[CP Entry] eRepublik Politics--The Jocks versus the Heads All Over Again

Day 506, 21:04 • Published in Canada Canada • by Zanalan

As I get older I seem to spend more time reflecting on the “old days”. I fondly remember my high school dances. I remember the gym filled with bodies bouncing and bopping to a range of local bands. In general, a good time was had by all.

One thing that stands out in that memory is the clusters of cliques in the gym. The Preppies stayed separate from the Heads. The Jocks didn’t even look at the Geeks—they did not have any power in 1981. Every now and then you would get the Ferris Bueller that got along with everyone. Bueller may have gotten along with everyone, but he was unelectable. At election time, all of the cliques would diverge and close ranks—voting only for their member. Our politics in eRepublik is similar.

One only needs to look at our March election to see this clique mentality in action. All of our candidates had a similar platform. They all saw similar steps to helping Canada improve her international image. They all had some similar Cabinet members selected. In the end, the clique with the best image won the election. The Jocks and the Cheerleaders elected their candidate (you decide which is which).

Our Congress is not significantly different. All of the cliques exist in this body as well. And again, the Jocks have the power and popularity to force through their plans. Even if the plan is ill conceived the Geeks and the Heads need to show some degree of support or face being delegated to AV Club status. Anyone who has had that moniker knows that it is a label that is difficult to shed. As a result our Congress will not make the hard call if it goes against the popular position.

I am never happy to see this kind of clique mentality. Perhaps it is because I remember what it was like to be a part of one of the smaller cliques. I was fortunate to avoid the AV Club. Hell, I even occasionally mocked them, but now I wish I hadn’t. I wish that I had given them a chance to make their views heard. I wish that I had had the strength of character to fight for their views when they were right. In eRepublik, I wish we could all move past the cult of popularity and make the choices that are best for everyone. I wish I had realized then as I do now that the Jocks were not always the best decision makers.

Still, I have to admit that they threw as kickin’ after-grad party!