YGWV
>> > I have difficulty with the idea that a pre-industrial society >> > should have anything like 10% of the adult population being >> > specialists.
First, initiates are not "specialists" in the definition that they
would be pulled out of the labor force, which is how I wold define
specialists.
And where "labor force" = farmers or other food production.
Farmers initiate to farming gods. They are not specialists.
> An initiate with a 'job' is committed to around 60%
This is what made me jump in.
Where does this 60% come from?
An initiate spends 30% of his time in worship.
> So, having a fair number of devotees is normally fine, even good.
> Their specialized magic makes them good at what they do, and if the
> clan needs people doing what it is that they do, the clan comes out
> ahead. The cost comes when you need flexibility, and you have a lot
> of your leading figures as devotees, and they just do not have as much
> flexibility.
That is correct. it is why devotees are rare.
Issaries, Inc.
c/o Greg Stafford
1942 Channing Ave, #204
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
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