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commonality_leadership [2022/07/05 23:55]
conan created
commonality_leadership [2022/07/06 00:17] (current)
conan added images
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 ===== Confluence ===== ===== Confluence =====
  
-Within the Commonality,​ decisions are made as a group of all parties coming to a mutual shared understanding of the best way to proceed. Groups of Commonality citizens meet regularly in a structured meeting known as a Confluence, to decide on matters that are relevant to those present. ​+{{ :​image:​commonality:​orion_sphere_event_3_-108.jpg?​400|}}Within the Commonality,​ decisions are made as a group of all parties coming to a mutual shared understanding of the best way to proceed. Groups of Commonality citizens meet regularly in a structured meeting known as a Confluence, to decide on matters that are relevant to those present. ​
  
 ==== Confluence Structure ==== ==== Confluence Structure ====
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 Philosophically,​ the Confluence (as the name suggests) is believed to be an idealised merging of information,​ personality and context, which, through the process of debate and thought, produces a decision that is “perfect” for the circumstances in which it arose. Allowing the matter to be re-opened would introduce Entropy to the whole process, making decisions inherently unstable. The Confluence model has held up robustly since the [[species:​Elysian|Elysians]] left their homeworld, and has been able to accommodate new Commonality species and given the Faction much of its strength and longevity today. Philosophically,​ the Confluence (as the name suggests) is believed to be an idealised merging of information,​ personality and context, which, through the process of debate and thought, produces a decision that is “perfect” for the circumstances in which it arose. Allowing the matter to be re-opened would introduce Entropy to the whole process, making decisions inherently unstable. The Confluence model has held up robustly since the [[species:​Elysian|Elysians]] left their homeworld, and has been able to accommodate new Commonality species and given the Faction much of its strength and longevity today.
  
-A Confluence is usually preceded by a group meditation session, allowing members to concentrate their minds and focus on the decisions at hand. Leaving other cares and personal issues behind is believed to smooth the process of collective decision making and prevent rancour and ill-feeling building up within the Confluence’s members. After the Confluence is complete, members will usually participate in another meditation or collective activity such as a Ritual to return to the space outside the Confluence and refocus on the tasks that must be done.+[{{ :​image:​commonality:​orion_sphere_event_2_saturday-04893.jpg?​400|<​html><​font color="​black">​A Confluence is often preceded by a group meditation or movement session</​font></​html>​}}]A Confluence is usually preceded by a group meditation session, allowing members to concentrate their minds and focus on the decisions at hand. Leaving other cares and personal issues behind is believed to smooth the process of collective decision making and prevent rancour and ill-feeling building up within the Confluence’s members. After the Confluence is complete, members will usually participate in another meditation or collective activity such as a Ritual to return to the space outside the Confluence and refocus on the tasks that must be done.
  
 ==== Confluence Culture ==== ==== Confluence Culture ====
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 ===== Judges ===== ===== Judges =====
  
-Judges are the closest analogue to “Faction leadership” in the Commonality - in practice their direct control over the Faction is limited, but the combined influence of the Judges over time has gently shaped Commonality cultural and social norms into what it is today. Outside the Commonality,​ various Judges are rumoured to have been involved in some way in countless momentous events - but never in such a direct fashion that they can be directly implicated. Judges are few and far-between - there are believed to be only a few hundred in total, among the hundreds of billions of Commonality citizens. Typically, they travel from place to place within the Faction, with their own retinue of Facilitators,​ Justicars and other specialists. They frequently send members of their retinues to provide guidance or direction to Confluences,​ or advise Archons and various leaders as to how their actions could benefit the Commonality as a whole. Higher-status individuals in the Commonality are more likely to be visited by a Judge or their representatives,​ and incorporated into their many plans.+[{{ :​image:​commonality:​orion_sphere_event_2_saturday-05453.jpg?​200|<​html><​font color="​black">​Judges are invariably powerful Psions</​font></​html>​}}]Judges are the closest analogue to “Faction leadership” in the Commonality - in practice their direct control over the Faction is limited, but the combined influence of the Judges over time has gently shaped Commonality cultural and social norms into what it is today. Outside the Commonality,​ various Judges are rumoured to have been involved in some way in countless momentous events - but never in such a direct fashion that they can be directly implicated. Judges are few and far-between - there are believed to be only a few hundred in total, among the hundreds of billions of Commonality citizens. Typically, they travel from place to place within the Faction, with their own retinue of Facilitators,​ Justicars and other specialists. They frequently send members of their retinues to provide guidance or direction to Confluences,​ or advise Archons and various leaders as to how their actions could benefit the Commonality as a whole. Higher-status individuals in the Commonality are more likely to be visited by a Judge or their representatives,​ and incorporated into their many plans.
  
