On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 03:59:53AM -0400, Richard Aiken wrote:
> And they lasted roughly an order of magnitude longer than the
> Spartans, because of jump lag (which slows down all widespread
> cultural change).

I think this is the fundamental point where we differ.  I don't think
jump lag would slow down cultural change at all.  What it does is make
distant cultures less relevant to yours.

Yes, that means if some other section of a wide-flung Settled Space
changes in its cultural outlook, it won't have as much effect on your
culture compared with nearby worlds.  So in that sense, it slows down
*coherent* changes in culture.

But likewise when your local culture changes (and it will change), the
more distant sections won't be of as much influence in holding or
returning yours to the status quo ante.

So in my view, jump lag doesn't promote long-term stability and
resistance to change at all.  Quite the opposite, it promotes the
formation of separated subcultures over much smaller spatial extents
than would have been the case with faster communication and travel.

Also no, I very much doubt that the existence of alien species would
unify humaniti into a glorious xenophobic harmony against the
outsiders.  Especially in the many cases where different species have
been living together for thousands of years, and separated from the
ruling centre by distances and times that mean 99.99% of them will
never see the capital in their lives, and most won't ever even talk to
someone who has lived there.

- Tim