Intergalactic Summit

Saissore-Haani,

I was born and raised on a border colony, so perhaps my thought processess are a touch more...liberal(?) than say Kim-Haani's are. That being said to be Caldari is to have honor, personal or otherwise. And senseless boasting and chest-thumping is anything but honorable. I know I have been abscent from this meeting ground for a long time, and perhaps I was wrong to do that because now I see the actions of my fellow "Caldari" people are nothing but shameful.

We had a saying on my homeworld "Pride is how you view yourself, but honor is how you are viewed by others." I would ask all of these so called "Statesmen" and "Stateswomen" how their actions are making the State be viewed. I would ask them to analyze themselves and their actions and realize how they hurt the State with their claims.

Those without honor are not Caldari. Regardless of where they were born or raised.

Nemo

Viewed by whom?

While the opinions of others - the respect and admiration of foreign navies, the healthy regard that foreign traders have for our honesty and skill, the openness that foreign corporations will have toward Caldari investors, and so on - are all important, I believe that it is important to value them for their practical benefits rather than considering them to be inherently important to our own sense of identity.

The State was, after all, founded in opposition to the Federation. Our creation was an attempt to remain true to Caldari ideals and Caldari traditions. If we become mutable and malleable to the point of accomodating everybody, then we risk losing our own sense of self.

I take pride in the fact that I have received praise from notable figures and prominent capsuleers hailing from all four of the empires, up to and including an Admiral of the Federation Navy who expressed admiration for my skills as a scout (quote: "that was some of the ballsiest flying I've ever seen."). I am, for my part, pleased to have represented the State in a positive light on the Empyrean stage. I have been called "The Reasonable Caldari", though I should stress that I reject that label - it suggests that there are no others, which I simply do not believe to be the case. Nor in fact do I feel like I'm a particularly reasonable man - I'm well aware that I'm a sarcastic curmudgeon.

But I have that reputation anyway, and I didn't earn it by adjusting my behaviour to match foreign expectations. I earned it by upholding what I believe are the Caldari ideals instilled in me by my megacorporate upbringing and career.

As for the opinions of others loyal to the State, that list includes people who, I'm quite certain, would be executed for treason if they weren't Empyreans.

To say that honour is defined by what others think of you is not clear enough: I think that honour is defined by who thinks what of you, and what you and others think of them in turn.

Honour, in other words, isn't a medal that you wear - it's a relationship.

Probably because most Caldari don't have their heads so high up their own asses that they'd call themselves representatives of the State.

Oh yes.

You might just be unclogging the waste disposal pipes around here, comrade, but you too are representing the State!

Seriously though, careful with that heiian, it might take someone's eyes out if you swing it around with such recklessness.

I'm aware of the difference.

It's still pretty daft and self-important when it's discussed in this elite setting, complete with romanticized waxing about the concept of honour. Only few can afford this luxury - my opinion, of course. So we're stuck with using a lot of words to tell each other how amazing we are. All in all a very nice self-fulfilling prophecy that Saissoire has started here.

Well done.

Romanticized, naive, it's the same, really. Call it your conscience and don't go around advertising it at every opportunity and you'd be much, much closer to what this whole notion should be. This honour as discussed here is a luxury good that only very few can afford to have, twisted and malformed by parading it around.

There's not much to gain either. As far as the harm goes just look at the original post of this thread. How very loud and gallentean all this repeated posing indeed is. I prefer discussions on these topics in a setting that allows for a more deeper and intimate conversation.
Discussing politics here is bad enough.

I thought you already knew that the Intergalactic Summit is where armed ships are replaced with sharp words.

I remember when you met a transvestite in the summit one day...where did I put those chat logs...

That sounds like a fun story. Do share.