fandomhigh | Ethics [Thursday, January 26, 2012, 1st period]

Current Mood: moody

Entry tags:

ethics

Ethics [Thursday, January 26, 2012, 1st period]

One of the occupational hazards of living with a politcal blogger was being forced to sit through the State of the Union address for a country Anakin cared about but, let's be frank, wasn't overly emotionally invested in.

At least it helped to come up with his next discussion in Ethics class?

"Hello, class," he said, beginning to speak once the speakers stopped broadcasting Chloe's radio. "Today we're going to talk about the ethics involved with money. Are there things that money shouldn't buy--elections, perhaps, or people? Do those sorts of transactions happen in your dimension anyway?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Are there things that money shouldn't buy--elections, perhaps, or people? Do those sorts of transactions happen in your dimension anyway?"

"There are a lot of things money shouldn't buy," Gabrielle said firmly. "Definitely not elections, not people's spiritual devotion, and --"

It had been a long time ago, but she hadn't forgotten that she'd met Xena when Xena had rescued her and some of the girls of her village from a gang of slavers, so a haunted look flashed through her eyes for a moment.

"Absolutely not people. Sad to say all of those happen at home, though."

"Mine too," he replied with a tiny, sympathetic smile. "Do you think there's any way to stop such exploitation?"

Gabrielle pursed her lips and frowned. "I think as long as there's any kind of injustice in the world, as long as there are people who're allowed to gain power unchecked and are willing to take the less fortunate for everything they have, it will always be a problem. We can't afford to keep turning a blind eye to people in those situations, or just assuming it's the way of the world for these things to keep happening."

Anakin nodded. "But is there a way to curb their influence without violence?"

"Yes," Gabrielle said firmly. "If we can manage to find a way to spread love and empathy and understanding, eventually it'll be unconscionable to treat fellow human beings that way."

Sigh, Gabrielle.

Anakin fought back the urge to pat her on her optimistic little head.

"That's a tough sell," he replied.

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

ancientbschamp.livejournal.com - 2012-01-27 07:29 (UTC) - Expand

Dorothy at least had read enough of the history (or in her case, future history) book to feel like she knew enough to answer the question.

"It's hard to stop an election from being bought," she said. "But absolutely, people shouldn't be bought as if they were livestock. They're people, they deserve much better than that."

"I'll ask you the same thing I asked Gabrielle, then," Anakin replied. "Can you think of any way that would discourage people from trafficking in people?"

"Strict laws?" Dorothy said, trying to think of things. "Maybe even very harsh punishments for those who do so?"

It seemed the most straight-forward approach.

"How would they get caught?" Anakin asked.

"Isn't that what police are for?" Dorothy said, not quite understanding the depth of Anakin's question.

"Police can be bought off if you have enough money," Anakin replied.

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

cant-be-helped.livejournal.com - 2012-01-27 03:38 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

sith_happened - 2012-01-27 03:58 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

cant-be-helped.livejournal.com - 2012-01-27 04:06 (UTC) - Expand

"Let's test this theory," Sam decided. "Everyone give me all your money."

Sam should never be put in charge of anything.

Ever.

Anakin snorted. "I don't have any, but good try."

"I thought all adults had money." Well, unless they were Spencer.

"Well, we might, but I don't have cash."

"I'm willing to accept most major credit cards."

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

sith_happened - 2012-01-27 02:52 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

hurtingzeebo - 2012-01-27 02:55 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

sith_happened - 2012-01-27 02:58 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

hurtingzeebo - 2012-01-27 03:15 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

sith_happened - 2012-01-27 03:32 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

hurtingzeebo - 2012-01-27 03:34 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

sith_happened - 2012-01-27 03:58 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question [1/26]

hurtingzeebo - 2012-01-27 04:11 (UTC) - Expand

"Is any dimension where money's never used to buy all those?" Kate wondered aloud. "It shouldn't be, and is. It's better here than it is at home I think, but seems to me there's always a darker side of humanity. However shiny it all looks on the surface."

Anakin nodded. "I lived in a galaxy that had figured out interstellar flight ten thousand years before I was born, and we still had slavery. I don't know if it's something that's just inherently broken in our makeup, to take advantage of the weaker among us."

Jim chewed on his hip for a moment, and then shrugged.

"Anything that could affect the health or freedoms of others, I guess. Elections, people, like you said," he ventured. "I'm not aware of anything like that happening back home, but... space is a pretty big place, you know? I'm sure stuff like that happens everywhere, it's just that some places are better at hiding it than others."

~~Jim must be very bendy!~~

"At home, it wasn't something that happened near the Inner Rim or Core planetary systems," he said. "It was in the Outer Rim, where law enforcement was lax to non-existent."

~~It's all that anarchy. Mmm hips.~~

"That sounds about right," Jim decided, after taking a second to think that over. "Back in my reality, there was a planet that one of the most notorious pirates in history used as a place to stash all his loot. And that was way out on the outskirts, too."

"Pirates tend to do that at home, too," Anakin said. "Near enough to the major spacelanes but off the grid."

"I guess it's easier to hide out there, huh?" Jim drummed his fingers on his desk, just once, and then shrugged. "I haven't spent much time out there. But it really is the sort of place that makes cut-throats feel at home. It isn't like people are going to head out that far to look, after all."

Which wasn't really the original question at all, so Jim brought it around again with, "And some of the pirates I've met would probably try to buy just about anything that they can't get while standing at the business end of a gun."