[GBM] What it means to be a _______

Day 2,554, 14:38 Published in USA USA by Paul Proteus
I regret to inform you this is not a satire. I apologize profusely to my family and subscriber.


As always, Mood Musik


What it means to be a(n) ____________

I suppose this is my attempt at propaganda.

There are few purposes left for the media module in eRepublik, aside from the vote inflated campaign media that floods the top 5 at the beginning of each month, and generic party propaganda.


Me when I look at the media module

Party propaganda, to me, however, no matter how shallow, has always represented an interesting look into how a party views itself and presents itself to others. In other words, recruitment pieces can be more telling than they let on.

A recent example would be Gnilraps' piece, Llamas: the USWP Story. There's nothing wrong with Gnilraps' article; Gnilraps is one of the game's truly great writers, it's funny, convincing and excellent propaganda. That's essentially the problem though.

I can safely say, with little to no dissent, that Political Parties in the eUS today are by and large, glorified cliques, and perhaps they always have been. Still, without the illusion of platforms, what does it truly mean to belong to a party?


Unfortunately, wrong kind of party

According to Gnilraps, being part of the USWP means being the best. And he's not wrong. By the numbers, the USWP has the most talent, and probably always will. Gnil's article's main content is a list of some of the players who I both love and respect most in this game. In terms of bragging and showcasing the USWP, the article is a stunning success; in terms of recruitment, however, for me, it falls flat.

The primary effect of that article was to remind me what I've always known to be true: the USWP is by far my least favorite party.

But Paul, didn't you just say the USWP was the best?

Yes, yes I did. My issue with the USWP is precisely that they are the best. The USWP, in addition to a core group of the most competent players this game has ever seen, functions as a retirement home for the best and brightest, tired of dealing with the frustrating lesser parties. Having succeeded in national government, above the pettiness of party politics, that poisonous term, they depart, suitcase and Hawaiian shirt in tow, to a safe congress seat and position of power with their friends in the USWP.


Off to greener, manlier pastures

So props to Israel Stevens (rightful AMP dictator for life), Evry, Frost, Molly and and the handful of veterans who reside across the Feds, AMP and WTP, because, regardless of motives, you are the minority.

USWP culture, then, is the virtue of knowing that you're the best. I'm sure it's nice.

So, Paul, you've made a fantastic case for anyone who actually reads this paper to join the USWP, why are you even writing this dribble?

Well, we've covered what it means to be in the USWP, so next...

What does it mean to be a Fed?


SURPRISE REACTION SHOT

Shockingly, this article is going to delve into my own party, the Feds. I've been in the party a while, and have always been amused by the various descriptions we've applied to ourselves. When I joined, I believe our nom de guerre was integrity. Feds were nothing if not jam packed with loads of integrity. It was fairly self-righteous, but we were an outsider party; I joined at a low point when the Feds were hovering on the fringes of the top 5.

As pleased as I was to see the Feds become the number one party and sustain it, I was always a little disappointed we stopped going back to that. (The party does still seems fond of Proud/Horny, though its origins and wording have become somewhat obscured by time, leaving it as a peculiar party calling card.) The current stream of "What it means to be a Federalist" centers on community and opportunity, though our community cannot possibly rival, the dual pros and cons, of the insularity that used to define the party. The opportunity aspect, whether by necessity, design, or both, however, is deeper than superficial, often to the chagrin of a party as experienced and professional as the USWP.

Still, despite pressure, and several promises to do so, I've never written a piece on what it means to be a Federalist. I've always worried I would either fall into cliches, as seems to be the norm, or come across as critical and undermine the entire purpose of my article.

I think now I can write as to what it means to be a Federalist, or in broader terms, what it means to belong to any party in the eUS.

Being a Federalist means being insane, and believing that the Federalist Party, no matter its faults, has a special role to play in the eUS that nobody else can fulfill,

Being a Federalist means not defining parties by how "Idiot free" they are (though we appreciate the "Mostly" prognosis, it's generous from any perspective), but by their potential to allow newer players to contribute to a dying game,

Being a Federalist means letting players try and fail, and guiding them, rather than the notably easier position of, having left, casting blame,

Being a Federalist means never giving up on a party that has outlived almost all of its members, except Eliwood, who might be a tree.


Eliwood at his high school prom

As I mentioned earlier though, and this is why I'm crap at propaganda, it isn't about being a Federalist. This is what it is to be in the AMP, the WTP, any one of us parties burdened by our lack of perfection.

So what's the moral of this story? Not much, except that eRep is what we make of it, and as the game dies your party needs you more than ever. Work to improve your party, and more than anything, when the warning signs appear, don't bail, but double down. Your party needs you, and your country, believe it or not, needs your party.

That's my two cents anyway, it's been a while since I've written something serious, so I hope this wasn't too dull. My next article will probably feature more sea lion libel.

Oh and I fully expect and look forward to a rebuttal tearing down everything I've said.


Here's your moment of zen



Okay this is pretty bad


Until next time,

Paul Proteus