OK, so, after a great deal of time banging on about it being neccessary to understand what the 'average citizen' is like i've been doing a bit of work to try and sort this out - trawling through the books to look for snippets of information that might give a clue to what a citizen and by extention 'Imperial Culture' might actually be like. What general characteristics will they have?

So, here's the fruits of my labour so far. Rememeber this is proposed as what a member of the Adeptus Terra, or someone who has, or wishes to follow, an 'interstellar cultural norm' might be like.

Obviously every world will have its own 'local culture(s)' that may be wildly different...

So, here goes...

Imperial culture

Based around Adeptus Terra; Evidence = ‘thoughts for the day’ and other fluff

Imperial culture exists as a model of behaviour, thought and belief that the Adeptus Terra wishes to engender in its members and by cultural transmission to the whole of humanity. It represents a culture, a way of acting, thinking and behaving that those of the Adeptus Terra either exhibit or aspire to. Those outside the Adepta may also seek to adopt these cultural traits in order to better their position or prove that they are ‘good Imperial citizens’.

So what are the qualities that this culture demands from its adherents? What is a ‘typical’ Imperial citizen, adhering to the Imperial culture of the Adeptus Terra, like?

Ignorance is bliss (Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook, p29)

The Imperial citizen is an ignoramus and for the most part aspires to be so. This doesn’t mean they are stupid of course, far from it. An Imperial citizen will do everything possible to cultivate a small, uncluttered mind that is focussed on a clear purpose, job, role or other function that he is dedicated to. Most Imperial citizens will therefore be specialists or experts in a narrow field or profession and will maintain a fierce conviction that cultivates this focus to the exclusion of broader knowledge. An Imperial citizen seeks to be a master of one trade, not a jack of all, and has limitless perseverance to achieve this quality.

Knowledge is learned by tradition, rote and often a blind faith in their teachers. Imperial citizens reject any notions of logical reasoning, intellectual analysis, rhetorical debate or contemplation in favour of simple, concise information learning concerning their lives, specialisations, and decision making. Knowledge and wisdom is received from the past, learned by heart and few Imperial citizens would dream of seeking additional information that might distract them or distract their precious minds with trivia, or contradictory thoughts and ideas.

While Imperial citizens are encouraged to inform themselves as much as possible about their area of expertise or other prudent concerns such as knowing how to identify an enemy, intellectual curiosity is anathema to them. Few will ever ask questions about things that do not concern them, express doubts about anything they are told, or even think to do so!

Indeed a citizen that does so is likely to be met with bewilderment or even derision and insult from his fellows. Persistently inquisitive citizens are likely to be marked as trouble makers or possibly even traitors or heretics. This prohibition is ingrained in the individual such that most are highly fearful of learning things outside of their expected roles and are constantly vigilant to keep their own minds free of this ‘unnecessary’ knowledge. Of course this also makes the Imperial citizen quite reserved and tentative in giving out knowledge, excepting where it is sanctioned by protocols of apprenticeship and learning.

An Imperial citizen seeks focussed knowledge, broad ignorance, and typically keeps silent about both.

Know your duty! (Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook, p45)

The Imperial citizen is obedient and has a powerful sense of personal responsibility to serve well in their duty. This duty is felt as a personal obligation to serve the will of the Emperor. His will is manifest in the structures of the Adeptus Terra and therefore the Imperial citizen will fulfil their duty to him through their position and role.

This duty is bound by the rigid hierarchies of the Adeptus Terra and obedience to one’s direct masters is manifest obedience to the Emperor. An Imperial citizen is humble before these authorities and will not question the actions, dictates and structures of their masters or the Adeptus Terra, just as they would not question the Emperor.

A citizen’s duty will most likely be to conduct their specialist role to the best of their ability. They will pursue this duty with boldness, courage, vigilance and conviction, while maintaining blessed ignorance of matters that would distract them from this.

An Imperial citizen’s duty is all consuming, and is pursued above all concerns including personal whims or even family ties. They live for their duty and this takes precedent in their lives. A loyal servant makes his duty his only satisfaction and rejects all thoughts of selfishness, ambition, or fulfilment outside of his duty. In the conduct of this duty no reward is sought, for the task well done is reward enough. Good service may illicit a master’s recognition, favour, or advancement, but a citizen does not seek these boons. The conduct and result of their labours are all the will of the Emperor and the selfless service to Him, in whatever capacity, is reward enough. For the Imperial citizen happiness and contentment is gained only through doing his duty well.

