# You're on the Jedi Council. Make 'em less stupid. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793 "2010-08-28T15:17:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/61 "2010-08-28T20:27:49Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > Even stupider than that: Sure, Watto was immune to the mind trick, but there had to have plenty of merchants in that hive of scum and villainy who weren’t. Even if Watto was the only one with starship parts, it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone to convince to change your money for you, especially at a very profitable rate. > > True. Or they could have looked for a dude with a starship willing to ferry them. I mean that guy would already be where he could spend the money once they got there! > > How does something that glaring and stupid get through the writing phase? AARRGH!!!11one You’re saying that there are just ship owners sitting around on Tatooine willing to ferry people to other planets in exchange for cash? Preposterous! ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/62 "2010-08-28T20:34:55Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > > [@Lobohan](#): > > > > True. Or they could have looked for a dude with a starship willing to ferry them. I mean that guy would already be where he could spend the money once they got there! > > > > How does something that glaring and stupid get through the writing phase? AARRGH!!!11one > > You’re saying that there are just ship owners sitting around on Tatooine willing to ferry people to other planets in exchange for cash? Preposterous! I picture Obi Wan telling Luke that they can get a pilot at Mos Eisley and muttering under his breath (Just like I suggested 20 years ago, but noooo, we should go with putting the toddler in a death-race… yeah, great plan… Qui Gon Jerk). ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/63 "2010-08-28T20:40:26Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > > [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > > > You’re saying that there are just ship owners sitting around on Tatooine willing to ferry people to other planets in exchange for cash? Preposterous! > > I picture Obi Wan telling Luke that they can get a pilot at Mos Eisley and muttering under his breath (Just like I suggested 20 years ago, but noooo, we should go with putting the toddler in a death-race… yeah, great plan… Qui Gon Jerk). Qui-Gon Gin is more like it. Like the reviewer in the RedLetterMedia review says, everything Qui-Gon does in the movie makes more sense if you imagine that he’s drunk. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/64 "2010-08-28T21:26:05Z")
Then again, if someone as annoying as Little Orphan Annie actually WANTS to play in trafic, you’re going to be inclined to let him. I’m only surprised he didn’t talk Jar Jar into standing in front of the air intakes while Junior was tuning up his engines. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/65 "2010-08-29T00:03:09Z")
Note that Yoda’s extremely long stay on the Council, & his vast influence on the individual Jedis, was a mistake. Command decisions became calcified & predictable. And that’s just what several generations of Sith did; watched, learned & predicted. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/66 "2010-08-29T02:08:18Z")
> [@Trans Fat Og](#): > > …Answering with a wisecrack is not only always possible, but something I encourage. 🙂 Wisecrack, or wisecrack not. There is no try. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/67 "2010-08-29T02:16:09Z")
…and for those wondering about the Cereans, mentioned upthread: [Cerean | Wookieepedia | Fandom](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Cerean) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/68 "2010-08-29T02:47:19Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > If you’re using love and happiness to enhance your Force powers you’re in danger of falling to the Dark Side. Or, so was dogma in the Old Republic era. The dogma that led to the fall of the Jedi Order and the Republic. It was the rise of Luke Skywalker - over-emotional and highly melodramatic, the complete opposite of what the old Order’s leaders thought was ‘correct’ - that allowed the return of the Jedi and the founding of the New Republic. By the time the Skywalker twins were adults, in fact, even Yoda had given up on the whole ‘suppress emotions’ thing. And Clerical Celibacy and Chastity is a major dogma of the Catholic Church. But reforming that wouldn’t make the Church not the Church any more. It’d just be reformed. As it has been dozens, if not hundreds of times over the last ~2000 years. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/69 "2010-08-29T02:55:18Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > The dogma that led to the fall of the Jedi Order and the Republic. It’s been said repeatedly: It wasn’t that dogma that led to the fall of the Order, it was the Order’s refusal to follow its own rules. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/70 "2010-08-29T03:00:51Z")
i’m pretty sure all of us given that much power would pull a pappy in a heartbeat. a kernel of common sense, unlimited power, and an entire GALAXY at our disposal? talk about absolute power corrupting absolutely… ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/71 "2010-08-29T03:18:28Z")
