Valediction –“Well, here at last, dear friends…”
Damhnaic
“I tell you solemnly, that I have many times tried to become an insect. But I was not equal even to that. I swear, gentlemen, that to be overly conscious is an illness—a real thorough-going illness.”
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground.
Dear old friends, old comrades, old enemies,
and all those I haven’t known much but that I perhaps would have learned much from,
I’ve joined this game in august 2009, and I’ve stayed too long. Long enough to see the game dwindles in mediocrity. When I first joined, it was young and dynamic, it wasn’t oriented toward money-hungry competition like today, it was naïve and new. The political module was rich; countries were writing constitutions, creating state institutions and organizations for the other players, etc. Yet, over the years, the admin attention left the areas of the game where there were no profit to be made. First the political module was amputated, then the economical one, for the sole profit of the military module, the main eRepublik money-maker.
Yet, the main reason I am deciding to leave the game is the current state of eIreland, while it is plagued by a Manichean patriotism .
Some factions of eIreland have been progressively more patriotic in the last months, leading to an absurd “us against them” mentality. Whether it be against eUK, or against so called “traitors” or “kunts”, social division has become the norm in eIrish politics. To that, I would like to express myself through one of Merleau-Ponty’s quote on war:
“What defines the philosopher is always the idea that we can understand the other, that we can understand the opponent. Philosophy wouldn’t be what it is if philosophers hadn’t that intent, not only to pose, but to understand what isn’t “them” and to understand if necessary what contradicts them. […] Philosophers aren’t Manicheans. But do you think that the other men are Manicheans, and especially great men? Are great men Manicheans? Do they really believe that there is a good side, theirs, and a bad side, the opponent’s? […] Alain said, I remember it, in a text, that what struck him in the 14-18 war was that the soldiers, on the front, didn’t hate the opponent. At the front, he said, we find courage and forgiveness. And rearward we find fear with hatred. Then I therefore think that the great men, and great protagonists of history, the very same people who played a decisive role, who thus had redoubtable opponents, even so felt that they were a part of the same family than these adversaries who couldn’t have been their opponents at that point if they weren’t, let us say, of the same magnitude.”
–Maurice Merleau-Ponty, radio interviews with Georges Charbonnier, RTF national chain, 26 June 1959 (Translation by me).
Manichaeism is what plagues eIreland, in its party politics, in its foreign affairs, between individuals in congress threads. Whether it is on a national point of view “Ireland against eUK” or on a smaller point of view “Our party against yours”, “kunts” against “ilp”, etc. It is all based on abstract limitations and an oversight that we are all very alike. There is no much difference between the eUK player and the eIrish player, but abstract limits will be placed between them to kindle conflicts. Yet, “Ireland” and “eUK” doesn’t really exist, they are abstract considerations about the individuals that live in the pixel zone and others in another pixel zones. If all “eIrish” players leave eIreland for eUK, and vice versa, who will be eIrish? Where will be “eIreland”?
I am leaving; selling all my facilities will give me a total of over 300g, which will entirely go towards the future new citizen program.
I want to leave while I still have good memories of you all, I will remember my passage as a quite eventful one. But now is time for other things; I’ve grown tired, and I must retire. Books awaits me, water is to be boiled for tea, and I have much to write.
Daignez, amis, agréer l'expression de ma plus sincère affection,
Be all my sins remembered.
Damhnaic O’Morann
Comments
cela est très dommageable, m'est avis..
je comptais sur des gens comme toi pour une Irlande unie au service du citoyen.
Il y en aura d'autres, j'en étais beaucoup cynique qu'aidant. Il y en aura des bien meilleurs. D'autant plus que je n'ai plus le temps de m'impliquer comme dans ma "jeunesse".
J'aurai toujours de bon souvenirs de nos brèves discussions.
elles devaient être le début de plus grandes !
tu n'es peut être pas obligé de partir définitivement, des fois juste un bon mois ou 2 sans s'impliquer dans le jeu peut te faire revenir avec un regard neuf. penses y juste , y'a un mois tu lançais une philosophie civique 🙂
Trop tard pour ça, j'ai tout vendu 😛
ça te donnera juste plus la gnac quand tu te reconnecteras 😛
je préfère te dire "a bientot l'ami"
ps : l'arme du philosophe ne réside pas dans ses biens matériels, tu le sais bien 😉
;_____________________;
Don't worry Zaphy, I'll keep good memory of our endless sex nights.
I'll miss you bro ;_;
The absurdities we could think of, I'll always keep a vivid memories of the laughs I had speaking with you during the last year.
♥
I understand the feeling, and hope you'll return at some point in the future.
Be well.
o/
Grainne, my first eRepublik friend when I joined this game. I had written a silly article about war games back then and you were one of the first/few to support my view.
Even if we never really talk together, I've always had great affection and sympathy for you.
