, "um...if you don't want to do this, I'm totally fine with it."

Re: The assignment

[master-of-fear.livejournal.com]

Jonathan's never met Sydney, but he's heard about her and he looks around for her now.

Re: The assignment

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

[Shep reads through the rules. Being the laid back sort that he is, it's gonna take a lot for him to get bugged about having to wear a toga or fetch a cup of coffee or whatever. He can; however be heard to mumble:]

This is gonna be fun to do on crutches...

Re: The assignment

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"So I'm 'assigned' to... Callie?"

Re: The assignment

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Allie Cameron. allie_cameron. The two of you need to get together and work out your boundaries and a safe word. How you choose to fulfil the requirements of the assignment are entirely up to you to decide, based on what you both feel comfortable with."

Re: The assignment

[brandnew-world.livejournal.com]

Hotaru kind of... stared at the table, listening.

...Braindead Hotaru here. Looking kind of ill.

Re: The assignment

[defiantlyyours.livejournal.com]

"It would appear that I am your, um..." 6 blushes. "Master. I don't like it, but Ms. Maclay has a point. I must be able to see the perspective of the captor to better facilitate my escape from bondage."

Re: The assignment

[sooo_cute]

Quinn raises her hand, looking nervous. "Um. Which one am I?"

Re: The assignment

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara looks back at her list. "Oh, I'm sorry Quinn! I didn't read it out! You're the Master, to Bridge Carson."