Greater Good

This article is about the T'au philosophy. For other uses of Greater Good, see Greater Good (disambiguation).

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The Greater Good, or T'au'va (literally, "Good Greater"), is the founding collectivist principle of T'au society. The T'au'va system is based on a Caste System and is designed to allow for the advancement of the entire T'au society together towards a more successful, prosperous and easier existence in the future.^[2]

Overview

The T'au'va can be summed up simply: that any individual life of any given member of the T'au Empire is of less importance than the needs of the Empire itself. Followers of the Greater Good will gladly expend incredible efforts, endure horrific hardships, and lay down their lives without a second thought in order to further the T'au'va. Moreover, they believe that it is their duty to carry this creed out into the stars and unify every sentient species beneath their banner. The T'au place great importance in every achievement and personal sacrifice that advances this goal. Those who excel in the service of the Greater Good are lauded, while those rare few who allow personal hubris, vanity or selfishness to come first are vilified. The T'au feel genuine pity and compassion for those races not under the T'au'va, which are labelled primitive and ignorant.^[6]

The Greater Good asserts that each and every member of the Empire has its place and value, and this is reflected in the stringent Caste System which predetermines one's lot in life. According to the Greater Good, displays of self-directed wealth or individualism are viewed as disdainful. Yet equally there is nothing of the poverty or squalor that afflicts most other civilisations of the Galaxy. Yet the T'au and other races of their Empire have little say in their destiny, which is controlled entirely by the unquestionable edicts of the Ethereals, who act as the first amongst equals. No T'au or ally would dare contradict an Ethereal, and they will gladly toil away their entire lives for the Greater Good surrounded by carefully cultivated propaganda.^[6]

Often those T'au who do not adhere to the tenets of the Greater Good or Caste System are viewed as mentally deficient and sent to a Re-education Facility.^[7]

History

The Greater Good was first introduced to the T'au during the Mont'au (literally, "Death Age"), a civil war. It was during this time that the first Ethereals came to the T'au and united the T'au tribes under the philosophy of the Greater Good, which involved perfect harmony and the combining of each Caste's strengths to counter the many weaknesses their culture had. Within a few years, T'au culture had become dominated by the Greater Good and they began the long march towards technological advancement.^[2]

The Greater Good now guides the T'au in their conquest of the Galaxy. This philosophy forces the T'au into a two-minded state, one to expand their empire for the Greater Good, and to absorb other races and their cultures into their own, which could have disastrous effects. The ideal of the Greater Good seems to be appealing to some races, and stranded units of Imperial Guard soldiers are said to have surrendered themselves and now live in the T'au empire, being named Gue'vesa.^[2]

During war against other races, T'au Commanders often urge their enemy leaders to stop resisting the T'au Empire, promising that they will be allowed to retain their faith as long as it works in accordance with the Greater Good.^[2]

Ritual of the Ta’lissera

This ritual bonds the members of a team together in a microcosm of the Greater Good, wherein each individual sheds his individual identity in favour of his role in the group. Those who undertake the Ta’lissera are said to be “bonded,” and the ritual is a solemn one indeed, in which each T'au spills a portion of his own blood as a sign of his devotion to the whole. Those who are not bonded view those who are with awe, seeing them as the ultimate adherents of the Greater Good. The Ritual of the Ta’lissera is carried out in many areas of T'au society, but is most frequently undertaken amongst Fire Warrior teams, who enter the crucible of war together and often stand or fall by one another’s deeds. The members of a bonded team will go to any length to aid one another, sacrificing their very lives if needed that the team might succeed in its mission. Members of a bonded team often carry ceremonial knives, while those piloting battlesuits paint a stylised knife device on their armour.^[1]

Goddess T'au'va

The Goddess T'au'va is the personification of the Greater Good, who was formed by the T'au Empire's psychically inclined allied species' belief in the T'au's founding principle.^[3a][3b]

Related Articles

• Tau Lexicon

Sources

• 1: Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos, pg. 9
• 2: Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) pgs. 5-10
• 3: Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter (Novel)
  • 3a: Chapter 1
  • 3b: Epilogue
• 4: War of Secrets (Novel) Chapter 17
• 5: Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook pg. 134
• 6: Codex: T'au Empire (10th Edition), pg. 10
• 7: Elemental Council (Novel) - Chapter 4

Uncited

This article purports to rely on sources which are not cited in the body of the text. For help on citation see the citation guidelines. You can help Lexicanum by fixing it.

• Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition)
• Dawn of War: Dark Crusade