Encourage large amounts of commitment free, casual sex among the Jedi and cultivate a One Large Family mentality that allows the Force Strong to breed among themselves and create future Jedi. Children are raised by the Mother to age 4, then turned over to the Order for further raising and education. Sort of the Psi-Corps of Jedi, only without the black gloves and Evil. If you think that disconnects them from society too much, I would argue that damage is already being done by taking them in as small children to be trained, separating them from their families. They are already taught that the Jedi are their family. Let’s just get rid of the monastic anti-sex elements and, as I have said before, since the Force runs in blood lines, encourage those bloodlines to continue, intermix and create stronger Jedi rather than committing the foolishness of removing every force potential from the gene pool. That is the way of extinction for the Jedi. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/72 "2010-08-29T03:24:59Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Marriage is allowed. > Base housing is provided, so that your mom doesn’t have to stay a slave somewhere. > Jedi are encouraged to be in more places than the capitol. > We train anyone in proper use of the force, regardless of age. All of these are good. The third is essential. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/73 "2010-08-29T03:30:23Z")
Of course, the real explanation for all the force strong kids being born all over the place is easy. They take them in and train them as kids. Imagine 14-16 year old boys (little more than walking erections at that age) able to influence the minds of young women. NO WAY they’re not using that ability. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/74 "2010-08-29T03:52:26Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Or, so was dogma in the Old Republic era. > > The dogma that led to the fall of the Jedi Order and the Republic. Except, in the movies, it WAS Anakin falling in love with Queen Amadala and worrying about her and her pregnancy that turned him evil. Because he loved her, he put her safety ahead of what was good for the Republic and the Jedi Order. He saved Palpatine because he was convinced that Palpatine knew Sith magic to protect her. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/75 "2010-08-29T05:35:57Z")
I would also increase the tempo of training. Clearly when one geriatric Sith can eat four so called masters for breakfast, somethings amiss and you cannot blame that on the Dark Side of the force. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/76 "2010-08-29T05:48:28Z")
Sooner or later, I’d embrace the dark side. It looks more fun. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/77 "2010-08-29T06:50:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Except, in the movies, it WAS Anakin falling in love with Queen Amadala and worrying about her and her pregnancy that turned him evil. No, it wasn’t. It was because the Jedi Order were telling him ‘love is bad’, which he knew to be nonsense. Palpatine could not have used Shmi and Padme to manipulate Anakin if not for the Order’s dismissal of all things sapient. If Yoda and the Council had bought and freed Shmi when Anakin was taken in, given his wedding his blessing, and told him to go spend time with his wife when she was approaching birth, Palpatine would have been powerless to do a damn thing. Bringing Balance to the Force ended up being a violent destruction of the old Jedi Order and Sith Order, with a new Jedi Order rising from the ashes - one clear of the mistakes of the original. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/78 "2010-08-29T09:38:14Z")
What I’d do is, you know that thing Gibbs does in NCIS of smacking his subordinates in the back of their head when they fuck up or get out of line? I’d be doing that to Yoda, Calgon Jim, Mace Windu and the rest of the gang at headquarters whenever they came up with something lard-brained like, “Hey, we left his mom enslaved on the planet, not enough money, sorrreee,” or “Who gives a flip where it came from? We got a clone army!” And send them back out to do things right. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/79 "2010-08-29T13:58:16Z")
[quote=“Tengu, post:77, topic:551793”] > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Palpatine could not have used Shmi and Padme to manipulate Anakin if not for the Order’s dismissal of all things sapient. > > If Yoda and the Council had bought and freed Shmi when Anakin was taken in, given his wedding his blessing, and told him to go spend time with his wife when she was approaching birth, Palpatine would have been powerless to do a damn thing. Palpatine couldn’t have used Shmi and Padme to manipulate Anakin if not for the fact that he loved them. The mistake the Council made about Shmi wasn’t that they didn’t free her; it was that they took an apprentice who was old enough to remember his mother anyway. Remember, her death didn’t have anything to do with her being a slave. She was free and happily married when she was killed by the sand people. And even if the Jedi Council had thrown Padme a bridal and baby shower, Anakin still would have been worried about her health and her baby. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793/80 "2010-08-29T14:02:01Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Encourage large amounts of commitment free, casual sex among the Jedi and cultivate a One Large Family mentality that allows the Force Strong to breed among themselves and create future Jedi. Children are raised by the Mother to age 4, then turned over to the Order for further raising and education. > > Sort of the Psi-Corps of Jedi, only without the black gloves and Evil. You don’t need the “without the black gloves & evil” part there. If the mothers have no say in whether the children are taken away from them, the whole project is evil at the root. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-on-the-jedi-council-make-em-less-stupid/551793.md?page=5)