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

[brambless.livejournal.com]

[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.]

Comments

Re: First Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Can you be more specific? What are those responsibilities, and how are they different from those held by people whose power is minimal?"

Re: First Hour

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

Well, you brought up those of us with 'unusual' abilities. I guess I fall into that category. I was pretty happy just, you know, being me and doing my job. Then I sit in this chair and it glows. They tell me to think about where I am in the universe and a map appears over my head. Apparently this is because I have some whacked-out gene that very few people have. And to top things off, I have it in spades, like no one's ever seen before.

So I get told all this top secret stuff I never asked about, nor did I really want to know about at first. Then I get told that because of my oh-so-cool gene that I can take this completely hair-brained assignment that could very easily lead to my death. I'm told I have a choice, but that I'm total scum if I don't accept, because apparently my 'special ability' might be very useful there.

So I go. And then my C.O. dies (and that's a whole 'nother discussion that probably fits better under the 'when do we save people' topic than this one) and I end up in a place I wasn't aware existed, with people I don't know and now I'm in charge of keeping them all safe.

I never asked for any of this. But I was given the responsibility because I have the power. Those who can't do what I do, would never have found themselves in my position. And I think it's easy for those who don't have the power and therefor won't bear the responsibility to say, "Gee, you're special, you should feel honored that we want you to... whatever." No one asked me if I wanted electric genes. I just got 'lucky' and look where that got me. I mean, what kind of jerk would I be if I hadn't gone and people had died because I hadn't been there to do something about it? But people who don't have the power don't realize what a guilt trip they put on those of us who do. Does that mean they really have the power? That they can control us - manipulate us - into doing things that we may not otherwise be inclined to do? Maybe.

Did that sound bitter?

Did it come even close to answering your question?

Re: First Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara smiles softly. From the back of her notebook she takes a shiny gold star, and puts it on the arm of John's chair.

"Perfectly, John. Thank you. And you've just defined our extra credit question for the day."