And We'd Still Be Ruled By Our Dueling Perspectives, And I'm Not My Perspective, Or The Lies I'll Tell You Every Time
--"The Absence of God", Rilo Kiley
I've never thought much about running a country, this one or any other one. That would be way too much power to bear upon my shoulders. I've never thought about the strength of character it requires, the sacrifices one has to make in order to succeed at a position like that, or the overall wherewithal one must possess to even imagine one could ascend to such a position of power. Nope, I can honestly say I have never once dreamed in my life of being President, King, or some other such honorific.
However, lately I've been spending my time doing just that at Nation States (www.nationstates.net) for the last week or so. Nation States, for those of you who have never tried it out, is a light simulation of what kind of government you would install if you had your own principality, country, or what have you. Basically, the minimalist way to play is you create a country name, come up with the name of your currency and national animal, and your flag. Then the game asks you six simple questions about the fundamental principles of your government and you're off and running. From that point on you'll get a prompt each night concerning an issue affecting your country currently. These range from wacky ones like the nudist contingent of your country want to repeal the public nudity ban to more serious ones like a terminally-ill woman stricken with non-operative cancer wants you to repeal the laws against euthanasia. The game presents you with a series of options, ranging anywhere from two to six, and, depending how you answer, your government is immediately changed the next morning when your decision goes into effect. The options usually affect a wide range of areas, from your economy to your stance on crime and punishment, from your stance on the environment to your feelings toward religion and spirituality. I can tell you from having only played for the last six days or so, no choice is ever just going to affect one area of your country. It's usually going to muddy up the waters in a vast range of areas, and usually in places you weren't expecting it to.
Now I know this isn't a true barometer of my leadership style or doesn't truly simulate the pressures a person in a position of supreme authority faces. But I do believe it tells me a little bit about what kind of government I would espouse if I could install the so-called perfect government. Granted, I'm not an expert about such things like Miss Cooper is over at Wonderland or Not so I can't be certain that what the game has classified my nation as truly reflects my beliefs. It's also true that I've only been mucking around for less than a week. My classification still has plenty of room to bloom and change colors completely. So far, though, it's sounding an awful lot like how I wish our government really was ran.
See what you think.
The Rogue Nation of Holins (yes, I named my country after Lucy... sue me. LOL) is rated good as far as civil rights go, has a developing economy, and is rated average as far as political freedoms go. It is firmly categorized as being run as a Democratic Socialist Government.
Also:
Sure, I have to do something about that healthcare issue and, sure, that business about citizens running around stark naked is alarming. Yet, all in all, I'm pretty happy with the direction my country has taken. I've kept a decent balance of allowing political freedoms and civil rights without resorting sheer anarchy. If you know me at all, I've always backed the idea that people should do whatever they want as long as it makes them happy. But I've also felt like a nation's government truly is judged on how it treats its worse off citizens. On one hand, people should be able to do what they want. On the other hand, I'm a staunch supporter of a government providing the basic services to its people, even when its people don't recognize them as being basic services.
Capitalism, commerce, business--I've never truly been all too keen on so my answers to the issues I get presented each night and afternoon (I upped my issues to arrive twice a day) have never focused on growing my nation's wealth or financial infrastructure. I guess that's why my country devotes so little in the way of Commerce so far.
As far as the reintroduction of capital punishment and public flogging for thieves--I don't know--I've always taken a hard stance against crime. I did write a paper after all, suggesting that drunk drivers who end up killing someone should be fined heavily, then incarcerated for life, and then, just as they're about to die, be put to death in the electric chair. Yes, I was being ironic for effect... but not by much. I don't like criminals. I don't like crime. And I don't care about prevention and education as much as setting a swift deterrent and solution to any and all who step out of line. That's my one concession to conservatism.
Regarding the tariffs being abolished, that came about because my auto industry was pressuring me to raise tariffs in order to discourage foreign auto makers from dominating the marketplace. My response to do away with tariffs was entirely supported by the ideal that if our auto industry was that far behind in quality as to make poor competition for foreign car makers, then we really should get out of the auto industry entirely rather than waste time and money propping them up artificially. Again, I did not know this would mean repealing tariffs entirely in all industries, but I'm none too worked up about it. My economy is what it is, not the center point to what I'm thinking my country, my Holins, should look like.
