Why are there so many imperial apologists?

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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darth Fanboy »

TC Pilot wrote:I think there needs to be a certain degree of disassociation between states and individuals/groups who commit atrocities. Palpatine and his cronies are, without question, unrepentently evil, and they certainly did commit horrible acts (and anyone who says otherwise is, yes, a scummy asshole). But can anyone point to a single country, nation, or state, in reality or, hell, even in SW canon, that did not at some time or another commit massive, horrible atrocities? If every state that commits atrocities is "evil," then they all are.
You cannot disassociate the states and those individuals and groups who perpetrate crimes when those iniduals and groups happen to be members of the government in question and used the government, especially the armed forces of the government, to facilitate their crimes.

The Post-Ruusan Old Republic and New Republic don't nearly compare to the things that happened under the Empire, and I would ask you to prove me wrong. Neither government was 100% innocent and benevolent in everything that did did granted but that doesn't make them criminals on the scale of the Empire.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by TC Pilot »

Batman wrote:Err-yes? Every state that commits atrocities is evil AT THE TIME THEY'RE DOING IT. The question is do they do that as a manner of routine operations and go 'Yeah. So what?' or does the state in question ACKNOWLEDGE those were atrocities and try to make amends?
And what of those that didn't? I don't think the Mongols have ever "made amends" for their actions in the 1200s. Are they still evil? How about Japan? They've all but denied the Rape of Nanking, and they still fail to acknowledge the wide-spread use of abducted women as sex slaves in the army. Was the Roman Empire an evil empire? It certainly wasn't remorseful for all those cities they sacked and enslaved. Are the Turks evil because of the Armenian Genocide and, more recently, the Kurds? Israel's gotta be pretty fucking evil right now, because they sure as hell aren't making amends.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to diminish how despicable those and many other acts are. It's just that this definition of evil seems silly to me when it the reasoning basically boils down to "every country is evil."
Darth Fanboy wrote:You cannot disassociate the states and those individuals and groups who perpetrate crimes when those iniduals and groups happen to be members of the government in question and used the government, especially the armed forces of the government, to facilitate their crimes.
Hence why I said "to a certain degree." The state isn't rendered blameless. It's just seems ridiculous to argue State XYZ is evil because General ABC massacred a bunch of people, when it essentially renders every state to have ever existed evil. For example, you mention armed forces; until very recently historically speaking, and except in very particular cases, armies often did more raping, murdering, and pillaging than they did fighting.

In any case, I feel like I'm not doing much other than nitpicking, so I'm just going to move on.
The Post-Ruusan Old Republic and New Republic don't nearly compare to the things that happened under the Empire, and I would ask you to prove me wrong. Neither government was 100% innocent and benevolent in everything that did did granted but that doesn't make them criminals on the scale of the Empire.
Well, the people that ran the post-Ruusan Old Republic were the same people who ran the Empire.... :wink:

Considering we know next to nothing about the time between Ruusan and TPM, the only thing in that part of the Republic's history compared to what went on under the Empire that springs to mind would probably be the Clone Wars. As for the New Republic? Well, they were too weak of a government to actually do any of that sorta thing. :P The worst actual NR atrocities that I can think of from canon are either the decision to release convicted violent criminals onto Coruscant prior to the invasion, and the massacre of everyone in the Imperial Palace after it fell. Besides that you might arguable cite Kyp Durron genociding the Caridan species and supernovaing a bunch of stars and getting off scot free while Bevel Lemelisk got the death penalty.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Simon_Jester »

Purple wrote:lost my post... will try to retype from memory
dam page expiration
What you do is, you click your text box. You hit "select all." You hit "copy." Then, if you lose your post, you've got a backup. I do it all the time.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darth Fanboy »

TC Pilot wrote: Hence why I said "to a certain degree." The state isn't rendered blameless. It's just seems ridiculous to argue State XYZ is evil because General ABC massacred a bunch of people, when it essentially renders every state to have ever existed evil. For example, you mention armed forces; until very recently historically speaking, and except in very particular cases, armies often did more raping, murdering, and pillaging than they did fighting.
Don't you think that an advanced spacefaring society consisting of numerous different species should be held to a higher standard that the Mongols and Ancient Romans?
Well, the people that ran the post-Ruusan Old Republic were the same people who ran the Empire.... :wink:
You're right, it's not like a single senator rose to power, and then gave his hand picked Governors direct control over their territories...wait...
Considering we know next to nothing about the time between Ruusan and TPM, the only thing in that part of the Republic's history compared to what went on under the Empire that springs to mind would probably be the Clone Wars.
In other words you have no evidence.
As for the New Republic? Well, they were too weak of a government to actually do any of that sorta thing. :P The worst actual NR atrocities that I can think of from canon are either the decision to release convicted violent criminals onto Coruscant prior to the invasion, and the massacre of everyone in the Imperial Palace after it fell. Besides that you might arguable cite Kyp Durron genociding the Caridan species and supernovaing a bunch of stars and getting off scot free while Bevel Lemelisk got the death penalty.
The release of violent criminals I agree was not a good move.

