Together We Exist and Forever Will Recreate
Day 1,897, 13:11
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Published in USA 
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by
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by Azazel Romanov
I had asked in my previous article for a compelling reason to forsake Circle of Trust and return to older allies. Being reasonable, I keep an open mind about these topics and my opinion shifts with argumentation, convincing information, and facts. I must sadly report that my mind remains where it was before, but that I did hear certain arguments that ring true and hold some merit. I'm not one to troll, put down, or attack people outright without a backed claim. Certain events and some points of view have compelled me to address what I see as the key argument. I thank those who left constructive comments. This won't be so much of a "Pro-CoT" article, and it will be more of an analysis of arguments to the best of my abilities. Many who wish to see us return to EDEN or a neutral status have put forward a concept that knows no strategy, no calculation, and no negotiation, I hope: supporting your friends. I had honestly expected the bulk of American arguments to be "CoT is TWO", or "I'll never fight for Macedonia / Bulgaria / Chile / Mexico / Indonesia / Insert disagreeable country here", and there certainly were elements of that. The arguments that I read and contemplated the most were the ones related to friendship. Here are the three that hung most heavily on me:
"I respect your stance even if I disagree with it fully. It's far easier to say ignore the past when you do not have friendships which have lasted through years threatened by this move. The game is supposed to be fun, for many, those friendships are what keep it enjoyable. I've already left the eUS over its willingness to betray my friends. The behavior of the eUS govt is sickening. They have used the PTO threat to consolidate power, and then use democracy as justification for their actions." - Maxx Johnson, former SecDef and ST6 CO
"More to it, call me stuck in the past, but I'd rather fight with my old buddies than my sworn ennemies. I'm crazy like that! And that doesn't mean I'd like us to join EDEN, but only to fight on this block for these old buddies." - Chucky Norris, AMP Congressman
"This article is another piece of proof that the eUS is still struggling with growing external interference on internal matters. You may not care about what EDEN was (I doubt if you actually did) but have in mind that history and bloodshed brotherhood is stronger than any "cold-blood" analysis. - Perdikos, 2nd Commander of Macedonian Phalanx
I apologize to those above if they didn't want to be highlighted, but I only took public comments that anyone can go see on my previous article. I also apologize by underrepresenting Greece in my highlighted section, though I do appreciate your enthusiasm about not voting for my article. Two comments are from respected US citizens who have been been involved in eUS affairs and military matters for quite some time, and the other is from a Greek commander who has spent a bit of time in the game. I just wanted to give you three credit for giving the most convincing arguments against joining Circle of Trust. It is certainly true that in our diplomatic shift we were leaving behind relationships that lasted for years, and more on the point, joining an alliance where many were former combatants or entirely new faces. And certainly, many of those abroad and some in the country see our shift as a betrayal of friendship and breaking an unspoken trust among comrades. If there was any country I would want to become closer with again, it would be Greece, and I can't lie about that (in fact, one of my favorite moments in eRep was when the Greek MoFA thanked us for a WHPR we wrote).
Even old friends compete
But I have to pause for a moment to look at this outwardly. While it is certainly true that friendships are built within alliances and joint adventurism, why do we have to limit our friendships by who we push the button for? Are these friendships really so thin that they end at the click of "FIGHT"? I've long been an advocate of treating a game like a game, and just like any game, sometimes you play against your friends. I understand that this game has more social ties and real life connections than your average Monopoly or Chess, but in the end it is still a browser game that we pass time with or invest a bit of ourselves into. Case in point, when I was Ambassador to Indonesia, I had to do some minor communications with their MoFA, who to this day I still think is one of the nicest and polite people I've met in the game. Please note this was immediately after we had attacked Indonesia, and before we were in Circle of Trust with them. With another friend I have had consistent back-and-forth debates about the future of the eUS's foreign policy, and despite us never seeing the same side, we remain friends. I know this game sometimes gets heated and that it is human nature to take things personally at times, isn't friendship sometimes strengthened by competition?
I've seen acts in this game that transcend alliance and country differences. When times get hard in real life, I have seen players reach out to "enemies" and "traitors". People have proven that being in EDEN, TWO, CoT, or unaligned does not prevent us from being human beings. I apologize if this seems too heartfelt or misguided, but this game has as much potential to bring out the best in us as it does to bring out the worst. We may not hold the same view, but I think that ties go beyond the actions of a government or a trend in foreign affairs. I may not be able to convince you that friends can be on opposite sides, or that friends can disagree and still communicate, but both are true to me. As always, keep updating me with your opinions and comments. Although I may disagree with what you say or hate it all-together, communication is still important to me no matter where your thoughts may lie.
I still think joining Circle of Trust can expand our game and allow us to test the waters of trying something different. Friends may not agree on our course of action, and old alliances may become new enemies, but one thing that should remain constant is our respect towards one another as players. Thanks for giving time to read.
