Ethics, Tuesday, March 3, 2015 (2nd period)

[sith_happened]

"I saw many of you on the spring break trip last week," Anakin began, "trying to adjust to being thrust into a time that wasn't your own. For some of you, this isn't the first time you've been faced with a culture that's unfamiliar: Fandom has a habit of taking people from various places and times and tossing them together. In some ways, it's amazing there aren't more fistfights as cultural mores and ethical assumptions rub against each other...."

"Sometimes these mores and assumptions can vary so thoroughly, it might seem almost incapable to bridge the divide. Though obviously, your world's 70s were not quite so drastic." Obi-Wan smiled faintly. "Now, one who experiences these differences often enough in enough contexts often develops an ability to deal with these issues diplomatically, swallowing one's judgment." Beat. "Most of the time..."

Not that he was looking at Anakin or anything.

"And sometimes they should be judged because they're wrong," Anakin replied. "Unlimited smoking, no sunscreen--that stuff will actually kill you."

"It can be difficult to judge what is an issue of lagging progress, and what is simply a cultural difference," Obi-Wan said. "As an outsider, especially, it might be nearly impossible to judge if something requires a change of any kind."

"So today we want you to pair up and think of something from your home culture or galaxy that might surprise or even shock a visitor," Anakin said, "and to decide if it's lagging progress or a cultural difference." He held out his hands. "For me, I would say that I find your universe's lack of space travel to be lagging progress, but if you visited my galaxy, you'd probably be shocked by the acceptance of violence and almost constant, if low-level, warfare, as normal." He arched an eyebrow at Obi-Wan. "Master Kenobi, would you agree with my assessment?"

"I would say the lack of space travel would be both a case of lagging progress, and of some snobbery on your part, Master Skywalker," Obi-Wan said, sounding amused. "Though I daresay your last point shows some manner of bias to our present location. I'm led to believe this is a relatively peaceful area on this planet." He looked to the class. "There are areas of our galaxy engaged in cultural practices we find distasteful, but there is often little we can do about them. But I believe the position of the Jedi, as they were, might also be something of a shock. I cannot recall running across any such organisation in my studies of this planet."

Comments

Sign in [3/3]

[sith_happened]

Facing unfamiliar cultures.

Re: Sign in [3/3]

[iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com]

Elsa of Arendelle

Re: Sign in [3/3]

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

Ronan Lynch

Re: Sign in [3/3]

[notacokeperson.livejournal.com]

Karina Lyle

Re: Sign in [3/3]

[not_a_moonie]

Alana

Listen to the lecture

[sith_happened]

Low on sniping today!

Pair up and talk about your homes!

[sith_happened]

And things people might be surprised to see.

(AKA: your faves are problematic. Ha. I crack myself up.)

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

Ronan figured if someone wanted to pair up with him, he'd tell them the lamest, most boring things about Henrietta. Nothing important. Nothing revealing.

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[not_a_moonie]

Alana was sitting near Ronan anyhow, so she figured she might as well take one for the team and chat up her little brother for the assignment.

"Hey," she said. "Want to tell me all about the amazing place you call home?"

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

"It's in Virginia. It's hot there during the summer," he told her and left it at that. "Exciting, huh?"

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[not_a_moonie]

"Yeah, I'm fascinated," Alana deadpanned. "Is it cold in the winter, too?"

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[sarcastic-vamp.livejournal.com]

Somehow Carmilla didn't think she was going to offer up "ancient vampires sacrifice young girls to Something In A Pit every 20 years" as an oddity of her time. She figured she'd just make something up based on whomever her partner was.

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[princessarcasm]

Amy was a little underwhelmed by this assignment and thought the professors were maybe reaching a little, but if she had to participate, she was picking a partner she already knew.

"Wanna be partners?"

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[sarcastic-vamp.livejournal.com]

"You have to ask, cupcake?" Carmilla said. "Sit yourself down." She patted the chair next to her.

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[princessarcasm]

Amy grinned and claimed the seat, scooting perhaps a bit closer than was necessary. "So. Your world. All I know is it has good hair products, based on empirical evidence."

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

Celia half-hoped she'd end up with someone from the distant future, or at least a more modern time than her own; otherwise she didn't see herself standing much of a chance in surprising anyone with the practices of her home.

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[notamascot]

Kaylin nodded at her. "Should we be partners?"

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

"If you'd like," Celia replied evenly, smiling. "Tell me about your home, Kaylin."

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[notamascot]

"Well... we don't have most of the stuff here. The electricity and computers and phones and all that," she said. "Our fancy lights and stuff are all magic. And humans are only a small part of the population."

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[wildandbrave]

Well, to be honest Cosette couldn't really give anyone a very good picture of what her time was like, since all of it was filtered through the lens of a very secluded lifestyle, even outside of the years she'd spent in the convent. She'd be willing to try, though!

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[fly-so-serious.livejournal.com]

"I'll bet you've got some interesting stories to tell," Joker greeted her with a grin. "As for me, the distant future is... pretty much the same as here and now, believe it or not. At least, in terms of values and culture and things like that." He shrugged. "I think the biggest difference is that people here -- well, not here here, maybe, but people outside of Fandom -- they all tend to think that America is the center of the universe. And where I'm from, it's really, really not."

Re: Pair up and talk about your homes!

[wildandbrave]

"Oh, I've plenty of stories to tell about my make-believe adventures in the convent's gardens," Cosette said with a laugh. "I imagine that's a different sort of thing than you're used to."

She considered the last part of what Joker had said. "I'd noticed, at least whenever I've been on the mainland, how people seem to forget there are places outside of America, but then I never used to pay America any mind at home, either. I wonder if that's to do with how much easier it is to communicate now than it was then? But no, that doesn't seem to make a difference to people here. But is there someplace where you're from that really is the center of the universe?"

Talk to the teachers!

[sith_happened]

Where Anakin might be judging the hell out of Obi-Wan for being judgey about him being judgey.

It's a thing.

Re: Talk to the teachers!

[saddeserthermit]

Honestly, Anakin. You were so judgey, your judginess deserved judging.

And Obi-Wan had years of experience judging it.

OOC

[sith_happened]

Lenface is on vacation, so her replies will be slowish because Morocco.