The massacre in the Imperial Palace I am completely unaware of and I would like a source, not that I doubt you but it is something I would like to know more about.

Kyp Durron's action were heinous and should have been considered incredibly criminal (although only slightly less criminaql than KJA's writing) but Durron was not a representative of the New Republic government.

Bevel Lemelisk got the death penalty yes, but he directly aided Durga the Hutt in attempting to build his own Superlaser. Whether you believe in the death penalty or not, or even if whether the death penalty was a just punishment for his role in the Darksaber affair, that's another debate.

But the evidence you have to portray the New Republic as evil is at best scant compared to what we have for the Empire. The Galactic Empire had institutionalized practices that our modern society abhors on an incredibly wide scale.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Night_stalker »

Personally, despite how evil the Empire was, they didn't let the Galatic Capitol which had stood for thousands of years to be conquered that easily. Regarding the OP, the NR was founded with good intentions, but they gave too much power to the senators. I mean, when you have senators jacking parts of the NR Defense Fleet to escort them back to their homes, it's a sign they have WAY too much power over the military.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darksider »

Night_stalker wrote:Personally, despite how evil the Empire was, they didn't let the Galatic Capitol which had stood for thousands of years to be conquered that easily.
YES THEY DID!

God. Why do people keep repeating this bullshit even after it's been debunked? Both governments lost the galactic capital TWICE. The NR lost it to a surprise assault launched by the reborn Emperor via the previously unknown deep core hyperlanes and to the Yhuuzan Vong. Only one of those could be considered a loss due to incompetence.

The Empire lost Coruscant to the New Republic twice, and the fist time Isard literally handed it to them on a silver platter, greatly weakening the defense fleet so she could spring the Krytos Virus on the NR. The second time they lost it was due to the fact that the imperial command structure immediately turned on each other after the reborn emperor's death.

The Empire lost Coruscant due to it's own incompetence twice. They hardly come up favorable in this comparison.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darth Fanboy »

Night_stalker wrote:Personally, despite how evil the Empire was, they didn't let the Galatic Capitol which had stood for thousands of years to be conquered that easily.
As an accompaniment to what Darksider mentioned, what makes Coruscant so important that losing it in battle to an enemy is a worse crime than deliberate extermination of citizens? Ok I get it, it was a cultural center. What strategic value did it have other than that? At what point has possession of Coruscant ever determined the outcome of a war or had any real significance other than being symbolic?
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Purple »

Ok, as my sig says I don't have much time to spend on the net recently.
But with a delay here is my reply. The next one might be a bit of a wait thou.
TC Pilot wrote:It's a bit disingenuous to categorically describe the Old Republic's government, something that lasted for 25 millenia, give or take, as a "decentralized representative democracy."
It should be clear that I meant the Old Republic during about the age of Episode 1.
The New Republic actually bears little administrative resemblance to the Old Republic, though certainly spiritual resemblance in the form of its confederal tendencies. Indeed, Leia actually muses in, I believe Tyrant's Test, that the New Republic government was specifically designed to prevent another Palpatine from ever rising to power in the same way. Of course, as a consequence, the government on Coruscant was hopelessly bogged down and incapable of acting, but for a group that thinks local governance is best, that's not such a bad thing.
My point exactly.
You have a system that has massive loop holes. And once you modify it to erase them you either get an empire or a system that can't work at all.

You either make a centralized state or dissolve the whole thing and let every planet, corporation and tyrant do what ever he, she or it wants.
DudeGuyMan wrote:snip
I don't really make any effort to hide the fact that I am strongly anti democratic.
I have seen both authoritarian rule and democracy. And I think that democracy is a horible option as it gives the stupid, the bigots and the plant rights wankers a say in how the country should be ruled providing they can make a flashy enough comercial to convince the stupid audience living next to their television sets.
Darth Fanboy wrote:How is democracy and cooperation a bad idea?
How could it be anything but?
If anything the Rebels were the ones who had the better idea and failed in the execution.
Becouse a system that did not work before and lead to the empire can work quite fine if you give it enough retries that it gets boring?
The Empire, fundamentally, was a racist genocidal war machine bent on nothing but acquiring more power and dominating every being that it could. It was founded by a Sith Lord whose ambition included the conquest of the galaxy and eventually unlocking the secrets to eternal life so that he could rule forever.
Wait what? :wtf: I knew about the Palpatine clones but this?
I will admit that I have not had access to too much EU material in my life.
I do not know where you are from, but surely no government is worse than the kind that opresses and murders its own people the way the Galactic Empire did.
There is one much worse than that.
When the government is the only one that gets to oppress you, you at least know that if you are loyal and keep your head down you will be mostly fine.