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Generally speaking, I sense a confusion of the various types of friendships being referred to in the article. But even the various types and various degrees of friendship aren't clear cut, and cultural filters make things even more more blurry for all of us.
Now this is something I've been waiting to read since I became ambassador two months ago. A genuine, respectful article that covers all the angles. At the end of the day it's not important if eUSA and eMacedonia are in the same alliance or fight on the same side. What matters is that there is mutual respect out of which friendships can be made. That said I have a feeling my mission as eMacedonian ambassador to the eUSA is finally accomplished and I can continue working elsewhere. Thanks for that.
I cannot believe the eUSA have torn up their game-long friendship with eAustralia.
We were bros (like in RL) from the start.
Now you're going to help Indonesia and Chile invade us... a country of just under 200 active players.
What happened guys, you use to be cool!
hmm I guess MR Crumpets you do not get out much we are actually fighting FOR eAustralia today. I must have missed something???
If a friendship is only based on here your damage is deposited, then that is not a friendship in my book.
This is what a game like this is for, competition, not hatred, enemies and brothers. It is about meeting people and competing with and against other people.
There are no enemies here, there are no brothers, we're all players and we all have something in common, we play this beep game for the other people we meet here.
Dividing them on the bases of where they deposit their damage is not only absurd but deranged.
This is the part of the game I hate, when people try to use personal friendships for virtual political gains, it's sickening. Fight, win, loose, shake hands and do it again, this is what the game is. Compete trol banter, don't hate and don't label. Open your mind and stop being a virtual political tool, this is my answer to the "we fight for friends and against traditional enemies".
Friends are friends no matter where you send your damage and there is no such things as enemies in a virtual game between anonymous people, most of whom have never met.
I am not confused at all by this articles reference to friendships in this game. While we may never be 'friends' as with RL companions that we have known for years there are people that we develop friendly relations with that we may never meet. Such friends are business contacts that are daily talked to by phone and e-mail, random posters to various forums that we make a connection with, co-players in on-line games (like eRep) and the list continues. Just because we do not meet these face to face does not mean the human interaction is not there.
As far cultural differences I view that as unimportant. I almost hate to admit it, but eRep has blessed me with many insights into other cultures, religions and world views. Closed minded people are the ones that start shit. This is true in RL as well as RP evidently. This does not mean that I necessarily agree with others or change my opinions on a whim, it just means that I am open to discussion and respectful of others. Case in point would be that some of the most interesting and educational conversations I've had here have been with Turks, Serbs (as far as culture) Muslims and Atheists (as far as religion). Reading about culture and religion is nothing like talking to people who are living it.
That said, I find it amusing that so many are opposed to playing a game. To be clear, I will never support the US aligning with Serbia/Hungary. Not because I "hate" them, I do not, but because they are "the mortal enemy of the US". It is called roll play. I don't like Spain, Argentina, Poland, etc. but am willing to negotiate alliances with them. I like little countries like Belgium and Switzerland because I like the way they play and friends I've made there. I do not dislike countries like Croatia and I respect them very much but the friends they hang around with now and the way they play as a group is not interesting to me now.
Anyhow, this is a game and a game of friends. Play the game without friends and you are nuts.
Excellent Article; thank you for sharing this balanced perspective regarding these tumultuous events.
@Dill;
I completely respect the concept of role play however if Serbia / Hungary are traditional enemies then one cannot object to traditional friends being counted on through thick or thin having a role within the role play.
Friends come in all varieties as we all know; but for those whom believe in Unity usually object when politicians sneak around carrying daggers in their cloaks stabbing old friends on a political whim.
"The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves. " ~Leon Trotsky
This is an excellent article and it immediately made me think of Albania. Since we joined CoT as trial members, they seem to 'get' what this article is talking about. Our position in the game seems to have little to no bearing on our affections for each other. We see each other across the battlefield, we do our damage and there are no hard feelings.
While I don't think the eUS would ever be in a direct war with Albania, nor would we participate in them being wiped, they play this as a game...significantly better than we do. Which is amazing considering the RL recent history of those balkan nations. I'm sure individuals may feel differently about this, but the relations between our two governments have been nothing but pleasant.
The kind of gameplay you're talking about demands maturity and objectivity. I wish there were more of it, but it's never too late.
"If there was any country I would want to become closer with again, it would be Greece, and I can't lie about that (in fact, one of my favorite moments in eRep was when the Greek MoFA thanked us for a WHPR we wrote) "
Aye. Quite honestly, Greece+Bosnia+Albania are my favorite EDENites. Though times are changing, I'm hoping coming days will show that closeness with these countries is possible.
(Well, Greece is the only one that will be hard. We'll never leave ALB, and frankly, most of America doesn't know just how helpful BiH is. I'm hoping we can change that)
Also, I did never get my raise for that substory I wrote Naz ^_~
But yeah, that was awesome. Just wish it wasn't written at 11pm at night and it sounded a bit better.