I Quit!
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by Quin2k
No, no, not the game - I quit the Philippine Press Club. Though the model is a good one for increasing subscribers and the leadership has good intentions, I refuse to consider an article based on one biased source as "News." It can also be read in Canada, Israel, and South Africa.
I've been relatively quiet the past week, particularly after joining the Philippine Press Club because the program calls for redistributing articles in other countries - and so I was debating whether or not to rename my newspaper.
SoulSalvage - An Impartial Perspective
First it should be noted that, so far as I can tell, HE DID NOT GAIN FINANCIALLY IN ANY WAY FROM THE INCIDENT.
I first met SoulSalvage shortly after his and Keegan Knoll's arrival to the country. They frequent the #Philippines IRC channel a great deal more then a majority of our long-term residents and it was a refreshing change to see an active conversation. I later applied for and received a post as Deputy Director of DoHA under SoulSalvage.
Since he wasn't at liberty to share the organization passwords, he assigned me to gather tax/export/exchange rate data for the oil industry. I became slightly less proactive, and didn't realize there was a problem until I published my congressional candidacy and was given a heads-up by roymustang as he commented on my platform. By this time, Keegan Knoll had already returned the other two companies and the remaining one was already named "😉
oHA Weapons" again, despite still being owned by Israel State Lottery.
The next day, I managed to catch SoulSalvage on IRC and chatted with him. I wasn't accusing so much as curious as to his motives (since at the time I did not have access to the "Sensitive Discussions" forum kept exclusively for Congress members). He described his 'demands' to me (1,000 units of inventory, or contract requirements for DoHA/government org access) and since I had nothing better to do, I asked him business advice. I hadn't had much opportunity to be trained as Deputy Director yet, and he was reportedly hired for his strong resume - so I figured why not.
During this line of questioning, he revealed that he really didn't have an agenda when he took the companies. I don't know if you, the reader, has ever done anything that you later had to rationalize (I personally had this experience a few years after joining the U.S. Military) - but that was basically his situation. He then decided to release the company in my care - I temporarily changed PESO Jobs' password so that he could arrange the sale for 1 gold (which he returned) and wished me well.
I have not had the chance to speak with him since, but I hope he is doing well. He is not a malicious person and his actions, though not pleasant, quite possibly had a positive effect on our country. I refuse to see him as a villain.
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both sides are biased =-p
depends on your perception and point of view of the situation
It's like the obi-wan star wars quote "from a certain perspective".
I am so sorry, Quin2k, but at the time I first contacted him on the irc I warned him that the case would be investigated as any other thievery, yet he still refused to return the company. The conversation was held in good atmosphere we both parties understood each other. He accepted the consequences of his crime and he said he was ok with it. Although I can't fully understand why he kept refusing to return the final company by then, what was the real reason behind that as the whole thought was biased, I understand that people can have these moments.
I'll admit I don't know much of the story beyond the thread in the Congress Forums and my own conversation with him. I'm not saying he is a hero, but he also does not deserve to be demonized in four different countries when no long-term harm has come from this.
Quin2k
I am sorry to say this, but you are only 14 levels young and you have not been banned before to my knowledge. I, on the other hand have been playing eRep since around day 500 but have been banned twice(once falsely). But thats besides the point, if you say its biased you better have factual evidence to back it up
Thank you, Quin2k. This is indeed a highly biased article that they have released. Although I frown upon SoulSalvage's actions, he did not gain in any way, and he had no motive to harm the Philippines at any point. He should in no way be painted as a villain, and I frown upon the smear campaign that is being run, even though Soul no longer has anything to do with the country.
You are right. I have only been playing this game since Day 713. Would playing a web-based game for over 200 days somehow make me more qualified to identify bias?
Any article with *one* source besides the author and written with an agenda (discredit SoulSalvage) would be baised. If you don't believe me, read for yourself:
"perceived attribute of a news source whereby the individual news source, or the group the news source represents, has a clear vested interest in a cause or action relative to maintaining or changing the status quo… (and) a biased journalistic perspective, then, would mean only one side, not two or more sides, of an issue is presented." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_bias">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_bias
I beg to disagree - of course there was harm done.
That reserve was built up to its present level for over 3 months while providing the military its training weapons at the same time. That meant countless hours of management on my part and the sacrifices of a lot of workers who took a hit in their salaries just to ensure that the gov't has some decent weapons stockpile.
Then Soulsalvage, barely a week into the job, appropriates the companies for himself just for the lulz? Or to prove a point? Couldn't he just suggested a way to remedy the breach of security he saw?
I see a serious disrespect on his part on this incident - to those who've labored on those companies, and to Slothen, who had faith and trust in him.
I agree with Nikko.
I agree with Nikko.
I agree with Nikko
I agree with Nikko
Ok, just to add up to Nikko's comment.
I know "HE DID NOT GAIN FINANCIALLY IN ANY WAY FROM THE INCIDENT" but he could have gain financially, if somebody could have bought the other two companies that he stole.
For your information, the other two companies that he stole from Nadir Moon, a government asset, WAS OFFERED FOR SALE.
If he only intends to give us some lessons, why offer the companies for sale?
