Competition: Topic 3 - The Rebellion

Finished
Topic 3 - The Rebellion

In Character

Welcome to the first event of the Brotherhood Festival of Essay Writing! You must subscribe to this competition in order to see the available questions. No peeking though! The questions will be hidden until the event begins. The theme for this event is The Rebellion. Choose your question and write an essay. It is as easy as that, but it is entirely up to you how you answer it. Your argument is what's important here. Let it be engaging, thoughtful and insightful and I'm sure you'll do well.

Out of Character

You are to write an essay of at least 500 words with no maximum that responds to your chosen question. This must be written in-character from the POV of your character to be eligible for participation and placement.

Instructions

  • You can only select 1 question to write about.
  • Be sure to include which question you have selected in your submission.
  • You must write from the perspective of either your main or one of your alt/NPCs. If using an alt/NPC, please specify in your entry. No snapshot is required.
  • You will earn 1 Cluster of Ice per 500 words.
  • Submissions must be made via the text entry box, PDF or Word document.
  • Grading will be conducted using version 3 of the Voice Fiction Rubric.

Participation and Placement Points

Each individual will earn three points for every competition they enter. An additional three points will be awarded to the winner and two points will be awarded to each person who earns a crescent.

##Event Placement The top three overall will receive 2nd level crescents. In the event of a tie, winners will be decided on who has the better overall record. So for example player #1 with a win and two thirds, would place ahead of player #2 with three second place finishes.

Competition Information
Parent Competition
Brotherhood Festival of Essay Writing
Organized by
Warlord Kai Movar
Running time
2023-06-19 until 2023-07-03 (15 days)
Target Unit
Entire DJB
Competition Type
Fiction
Awards
Second Level Crescents and Clusters of Ice as per VOICE guidelines
Participants
6 subscribers, of which 1 has participated.
Results
Member
Nightsister Sinya Ani
Textual submission

Question 2: Jedi Master Yoda is thought to have said “Difficult to see; always in motion is the future.”. What do you believe he meant?
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That is an interesting question. What did he mean by the future always being in motion? Obviously he was not talking about linear motion. He was talking about a fixed point in time and whether that point would remain constant or was subject to change depending on the actions of sentients. The concept is a complex one. It is a philosophical dilemma argued about for a millennia.

Yoda was delusional and weak. He subscribed to the Jedi’s fear based teachings about the Light side and Dark side. That is a bunch of poodoo. A hokey religion looking for an external reason for the selfish desires they so desperately wanted to hide. However, though his overall philosophy was flawed, he was correct in his statement about the future.

The future *IS* always in motion because it does not yet exist. Nothing is predetermined. The Force can only show what a possible future is. Sometimes the future shown actually happens, sometimes it doesn’t. But who’s to say the vision itself didn’t create the foretold future?

Sometimes the actions taken to avoid the premonition is the very thing that brings it to be. What would have happened if the Jedi or Sith hadn’t tried to change what they saw? Would it have happened anyway? If so, is it possible to affect the future at all? Many philosophers have contemplated this very issue.

If the future is set, why does it matter what we do? I think the craven denizens of the galaxy believe this. They lack the courage to admit they have the power to affect change in their own and others’ lives; because, if they did, they would have to accept responsibility for their own destiny and their own failures. The truly great heroes accept their failures and successes. They take ownership of their decisions for better or worse. The important thing is, they know that what they do matters. They effect change with even the smallest action or even inaction, and they are brave enough to accept their part in the outcome.

Yoda was right about the future being in motion and that our actions could change the outcome. However, he still tried to hide from the responsibility of his decisions. Placing blame on the Force for your own darkness or valor is lazy and dishonest. There is no Dark or Light side. There is only the Force. The Dark Side is a manifestation of your own inner darkness. We all have it. The inner darkness. The part of you that wants. The part that will do whatever it takes to win no matter who it hurts. It is not some evil entity or force acting upon you. It’s a natural part of who you are. Accept it. Embrace it. But don’t ignore the part of you that dissents.

The part that the Jedi and Sith call the “Light Side” is also a part of you. The part that knows we have a responsibility to our neighbors and fellow sentients. Let it temper your actions. Don’t follow the Light Side out of some misguided guilt or religious nonsense. Just remember that your actions have consequences for more than just yourself. Ask yourself how you would like to be treated.

Now, when it comes to the future, Just do your best. There is no way to predict the outcome. There are too many variables. Those that strive to control the future are doomed to destroy it. All we can do is make the best decision we can in the moment and work towards a goal. It’s when we try *NOT* to do something that we will always fail.

Answer by Sinya’ni (Sinya Ani)

Placement
1st place