But when you have a corrupt democracy like the OR was at the time of Episode 1 all you know is that the country does not care and that crime lords and corporations are free to do what ever they want. In the first case there is at least a way out and the trains run on time (figuratively).
Darth Fanboy wrote:Don't you think that an advanced spacefaring society consisting of numerous different species should be held to a higher standard that the Mongols and Ancient Romans?
Considering the universe in question?
They are not exactly the first or the last in galactic history to do these things.
Maybe it is only me but I always had the impression that orbital bombardments like what happened in KOTOR for example were acceptable military strategies most of the time.
It has become clear to me in the previous days that any attempts at reconciliation and explanation with the community here has failed. I have tried my best. I really have. I pored my heart out trying. But it was all for nothing.

You win. There, I have said it.

Now there is only one thing left to do. Let us see if I can sum up the strength needed to end things once and for all.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darth Fanboy »

Purple wrote: Becouse a system that did not work before and lead to the empire can work quite fine if you give it enough retries that it gets boring?
Democracy lasted thousands of years in the galaxy, the Empire under Palpatine lasted about 30. Going by that i'd say the Old Republic system was actually a lot better than that of the Empire.
Wait what? :wtf: I knew about the Palpatine clones but this?
I will admit that I have not had access to too much EU material in my life.
The whole point of the Palpatine Clones to begin with was so that the Emperor could transfer his being into the clone bodies and have eternal life.
There is one much worse than that.
When the government is the only one that gets to oppress you, you at least know that if you are loyal and keep your head down you will be mostly fine.
And you do realize that there were beings in the Galactic Empire who did just that and were oppressed or killed anyway because they were nonhumans?
But when you have a corrupt democracy like the OR was at the time of Episode 1 all you know is that the country does not care and that crime lords and corporations are free to do what ever they want. In the first case there is at least a way out and the trains run on time (figuratively).
The Trade Federation broke laws, and had a Sith benefactor working to undermine the government who had usurped a lot of influence behind the scenes in order to hinder enforcement of those laws. They were not "free to do whatever they want" and the crime lords you refer in Episode I to were not under Republic jurisdiction.
Darth Fanboy wrote: Considering the universe in question?
Oh for fuck's sake do you honestly think a spacefaring civilization with numerous member races and planets that had known mostly peace for a millenium should be held to the same moral and ethical standards of ancient earth civilizations?
They are not exactly the first or the last in galactic history to do these things.
Which demonstrates absolutely jack shit.
Maybe it is only me but I always had the impression that orbital bombardments like what happened in KOTOR for example were acceptable military strategies most of the time.
Do you honestly think that orbital bombardment against a defenseless civilian target should be considered an acceptable military strategy? That's reprehensible!

Plus, using the Sith Empire as led by Darth Malak as an example of "acceptable military strategy" with regards to morally prosecuting a war? Yeah that's not a good idea at all.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Purple »

Darth Fanboy wrote:Democracy lasted thousands of years in the galaxy, the Empire under Palpatine lasted about 30. Going by that i'd say the Old Republic system was actually a lot better than that of the Empire.
Slavery lasted for much, much longer than equality of all humans.
So clearly slaver is the better system?

The Empire did not fall because it was a bad system. It fell because it was destroyed by terrorists.
The whole point of the Palpatine Clones to begin with was so that the Emperor could transfer his being into the clone bodies and have eternal life.
Well that is not that bad. I mean, what is wrong with that? Its not particularly evil.
There is one much worse than that.
When the government is the only one that gets to oppress you, you at least know that if you are loyal and keep your head down you will be mostly fine.
And you do realize that there were beings in the Galactic Empire who did just that and were oppressed or killed anyway because they were nonhumans?
I newer denied it. But if the choice is between it being institutionalized and being a crime but ignored what is the difference?
The Trade Federation broke laws, and had a Sith benefactor working to undermine the government who had usurped a lot of influence behind the scenes in order to hinder enforcement of those laws. They were not "free to do whatever they want" and the crime lords you refer in Episode I to were not under Republic jurisdiction.
I was referring to the part where a "trading company" could have a massive fleet capable of blockading planets. That is like Microsoft owning a private army with nuclear bombs and all.
Oh for fuck's sake do you honestly think a spacefaring civilization with numerous member races and planets that had known mostly peace for a millenium should be held to the same moral and ethical standards of ancient earth civilizations?
Considering the galaxy in question? Where such things tend to happen quite often.

