Practical Philosophy, Monday

[endsthegame]

"Hey," Ender greeted the group, smiling faintly. "It's traditional for my class to spend the first week reflecting on the future, and the last reflecting on the past."

"Specifically," he continued, stretching his legs out in the grass of the dorm lawn, "How much have you changed since you got here? How do you see your future, on the island or off? Has the island been an interruption in your life, to be skipped past and left there once you graduate? Or going by your experiences, do you think it will forge lasting changes that will stick with you in the times ahead?"

He smiled briefly.

"I realize this isn't a particularly philosophical series of questions," he said. "But it's something worth reflecting on, not just with me, but between yourselves. I have a feeling your viewpoints will be as diverse as you are."

He sat back.

"But to pull it larger: do you think there's a shared experience here on this island? Something similar we all take away from it? Or none at all?"

After he let those questions sink in, he looked towards one student in particular if she was there. "Peridot? Can you come see me after class?"

Comments

Sign In!

[endsthegame]

Last class!

Re: Sign In!

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot

Re: Sign In!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada Miller

Re: Sign In!

[giveherahand]

Mara Jade

Listen to the Lecture

[endsthegame]

Short and sweet.

Talk.

[endsthegame]

Do you think there's a shared experience here on this island? Something similar we all take away from it? Or none at all?

Re: Talk.

[era_two_triangle]

"I don't know," Peridot admitted, fidgeting faintly. "Being on the island has made me think of things that would never have occurred to me, and some of them aren't things I can just stop thinking about. If I get back to Homeworld, thinking those thoughts, thoughts about growing and friendship, things like that, that could change things."

It could be dangerous, was what it could be.

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"How do you feel about that?" Ender asked, tilting his head.

Re: Talk.

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot paused for a moment, considering the question. And then she shrugged her shoulders.

"Afraid, a little," she replied. "Some of those thoughts are dangerous ones. The same sort of thoughts that spark rebellions, that get Gems shattered. I don't want to be shattered. I don't want to be mistaken for the traitors who stood against Homeworld. I remain loyal to my Diamond. I just... wonder if the way humans do some things is more logical."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"There's a long road between thinking different thoughts and actually choosing to act in opposition to anything," Ender said quietly. "You don't have to let them influence your actions, if you decide the ramifications aren't worth it."

RE: Re: Talk.

[era_two_triangle]

"But what do I do if I decide they are?"

These were the questions that... didn't keep her up at night, as Gems didn't sleep, exactly. But she had to consider them all the same.

"My Diamond is reasonable, the most logical of them all, but there's a history."

Re: Talk.

[boneyard_girl]

"Like a lot of people, I didn't come here willingly," Ada said bluntly. "I'd been sick--" a truth and a lie all in one, "--an' wasn't gonna pass th' homeschool tests from th' government social workers. This was our work-around... I wasn't gonna have t' take the tests -- an' fail -- if I was at a 'real' school when they showed up."

Was that sarcasm on 'real'? Yes, yes it was.

"I thought the moment I turned eighteen I'd be out of here faster than you could blink. It's what my family expects. But right now? I don't know if I want to go. I like it here, when it's not trying to kill me."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

Ender sat forward, considering her. "What changed?" he asked.

Re: Talk.

[boneyard_girl]

"Ain't never had friends b'fore," she said simply. "You live an' work with family with the carnival, an' while stayin' in one place more'n a week still makes me itch, it's th' first time I've ever had friends that like me f'r me, not because we're family."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled a little. "Sometimes it happens," he said, a little wryly. "Do you think you'll finish up your schooling here, now?"

Re: Talk.

[giveherahand]

"I think we develop a shorthand here," Mara said, "that won't translate easily elsewhere. No one else will just wave off a weekend where everyone lost their memories as something that just happens."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"How do you think that's going to affect you later?" Ender asked.

Re: Talk.

[giveherahand]

"As little as I can manage," Mara said bluntly. "My mentor has exacting standards."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"And Fandom doesn't measure up?" Ender said.

Talk to the Teacher

[endsthegame]

He's still around after class.

Re: Talk to the Teacher

[era_two_triangle]

Well, class was over, and the Ender had asked her to come see him. So... here Peridot came, looking curious.

"You requested my presence after class?"

And lo, she appeared! Looking faintly confused, perhaps, but that was only because no teacher had ever asked her to stay after class before in all the months of her formal Earth education. She was a model student, if the television shows were an accurate source to judge by!

Re: Talk to the Teacher

[endsthegame]

"I did," Ender agreed.

He reached back into his backpack, producing a package shaped like a slim book. "My partner and I only come to the island for one semester a year," he said. "And while I don't want to presume you've gotten something earth-shattering out of this class, I thought it might be useful to share my contact details with you, if you ever encounter anything you have questions about."

That was point one.

Re: Talk to the Teacher

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot looked at the package curiously, and then tilted her head at Ender.

"I'll no doubt have a lot of questions," she admitted. "And our talks in this class have done a lot of good, helping me sort out where I stand in relation to Earth philosophies. I... trust that you'll answer my questions honestly."

This was not a phrase that was spoken lightly.

Re: Talk to the Teacher

[endsthegame]

Ender nodded. "I don't know if you have a phone yet, but I've put my details down in several communication methods," he said, pointing at the little card attached to the package.

"And finally, I thought you might find this useful," he said, extending the package to her. "It's a small volume about humanity. Perhaps it'll help."

OOC

[endsthegame]