[network] Night 378 | @Ecks | I am two and what is this | video [open]

[ecks]

[Many people here will recognize the inside of the sports shed on the campus of the elementary school. Newer people may not have seen Ecks's face before; she's a patchwork woman with a perpetually blank expression, and when she speaks (turning the tablet around as she does so, so that she's only visible for a moment at the start of the video) her voice is flat and inexpressive.

The new subject for viewing is a conical hat with the word 'DUNCE' written on it in big, red letters, which she has set on the floor of the building.]

What is this? What is a dunce? This hat is not comfortable or warm. What is its purpose?

Comments

[revenantking]

[That's an interesting question - one that's still a little close to home.]

Hm.

[It takes him a moment to think about that without making himself a hypocrite.]

When it comes to young students, I wouldn't allow things to get that far. But the line is blurrier with adults. After a certain age, I don't think morality can be learned.

[He knows many an enemy- domestic and otherwise- who would sell souls for their own comfort. He thought for sure he wasn't that person, but found he's surprised himself, lately...]

If it wasn't deliberate, then we'd just need to learn from it. Everyone makes mistakes; deadly ones are made every day. That's just part of being human.

If the person involved wasn't negligent, or if there was no way to know the outcome, then they'd deserve a second chance. Otherwise, they should be punished under the law.

[ecks]

What if there is not any law? What if you are in a city that is always winter and there is no law and there is no one who makes the law and one person does something bad to another person?

...Is there law where you are from? There was law where I am from but it was not good law, so I wrote my own rules but they are not complete and also they are not anyone else's rules.

[revenantking]

[A curious one, she. Roland decides to take the questions one at a time:]

If there isn't law, then it's up to the people to make it.

Now, if it were up to me, [-Which, unfortunately, it wasn't yet-] and something "bad" happened here, we'd hold a trial: someone would represent the accused, another would prosecute, all parties would state their case, and the people of Norfinbury would come to a decision on how to best to proceed - how to punish the accused, or not.

-Yes, there was law where I was from.

[It would take ages to go over that, so he'll move on. Now he has some questions of his own, but he'll start small.]

I'm more interested in yours, though. What sort of rules did you decide on?

[ecks]

...A trial like a test? Everyone would have to take a test together on behalf of the person who did something bad?

[That sounds much more convoluted than she was expecting him to say.]

If everyone decided it would not be up to you. If everyone decided it would be up to everyone.

[Yes, Ecks, that's called democracy.]

I have a chart to tell me what kinds of theft are wrong and what kinds of theft are not. I have rules about consent for sexual intercourse and kissing and murder, and I have rules for what a friend is and I know that it is wrong to treat a person like an object or tell their secrets to other people.

[revenantking]

[Once again, there's a lot to unpack, so he tackles it one question at a time.]

Sorry, I didn't realize you weren't familiar with the term.

A trial is a meeting where all known facts are presented to a neutral party, who decides if the accused should be punished, and to what extent. At least, that's the intention. So, if someone did something wrong here, representatives for both sides of the argument would present all of the facts and the residents would vote on what to do.

I see you're also not familiar with the concept of democratic leadership, but let's forget about that for now.

[He'll be here all day.]

Those are good rules to have, but I'm interested to hear how you might justify theft...

[It's certainly possible, but that does stick out to him as unusual.]

[ecks]

Who is neutral? If someone has been murdered, how can someone else be neutral to decide if they should be punished?

[It just seems unlikely to her that anyone would be entirely neutral about anything.]

Wait. I will show you my theft chart.

[She puts the tablet down and rummages through her pack in silence for several long moments. Eventually she finds what she was looking for; the camera's view shifts again as she turns it to show the outspread pages of a small journal.]

[revenantking]

You're right, actually - that can be a place where the justice system I'm familiar with breaks down. I fail to see a better alternative, though.

[There's no such thing as a completely objective human being, but they have to try.

...And, wow, she really does have a literal chart. He takes a moment to scan it. While it's more than a bit concerning to see such morality written out as though one needed a guide to know right from wrong, it's still a very interesting read. Truthfully, this is the most entertaining conversation he's had in awhile.]

It makes sense, for the most part, but there's something I am curious about.

How would you evaluate the part on your chart where you ask yourself if taking an item from the dead would harm one or more third parties?

And further along in the string, how do you justify murder?

[He asks these questions neutrally, knowing that whatever answer she fills in is sure to be illuminating, and doesn't require his judgment, yet.]

[ecks]

Murder always constitutes harm. Pain is also harm. If taking an item from the dead would cause a person who is alive to be murdered or in pain, that is harm. Doing something that will cause someone to die or failing to do something that will prevent them from being murdered is a form of murder. That is harm.

[Clearly. Ecks takes a moment to flip through her book, then reads out loud.]

Acceptable reasons for murder include defense of self, defense of others, if the person you are murdering sent a person to murder you or...another person....

[She pauses, sounding a little unsure about that one, but presses on:]

Also murdering soldiers in war or if someone tries to murder you. Also murder is acceptable if the other person consents to being murdered.