The following is an excerpt from work in progress: Annals of an Empire.
I remember one thing that I found particularly interesting during my Earth history classes at the Imperial Academy.
I had seen that across most all of the old cultures that, to an extent, still persist on Earth today, the form of greeting took the same manifestation.
In essence, an individual would inquire as to the passing of the day, or health, of another, usually along the lines of (and forgive me for my terrible accent) “How are you?” or “How is it going?” referring to the day. And do you know how the other would respond? (This is the funny part in a quite depressing way) They would answer with positive salutation, regardless of how they were or what events had already transpired that day.
And do you know what else would happen? The questioner would actually grow agitated, and indeed become quite uncomfortable, if the answer was anything than the expected answer, positive or negative, but most particularly if it were negative.
Imagine asking after someone’s health and growing irate if they actually answered honestly!
A better example of the hypocrisy, pride, and greed of the Old System surely cannot be found! To feign concern, love, or even the slightest attention towards someone, then resenting that same person when they, in reality in need of consolation, healing, and help, actually required it of you!
Most assuredly this tiny example of a cultural norm is a symptom of the larger sickness. The increasing divide between what a person thought they were expected to be, and what they actually were, made it socially unacceptable to bare aspects of their lives, good or bad, that did not conform to external expectations.
-Jules Ferrero, Imperial Auditor.