This duty is a lifelong commitment. Only in death does that duty end and death is favoured over a failure to meet obligation, responsibility and duty. The citizen knows his proper duty, pursues it with tenacity and conviction, never sets it aside for other concerns or allows it to be thwarted, and is ready to give his life if it is required.

Faith is your shield (Warhammer 40,000 3rd Edition Rulebook, p51) .

Note: The Adeptus Ministorum maintains the Imperial cult that worships the Emperor as a saviour god of mankind and many citizens will maintain religious faith. However that is not the faith referred to here.

Imperial citizens have faith, a confidence, trust, and unshakable belief in the institutions of the Adeptus Terra and their fellow humans that maintain this embodiment of the Emperor’s will.

No one can know the Emperor’s will, nor can they understand the vast complexities of the forces at work in the Imperium. It is enough for a citizen to know and excel at their tasks, and to have faith, trust and conviction that all other citizens are doing the same.

The Imperial citizen has implicit faith that the Emperor, the Adeptus Terra and their fellow citizens are working towards the betterment of all, whatever the petty concerns of local events may suggest. This faith and trust is blind and exceptionally powerful, driving the citizen forwards in the furtherance of their own tasks.

When a citizen is facing the direst situations; when he has lost everything, and perhaps faces his own death; the last thing that remains as an inextinguishable light within him is faith that this is as it should be. Such consolation is exceptionally powerful and gives the citizen an inner strength from knowing that the Emperor’s just will is being done, whether they understand it or not, and their faith in him will bring salvation to their soul.

Faith is selfless and ephemeral and an Imperial citizen must remain constantly vigilant of their own commitment to its belief. To lapse just once; to entertain a doubt or even a faithless thought is to undo a lifetime of trust and to invite heresy and retribution.

The Emperor’s will is true and just. The Adeptus Terra is his will manifest and unifies Humanity in service for the common good. A citizen has unshakable faith that this is true and acts in accordance with that faith.

To compromise is to err (Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook, p245)

Imperial citizens maintain an extremist outlook. They have conviction in their duty and unshakable faith in the Adeptus Terra. This is the manifest will of the Emperor and cannot be exposed to threat or danger, or in any way jeopardised by negotiation or compromise.

Compromise would require the citizen to settle disagreements by negotiation, and by surrendering principles and positions that are not theirs to surrender. This cannot be allowed and in all dealings both personal and within their duties citizens are resolute, uncompromising, and conservative.

Compromise is considered a betrayal of the Emperor’s will, and the manifest destiny of Humanity. It is considered weak and cowardly, and those who practice the arts of negotiation are largely despised.

Imperial citizens are not necessarily antagonistic, just sure of their knowledge and position, secure in their duties, emboldened by their faith in their rightness and willing to undertake any action as a just alternative to compromise in achieving their ends.

This character of the citizen and indeed the institutions of Imperial culture lead to the inevitable prevalence and continuation of war. There can be no compromise with the enemies of the Emperor, and galactic war is justified to overcome these obstacles. There can be no compromise with a citizen’s adversaries, and any action is justified in protecting and advancing his position.

Intolerance is a blessing (Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook, p175)

Imperial citizens are intolerant of any difference or deviation from the tenets, culture and beliefs of the Adeptus Terra. A citizen expects of himself and others that they maintain their ignorance, follow their duty, and have faith in the Adeptus Terra. To do otherwise is a betrayal of the Emperor’s will and all of humanity. Intolerance of this is a powerful social mechanism to ensure that peers and other citizens meet their obligations.

Citizens are particularly intolerant of those who are too curious, who seek knowledge that they should not seek and who therefore neglect their focus. Those who neither know nor follow their duties, or who compromise those duties, are similarly reviled for they undermine the faith, trust and confidence that all citizens have in the strength and unity of Imperial culture and the Adeptus Terra. Interestingly, citizens also reject the concept of ‘hope’ since it implies a reliance on something other than trust in the abilities and actions of fellow citizens to enact the Emperor’s will. Hope is the resort of those who have failed in their duty.

