If The World Had A Front Porch

Day 695, 21:43 • Published in South Africa USA • by Lowell Kennedy

There is nothing that I can say. Or so it seems. Sometimes my mind begins to roam and I try to capture some semblance of purpose in my, and in our collective, actions in eRepublik. We can play this game at ten thousand feet as a war simulator or attempt to foster relationships as a social experiment. For example, do we take on active or passive roles? Do we shift between these roles because of in-game actions as well as real life reasons? Should we even bother trying to ponder what this means? Why do we care?

We can get of this game right now. There’s no reason to stick through the frustrations of losing, bugs, and anatomization. Let’s be frank, it isn’t worth much of the trouble. Yet, it’s rewarding just like a child or a local town’s victory in some competition. We’re running in quicksand much of the time, but that’s okay.

One thing that has always troubled me in real life has been the stubborn convictions of the outspoken. I’m not one much for clichés but you should walk a mile in someone else’s shoes to understand their perspective. There’s no specific reason for this reminder but it can’t be underserved. We can be cold-hearted in the face of disappointment or despair. Sometimes I wonder why people respond to such overt attempts to get a reaction. I guess I write wondering how a game can create an emotional reaction that pervades across countries, cultures, and languages. Perhaps it could be easy and we don’t care. Yet, there are countless examples of people striking nerves. I haven’t been p.o.’d but plenty of people have been. You could write a book on all the examples of how eRepublik has disrupted otherwise perfect days. First, and foremost, has been the emotional distress. Everyone needs take a step back. It might be me reading into something that isn’t really there; attempting to presume what the actions of mice and men mean.

Or it could simply be an intoxicating mix of existentialism and delirium. Nevertheless, enough time has passed and I must go.