What is the tau's greater good in warhammer 40k?

Question

my freind told me it was basically the future or destiny. is this true? if not, please tell me what it is!

Answer 1

The greater good is basically what they belive in, the greater good is them, the tau that is. If you want to understand this in  alot more detail you can look in your codex or go out and buy one and that will tell you everything about the tau, the tau's history, wargear, wepons, units etc

Answer 2

It is an amorphous philosophical concept, judged by the Aun (Ethereal) caste in debate.  Essentially, all Tau activity should be directed towards "the greater good".  This applies in principle to the greater good of all species, but it is often argued that it really just means the greater good of the Tau themselves.

So, for example, the Kroot are employed by the Tau as allies both for the greater good of the Tau (as they gain valuable assault assets) and for the "greater good" of the Kroot (as judged by the Tau, of course) for whom contact with the Tau will be a "civilizing influence".

As you can see, there is a large amount of arrogance and assumption bound up in the concept and that, no doubt, leads to much argument in the councils of the Aun.

But for the Tau themselves, it is simple.  All things support the greater good, and the greater good is both the survival and predominance of the Tau and the extension of the philosophy of the Greater Good to all races, by force if necessary.