This basic intolerance leads the Imperial citizen to seem callous to the suffering of themselves and others. The selfless devotion to duty and faith in something larger than themselves (the Emperor’s will and the Adeptus Terra) means they accept hardship, privation, and endless struggle as a natural part of life. A citizen would not dream of complaining, or even mentioning their troubles or discomforts. Their duty is life-long and they see themselves as part of a larger whole. The individual life therefore, either their own or that of others, is considered insignificant. An Imperial citizen expects to die in the conduct of their duty and they are inured to any concept of this as a hardship.

Of course an intolerant attitude requires a response to transgression and transgressors. Imperial citizens harbour the concept of ‘righteous hate’ against those who fail in their duties towards the Emperor. The overly inquisitive, those who fail in the dutiful obligations, and those who otherwise threaten the strength and stability of the Imperium will be quickly reviled as traitors and subject to rabid hate.

Once aroused, an Imperial citizen’s hate turns their casual callousness into a vicious lack of mercy and a strong desire to prosecute vengeance. The traitor can expect no mercy, no pity, nor any forgiveness from a citizen, even from their friends and family. Traitors, heretics and mutants are considered ‘unclean’ by Imperial citizens; a pollution to the purity of humankind. As such their ruthless sense of vengeance against these transgressors knows no bounds and typically a citizen will seek the just removal from life and memory.

Thoughts, comments, and rampant dicussions are firmly welcomed! ;D

I like it. It is nice to see these ideas codified in some form.

I could see what you put forth as an ideal citizen on many worlds, hive worlds in particular.

The only thing I would argue with is duty to family. I see the idea of family as being very important to the Imperium. It would be a duty of each citizen to continue the Imperium by reproducing and raising their offspring to be proper citizens and for them to carry on their required service to the Imperium. Couldn't it be perceived as a personal failure to not provide another generation of strong, faithful, hardworking children to help carry on the labors that the Emperor requires?

You would still only have a small percentage of any population that would meet these ideals and the farther from a central power center (major trade route or industrialized planet) you get the less these ideals would be applicable as the local culture could carry more weight. You would also have a degradation to these ideals as you went up or down the economic scale from the middle. As you go up the economic scale greed, power, and comfort start rearing their heads, while going down the scale daily survival becomes an issue.

Based on the fundament of your trail of thoughts, the DDR ("Deutsche Demokratische Republik", this other part of german that ceased to exist after the fall of the german wall) would be still in existents. Since the fact that the society was ripe with pro-DDR propaganda would be (based on your thought model) defining for thoughts and ideology of the majority of the DDR citizen.

So the DDR wanted everyone to believie it to be and so most of those actually totting this line actually DID believe. But it was not the truth in regard to what the average citizen thought. As a proof the Berlin wall fell.

===
On the other hand, I think the actual ongoing events in North Korea are an example against my line of thought (which I sum up as "never judge the people of a country by the propaganda of its ruling despot class"). As far as some of our oh-so-free-thinking western journalists claim, alot of the over-acted grief is actually no overacting but a true expression of grief. Of people really being in pain of having lost their tyrant. Because they loved them. Because the only medium of information they had in their state had told them for generations that this man was in fact a gift of god (or gods or whatever).

Anyway. What I would like to point out is that a "society model" based on the "thought-of-the-day" propaganda might only be fitting for those part of the Imperium actually totting the line. For every of this citzens, their might be one citzen who repeats the same phrases but keeps his mouth shut about his own opinon and does like he actually believes as long as he does not feel watched. And I am not talking about "the criminal underworld" here and not about "the disenfrachised working class" like it was fluff-established for Solom in DotdG.

Citzens might differ from what their tyrants wants them to be.

my 2 cents

I agree.

As i said 'Obviously every world will have its own 'local culture(s)' that may be wildly different..'.

With that being agreed upon, I would like to suggest to base a model of the average citzen on the imperium not on the propaganda but on the reaction of societies to propaganda and on what societies are like after decades of over-acted propaganda.

