Magical Theory 101 (Monday, 01/30/2006, 5th Period)

[romanywitch]

CLASS IS CLOSED
The door, as usual, is closed in order to minimize disruptions from the hallway, and Jenny's got coffee and doughnuts sitting up on her desk by the sign-in sheet. "Okay, guys, last week before our quiz, we talked just a little about divination and how to tell the future, plus everyone got a chance to practice divination by doing their own tarot reading. Check out this handout which is totally not the same link from last week's quiz if you're interested in some of the wacky ways that people have been known to practice the divinatory arts in the past. But here's another, slightly more scholarly handout.

Divination presumes that some sort of supernatural force--like fate or destiny--exists and that it influences everyone's future. For example, the Greeks had the three Moirae, also known as the Fates--Clothos, who spun out the thread measuring the length of your life; Lachesis who wove your thread into the tapestry and therefore dictated the events of your life; and Atropos, who decided when you were gonna die. She had the scissors and snipped your thread when you were done. The Greeks? Big on unshakeable destiny. Here's a handout with a synopsis of the story of Oedipus Rex. Guy was foretold as someone who was going to kill his father and marry his mother. Which, gotta say? Ew. Back then and now, ew. Everything he and his folks did to avoid the prophecy coming true only brought the prophecy into fulfillment.

So. Do you believe in the future as immutable, or changeable? Check over your handouts, and let's talk about it."


OOC: I do not have webmail access during the day; the only address I have access to is my work e-mail (which, for obvious reasons, I don't have LJ comment notifications going to). If you need something from me, please ping me in the voice mail or e-mail links below. I will try to check that once in the morning and once in the afternoon, depending on how busy I am at work. I'll check it at least once every morning; however. When I get home at night, I don't log onto LJ or e-mail until after my son has been put to bed around 7:30 or 8 CST (on most nights; however, there are a few exceptions). My IM is in my userinfo and I'll make a point of being accessible on it when I'm at home and online. Tuesday nights I am generally inaccessible; I might be online after my dance lesson, but I need at least one night for non-FH time. Luckily, none of Jenny's classes are run on Tuesdays.

Useful Links:
Ms. Calendar's Voice Mail
Ms. Calendar's E-Mail
And just because I'm in love with it, Godchecker.

{{OOC: OCD comment threads going up shortly are up.}}

Comments

Sign-In

[romanywitch]

...

Re: Sign-In

[demonbelthazor]

A quiet and withdrawn Bel signs in.

Re: Sign-In

[fh_jackass]

Logan signed in.

Re: Sign-In

[demonbelthazor]

Bel shot a dark look at Logan as he sat down.

Re: Sign-In

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

[Kiki is not in class today.]

Re: Sign-In

[romanywitch]

{{Is this plotty stuff or RL stuff? I hope it's plotty and not RL issues!}}

Re: Sign-In

[absolutesnark]

Piper signs in.

Re: Sign-In

[krycek-rat.livejournal.com]

Krycek signed in.

Re: Sign-In

[upforachase.livejournal.com]

Cordy signs in and grabs a coffee.

Re: Sign-In

[sakuracchyan.livejournal.com]

Sakura signs in and absently grabs a doughnut, chewing on it thoughtfully. She is entirely out of sorts and quite ADD today -- and hopes it won't affect her performance in the class.

Re: Sign-In

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander signed in.

Re: Sign-In

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia signed in and sat silent during Jenny's lecture.

Re: Sign-In

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Paige signs in ((thought I'd already done this sorry))

Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[romanywitch]

...

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[demonbelthazor]

"A little of both," Bel said. "You can try to change the future, but there are some things you just can't change due to forces beyond your control."

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[fh_jackass]

"Changeable," Logan said. "Otherwise, what's the point?"

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[absolutesnark]

"If there's enough warning, like from a premonition, it's possible to change the future," Piper said quietly.

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[krycek-rat.livejournal.com]

"I think you're in control of your own destiny or, as Logan asked, what's the point? Chalking it up to immutability seems like a handy way to shed responsibility."

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[upforachase.livejournal.com]

"I would love to think that the future is changeable," Cordy said, reddening slightly. "But I have seen so many prophecies that I just don't know anymore. And some of them were full of crap, but some of them definitely were true. So maybe a little bit of both, but where is the line drawn?"

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[sakuracchyan.livejournal.com]

Sakura takes a moment before the concept of 'discussion' sinks in. She finishes her doughnut and ponders for a moment. "Changeable, I'd say... I mean, there are certain things you can't do anything about... But for the most part, your future depends on how you do things." Even as she speaks, she's not entirely focused. She's a little funny to watch, truthfully, she can't keep her eyes focused on any one thing -- she looks at her desk, then at Jenny, then back at her desk and then to the floor.

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[soldtoarmenians]

"A little of both?" Xander said. "Maybe not fixed in stone, but definitely predictable, because I've seen people do it. I think it's a crock from both ends, though, to say it can't b changed at all. Krycek's right, not trying to change something bad is a cop-out. And if you're the Big Guns, the gods or the powers that be or whatever, and you set things up so only one thing is gonna happen... isn't that just a way to stick somebody not you as the fall guy? Like, with {shudder} Oedipus, or even take something like the New Testament -- if all that stuff was written out in advance, how is it that the gods still get to be pissed at Oedipus or Judas?"

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the discussion topic. Sighing a little and bracing for Ms. Calendar's attack she raised her hand. "I think its both."

Re: Discussion - Today's Topic: Is the future immutable or changeable?

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

"I think some things in our future are immutable, I mean I happen to believe my destiny is pretty much written for what I'm going to do my future, but I don't think everything in my life is unchangeable, there's still free will in life, and how I deal with my destiny is up to me."

After Class

[romanywitch]

...

OOC

[romanywitch]

...