 Judges are almost universally powerful psions, masters of many of the well-known psionic Paths and often some personal or secret ones as well. As such, the vast majority of Judges are Elysian, as Elysian Psionic theory and practice is the most well-developed of all known species. Individual Judges are elevated from their peers by a panel of three Judges, usually after prolonged periods of apprenticeship in service of other Judges of various stripes. It is in this period that a Judge develops their ideology and beliefs, as they interact with the various aspects of Commonality Society. Judges are almost universally powerful psions, masters of many of the well-known psionic Paths and often some personal or secret ones as well. As such, the vast majority of Judges are Elysian, as Elysian Psionic theory and practice is the most well-developed of all known species. Individual Judges are elevated from their peers by a panel of three Judges, usually after prolonged periods of apprenticeship in service of other Judges of various stripes. It is in this period that a Judge develops their ideology and beliefs, as they interact with the various aspects of Commonality Society.
  
 From day-to-day, each Judge operates independently of the others, but when two or more Judges meet they will usually hold a small Confluence to share information and gather alternative perspectives on matters at hand. Judicial Confluences only rarely produce Settled Decisions however, and are often considered to be more of a forum for sharing ideas and information. Judges as an institution are beholden only to themselves - no Confluence of non-Judges holds authority over any Judge, and any Judges present in a lay Confluence act in a purely advisory capacity. From day-to-day, each Judge operates independently of the others, but when two or more Judges meet they will usually hold a small Confluence to share information and gather alternative perspectives on matters at hand. Judicial Confluences only rarely produce Settled Decisions however, and are often considered to be more of a forum for sharing ideas and information. Judges as an institution are beholden only to themselves - no Confluence of non-Judges holds authority over any Judge, and any Judges present in a lay Confluence act in a purely advisory capacity.
 +
 +==== Judges in Commonality Society ====
  
 The role of the Judges within Commonality society is to act as guides and shepherds, assisting other members of the Faction on the path to enlightenment,​ while maintaining the cohesion and direction of the Commonality as a whole. Customarily,​ any Commonality citizen will usually be willing to assist a Judge in whatever manner they require, but most will offer compensation in return. Outside this core role, many Judges take on what they see as additional responsibilities - protecting the Commonality from external threats, ensuring historical records are maintained, negotiating with aliens and other powers, monitoring scientific work in a certain area, and countless other things besides. There are no real limits on what a Judge can involve themselves with on one level or another. ​ The role of the Judges within Commonality society is to act as guides and shepherds, assisting other members of the Faction on the path to enlightenment,​ while maintaining the cohesion and direction of the Commonality as a whole. Customarily,​ any Commonality citizen will usually be willing to assist a Judge in whatever manner they require, but most will offer compensation in return. Outside this core role, many Judges take on what they see as additional responsibilities - protecting the Commonality from external threats, ensuring historical records are maintained, negotiating with aliens and other powers, monitoring scientific work in a certain area, and countless other things besides. There are no real limits on what a Judge can involve themselves with on one level or another. ​
  
 Judges tend to focus their efforts on a particular area of interest - some concern themselves with the overall structure of Commonality society, others watch over scientists studying in a particular field, or guide the inhabitants of a particular sector. Some keep vigil for threats that might harm the Faction, either from without or within. As they are not bound by the Settled Decisions of any other Confluence, Judges are able to take actions outside what would be considered the Commonality norms. Rather than use this power ungraciously,​ judges generally prefer to subtly guide or advise members of the Commonality than to wield their political or psionic power directly. An individual, directed appropriately,​ coming upon the right decision themselves is considered to be vastly preferable than coercion. Consent of the individual is an important tenet of Confluence and collective decision-making. Judges tend to focus their efforts on a particular area of interest - some concern themselves with the overall structure of Commonality society, others watch over scientists studying in a particular field, or guide the inhabitants of a particular sector. Some keep vigil for threats that might harm the Faction, either from without or within. As they are not bound by the Settled Decisions of any other Confluence, Judges are able to take actions outside what would be considered the Commonality norms. Rather than use this power ungraciously,​ judges generally prefer to subtly guide or advise members of the Commonality than to wield their political or psionic power directly. An individual, directed appropriately,​ coming upon the right decision themselves is considered to be vastly preferable than coercion. Consent of the individual is an important tenet of Confluence and collective decision-making.
 +
 +==== Sanctioning ====
  
 However, not all differences can be resolved, and truly recalcitrant individuals can grind against the gears that keep the Faction functioning,​ leaving Confluences in deadlock and poisoning the path to enlightenment for others. In the case of some individuals that wilfully position themselves outside the culture and goals of the Commonality as a whole, Judges can act directly to “rectify the issue” as they see it, and sanction the offending party. ​ However, not all differences can be resolved, and truly recalcitrant individuals can grind against the gears that keep the Faction functioning,​ leaving Confluences in deadlock and poisoning the path to enlightenment for others. In the case of some individuals that wilfully position themselves outside the culture and goals of the Commonality as a whole, Judges can act directly to “rectify the issue” as they see it, and sanction the offending party. ​
commonality_leadership.txt · Last modified: 2022/07/06 00:17 by conan