The Orionist Model is the baseline for Orion. It defines our goal, our ideals, and our composition - how, why, and what we do. This is why, above all else, the Model is so essential, because without a clear reason for what we do, without a unified vision of how we bring about improvement, and without a cohesive system for organizing, Orion would tear itself apart in disagreement and confusion.
It is composed of three parts - THEORY, PHILOSOPHY, and STRUCTURE. Theory defines the mission to which we are dedicated, philosophy defines the ideals for which we stand, and structure defines the method by which we organize and act. It must stand upon all three legs, as if you are to remove one, the other two are worse off for it. Without theory, the intent of Orion might prove unsuccessful. Without philosophy, change is pursued with no moral center to ground it. Without structure, we are but a loose collection of believers with no path forward.
But together, we are given a goal, a reason to pursue it, and the means to accomplish it. How we get from this foundation to the end result is up to the ones who make use of this tool; in this way, the Orionist Model is only half the solution. The rest is up to how it is used - the creativity and ingenuity of the members and founders who create their own chapters and teach their own communities, as well as the leaders who they elect to direct the collective. We stand with the Model as the hammer in our hands above the metal to be fashioned, and yet, it is the mind of the smith that determines what shape it will take, and how well it will be crafted.
There is no one way to follow the Model, as it was designed to be interpretative. What is laid down is basic truths, but the finer details are vague, for while Orion was created amidst chaotic times, it was not created solely for those times. It was created to serve its goal for as long as it is able, no matter what shape the world around it takes. After all, its central concepts are universal and timeless - society is most efficient when it benefits the people, and our shared experiences give us cause to foster kindness. The structure, too, is simple yet effective - while having a centralized focus and command, the chapter system allows for autonomy and specialization according to region.
We begin with theory, which posits that society is composed of four fundamental factors - economy, government, socialization, and the relationship with the environment. Society, of course, is a construct created by humanity to streamline the process by which our physical and psychological needs are fulfilled. The most efficient model of human society is that which fulfills its objective - achieving maximum fulfillment with minimum input - and so the improvement of society to reach this ideal is our goal. Socialism and world federalism provide the most stable models of economy and government, and a more environmentalist approach to balancing society with the natural world is best for life in general. Because of this, Orionist political theory is called eco-socialist federalism.
Eco-socialist federalism, or ESF theory, is not merely a collection of theories, but a synthesis. It can be best summarized as “a democratic federation of socialist nation-states formed with the express purpose of standardizing human rights and environmental protections.” In the interests of both the survival and prosperity of all humanity, there are certain qualities that must be made universal across the nations of the world, to ensure that all people, no matter what they look like, who they love, where they come from, or who they are, are given the same opportunities and freedoms. In addition, if we neglect to take a careful approach to our own growth and presence, we will not only endanger other life on Earth, but ourselves as well. Something of this scale touches every part of our lives, and thus, it will require not only a legal shift, but a sociological one, as we train ourselves to be kinder and wiser as a species.
Philosophy dictates five levels of realization about the self and its connection with the wider world, and the responsibility we hold as Orionists to better the world for ourselves and others. We first realize that no matter your conclusion, everyone finds meaning in the world by observing beauty, and determining the self in relation to the rest of the universe. Following from that, if everyone searches for some form of satisfaction and the fulfillment of their needs, we can relate and understand each other as humans. If we can relate, we can understand the apprehension towards suffering, and thus it follows that we should provide the helping hand that we would want in our time of need, for we can see ourselves in the lives of others. To accomplish this, however, requires discipline - as so many people let our differences divide us, it requires a temperance of our more negative emotions to hone our passions and give us strength. Finally, dedication to this mission requires a degree of sacrifice - a kinder world cannot come about spontaneously, and we must be willing to work for it so that our dreams can be fulfilled by those around us, and those that come afterwards.