In my opinion, this would be the following:

1) Say what everyone says as long as you are around everyone and keep your mouth shut about your opinion
These propaganda is established because the tyrant-class wants their citizens to act his way and to make the citzens know like they are to act. What they actuall believe is rather territary to the tyrant-class as long as the citzens really do like the propaganda tells them:

In response, the citzen cultivate an "outward" facade and culture and an "inner" culture. As long as one moves in the open society s/he gives lipservice or at least will not question, debate or (the high power forbid!) challenge the propganda. As soon as the citzen moves in a "closed society" like family or close & trusted friends the people tend to relax and to become themselves again. Under this circumstances, "close friends" become something very valued and the puplic becomes something that is feared. A siege mentality kicks in, debate and exchange of opinion are supressed and so is any actual development of culture and cultural ideas. Things become a still stand outside of teenage movements which tend to get a little more leanway since "they are still childern". But even they are told the lessons the hars way as soon as they overstep the bounderies of tolerance.

2) Do not care for the big picture, care for yourself and the ones close to you
Constant pressure one cannot resist and cannot fight leads people to turn away from the source of pressure. Well, their is another way but I will come to this later. Anyway, with a society the people do not like and cannot change and cannot trust, people stop caring for society. The already stated siege mentality. People become numb to their next unless it is their very next. All but the closest relations are nothing but very feint ties.

3) Howl with the wolves...and perhaps louder then them
Another option, of course, is that a figure actually buys all of the propaganda. The imperial citzen like the tyrant-class wants them to be. 100% totting the line, loyal and eager to fullfil all the dogma to please the higher-ups and of course the God-Emperor. After all, they are pushed into this direction, so they might as well RUN in order to be ontop of the wave instead of getting crushed by it.

Another variant of it, one that is not swayed by the raw pressure on an emotional and fundamental level but who believes to understand how society functions and how they can be successfull in it. Those second class of citzen does not really buy into the propaganda, but they understand that in order to be successfull they need to be a 100% adherent to it so that they do not fall out of the favour of the higher ups. The same guys that alway claimed that they were just following orders. That they needed to be this way and had to give such orders not to end up as a target of such an order. Those among us familiar with the Nürnberger Prozesse (the processes made against the Nazi-party members at the end of WWII) know what I am refering to.

OK, but where's the evidence for that in the 40k literature?

I have no evidence in the 40k literature for my assumptions.

Luddite said:

I like this a lot, and it follows a lot of my own ideas on the subject. The biggest issue, I feel, is that there's no definition of what the average Imperial Citizen is, as in the place they hold within the society of the Imperium of Man.

Personally, I regard the Imperial Citizen as being those who directly contribute to the ongoing stability and dominance of the Imperium - in short, those who are part of the Adeptus Terra or one of the other major organisations, those who bear the title of Adept. They make up a large and important part of civilisation, but are inherently a minority on most worlds. The common manufactory workers, even the bulk of the Imperial Guard and Navy (the enlisted and conscripted personnel - all officers are inherently Adepts) are beneath even the lowest of Menials and Subordinates.

Those who are not Adepts are not held to the same standards - Imperial Law doesn't concern itself with the lives of the common masses (as I view it, the Lex Imperialis only regards murder as significant if the victim was an Adept - otherwise, it's a matter for local law enforcement) - but are also largely ignored by everyone above them. So long as their labours contribute to their world's tithes, they attend the required religious services, and they obey the recognised authorities, the Imperium barely considers their existence.

They may aspire to the significance and status of the Adeptus - it's difficult, as many Adepts are hereditary positions - but for the most part these civilians aren't true Imperial Citizens.

Ah right Gregorius21778. I think there's some very good ideas you've put forwards about how people will react to an imposed Imperial culture.

I have no doubt that on many worlds, especially those newly discovered where the Imperium and its culture are 'aggressively promoted' by the Adepta, people will react in the way you suggest.

What i've tried to do however is look at the evidence throught the various books, and from that alone, develop some idea as to what an Imperial citizen and therefore by extention the character of an Imperial culture is likely to be like.

Those who are part of the Adeptus Tarra, or of a close-knit interstellar culture (such as the high Imperial nobility, or fleet members); and those who aspire to join the Adeptus Terra or show themselves to be 'good citizens' are likely to embrace these cultural norms.

