[Lake4SFP] The Tough Gets Going
J.A. Lake
In the struggle to recast the Socialist Freedom Party as modern, efficient, and politically powerful, we have to come to the field with the strongest team we can. As outlined in my previous article, my program is one of radical reform in the party that will grant party officials greater power. It will ideally create a central committee that will make information easily accessible and allow for greater efficiency in running the party.
To that end, I've worked to assemble what I hope to be a strong team. Without further ado, here they are!
While I know the majority of SFP members have the best interests of the Party at heart, I'm certain that Salty does. Choosing a Deputy Chairman was difficult, but at the same time easy. I have full faith that in any incidence of my absence Salty can step in and handle the administration of the Party adroitly.
This is a position I found of paramount importance, as if the Party is to be organized it will come through this department. I've worked with Ilene Dover in the past and respect her abilities as a member of an executive team and as a contributor to discussion.
Maxwell Hanz is our outgoing Chairman, and someone with whom I haven't had many chances to work. I take his election to the SFP Chairmanship to be a vote of confidence, and his openly disagreeing with me is another thing I not only respect but desire in a teammate. I trust that he will be an excellent editor of the SFPOM in the month to come.
Regarding my program, there have been questions raised about the fate of the Revolutionary Committee. I'll say it clearly: I do not want to abolish the Revolutionary Committee. It's an immensely valuable tool for player involvement in the SFP. That said, my goal is to create a coequal administrative body where the SFP can be organized.
Ours is a party culture based on the idea that organization arises where it's needed, and that excessive bureaucracy is undesirable. I agree with that in spirit, however I think that at this stage of the game we could use an administrative organ that will keep us organized and help us to plot a course more effectively. I don't want us to stop agitating for change, I want us to do it more effectively.
In service to that end, I want us to become a bigger part of the eRepublik community. As a party, we are alone amongst the Top 5 where it comes to Presidents- we've elected none (save for the GR4ND campaign, which was launched as a joke). That's something of an unfortunate theme: we are the butt of jokes in Congress and throughout the metagame (just read this thread for a half dozen examples of that).
"Lake," you might say, "We simply don't care about the metagame. It's useless, it doesn't have anything to do with game mechanics, and it's overall a burden on our enjoyment of the game."
You know what? On many of those points I agree. It can be a toxic, generally awful place. I will counter with the following, though. A few weeks ago one of our own on discord said something to the effect of, "Nobody sticks around here that's worth writing about." I think that sort of brain-drain is a colossal issue. I recall the aftermath of the December Revolution, the high water mark of the Revolutionary Era of the SFP. While we celebrated we suffered horrific losses. Players like Illiguy, Jaden A., and Jude Conners abandoned us. Motivated, eloquent, and generally awesome players fled the SFP for the Federalists or simply quit.
What makes the Democratic and Republican Parties so successful in reality is that they're "big tent parties." They lack ideological potency but gain in membership and common ground with the other parties. What the SFP needs to do, in my opinion, is widen our tent. We need to make the SFP a good place to grow one's character into a potent political force, we need to create a new party atmosphere that is not so subject to the derision of the other major parties.
Without respect, without organization, and without an unfortunate degree of bureaucracy we will not be a springboard for players who have national ambitions. We will continue to lose out on the few incoming new, talented players. This is tragic, and something I do not want to see happen as a result of our actions. We can and must be better- ours is a vibrant community full of awesome people that we should be able to push into high-level government positions and yes, even the Presidency. I know we can do it. This is my rationale for wanting to change the SFP- not change for the sake of change, but in service to the cause of progress.
As the saying goes: "Let us move forward together."
Comments
[Lake4SFP] The Tough Gets Going
https://www.erepublik.com/en/article/2650769/1/20
Vote-Vote Tomorrow-Shout
"...radical reform in the party that will grant party officials greater power."
So piggish!
No, thank you.
" We need to make the SFP a good place to grow one's character into a potent political force, we need to create a new party atmosphere that is not so subject to the derision of the other major parties."
With you on the above point 100%, But I think getting too close to the other parties or becoming "a bigger tent" would be a mistake. We're the place for the outsiders,the weirdos,the rejects,and the lovable losers. We should focus on being a little more "lovable" and fun(especially for members) NOT TRY TO FIT IN WITH THE COOL KIDS!
