posted
I have been thinking on the Ender Saga recently, and was wondering about the pattern of colonisation after the Xenocide, exporting different nationalities to their own planet.
Do you think that this is the only way such a program could happen?
If it did happen, would new nationalities on each planet develop, or would it be one homogenous mass?
Also, I suppose a question that only OSC could answer would be, why did you choose to write it in that way, was it 'natural' or a plot device, or neither?
Penny for your thoughts!
Posts: 23 | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
I think within any group there is the tendency of people to subdivide. It is almost an entropic, natural resistance to unity. And certainly where you have a group of people who chose to go to a separatist colony in the first place, that separationist tendency will be there. Though it's hard to say if it was a desire for separation from the other or a love of what you love.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I will make one additional note to what has been said. Even though the various planets and colonies have a dominate culture, we know from Ender visiting the Catholic Lusitania colony, that minorities are protected by Star Congerss Law.
So, very logically, many worlds have minority cultures that are protected from interference by the dominant culture. I think civil rights are strongly protected, but there is a real advantage to having somewhat homogeneous societies.
That was one of the great conflicts on Earth, diverse societies fighting for power and control. On the homogeneous world, power and control is established, and minorities are protected from interferring but also from being interferred with.
I think that creates a strong model for long term cohesive societies.
I also think that these societies would be strongly controlled by the dominant majority. In the example of Alai and the Muslim world he founded, Alia has every well balanced and liberal attitudes. I think he would have created a free and open society within the confines of reasonable interpretation of his faith. The radicals and extremest that dominate Muslim thought here on earth would not be able to gain a foot hold on Alia's planet.
As Pooka points out, it is human nature to assert individuality and at the same time seek out like-minded social groups. I suspect on each planet there are diverse opinions and diverse social groups, but for the most part, as long as they don't try to force their will on the majority, and as long as the majority rules in a fair and just way, there would be no problems.
In a sense, this experiement in homogeneous societies seems to have worked. Firsts we must learn to get along with ourselves in order for us to learn to get along with others. Over time, once these societies became stable, there would be little concern about very divergent cultures joining them on their planet.
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