fandomhigh | Library (1/10/06)

"Nice to meet you, Blair." Janet smiled. "I agree with Professor Lyman. What did they tell you at the commune about the moon landing?" She took the form and started processing it. "Who, actually," said Janet. "Angel's our resident vampire. There are others in town, but Angel's the only one it's safe to approach."

Blair grinned and bounced. "Angel! He's my Big Brother, I'm doing the research because of him actually. I don't know much about vampires other than they're bad and turn into bats which I don't believe is true because Angel is really cool and he's got a dog and I don't think that dogs like bats, do they?"

"They said the moon landing was faked by the man in order to steal money from the American people and because they couldn't make it. Just between me and you," Blair leaned forward and lowered his voice; "I think Professor Lyman might be working for the man too.

"Oh, that's right, he told me about you," said Janet. "Angel's not bad. But he used to be." She frowned. "I don't think he can turn into a bat, though you might want to just ask him."

"While I believe there are corrupt individuals ~~like Senator Kinsey~~ in the American government, I'm sure that NASA would never do something like that. They're dedicated to research." She shook her head. Janet felt compelled to defend the American government, having worked for it in the past. And there was the fact that they were currently paying for her education. "Why do you say that?"

"Sure, dedicated to research." Blair laughed. "Just like the military is dedicated to 'keeping the peace'"

Blair shrugged, "He used to work in the government and he still seems very much on message. Do you think maybe it's brainwashing or something?!" Blair bounced.

Janet frowned at him. "Oftentimes the military is dedicated to keeping the peace. That's not to say there aren't misguided inviduals there too."

"Or perhaps he honestly believes in our country's system of government," said Janet. "They certainly don't brainwash the public servants."

OOC: Hee!

Blair nodded. "I don't blame the individuals. They just were forced by preconceived notions or economic instability into a corrupt system. Really? Wouldn't peace be better kept without guns and brute force but with mediation?"

Blair leaned closer, "How can you be sure? Like, really sure? The governments got tons of secrets, how can we know that's not one of them."

"I was saying that the individuals may be corrupt, but I don't believe the system is," said Janet. "And in an ideal world, mediation would be the first, last, and only solution. However, how can you guarantee that both parties will stick to the mediation agreement?"

"It's not that I trust everything the government says," said Janet. ~~It's just that the evil aliens are really the ones who do the brainwashing.~~ "But any brainwashing would be easily uncovered by friends or family members who would notice the personality changes that are symptomatic of brainwashing procedures." She shook her head. "The government cannot and does not control every aspect of our society and therefor the news would be out to the public."

Blair bounced. "You're like so cool! Most people don't even listen and you're here and sticking for what you believe in and I like, totally respect that."

"Why wouldn't they stick to the mediation agreement? I mean, wouldn't everyone want to do it peacefully?"

Blair bounced again, "I don't really know about brainwashing symptoms or anything. Maybe I can research brainwashing too! But maybe the personality changes aren't like drooling but more like being really, really republican." Blair shuddered. "So maybe it doesn't control every aspect...but I believe it controls way more than it should and intimdates lots of people that are out of it's control."

"Thank you, Blair," said Janet, smiling at him. "What's the point of having your beliefs if you defend them?"

"Certainly not," said Janet. "Some people may believe they can accomplish their goals more easily or more thorougly with violence. In addition, a mediation agreement would mean that they had been forced to compromise, and someone that prone to violence and totalitarianism would likely feel the need to take everything they wanted instead of settling for only part of it."

She hoped that someone found a way to restrict Blair's caffeine intake. He was way too bouncy. "I can recommend some good books on the effects of brainwashing and cults," said Janet. "The first key aspect of brainwashing, however, is to remove the subject from any outside influences for an extended length of time. That can't happen with any of these public officials without anyone noticing. And you're right, drooling isn't one of the symptoms. But isn't Professor Lyman from a Democratic administration? Certainly people are influenced by the media, and perhaps portions of the media aren't always the most responsible about their news sources, but what evidence do you have of large-scale brainwashing by the government?"

Blair frowned; "Don't you believe that people are really good? I mean, I know that people make bad choices sometimes, but do you believe that people really are good?"

Blair whipped out his notebook to write 'brainwashing' underneath everything else he needed to research. "I don't remember everything that was talked about at the commune cause I was like 8 or something but I think they talked about the man controlling people through television commericals and processed foods like twinkies or something." Blair bounced. "Naomi thinks that twinkies are like, going to be the downfall of modern civilization. What about you?"

"Now you're looking at the entire issue of nature vs. nurture," said Janet. "While people may have innate tendencies towards goodness, it's not guaranteed that all of them do. What about those born with the potential to develop Antisocial Personality Disorder? Or simply someone born with violent or aggressive tendencies? If they grow up in an environment which isn't going to help them suppress those tendencies, then they may not be innately good. A large part of our behavior is determined by environment, some of it by heredity, and unfortunately, there's no easy answer to your question."

Janet may have both listened to Daniel a lot on the subject and done more than a little studying up on it herself.

"Well, we've already talked about the media influencing people, and I do agree," said Janet. "We're living in a consumer culture, and commercials are designed to increase consumption." She frowned at the mention of Twinkies. "I think they're empty calories, full of processed chemicals and sugars which, when ingested, will cause insulin levels to spike. There's absolutely nothing in the way of nutritional value to them whatsoever." She smiled. "That said, they taste pretty good."

"But they taste good?" Blair nodded and scribbled twinkies into his notebook.

"If the consumers are influenced by the media and the media is controlled in some form by the government, then doesn't that mean the government is controlling the populace?" Blair paused and bounced. "Do you have a twinkie? For purely scientific purposes?"

"They taste very good," said Janet.

"But is the media controlled completely by the government?" asked Janet. "It's got a high level of autonomy, even if it is influenced, in party, by the information about politics that the government chooses to release. In fact, the whole concept of the press being free of government control is written into the Constitution." Janet watched him bouncing and wondered if duct tape would manage to stop it. "So I disagree that the government is controlling the populace."

"Sadly, I'm not a purveyor of Twinkies," said Janet. She frowned. "Talk to Xander Harris. He seems to have a neverending supply of them."

OOC: Sorry to be so long in replying, but Tuesday nights I don't get online after work 'til about 9 CST.

Blair nodded, "I respect your disagreement, Janet. To be honest, I've not done a lot of research about it. But I'm going to add that to my list of things to study and maybe we can talk again sometime!" He bounced happily as he talked.

Blair nodded seriously and scribbled Harris=Twinkies in his notebook as well. "I think I'm going to be running late for my class with Professor Jackson, so I should get going. Is there anything else I need to do for the library card?"

"I'd like that," said Janet. "Disagreement in a discussion can mean exposure to different points of view. As long as everyone can manage not to lose their temper, at least." She grinned. "I'd like that."

"Just the application," said Janet. "I'll process it, and the next time you come in you can pick up the card when you check out a book. Have fun with Dr. Jackson's course. He's an extremely good teacher."

"He is!" Blair bounced happily. "Even if he doesn't think I should worry about colleges just yet..which I hope is good advice. I've got him for two classes and boy am I hungry!" Blair's stomach growled and he laughed, bouncing a little before stuffing his notebook back into his backpack.

"I'm going to grab something to eat and head to class. See you later, Janet!"

Janet waved goodbye, bemused.

Library (1/10/06)

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