Absolutely. I'm not arguing that we try to become USWP. I'm advocating for expanding our tent so that we can try to entertain both moderate and radical players rather than only being the Island of Misfit Toys. I think we have to do better at doing both, which is going to take work.
Who told you that we are the Island of Misfit Toys?
Your pig-disgusting elitist friends?
Will your pig-friends from the Feds help you out with some "regular" votes?
I hear Melissa Nose has some "votes" for you waiting....
Why does it matter what other parties think of the SFP?
I'm obviously not SFP but once upon a time the Feds were the outcast firebrand reactionary group bound and determined to make changes no matter what. I led us on a crusade of disrupting the status quo. It resulted in the Feds being locked out by everyone else. I realized I'd never be able to affect change unless I could build bridges to the other Parties. Like it or not even with the number 1 Party game mechanics forced me to work well with others if I wanted to accomplish anything. Just my 2 cents. Also hi Ilene! Glad to see you.
I somehow can't remember this "history" where you "established" the Feds like this, sorry.
Hi Bubbles! 🙂
I'm still around. Just marking time, mostly. Every now and then something comes along that grabs my interest. Old players don't die, it seems. They just drift.
I appreciate that interparty cooperation is required to make meaningful change. I just don't see why it matters whether the people we work with like us or not. We have to be perceived as trustworthy and competent. The adjectives there didn't include likeable.
Maybe because it is probably before you joined Phil you pig disgusting moron
I agree with you Ilene you don't have to be adored or even liked but people have to trust you to honor your agreements and work for the betterment of the eUSA. Honestly I think the various groups here in the eUSA have far more in common than differences. I just wish more people realized and embraced it.
I think it matters because we're all in one community, and we all have to interact. The game grows a little darker and a little less enjoyable when we isolate ourselves and are ostracized.
Also I see above you said that we must be perceived as trustworthy and competent. I don't know if we have that perception. In fact, I'm almost certain we do not. Some of us do, no doubt, but as a party entity we're almost universally panned by the community as RPers and malcontents. If we're to work on an image of competence or trustworthiness, I think we have to tackle the culture that created the perception of the SFP as foot-draggers, isolationists, and obstructionists who accomplish nothing.
We can totally do it, though. We just need direction, organization, and conviction.
"...we're almost universally panned by the community..."
WHO DARES TO SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY?? WHO???
HOW WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY THINKS ABOUT SFP????????????
You think your pig-disgusting friends have this right?
You think you can label the 3rd party in eUS as a this?
You think you have the right to judge all our members?
If SFP is so wrong that almost everything needs to be changed, why not go an easy way: there are plenty of other parties you can join, that are more fitting for your political ideas!
*Sigh* I've been a member of the SFP for longer than you. I've been here for a lot more than you have. Why should I leave when you simply want to maintain the status quo and keep the Party a withdrawn, isolationist entity? Why don't you go start the "Phil Harmony Party"?
So if you are a member "longer" the someone, you have more rights, are more eligible?
I thought our policy is to give YOUNG MEMBERS a chance!
Go read the Constitution (you obviously haven't) and then, please, answer my questions!
o7
JA Lake is not just good people he's one of the best.
Thank you o7
It will be a tough decision this month who to vote for.
Good luck!
"I'll say it clearly: I do not want to abolish the Revolutionary Committee. ...my goal is to create a coequal administrative body where the SFP can be organized."
So we have the RC as administrative body and now you want to "create " one that runs parallel?
But before you need to "adjust" the constitution.
What kind of nonsense is that? Do you realize the stupidity of it?
Man, you are the perfect bureaucrat, I think you should join the Feds!
o7
_7
Healthy debate is a good thing. Anarchist and similar groups interested in a socialist ecology always have to work on what forms of organization provide the best balance of effectiveness and participation / empowerment / democracy. So this is a good discussion to be having.
As a nobody from nowhere, I'd offer that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are worthy of emulating. Both are corporate entities interested mainly in maintaining the status quo. Neither does anything to address the fundamental changes needed in US society or the world. But I would also agree that valid criticisms can and should be made of various anarchist and r-r-r-r-revolutionary grouplets IRL who are either overly dogmatic or overly obsessed with process.
I'd recommend taking a close look at Bookchin's writings, at how the YPG/YPJ/SDF operate and at the experience of the EZLN if talking about real-life models to emulate or interesting theories that "think outside the machine".
Kind regards and best wishes to all.