I'm also quite happy about citizens getting 100% choice in where their tax dollars are spent. It may be impractical in the real world, but as far as keeping my citizens happy, I think it's a fucking absolute brilliant idea.
Lastly, regarding the nakedness, that couldn't be avoided. It was either keep things as they were, relax the laws on public nudity (which I chose), or go to the other extreme and make nudity mandatory. Once more, this fell under the purview of allowing people to choose for themselves what best made them happy. If letting the freak flag fly puts a smile on their faces, all the more power to them.
Overwhelmingly, I'm liking the direction my country is headed. I'm also liking what my choices are saying about me because I really didn't know on which side my opinion fell on a lot of the issues I've been presented until I was asked. For instance, I didn't know I was so anti-business and anti-capitalism until I was faced with having to choose between making money or making the majority of my people content. I also didn't know I was as hard-nosed against crime as apparently I am.
It's surprising to see just how much an exercise like this reveals about a person's personality and/or how they handle being in charge. I've gotten the chance to see how some of my closest friends would react to being placed as the Queen, the Prime Minister, or what have you, over a small country. Some of the results have really opened my eyes about which way some of their political, philosophical, and social leanings are oriented.
For example, can you guess who runs this country?
The Republic of Joybliss is considered a Left-Wing Utopia, has superb Civil Rights, a fair economy, and excellent Political Freedoms.
If you guessed our very own Toby, you'd be right. Apparently Toby is creating a commune the size of California. Sure, you pay half of whatever you make to the State, but in return the State takes care of everything for you. You don't even really need a job in Joybliss, according to her. All you need to do is stay informed about every social issue ever and make it to every election, which apparently are held weekly, if not daily in Joybliss. Also, you can't own a business or amass wealth, because she feels that leads to social inequality, which only leads to conflict.
And at the head of it all, you have Toby herself, like some fairy godmother... some very vindictive fairy godmother, granting the wishes of everyone and punishing all those who fall out of step with her version of paradise.
I mean--I knew she was crazy when it came to creating a version of the world where everybody's happy all the time, but to see that principle put into an approximation of reality is little frightening, I must say. And yet it totally makes sense for her. If you've ever met her, she's always had a philosophy that one shouldn't be unhappy for long stretches of time--that there's always a solution to keep oneself on a permanent or semi-permanent blissful state.
A veritable Joybliss, if you will. LOL
And what about her sister Faye? What does the indomitable Tattie feel is the best version of government?
The Armed Republic of Zimmerhans is considered an Iron Fist Consumerist country with few civil rights, a good economy, and all political freedoms have been outlawed.
Faye's choices I believe more reflect a desire to differentiate herself from her sister. Yet there are some revealing choices contained within. She's always been in favor of the military, which stems from her having more than a couple friends overseas. She's always had a vendetta against people who flaunt their do-goodishness at saving the environment, which is where the ban on all bicycles comes in. Also, I think the idea of an oppressive government appeals to her because of anyone I know she hates the red tape and dearth of complications the current govenment has adopted. I think it's this ideal of a swift and firm central authority that she's after.
Lastly, there's Breanne:
The Queendom of Breasier is classified as a Psychotic Dictatorship. Breasier citizens have few civil rights, a decent economy, and are afforded rare political freedoms.
This one's easy to peg. Breanne's a control freak. LOL Not only that, but she enjoys being in the spotlight way too much to give up power to anyone or any other group. I know it's played up for entertainment, but I totally can see Lucy running her own version of a dictatorship.
And the koala thing? Come on, who didn't see that coming?
----
I know all my assertions with a grain of salt. I feel like I'm the only one of the four of us taking it seriously. However, it's nice to see how people you know would react if they could do anything and everything without being questioned. I always thought it was far more telling to see a person make choices when their freedom isn't impinged than when they are kept confined in a finite set of parameters. Do I foresee Marion instituting a statute that forces all rich people to hand over their entire sum of their wealth should she become president? I don't think so. Just as I don't think Tattie would do away with all bicycles in the country and minimum wage. Those choices, personal as they may be, don't reflect what a person would do if handed the keys to the kingdom and told to keep it going for the next few years. They represent the choices one would make in a moral and ethical vacuum.
