A Challenge to e-American Culture
J.A. Lake
Hello, Comrades!
It's apparent a malaise has set upon e-America, while it's source is open to speculation its result can not be dispute
😛boredom, inactivity, and sameness.
A symptom of this is the pathetic debate over the New Citizen Message, and what it has revealed to us.
First and foremost, it reveals to us that Congress is full of tired trolls that can find enjoyment only in creating a crisis from nothing. This is itself symptomatic of the insular approach the eUS takes to domestic politics.
Secondly we find trouble in the complete lack of problem-solving skills present both in the Executive and Congress.
The solution is so simple as not putting the CP's name on the message. Then it never has to be changed, unless something comes up during the development of the game.
As soon as the issue was broached a series of new ideas was put forward by various Congressmen, and all such ideas were shot down in order to keep the NCM the same-- the very same NCM that parts of Congress wanted to change!
"What a tangled web we weave!"
So we have it that Congress has laid bare a major problem facing our country. The "follow-the-leader" mentality we have here is staggeringly powerful.
There are historical explanations for this, insofar as unity was necessary in the past to prevent political take-overs by everyone from Serbians to certifiably insane members of the eUS community.
This is an asset that served us well in the past, but over time this vigilance calcified into a system of sacrificing free thought and outside the box thinking in favor of always maintaining the status quo, no matter what. Even now, as threats are no where near as potent as before, the rigid system of obedience to "national security" above all is reflected in campaign slogans that read, "Save America, vote X!" or "Vote for Freedom, vote Y!", or even the always-popular "Country > Self."
"A lie told often enough becomes the truth."
I put forward, what cause is there to safeguard a country if you have to fight to have your voice heard? Why vote for "freedom" if that freedom is sacrificed immediately if national security is threatened?
Furthermore, I submit that the idea of "national security" is farcical in nature and leaves e-Americans highly vulnerable both to false flags and false appeals to nationalism. These vulnerabilities make the People far too easy to manipulate for any number of purposes- not the least of which is the preservation of the current oligarchy.
Truly, what cause do any of us have to protect a country that we only contribute money to? As it is being run, the "country" is a parasite that siphons off money and resists any change in the name of some vaguely-defined notion of security built for an age long passed.
Perhaps it should be Party > Self > Country. Parties could be the chief organizational tool within the e-USA, not merely a stopper that keeps the undesired out of national institutions like Congress. Indeed, the vagaries that infect the real concept of nationalism are only amplified here. Where in the real world, you are more or less territorially locked to one location without a long moving process; here, I can move from New Jersey to Berlin to Cairo to Paris to London to Bangkok to Moscow to Stockholm and back to New Jersey in under 10 minutes. There's no territorial bond here, except for those we force into existence. Nationalism is invalid! Country rightfully belongs on the bottom of any chain of importance.
Ideological stagnation and groupthink are the problems we must address, and the best way forward is the increasing the power of Parties to eclipse that of the aging institutions of the Executive and Congress. Allow Parties to grow their own ideologies and for legitimate political discourse to evolve between them as a result.
Given freedom, people will think of different approaches to different problems. Tired trolls and relics of the past will not have room in this new political landscape of the future, not unless we let them.
With that parting thought, I shall see you in the comments, comrades!
Comments
"The multis, the censorship and the name calling were done in the name of national security."
I used to believe this.
All Power to the Party of the Ramonistas!!
Brilliant article J.A Lake! I cannot wait for the future!
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
-Thomas Jefferson
I read an interesting article comparing Lenin and Jefferson, now that you mention it xD
As Josh said,
Brilliant article.
Some of the best writing to appear in our media in ages.
Thanks and please,
Keep writing.
Too many big words and complicated thoughts.
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Needs more ( . Y . )
LMAO; That's what I told him.
I just noticed that those were breasts. LOL
I didn't tell him to use those.
Moar boobs, less talky talky
Man boobs? Dont care saw boobs.
🙂
And how does one increase the power of parties to eclipse the executive and Congress?
Well l.. think it as this way, what party holds majority of Congress? Congress is controlled by a percentage of a party thus, one party has first and sometimes the last word in thing congress.
You are wrong in this matter.
I started to write a response, but I'm not sure 2000 characters will do it. This will have to be the subject of a future article, I think.
I see your thinking, but I'm not sure I completely agree with it.
There are some people you don't want in government, both the American Bourgeois Class and the everyman will agree that electing Ajay and/or the a sleeper cell of Serbians is a bad idea.
As it is being run, the country IS a parasite that siphons off money, but the idea of "party>self>country" isn't the solution to the problem, it IS the problem. The NCM is a perfect example of that and there are plenty of examples of that mentality in the Congress forums.
Game mechanics also dictate that change be instituted from the inside, not from the outside. In order to change things, you have to be elected. Unfortunately, the game mechanics of the political module (specifically the Congress election mechanics) are part of what is ruining the game.
