Fandom High School

"Hopefully you all enjoyed your holiday. I know I did." The Doctor is wearing...tie-dye. Yes. Tie-dye. And the room smells slightly...interesting. Probably from the tubs of colours sitting in one corner, next to a bunch of t-shirts. And sinks have appeared from nowhere. Interesting.

"And since people didn't seem to find analysing very interesting last week, I thought I'd give you something more hands-on. Atmospheric. Without actually taking you to the period...yet...I thought we could all go back to summer camp and tie-dye shirts, listen to Jefferson Airplane, bitch about The Man, and talk about Zen Buddhism.

"No cannibis, but I won't make you sort lentils, either."

"Upon the occasion of my being 'adorably snuggly', I have nothing planned for today mostly because Rhi's got homework to do. For Monday, I want you to look over any work of fiction relating to someone else's project. So that we won't have two people focusing on the same thing, here's who's going to look at what."

He writes on the whiteboard:
Sam: The Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain
John: Drug Culture
Jack: The Kennedy and King Assassinations

"Then we're going to discuss with each other--crazy concept, I know--what we thought about each of these things and how they related to what we already know about the topic. Sometimes you can get a lot out of fiction, but remember that it IS exactly that, and some things might not be true.

"You're now free to go to the library and research, or to ask me questions. Also, if you get a chance, take a look into fictional representations of paradoxes. Remember--films are fine, as long as they aren't documentaries, so if you run out of time, you can always go to that. Try to actually read a book first, though."

Coming in, the Doctor plays some tunes from the '70s. NOT DISCO, THANK YOU. James Taylor, excessive Fleetwood Mac, Frampton Comes Alive!, early Springsteen, you know the type. Good stuff, for crying out loud.

"So, the 1970s. Always good to look at what events led to what before you go. This can help, sometimes, in pinpointing what to avoid in order to keep paradox or severely damaging temporal events at bay...but don't be lulled into false security by thinking you know everything.

"I'm going to be perfectly frank with you. Travelling in time means that at some point you will change things. Therefore, the point of this class is to keep you from bollocksing everything up and plunging an entire society into centuries of oppression and discord. Or something to that equivalent. Keep this in mind--sometimes bad things happen to good people, and sometimes good things happen to bad people. It's finding the balance between the two that's the most important. I believe Sam Carter once asked why no one's succeeded at assassinating Hitler. The answer to this can only be found if one anticipates what the planet would look like without the second World War."

He's on a tangent now, but he doesn't care. "The possibility of continuing British colonial oppression never seems to strike the mind of ignorant yet allegedly altruistic time travellers. I've seen it, and I've seen the wars that come out of it. Not pretty at all, end up with ten times more dead on both sides than come out of World War II and the Nazi Holocaust. And that's one example.

"So that's why we're considering what would come out of stopping the Vietnam War, the Summer of Love, or the Iron Curtain. You did the reading, tell me what actually happened in your chosen topic during the 1970s. For Monday, I want..." He pauses, thinking. "Bring me a cultural reference from your topic. Nothing illegal--for example, Jack could bring in Jefferson Airplane's song 'White Rabbit', but not anymore because I've mentioned it."


((Wikipedia on the 1970s. And yes, I have this on MP3, if you want it. Just happens to be on iTunes radio at the mo. Who doesn't love some talkbox?! Also, for Monday--bring a weblink or a picture or upload a song. You know you wanna.))

The Doctor looks slightly more comfortable in his skin, and also a lot more ginger. This is a good thing, and he's slurping on another can of Coke. There's an empty one on his desk, and a 6 pack near the door for everyone else's taking.

"Feel free to have a Coke, guys.

"Kay. So. Your people. You'll maybe vaguely remember that in 123, we talked about paradoxes, and the two major kinds: predestination and grandfather. If you don't remember them at all--predestination is when one travels back in time and ends up causing an event he or she meant to stop. Grandfather is when one causes one's own existence to be forfeit because of travelling back in time. Okay? Cool.

"To that end, I asked you to consider two events in the lives of each of your selected historical figures. If yours is really hard to find information on, one is fine. Here in class, we're going to talk about and discuss what would happen if the predestination paradox was applied to one event, and the grandfather one to another. This last might be difficult--how could you end your own existence (because all of you were born after the dates of your events) by changing said event? I don't care how wild it is, just go for it, but it should make sense and reflect how human history works.