In the end, I think a person's upbringing and sense of justice or morality would prevail over them ruling entirely based upon their personality type. And while it's fun to think of my friends as being these amoral and morally twisted puppet masters, I think the picture you see of them from this game isn't an accurate portrait of them. Revelatory as they may be, the decisions they made in-game only shed light on a particular facet of their character that I might have never seen before. It's putting their perspective on certain topics at the forefront of my recognition, but it ignores so much else.
So I take it as just another page in the large encyclopedia that comprises the whole of their being. It's not everything there is to know about so-and-so--not even close. It's just a small sampling of the overall product.
But Breanne? Oh yeah, psychotic dictator is right on the money. LOL
Yours Swimmingly,
mojo shivers
I've never thought much about running a country, this one or any other one. That would be way too much power to bear upon my shoulders. I've never thought about the strength of character it requires, the sacrifices one has to make in order to succeed at a position like that, or the overall wherewithal one must possess to even imagine one could ascend to such a position of power. Nope, I can honestly say I have never once dreamed in my life of being President, King, or some other such honorific.However, lately I've been spending my time doing just that at Nation States (www.nationstates.net) for the last week or so. Nation States, for those of you who have never tried it out, is a light simulation of what kind of government you would install if you had your own principality, country, or what have you. Basically, the minimalist way to play is you create a country name, come up with the name of your currency and national animal, and your flag. Then the game asks you six simple questions about the fundamental principles of your government and you're off and running. From that point on you'll get a prompt each night concerning an issue affecting your country currently. These range from wacky ones like the nudist contingent of your country want to repeal the public nudity ban to more serious ones like a terminally-ill woman stricken with non-operative cancer wants you to repeal the laws against euthanasia. The game presents you with a series of options, ranging anywhere from two to six, and, depending how you answer, your government is immediately changed the next morning when your decision goes into effect. The options usually affect a wide range of areas, from your economy to your stance on crime and punishment, from your stance on the environment to your feelings toward religion and spirituality. I can tell you from having only played for the last six days or so, no choice is ever just going to affect one area of your country. It's usually going to muddy up the waters in a vast range of areas, and usually in places you weren't expecting it to.
Now I know this isn't a true barometer of my leadership style or doesn't truly simulate the pressures a person in a position of supreme authority faces. But I do believe it tells me a little bit about what kind of government I would espouse if I could install the so-called perfect government. Granted, I'm not an expert about such things like Miss Cooper is over at Wonderland or Not so I can't be certain that what the game has classified my nation as truly reflects my beliefs. It's also true that I've only been mucking around for less than a week. My classification still has plenty of room to bloom and change colors completely. So far, though, it's sounding an awful lot like how I wish our government really was ran.
See what you think.
The Rogue Nation of Holins (yes, I named my country after Lucy... sue me. LOL) is rated good as far as civil rights go, has a developing economy, and is rated average as far as political freedoms go. It is firmly categorized as being run as a Democratic Socialist Government.
Also:
The Rogue Nation of Holins is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its burgeoning wolf population. Its hard-nosed population of 8 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.
The enormous government devotes most of its attentions to Law & Order, with areas such as Commerce and Healthcare receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 34%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small but healthy private sector is dominated by the Information Technology industry.
Thieves are flogged in public for their crimes, citizens select which government department gets their income tax shenanigans each year, all tariffs have been abolished, and citizens can be frequently spotted going about their business stark naked. Crime is moderate. Holins's national animal is the wolf, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the shenanigan.
Holins is ranked 3rd in the region and 40,055th in the world for Largest Publishing Industry.
Sure, I have to do something about that healthcare issue and, sure, that business about citizens running around stark naked is alarming. Yet, all in all, I'm pretty happy with the direction my country has taken. I've kept a decent balance of allowing political freedoms and civil rights without resorting sheer anarchy. If you know me at all, I've always backed the idea that people should do whatever they want as long as it makes them happy. But I've also felt like a nation's government truly is judged on how it treats its worse off citizens. On one hand, people should be able to do what they want. On the other hand, I'm a staunch supporter of a government providing the basic services to its people, even when its people don't recognize them as being basic services.
