Roar of the Lion

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Makeover!

Hiyo. Guess what? I'm changing the name of this paper from Spectacular Times to The Lion's Roar. (Actually, since "The Lion's Roar" was already taken, it is officially named Roar of the Lion. But let's not quibble over phraseology.)


The intention is to move away from making so many obscure wisecracks and focus a bit more on plain old straightforward pontificating, maybe a little fictionalizing, perhaps engage in a philosophical adventure or two, and who knows, maybe even publish something useful from time to time.

This decision was triggered by a chance encounter I had with the electronic ghost -- oddly enough dressed as a boy -- of Katherine Hepburn...

...who told me:
"It would be a terrific innovation if you could get your mind to stretch a little further than the next wisecrack."

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No worries. This paper will still endeavor to use more polysyllabic words than any other English-language eRep newspaper. And it will still contend for win, place or show in the "tl;dr" category.

And no doubt some of my scribblings will remain obscure.

But hopefully it will be a bit less smart-ass, while retaining a sense of humor. I hope it will continue to be of interest to long-time readers of Spectacular Times and, of course, I hope it will gain some new readers as well.

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Today's topic is...

The Five Tribes of eRepublik

The early American colonists used the phrase "the Five Tribes" to describe several native nations whom they considered to be "civilized" -- before declaring war on them and attempting to wipe them out. These were the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole Nations.

That's not what this talk is about. But I thought I should make a note of it.



Sparkly image intended to maintain your interest.


Introduction

In eRepublik, a good bit of our attention is on nationality. That's natural. That's how the game is engineered. But I want to ponder briefly how eRepublik players can be understood as belonging to one of five great tribes of players.

This perspective crosses over both nationality and seniority. It applies as well to new players as to veterans. Tribal membership has no particular connection to nationality or gender either, neither in the eWorld nor in the rWorld.

Although it is certainly possible and normal for a player to embody the characteristics of more than one tribe, it seems to me that players typically fall mainly into one of these five groups.

What do you think? What tribe or tribes do you feel most a part of?



There's nothing extraordinary about any one of the five tribes of eRepublik. They're all equally civilized. Each is just as likely to suffer the pains and to embrace the joys of eRepublik as any other.

Members of each tribe are characterized by certain attitudes and choices.

These traits can lead a player onto the path of becoming a great spririt-warrior. Or they can turn him or her into a purveyor of monkey-shines, you know, just another animal in the zoo. It's not the characteristics of each tribe that matter. It is what members of the tribe choose to do with those traits.

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Sharpies



The first tribe is the Sharpies. These are intellectuals, if you like, players who tend to logically evaluate arguments and have a sense of openness, a wide perspective on the game. This intelligence is not necessarily encyclopedic; it is a sharpness, a directness, an awareness of how things stand from various perspectives.

The neurotic expression of being a Sharpie is anger and intellectual fixation. The sharpness can turn into rigidity.



Plentifuls



The next tribe is the Plentifuls. Members of this tribe have a strong sense of self-growth and of enriching their environment. They love expansion, enrichment, and, well, plentifulness. With a wise approach to this sense of enrichment, a Plentiful exudes calm and fun, with a sense of even-handedness. They are like visting someone's home who has a warm fire going in a cozy, restful room and plenty of refreshments on hand for his or her guests.

The neurotic take on Plentifuls expresses itself in ostentatiousness, showing off one's riches beyond the limits of sanity.



Sparkies



Next up is the Sparkies. Sparkies bring a sense of pleasure, of promise, to the game. They tend to have magnetic and passionate personalities. At their best, they are sexy, kind, magnificent and fantastically gentle and compassionate. They excel at being precisely aware of the particular qualities and characteristics of other players or of particular situations. Being with a Sparkie is like enjoying an excellent cup of tea or a perfect loaf of fresh bread.

When a Sparkie goes nuts, they are like a preening peacock, or to put it less politely, like a hustler or an advertiser.



Zephyrs



A "Zephyr" is pleasant wind, typically a western wind. Members of the Zephyr tribe are doers, people of action. Their energetic activty touches everything in its path. They know how to get things done and provide other players with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. They see the possibilities inherent in a given situation and automatically take the appropriate course.

A neurotic Zephyr wants to create a uniform world and is resentful of anyone who does not see the eWorld exactly the same way that they do. Rather than seeing someone else as perhaps inefficient or less knowledgeable, the nutso Zephyr condemns others as broken or terrible.



Travellers



Last but not least is the tribe of Travellers. Travellers have a sedate and solid quality, with a strong contemplative streak. Being with a wise Traveller gives other players a sense of spacious openness that makes you feel like anything is possible. They are the astronauts or cosmonauts of eRepublik, with an enormously open and all-encompassing view of things. They are often quiet players, but they are rock-steady.

A neurotic Traveller can't be bothered with anything; he is spaced-out rather than spacious. They will always choose the easiest task and sometimes won't communicate with others at all.

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Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed the first edition of The Lion's Roar,
xoxoxoxox, PQ