2 hours ago, Stan Fresh said:If only the weak, elderly, and women farm, your city is going to starve.
And the odds of you having an entire Single Biome Planet are pretty slim - but then that's Hoth, Endor, Mustafar, Courscant, Tatooine, Geonosis, Naboo and Kamino off the table.
Plus, you know - these guys:
So your argument is invalid.
I don't even know what you're trying to say here. "It's fiction, therefore we shouldn't talk about how stupid the idea is"?
6 hours ago, Stan Fresh said:Who takes out the trash in a warrior culture? Who writes songs? Who raises the children? Who grows the food?
The idea of a warrior culture falls apart the moment you think about it.
This is the quote that started the tangent Stan. Several of us thus gave you real world examples and explanations of how warrior cultures in fact did exist and thus could exist in a futuristic setting (more easily so). It isn't just an idea. You then moved the goal posts to the requirement of the culture had to be one of a "majority of warriors" to qualify as a warrior culture. That wasn't in your first statement.
However, if we then speculated on a fictional society in which 60% were full time warriors (and we give that they are somehow banished from any other trades even in a part-time capacity - they are just too good for that stuff) that still leaves 40% to engage in non-warrior trades. How can we conclude that culture must fall apart? Even if you stretch the non-warrior workforce thinner by removing all children and elderly, you still are left with a sizable workforce for tasks such as farming. Vikings and Spartans somehow made it work without starving and it would be easier as technology advanced. As an example, modern US has only 2% of its population engaged in agriculture. A future warrior culture could easily have 0% of its population engaged in agriculture - farming robots that are repaired by maintenance robots.
6 hours ago, Stan Fresh said:Who takes out the trash in a warrior culture? Who writes songs? Who raises the children? Who grows the food?
The warriors?
When I was in the Army, I took out the trash and prepared my own food when I got on separate rations. I had co-workers who also raised kids and even knew one that wrote and sang songs. All while being full-time "warriors".
I'm not a Mando fan-boy, but their culture is completely conceivable.
Edited by SturnAnd then there are the warrior cultures who survive by taking stuff from others and constantly expanding and demanding tribute of the conquered. The Mongols, for example. This model is not long-term sustainable, but tends to burn hot while it lasts.
It's not moving the goal posts, it's what the words actually mean. If only a minority of them are warriors, then the culture as a whole isn't a warrior culture.
If you only have a few blond hairs, you're not a blonde, either.
57 minutes ago, Stan Fresh said:It's not moving the goal posts, it's what the words actually mean. If only a minority of them are warriors, then the culture as a whole isn't a warrior culture.
If you only have a few blond hairs, you're not a blonde, either.
By that standard, more than a few "warrior cultures", were not (warrior cultures) -- they're just so famously known for their warriors that people think of them that way.
Not saying your metric is right or wrong, just pointing out the underlying facts.
By that standard, there have been no artistic cultures throughout the history of Man, since none have been made up of over 50% artists.
9 hours ago, Stan Fresh said:I don't even know what you're trying to say here. "It's fiction, therefore we shouldn't talk about how stupid the idea is"?
What I'm saying is like a great many things in Star Wars that don't make a lick of sense in the real world, the Rule of Cool trumps practicality. Plus, space opera tropes like Proud Warrior Race Guy is baked into Star Wars' DNA, all the way back to Edgar Rice Burroughs and Alex Raymond.
31 minutes ago, Sturn said:By that standard, there have been no artistic cultures throughout the history of Man, since none have been made up of over 50% artists.
No, there haven't been "artist cultures". Subtle, but important, difference.
11 minutes ago, Desslok said:What I'm saying is like a great many things in Star Wars that don't make a lick of sense in the real world, the Rule of Cool trumps practicality. Plus, space opera tropes like Proud Warrior Race Guy is baked into Star Wars' DNA, all the way back to Edgar Rice Burroughs and Alex Raymond.
Doesn't mean we can't talk about the tropes and sources of Star Wars, and how practical they are in the real world, and their politics. Discussing and critiquing art is as important as art itself.
Stan, this is what I meant by the goal posts earlier. For your assumption (warrior cultures fail) to work it means:
With those goal posts, I would agree warrior cultures fail. I just don't agree with the goal posts.
It just seems a bit of a low standard, like saying the US is a farmer culture, or Germany a soccer culture.