If we hadn't traced these two companies, it would have been gone and sold.
Btw, please do not say that the article published is biased, when in fact, you admit that you really don't know the whole story behind it.
im sorry to go against you Quin2k but there are a lot of things not explained and not posted in the forums.
just as Nikko have said, SoulSalvage has overturned the very balance of ePhilippines. the nation's security was even breached. what if eindo caught wind of this intel? they would attack us for we have no weapon supply
the economy is bad in the ePhil, and then he suddenly makes it worse. he allowed a lot of players to be jobless, to have financial problems
and after what he has done, we could not just let him go without giving him justice
it is the Filipino's way of justice; you do something bad to us, we do something worse to you
have you ever heard the phrase "ubusan ng lahi"? that is an example of the brand of justice we have in our culture
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/well-guys--1063776/1/20" target="_blank">http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/well[..]1/20
*cough cough*
You all make some wonderful points. The original point of my article was not to defend SoulSalvage - that's his problem, but to express my distaste for the poor reporting efforts by Ariel David Buena, and encourage him and the PPC to not just "promote journalism in the Philippines" but promote QUALITY, unbiased, and ethical journalism.
I admit, SoulSalvage did harm, but he did not in turn gain from it (whether he tried to or not), and if you were honest with yourselves, you would acknowledge that it could have been a HELL of a lot worse if it were anyone marginally less scrupulous.
>poor reporting efforts by Ariel David Buena
>Quin2k's 18 subscribers
I fail to see what you are trying to say.
"I admit, SoulSalvage did harm, but he did not in turn gain from it (whether he tried to or not), and if you were honest with yourselves, you would acknowledge that it could have been a HELL of a lot worse if it were anyone marginally less scrupulous."
If you entrusted your child to a babysitter (who had good references, even though you don't know them personally), only to find that they're both gone when you return, how would you react?
What if the babysitter says, "I took your child home with me to teach you a lesson about trusting strangers. Don't worry, your baby is safe," how would you react?
Would you be grateful for the lesson, and say, "Gee, thanks for showing me that I shouldn't trust anyone unless I draw up a contract with them"?
And how many babysitters would be willing to work with you if you require that they sign a contract?
It's like saying "Hey, we bombed [Country Name]'s embassy here, but we didn't kill anyone because I told your officials that I wouldn't hurt anybody.I just wanted to teach you people a lesson or two about security"
Point is: damage was done. If the perpetrator was hurt about a certain article, well, he should be. Who is he anyway to teach a whole eNation? He could have pointed out the flaw through other means (i.e. IRC), I suppose that would've been HELPFUL.
I'm laughing right now because he just quit a FREE TO JOIN group.
*snickers.
😮 kinda agree with Paksenarrion here. Yes, even if he did not gain financially but prove that there are entities on ePhilippines that are morally unsound, he did it in the worst way possible... Probably thinking it was funny at the time, and it's just a game blah blah blah... But he did not take in the fact that eFilipinos have a history of bearing a grudge long, which can become one motivation for a united front. Hence the heavy flame articles from our side..
"Hence the heavy flame articles from our side.."
This is the only thing I find wrong in this. If they had been simple messages to the countries, fine. But they went OUT OF THEIR WAY to do harm. It was unnecessary and immature, and I condemn it.
@ Keegan I thought you know that this will happen?
Quote from Keegan knoll:
"You can't do a thing. There was no contract, nothing in game can be done. He'll return it in due time. That's all you can hope for right now.
I'm sorry, but the same thing has happened in Israel, as well as Australia, and other countries as well. They couldn't do anything in those situations either."
quote from Revilo X:
"I know, but atleast we can warn every nation that SoulSalvage is doing this kind of activity.
So that they will know it and be very cautious to SoulSalvage."
quote from Keegan Knoll:
"You could, yes. But the fact is that SoulSalvage has already explained how and when he would release the weapons. It's unnecessary. Even that aside, SoulSalvage is not much for politics at the moment, instead having taken a liking for the army. You can't damage a political career that he is not pursuing.
Not to mention that the primary countries which he cares about already are aware."
I did know this would happen, Revilo. I objected to it then as well.
He did harm, but he didn't gain from it...hmm, then what was the point of doing it in the first place, then?
Maybe I should start taking my RL friends' things in order to show them how lax their security is, too...
@Keegan,
you cant change Filipino culture and nature. he took the risk.
why couldn't Soul just pm Slothen to add contracts so that there will be security? why did he have to make an example?
It's not just Filipino culture. *Anyone* would take offense if something they worked hard for was taken away for lulz.
The fact that he wasn't banned for this means he got away with it. And ultimately, writing "flame" articles doesn't affect someone unrepentant of their crime.
He "got away with it" because he did not gain the passwords illegally (i.e. hacking). They were given to him. He freely gave back the last company and, reportedly, gave Keegan permission to return the first two.
If you want to discuss SoulSalvage's motives, http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/well-guys--1063776/1/20">go to his article. If you want to discuss the ethical implications of the PPC's actions, http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/quin2k-s-resignation-and-ariel-s-poor-reporting--1064296/1/20">read Ariel's public statement. Otherwise, give it a rest! 😛