Do you honestly think that orbital bombardment against a defenseless civilian target should be considered an acceptable military strategy? That's reprehensible!
All I am saying that within the galaxy in question it was not that shocking at all. :roll:
Plus, using the Sith Empire as led by Darth Malak as an example of "acceptable military strategy" with regards to morally prosecuting a war? Yeah that's not a good idea at all.
A sith was leading this one as well. Why would the moral standards for the two any different?
It has become clear to me in the previous days that any attempts at reconciliation and explanation with the community here has failed. I have tried my best. I really have. I pored my heart out trying. But it was all for nothing.

You win. There, I have said it.

Now there is only one thing left to do. Let us see if I can sum up the strength needed to end things once and for all.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darth Fanboy »

Purple wrote: Slavery lasted for much, much longer than equality of all humans.
So clearly slaver is the better system?
GET FUCKED! You're being a dishonest twerp now. Slavery is not a government, nor does the history of slavery on Earth apply to this debate which is focused on the morality of the Galactic Empire.
The Empire did not fall because it was a bad system. It fell because it was destroyed by terrorists.
So according to your belief a government that routinely murders and opresses its own citizens while levying lots of new taxes to pay for itself while those in charge gain more and more power ISN'T A BAD SYSTEM?

So according to you the Rebels were "terrorists", see now we see what your real opinions are. Just another Imperial Fanboy jerking it to the idea of being a badass in space.
Well that is not that bad. I mean, what is wrong with that? Its not particularly evil.
Trying to live forever is not evil. Trying to live forever so that you can oppress countless sentient beings to your own will? THAT IS EVIL. Let's not forget that the clones weren't stable and that he was going to try to use the unborn Anakin Solo to accomplish his goal as well.
I newer denied it. But if the choice is between it being institutionalized and being a crime but ignored what is the difference?
You're starting to get incomprehensible on top of ignorant. What exactly are you trying to say here? That is is ok for a government to oppress its own citizens at whim as long as it doesn't oppress all of its citizens? Where the fuck would you get an idea like this?
I was referring to the part where a "trading company" could have a massive fleet capable of blockading planets. That is like Microsoft owning a private army with nuclear bombs and all.
Again, influenced by a Sith Lord who also had influence within the government and was using that private army to further his own ends.
Considering the galaxy in question? Where such things tend to happen quite often.
Back up this claim with evidence please. You say these things happen often, now prove it.
All I am saying that within the galaxy in question it was not that shocking at all. :roll:
So "not shocking" to you is equivalent to "acceptable military strategy"? Can you at least recognize that attacking an unarmed civilian population that has no ability to defend itself is evil?
A sith was leading this one as well. Why would the moral standards for the two any different?
Kind of my point actually. The Sith Empire and Galact Empire were pretty fucking evil, and somehow you bizarrely continue to insist that the Empire was a better system of government.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Purple »

Darth Fanboy wrote:GET FUCKED! You're being a dishonest twerp now. Slavery is not a government, nor does the history of slavery on Earth apply to this debate which is focused on the morality of the Galactic Empire.
Instead of geting all semantical about it think about the deeper meaning.

Just becouse something lasted for a considerable time does not automaticly make it good.
So according to your belief a government that routinely murders and opresses its own citizens while levying lots of new taxes to pay for itself while those in charge gain more and more power ISN'T A BAD SYSTEM?
Am I speaking Chinese here? Are you just arbitrarily ignoring my words and saying what you think I should have said to fit your argument?

I clearly said that those things were NOT what brought down the empire.
The Rebels, aka Space Terrorists were what brought it down. Had it not been for a certain jedi and his buddies the empire could have well lasted forever.
So according to you the Rebels were "terrorists", see now we see what your real opinions are. Just another Imperial Fanboy jerking it to the idea of being a badass in space.
They fit all the criteria.
They are a non government, para military organization bent on destroying a government from within.