Philosophy and theory both tie into the idea of the Mission - the enduring and unending goal of Orion. The mission, simply, is to uphold the survival and prosperity of humanity, from now until our last member falls. Everything we do is about not only ensuring that the human race survives what could be our potential extinction, but that it learns, evolves, and flourishes equally. Survival alone is not the goal - for people could live full lives in bondage and suffering, and that would be a truly terrible existence. People could live forced down and treated as less than human, given a lesser lot in life for factors outside their control. Thus, prosperity is also important - to be given the chance to live a happy and satisfying life, not without struggle, but without unjust struggle.
Structure is divided between the chapters, the most basic element of Orionist organization, and the command structure, which is divided between executive and representative authority. A chapter consists of at least a Service Officer, a Research Officer, a Communications Officer, and a Chapter Head. The three officers and their respective teams represent the three branches of Orion - the Sword of Orion, our media and communications branch, Liberius, our service and activism branch, and the Museion Institute, our research and development branch. Chapters themselves are divided into geographic regions, with a regional command chapter, or REGCOM, at the head of each region. The head of a REGCOM is a Flagbearer, elected by the members of their region, and the various Flagbearers of Orion form the representative house of command, the Council of Flagbearers.
REGCOMs act as a hub for Sword and Liberius operations in their region, while Museion is centralized into the titular institute, as well as any necessary secondary locations. The branches themselves are overseen by Branch Heads, appointed officials who serve on the council of Sword COMMAND, the executive house of command. While Flagbearers are only elected by a regional vote, Sword COMMAND’s head, the Instruist, is elected by an organization-wide vote, and the rest of the staff is selected for appointment by the Instruist themselves, with the Council of Flagbearers’ vote of approval. These staff members include the individual heads of each branch, a Financier (who handles financial matters) and a Parliamentarian (who handles record-keeping), each with their own offices, as well as the Instruist and a Lieutenant, who acts as an Instruist in training. In the event of the death or resignation of the Instruist, the Lieutenant will hold office until an election can be run, where they will run against a candidate of the people. If the Lieutenant wins, they will become the new Instruist, while if the people’s candidate wins, then the Lieutenant will continue to serve their position, and act as a guide and informant for the new Instruist.
It is a simple and yet endlessly important idea that people, as complicated as they can be, deserve the opportunity to live their lives and express themselves freely, and if they fall by the wayside, to be given a chance to learn, grow, and recover. No one is perfect, because if we were perfect, we would not truly be alive. Life is that quest, through good times and bad, to understand oneself, and it takes some trial and error. Yet, with all this talk of freedom, we must not allow the mistakes of some to hurt others so seriously as they have in the past. The ability to live life comes hand in hand with the inability to outright deny it to others, and it is that balance we find ourselves charged to protect.
To protect something so fundamental, and to seek change to monumental, may seem like an impossible task. What we seek is nothing less than a complete revolution in the way we live, the way we think, in the way we conduct ourselves, and in the way we see the world. To achieve peace and to undo our past mistakes will require unlearning what we have learned, understanding those we think far distant from us, and dismantling structures we deem so essential. But there is a strength we hold that surpasses the difficulty of our mission. We are not alone. You are not alone.
I know as I write this that there are many others out there, who wish for a better world, who dream of a land untainted by bids for power and cycles of revenge, where two people from distant lands can stand hand in hand, united by what they share. Whatever drives them - hope, fear, love, guilt - there are those off on missions of their own, and with this, I take comfort, for as long as there is hope, my fire shall never die. With the Orionist Model in mind, no matter how big of an impact you make, know that you have a place among us, and that there is always room for new friends and faces in our ranks. The more who are willing to work so that others may be given hope, the closer the dream becomes to reality.
And yet, even when federation is established, the world is reformed and the climate is saved, the mission will not conclude there. It may never end, for the role of an Orionist is twofold. We seek to protect that great journey of life, true, but it is equally as important to partake in it. To appreciate the value of life, one must learn to appreciate their own, and as the world moves towards the future and towards the stars, we will be right there with them, ready to help and guide whenever we are needed, but ready as well to experience the joy of discovery firsthand. That is what the Model means, that is what the Mission means, and that is what Orion means.
Respice ad futurum, respice ad astra.
- DKTC FL
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