[email removed] opines:
- ---
A number of you, speaking form the Zhodani point of view, have made
some very persuasive arguments. I, of course, was speaking from the
Imperial view.
- ---
Point Taken :)
- ---
the end of this era no doubt had an influence, IMO. The dream of the
ideal society where all one's needs & wants will be, at the very least,
seriously considered is a very powerful lure. In my case, I find that
it's very, very difficult for me to accept that this is possible, psionics
or not. I find that I just can't believe that a monolithic society, of
any sort, could be preferable to a diverse one. Therefore I don't think
- ---
Well, clearly, the Zhodani are *not* as technically advanced as
the Imperium, putzing along as they are at TL 14. Also, the only other
"highly" psionic race, the Droyne, are pretty placid without Mutants
running around to spark innovation. These facts argue that
civilizations which stand on a foundation composed of Psionics may be
less innovative and "dynamic", but on the other hand they certainly seem
to be stable. Whether that's a fair trade or not is, of course, up for
grabs...
Your comment about it being difficult to accept this was a little
unclear to me: I certainly agree that, psionics or no, it'd be hard to
provide a society where everyone's needs and wants are seriously
considered *and* consistantly provided. However, it doesn't seem so
impossible that we could have a society which values an individual's
wellfare highly and uses whatever means it has at it's disposal to
*attempt* to provide them. A society which considers an individuals
needs, however, need not be monolithic. I don't recall anything that
says that the Zhodani, when absorbing (say) a former imperial world,
would wipe out all traces of the planet's cultural heritage. They
"simply" begin implimenting the "nonviolence" and psionic caste
system...Somewhat frightening, perhaps, but the Imperium also introduces
a Nobility on new planets and subsectors...
- ---
it's too surprising that I treat the benevolent assessments of Zhodani
rule as basic propaganda. Just because they're psionic doesn't mean that
they're not capable of just as much treachery & deceit as anyone else.
Maybe even more so, IMO. (I think the 4.5th Frontier War series illustrates
this quite well, BTW) In short, the Zhodani system just sounds too good
to be true.
- ---
Well, of *course* it does. And, as a consequence, nobody in the
Imperium believes that it's *really* that good. I suspect it is. I
wonder if the resistance to the Zhodani culture here on the list stems
from unease at the thought of humans living under such an *alien* form
of government :) I wonder, if the Zhodani were eight limbed telepathic
giraffes, what the response would be...
- ---
p.s. As a final example, just suppose the Zhodani decided that the only
thing "normal" about something, take homosexuality for example, was that
it's "normal" to have a certain amount of "abnormal" people crop up in
the natural course of events. Seems to me that it wouldn't be much of a
perfect society for anyone who disagreed. Until they had their attitude
"adjusted" (brainwashed), of course. I wonder if there's a single prole
that *hasn't* had their mental development interfered with? The perfect
slaves. Happy & content. Still slaves though.
- ---
This sort of brainwashing is going to depend on several factors:
a) Exactly how many nobles are Telepathic, anyway?
b) Of those, how many are strong enough to do that sort of mind control?
c) How many of the above are actually in the Taverchedl'?
d) Is it really necessary? The serfs weren't telepathically brainwashed
Isn't economics wonderful? :)
If pressed, I'd say that the Proles are only zapped once they get out of
line, where "out of line" is starting to think about "crimes". The
Zhodani probably don't have the telepathic manpower to do fullscale
mental reengineering and "preventive maintanence." They *do*, however,
start dealing with people as "criminals/sick" once their *intentions*
become dangerous, not once they start doing dangerous things....<Ooo,
sounds awfully machiavellian, eh?>
Sorry this got so long...
Dane, Perfidious Belgian...er, Zhodani Agitator
[email removed]
[email removed]
TNS Stringer ------------ Terra/Solomani Rim (1827 G867975-8)
"I'm not a real scientist, but I play one in an RPG."