Terrorists or freedom fighters call them what you want. But the definition is much the same.
Trying to live forever is not evil. Trying to live forever so that you can oppress countless sentient beings to your own will? THAT IS EVIL.
Well yea, sure it is. But the way you put it back there its like an old man's wish to live longer was a bad thing.
Let's not forget that the clones weren't stable and that he was going to try to use the unborn Anakin Solo to accomplish his goal as well.
Well I newer said the empire was not in fact evil.
Just that I prefer them since they are the more efficient system.
You're starting to get incomprehensible on top of ignorant. What exactly are you trying to say here? That is is ok for a government to oppress its own citizens at whim as long as it doesn't oppress all of its citizens? Where the fuck would you get an idea like this?
Its better to have some suffer and others be happy than to have everyone suffer. (By someone and others I am referring to parts of the general population.)
Again, influenced by a Sith Lord who also had influence within the government and was using that private army to further his own ends.
That is besides the point.
The Republic system allowed these things.

If Microsoft tried to set up an army under the guidance of a sith lord with a plan to declare independance from America so that it can evade takes do you think the government would sit by and watch? Sith lord or no sith lord.

Palpatine did not control the senate nor did he control the republic at that time. The fact is that they just did not care.
Back up this claim with evidence please. You say these things happen often, now prove it.
Read the list of superweapons from the EU, imperial atrocities from the EU, Play SW KOTOR, read about the Vong and their teraforming etc.

I might be wrong but it always struck me as if when ever the writers want to show how evil someone is they have him bomb someone innocent.

And besides, these are acts committed by the guy who tore down the republic and exterminated the jedi.
So "not shocking" to you is equivalent to "acceptable military strategy"? Can you at least recognize that attacking an unarmed civilian population that has no ability to defend itself is evil?
Evil? Yes, absolutely.
But I newer denied the GE was evil.
Kind of my point actually. The Sith Empire and Galact Empire were pretty fucking evil, and somehow you bizarrely continue to insist that the Empire was a better system of government.
But it was. Just because it was evil and oppressive does not make it worse.
Its better to have order at the cost of freedom than the other way around. Because freedom is worthless without order.

I newer denied that the GE was utterly evil. Heck read my 1st post here. Or maybe it was the 2nd.

I don't know why you people are hell bent on proving that they are evil, something I newer even bothered to deny instead of focusing on the mater at hand.
It has become clear to me in the previous days that any attempts at reconciliation and explanation with the community here has failed. I have tried my best. I really have. I pored my heart out trying. But it was all for nothing.

You win. There, I have said it.

Now there is only one thing left to do. Let us see if I can sum up the strength needed to end things once and for all.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Darth Fanboy »

Purple wrote: Instead of geting all semantical about it think about the deeper meaning.

Just becouse something lasted for a considerable time does not automaticly make it good.
The word "dense" comes to mind. You are trying to argue that a government that lasted for only thirty years was more stable than one that lasted for 1,000-25,000 years. Please provide me with some real avidence that the Empire was more stable than the Old Republic, or even the New Republic for that matter. Despite the fact that well, a civil war raged for almost the entire time Palpatine reigned.
Am I speaking Chinese here? Are you just arbitrarily ignoring my words and saying what you think I should have said to fit your argument?
No i'm fucking asking you why you think a government that overly taxes, opresses, and murders its people is a somehow better alternative to a government that, while inefficient, knew peace and stability for nearly 1,000 years.
The Rebels, aka Space Terrorists were what brought it down. Had it not been for a certain jedi and his buddies the empire could have well lasted forever.
Show that the Rebels committed acts of terrorism. Show that they did things worse than what the Empire did. What's that? You can't because you are full of shit?
They fit all the criteria.
They are a non government, para military organization bent on destroying a government from within.
Except they didn't do it from within you stupid shit.
Well yea, sure it is. But the way you put it back there its like an old man's wish to live longer was a bad thing.
The Old Man in this case is a Dark Lord of the Sith responsible for the deaths of countless beings.
Well I newer said the empire was not in fact evil.
Just that I prefer them since they are the more efficient system.
Except you have utterly failed to show they were more efficient. And since when does efficency outweigh protecting the populace as a priority?
Its better to have some suffer and others be happy than to have everyone suffer. (By someone and others I am referring to parts of the general population.)
OR PERHAPS *SHOCK AND AMAZEMENT* ITS BETTER TO NOT OPPRESS ANYONE!
That is besides the point.
The Republic system allowed these things.
So the Republic that unintentionally allowed a corrupt individual to take control behind the scenes is worse than the government that killed billions of its own citizens (at the very low end). Gotcha.
If Microsoft tried to set up an army under the guidance of a sith lord with a plan to declare independance from America so that it can evade takes do you think the government would sit by and watch? Sith lord or no sith lord.
Except the United States of America is NOT the Old Republic and the Trade Federation actually was the legitimate representative of a number of star systems. Your comparison is fucking bogus.
Palpatine did not control the senate nor did he control the republic at that time. The fact is that they just did not care.
Palpatine controlled the Senate enough to get elected chancellor, he controlled it enough to delay investigation into the Naboo Crisis, he controlled the Trade Federation enough to convince them to invade Naboo. You claim you aren't familiar with the EU but it seems you aren't even familiar with the movies either.
Read the list of superweapons from the EU, imperial atrocities from the EU, Play SW KOTOR, read about the Vong and their teraforming etc.
Telling me to read a list isn't providing evidence, provide some evidence or concede the fucking point.
I might be wrong but it always struck me as if when ever the writers want to show how evil someone is they have him bomb someone innocent.
Really? How shocking :roll: At least it was efficient to do so?
But it was. Just because it was evil and oppressive does not make it worse.
Actually yes it does.
Its better to have order at the cost of freedom than the other way around. Because freedom is worthless without order.
Except the Empire really didn't have order did they? They were constantly fighting the Rebel Alliance while putting down various other insurrections while at the same time trying to control the lives of their own citizens on thousands of populated worlds.
I newer denied that the GE was utterly evil. Heck read my 1st post here. Or maybe it was the 2nd.
And yet you are defending their system of government. Honestly i'm not getting at all what you are trying to demonstrate. The Empire failed to hold the galaxy after three tumultuous years and yet you maintain that they were a better system of government than the one that stood in some form for many millenia.
I don't know why you people are hell bent on proving that they are evil, something I newer even bothered to deny instead of focusing on the mater at hand.
Because that is the whole point of this thread you dumbass. You're actually providing a shining example of an idiot who defends and justifies the policies of the same Galactic Empire that MURDERED and ENSLAVED billions of its own citizens. You're doing it in a far worse way than other apologists too I may add. "Well they were evil and slavery and murder are wrong but they had the right idea taking away people's freedoms that they did!"

