Schoolarize NationStates

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

It does bug me to no end how satire, when digested by young and malleable minds, can easily transform into a tool for grooming future tyrants. For examples, students may not understand the importance of having qualified justices in the S.C.
(issue #60) or the inherent danger of a hitler-like despot riding into power on a populist steed (issue #560). So to set the record straight, in a way that's fair and impartial but not game-breaking, I recommend:

a senior editor/admin maybe then the Barry himself! run through all the issues - the whole gamut - and briefly tag each and every one with:
[Edu] explain briefly real life S.C. appointment procedures
[Edu] explain how dual-houses vet proposed legislation by representing most interests

Then leave the writers to write/source citations (good scholarly training btw).

[Altmer Dominion]

It's not funny if you have to explain the joke.

[The Marsupial Illuminati]

It does bug me to no end how satire, when digested by young and malleable minds, can easily transform into a tool for grooming future tyrants.

Can confirm. The satire in this game makes me want to commit genocide.

[Fauxia]

Everyone in Got Issues needs to change their flags to progressive propaganda

[Drayxaso]

Let's say we implement your proposal. From which perspective should these educational notes be written? If we are warning someone about communism or facism, for example, why would it stop there? There are certainly people who would want their children to be taught the 'dangers' of libertarism, progressivism, or even democracy. NS is a site with users all over the political spectrum, so taking any one viewpoint would hurt the percieved authenticity of NS as a political simulation. Further divisions are all this would cause. Kids are smarter than you give them credit for. No-one's going to be radicalised by nationstates.

[Altmer Dominion]

Let's say we implement your proposal. From which perspective should these educational notes be written? If we are warning someone about communism or facism, for example, why would it stop there? There are certainly people who would want their children to be taught the 'dangers' of libertarism, progressivism, or even democracy. NS is a site with users all over the political spectrum, so taking any one viewpoint would hurt the percieved authenticity of NS as a political simulation. Further divisions are all this would cause. Kids are smarter than you give them credit for. No-one's going to be radicalised by nationstates.

You underestimate the perniciousness of the Freemason agenda.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

It's not funny if you have to explain the joke.

Sheriff: 9-year-old boy shoots sister in head over video game controller

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

Let's say we implement your proposal. From which perspective should these educational notes be written? ...

In terms of biases, can't be worse than what we have now. And you abide by decisions coming down from moderation as soon as you log into your account. As long as free speech / dissent is allowed, concerns can be brought up here. This is example.

[The Marsupial Illuminati]

As long as free speech / dissent is allowed, concerns can be brought up here.

I know you think you're being really cool by fighting the system and pointing out what you perceive as flaws in the issues, but your arguments are very weak and that's why no one is taking you seriously. No one is dumb enough to believe that actual governments operate in the same way that governments in the issues do. And seeing these fictitious and humorous depictions of government is not going to lead anyone to shoot people.

Sheriff: 9-year-old boy shoots sister in head over video game controller

"Verily, I say unto thee, none of this would have happened wouldst thou not have stopped the problem before thou didst start it," argues Brother @@RANDOMMALENAME@@ of the @@NAME@@ Amish community from out the window of his horse-drawn carriage. "We must doest as the Lord commandeth and abolishest the evils of computers and the Internet entirely. Only whenst we harken unto the Lord's commandments mayeth we truly be spiritually blessed."

[Logophilia Lyricalia]

It's not funny if you have to explain the joke.

Sheriff: 9-year-old boy shoots sister in head over video game controller

Sure, because kids are totally gonna read the boring parts before going up to the closet and fetching grampa's nuclear football when Brasilistan steals their Halloween candy.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

[... And seeing these fictitious and humorous depictions of government is not going to lead anyone to shoot people.

Shoot one, or neuter a million?

[The Marsupial Illuminati]

[... And seeing these fictitious and humorous depictions of government is not going to lead anyone to shoot people.

Shoot one, or neuter a million?

Are you arguing that 'dangerous' viewpoints should not be presented on NationStates without proper explanation because they could implant unhealthy ideas in the people's minds?

NationStates issues do present a variety of different viewpoints. I've written two issues on the topic of transgenderism, and I tried to fairly represent both sides. The editors try not to make the issues one-sided; the issues are not propaganda designed to influence your actual political views.

[Palos Heights]

[... And seeing these fictitious and humorous depictions of government is not going to lead anyone to shoot people.

Shoot one, or neuter a million?

Be honest, you're just mad that no one else bought into the crusader aesthetic in grammar school after watching The Kingdom of Heaven.

I mean, why else would you be so angry over the impressionable minds of the youth? Surely this is not satire itself? Is it not?

[Drayxaso]

Let's say we implement your proposal. From which perspective should these educational notes be written? ...

In terms of biases, can't be worse than what we have now. And you abide by decisions coming down from moderation as soon as you log into your account. As long as free speech / dissent is allowed, concerns can be brought up here. This is example.

In terms of biases, it can be much, much worse than what we have now. Currently, issue authors and editors come from all over the political spectrum, but issues that make one option seem 'correct' or push a specific narrative are simply not published. The inclusion of various real-life movements and idealogies isn't what makes NS biased; it makes it fair.

