Games

In Poul Anderson's Genesis (New York, 2001), Part One, Chapter VI, section 1:

humanity, organized into communities, fellowships, nations, ethnoi, clans and garbed societies and guilds, celebrates New Century's Eve, Creation Day, Remembrance, Fire Night, the Festival of Children and the Festival of Illusions;

in Tahalla, a month of ceremonies and celebrations precedes New Century's Eve and the quinquennial Darvic Games whose winners bring glory to their clans;

the opening procession of the Games proceeds down Covenant Boulevard in central Roumek led by helmeted, lance- and laser-holding Honorables on white elks, with banners flying, crowds cheering and music from trumpets, sonors, tuned fountains and the Singing Tower;

canonicals-wearing hierophants walk behind the Honorables carrying symbols of God the Dreamer of the Universe, God the Mother, God the Summoner and God the Lover;

they are followed by the enthroned, robotically attended Holy Interpreter, the Regnant, the First Consort, the heir apparent, the First Enactor, the Council, senior guardsmen, clan captains - one carrying the Cloak of Darva and the Staff of Supremacy - city magnates, commanders of lesser communities, landkeepers and the players in the Games.

Too much? Over the top? Sounds like people with too much time on their hands? Have they reverted to the Middle Ages with robots replacing peasants? Are there any scientists, scholars, explorers or creators?

The guilds or societies include:

educators;
Magnificos;
Torchmen;
Falcons;
physicians;
philosophers;
Terpsichoreans.

In the crowd:

"Only the philosophers kept individually apart..." (p. 58)

Why? And do they do any philosophizing in their "...hooded gray robes trimmed with iridescent flickercloth"? (ibid.) Their society sounds as if it needs some critical analysis.