You have got to be one of the stupidest fucking idiots on the internet.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Typo »

There are so many imperial apologists, because they love the dangerous aspect of Darth Vader, the design of the star destroyers (me too :P ) and try to rationalize that the enormous crimes of the Empire are some kind of justified action against the enemies.
Others imperial apologists mistake the personal qualities of leaders such Thrawn or Pellaon, with the qualities of the imperial system.

The Republic had is flaws (corruption and bad leadership) but the Republic (my favourite organization in the Galaxy) isn`t an opressive and totalitarian system, that kills trillions of civilians just to "teach a lesson".
I know we are talking about science fiction my friends, but any system similar to the Empire, would be put in court, just because genocide, torture, censorship and slavery arent acepted in any true civilized government. :wink:
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Ghost Rider »

Vympel wrote:I imagine some of it is simply because it's an entertaining intellectual exercise. On a purely aesthetic basis, the Galactic Empire appeals to the base, authoritarian instincts in the human psyche - there's a lot in that huge military machine that can stir those instincts - the uniforms, the stormtroopers, the Imperial March.
Apparently since enough people parrot it, I figure I should quote it to see if they recognize any of it :P .
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Purple »

Sorry, my exams coming up in a week so I really have no time to devote to this debate.
I thought I would but I don't. So unless you can wait for a month for all my exams to end this is it. I hate my education some times...

You can count this as me quiting or what ever.
It has become clear to me in the previous days that any attempts at reconciliation and explanation with the community here has failed. I have tried my best. I really have. I pored my heart out trying. But it was all for nothing.

You win. There, I have said it.

Now there is only one thing left to do. Let us see if I can sum up the strength needed to end things once and for all.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Connor MacLeod »

I think there's a bit of "anti-hero" effect going on with the GE, especially in the EU literatur that has cropped up (Starting with HTTE and Thrawn and working outwards.) Throw in a bit of "gray area not everyone is an evil bastard and sometimes the good guys are bastards too" stuff and you can see this sort of idea evolving. There's going to be fanboys for everything (as if anyone had to point out Mandalorians.)

You sometimes run across it in 40K too with a given faction (esp the IoM.. which while not as evil as some other factons and sometimes has some good or positive leaders or qualities, can still contain a ton of assholes, dickery, and evil things. Like genocide.)
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Millenniumfalsehood »

Why are there so many Imperial Apologists? Because they are the same people who prefer "style over substance" debate tactics. The style of the Empire (uniformity, grand military, and general cool-factor) overrides the substance (mass murder, corruption, and general evil) in their minds.

