Why Can't We All Just Get Along? (Sean)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

This conversation had officially becomes less pleasant than a face-to-face “debate” with his sister on the topic of his personal life. Sean made no excuses for his sister’s opinions and found many of them odious and distasteful, but she had also never referred to anyone as an animal. Even at the height of her condescension, homophobic disapproval, and metaphobia. She also had a far more limited scope of potential harm to others and didn’t work with children.

Her opinions about culture wars were also metaphorical rather than literal warfare.

“I said that the military is the largest and most respected socialist institution in the United States. And that it’s telling that someone who belongs to that tradition would frown upon offering the same support system to the civilians in the country he wishes to protect.” the telepath replied, equally calmly. “I don’t believe that people enter the armed services to become rich. That said, I’ve met my fair share of individuals who entered the service because they felt they had no choice and needed the benefits the military would provide them once their tour of duty was over. And that, too, is a problem.”

The telepath tilted his head slightly at the other man’s phrasing. “Shouldn’t be able to have children in the first place? And how do you propose that?” He watched the other man closely, waiting for his elaboration because it was, in this moment, the most important contextual statement anyone might give.

“I see the humanity in everyone,” Sean replied calmly. He noticed the venom in the other man’s eyes; it would be impossible not to notice. He wouldn’t lose his calm in public, as much as Nick’s opinions disgusted him. “Even in you, Mister Kells.”

The telepath then moved his hands in front of him, spreading them for a moment before clasping them over his stomach. “The problem with seeing enemies around every corner is that one is invariably proven right through confirmation bias.”

[Nicholas Kells]

Nick wasn’t usually one for causing a scene in public. And even now he knew that no matter how great it would be to slam this old annoyance into the sidewalk, it wouldn’t do much good in the long run. Still there was nothing in his contract that said that he had to agree with every local idiot’s policy on how to run the government. Especially when they were some peace-loving hippie who was attacking an institution so dear to his heart.

For a moment, Nick smiled at the image of rounding up worthless beggars on the streets of some city like New York and sending them to the front lines. Maybe if they survived they would actually walk away with the discipline one needed in life to get what they wanted.

“I don’t doubt that the military could offer ‘support’ as you call it,” he continued, still grinning at the idea of watching a homeless alcoholic trying to make his way through boot camp. “But I doubt they would share the same devotion to their country as the rest of us.” By ‘us’ he meant himself and his fellow soldiers. Or possibly even humans in general. But if Sean took it to mean the two of them, well then that was fine too.

He frowned at the mention of people entering the armed forces to become wealthy. What a completely ludicrous idea. But Nick chose not to respond to that at the moment. He was already having a hard time keeping himself in check as it was.

“Mandatory birth control,” Nick said, calmly. “If you ask me a simple surgical procedure is not a lot to ask to keep more children from being born into an already screwed up environment in an already overpopulated world. Seems like a human enough solution to me.” Nick was still smiling at this point, half-way excited about the idea of seeing the doctor’s reaction.

“It’s easier to see the humanity is some people,” Nick replied. Especially when that someone wasn’t shooting lasers from their eyes. “The problem with the fool who sees everyone as a friend is he is sure to be stabbed in the back by at least one of them.”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Unfortunately for Sean, the other man’s mental image popped into his mind, causing him to inwardly frown. Unsurprisingly, he opposed the draft in all of its forms, and the thought of forcing other people to fight, to risk their lives and to take the lives of others was odious to him. Furthermore, he was quite familiar with the class distinctions already at work in their voluntary system; exacerbating that by seeking out the already poor and disenfranchised was a horrifying notion. More so that Nick apparently thought that forced military service was necessary to teach discipline, and that he seemed to think that the absence of that was what caused poverty.

Not an insufficient safety net and poor infrastructure, not an inherently oppressive society, but moral failings. It wasn’t surprising, even though it was disappointing.

“I’ve found that an us vs. them mentality is the cause of many of society’s ills,” Sean replied. That was what led to Othering, which was the cause of most prejudice and inequality. It was important for compassion to recognize that everyone was far more similar than they were different, and this is what he strove to teach to others.

Which was evidently lost on the man standing across from him.

“I also don’t think that basic human rights should be contingent on anything other than being alive.” His point was cut short by the Nick’s clarification.

Sean watched the other man through a serious gaze. Nick had, in fact, suggested that the telepath had thought he might say. Even in his sister’s most offensive, fanatical moments, she had never suggested forced sterilization; in fact, she was very much against the concept as a matter of religion.

Forced sterilization. Sean wondered if the other man was even aware of the fact that this was what the Nazis had done. And, if so, how Nick could suggest it with a straight face and without feelings of self-loathing and personal disgust. “The humane solution is to offer education and support while respecting bodily autonomy,” the telepath replied. That was the state of bioethics and the law, and he was glad of that.

The telepath sought out the other man’s eyes with a steady gaze. “It’s quite possible to see the humanity in all people without assuming that everyone is a friend.” That was one of the ways in which Sean differed from his partner; while Josh did see everyone as a friend, the telepath was far more realistic and cautious in his perceptions. “And I appreciate your concern, but I’m quite capable of watching my back.”