Intergalactic Summit

As you have asked for opinions, I will present mine and hope that it finds some merit.

If an individual, or a group of individuals, chooses to accept particular cultural influences and apply them to themselves, be they literature, art, fashion, music, language, mannerism and so on; then that is their choice. I see nothing wrong with this, as choosing to learn from others and apply things of merit from other persons can strengthen one and the whole.

However, when it comes to where such things are expected, in that an individual choosing not to adopt these same influences is suddenly seen as inferior, behind the times or inept in some way; then it becomes a problem. It is a thing I have heard referred to as cultural warfare, where the purpose of the "conquering" culture is to constantly be setting the trends and standards so that it becomes necessary to adapt and conform in order to succeed or fit in.

I suppose the goal at this point would be to determine which of the above scenarios is being practiced.

Now I have to admit that I wonder how you would react to someone calling the Matari culture and traditions insipid.

Hm. It appears that my views are actually more protectionist than those of my superior, which probably makes me some sort of extremist. With apologies, Khross-haan, I must differ on the harmlessness of individual collectors.

As I see it, Caldari society functions well as long as it retains its internal integrity: the meritocracy must actually be based on merit, and those given high honors and great responsibilities must be able to live up to them. This requirement is in tension with certain natural human tendencies, notably greed and selfishness-- not directly, for one can do very well for one's self and one's family by behaving honorably and responsibly. However, if one can look down on a factory floor full of one's subordinates and think, "I owe these people nothing," something has gone very wrong.

Especially at the high level, individualism is toxic to the State.

The Gallente have been engaged in a campaign of cultural warfare against the State since, more or less, the end of the last war. The idea appears to have been to insinuate individualistic memetics and cultural tropes into Caldari society, hopefully resulting in a "grass roots" revolt that would sweep away the old corporate meritocracy and replace it with a nice individualist democracy that would differ from the Federation mostly in the superior quality and inferior user-friendliness of its technical products.

Sadly, it's not the State's "grass roots" that can usually afford to fill its eyes, ears, and gray matter with imported articles of Gallentean culture. The Gallente didn't hit the bottom of the State meritocracy: they hit the top. The "roots" remained passionately community-minded and meritocratic, while the top developed a severe case of individualism.

The revolution did come, but it was a cultural restoration, not a cultural overthrow. Furthermore, because of the populist, anti-elitist character of the revolt, the meritocracy's recovery came with a heaping helping of unsophisticated hoi polloi playing at leadership.

Gallentean cultural influence, then, is at least partly responsible for the individualism-driven corruption at the top of Caldari society, and therefore for the Provists who asserted their power in order to correct it. Had we kept our import policies tighter, our minds freer of a culture antithetical and toxic to our own, we might very well still be at peace.

We can slow this process if we resist the temptation to help the Gallente counter-acculturate our elites by allowing them access to our leaders' brains. Allowing individual "Gallentean culture habits" to develop is akin to permitting individuals to sip tasty cups of heavily-diluted liquid corruption.

It's poisonous.

I don't usually take a hard line on these sorts of matters, but we really ought to ban any Gallentean product with more political heft to it than Quaffe.

It is probably inevitable that sooner or later the meritocracy will again become destabilized. Leaders will sneer at duty, management will be conducted to maximize personal gain, workers will be viciously exploited, and another renewal will become necessary.

That day doesn't need to be soon.

((double post))

How odd.

The IGS will have to forgive me as I've perhaps lead a sheltered and privileged existence in the Kingdom, but I find the Gallente cultural warfare is insidious and poisonous. They may not be showing up with a fleet of warships, but they are subverting the national fabric of all non-Gallente states.

Given the reaction to Amarrian religious expansion, I'm surprised at the mildness of the views expressed here. Perhaps if Theological Council employed more nubile blondes, used catchy jingles for the Scriptures, and slave collars came out in a different array of bright colors each season, the cluster would all live under the Pax Amarr by now.

I hope that the borders remain wide open. I think that the Federals and their culture have a lot to teach us, and hope that we as a people are worthy of the challenge. If they corrupt us, then we deserve our corruption.

May the best system win.



Oh, I like this idea. I'm no memetic engineer, but we have an excellent PR department here at Lai Dai. They would love this as a side project. I'll speak to them on it, maybe they're looking for a challenge.

My worry is that there's a certain self-gratifying quality to Federal literature, etc., that lends it additional allure. The really troubling bits lack depth, but have an attraction to them that has nothing to do with value.

They're guilty pleasures, but very ... viscerally satisfying. Good versus evil! Freedom versus slavery!

Who could ever object to that?

I'm not sure I like a straight fight with that kind of enemy.

That said, I suspect that a clever turn or two could expose them as the predictable, shallow, flavorless goo that they are.



You know, the cruel, selfish, sordid, decadent, exquisitely damaged lives of the pre-Heth elite could make for a first-rate holodrama series. And carry a few necessary points across-- no need to even be heavy-handed about it.

Best that we just plain avoid bludgeoning people with it at all, really. Scalpel over bludgeon-- make it a thematic element instead of a plot point, and it'll get into their heads without anybody even noticing they're being taught.

You may wish to be a little slower to say "will not," Ms. Ashera. A lot of things occur on a regular basis that most don't anticipate, and radical shifts in politics, policy, geography, and power are the stuff of which history is made.

You're not wrong, but those obstacles you mention are just that: obstacles. If Tibus Heth were to fall, and the Patriots acquired solid control in his wake, a negotiated peace worked out with the Caldari holding the advantage might look more like what I suggested than you might think.

The arrangement would go something like, "Tensions between us are too high; our nations cannot continue to exist side by side. Therefore, we will maintain only minimal contact. Connecting gates will be switched off; the only contact will be at Caldari Prime, where a new, long-range gate, bridging to Perimeter, is under construction. Caldari Prime orbital space is now a no-go zone to all non-diplomatic traffic originating elsewhere in the Luminaire system. Trespassers will be given one warning to turn back, then destroyed."

That sort of thing. Capsuleers would complain, of course, but we'd get used to it.

Still, I'm starting to like this idea of a cultural counteroffensive.

And Ishukone reformed only after the late Gariushi-haani mysteriously became the Chief Executive Officer.

((double post. again.))