The Republic was not as good a system as it could have been. The government had become insanely bloated by the time of TPM (not as bloated as the Empire, but bloated), as evidenced by how they preferred to debate the legitimacy of Amidala's claims rather than send a force of ships to liberate the planet. It would have been insane for Amidala to neglect submitting her ship's flight recorder data to prove the existence of heavily armed battleships, so it's obvious the government was apathetic. The politicians were becoming increasingly corrupt and self-serving, because with freedom comes responsibility, and responsibility isn't something in a politician's vocabulary (at least, not in real life). That's why it was ridiculously easy for Palpatine to manipulate the Senate and create the Galactic Empire. Personally, I don't like the Republic's leaders, but it's policies and laws can't be argued against, as we saw them in the films: private ownership of businesses, starships, and other property; freedom to move about the Galaxy relatively tax-free; unparalleled access to nearly everything free nations on Earth take for granted. If anything, it was a bit *too* lax.

The Galactic Empire was FAR worse: it swooped in and nationalized corporations if they felt the company was even *thinking* about supplying weapons or equipment to the Rebels (i.e., the Incom, Soro-Suub, and Seinar Fleet Systems corporations), they wouldn't hesitate to use *deadly force* to obtain information (i.e. Luke's adoptive parents), they would garrison entire worlds to catch members of the Alliance (i.e. Bespin), they would perform BDZ operations to destroy enemy territory (i.e. Hoth), and in a final nail in their coffin, they obliterated a whole world full of (mostly) innocent people, including CHILDREN, as a mere *test* for their newest toy!

On the surface, the Empire would be a neater place to live than here on Earth, if only because of the wonderful tech and exotic locations. But once the new wears off and the rampant evil shines though, I think anyone with any sense of freedom would be demanding a refund on their trans-dimensional tickets.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Jim Raynor »

You know, after thinking about it and seeing some more recent examples of fanboy retardation, I think it may come down to plain stupidity. There are some fanboys out there who just can't comprehend basic scenes and the blatant ethical messages being conveyed. That's why you'll occasionally see someone who honestly thinks that the Sith were sympathetic and did nothing wrong, or that the RDA was totally within their rights to rape and pillage Pandora. Some fanboys are just utter morons.

When you connect that to the fact that a lot of other people in the general population are morons who take up idiotic political positions and fail to understand basic ethics, it makes sense.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Superman »

Jim Raynor wrote:You know, after thinking about it and seeing some more recent examples of fanboy retardation, I think it may come down to plain stupidity. There are some fanboys out there who just can't comprehend basic scenes and the blatant ethical messages being conveyed. That's why you'll occasionally see someone who honestly thinks that the Sith were sympathetic and did nothing wrong, or that the RDA was totally within their rights to rape and pillage Pandora. Some fanboys are just utter morons.

When you connect that to the fact that a lot of other people in the general population are morons who take up idiotic political positions and fail to understand basic ethics, it makes sense.
What if you're just a casual fan who knows shit about the EU, but happens to think that Vader and Palpatine were just way cooler than anyone on the side of the Rebellion? Sometimes rooting for the villain is just more fun.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Jim Raynor »

Superman wrote:What if you're just a casual fan who knows shit about the EU, but happens to think that Vader and Palpatine were just way cooler than anyone on the side of the Rebellion? Sometimes rooting for the villain is just more fun.
There's a difference between rooting for the villain and making genuine arguments that they're in the right. I have no problem with someone enjoying a good villain, because that doesn't necessarily mean that they don't understand what is going on. Vader and Palpatine are two of my favorite characters in SW, or anything else. They're a blast to watch. Doesn't mean I would seriously make excuses for their behavior.

It's when I see someone seriously telling me that the Sith never did anything evil in the movies, or pushing some kind of fascist ideology and arguing that the blatant corporate villains from Avatar were the actual good guys, that I just roll my eyes. Fanboys are just as prone to retardation as everyone else, and often fail to understand the very movies that they obsess over.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by General Mung Beans »

Millenniumfalsehood wrote:Why are there so many Imperial Apologists? Because they are the same people who prefer "style over substance" debate tactics. The style of the Empire (uniformity, grand military, and general cool-factor) overrides the substance (mass murder, corruption, and general evil) in their minds.

