What about well-used or worn-out objects, your classic “piece of junk” spaceship? I can see it both ways: on one hand, it’s a clear expression of entropy, but on the other hand, its continued functioning is clear defiance of entropy. Do the Eldrae like the image of a tool which serves its purpose with minimal maintenance long after lesser tools would have broken down?
My conclusion is that they do not like this sort of aesthetic, but for reasons that have little to do with the object in question. Rather, it’s because of the moral deficiency of the object’s owner.
It serves you well, and you take care of it that it may continue to serve you well. This is the implicit bargain of ownership, belike. Thus, the Empire is full of well-maintained and lovingly looked-after, repaired, and even pieced-back-together kintsugi-style objects, from cities down to hand tools.
But those that keep going despite being poorly treated and minimally maintained? They deserve someone better to belong to.
Does this apply to tools which have been maintained to the best of the operator’s abilities, but is limited by lack of tools or materials? I.E. a situation where the materials and/or tools used are substandard, but the worksophsship is still remarkably good (whether in an attempt to mitigate the negative effects of substandard materials or out of simple pride in their work)?
