endsthegame: (Default)
endsthegame ([personal profile] endsthegame) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2014-05-12 02:06 pm

Practical Philosophy, Monday

"We talked about it a little last week," Ender said, "And since nothing catastrophic has happened since, we might as well continue on that yarn-- about identity, and specifically, the debate surrounding nature and nurture."

It was another nice-ish day, and so they were outside again. Bag of sandwiches, drinks, the works. Ender seemed fairly serene about it all.

"The nature versus nurture debate is an old one," he said. "The original progenitor of the term was the polymath Francis Galton. He approached it as something of a binary. Philosophers like John Locke claimed the nurture end was the right side of the stick - that all humans were born blank slates to be imprinted on. On the other side, you had people such as the behavioral geneticists, who felt most behaviors were derived from your DNA."

He smiled a little.

"Common wisdom dictates that this binary isn't so clear-cut," he said. "There's a little bit of nature and nurture in all of us. But how much, and how?"

Re: OOC

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 12:16 pm (UTC)(link)
What if I stop the end of the world? I can totally do that.

Re: Sign In!

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 12:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Elsa of Arendelle

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Once again, Elsa was choosing to pass on the sandwiches (though they really did look good) in favour of a bottle of water, instead. Today's discussion had her sitting quietly and looking thoughtful. She'd contemplated different aspects of this topic to herself quite often as she was growing up.

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 12:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"I suppose... the answer to that is tied up in how strong the influence of either actually is," Elsa offered. "I want to think that nature can be overcome if the will to do so and the necessary support is there. But then... I can see how in some cases, nature winning over nurture is the best thing for a person in certain circumstances, as well."

She pulled in a slow breath and held it.

"The push I've always been most familiar with has been the one against nature. I can't really speak for people who lean the other way, and my situation might be very specific to myself. But I think it's always been for the best."

Ish.
Edited 2014-05-12 12:57 (UTC)

Re: Sign In!

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 12:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Barry Ween

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Barry shrugged a bit when it came to be his turn. "I'm the wrong person to ask about nature vs. nurture," Barry began. "I was self-aware in my Mom's womb and hid my intelligence from them at an early age because I knew they'd fuck my life up somehow. I guess I'm more of a nature product? Then again I spent my time nurturing my best friend who would turned into an uptight fuckwad since childhood and was able to make him a better person."

Granted Jeremy was a misogynist hummingbird on crack. And was a complete horndog. But he was truly a good person! That counts for something right?"

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"So what's so wrong about your nature that you have to fight against it?" Barry asked. "No offense but you seem more in control of everything than any teenager I've ever met."

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Why would I be offended over being told I look as though I'm in control?" Actually, hearing that was a huge relief, though Elsa was a bit iffy about just out and talking about her powers in the middle of class. "That's what I'm aiming for, after all."

So, good job, Elsa!

"I was born into a family with certain expectations. I had to work hard to meet those expectations. No jumping on the bed, or sliding down the bannister, or... waking up at the crack of dawn to run out and build a snowman."

Thank goodness for all of that self-control. You had to really be looking to see her breath hitch a little at that last bit.

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"So... you're trying to fight against being a normal kid?" Barry asked raising an eyebrow. "Because honestly those things sound like fun. Did your family outlaw fun?"

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes.

"They had their reasons," Elsa replied, suddenly very interested in her bottle of water. "And they tried to do their best to raise me. It was just difficult."

For, you know, those reasons she'd mentioned.

Re: Talk to the TA

[identity profile] makemyownway.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Cade had a lot to say on this subject, which was why he'd jammed his face full of sandwich to avoid saying any of it out loud.

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 01:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Because you wanted to jump on the bed?" Barry asked. "I mean I've seen parents do that kind of thing in my world and usually two things happen. One: The kid rebels and does the opposite of what the parents want or two: the kid does everything trying to please their parents to an impossible standard and then the kid has a complete meltdown. Either way it's not exactly healthy."

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] notaweenie.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Fuck, an anomaly is more like it," Barry said shaking his head. "Hell, if some other spermatozoa went left when the other went right I'd just be some schmuck with asshole parents like anyone else."

Re: Talk to the Teacher

[identity profile] makemyownway.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Cade loitered behind as well, pretending to help clean.

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"You think I'm going to suffer some sort of psychotic break?" Elsa raised her eyebrows a little at that, blinking at Barry. "I really don't think it's going to come to that, you know."

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com 2014-05-12 02:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Elsa balked a little at that, fidgeting with the water bottle in her hands.

"Like I said... depending on the person and on the situation, it differs. But I can't afford to give in to impulse. Not with the position I'm in, or the position I'm going to take when I go back home. Somebody could get hurt."

In so many different ways.

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