Capitalism, commerce, business--I've never truly been all too keen on so my answers to the issues I get presented each night and afternoon (I upped my issues to arrive twice a day) have never focused on growing my nation's wealth or financial infrastructure. I guess that's why my country devotes so little in the way of Commerce so far.
As far as the reintroduction of capital punishment and public flogging for thieves--I don't know--I've always taken a hard stance against crime. I did write a paper after all, suggesting that drunk drivers who end up killing someone should be fined heavily, then incarcerated for life, and then, just as they're about to die, be put to death in the electric chair. Yes, I was being ironic for effect... but not by much. I don't like criminals. I don't like crime. And I don't care about prevention and education as much as setting a swift deterrent and solution to any and all who step out of line. That's my one concession to conservatism.
Regarding the tariffs being abolished, that came about because my auto industry was pressuring me to raise tariffs in order to discourage foreign auto makers from dominating the marketplace. My response to do away with tariffs was entirely supported by the ideal that if our auto industry was that far behind in quality as to make poor competition for foreign car makers, then we really should get out of the auto industry entirely rather than waste time and money propping them up artificially. Again, I did not know this would mean repealing tariffs entirely in all industries, but I'm none too worked up about it. My economy is what it is, not the center point to what I'm thinking my country, my Holins, should look like.
I'm also quite happy about citizens getting 100% choice in where their tax dollars are spent. It may be impractical in the real world, but as far as keeping my citizens happy, I think it's a fucking absolute brilliant idea.
Lastly, regarding the nakedness, that couldn't be avoided. It was either keep things as they were, relax the laws on public nudity (which I chose), or go to the other extreme and make nudity mandatory. Once more, this fell under the purview of allowing people to choose for themselves what best made them happy. If letting the freak flag fly puts a smile on their faces, all the more power to them.
Overwhelmingly, I'm liking the direction my country is headed. I'm also liking what my choices are saying about me because I really didn't know on which side my opinion fell on a lot of the issues I've been presented until I was asked. For instance, I didn't know I was so anti-business and anti-capitalism until I was faced with having to choose between making money or making the majority of my people content. I also didn't know I was as hard-nosed against crime as apparently I am.
It's surprising to see just how much an exercise like this reveals about a person's personality and/or how they handle being in charge. I've gotten the chance to see how some of my closest friends would react to being placed as the Queen, the Prime Minister, or what have you, over a small country. Some of the results have really opened my eyes about which way some of their political, philosophical, and social leanings are oriented.
For example, can you guess who runs this country?
The Republic of Joybliss is considered a Left-Wing Utopia, has superb Civil Rights, a fair economy, and excellent Political Freedoms.
The Republic of Joybliss is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its strong anti-business politics. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 8 million are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whoever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.
It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it devotes most of its attentions to Social Welfare, with areas such as Law & Order and Commerce receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 55%, and even higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Door-to-door Insurance Sales.
Meat-eating is frowned upon, high-income earners pay a 100% tax rate, euthanasia is legal, and the government is seen to favor Catholics. Crime is totally unknown. Joybliss's national animal is the cowardly lion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the sankara.
Joybliss is ranked 4th in the region and 40,056th in the world for Largest Publishing Industry.
If you guessed our very own Toby, you'd be right. Apparently Toby is creating a commune the size of California. Sure, you pay half of whatever you make to the State, but in return the State takes care of everything for you. You don't even really need a job in Joybliss, according to her. All you need to do is stay informed about every social issue ever and make it to every election, which apparently are held weekly, if not daily in Joybliss. Also, you can't own a business or amass wealth, because she feels that leads to social inequality, which only leads to conflict.
And at the head of it all, you have Toby herself, like some fairy godmother... some very vindictive fairy godmother, granting the wishes of everyone and punishing all those who fall out of step with her version of paradise.
