Erudite was formed by those who blamed human ignorance for the faults of society. They formed Erudite as a way of eliminating ignorance and darkness from human minds. Their symbol is a single blue eye that most likely represents their knowledge of the world. Erudite values the virtue of intelligence and wisdom over any other. The members focus their lives on the pursuit of knowledge. Erudite are expected to delegate themselves in the library reading books, or, most commonly, reading something from the computer. They are also known to have memorized the city map. Members are also known to be particularly eloquent.Because of the Erudite's thirst for knowledge, they are the ones easily susceptible to moral corruption as knowledge leads to lust for power.

Each member must wear at least one article of blue clothing per day. Erudite's main color is blue, as it is a "calming color that helps stimulate the brain". Also, most faction members wear thick glasses to make them seem smarter. Members of Erudite generally wear practical, comfortable clothing such as pencil skirts, sweaters, and blouses. They pull their hair back with clips to prevent it from getting in the way of their work.

The faction produces most of the city's librarians, doctors, scientists, and teachers. They are responsible for keeping records of the city and the factions. All technological achievements that the factions benefit from came from Erudite minds, such as the advanced agrarian methods employed by the Amity and all of the simulation serums.

Not much is revealed of the Erudite initiation, but from the manifesto, they most likely study, and take rigorous tests.
 

• The Erudite choice of drink is soda.
• Erudite's specialty serum is the death serum.
• Erudite's headquarters is situated in Chicago's Millennium Park
• In the Divergent film, the headquarters was filmed in the Chicago's Joe and Rika Mansueto Library, and in the Insurgent film, exterior shots of Erudite's headquarters is the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.
• Some members of Erudite drive cars, including solar powered vehicles, because of their use of sunlight for energy.
• Those who, after rigorous studying, do not meet a minimum intelligence requirement will be exiled from the faction so they can be made useful.
• Leaders must not be chosen based on charisma, popularity, or ease of communication, all of which are misleading and have little to do with the efficacy of a political leader.