BY LETTER
Good War/Bad War
Culture and Society > Intertoposophic Relations
Culture and Society > Politics & Government > Warfare
The terms "good war" and "bad war" are expressions used by sapient-level martial forces to differentiate between transapient-regulated actions, usually not involving major forces, and conflicts in unregulated space. Culture and Society > Politics & Government > Warfare
Within the Sephirotics and other parts of the Civilized Galaxy transapient-regulated, usually small-scale, actions are viewed as "good" because generally civilized rules of war are observed, preventing, among other things, the use of nano, nuclear, amat or singularity weapons, infotech interference (such as might affect or corrupt the making of backups or uploads immediately prior to battle) higher toposophic abuse or cruelty (as defined in the Universal Bill of Sentient Right), and memetic or psychoneuronal forced conversion. Participants and observers ensure real-time backups, uploads. Likewise in a "good war" an attempt is made to avoide of excessive discomfort, torture or mistreatment of prisoners, and permanent irreversible harm to combatants in general. Good wars are usually short and not particularly bloody; the result of a transapient hobby or game, or sapient extreme sports enthusiasts. They are most often fought on a space habitat or the surface of a planet or moon where higher toposophic regulation is available (usually including partial angelnetting or equivalent). A unit in a difficult situation need merely surrender and broadcast the relevant signal, and they are removed from combatant status. A war is bad when no such controls are in effect, and military units are subject to the full horrors of war. Military-grade sapients (including mercenaries, martial hobbyists, military recreationists, and so on) are understandably keen to avoid "bad war" situations, subscriptions, or contracts, and those throughout the Civilized Galaxy are able to. In some cases they may be forced into them, especially in the less regulated outer volumes or in "free zone" and "hider" territory not under the jurisdiction of the Sephirotic transapients.
Related Articles
Appears in Topics
Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
adapted from the Traveller RPG
Initially published on 31 October 2001.
adapted from the Traveller RPG
Initially published on 31 October 2001.
