Star Wars: Blogs | Return of the Jawa | Jedi vs Sith: Selfless vs Selfish

Return of the Jawa

by: JawaJoey

date posted: May 12, 2008 5:28 PM

Jedi vs Sith: Selfless vs Selfish

So I was thinking. In ROTS, in the opera scene, Anakin says that Sith are selfish and think only of themselves, while the Jedi are selfless, and only think of others.

Both of those things are somewhat true (though you could certainly argue against either one), but I wonder why THAT's what Anakin came up with as a distinction between the Jedi and Sith. Those aren't exactly the key features of the two groups, nor are they the main differences.

You might say that their differing self-views are the philosophical root of all their differences, and I could buy that. But either Anakin was thinking a whole lot deeper than was fitting for the moment or his character, or he was just regurgitating a lesson once taught by a wiser Jedi. I think I preferred it when I thought Anakin defended the Jedi thoughtfully, not mechanically.

I dunno, is selfish vs selfless a more accurate distinction than I'm giving it credit for? Is it really that weird for Anakin to have come up with that? What do you think?

And about Get Smart, I seriously had not heard of this until the ads started showing up on YouTube today. Too bad it doesn't look very good. We'll have to see if Steve Carrel can manage to make the role his own, it'll be tough, even for him. I just fear that Get Smart won't work without the 60's campiness and a laughtrack.

http://blogs.starwars.com/jawajoey/103

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	haymanator haymanator
date Posted: May 12, 2008 7:01 PM I believe that in a sense, sellfish vs. selfless is a part of a much larger picture when destinction between the jedi and sith. I mean the whole using the force for knowledge and defence vs. attack, I believe is the biggest destinction.

	zach starwalker
date Posted: May 12, 2008 7:50 PM I've always thought that what divided the Jedi and Sith was how they used the force and their motives.

JawaJoey
Return of the Jawa

date Posted: May 13, 2008 9:55 AM

I mean the whole using the force for knowledge and defence vs. attack, I believe is the biggest destinction.

I agree! That's it exactly. That's broader an much more accurate than what Anakin mentioned. That's the root, or at least is a lot closer to it.

I've always thought that what divided the Jedi and Sith was how they used the force and their motives.

Yeah, that and their scary faces.

But yeah, I guess my problem here is that Anakin's answer was so...obscure. It's not what people think about when they think of the differences between Jedi and Sith.

Master Ki-Aaron-Mundi
I was a Teenage Jedi

date Posted: May 13, 2008 10:40 AM

I dunno, I think Anakin hit the nail on the head pretty well with that statement. I see the biggest difference as that the Sith bend the Force to do their bidding, while the Jedi let the Force flow through them. While this is a gross oversimplification, I'd say the Sith use the Force, while the Jedi allow the Force to use them. And the motivation for these uses of the Force is whether one is focused on serving the self or serving others.

That said, I've always thought that Anakin was spouting off a lesson about the Sith that he'd been taught when younger. Of course, this might be one definition among many that he'd been taught, but this lesson resonated best with him, and so he sort of took it in as what he considered the distinction.

nob01
Oil Bath Bubbles

date Posted: May 13, 2008 10:43 AM

I dunno, is selfish vs selfless a more accurate distinction than I'm giving it credit for? Is it really that weird for Anakin to have come up with that? What do you think?
I try not to think - but since you're forcing me...

I actually prefer the idea that Anakin is just regurgitating his teachings at that moment - the words do seem a little forced (see Darth Hiram's post above this one in the forum), and I feel like I detect a sense of him saying this, but not wholly believing it.

Surely there must still be a pang of resentment toward the jedi for taking him off Tatooine but leaving his mother behind to her fate...

That might be considered a little selfish.

	zach starwalker
date Posted: May 13, 2008 6:25 PM There has always been a blurry line between the dark side and the light side. Look at the whole NJO thing with Jacen and then into this series.

The Stooge
Star Wars Joke-A-Day (gone fishin')

date Posted: May 13, 2008 10:17 PM

I think Anakin's just being a mouthpiece for GL in that scene, who has always said there needs to be a balance between greed and giving. The Jedi apparently were tilted too much to one side (the giving), while the Sith were too greedy. Anakin had both aspects in his personality, and it cause his downfall.

I have high hopes for Get Smart. The trailer made me larf out loud...

	Fish1941
date Posted: May 19, 2008 3:22 PM The Jedi are selfless? What a joke! Was Lucas smoking something when he wrote those lines? Most of the actions of the Jedi have always been about the continuation of their order. Even when they were helping others, they probably did it to wallow in their warped sense of goodness. Give me a break.

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