unusual_sith: (Default)
Lana Beniko ([personal profile] unusual_sith) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2022-07-08 11:31 am
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Beginning Sith Philosophy, Friday

When the students arrived in the classroom, they'd find Lana up front leaning against the teacher's desk, wearing a green tunic-like blouse, grey trousers, and doc martens. Was this what you expected in a Sith?

"Hello and welcome," she said pleasantly. "It's good to see you all here. I'm going to be teaching Sith philosophy - to be clear, this is not 'how to be a Sith'. That would be impossible for many of you and pointless for the rest. But there's been a lot of misunderstanding over the years as to what Sith philosophy actually is, and a lot of debate about it even among the Sith, and they do say teach what you know."

She gestured back at the whiteboard behind her, on which was written: Peace is a lie, there is only passion. "The first line of the Sith code, which may need a bit of introduction by way of the first line of the Jedi code, which begins, 'there is no emotion, there is peace'. Obviously this was created in direct opposition to that.

"The Sith were partly founded by rogue Jedi who saw the original code, which eschews all emotion, as overly restrictive. They viewed emotion as a valuable way of connecting with the Force, the life force that permeates the universe. High emotion, passion, was important, and the sort of peace that comes of ignoring emotions is, as it says, a lie."

She grinned. "At least, that's my reading of it. All philosophy is debate, after all. So, let's do the traditional introductions, and tell me what you think of this line."

She nodded to the first student.
pun_king: (tearful goodbye)

Re: Sign in!

[personal profile] pun_king 2022-07-08 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Graham Cracker
sith_happened: (Anakin: going temple smiting omg)

Re: Sign in!

[personal profile] sith_happened 2022-07-08 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Anakin Skywalker
anomaly_research_nerd: (YES!)

Re: Sign in!

[personal profile] anomaly_research_nerd 2022-07-08 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Connor Temple
pun_king: (back of head rub)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] pun_king 2022-07-08 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hi, everyone!" Graham grinned a little as his hand moved in a wave to the class as a whole, and then he started to stand up to make a more proper introduction. "My name's Graham. Graham Cr--"

It was at this point in his getting up that he didn't realize he'd gotten his foot a little wrapped around the chair, and it went clattering behind him, making him wince and cut off his words and sheepishly chuckle as he set the chair back to rights again, giving a little a pat of assurance as he did so, and then turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"Right. So. I'm Graham, and I think that whoever wrote that line has clearly never taken a nap with their best friend on a sunny afternoon with a belly full of choco-chip pancakes!"

If that wasn't the ultimate definition of peace, then he didn't know what was!
outofthequiver: (big laugh at desk)

Re: Sign in!

[personal profile] outofthequiver 2022-07-08 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Liberty Hazlett
sith_happened: (Default)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] sith_happened 2022-07-08 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm Anakin Skywalker," Anakin stated mostly unnecessarily, "and I'm a Jedi, so naturally I find Sith philosophy to be actively dangerous. The passion Sith speak of isn't a deep love of dance or of another person: it's to encourage you to tap into your more volatile emotions: anger and fear. Jedi don't ignore their emotions, but they don't wallow in them either."
outofthequiver: (oh come on now at desk)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] outofthequiver 2022-07-08 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Libby tried to go with her introduction toward the end, after everyone else, because she really wanted to sit with those lines for a good long while before she decided to say anything. It was kind of a challenge, really, to think about any philosophy other than the one she'd grown up with, which had been hammered into her so much that she felt adrift in the world now that nearly all of it was being challenged and proven to be...not at all what she truly believed in her heart of hearts.

So when she finally did go, she nodded a little, and her voice was a bit quiet, but sure. "My name's Liberty Hazlett," she offered, "although most people just call me Libby. And I think they're both wrong, both those lines, because it's important to be balanced. And, my apologies, ma'am, but I think your reasoning is a bit off, too, because of course what you describe is a lie, that's not true peace. It sounds like you're just trying to justify it by claiming it says something that it doesn't really. And I think there can be peace, and there can be passion, and to ignore either one is no way to go about either, because both are important, and they're not mutually exclusive, neither."

And then she sort of shrunk back a little, because she hadn't meant to quite say so much, and she wasn't sure she really meant to just outwardly call a teacher out like that, and she knew that that sort of thing was more acceptable here, but she was still sort of bracing herself for whatever the response to her just running off her mouth like that might be.
pun_king: (sincere smile)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] pun_king 2022-07-08 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm feeling peaceful, about that peace," Graham noted, after taking a moment to think about it, and half wishing he was doing just that right now. "Content. So who's to say peace isn't just another emotion? Then what?"
outofthequiver: (hurt doubtful)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] outofthequiver 2022-07-08 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
And when her comments didn't garner the sort of response she'd been worried about, Libby tilted her head, relieved, but also a little uncertain. There was a hesitation, and then, softly, "Seems a bit unfair, though, if you really wanted us to start from scratch, then give us something that requires context we don't have..."

Not like she had any reason to be little irked at being shown only a small piece of the puzzle and just being expected to trust that the rest of it looked exactly as described, or anything...

"But, yes," she said with a nod. "I think it would be. But maybe flipped around. Peace, then passion. Because peace is kind of like clarity, isn't it? And with clarity, you're able to enjoy your passions without..." There was a bit of a pause, struggling to figure out how to say it, especially since speaking so freely about what she felt was still something she was getting used to, "without being overtaken by them."
sith_happened: (Default)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] sith_happened 2022-07-08 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"You don't think the school would allow this course without supervision, did you?" Anakin replied dryly.
pun_king: (sincere smile)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] pun_king 2022-07-08 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"You know what?" Graham admitted. "I'm not really sure. I could," he grinned and hitched a thumb over his shoulder toward the door, "go find Triumph, some choco-chip pancakes and some sunshine and try to find out, though!"

He chuckled a little at the idea--it wasn't ditching on class if it was for class, right? Not that he was the type, but if there'd been an opportunity--and almost immediately waved it away.

"Actually," he admitted, "I can't. I need to get back to work after this."
outofthequiver: (every tennessee girl probably has denim)

Re: Class activity

[personal profile] outofthequiver 2022-07-08 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"I would like some of those books," Libby decided without hesitation, "please. And thank you."

The other part, however, was not nearly as easy, and she ruminate over it a little more before concluding, "I think, then, in my interpretation, at the heart of it, starting from scratch....it's just not true."

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