The Republic was not as good a system as it could have been. The government had become insanely bloated by the time of TPM (not as bloated as the Empire, but bloated), as evidenced by how they preferred to debate the legitimacy of Amidala's claims rather than send a force of ships to liberate the planet. It would have been insane for Amidala to neglect submitting her ship's flight recorder data to prove the existence of heavily armed battleships, so it's obvious the government was apathetic. The politicians were becoming increasingly corrupt and self-serving, because with freedom comes responsibility, and responsibility isn't something in a politician's vocabulary (at least, not in real life). That's why it was ridiculously easy for Palpatine to manipulate the Senate and create the Galactic Empire. Personally, I don't like the Republic's leaders, but it's policies and laws can't be argued against, as we saw them in the films: private ownership of businesses, starships, and other property; freedom to move about the Galaxy relatively tax-free; unparalleled access to nearly everything free nations on Earth take for granted. If anything, it was a bit *too* lax.
Far too lax I should say. The corporations had virtually a free run in large areas of the galaxy and were in many ways similar to the Southern states right before the Rebellion. Indeed as in the case in TPM corporations could invade planets without garnering much of a response.
The Galactic Empire was FAR worse: it swooped in and nationalized corporations if they felt the company was even *thinking* about supplying weapons or equipment to the Rebels (i.e., the Incom, Soro-Suub, and Seinar Fleet Systems corporations)
If the US government suspected a corporation was "thinking" about financing Al-Qaeda or the Taliban do you they'd take action?
they would perform BDZ operations to destroy enemy territory (i.e. Hoth),
Which was a planet with no civilian population.
On the surface, the Empire would be a neater place to live than here on Earth, if only because of the wonderful tech and exotic locations. But once the new wears off and the rampant evil shines though, I think anyone with any sense of freedom would be demanding a refund on their trans-dimensional tickets.
Depends-most diseases humans suffer from in Earth can be treated with ease by Galactic medical technology. When you're say suffering from terminal cancer natural selfishness sadly means that we may often ignore others' sufferings especially as they're nonhumans.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by Taoutes »

OK. All you have to do to understand this is to watch the ending of Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode 2. All is explained. I quote,
"It's over."
"What do you mean 'over?!' We control millions of worlds, have billions of troops!"
"But the Rebels blew up the Death Star"
"But they did that before and they didn't win"
"But this time they killed the Emperor, you have to do both to win"
"So this is it then?"
"Yes. Wanna go get a massage?"
"That sounds good"

END
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by starfury »

Far too lax I should say. The corporations had virtually a free run in large areas of the galaxy and were in many ways similar to the Southern states right before the Rebellion. Indeed as in the case in TPM corporations could invade planets without garnering much of a response.
The Empire wasn't actually much better, they happy let the hutts and black sun contiune their bullshit just as long as those activities benefit the empire and were more then happy to let Corporate State Authority run Their Corporate empire.

And as much as I sometimes laugh at the rebels, I sneer at the Empire for being ready to self-destruct as soon as The emperor died, a very unstable system for the new order, which had so much haughtly pride at creating order out of chaos. The Rebels would after all never had being to pick apart the empire if Palpatine wasn't so damm egoistical to use himself as bait to trap the Rebels at Endor when it was already overkill with the half finished death Star II.

The later victories too was much as the Empire's fault as their success, cheating their to power, which was only possible because every damm imperial Moff, Admiral decides to crown himself emperor and spenting their destroying their fleets instead of either crushing the growing power of the new Republic of trying to absorb and gain as loose ally for the own plans, enemy of my enemy for at least some imperials.

That being said the Empires stuff was much more Iconic, the star destroyers and Stormtropers in white armor are both much genric enough to slot into other universes and at the same be more iconic of stars wars, the only thing the Rebels had this kind of recongition factor was the X-wing.
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Re: Why are there so many imperial apologists?

Post by jollyreaper »

To maintain an interesting story, I think it's important to keep the Empire as something that people could be legitimately for or against. Consider the United States. There are people who will passionately defend it as the shining city on the hill, model for all nations, and others who say it is an imperialist nightmare that has achieved the ultimate goal of creating propaganda that the citizens don't even recognize as such.

There's always been a segment of society that responds favorably to authoritarianism. They like the way complex ideas are made simple, they like having rules to follow, being swept up in something larger than themselves.

While the backstory doesn't support this, here's a few simple ways the Empire could have supporters.

1. The supporter is part of the well-heeled elite and making a ton of money off Imperial contracts. Life is good, long live Palpy.
2. Empire offers stability and order after the chaos of the Republic before its downfall. Republic's problems seemed intractable and Palpy's policies bring about improvements. Witness the economic turnaround of Germany after Hitler came to power.
3. Empire presents a credible defense against real or perceived threats. Witness historic examples where natural sectarian violence is suppressed by the presence of a greater power willing to kill the hell out of anyone who blinks too loudly. Yugoslavia had peace until communism fell. Saddam kept the Iraqi factions in line until he was deposed.
4. Any evil Palpy does that the public learns of has a seemingly valid political justification. Falls apart when the Death Star is brought up.

The justification for Empire really depends on just how bad things were under the Republic. Never underestimate the public's demand for peace and security and complete frustration when that is not achieved. Many Iraqis think Saddam looks real good compared to the endless killing occurring in dictator-free Iraq.
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