endsthegame (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomhigh2014-05-19 01:46 pm
endsthegame) wrote in fandomhigh2014-05-19 01:46 pm
Entry tags:
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?"
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.
Re: Talk.
"Kingdom," she muttered, another flush colouring her cheeks faintly. "And I wouldn't even know where to start, if I were to begin seriously considering putting something like that in place."
Re: Talk.
"So, I want to say, first of all, that I think any country would be better off with you behind the helm than some sleazy elected official. And there's that old cliché that the best person to rule is someone who doesn't want the job. That being said, if you want to consider modernizing your government, Professor Lyman would be the one to talk to."
Re: Talk.
She hadn't wanted people looking at her like a future queen, rather than a classmate. It had worked well enough, but it seemed ridiculous to dance around it, now.
"I... might have to talk to him at some point, if only to get a feel for what a 'modernized' government would entail."
Arendelle was not all that modern.
Re: Talk.
Re: Talk.
"... You'd think that people would have gotten past the petty arguing part of running a country, by now."
It was the future! They were supposed to be more advanced!