Sibling Origin Theory

[Exthalion]

This may have already been stated and I missed the thread, but I had a thought about the possible origin of the Sibling. I don't have a lot of textual evidence, but I will do my best.

 

To simplify in the most criminal way: Spren are the cognitive manifestation of something people think about or experience. The Stormfather is the "memory men create" of the Almighty.

So what is as big a thing in the mind of humans as god? Themselves

 

What if the Sibling is, rather than the shadow of a god, the sibling of humanity, the cognitive manifestation of their thoughts about themselves, mankind, civilization as a whole?

 

When Uritheru was occupied by a significant fraction of humanity and they had a common concept of what being human meant it was powerful and sane. But as the kingdoms and cultures formed the idea that brought it about became weaker and less coherent. Humans weren't trying to harm it, but they would be, in effect, ripping it apart into lesser spren manifestations of each group. Its current state may be the result of that wounding, or something it did to protect itself.

 

The current state of humanity on Roshar is still very fractured, but as people start to come together again the idea of a unified humanity could also gain traction. As Dalinar continues to "unite instead of divide" and "bring men together" the very state necessary for this pan-human Spren to grow strong again could reoccur allowing it to return.

 

[+Extesian he/him]

I love it. I'm not sure that it's right, but I can't think offhand of a particular problem with it, other than that I suspect the Sibling was around before humanity was particularly united. It could be possible though that the Heralds uniting humanity gave rise to that. Irrespective of that I love the concept. 

I actually think its more likely to be the Singers thinking about themselves than humans (hence Sibling of humans), if you're right. Makes for a cool idea though, nice post. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Extesian
posted before i finished

[Brgst13]

I think the issue here is one of timeline.  The Sibling powers Urithiru, or at least this was very strongly implied in OB.  In fact, the entire design of the tower is based around this power source.  If the Sibling relies on Mankind's coherence, it would not make sense to use Urithiru as the HQ of the Knights Radiant through the Desolations.  As the Desolations progressed, the HQ would get weaker and less functional when it was most needed.  This seems very counterintuitive from a military standpoint.  I do like that you are asking the question of whose Sibling it is. 

[Fanghur Rahl he/him]

That’s a really clever theory.

[Scion of the Mists]

I like your theory.  

However, I think that the quote about the Stormfather is in reference to him having merged with Tanavast's cognitive shadow, not that he was created via human thought.  We know that the Stormfather predated the arrival of humans to Roshar.  

Edited August 16, 2018 by Scion of the Mists

[DocHoliday he/him]

On 8/14/2018 at 10:31 PM, Brgst13 said:

I think the issue here is one of timeline.  The Sibling powers Urithiru, or at least this was very strongly implied in OB.  In fact, the entire design of the tower is based around this power source.  If the Sibling relies on Mankind's coherence, it would not make sense to use Urithiru as the HQ of the Knights Radiant through the Desolations.  As the Desolations progressed, the HQ would get weaker and less functional when it was most needed.  This seems very counterintuitive from a military standpoint.  I do like that you are asking the question of whose Sibling it is. 

Counter argument: are you an Earthling or (Country of Origin)?

It's entirely possible, storm it plausible, that the early Roshar refugees viewed themselves as one people. Even during the Epoch's the human species was connected in ways modern Roshar only dreams about. 

To quote Caesar "Men work more zealously against a common foe, than for their common good".

As long as the threat of Desolation and Listener's existed, Mankind was unified, as was the Sibling. When the Silver kingdoms broke down, so did the Sibling. 

I've seen plenty theorizing about the Sibling being Urithiru. Nothing like this, total pivoted for OP.