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by ethbr1 49 days ago
> So, I always thought that Warhammer 40k techpriests were absurd. Strange obscure religious rituals to appease the machine spirit.

40k lore is like South Park: either extremely dumb or unexpectedly insightful.

The Cult Mechanicus' raison d'etre is the realization that religion persists across time and space scales that knowledge alone does not. Thus, by making a religion of knowledge you better guarantee its preservation.

Unfortunately, once you divorce doctrine and practice from true understanding, you lose the ability to innovate and cause the occasional holy schism/war.

PS: 20 years ago I told a friend that "software archaeologist" would be a career by the time I die. Should have put money on it.
3 comments
derektank 49 days ago
Unfortunately, I think Vernor Vinge scooped you any way. One of the main characters of A Deepness in the Sky was something akin to a software archaeologist (I swear that exact phrase was used, but it’s been a minute) and that book was published in 1999.
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ethbr1 49 days ago
Fair, but I didn't get to it until ~2010. And yeah, Vinge uses the exact phrasing https://akkartik.name/post/deepness
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futune 49 days ago
Well. Either "software archaeologist" appears as a profession before the time you pass away, and you get paid. Or, you die first, and then your friend doesn't get paid. I don't think they would have gone for that...
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ethbr1 49 days ago
One would hope that I'd die with at least a few dollars in my estate!
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wholinator2 49 days ago
You'll need to write it into your will or probate (can't remember if that's the right word) will never let it through! :)
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hirvi74 49 days ago
> Unfortunately, once you divorce doctrine and practice from true understanding, you lose the ability to innovate and cause the occasional holy schism/war.

There is only one thing to understand.

We are one with the Emperor, our souls are joined in His will. Praise the Emperor whose sacrifice is life as ours is death.

Hail His name the Master of Humanity.

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ethbr1 49 days ago
Feel free to call me next time your lights stop working, and then we can have a nice theological discussion before I choose to fix them. ;)
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