You're right however to say there there will also be those who resist or reject these norms of behaviour. And that raises very interesting questions then about how such people would be treated by the Adeptus Terra?

'1) Say what everyone says as long as you are around everyone and keep your mouth shut about your opinion'

I agree with you that for many folk faced with having to deal with a society where these cultural beliefs are the norm without sharing them will definately be in a position of having to hide their true feelings. This is, interestingly, at the heart of the great (and for 40k i'd suggest required reading) book 1984 by George Orwell. It also gives you something to really get your teeth into for roleplaying a character eh?

'2) Do not care for the big picture, care for yourself and the ones close to you'

I think this is firmly within what i was saying about ignorance.

'3) Howl with the wolves...and perhaps louder then them
Another option, of course, is that a figure actually buys all of the propaganda. The imperial citzen like the tyrant-class wants them to be. 100% totting the line, loyal and eager to fullfil all the dogma to please the higher-ups and of course the God-Emperor. After all, they are pushed into this direction, so they might as well RUN in order to be ontop of the wave instead of getting crushed by it.'

Yes, and to be honest, we're back here to Orwell's 1984! The relentless pressure of Imperial culture, as you put it, may well mean that eventually most people finally adopt it. To be honest, i actually don't think that's the case. With each world having its own culture and probably hundreds or even thousands of sub-cultures, i'd expect these to dominate across the million worlds. But 'over' them all there has to be a central 'Imperial culture', spread through the various arms of the Adeptus Terra that creates at least a well known (if not well observed) unifying social and cultural model.

That's what i've tried to tease out and develop from the 40k sources available rather than from real world analogies or my own perceptions of what the Imperial citizen might be.

If i were going to look to a historical parallel for the Imperium, i think it would be ancient Rome. There was a central Roman 'culture' that everyone within the 'Roman Empire' was aware of, but most citizens within the Empire maintained their own local cultures, traditions and beleifs, often alongside the Roman 'ideals'.

However, i think its better to stick to the 40k sources as much as possible, which leads on to...

The only thing I would argue with is duty to family. I see the idea of family as being very important to the Imperium. It would be a duty of each citizen to continue the Imperium by reproducing and raising their offspring to be proper citizens and for them to carry on their required service to the Imperium. Couldn't it be perceived as a personal failure to not provide another generation of strong, faithful, hardworking children to help carry on the labors that the Emperor requires?

- ItsUncertainWho

I firmly agree with you ItsUncertainWho. In my 40k i've always felt that family and the 'begetting of progeny' must be a central part of Imperial culture. However, i've developed this concept of the 'tpyical citizen's culture' from the 40k sources and they say nothing about family...

So the question then is, do i add in my own ideas, or stick with the sources. I've chosen to stick with the sources, which means you then have to try and rationalise that.

So what i'd say is that within the million+ 'local cultures' having large and prosperous families is probably a trait common to most worlds. Throughout most local cultures having lots of children is a moral and cultural good.

However, Imperial culture is different. It requires devotion to one's duty above all else, so someone who goes into the Adeptus Terra must put their family second. Now we know that members of the Adepta do have families since, for example within the Administratum positions are often hereditary. So there isn't a 'ban' on families, just the expectation that duty comes first.

Does that make sense?

Edit:

Aha! Yes N0-1_H3r3

The biggest issue, I feel, is that there's no definition of what the average Imperial Citizen is, as in the place they hold within the society of the Imperium of Man.

This is precisely why i've tried to sort this out as i share that frustration.

And the general point you raise is the further consideration of their being an 'Imperial culture' - that of status. I've always felt that members of the Adepta are inherently higher status...'one rung up' if you will. Again i think ancient Rome gives a good model of that, where being a citizen of Rome was inherently higher status. An Imperial Duke will always be higher status than a Local Duke for example...

I'd sugges that becoming a member of an Adepta has significant benefits so that general citizens would aspire to get into its service. However, i think that's a bit topic in its own right and perhaps a discussion for another thread! Hehe... :¬D

Luddite said:

I see nothing wrong with filling in the blanks as you see fit, there are too many blank areas not to do so.

One's duty to the Imperium is to provide for it's future. The imperium has no future without families producing children. I could go so far as to see some cultures within the Imperium requiring women to produce a specific quota of children.