Perhaps cya o/
So long Comrade
My best eRep memories will always be discussing with you, Bean, Kurdt, Castro and Didac 🙂
They were great times and yes I miss those times too
its great that your leaving. but please can you never publish something you write. its total CRAP! mmani watsoeverism just sums up you perfectly. A normal person would have written something that everyone understood. you worst flaw is that you have no empathy for the normal every day man. its obvious you consider yourself superior to other people and that doesn't make for a good writer. I think this stem from your sexual orientation well whatever perhaps the independent voices can now become something one can actually vote for occasionally
*your and stems I cant actually see what I type
Manichaeism (/ˈmænɨkiːɪzəm/;[1] in Modern Persian آیین مانی Āyin e Māni; Chinese: 摩尼教; pinyin: Móní Jiào) was a major Gnostic religion that was founded by the Iranian[2] prophet [[Mani (prophet)|Mani] (in Persian: مانی, Syriac: ܡܐܢܝ, Latin: Manichaeus or Manes) (c. 216–276 AD) in the Sasanian Persian Empire.[3][4]
While most of Mani's original writings have been lost, numerous translations and fragmentary texts have survived. Manichaeism taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness. Through an ongoing process which takes place in human history, light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light whence it came. Its beliefs were based on local Mesopotamian gnostic and religious movements.[5]
Manichaeism was quickly successful and spread far through the Aramaic-Syriac speaking regions.[6] It thrived between the third and seventh centuries, and at its height was one of the most widespread religions in the world. Manichaean churches and scriptures existed as far east as China and as far west as the Roman Empire.[7] It was briefly the main rival to Christianity in the competition to replace classical paganism. Manichaeism survived longer in the East than in the West, and it appears to have finally faded away after the 14th century in southern China,[8] contemporary to the decline in China of the Church of the East – see Ming Dynasty.
An adherent of Manichaeism is called, especially in older sources,[9] a Manichee, or more recently Manichaean. By extension, the term "manichean" is widely applied (often disparagingly) as an adjective to a philosophy or attitude of moral dualism, according to which a moral course of action involves a clear (or simplistic) choice between good and evil, or as a noun to people who hold such a view.
You are very right, the last part refer to the meaning I & Merleau-Ponty used. (us=good, vs them=bad, a dualism/binary vision).
"By extension, the term "manichean" is widely applied (often disparagingly) as an adjective to a philosophy or attitude of moral dualism, according to which a moral course of action involves a clear (or simplistic) choice between good and evil, or as a noun to people who hold such a view."
One of my favourite philosophers is Schopenhauer who is somewhat known for breaking the good/evil paradigm of the Christian west in his time by adopting a more eastern way of thinking about the world - happiness is the absence of suffering etc.
Also a wonderfully pessimistic man... and sadly seems to have gone out of fashion in modern philosophy classes etc.
Sad to see you go though. I'll miss your existential ramblings.
I just love Schopenhauer \o/
He is my favourite to :/
[removed]
Lol, mate, at least show some respect! It is only a game!
Respect the guy who criticise something he's doing more then others? Naaah
Plus he always bored me like fuck 😛
Still it is only a game 😉
It's funny, I don't even know who you are.
nor care?
I understand the reason. Irish politics has always been full of keyboard warriors like Kurgan, RTK et al who done feck all to contribute to the community.
Kurgan an Krakken only use your own weapons against you Orcs...
It's funny when someone force you to taste your own medicine you became such a crybabies...
The sad part is that to their eyes they are "the" community and they are fighting for it.
o7
o7
I better see you on IRC now and again.
Or there will be blood.
I will perhaps poke now and then, but time zones might make it unlikely for us to meet.
Farewell. Excellent article.
Thank you, farewell 🙂
So long comrade. It was a great time back in the days you led the party. I can say we've changed since then and much of the reasons fall on our own shoulders. A little dirt thrown by them, a little dirt thrown by us and before you know it, Ireland's knee deep in mud the second it starts raining. I have faith that some day that will change, even as being a partial reason why the past isn't quite buried yet.
You've been quite the player, always true to your self and your principles and I'm glad you were around. Sure we never agreed on everything, but I think there was always something we could learn from one another, and were willing to learn, which is rare in this game. Best of luck with RL.
And to conclude, I know the state of Ireland is a contribution to your departure, but check back again in a few months and I assure you, or rather promise you, things will be better friend. Waffle.
o7
Waffle to you, old friend.
o7 good article mane
Thank you 🙂
You got xbox or Steam?
Really sad to see you go. I truly empathize with the loathing of disrespectful politics, it plagued Ireland when I joined and we saw a temporary end for a year or two.. but over the last few months it has resurfaced as usual when we do not have an external enemy and large segments of the community get caught in the activity of a minority of sadistic players.
Agree...your Orc friends are getting too far....
It's only a game but you Orcs seems to forget that often.
I guess lack of rl social life can do that to a human...
I have a steam that I very rarely use, which is ket112.
"or against so called “traitors”.....
So called? So when Conway deserted Irish Army, took british cz and joined britain in their invasion on Irelad.....How would you call that Dam?
When Conway, just before deserted, proposed a law in irish congress to transfer a pile of money to britain....ha Dam?
And to correct your words....
It is Orcs against ILP...and Kurgan ft. Krakken against Orcs.....
You supported Orcs and their crimes fromday one even you pretended to be against them.....did you read philosophy books about hypocracy Dam?
Dostoevsky speaks of the hypocrisy in "Notes from Underground". Although it is not really a "philosophy" paper or book, it certainly has taints of philosophy in a very tasteful literacy. I think it was around chapter 10 of the first part. I would recommend it to you 🙂.
I look into it while you answer the previous questions about Conway...
All your false philosophy can'r hide a douchebag in you....
Truth is a simple thing....no need for complicated crap that humans are using to defend and hide their lies, hypocracy and spineless nature.....
Ireland will be a better place without moral mud like you....just like with malbekh...
Enjoy the books n the tea n good luck in your endeavours
Thank you 🙂
Noooooo. Now who is going to teach me Philosophy?
But seriously. We never really seemed to cross paths before and now you are leaving just as I find a person who knows a whole lot about something I don't and I could learn a thing or two.
Books are a much better endeavor than this game anyway.
o/