In order to make change, you have to be the change - with the backing of a major Top Five party. Thank Plato for that. He has managed to create an political atmosphere that allows a small group of people to hold the majority of the power in the government.
Agree with Jude's overall scope. The party>self>country thing is mixed up. It should be something more like community>individual>government>party, In RL I would add 'local govt' in front of 'government'. The community is where all growth comes from. eRep is simplistic in this regard but that still holds true. The individual has to succumb to the greater good but is still more important than any ideology or governing power. If the govt doesn't fulfil the needs of the people the people will eventually overthrow the govt or at least be at odds, constantly working against in the background. Finally, the parties are there to service the mechanism of the govt.
"Country" is not government. A country is a homogeneous group that is bound together by region and culture. That can be seen by the fluctuating borders in Europe. Sometimes forced by political reasons (more currently), sometimes by cultural (in history).
Whether the country has proper morals and maintains certain ethics determine the success of the government in serving the people. If the motive is greed then the order of priority is rearranged and the equation is in error. If the motive is the greater good then everything will work to that outcome.
"'Country' is not government. A country is a homogeneous group that is bound together by region and culture."
This is why I don't think "country" has any place on that scale at all, though. Geography and culture don't matter at all here- top people in the "e-American" government are British, Turkish, etc.
The way I see it is that the e-USA has electronically lived up to its old nickname, the "Great Melting Pot", thereby eliminating any bonds to real American culture, where a vocal portion of the population is xenophobic. In addition, the attempts to create a culture here mirror too perfectly real American culture. A disconnect exists there, where culture is caught in a twilight zone between being forced into existence as it is in reality and totally ignoring reality.
Without culture and without any real geographical bond, nationalism is moot. Ideology is something that exists without geographical or cultural boundaries- you will find fascists in every country, communists in every country, etc.
Thus, the recommendation is to combine "community" and "party" as you have them on your scale. Let ideology rule, because it's the only thing that logically can.
To shorten your reply, you wish to form a fascist state where there is no community or individual, the party, the state are everything and that ideology is supreme.
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Not exactly. I'm advocating putting more stock into Party communities. To say the plan is to destroy the community is misleading. I want Parties to "think outside the box" and evolve their own approaches to the issues the people face, be it something big like foreign policy or something relatively small like the NCM.
In short, we have to beat this culture of being yes-men in the name of "national security", because those buzzwords and the mentality that is bred along with it is what makes our political module such crap.
Agree with parts and disagree with others but brilliant writing either way. Please keep it up. And sure, a couple boobs wouldn't hurt either...
I want my 30 seconds back.
Lemme ask your mom first
You are a fast learner padawan xdxd
The USWP scapegoat.
Don't you get tired of roleplaying a butthole?
yav he he
New citizen message in which call you to join just five major parties is discriminatory.
eUSA would do great if this would be the only discriminating thing in our community 😉
Well at least the Serbs agree with you.
And he endorsed Tyler Bubblar as a presidential candidate.
The conspiracy goes all the way to the top!
I've been DHS 6 times. We were adversaries for a long time, but that doesn't mean I demeaned or disrespected them. It's possible to earn the respect of opponents. If there's something you'd like to say just come right out and say it.
SColbert; You are alright, in my book.
I know that people end up being categorized with those that they supported. That's why it looks like one big conspiracy. It isn't.
@ TB; I already said it.
It wasn't an attack. I'm only pointing out the fact that he has agreed with both of us, at times.
Looking forward to additional articles in the future; three comments for the opus above:
1. Group-Think is prevalent due to the role of 'Meta-Politics'; until RL Americans sign-up en-masse (QR code theory) the doctrines will remain paramount as "veteran eReppers" continue to fling food at one another within their lunchroom-style squabbles.
2. Retention Rate of new players is roughly 1% after 10 months; unless this changes the gold buyers will continue to feed the masses their fruitloops and koolaid.
3. Until admin and their respective staff take multi-accounting issues seriously eRep will remain primarily a 'closed' email system where various groups attempt to operate with impunity.
excellent.. the writing itself, and the message.
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Nailed it.
Great read! I don't agree with everything you say, but the mechanics *do* exist that would allow a strong party to dominate the political landscape, they wouldn't have everything there own way ofc, especially against a colition of other parties, but not far off if large enough and with enough seats in congress. Ofc whether this would be a good thing or not depends on the party in question.
If your serious about this, you should attempt growing your party by inducting people from offsite who share this ideological outlook. In the past people from other e-nations have targeted particular websites and people of certain political persuasions and managed this. Good luck! o7
I really enjoyed reading this article. I don't give a fuck about the game anymore, but I'm pretty sure too much metaplay will make all congresses irrelevant. Regarding the new citizen message, anyone who believes it is of any signifigance has lost touch with the reality of the game. Shitty discussions like that will alienate even more twoclickers from the so-called politics in this game.