I mean--I knew she was crazy when it came to creating a version of the world where everybody's happy all the time, but to see that principle put into an approximation of reality is little frightening, I must say. And yet it totally makes sense for her. If you've ever met her, she's always had a philosophy that one shouldn't be unhappy for long stretches of time--that there's always a solution to keep oneself on a permanent or semi-permanent blissful state.
A veritable Joybliss, if you will. LOL
And what about her sister Faye? What does the indomitable Tattie feel is the best version of government?
The Armed Republic of Zimmerhans is considered an Iron Fist Consumerist country with few civil rights, a good economy, and all political freedoms have been outlawed.
The Armed Republic of Zimmerhans is a tiny, pleasant nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 8 million are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."
The enormous, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Commerce. The average income tax rate is 29%. A robust private sector is led by the Automobile Manufacturing industry, followed by Beef-Based Agriculture and Book Publishing.
Bicyclists are banned from major roads, there are no minimum wage laws, thieves are flogged in public for their crimes, and military spending is on the increase. Crime is a problem. Zimmerhans's national animal is the silver scarecrow and its currency is the discord.
Zimmerhans is ranked 1st in the region and 15,585th in the world for Largest Publishing Industry.
Faye's choices I believe more reflect a desire to differentiate herself from her sister. Yet there are some revealing choices contained within. She's always been in favor of the military, which stems from her having more than a couple friends overseas. She's always had a vendetta against people who flaunt their do-goodishness at saving the environment, which is where the ban on all bicycles comes in. Also, I think the idea of an oppressive government appeals to her because of anyone I know she hates the red tape and dearth of complications the current govenment has adopted. I think it's this ideal of a swift and firm central authority that she's after.
Lastly, there's Breanne:
The Queendom of Breasier is classified as a Psychotic Dictatorship. Breasier citizens have few civil rights, a decent economy, and are afforded rare political freedoms.
The Queendom of Breasier is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its complete lack of prisons. Its compassionate, cynical population of 8 million are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."
The enormous, corrupt government devotes most of its attentions to Social Welfare, with areas such as Law & Order and Commerce receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 34%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small private sector is dominated by the Automobile Manufacturing industry.
Gambling is outlawed, punitive tariffs protect local industry, citizens are barcoded to keep track of their movements, and the koala is a protected species. Crime is totally unknown, despite the fact that it is difficult to make it through a day without breaking one of the country's many laws. Breasier's national animal is the koala, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the eeyore.
Breasier is ranked 2nd in the region and 38,019th in the world for Largest Publishing Industry.
This one's easy to peg. Breanne's a control freak. LOL Not only that, but she enjoys being in the spotlight way too much to give up power to anyone or any other group. I know it's played up for entertainment, but I totally can see Lucy running her own version of a dictatorship.
And the koala thing? Come on, who didn't see that coming?
----
I know all my assertions with a grain of salt. I feel like I'm the only one of the four of us taking it seriously. However, it's nice to see how people you know would react if they could do anything and everything without being questioned. I always thought it was far more telling to see a person make choices when their freedom isn't impinged than when they are kept confined in a finite set of parameters. Do I foresee Marion instituting a statute that forces all rich people to hand over their entire sum of their wealth should she become president? I don't think so. Just as I don't think Tattie would do away with all bicycles in the country and minimum wage. Those choices, personal as they may be, don't reflect what a person would do if handed the keys to the kingdom and told to keep it going for the next few years. They represent the choices one would make in a moral and ethical vacuum.
In the end, I think a person's upbringing and sense of justice or morality would prevail over them ruling entirely based upon their personality type. And while it's fun to think of my friends as being these amoral and morally twisted puppet masters, I think the picture you see of them from this game isn't an accurate portrait of them. Revelatory as they may be, the decisions they made in-game only shed light on a particular facet of their character that I might have never seen before. It's putting their perspective on certain topics at the forefront of my recognition, but it ignores so much else.
So I take it as just another page in the large encyclopedia that comprises the whole of their being. It's not everything there is to know about so-and-so--not even close. It's just a small sampling of the overall product.
But Breanne? Oh yeah, psychotic dictator is right on the money. LOL
Yours Swimmingly,
mojo shivers
Labels: authority, leadership, Nation States, personality, Rilo Kiley
posted by mojo shivers @ 11:15 PM
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