[Aldous] Another word on neutrality
Day 1,659, 16:56
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Published in Belgium 
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by
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by Aldous Zamiatin
I wasn’t planning to get involved, but seeing that our neutrality is being put to question more and more recently (even though we had a referendum about it fairly recently), made me extend a series of comments into a full article to participate in the ongoing debate.
Personally, I don´t know. Ok, we had a referendum, but we didn’t have a real debate about it, and our neutrality has been around for such a long time that for some it has become a truth in itself, forgetting that it needs constant work and consistent communication to the rest of the world. I´ve been in this game just as long and most of the time I was a supporter of neutrality, so sometimes I too think that it has become a dogma for me, and joining an alliance could be fun.
But then again, I look at eNl, who is similar to us, even stronger military-wise, but who has been a Polish colony for months on end, and only regains its independency when Poland has difficulties on other fronts (and not because their allies rush to help them all of a sudden). Other nations might disagree with our view on our place in the world, but to me it makes more sense to try and convince the other side that you are what you are, than trying to adapt your identity to the perception the other side has of you (especially since it will be impossible to please everybody).
Looking at our community, I also know that a significant part of our active members have pro-ONE sympathies, but that also means that the ones who don’t are rather T/EDEN-inclined or really idealistic about sticking to neutrality/non-alignment. So I can imagine that in a situation where eBelgium sides with ONE, those who can't accept that could be leaving to a different community that is closer to that preference, which is a sad thought to me (also because I might be one of those people, even though I spent most of my active e-life in community).
Personally I too enjoy fighting for different countries, but for me there’s no thrill in seeing another round of US-UK, Serbia-Croatia, Hungary-Romania or Greece-Macedonia. Only the decisive fights, where a small country determinedly stands up to its oppressor, provide me real excitement and gratification. Those countries are usually victims of a geo-political game of chess, where strong countries are the players and small countries are merely pawns whose destiny is being decided over their heads. And in order to help the underdog, being part of an alliance is not a prerogative.
Just as helping friends. For me the eUS are just as much of a friend as eMacedonia or the eUK, and when possible I try to participate in a decisive battle (especially if it's a defensive one). I can't imagine going "Hail this alliance!" or "Hail that alliance!", and peace in eRepublik is of course nonsense, but at the same time this game has different sides to it than just war, and for me eBelgium has been that place where you went if you wanted just that.
So I think the debate about our “neutrality”/“independence”/“non-alignment” is needed and is a healthy thing to have, but we should be aware that it isn’t just a debate about our safety and defense, not even about our position in the world. Siding an alliance or sticking to neutrality is also a determination of the kind of game we like to play and want to be playing for some time to come, because that choice won’t be something that can be changed on every other 5th or 25th of the month.
Personally, I don´t know. Ok, we had a referendum, but we didn’t have a real debate about it, and our neutrality has been around for such a long time that for some it has become a truth in itself, forgetting that it needs constant work and consistent communication to the rest of the world. I´ve been in this game just as long and most of the time I was a supporter of neutrality, so sometimes I too think that it has become a dogma for me, and joining an alliance could be fun.
But then again, I look at eNl, who is similar to us, even stronger military-wise, but who has been a Polish colony for months on end, and only regains its independency when Poland has difficulties on other fronts (and not because their allies rush to help them all of a sudden). Other nations might disagree with our view on our place in the world, but to me it makes more sense to try and convince the other side that you are what you are, than trying to adapt your identity to the perception the other side has of you (especially since it will be impossible to please everybody).
Looking at our community, I also know that a significant part of our active members have pro-ONE sympathies, but that also means that the ones who don’t are rather T/EDEN-inclined or really idealistic about sticking to neutrality/non-alignment. So I can imagine that in a situation where eBelgium sides with ONE, those who can't accept that could be leaving to a different community that is closer to that preference, which is a sad thought to me (also because I might be one of those people, even though I spent most of my active e-life in community).
Personally I too enjoy fighting for different countries, but for me there’s no thrill in seeing another round of US-UK, Serbia-Croatia, Hungary-Romania or Greece-Macedonia. Only the decisive fights, where a small country determinedly stands up to its oppressor, provide me real excitement and gratification. Those countries are usually victims of a geo-political game of chess, where strong countries are the players and small countries are merely pawns whose destiny is being decided over their heads. And in order to help the underdog, being part of an alliance is not a prerogative.
Just as helping friends. For me the eUS are just as much of a friend as eMacedonia or the eUK, and when possible I try to participate in a decisive battle (especially if it's a defensive one). I can't imagine going "Hail this alliance!" or "Hail that alliance!", and peace in eRepublik is of course nonsense, but at the same time this game has different sides to it than just war, and for me eBelgium has been that place where you went if you wanted just that.
So I think the debate about our “neutrality”/“independence”/“non-alignment” is needed and is a healthy thing to have, but we should be aware that it isn’t just a debate about our safety and defense, not even about our position in the world. Siding an alliance or sticking to neutrality is also a determination of the kind of game we like to play and want to be playing for some time to come, because that choice won’t be something that can be changed on every other 5th or 25th of the month.
