Shadows of the Empire

"The Empire presented a polished, impervious façade that supposedly represented the strict rule of law. While they maintained many of the trappings of the Republic —modifying armor and uniform designs only slightly— those external signs of power had been made sharper, crisper, and more imposing. So much of Palpatine's authority rested on the illusion that he alone had been able to provide order after the chaos of the Clone Wars. But what he called order was merely control, and that control was exercised solely for the benefit of the most powerful among his sycophants.

Planets that had their own wealth and influence remained sheltered from the worst of the Empire's excesses." [1]

"That’s why the Emperor needs an Empire, Kanan. It’s like a space slug, whose only function is to stay alive. It’s got to consume, and consume, and consume." [2]

"Surely, very few people were still completely deceived. But the galactic populace at large couldn't possibly understand just how huge the gap was between Palpatine's promises and the tyrannical reality." [1]

"In theory, say you did have thousands of people —no, thousands of systems— enraged at a hypothetical Galactic Empire in a faraway galaxy. But they’re all upset over local matters, over particular grievances, and they never get together on anything. So they get no strength in numbers, no strategic advantages from cooperation. They’re easy to divide and conquer. And worst of all, no common spirit ever develops." [2]

~

[1] "Leia, Princess of Alderaan" by C. Gray

[2] "A New Dawn" by J. J. Miller

~

There is so much truth in these lines. And it petrifies me.

While, for me, the "Grysks" are the lack of critical sense, the inability to distinguish facts and opinions, the power that few well-placed sources of information exert on uncurious people, the "Empire" is the slow but progressive apathy of society towards injustice, the complete absence of togetherness, the terrifying misunderstanding that "fascism" has something to do with civic duty and not with the creation of imaginary enemies who are the sole reason of our misfortunes.

[Photo: I hate the Empire, but these earrings by @geekablycute were too glorious to let go]