endsthegame: (Default)
endsthegame ([personal profile] endsthegame) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2014-05-19 01:46 pm

Practical Philosophy, Monday

"There are those of us who come here believing very strongly in duty," Ender said. "Others who come here to escape it - and some to who it's absolutely not a part of their lives."

He smiled a little.

"I had a mentor, once," he said. "I was told that people were free, unless humanity needed them, and that humanity never asked us to be happy, merely to act on its behalf - for its survival. Happiness, he felt, was a luxury that at times we could scarcely afford. To opt out of doing our duty at such a time was the worst crime imaginable: a crime of stupidity."

He took a sip of water. "I've met people who disagreed, since," he said. "I've also met people whose lives were so intricately bound to these rules they didn't even know where they stopped and the rules began. Some of you have already made your views fairly clear already, but I'm curious as to everyone else's input, too.

"How important is duty? Do we people all carry some grand responsibility to our species, or should we exist only for ourselves and the development of our self? And if we live for duty, then when does that end? Is there some point where all of us may be afforded personal freedom, or are we perpetually tied to our responsibilities, whether we flee from them or not?"

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] fly-so-serious.livejournal.com 2014-05-19 07:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Now, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!" Joker exclaimed. "High five!" He held a hand out.
not_every_mage: ([pos] smiley)

Re: Talk.

[personal profile] not_every_mage 2014-05-19 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Anders was momentarily confused, but figured out he was supposed to raise his hand to meet Joker's fairly quickly.

"What is this?" he asked through a laugh, as he did it. "I didn't just promise to loan you money, did I?"

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] fly-so-serious.livejournal.com 2014-05-19 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"What? No, it's a high five," Joker told him. "...Which you might not have, where you're from. Right. So, it just means... It's a little mini-celebration, is what it is. I agree with you; yay, go us."
not_every_mage: ([pos] smart-arse)

Re: Talk.

[personal profile] not_every_mage 2014-05-20 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
"'Yay, go us,'" Anders repeated, and smiled. "I like it. It's silly, but it gets the point across. And I like that you agree. It's nice to know no one has to be the hero all the time."

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] fly-so-serious.livejournal.com 2014-05-20 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
"But that you do have to be the hero when you need to be," Joker added. "'Cause a bunch of these peeps sound like they'd rather let people rot."
not_every_mage: ([neu] calm)

Re: Talk.

[personal profile] not_every_mage 2014-05-20 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
"And yet I'm not sure any of them would, if it came to that," Anders said. "But maybe I'm just feeling unusually optimistic today."

Re: Talk.

[identity profile] fly-so-serious.livejournal.com 2014-05-20 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
"'Unusually'?" Joker asked. "There's nothing wrong with a little optimism."