Causa

"Living your life for The Cause - society first, platoon first - it's all just, expected." - Garrus VakarianCausa, translating as 'The Cause', is the central pillar of turian society, and shapes its law, culture and social values. The Cause is also a semi-religious concept, as it is inextricably linked to Aurelion Imperator, who is a living spirit of the turian religion. The Cause can be a difficult concept for non-turians to comprehend. Even the many client species of the empire, like the volus, still struggle to decipher its true meaning. But to the turians, The Cause is everything. In its most simplistic form, it is a collectivist ideology. However, in practice, it is far more complex than this definition.
At its core is the philosophical belief that the needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few, no matter the cost. While in principle it is a noble concept, it can also be a brutal one. If a war demands that a million innocents must die so two million more can live, The Cause will always demand the former's sacrifice. In its most extreme forms, duty to The Cause can often paint the turians as a nation of expansionist warmongers who are completely apathetic to the value of individual lives. In truth, the turians are an extremely altruistic people - their dedication to improving the lives of others can be seen in the structure of their society. Their interpretation of what constitutes altruism and selfishness simply differs from human definitions of the same concepts. 
=== Core tenets ===
Even in its basest form, The Cause demands that all turians adhere to its core tenets:
* The needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few, no matter the cost
* Every action an individual makes must, in some way, serve the larger group or "greater good"
* The individual must always perform their designated duty to the best of their ability
* Higher-ranking citizens must lead and protect subordinates
* Lower-ranking citizens must obey and support superiors
* If the behaviour of an individual negatively impacts the group, intervention from authority figures and peers is necessary to correct their behaviour
* Selfish actions must always be punished, preferably in a way that forces the individual to give back to the community and repair the damage they caused
* Dangerous individuals and external threats must be eliminated with extreme prejudice to protect the group from further harm
=== Comparison to individualist societies ===
Compared to human society, which overall can be viewed as individualist, turian society is inherently collectivist. Collectivist cultures emphasise the needs and goals of the group as a whole over the needs and desires of each individual. In such cultures, relationships with other members of the group and the interconnectedness between people play a central role in each person's identity. An individual turian might choose to define themselves by their familial relationships, their membership to a particular group, or their connection to a superior - statements that intentionally link them to groups and other individuals, eg: "I am the son of Adrien Victus...", "I am a soldier of the Armiger Legion...", "I serve under General Corinthus...", etc. This contrasts with individualist societies, where an individual human might choose to define themselves by their name, age and profession - biographical information that is linked solely to themselves, eg: "I am Jane Shepard...", "I am 31 years old...", "I am an N7 officer...", etc. 
When looking at the turians' use of language, it is striking just how many genitives they use when describing themselves, as genitives are specifically used to show possession. Taking an earlier example, the Armiger Legion soldier describes themselves not as a soldier 'in' the Armiger Legion, but as a soldier 'of' the Armiger Legion, emphasising that they belong and are intrinsically linked to this group, rather than just serving in it for individual gain. They are a tool of the Armiger Legion, to be used to further the group's goals. 
The same is true when turians define themselves by their familial connections. Taking Malkum Victus as an example, when he defects from the Imperial Navy, he announces himself over the radio as "...Helmsman Malkum Victus of the 1st Imperial Fleet..." and, when the admiral of said fleet threatens to fire upon his vessel for mutiny, he states "...I am the son of Adrien Victus; I do not cower in the face of impossible odds." Not only does Malkum define himself as a helmsman of the 1st Imperial Fleet, he also cites his relationship to his father, Adrien Victus, as the reason for his bravery. By himself, Malkum is just another turian - a nobody. It is his connection to his father, an honoured war hero and late Primarch of Palaven, that ultimately defines his individual identity and personality, a reality steeped in the turian societal expectation of living up to the legacy of one's parents and ancestors. 
HUMAN INDIVIDUALISM 	TURIAN COLLECTIVISM
The individual is the most important 	The group is the most important
Focus on individual goals and achievement 	Focus on the well-being and goals of the group
Promotes self-expression, individual thinking and personal choice 	Promotes adherence to social norms, respect for authority and group consensus
Personal privacy and space are important 	Relationships, belonging and sharing are important
"I..." consciousness 	"We..." consciousness
Competitive and analytical 	Collaborative and relational
Others classified as individuals 	Others classified as either in-group or out-group
Purpose of education is learning how to learn 	Purpose of education is learning how to do
Transgressions of social norms lead to feelings of guilt 	Transgressions of social norms lead to feelings of shame
Individuals must take care of themselves and their immediate family only	Individuals are born into extended families which protect them in exchange for loyalty
Tasks prevail over relationships 	Relationships prevail over tasks
Category:Turian Culture
Category:Lore