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"So I can imagine that in a situation where eBelgium sides with ONE, those who can't accept that could be leaving to a different community that is closer to that preference, which is a sad thought to me (also because I might be one of those people, even though I spent most of my active e-life in community)."
* siding with ONE has become a natural response for eBelgium because it were always TEDEN countries who attacked eBelgium.
That left us with months on end with ONE MPPs without us hailing ONE. We can be proONE and join EPIC because we have close friends in there and still be independent thinking. It is not so that joining proONE is going to make is less than we are now.
It is sad that you say you may leave eBelgium if it comes to choosing a side. I think it is double sad because I feel this is kind of emotional blackmail tat you are doing there. Yes this my personal feeling and was probably not your intention just I wanted you to know.
YOU CAN EARN MORE THAN 5 GOLD PER DAY AND BE MEDIA MOGUL IN NO TIME
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/podela-zdravlja-kako-zaraditi-u-erepubliku-2051420/1/20
PLEASE SHOUT TO EARN MORE
I too feel it would be sad if people left our community over this issue, but honestly, I think some already have left because neutrality was boring for them. I do agree that for me it is more fun to help to make a difference for friends and underdogs, but there are a lot of people determined not to let us play that way as a country. Choosing a side may have costs, but so does not choosing. We just have to figure out what the true costs are and whether we are willing to pay the price.
вотед
I agree your article. I don't know which way is good. Neutrality is difficult.
I have a lot of friends in each side. Sometimes i see a country who helped us in the past who was attacking a little country. The problem : we follow our friends or we fight for the justice.
Several players are Pro-One, others for Teden .... I have no preference. Well i prefer stay in my corner and take my role of defender. Thanks Aldous
@Aldous : we are free, if you see my avatar i didn't put a flag. You can be ebelgian and don't follow the country.
Nice article and I think I agree fully with you on that issue!!
(Though I do not have your background or experience)
Side note: The name of the newspaper is ironic when you consider it's content! 😛
Voted and Subscribed!
No sane person cares about eBE in terms of international relations. Even if you are in an alliance, you will be low property. While you might get some help etc, but it is marginal. You should have the debate. But if you do join ONE, you will lose any support from eNL be it anti PTO etc. eBE is too small for the alliance to divert their resources to aid you. It might change how you play the game but will not bring security to eBE.
@Mitte: Look at your policy before pointing fingers at TEDEN.
a country is not neutral because other countries believe you to be so, that is their perception, not the true situation. If we react to those countries with flawed perception then we also lose our independance. You will always have countries or players who do not care what you say or explain to them 100 times, if they want to believe something they will. I rather stand for something worth while than for any alliance.
@Konra😛 Neutrality doesn't offer us any safety either, the perception some people may have that it is still like that is wrong. The thing that protects the eBelgian territorial integrity most is the fact that we do not hold anything valuable for the really stronger neighbours. Despite the slight advantage eNL may have over us, they can not sustain occupation over a long period of time.
To me the debate is really if you allow eBelgians to leave out of boredom because they can not play any role of significance on the international scene. While it is fact that TEDEN caused our policy to be pro ONE for many months if eBelgians were truly "neutral" they wouldn't have the reflex to keep signing one sided MPPs for two months. It's hard to accept the international reality ofcourse. Allow the people who wish to have some fun beyond yours, especially when it doesn't put a strain on you.
@Nohjis and other Belgians that thinks like Mitte etc. Take a look at the mirror. You keep saying TEDEN push you around while your policies provokes TEDEN before TEDEN reacts to isolate Belgium. Mitte is playing this game for months and you are falling for it. Why don't you say we want to join ONE and leave it at that. Blaming and whining about TEDEN is lame and dishonest. Good thing eBE has nothing. If eNL wants eBE for keeps, we can do it for a long time. Look at Ireland and UK, last a while.
eNL can not keep eBE on its own for a long time that was proved to you just 3 months ago. You can not sustain occupation because despite what you believe you're too weak. If you look at it in context Konrad you will see that each act idolized by TEDEN as hurting them was preceded by a TEDEN country attack on eBe. It looks as if each time TEDEN attacks us unprovoked they need to justify themselves after by finding pretext in any other action. This is bully mentality, nothing more.
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@Nohjis You cannot do it alone yourself. You should try it without MPP's, lets see how eBE will last. Also, your own failure to do self reflection is the problem with eBE. As they always retreat to the Myth of Belgium in which eBE does no wrong and it is the center of the world. Only Belgian views is valid and others are wrong. As to pretext, you are doing the same for your own personal choice of being Pro-ONE, France this NL that. What about eVen, and France? What about other pro-ONE policies.
@Konra😛 At least we don't pretend to do it alone ourselves... and to sustain occupation you're always on your own. The premise of believing we can live on our own in our own little corner being neutral is something I don't agree with. Has France and NL the right to feel hurt when we do something that potentially harms their other efforts ? Yes, they do. What I see is that our true allies stand by us even in adversity and the TEDEN ones turn their backs on us as soon as possible.