The Honored Few

[Stormgate he/him]

In the kingdoms we've seen, there seems to be one quality that the society honors. In Alethkar, it's the soldier or warrior. However, in the Horneater Peaks, the warrior is given fourth priority (I don't remember the first son's job.) In Shinovar, picking up a weapon essentially makes you a slave, similar to Szeth, while being a farmer is the honored occupation.

I don't know what this means, but it reminds me too much of how the Alethi highprinces, before the breaking of Alethkar, had different roles, like the Highprince of War, Investigation, Commerce, etc. 

Anyone have added information, or a reason for why I'm seeing this connection.

[CaptainRyan he/him]

The Radiant in the Midnight Essence vision Dalinar has mentions something about how "Alethia" (or something - an older name for Alethkar) was the one nation that practiced the art of war so that the other nations did not have to. Perhaps the other nations specialized in agriculture, industry, etc. and the remnants of that specialization is reflected in the status they apply to certain jobs now.

[nmgrgtna he/him]

I really like this idea @CaptainRyan. Also great job noticing this. But this would make a lot of sense. Maybe they were all one country but broke apart from the urge to war, to fight. Before, when there were desolations, they could fight the Voidbringers, but after the Final Desolation they broke apart from the influence of Odium.

[Erklitt]

In Alethkar, the specialization of highprinces to certain jobs is a sign of unity. Instead of every highprince being in charge of everything for his own princedom, they provide specialized services for each other, binding them more strongly together.

With the Horneaters I feel it's more about each family's being self-sufficient: the first two sons are farmers, the third a craftsman (like Rock as a cook), the forth a warrior. Like: a family cannot possibly do without farmers, a craftsman comes in handy, and if there are enough sons, it's not a bad idea to have a warrior too.

About the Shin, I guess we lack sufficient information to go deeper than very superficial speculation.

 

On first view, this just looks like different cultures to me. Yet I find your idea interesting: on a grander scale, it is conceivable  that different cultures and ethics fulfilled certain roles in a greater whole. As you say, the Alethi job as warriors for all of Roshar seems to have been a given back in radiant times. Maybe the Horneaters' and Shin concentration on farmers was another side to the same coin?

Definitely worth keeping in mind while reading the sequels. Maybe we'll witness different nations come into their own, providing the services they are best fitted for. I like this concept.

[Physicist of the Cosmere she/her]

Yeah, thinking about it, if each Herald took a country to teach them and get them caught up on lost knowledge, it'd be a lot faster than having them rush all over Roshar and try and get everyone taught before the next Desolation.

[nmgrgtna he/him]

That would also explain why Taln went to Alethkar.

[TwelfthOfSnackTime he/him]

It would also explain the Azir's love for Bureaucracy and the Thaylenah Mercantile expertise. Maybe the Reshi Isles were a vacation resort?