Republican'ts and Dumbacrats 😛
You're entirely correct regarding the GOP and the Democrats. They're both largely useless, and I think they serve as excellent examples of what happens when your "tent" is TOO big. To them nothing matters as long as it gets them votes- to us, I feel, nothing matters so long as we maintain too high a degree of ideological dogmatism, thus rigid adherence to ideals over pragmatism.
We need to be somewhere in the middle in order to get the job done politically and to engage players who both like the way the "system" runs and hate the way it runs and want to change it. Ever since December 2015 I fear we've gone too far to the one side at the expense of the other.
"We need to be somewhere in the middle in order to get the job done"
WE ARE NOT IN THE MIDDLE, WE ARE FAR LEFT
(This is my last comment on your stupid ramblings, I can't, just can't teach a donkey how to play the piano!)
I wasn't even talking about the political spectrum, you dolt.
You talk a lot of nonsense!
This tension between maintaining a free spirited critique of eSociety and "fitting in", so to gain more influence and provide members with richer political and game opportunities, has been a challenge ever since SFP ascended into the top 5. I miss the days when this wasn't a dilemma. I wasn't in the old SFP long, but I recall it as.....well a lot of fun.
As I also recall, you once had a very different stance regarding this issue.
You're a great player, and I wish you success in striking a better balance, but as some of the comments above suggest, be careful not to fall off.
I have changed, that I can not and will not deny. Jude Conners once said a lot of the same things and the newer, more RP-ful JA Lake went ballistic because of it.
You know what, though? He was right. We have got to try and strike a balance, and too long, I think, have the isolationists and revolutionaries (myself among them) lead the SFP out of the community at large. It was a mistake, and I believe it remains a mistake. There is still a community and I think we can be a part of it, what's more I think we can be a BIG part of it. We just have to be willing to compromise.
How can you be so dumb, my God!
The SFP came into T5 BECAUSE of what it represents!
The SFP is climbing the ladder of T5 BECAUSE we stand for our IDEAL written in our CONSTITUTION.
The SFP has the most active MEDIA in the eUSA because people are involved (that means you too)
There is nothing "broken" in the SFP, not much needs to be fixed.
But your pig-disgusting friend are in fear, BECAUSE WE MIGHT BECOME THE NEW MAJORITY.
This means they will be put out of power!
Because of this, they attack everyone that wants us to go that road!
You my friend are just a tool; maybe you are aware you are, maybe you are clueless about it!
SFP came into the Top 5 because about three years ago it jumped into a defunct party with a fair number of dead/dying characters in it. We still declined in line with the rest of the parties (we never got much higher than 100-120 at our peak) and it just so happened to hit USWP, Feds, and the rest far harder.
If anything it speaks to our sticking together despite the decline of the game in general- not that our ideas were so popular that we skyrocketed to the Top 5 and stayed there. That's awesome, but we're treading water- not swimming like we could.
After you would "reform" us into a more piggish party, we wouldn't do that well anymore.
JALake has always been an impressive leader within SFP. He is a very honest and trust worth person and I have a ton of respect for him. Him and I may not agree on a lot of things but he's always been willing to listen.
Thank you for the kind words!
JALake I have been in the party some 4 years and maybe a little more .You have my full respect as a player and as a party member . I have lived with this party sense they let this poor little noob that dident have a pot to piss in ...or a clue how to play this miserable excuse for a game become one of them...I became friends and family with many of you . I was here for the struggle to gain a top 5 spot I was here when some months the party might not hold onto a top five spot...we spent .many late nights trying to get just one more vote ...One more new player to join the party . I was there when Gnil won the election and when we few took to the field of combat knowing the result would be that we would become Blacklisted ... I have seen friends leave the party because of actions I took that day and I have seen many return ... You are one of our brothers that left and returned of that I am glad ...Many of the Old Guard that got me here and helped me when I first joined the party have either Edied or become 2 clickers I miss those folks and hold out hope that someday they might return but I fear that I may become one of them soon . I wish all members who are running for PP the best of luck with the election .... That being said I hope that if you are elected you will not change who we are as a party just for the sake of gaining political power for the party ..I for one like who we are as a party and some of us paid a heavy price to get the party where it is now so tread lightly please ...that being said I believe that change can be a good thing... if its not just to change because you can
Hold on brother!
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I subscribe to those written by Hoss1965. This is the spirit of SFP. May he never die.
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