Chieftain Twilight
catspook
I'll bite
smile .
I agree with neither the Sith nor the Jedi. The Jedi appear (correct me if I'm wrong) to believe that strong emotions lead to bad things, and so should be suppressed. The Sith appear to believe that strong emotions lead to good things and should be encouraged. I believe emotions lead neither towards nor away from life's ultimate goals, but should be a goal unto themselves.
To use Anankin as an example, both the Jedi and the Sith failed him (and were in turn destroyed by him). He gut sucked into the Jedi because they offered him purpose (which he needed, emotionally) but ultimately he destroyed them because they denied him the one thing he needed the most - his family. And he joined and destroyed the Sith for the very same reasons. What Anakin really needed was mentors who would have offered purpose while simultaneously encouraging healthy relationships with both Padme and his mother - the Jedi tried to cut off those relationships entirely and the Sith pushed them to the point of obsession causing him to have a breakdown when objects of his obsession were destroyed. Both approaches ultimately destroyed Anakin and the organizations imposing them. Basically, Anakin really didn't need dogma - he needed a therapist.
now THAT is an extraordinary point to make!
biggrin I applaud you for that, because I agree completely upon reading it. I wouldn't have likely made that distinction on my own, despite all the times I've used those instances and examples to explain other points.
though, I now am curious how you mean emotions should be means unto themselves... I get that the two extreme positions of the orders are what drove Anakin/Vader to ever deeper levels of madness (and motivated him to strike back against his manipulators), however it seems that you are stating his need for guidance and direction more than for simply emotional expression.
Thanks.
smile Believe it or not, I've thought about this a lot because I keep having this reoccurring dream where I end up in Coruscant sometime between Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith and I have to keep Anakin from turning to Palpatine (rediculous, because Stars Wars isn't even my fandom, it's my partner's
xd ).
And, yes, I think Anakin needs guidance because he doesn't know how to manage his emotions in a healthy way (unsurprising, considering the events of his life). He also, like many people, has an emotional need for purpose as well as for love and belonging, but love and belonging come first (in this, he is a perfect example of someone follows
Maslow's hierarchy of needs). I'm not sure he's technically human, but he certainly has the common psychology of one.