Ethics [Thursday, March 14, 2013]

[sith_happened]

Anakin looked a little confused at the teal deer with a notebook standing in his classroom this morning. "Normally today it's rats dressed as pirates," he said, tilting his head. "Can you even take notes?"

He wasn't really expecting an answer: he'd been in Fandom a while, but not long enough to actually engage in one-sided conversations with woodland creatures very often.

"Right then," he said, turning to his class. "Apparently the squirrels are on strike today because there's no rum. Let's talk about that. Should Jaye be paying squirrels at all? Should we try to transition them to something not so alcoholic--perhaps nuts or quinoa or Pop-Tarts?"

Comments

Discussion! [3/14]

[sith_happened]

Workers' rights for squirrels! The ethics of plying them with booze! Judge away, ethics students!

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[nips-your-nose.livejournal.com]

"Well, it's kinda unrealistic to expect them to work day and night writing dirt on people without payment, isn't it?"

Jack was totally taking the squirrels' side on this one. Partly because they could see him, and hearing his name on the radio a few times had already been responsible for some people around the island starting to accept that he was real.

"They're an important part of the island's broadcast industry. They deserve payment in kind for that, I think."

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded. "But should we be paying them in controlled substances? I can't imagine what they'd do with cash, but maybe pay them in food instead?"

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[nips-your-nose.livejournal.com]

"Around here, it's not really all that controlled, is it? I mean, anyone can buy alcohol at that one bar in town, can't they?" Jack shrugged. "So making it difficult for the squirrels to get it if that's what they want to be paid in, if they're not getting money, could almost be like discrimination against squirrels. You can't go to Caritas and trade quinoa for a drink, can you?"

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[sith_happened]

"I've never tried," Anakin admitted. "Maybe we should find out."

And by "we" Anakin meant "you."

"Are they unionized?" he wondered. "Will there be negotiations?"

Horrible thought: "Will Jaye make me negotiate with them?"

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[mummyspromdate.livejournal.com]

"I mean, they probably do more work per day than most of the people around here. They should get some kind of payment," Maddie said thoughtfully. "But why rum? I mean, that probably doesn't help them work."

The squirrels would beg to differ, Maddie.

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[sith_happened]

"It certainly doesn't help their spelling," Anakin agreed.

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[mummyspromdate.livejournal.com]

"And maybe that's why they sometimes hear things wrong," she said. "Maybe there should be some sort of alcohol-substitution after this."

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[sith_happened]

"Give them rum extract instead, maybe," Anakin suggested.

Because that certainly wouldn't kill them.

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[ultron_junior]

"I don't get why rodents have to spy on us to start with," Victor offered. "But if they do, probably it's unfair to ask them to work for free. If alcohol's what they want..." He shrugged. "There's no way a squirrel is drinking that much rum anyhow, right?"

He was naive.

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[sith_happened]

Anakin snorted. "How do you think we ended up with a shortage to begin with?"

Re: Discussion! [3/14]

[ultron_junior]

"I dunno, I guess I always thought people drank a lot of rum and cokes at the bars," Victor said. "Seriously? It all goes to these little three-pound squirrels?"