The anthropological definition of "warrior culture" is one that prioritizes raising soldiers first, everything else second. But they still do everything else. Whether support activities (hunting, gathering, etc.) are done by the soldiers, those that couldn't hack being a soldier, slaves, droids, whatever, doesn't alter the warrior culture's primary motivations.
The Marine Corps is a warrior culture in the US. Every Marine is a rifleman but many Marines serve in supporting roles.
The Spartans were an extreme warrior culture where children of 6 were taken to the live in the barracks, by 12 they were expected to show military prowess, and at 18 were considered soldiers. Yet they weren't allow to openly associate with "adults" until they were 30 and were expected to serve in the military until 60. Sparta's support roles (agriculture, etc.) were the responsibility of the Perioeci who were free but non-citizens and the enslaved Helots. It was actually a huge fear of Helot uprisings that helped form the Spartan's warrior sensibilities. Sometimes those "classics" classes pay off, haha.
5 minutes ago, Stan Fresh said:It just seems a bit of a low standard, like saying the US is a farmer culture, or Germany a soccer culture.
"Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."
aka, perspective.
Would you say that the US is a sports culture? I would. A whole part of the year is focused on the superbowl alone, grocery stores go to great lengths to promote the big game, companies spend millions to advertise during the commercials. However, not all US citizens take part in playing/watching the Superbowl. Does that somehow invalidate the importance of that part of the culture? No, not really.
I think the idea is that warrior cultures are specifically that because 1. They have warriors and 2. They are known for their warriors' actions. Mandalorians aren't known for their baked goods, just the same, Spartans weren't known for their tapestries. They were known for their warriors and the wars they took part in.
I am in my mid-twenties. I have GMed this RPG for a year. I am known as a GM to my players but that has only made up about 4% of my life thusfar. Same idea. Because I do it and I am known for it, the statement isn't false that being a Game Master is part of who I am.
Back on topic now, I'd really like to see where the Mandalorian storyline goes soon but I believe this was a way of putting that entire story arc on the backburner until the next season so the rest of the group can focus on their mission to take down the Lothal factory & fighting against Grand Admiral Thrawn.
2 hours ago, GroggyGolem said:Would you say that the US is a sports culture? I would. A whole part of the year is focused on the superbowl alone, grocery stores go to great lengths to promote the big game, companies spend millions to advertise during the commercials. However, not all US citizens take part in playing/watching the Superbowl. Does that somehow invalidate the importance of that part of the culture? No, not really.
As one who cant stand Handegg (I shan't degrade proper F'ball with that name), I now want to play a Mandalorian who goes "Oh dear god, will you please shut up with the whole 'it is a good day to die' nonsense!" when his chest thumping buddies go on the warpath.
Edited by Desslok2 hours ago, GroggyGolem said:Would you say that the US is a sports culture? I would. A whole part of the year is focused on the superbowl alone, grocery stores go to great lengths to promote the big game, companies spend millions to advertise during the commercials. However, not all US citizens take part in playing/watching the Superbowl. Does that somehow invalidate the importance of that part of the culture? No, not really.
What is this superb owl that you reference? Is it that overrated hype fest that seeks to overshadow the Puppy Bowl every year?
7 minutes ago, Nytwyng said:What is this superb owl that you reference? Is it that overrated hype fest that seeks to overshadow the Puppy Bowl every year?
People bowl puppies? That's sickening!
1 hour ago, GroggyGolem said:People bowl puppies? That's sickening!
Of course not!
Puppies bowl.
What kind of barbaric entertainment do you think is out there?
(They use kittens for pins. ?)
Edited by Nytwyng5 minutes ago, MaxKilljoy said:
By that logic..
baseball is football
basketball is fotball
golf is football
croquet is football....
2 minutes ago, Nytwyng said:By that logic..
baseball is football
basketball is fotball
golf is football
croquet is football....
Bah! that would only apply is football was named using a paradigm based on qualitative parameters!
But more importantly, that naming scheme doesn't affect the greatest sport of all... Hockey!
1 minute ago, Scambler said:
Bah! that would only apply is football was named using a paradigm based on qualitative parameters!
Which would be footdisc. ?
1 minute ago, Nytwyng said:Which would be footdisc. ?
Bladedisc.
1 minute ago, Jon D said:Bladedisc.
No distinction is made for specialized footwear in football, football, football, football, or football. ?