fandomhigh | Philosophy classroom: Ethics class #4, Friday, 8-10am

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ethics

Philosophy classroom: Ethics class #4, Friday, 8-10am

[ooc: My deepest apologies for posting this so late.]

Tara smiles worriedly as the students come in, checking face after face.

"Today's topic is power and responsibility, and I would like to remind you all that your grade comes from your discussion, not your presence. If you don't feel comfortable talking, write something down and hand it in to me. Being a silent warm body in the classroom is no different than not turning up."

[ooc: And I would remind you that I leave posts open for the whole week. If you post 'shows up and takes a seat' I know you're still alive, but you need to actually address the discussion topics to pass the class.]

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"Well, if you want to keep it, you have to hold it. If you don't someone will just take it from you. So if it's land or an item or something like that, you have to protect it."

"And if it's a person? What are your responsibilities to the people you have power over, or your loved ones?" Tara's eyes flick towards Phoebe before she continues. "Should you wear a disguise, protect your secret identity? Do you keep it a secret from them? Or do you share the secret, and make them keep it a secret from their loved ones?"

~~You are mean and I hate you.~~

Belthazor squirmed uncomfortably. "It, um, it's hard to say. It would depend. If your loved one would be hurt knowing what you are, then you should hide it. If they might be hurt because they don't know what you are, you should tell them. But the more people who know, the more risk there is of someone finding out who shouldn't."

~~*sob. sniff. woe.*~~

"And endangering you both," Tara nods. "But this isn't hypothetical for you, is it? So how do you balance the choice of people knowing about your demon heritage with the danger that might bring to you, and to your... friends?"

~~You have a file for each student that says "buttons to push," just admit it.~~

Belthazor shrugged. "I mostly tried to hide it at first here. I mean, there's a lot of people here who aren't exactly your normal human, so a demon wouldn't be too out of place, but I didn't want it getting out. But then that video got released so I couldn't really hide it anymore. Ordinarily no one would now. We're not supposed to expose ourselves to the mortal world."

~~If you read closely, you'll notice that I have a notebook with a section for each student. I'm not telling you what's in it, but you're a good guesser.~~

"Okay... and now that it's out? You didn't reveal it, but do you owe it to your friends to protect them from the fallout you might bring to them?"

~~Name, age, home dimension, buttons to push, turn-ons, turn-offs....~~

Belthazor took a quick glance at Phoebe. "Yeah, I do...."

~~Oooh, I'm missing those. Tell me, Mr. Belthazor, what are your turn offs? Ons I think I've got figured out...~~

Tara nods, biting back her next question. She'd love to ask, but it's really more for her own curiousity than for Belthazor's education.

~~Turn-offs include being vanquished, any woman who reminds me of my mother, broccoli, and Parker~~

He looked at Tara expectantly, since she seemed to want to ask him something else.

~~Broccoli? What do you have against broccoli?~~

Tara nods finally, and asks. "Belthazor, what about when your responsibilities conflict? If the power you have would prompt you to fight a person, but your affection for them would prompt you to protect them?"

Beka shot Tara a pained look that clearly said 'you're hurting him'.

...

...

...

"You'd, um, I guess eventually you'd, um, have to choose?"

~~omg, am so going to ratemyteacher.com right now to say how mean you are~~

Catching Beka's glance, Tara backs off. Why do I ask so much more of him than of the others?

Swallowing, she nods, and doesn't say another word.

~~omg, I want Bel and Buffy to have this conversation so much. I am inventing an assignment just to pair you two together, dammit!~~

Re: First Hour

sensethevisions - 2005-11-05 14:59 (UTC) - Expand

Phoebe reached over and squeezed Cole's hand. Considering they had both talked about all of this, she was upset that Cole was being put on the spot in this way.

Re: First Hour

demonbelthazor - 2005-11-06 02:13 (UTC) - Expand

Re: First Hour

sensethevisions - 2005-11-06 07:54 (UTC) - Expand

~~Yeah, and you did such a damned good job at that.~~

Beka looked at Bel as he spoke, gaze steady, maybe a little angry. "What about your own power, Bel?"

~~Shut up.~~

"What about it?" Belthazor growled.

~~Make me. Really.~~

"Don't you have a responsibility to protect it? To make sure no one takes it from you?" She hadn't realized how angry she'd been at him for that. For giving up when she would've fought in his place.

~~Meet me over in WTF land~~

Belthazor glared at Beka. "If you can. Being suicidal is something different."

~~Already there. Waiting.~~

"Sometimes a suicidal display earns respect." Beka met his gaze without flinching. ~~It earned me yours.~~

~~Yeah, yeah, I'll be there in a sec.~~

"Fine, you can respect me when I'm dead then," he snarled.

~~There's a way to make me shut up. Whine at me.~~

"You really believe that, don't you?" she said softly, for his ears only [and Phoebe's and Angelus's (and Tara's if she wants to hear) if they happen to be nearby in chronofluid time].

Belthazor looked directly at Beka. "Yes."

"All right. I can respect that." She locked her gaze with his and willed him to hear "I'm sorry".

Belthazor met her gaze and nodded slightly.

~~BFF.~~

There was nothing more she could say, not in class. But she could write him a note.

I wish I could've done more.