The first part of this assignment is going to be for each and every Shadow student who is serious about this to look onto what they know of the Shadow and find what they believe is the unifying link between us all.
Not just the other Shadow's who have slightly different beliefs, but between the Dark, Light and Non Jedi alike.
We are all human, and therefore all have the same condition at the very bottom.
At what point exactly do we begin to deviate, and what if any link is there at the end of each of our Road's that lets us know that we have been one the entire trip?
Shinobi
Point of deviation: The instant we gain the ability to think and process data, we think different. Physically, we are different from day 1, literally. Spiritually, well, as soon as we believe in something, we differ. Even the lack of believing constitutes differences... The end point, well, I know I've been in a few discussions about this, but I'll say this anyway :) The end point to let us know that we've all been there together, is when we die. There might be points before then, but that's not what was asked, now was it? Yeah, I'm aware that this might be considered by some as rather narrow-minded thinking, but, hey, it's just to get the thing going :) I'm voluntarily limiting my answer at the moment. :)
Xaverri Darkcleod
I think what it comes down to is not a matter of how we think, or perceive things. I mean, when we're born, we have no preconceived ideas about how things are, or should be. We don't spend the first year or two of our lives judging, merely observing. And in that period of time, everyone is essentially the same. Yet this is broader than that. We're not talking about babies and toddlers. We're talking about adults, with set beliefs, who spend most of their time judging and appraising the situations and people around them. We tend to believe this judgment is a necessity. That if we did not judge people, and things, and situations, we would not have the basis for comparison to know whether something was beneficial or detrimental. But do we need to know what is "good" and what is "bad"? Especially when what is "good" to one person may be "bad" to another? Eh, but I digress...I'm getting off the subject. What common thread does bind us? Perhaps the fact that when it comes right down to it, we are more than what we pretend to be. Perhaps it's the fact that no matter what we believe, we are all striving to better ourselves. However, that might be inaccurate, from a certain point of view. There are people who seek neither physical nor spiritual fulfillment in this life. And one might say that at our basest form, if we were to be broken down into the elements that comprise our bodies, that would probably constitute a common link between us all. And just about every carbon based life form in existence, most likely. (Ok, I'm rambling again.) So personally, what I think, is that our common link is our spirituality. The fact that we are spiritual beings, the fact that we recognize this in some form or fashion, and the fact that we are seeking to improve our understanding of this, as well as seeking the betterment of ourselves. Then again, I could be way off. This might just be the really obvious answer. But that's at least my point of view, and I've shared it, and now I'm going back to work......
Marian Plank
I have some ideas on this one.
Other than the general things that bind us, such as the ability to think, on whatever level, and things like that that come with being human, there has to be some sort of a binding link that keeps us, in some way, similar. Since people's thoughts go from one extreme to the other, we know that the common bond cannot be how we think and how we see things. Since people all have different physical abilities, it also cannot be how we are physically. Though most people would probably say otherwise, deep down our emotions are all similar, only for different reasons. We all feel anger, pain, joy, love, it just depends what is there to cause each of those things. There is the bonding equation with the variables being those of the things that a person can't necessarily control, the things that are outside, as well as the things they think, the latter sometimes controllable. So, with this, wouldn't it be best if you made someone else feel better emotionally, if you do that, and they see why, then won't they learn that it's good to do the same thing, and it comes back to you? Everything is a circle with emotions, anger and offense bring anger and offense back, love brings love. Nothing else has quite that solid of a bond. The only problem is that not everyone interprets their emotions the same, thus, the reactions are different, so the equation is knocked off balance.
Rogue Ace
Alrighty, I didn't quite read the other responses just to be a good lil' girl, so if some of this repeats, "oops". I just skipped to the bottom of the thread and hit "reply". Also I have to say a little tip to Shin: learn not to give out the "answer" straight away when someone asks a question in a chat. ;)
So, through my thinking this would be complicated, I denied what I thought may be a decent reply to this assignment. Through the first couple posts, Shin almost says right out a simple solution to how we unite differences, to what we all have in common. It's the source that is the same. The "root", as you so kindly put it, Justin. We all come from our mother's stomach (unless there's some other miracle of science I don't know of). We all come from life, and leave in death. Now, this is pretty broad. Because as we all grow as humans, the same race, we do start to "deviate". With beliefs, religion, culture, family, etc. The obvious things, as no one person or being can be alike.
But if we can wipe our slate clean every time in a group we are presented with something, that thing is our link. From that very second onward, we gather what we have acquired through our lives and beliefs, and form opinions, and continue to differ from each other.
So our deviation is where? I'm not sure if anyone is looking for one particular answer, but the way I see it, we deviate and "unite" back together constantly. If our source is the same, and we split from there, then there is another source, and a constant back-and-forth motion is in effect. If some opinions match, there, another link. It's a constant cycle.
So you ask how we know when we are at the end of our cycle of life, how we know we have been on one "entire trip"? Physically speaking, death. But death is only the body expiring. If you are a believer in spirit, reincarnation, heaven, the afterlife, or that everything just ends, death is an end of one stage. It happens to everybody. Another link.
Speaking more "inner human-ly", a 'hint' that we are closer to the end of our road, I think, is when we come more at peace with everything. Granted, harmony, equilibrium, inner balance, and all that good stuff, can come anytime in between. But I am speaking of when you are old and wrinkly and still keep those beliefs alive with you. To, after all those years, see what has gotten you through all this time.
That's it for my ramblings of the night. Hope that made sense, heh.
Saidi Akili Maleah
I think the link that we all share is the link of fallibility. Every person on the planet has been wrong at some point or another. Nobody has all of the answers and no one ever will. We live in a world that is always changing and adapting, and things we are sure of today we will realize are wrong tomorrow.
"1500 years ago everybody knew that the earth was the center of the universe, 500 years ago everybody knew the earth was flat, and 15 minutes ago you knew we were alone on this planet..... Imagine what you'll know tomorrow." K- from men in black
There are people who know almost everything about a particular subject, there are people that are jacks of all trades, however there is no one that can say with any confidence that they know it all. And if they do they are fools.
We don't have the answers that we need so we ask someone who does and therefore learn more about the world and ourselves, but did the person we asked really know the right answer? Only time will tell. Ah, but wait we are fallible there as well, we don't have forever, and so with some things we will never know.
Knowledge is infinite and we would need eternity to unlock all of it's secrets.
--Raven
Well, hey.
Why are we seeking to learn, and what do you want to learn then?
Objective and Subjective, when we define and when we accept.
When we die, subjectively that is the end, objectively conciousness neither begins nor ends with death, nor for that matter has a beginning or an end.
Doesn't matter I suppose.
Shinobi
I would have to go with Objective. I believe, as you put it, that it death doesn't begins or ends anything. However, we are still fallible creatures. I think acceptance of that is the key.
--Raven