Anakin Skywalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sith_happened) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2015-03-03 01:13 pm
sith_happened) wrote in fandomhigh2015-03-03 01:13 pm
Entry tags:
Ethics, Tuesday, March 3, 2015 (2nd period)
"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."
"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."
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