"For Monday, I want you to look at this book...to find out what actually happened. Then we're going to talk about how this differs from what you've decided today."


((General information about the 1970s is available here.))

Better mood, same Doctor.

"Righto, so, the civil rights movement. I hope you all did a bit of research for this, as today, we're going to discuss and debate, WITH EACH OTHER, comparative ways of advancement during this period. The issue I posed to you was synopsised in two men, and while it's never exactly this simple, the fundamental question remains. Which works better: non-violent civil disobedience or an eye for an eye?

"You're probably wondering what this has to do with Quantum Physics. As usual. I'd like to remind you that this question echoes in eternity in almost every place in space and time that faces great social change. It's important for you to understand it, not only if you're to be a traveller, but also to understand your own personal motivations...because no culture seems to be without this problem.

"So, tell me, tell each other--who was more successful? Malcolm or Martin? And if neither or only one of them had been assassinated...how would history have changed?"

He smiles a little. "Your homework for next week, by the way, is to research one woman and one man who were key to the subject area you're interested in. Tell me why you chose them and what they did. Women might be harder to find, but if you don't...your grade will suffer for it. And Jack, I need to see you after class."

The sound of derisive laughter can be heard from the Doctor's office today, as he makes his way methodically through NBC's miniseries The 60s. Feel free to interrupt.

The Doctor looks like he had an argument with the idea of not getting out of bed and lost.

Also, for some reason, he can't get Billy Joel out of his head today. In order to prevent him from going batshit due to the line 'You should never argue with a crazy ma-ma-ma-ma-mamma' repeating over.and.over. in his mind, he's got the Greatest Hits box set on quietly.

Unfortunately, whatever he's typing seems to keep seguing into the lyrics of the song currently playing...

The following information is sent in an email to the new administration. Individual grades are sent to each student. Be warned that the Doctor does not do grade inflation.

( Quantum Physics: Term 1. )

[At some point during the night, the Doctor sends the following email from his mobile.]

Class,

As you may have heard, Professor Cregg has been in an accident. Therefore, I won't be in today. This is a reminder that your final projects are due Wednesday by the end of the day. Slide them under my office door.
It's been a pleasure teaching you this term, and I hope you'll consider continuing in this subject in January.

Best,
the Doctor


((As someone in the midst of the end of a very real school term, I'm not looking for actual essays here. Just refresh my memory as to what the subject is and tell me what your character found out. Also tell me if it proves the point well, and how well-written it is. Thanks.))

[The Doctor is ill. Apparently yes, Time Lords can get colds, and apparently yes, while their immune systems are better than humans', they still can't get over it in one day.

He stumbles down the hall, carrying a box of Kleenex®, looking absolutely miserable, and plops down on top of his desk. Within ten minutes, he's surrounded by a little pile of wadded up tissues. His voice is hoarse and crackly.]

Hello. I feel awful. So today is a repeat of Wednesday. If you feel the need to come talk to me, I'll be in my office [he blows his nose again] taking decongestants and hunting down the bastard who gave me the cold. If not, work on your projects. They're due on Monday. Extensions will only be granted if you have a very good excuse. [blow]

Carry on, then.


((This week is essentially hell for me, so Ten will be ill and appearing only occasionally while I finish papers, 50 lines of Welsh translation, and my short film. Any problems, please IM me.))

[The Doctor, even though he doesn't seem to be in the best of moods, has brought peppermint and cherry candy canes.]

Easy class today, everyone. Essentially, I want to hear what you've come up with so far for your final projects. These are, need I say, very, very important for your grade. If you want to talk with me privately, that's fine, but perhaps your classmates could also provide some good insight. Sometimes it's better to have a second opinion.

So, let's talk.


((Please use comment threads.))

[The Doctor looks...rumpled, and as if he didn't sleep very well. Today would probably be a really bad day to give him a hard time about things.]

Hello. Since you seemed to enjoy Monday's deconstruction of a film so well, we're doing it again--consider this a unit on popular culture representations of time travel in the current period. Today we're watching Frequency, which is a good film, but so very, very bewilderingly wrong on multiple levels when it comes to quantum physics. I want less talking and a short synopsis of what you thought was completely buggered about this film by the end of class.

