So You Say You Want a Revolution: Week 8, Period 3

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

Aly was not present when the class assembled in the classroom. Instead, the Doctor was there, dressed as he usually was in a tweed jacket, bow tie and assorted other pieces of perfectly normal clothing that weren't worth mentioning.

"Hello!" he greeted them all with enthusiasm. "I'm the Doctor and not Aly, your usual teacher. You can call me the Doctor. You can call me Aly if you want, but I can't guarantee I'll answer. Definitely don't call me Theta Sigma. It's a long story and we won't get into it.

So this is what you learn about? Revolutions?" the Doctor asked, but it was a rhetorical question as most of his were (since he talked too fast for anyone to butt in most of the time), so he kept going. "Revolutions are a lot of fun. I mean hard work. Hard work and sometimes fun, depending on who you're revolting against. Hard work and fun and and more hard work and quite a bit of luck. But you're halfway through the semester, so you'd know that already.

To lead a proper revolution, one that's not going to fall apart and rely on bluffing and hoping that the person in charge gives up and runs the other way, you need support from people. You need to make promises and plan and organise people and resources on a wide scale." And not just run in and make it up as you went along, unless you were the Doctor apparently. "You also need to do all of that without letting the wrong people get wind of what you're doing. All it takes is one mole in your ranks and you're done for. How do you know who to trust? Look around at your classmates. Do you see friends? Allies? Enemies? Do you even know each other? Would you trust them with your life?

One approach is to trust everyone until they give you reason not to, but then you have to deal with the consequences of trusting the wrong people. One approach is to trust no one, but then you make the road to your revolution harder than it needs to be, and it will be hard without you even trying." He rested his chin in his hand and looked at them. "Well?"

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[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

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Re: Sign In

[wrongkindofsith]

Cara

Chat, Mingle, Gather Before Class

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

If you're inclined to do such things

Re: Chat, Mingle, Gather Before Class

[wrongkindofsith]

Well, that explained where the Doctor hadn't been during his actual class.

Focusing on that helped Cara ignore the actual topic of discussion. She was good at that when she wanted to be.

Re: Chat, Mingle, Gather Before Class

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy hadn't ever met this particular teacher but he seemed all right, if a little manic. His lecture was short enough that Percy's mind didn't wander either so that was good all around.

Re: Chat, Mingle, Gather Before Class

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

CLoud just sighed, and paid attention. No sense of starting to ask just why the other teacher was in this class.

Re: Chat, Mingle, Gather Before Class

[trickydemigod.livejournal.com]

Well, at least this guy knew how to keep his attention. Luke couldn't help but wonder if he was a little ADHD-ridden too.

Re: Chat, Mingle, Gather Before Class

[gorka-wolf.livejournal.com]

Oh, so the funny-man was their teacher today. Whatever. You had to trust the rest of the NRM to watch your back, or you were dead. Other people... Maki went with her instincts. And so far, she didn't know anyone outside the NRM that wasn't at Fandom.

Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

"Can you trust everyone? Can you not trust anyone? Do you trust your classmates? Who would you personally trust and how would you decide who to recruit for your merry band of rebels?"

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[intraspective]

Ino looked dubious. "Ain't this more of a grey area thing than trust everyone and trust no one? 'Cause I'd say that trust cautiously and don't let trust blind you to the actions of the people you're using."

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

"You can only do so much about trusting others", said Cloud carefuly. "But you can't trust just everyone, so you usually delegate resposibilities to the ones that are both qualified and trustworthy, and they are charged with making sure everyone does what they are told." Wasn't that runing an army, anyway?

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[likes_scoundrels]

"You can't trust everyone," Leia said. "But I trust my instincts."

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[wrongkindofsith]

"You can't," Cara replied shortly.

Considering what had happened the last time she'd wanted to trust Dahlia someone against her better judgement, she came by this set of issues honestly.

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[onlymistaken]

Cally listened to the questions with a wry smile curling one side of her mouth. Challenging the pivotal moral issues of your life and upbringing was always a rousing start to the day.

"Among my people, trust is almost a... we're not religious any longer, so sacred concept would be misleading, but close. It's part of our way of life -- trusting each other, at least." With outsiders, it was... complicated.

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"Isn't the point of a rebellion the fact that you can't trust certain people?" Elphaba said. "But if we are talking about this class, there are some I would trust, and others who I would be wary of. I don't know if I have much trust in people in general."

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[thinkbetterofme.livejournal.com]

"It seems to me that trust must both be given and earned," Faramir said. "You must trust someone before they can prove themselves to you. Charge them with a small task, if they prove worthy then you can consider trusting them with something more delicate later. You do not risk something valuable with someone you are not completely certain of."

Was that a deer in outside of the classroom window? "I am aware that this is not as easy as it sounds. One most be able to read the men he works with, understand their heart and mind. It may not always be possible, but you can not mistrust everyone."

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Well, there's a few people I've known long enough that I do trust them implicitly. And there's some who've done some things that've really earned my trust. But beyond that circle, I think there's like, certain degrees of trust."

Re: Discussion: How Do You Know Who To Trust?

[angelo_wings]

"I trust Squall," Rinoa said. "I have to. That's what it means, for him to be my Knight."

Discussion: Guest Speaker

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

"I suppose since I'm here if you have any questions about revolutions, I could answer them. I keep ending up in places that are rebelling against the establishment, but I'm not entirely sure why." Possibly because he intentionally went to check out what all the fuss was about.

Talk to the TAs

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

For they are plentiful!

Re: Talk to the TAs

[intraspective]

They were plentiful because they were awesome.

Ino was, of course, there and considering the question of trust thoughtfully.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy was there too, happy this class wasn't trying to get him to dance again. Dancing wasn't that bad but he'd really rather avoid that.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Oh right, Nico was still a TA...not that he really expected a visiting teacher to know about that. It would mean that teachers somehow talked about students and that would be way too much like camp where everyone was up in your business. Come on, who really cared which Aphrodite guy spent a whole lot of time hanging outside the Apollo cabin?

Uh, Nico's mind might have been wandering a bit today.

Talk to the Doctor

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

He stayed back after class and was playing with a stapler. Marvellous invention.

Re: Talk to the Doctor

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Aly couldn't help showing up to see how her class went. Call it - some sort of squishy emotion, I'm sure.

OOC

[worsethanaunts.livejournal.com]

While I am not your usual teacher, I will be around to play this evening!