(SW) Ongoing Jedi Ethics Thoughts
Thoughts circling back and twisting among themselves like a tangle a sea serpents...
Some recent occurrences made me think "There are times Jedi divestment/control of emotions would be a very good thing for people to learn." Couple that with one of my recurring ponderances of seemingly-contrary nature of some lessons we are taught as children, and you get this:
"There is no emotion, there is peace" is a lot like "don't care what other people think."
The former is from the Jedi Code. The latter is taught by Western parents everywhere... or maybe just family TV sitcoms. Both can be good life lessons. Both, however, if taken at face value with no context would lead someone to be... let's say way outside societal norms.
We are taught, by word and example, how to behave in society. Sometimes those lessons seem contrary. We're taught to "share" and yet to "respect other people's property." If you take any one of these little lessons as absolute in all situations, however, you're not getting the whole picture. If someone were to fixate on the sharing, I imagine they would develop into some form of socialist/communist - which I don't count as inherently bad in itself, but it does not match this society.
Context is important. When and how we are given these lessons teaches us the true scope of their meaning: we're supposed to ignore those around us enough to make our own decisions and choose our own paths, not become psychopaths with no empathy for others.
Similarly, picking apart the text of the Jedi Code is really missing the point. It's not that Jedi are forbidden from feeling anything, rather warnings are given to students who are seen making rash decisions because of their emotions.
Some recent occurrences made me think "There are times Jedi divestment/control of emotions would be a very good thing for people to learn." Couple that with one of my recurring ponderances of seemingly-contrary nature of some lessons we are taught as children, and you get this:
"There is no emotion, there is peace" is a lot like "don't care what other people think."
The former is from the Jedi Code. The latter is taught by Western parents everywhere... or maybe just family TV sitcoms. Both can be good life lessons. Both, however, if taken at face value with no context would lead someone to be... let's say way outside societal norms.
We are taught, by word and example, how to behave in society. Sometimes those lessons seem contrary. We're taught to "share" and yet to "respect other people's property." If you take any one of these little lessons as absolute in all situations, however, you're not getting the whole picture. If someone were to fixate on the sharing, I imagine they would develop into some form of socialist/communist - which I don't count as inherently bad in itself, but it does not match this society.
Context is important. When and how we are given these lessons teaches us the true scope of their meaning: we're supposed to ignore those around us enough to make our own decisions and choose our own paths, not become psychopaths with no empathy for others.
Similarly, picking apart the text of the Jedi Code is really missing the point. It's not that Jedi are forbidden from feeling anything, rather warnings are given to students who are seen making rash decisions because of their emotions.
See, this is why I was using the older version of the code for Deveron. "Emotion, but also peace." would be how he would have seen it. The way I interpret this is that you can have both. This is done through understanding. Yes, feel, but understand what you are feeling, and why you are feeling it. Understanding will bring peace. The way the Jedi code reads 'now' seems to work on exclusion philosophy (a form of asceticism).
ReplyDeleteAnd this is why I try to impress upon you that it doesn't matter. ;) You seem to view the later version as "wrong," but the point I'm trying to make is that it isn't meant to be the be-all and end-all. Those few lines are more of a reminder than a complete overview of the philosophy. And on the flip side, the Sith Code may not be so bad as written. But the actual philosophy behind the order/organization is one of personal power above all else. Honestly, I almost wish the Codes had never been written in the first place. Which makes me wonder when they were added to the canon. Knights of the Old Republic is probably the first time I recall seeing them, though they may have appeared beforehand. Hmm... WEG RPG book maybe...
ReplyDeleteYes, it would be in the WEG books, if we are not mistaken, for the more 'recent' code.
DeleteOh sure, go responding to a six-year-old message. ;)
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