Also, you need to start working on your projects if you haven't already. If I don't see or hear about you all lurking in the library by this time next week, there will be problems. Trust me, I can find out if you've been in there or not. [slow deadly smile] If you've requested specialty literature from me or find that you need it, please notify me sooner rather than later.


((And yes, notifications are not working for me at the mo. Jack, Ten will be willing to talk to you if you have questions, i.e. 'what's going on?'))

[Yes, those are the strains of Johnny Cash coming from the Doctor's office today. Bloody deal with it if you need to see him. He's rather manic today, actually, as if he's had a good night's sleep for the first time in days.]

((Cally, this kinda means you. Or at least get him an email with your final project specs. As for the rest of you, Rhi's bored, which means Ten's bored, which generally leads to Havoc.))

[The Doctor's hair looks even more messy than usual, but he's smiling and drinking coffee this morning.]

Today we're going to look briefly at string theory. [He gives a brief lecture on the topic.]

So what does this mean for quantum physics? Namely, it indicates that there is in fact, an explanation for some of the stranger events known to sentient beings. Furthermore, it is very supportive of the concept of multiple dimensions, creating a structured system that orders the way things are, to the very core.

It also indicates that humanity may just be on the right path towards understanding essential concepts of the universe. Or they're completely wrong. One of the two.

Any questions?


((The mun is too tired to synopsise the information today, and it's her birthday. So cut me some slack, yo. That...and is anyone but Rose still registered for this class? If so, post, please.))

[The Doctor sits on top of his desk, swinging his legs, as the class enters. He's got coffee and tea for all. They'll need it.]

The American cartoonist Walt Kelly once said 'We have met the enemy, and he is us.' This is often used to explain the idea of a predestination paradox, the first of this week's return to the concept of paradox itself.

Simply speaking, a predestination paradox occurs when a person goes back in time to prevent an event, but ends up causing it. This is also known as a causality loop. For example, if someone were to go back in time in order to prevent an assassination, but a series of events led to his or her being the cause OF the assassination--that would be a causality loop. This happens far, far more often than one would think.

Some would say that this sort of paradox proves the existence of fate. Others say that it proves that time itself is more resilient than most believe. The Novikov self-consistency principle is one of the theories that supports this.

In my experience, it is the error of sentient beings themselves that causes this sort of loopage. However, your belief in this area should be the result of your own judgment, whether faith or scepticism.

Any questions?

I'd like a short essay from each of you by Wednesday speculating how you could cause a predestination paradox in your own life by merely trying to change one small event.

[Ten looks fairly beat today, though he's in a relatively safe mood.]

Today we're going to be looking at A Brief History of Time, regarding the work of human quantum physicist Stephen Hawking. Sam, you're probably aware of his work with wormholes. As you watch, you don't have to take notes, but I'd like you to consider a few questions.
[He idly spins the DVD on his finger.]
What inspired Hawking to enter this field, and how does that compare to why you're taking this class?
How did and does Hawking use available technology to advance his study? Remember that this film was made almost fifteen years ago in subjective Earth time, so computers were far less advanced.
How do Hawking's theories compare to your own regarding the structure of the universe?

Remember, it's always a good time to reconsider one's own impetus. For anything.


((No, you don't actually have to answer these questions unless you feel like picking up A Brief History... yourself. However, do post as a sign-in, and possibly consider the second part of question one--why is your character taking this class?))

Class--

If each of you could stop by my office today at your earliest convenience, I'd appreciate it. Feel free to bring a companion if you're worried you like. I assure you that the gremlin venom has worn off.

Best,
the Doctor

[Ten closes his laptop and rubs his forehead, right between his eyes. This was going to be...interesting.]


((Yes, I'd usually do this in an individual voicemail message, but that would take waaaay too much time, seeing as I've got six or seven of you to deal with today. Please do stop by if you were in class on Wednesday. Otherwise I'll never get emo!Ten off my hands.))

[The Doctor's tie is orange today. If you could see them, his boxers are wee pumpkin print, but you can't, so there. He comes into class in his usual manner. That is to say, fairly manic.]

