its Alphas and Epsilons are much more like high-tech Rokarism, or maybe even the Mostali?
/// Rokari isn't about "high tech" - they don't do novelties, technical or otherwise. Alphas are talari and epsilons are zzaburi, both concerned with the well-being of society, each in their role, as the Book ordained.
Though to me the Mostali differ from the Malkioni in that their caste system is not (as?) pyramidal. Officially they consider their eight or nine castes to be "separate but equal", even though some castes exist to teach or manage the others. Hell, maybe the Mostali even have enough of a hive mind for this to be largely true? Or do the Mostali have more of a 1984 edge to them -- in which some privileged castes (or groupings within those castes?), are "party members" rather than "proles"?
/// Being inhuman, the mostali are not IMO subject to such concepts. They are built to fulfill specific tasks, and their programming includes co-operation with other castes as necessary to their task. This programming leaves out anything not work-related, which is why they developp their obssesive "hobbies" with the fervor of an autist. That's also why their malfunction rate (read : heresies) is so high : this programming is too light, too small to fill their minds - so they err. Even Mostal makes mistakes. Or does it?
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