Star Wars fans aren’t always the most level-headed, but now and again lovers of the George Lucas franchise have a take so strange that it makes the rest of the fandom slightly embarrassed, and leaves you questioning if they’ve even watched the movies. Sometimes these opinions come from somebody clearly trying to be edgy, or with a deep misunderstanding of the world, and sometimes, they’re just plain silly, like the take given on a thread in the Star Wars subreddit recently that the Jedis are effectively sociopaths because…reasons?
It’s telling that the user seems to think mastering emotions is the same as not having any, although Star Wars fans lacking emotional regulation is nothing new. Thankfully, lots of those responding to the post were quick to point out the difference between being a sociopath and being in control of yourself. Many also noted that compassion is actually a key part of being a Jedi, and that the sociopaths are, unsurprisingly, the Sith.
This ability to separate actions from the emotions that drive them is vital to the Jedi way of living. Love shouldn’t be driven by desire or lust, just as killing someone shouldn’t come from a place of anger or resentment. There’s a reason “let the hate flow through you” is a massively quoted line among the fandom, after all — because it represents the disintegrating of Jedi thought to be replaced by the white hot anger of being a Sith.
The Jedi are, after all, warrior monks, with a big emphasis on the monk part. Like many eastern philosophies that have large monk populations, Jedi thought prioritises calmness in the face of strong emotions, and the ability to stay true and steady when being attacked from all sides, whether that by physical or emotional damage being faced. And, of course, the need for a lack of attachments is one of the main plot points of the films and shows, as characters realize they’ll never be free of their problems as long as they choose to hold on to them. Not quite sociopathic, then.
With Disney and Lucasfilm continuing to pump out more and more Star Wars content, and the fandom grows even larger (somehow), we have no doubt there’ll be more of these “Uh, DAE…” takes that defy logic, and annoys those who’ve actually paid attention to what the creators are trying to say. But, as the Jedi would do, it’s usually best to let your anger go when you see one, otherwise you’ll spend all day arguing online — which is a very un-Jedi thing to do.