Right. In honour of the holiday, we're going to talk about everyone's favourite scary topic: paradox. Nasty stuff, that. In the purest of dictionary terms, paradox implies a contradiction in logic. The most famous of these are the words of Epimenides of Knossos on Crete: Cretans, always liars. If Epimenides is from Crete himself, then he must be lying. But if he is, then Cretans are not liars. And round we go.

The same concept is very true in regards to time travel. Encountering and touching oneself in the past, changing history so that you don't exist, either by events or technology...these cause paradox.

The effects of causing a paradox are varied in documentation...but they are all inherently destructive. [looks somber] Most notably to the time traveller him or herself. This is not to discourage any of you from travelling in time if you get the chance--far from it. It is merely a warning that to disturb certain things can create changes in timespace and in your own history.

[His eyes are sad...this is not exactly what he meant to do with this lecture.] Even if it's for the greater good.

[regaining composure] Any questions?

[The Doctor still smells vaguely of smoke, even though his hair's still damp from the shower.]

Hello, everyone. Beatings Presentations will continue until morale improves. Jack and Cally's was quite good, and while I don't expect you to have building blocks on hand, I'm certain that the rest of you can come up with something equally brilliant.

carter_i_am, you're excused from this assignment, but could you see me after class to talk about your project?


[He has appropriated the library scene from the diorama. It looks like the Lego™ version of himself is kicking some plastic zombie arse to the awe of the wee librarian and speech professor.]

[The Doctor looks great, until one looks him in the eye. He has to sit down, 'cause he's tired.]

Today you're going to continue working on Monday's group assignment: taking a particular event that happened recently at Fandom High and theorising as to different possible outcomes.

Take the information that you both (or you three) came up with, and speculate as to what would have occurred were you to travel back before that event. What would you have tried to prevent or start? And what would that have changed regarding how Fandom High is today?

thank god you're not doing this for real, as I cannot cope with more twisted timelines. Hopefully this will show the danger of even the smallest historical change. I'll be here if you have questions.

[He gives the class a meaningful look over the top of his glasses, and then ruins it by yawning.]

[The Doctor is relatively happy today, all things considered. He smells faintly of Earl Grey and hand soap, and he's brought coffee, tea, and cocoa for the seminar.]

All right, class...I need your papers from last week. Ms Ivanova, you have an extra week to do the assignment, but I expect it to be done, and done well. I have confidence in your abilities.

[From the corridor comes the sound of someone singing 'Sultans of Swing' by Dire Straits. And the guitar parts. Badly. The Doctor quietly shuts the door, but he's started humming.]

In 123, we were discussing timeline divergence, and I think the topic is interesting and extensive enough to be brought up a level. Tell me about alternate universes you may or may not have experienced, tell me about events in history you think are sufficient divergence points. [Doo doo doo do do do DO DO comes faintly from the hall] Er...share, talk to each other.

And for next week, I expect a written review of a fictional work (you can find plenty in the library) that discusses parallel or alternate universes. Does the concept seem at all realistic in the work? Why or why not?

[The Doctor doesn't look rumpled today, nor unprofessional, but if you look at his face long enough, you can see every single year of his life in his eyes.]

Right, I trust you had a pleasant Homecoming weekend. But it's time to get back to work. We had another great discussion last Wednesday, other than the descent into toasters. I'll hope for something half as good today, when you're exhausted.

[He passes back homework. Everyone got at least a C.]

Let's talk about divergence today, and the concept of alternate universes. Many people believe that at certain points in history--focal points--the timeline splits, diverges, and continues in two places where there are different outcomes to the focal event.
Of course, this concept is dependent on time existing in a line, when, at least in my experience, time travellers make it into a tangled, vaguely knot-like mass. But alternate lines do seem to exist, despite how much sense it seems to make.

Have you heard about or experienced alternate timelines? What do you think about the way timespace is set up? Let's discuss this in class. Then I want you to write a short synopsis of your personal ideas as compared to others in the room, for Wednesday.

[The Doctor comes in, wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and an icepack strapped to his left shoulder. He smiles, though he looks tired.]

On account of this weekend's events, your homework is due Wednesday, and you can use this class period to ask me any questions you have ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

That is, not about my personal life, not where I learned to use a claymore, and not if I own a kilt.