Can A Species That Easily Loves Be Warriors?

[ShadeZ]

I have a species that easily feel agape (unconditional love) toward other species but especially humans. They become very close to and fond of humans easily and unconditionally 'love', admire, and hold affection for humans combine this with their powerful morals and sympathy and pity for suffering or weaker beings and you get a pretty protective race. The reason why is they are a magically created race that were originally designed to protect humans and innocent things. They have a cat like nature though and make excellent hunters and warriors. But would something that be able to fight raiders for example or would they feel like it is too easy or the raiders are just 'in a bad spot right now and should be spared? Or would they maybe view them like rabid animals they are dangerous and hurting things and people and need to be put down?

 

[ChasingSuns]

Perhaps you have answered your own question in more ways than one. Perhaps there are multiple schools of thought. One might experience unconditional love for another, but that doesn't mean every person would act the same way. Perhaps there are some who are more focused on the finer points (perhaps even sword points) of protecting weaker individuals. Another school of thought within this race could be more geared toward pacifism.

Lets take the raiders situation, for example. Lets say that these raiders are attacking innocent people who aren't really in a position to properly defend themselves. The more militant (I guess that would be the right word) group could view it as their duty to protect those villagers, since they have not done any wrong and have no means to fend off the raiders. The pacifists might look at it as either they find a peaceful resolution or stay out of it.

It all, to me at least, comes down to this: how would a race created for such a position feel it is best to conduct their duty? I immediately think of the countless times I have seen a story where an AI decides that the best way to protect the world is to go Skynet. To be honest, you have some pretty cool potential for conflict within this concept. Are they essentially so bound to their purpose that they have a clear idea of how to carry out their intended purpose, or do they have free will but with the added compulsion to experience that unconditional love?

 

[Aldarion]

You do not need to hate in order to go to war. In fact, going to war is - in some ways - an ultimate expression of self-sacrifical love. As long as you love your family, your people, your country; and as long as the things you cherish are endangered; you will go to war. Species you had described can easily feel unconditional love towards, and bond with, individual humans. This would in fact make it very easy for them to go to war, as long as those they love are endangered.

 

[The Dark One]

Great question. They could be like west world - loving but powerful creatures with a hint of menace.

What could possible go wrong?

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Look inward for your answer. Humans are capable of unconditional love, and yet commit atrocities beyond the imagining. We produce warriors who then go home to their families and try their hearts out to act "normal."

 

[Nighty_Knight]

Look at dogs. Super loving and will fight to the death to protect your family.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

It's all in how you write them. I mean we have various conceptions of angels. Some view them as beings of pure love which would fairly much render them incapable of any sort of violence (eg Touched by an Angel). Others see them more as God's obedient servants, so they do what they're told and if that means fighting, they do even if they love those they must kill (eg The Prophecy films). Still more have seen them as creatures of passions and vices, loving humans but also their failings. So partying, feasting angels (eg John Travolta's Michael from the eponymously named film.

You really have to ask yourself the questions about your guardian characters. Yes they love, but what's their core nature? Love? Obedience? Or Pleasure? Or something else?

Cheers, Greg.

 

[skip.knox]

Yes they can.
So, now how do you write your story?

No, they can't.
So, now how do you write your story?

Play out both. Maybe even write a few scenes. One is going to feel more right than the other. Choose that one.

 

[Devor]

The question is, WHY would a race like this become warriors? The obvious answer, of course, is because you have to protect the people you love. And of course, people you love may not return that sentiment, especially when it comes to a third party (ever have two friends fight?). I think most people understand that at least on some level you need warriors to keep the peace.

But that answer is broad and vague. It would do well to personalize it. They have warriors because sixty years ago they watched their allies fight one another, and they didn't have enough strong warriors to stop the bloodshed. Add in some details, and you're on the way to having a story behind the race.

 

[The Dark One]

It reminds me a little of the sci-fi novel The Mote in God's Eye. It's decades since I read it but I seem to remember earthlings encountering a very peaceful and ethical species who had warriors among their population but kept them carefully hidden.

My question for the OP is: in creating such loving/bloodthirsty creatures, are you making some socio-political point about humans?

 

[LadyErynn]

Are they Empathetic?

Empathy is the ability to place yourself in someone else's shoes, so it's a whole different ballgame than unconditional love. However, the two are linked together.

If your beings are super empathetic, they will find it difficult to be warriors because they can see/understand why the enemy is acting the way they are.

If they lack empathy, they will have no problem fighting because they won't understand the other person's point of view; they'll only see the threat.

Hope this helps!

 

[pmmg]

Plenty of people have killed things they love and for many many different reasons. If this is a reasoning species, than I imagine they could overcome some feelings to do what they must. It would probably not sit well with them if they did, so I would expect them to more susceptible to damage for doing so, but you never know.

 

[Mathas]

I think it would depend on their beliefs and how they view threats. That is something I've been thinking about lately. I rewatched Wonder Woman, and in it she shows an unconditional love for all life and personally believes, although naively, that all life unconditionally loves too, and that the only reason humans are at war with one another was because of the corruption of the God Of War, Ares. I asked myself, if she loves so deeply, why is she fighting? The aggressors were killing innocents and causing destruction across the world. She felt the need to stop them, and her reasoning and how she managed to allow herself to fight and attack and hurt others was that they were corrupted and she had to find Ares.

Of course she battles with the fact that others dont believe that Ares exists and she starts doubting herself, but ultimately she came to the conclusion after seeing Ares was real and having to defend herself from him, that love will conquer all. Love is her motivation to fight against the aggressors. They are hurting what she loves, causing death and destruction, so she fights against them.

Your race could possibly have the same ideas or that could possibly be one way of justifying their violence toward aggressors - the unconditional love for humans and the need to protect them.

 

[Onion Volcano]

I always thought the Sith had the right idea. Why fight at all unless you fight for what you love? For some nebulous political or meditative principle? Bah I say.

 

[Aldarion]

I always thought the Sith had the right idea. Why fight at all unless you fight for what you love? For some nebulous political or meditative principle? Bah I say.

Exactly. I am also kinda bummed out that hate is seen as inherently bad thing. I mean, yes, it can and often does lead to evil; but so do many positive emotions. And hate itself is simply another side of coin to love: people most often hate something because it endangered something they love. Of course, that is not a hard-and-fast rule, but love too can lead to devastation.