Identity and the Gods: How issues of belief and symbolism affect the metaphysics of Nirn

This is not a roleplay treatise, and so I will have to address a bit of [meta] here in order to layout the goal of this piece: Chiefly, that TESLore is in a unique position to explore the real world human condition by comparative contrast against the fantastic metaphysical backdrop of TES. I really believe that we can step up our game here and move away from functional explanations of Nirn and speculation.

My critique is that we can use contemporary philosophies to explore the world of Nirn, its societies, hierarchies, social roles and more by engaging with post-modern theory, feminism, semiotics, (post-)structuralism, and my personal favorite: agency.

We don't talk enough about say, the rise of the state, the origins of a monied economy, how are female Argonians perceived in their society as gender is more related to life-cycle, or the importance of symbolism when acts of belief can literally shape the gods.

That last topic is the subject of this post. The study of symbolism, or semiotics and how it shapes thought, is a somewhat esoteric subject in the real world, but it is one of incredible depth and lively debate. For example: If you believe in a god, represented symbolically as a calf, how will that affect your behavior to calves. Do you eat cows? Provide them offerings? Pray to them and offer them in sacrifice? How does your belief shape your actions? How do they shape society's actions?

Now in Nirn, that very belief can literally shape the cosmic fabric, but it can't be done alone. The leader of the Thalmor can't simply say "I don't believe in fairies Talos" and suddenly Talos is no more. Talos is a large node of shared belief, and the Thalmor require that no one believes, or rather, that no one practices the belief in Talos.

Talos as a concept is acceptable, so long as no one actually provides offerings, or prays, or does anything which suggests that Talos has any divine or supernatural power. What is really interesting though, is that unlike in modern, real-world religions, is that Talos is actually affected by this. Talos, and the rest of the gods, have agency to impact Nirn, and therefore how people believe in them, thereby altering, however slightly, their very identities. Talos, as the apotheosis of Tiber Septim may even have more agency than the rest of the Divines. This creates an interesting relationship between the gods and their followers, and indeed is often a source of conflict and tension.

Sheogorath, for example is shaped by the belief of the insane. The Shivering Isles are plagued by the tension between the depressed and the manic believers. Every once in a while, Sheogorath also goes OCD, kills everyone and regains order, but is slowly shaped by the insane once again and devolves again into Sheogorath. How much of the Grey March is because Jyggie wants to be free, and how much of that is symbolic of the internal contradictions about Sheogorath temporarily resolving themselves? This is the unsaid precursor to the oft-asked questions about Sheogorath's/COC's identity in Skyrim. Does the mantling process subsume the id? Does it have to? Would you become a god, if you couldn't recognize yourself, or your motivations, if offered the chance?

The Thalmor issue is the most pressing at this point in the game's history, and thus far, Talos has been silent on the matter of the White-Gold Concordat. This suggests a lack of concern, and it would be dangerous to speculate too deeply into the motivations regarding Talos's silence. However three immediate possibilities spring to mind: 1) belief does not shape reality; 2) Talos does not believe that the Thalmor will succeed; 3) Talos is content with the end of the world.

I personally lean towards 2. Belief can shape the gods, so therefore it stands to reason that gods can shape belief. The gods of Nirn are not omniscient, so they must have beliefs. Gods have agency, so they should be able to act upon their beliefs. Finally, because belief shapes reality, the belief of a god has to shape a hell of a lot of it.

What's stopping Talos from descending upon the Thalmor and shredding their minds with the indisputable power of the divine? This is a big question and I don't have space to explore all the avenues, but I believe that Talos would rather effect change through his believers. My answer though is there is a circle of belief. Talos does not believe in the Thalmor's plan, at least partly because he believes in his followers, who fuel his identity to believe in himself.