Exactly! In most cultures around the world, scholarly elders are respected as the wisest and for good reason. Does this mean people follow them blindly? Not at all! In fact, said elders encourage learning and asking questions! Yoda is constantly asking the rest of the council for opinions and advice!
To take from a personal example, and because inspiration for the Jedi came from a myriad of Eastern religions, there is never a case in many Seminaries where a scholar is revered so much that they can’t be questioned. That their ideas can’t be challenged and changed. Even those who’ve created the base of modern religious thinking and analysis for literally hundreds of years.
The only caveat is you have to have done the work to reach a high scholarly level of your own (or you simply won’t be informed enough.) And your own challenges obviously have to still make sense within the absolute baseline of the religion, which y’know. Makes sense. Because that baseline is vast and more often than not comes down to common morals plus the stuff you 100% know is part of the religion.
There’s a reason we have Yoda as the Grandmaster, and Windu as the Head of the Order.
If you want to separate them, Yoda is the spiritual head. And Windu is the action. They balance each other out. I’ve talked a little more about Mace’s role here.
And then theres an entire council consisting of both permanent and shifting positions to ensure no one js abusing their power and the Jedi aren’t getting stagnant. And I’d say considering how quickly they adapted to changing situations, they were successful.
The Council Masters are repeatedly shown to be some of the best. And I mean in compassion, in teaching, in sharing their skills and encouraging others. Plo, Kit, Obi-Wan, Shaak, and more fandom favourites are in fact Jedi Council Masters for the reasons we love them. Not despite of it.
Because the Jedi are first and foremost a group of scholars. They’re constantly learning. Constantly improving themselves. It’s not enough to call yourself a Master and call it job done, there’s always room to learn. Even Yoda at almost 900 years old is constantly reaching out for guidance and advice. Meditating and contemplating.
Which brings me to the idea of Mindfulness.
‘The Jedi should have acted faster. Yoda slowed them down.’
Quick action was already being taken. Yoda’s job in this case was to ensure the Jedi don’t lose themselves in this rapid decision making. He has to be slower, to meditate and question the decisions being made, because that’s his role. He’s currently the only one who can afford to do that because he’s least often out on the front lines being forced to act.
And his age is an advantage.
As I said. This is 900 years of experience and wisdom of a Scholar, not just a leader. He has a wealth of knowledge, of seeing patterns that the others can’t even begin to put together.
It’s like he says at the end of Episode II.
The war begins. And he already sees the beginning of the end. And the worst part is he knows there’s no real way to stop what’s coming. Only mitigate the damage.
Anyway this became a bit of a ramble and went to places I didn’t expect, but I hope it makes sense.
