Ch 32: On the Nature of Grimm (2)

Ray nodded in agreement. "However, this brings up another question. Doesn't it, Doctor Oobleck? If the Grimm are not mindless, then why do they attack people? What drives their thirst for destruction? What is the reason behind it?"

"Isn't it because they are evil?" another student asked.

Ray shook his head at that, "There is no such thing as evil. The bunny eats the grass because it must eat to survive. But what harm has the grass done to it? As the bunny eats the grass, so does the fox eat the rabbit. Is the rabbit evil? Is the fox? What about people who hunt the fox for its fur? If the fox is not evil because it only kills to survive, then are people evil because they kill the fox not for survival but for profit. Good and evil are wholly dependent on which side you are on. Are you a victim or a beneficiary? We call the Grimm evil because we are the victims of their actions and because we see no reasonable motive for their actions. But just because we haven't discovered something doesn't mean it isn't there."

"An excellent point, Mr. Rose. Yes, we people kill animals for meat and resources, but we have reasons for doing so. If the Grimm are not mindless, then what is their reason for killing? Depending on what that reason may be, their action could even be considered… reasonable."

Doctor Oobleck paused his movement for the first time and stood in front of Ray. "You seem to have given this matter a great deal of thought. Tell us, Mr. Rose, What reason do you believe the Grimm might have driving their actions?"

"If the Grimm are not mindless, then they must have a purpose for attacking us. The most basic needs for any living creature are food, drink, shelter, and procreation. No one knows how the Grimm procreate, but I believe it is safe to assume that it has little relation with their attacks. As for shelter, the Grimm stand at the peak of the food chain. They have no need for shelter from the elements or predators. That leaves food and drink. We know that Grimm are attracted first and foremost by the myriad of negative emotions people emit. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that they are drawn to our negative emotions, not to our flesh as a food source. With the four basic needs eliminated, that means there must be something else, something all living creatures desire on an instinctual level. Perhaps, something closely tied to procreation. Evolution. We know that Grimm grow stronger as they age, but what if it is not just the progression of time improving them? What if the reason Grimm are drawn to our negative emotions is that they feed on them to grow and evolve. In that case, they may kill people, not out of a desire to destroy us, but as a means of producing more of the resource, they need to evolve. If that's true, then it could be argued that they are simply creatures that have stepped down the wrong path in search of power."

Ray shrugged and continued, "But who could blame them? They are beasts with limited intelligence, so of course, they will act in a 'bestial' manner. It's not like they have a good mommy or daddy to give them the stick when they misbehave or the carrot when they do good to teach them our definition of right and wrong. It is only natural that they would get carried away by their desires, and their actions would be considered evil in our eyes."

"Hmmm… an interesting theory, Mr. Rose." Doctor Oobleck fell into deep contemplation over Ray's words.

"Ummm…" Ruby poked Ray in the side and whispered to him, "Does that mean the Grimm are animals like Zwei? Is it ok for us to freely kill them if they just want to evolve?"

Ray smiled at her and ruffled her hair before standing up and turning around to address the entire class. "Just to be clear to anyone who may have developed some doubts about the morality of being a Huntsman, I would like to point out that at the end of the day, everything we have just discussed is purely academic. Whether the Grimm can evolve or not, whether they are mindless or not, whether they are inherently evil or not, all of it is irrelevant from a practical standpoint. For the moment. Nothing changes the fact that the Grimm want to do us harm. Therefore, we must kill them so that we can protect those we care about. As long as the Grimm are not sapient enough to establish communication with us as a species and still seek to do us harm to generate negativity, there can be no peace between us. So this is all just irrelevant academia for egg heads like Doctor Oobleck and myself to debate and theorize over."

A student in the back row scoffed at that, "So basically, this entire class is just a waste of time. We should just kill all the Grimm."

"No." Ray's answer was very firm. "We debate and question so that we can find the deeper meaning behind our actions. It might not change the actions we must take, but knowing why we act is what separates the informed from the ignorant, or to put it another way, the leaders from the followers. And the ignorant will always be taken advantage of by the informed. So before you start discriminating against others, Cardin, you should take a good look at why you are doing so. Otherwise, you will always be nothing more than a puppet, following wherever the masses lead and blindly going wherever those above you point."

Ray paused for a bit considering, then decided to make a point that the students may not be ready yet to hear, "As for killing all the Grimm that could actually lead to a worse situation than what we currently face. The Grimm seek to destroy us, yes, but they also unite us. An enemy that doesn't discriminate between man or woman, Human or Faunus, child or adult, also forces us to not discriminate against whom we ally with. If the threat that binds us together were to vanish suddenly, it would only be a matter of time before we tear ourselves apart. People will always be greedy. It is our nature, it is what drives us to always improve and surpass those around us, but it is also our greatest source of conflict. With the Grimm gone, people will begin fighting over previously Grimm infested lands. The higher-ups will seek to acquire more wealth and power for themselves in the name of improving their kingdoms, and the ones to suffer will be the innocents caught up in their mess."

"But they're Grimm." Cardin Winchester protested, "They are already guilty of every atrocity. By their existence, they deserve to die. Every, last, one!"

Before Ray or Oobleck could answer, Blake spoke up, "By that logic, you should kill all Humans because some are criminals. Or kill all Faunus for the actions of the few."

Cardin clicked her tongue at her, "*Tsk* Maybe we should."

"Mr. Winchester! If you say something like that again, you shall be spending some time with me after class!" Doctor Oobleck warned the young man.

"Blake isn't wrong. Condemning an entire species for the actions of some is not the actions of a civilized society." Ray released a heavy sigh, "That said, as things currently stand, if I was given a chance to wipe out the Grimm, I think I would probably take it. The future will always come. We can't cling to the present and the past because they are familiar and comfortable. Clinging onto the forced unity the Grimm impose upon us when we have the means to end their threat because we are afraid of what will happen when we lose that binding thread is simply cowardly preserving the status quo. I believe that the loss of the Grimm would lead to greater casualties and suffering in the medium-term. However, we would eventually find our way through the turmoil. Life is chaos, an endless cycle of conflict and prosperity. Stubborn preservation will only lead to stagnation and decay."

The entire class was silent, trying to wrap their heads around what Ray had just said when their thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the bell.

"Well, we have certainly given ourselves plenty to think about today. I hope we can have another lively discussion like this tomorrow. For homework, I want a 1,500-word essay on a Huntsman and Huntress's responsibilities in the modern age. Class dismissed." Oobleck dismissed the class and whizzed out as quickly as he had arrived.