Practical Philosophy, Monday

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It was downright balmy out today, which frankly was a first for Ender's class - he was more used to having to watch the skies for sudden attacks of rainstorms or the like. Not that that ever stopped him, but still: it was nice not to have to worry about.

He walked in and sat down when everyone had settled, putting the bag of sandwiches down in the middle of the group. "So," he said. "Last Friday, most of us encountered an old Fandom classic - bursting into song whether we like it or not. Usually not."

He stretched out his legs. "Now there's a lot of discussion about art, expression, of which music is a part. Many have argued that a well-developed civilization needs art, to get people to better themselves - the paternalistic approach - or because expression is a fundamental part of human nature. It is, I suppose: we all express ourselves in our own ways, whether it be through song or painting or macaroni sculptures."

Ender paused, looking wry. "Of course," he said, "You could argue that what happened last Friday was more a 'spewing forth', an unpleasant regurgitation of your or someone else's expression that you didn't intend and didn't ask for. Is it still self-expression when it's done at metaphorical gunpoint? And something that I wondered about - is there a point to doing it, voluntarily or not, in front of someone you've already shared yourself with? Or is it freeing to just... sing out what's on your mind, without social filters, but with an easy excuse to blame it on?"

Comments

Before Class

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Gather, bask in the sun, talk without the teacher watching.

Sign In!

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Musically.

Re: Sign In!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy

Re: Sign In!

[arsenicmauls]

Gertrude Yorkes

Listen to the Lecture

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Short as it is. Or have a sandwich.

Talk.

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About the subject matter at hand, or pose some other topic to the class. Ender's fine with either.

Re: Talk.

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"I hid stayed in my room so no one would hear me," Cassidy admitted.

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled a little. "Embarrassed about the singing?" he said. "Or about the content?"

Re: Talk.

[arsenicmauls]

"The only person I hung out with all day was a friend I knew wouldn't be a jerk about it if I started singing something uncomfortable," Gert offered. "It was kind of good that I did, because I think I managed to make her feel better about stuff by singing... really sappy crap." She wrinkled her nose.

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"Was it worth having to sing sappy crap?" Ender asked, looking a little amused.

Re: Talk.

[makemyownway.livejournal.com]

"I have a karking wonderful singing voice," Cade said. "I didn't know that."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"Really," Ender said. "Can we expect an appearance from you at the next musical?"

He didn't think so.

Re: Talk.

[flickofthewrist]

"I didn't sing." He'd missed that particular bit of whimsy, thankfully. "So, I can't really participate in this discussion."

Or maybe he just didn't want to think about what would have happened had he ended up singing about the crap inside his head. He really didn't want to think about that.

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"I'm not sure about that," Ender said easily. "You can still view it as a theoretical exercise. Or just express your relief that you missed out on it."

Re: Talk.

[notacokeperson.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't here," Karina said, thanking god for that. "And singing is great, if we're not being forced to share secrets."

What was with the island and violating privacy? Honestly.

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

It was a Thing that happened, usually leaving behind a lot of debris to clean up. You either got used to it or you pushed through it until you could get out of here.

"Sadly, the two seem to go hand in hand when the island pulls this," Ender said. "It's not one of my favorite annual events."

Re: Talk.

[sciencesalarian.livejournal.com]

"Found phenomenon scientifically interesting and ultimately inexplicable, at least without proper equipment, and time, of course, time needed to gather cultures and do brain scans and--getting off point." Mordin hardly even paused before launching into his next thought. "Annoying, as well. Personally dealing with communication through translator program. Do not need lyrical poetics further muddying communication. Personal annoyance negligible, though. More curious to discuss statement 'expression is part of human nature.' Don't necessarily disagree just...curious how humans view their own cultural development."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"What, specifically, are you curious about?" Ender asked, sitting up. "We'll see if we can find some answers between the lot of us."

Re: Talk.

[myownface]

"... Wait, that was an island thing? I thought I was just... you know... singing."

A day spent singing show-tunes in his room while keeping his roommate from eating his cat really wasn't all that out-of-the-ordinary for this place. Sparkle hadn't even suspected.

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"Island thing," Ender confirmed. He didn't look terribly surprised that Sparkle hadn't noticed. "We sing our hearts out and then we huddle up to feel terrible about it."

Re: Talk.

[spin_kick_snap]

"It was...weird," Kathy said, looking dubious about the entire thing. "I guess it wasn't really embarrassing or whatever for me because I like to sing and everyone else was, too, but I didn't have any control over it. I didn't know what was happening, but suddenly I was singing when I didn't expect to and singing songs I didn't even know. This kind of thing happens all the time?"

Talk to the TA

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Who doesn't have much trouble expressing himself.

Re: Talk to the TA

[myownface]

Sparkle was, in fact, here, rocking spiked hair today with what appeared to be frosted tips, but was mostly just a lack of opportunity to dye his bleached hair back to its usual colour while it started to grow out. He'd have to fix that, eventually.

In the meanwhile, maybe he'd just hum about it while making certain his lion-cub-shaped roomie didn't wander too far off. Why not, right?

Talk to the Teacher

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If you'd rather talk to Ender after class, when he's cleaning up.

OOC

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Woo, class! Please keep in mind that anything said in the Talk thread is presumed to be said in front of the entire class.