Freedom is an illusion that does more harm than good.
[ How many times has she been told this? More than she can count. It's one of the first lessons Vishkar taught her. To seek to profit on one's own is selfishness. To attempt to exist outside the community is to doom yourself. Safety can only be found in cooperation, in serving your function to serve the whole. And it is no different here. ]
These people are not 'free'. They answer to their leaders even now, who tell them they must fight to ensure their continued leadership. If they answered to the empire instead, what would change? They would go about their daily lives as they ever did, but without conflict. Without unnecessary struggle. With more resources and a governing body capable of turning this planet into part of a greater whole, protected and cared for.
[ Satya gestures to the village around them. ]
Should they be 'free' to choose to remain in these conditions? Nothing improves for them save the idea of 'freedom', this lie given to them to placate them. Oh, they suffer nobly for the idea of it, so long as they can be convinced that is the truth. But what good does that truly do them?
[ Go on, Tucker. If you've got a convincing argument here, now is the time. ]
no subject
[ How many times has she been told this? More than she can count. It's one of the first lessons Vishkar taught her. To seek to profit on one's own is selfishness. To attempt to exist outside the community is to doom yourself. Safety can only be found in cooperation, in serving your function to serve the whole. And it is no different here. ]
These people are not 'free'. They answer to their leaders even now, who tell them they must fight to ensure their continued leadership. If they answered to the empire instead, what would change? They would go about their daily lives as they ever did, but without conflict. Without unnecessary struggle. With more resources and a governing body capable of turning this planet into part of a greater whole, protected and cared for.
[ Satya gestures to the village around them. ]
Should they be 'free' to choose to remain in these conditions? Nothing improves for them save the idea of 'freedom', this lie given to them to placate them. Oh, they suffer nobly for the idea of it, so long as they can be convinced that is the truth. But what good does that truly do them?
[ Go on, Tucker. If you've got a convincing argument here, now is the time. ]