And I don't think that 'eliminating' the infinitesimal chance that someone will take this seriously is worth taking an authoritarian approach to educating children.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

And I don't think that 'eliminating' the infinitesimal chance that someone will take this seriously is worth taking an authoritarian approach to educating children.

Bingo! This last line is one that actually holds a grain of truth so I will address it, because as things currently are within the Church as well as without, holding to traditional Christian doctrine (Outside of the Church there is no salvation) and fact (there are only two genders and they are based on biology) are branded as "extremism". So what's authoritarian here is the aversion to reality checks.

[Palos Heights]

And I don't think that 'eliminating' the infinitesimal chance that someone will take this seriously is worth taking an authoritarian approach to educating children.

Bingo! This last line is one that actually holds a grain of truth so I will address it, because as things currently are within the Church as well as without, holding to traditional Christian doctrine (Outside of the Church there is no salvation) and fact (there are only two genders and they are based on biology) are branded as "extremism". So what's authoritarian here is the aversion to reality checks.

Buddy, if you want a reality check then I have one for you.

You're arguing about conspiracy-theory level garbage on a website where people roleplay as leaders of an actual nation. That anyone would actually devote a modicum of time or effort into utilizing this website as a vehicle of brainwashing the youth is laughable at best.

For God's sake, the Security Council is nothing more than people getting mad at nazis, nazis getting mad for being labled nazis, a bunch of people making fun of themselves, and memes.

Jesus Christ man, my nation is a unified herd of buffalo ruled by Emperor Sheev Palpatine and our national motto is a quote from O Brother, Where Art Thou?. There's nothing serious about this website at all.

Do you honestly think that this website is being used as a vehicle for brainwashing?

Seriously?

[Drayxaso]

And I don't think that 'eliminating' the infinitesimal chance that someone will take this seriously is worth taking an authoritarian approach to educating children.

Bingo! This last line is one that actually holds a grain of truth so I will address it, because as things currently are within the Church as well as without, holding to traditional Christian doctrine (Outside of the Church there is no salvation) and fact (there are only two genders and they are based on biology) are branded as "extremism". So what's authoritarian here is the aversion to reality checks.

Ah, so we're back to "children should be told to avoid ideologies I disagree with." I see. As a liberal extremist apparently without salvation, I take offense.

[An Obvious Drasnian Puppet]

It's not funny if you have to explain the joke.

/thread

Why are we even trying to debate this. If you're unwilling to accept satire, then you should leave the site or at least the issues answering part of the game.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

I am not so easily offended. See, NS has done right to leave out certain unsavory issues from the pool given to school children, however, there are problems even with those approved issues which concern politics and are less sexual in character.

I am not the one 'sexualising' the discussion at every possible turn (mostly by ignoring context).

[Fauxia]

I am not so easily offended. See, NS has done right to leave out certain unsavory issues from the pool given to school children, however, there are problems even with those approved issues which concern politics and are less sexual in character.

I am not the one 'sexualising' the discussion at every possible turn (mostly by ignoring context).

NS doesn’t indoctrinate anyone. It’s pretty obviously not serious, anyway

[Caracasus]

We do lock certain issues deemed to have more adult content from school nations. That is already a thing we have and use and frankly in my opinion we tend to err on the side of caution.

As for bias. Firstly, we try to eliminate personal bias. Somehow, in spite of being a communist I have found myself able to edit issues involving capitalists without loading the game with communist propoganda. I save that for the poor sods on my region's message boards. Thinking about it, I don't think I have edited a single overtly communist issue.

Secondly, we have a team with a pretty wide spectrum of beliefs and political/economic viewpoints - which is very useful indeed and there is always plenty of healthy discussìon. We aren't some exclusive club, we want people with a range of perspectives as it makes the game better.

Thirdly, NS options are satire. That is why they are presented by people who range from well meaning but incompetent right the way through to evil and self serving. No one really gets a free pass here.

Lastly we don't have time to run some sort of secret society. I wish we did as I'd love a cool set of robes and a secret handshake but most of our time is spent editing. That's why we have so many issues.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

Right.

I see.

Ok.

It's a fine line between satire and fake news.
(Or: is NS better-resourced than FB?)

Lastly we don't have time to run some sort of secret society. I wish we did as I'd love a cool set of robes and a secret handshake but most of our time is spent editing.

That's ***exactly*** what a freemason would say!!!!!!!!!!!

[Caracasus]

No, a freemason would drop lots of not so subtle hints about being a freemason and tell you that they 'can't possibly tell you what goes on at the meetings'

They are the worst secret society at keeping secrets. They have museums nowdays. It's a drinking club for people who want to feel important and occassionally get off those pesky fraud charges because the superintendant is a lodge member. I'm not really a fan of them as they seem to encourage the sort of low level corruption that allows the rich and influential to get advantages over others but they really don't run the world behind closed doors. They drink and make themselves feel important.

[The Glorious Third Reign of Templedom]

...

As a free netizen of the internet I invoke my natural(?) right of skeptism.

[Fauxia]

I prefer the explanation that the editors are all Econazi Liberal Progressive Communist Anarchist Feminist Egalitarian Democratic Socialist Freemasons.