Ruling collectives of the Galaxy

December 30, 2020

Ruling collectives possess some common features:

1. Scouted at birth: the mind-sensitive organ of the Second Foundation (SF), the force-sensitive younglings

2. Apprenticeship training: SF: using mathematics to predict the future and make a significant theoretical contribution, communicate with a specialized language and read/alter minds; Jedi: combat skills, Force abilities, purification and construction of lightsaber, learner missions, trials

Common: mental skills, mission of peacekeeping and practicing restraint.

Curiously, they can act on aspects of the mind significantly: passing checkpoints seems a favorite. Editing memories another. SF abstract their biological mind as their primary language: they can open them for reading, and reach consensus without language; The Jedi use the Force as the primary language of their understanding. A common flow in the Force suggests unanimity.

The SF is a purer peacekeeping force than the Jedi: they predict the currents in civilization and act when they must to keep peace, whereas the Jedi can only use their best judgment. The method of action differs starkly: the SF must use invisible tactics (in addition to dialing up some individual emotions), whereas the Jedi use flashy martial arts.

They look like ordinary humans/species but act completely differently. The SF are known as scholars in an abandoned university and live like monks, with the students being reverent of the elders, and their peacekeeping creed make them devoid of all the lesser human vices like violence, but they’re allowed to marry. The Jedi obviously wear robes and behave most politely. I envy the insignificance of their clothing choice. They’re completely gender-indifferent, unlike similar collectives here. Social niceties are pointless because of the mind. They are ritualistic, with their own statues and symbols, but because of the lack of toxic hatefulness or violence, the hierarchy is not stifling and reason can cause change. The spaces have large archives, which mirrors a university at its purest.

Relationship with politicians: with restraint, they help ensure the stability of normal politics. The techno kings at the First Foundation won wars thanks to them. Which brings us the question: why aren’t they just normal politicians? If politicians and diplomats just do their jobs better and keep peace, minimizing the cost to human life, wouldn’t these collectives be obsolete? My guess is that politicians must spend the majority of their time campaigning. But honestly the only good explanation is these people represent an absoluteness of truth, of natural law. The SF similarly listen only to mathematical predictions and feel compelled to prune them through emotional control (doing god’s work?), which even powerful laymen can’t do. It doesn’t matter if the UN claims to be universal because nations still vote, and that can make truth relative.

Therefore, the Jedi and the SF are priests that don’t preach. This is biological aristocracy. Less bad than stale hereditary aristocracy. So they can battle enemies that are of the same biological class and fulfill their destiny. The mule and the sith are villains because they take lives wantonly.

The others’ heroics dull in comparison, they are just a piece of chess without access to the god player. This is why I need to become a scientist.