Essay: Don't do the "blind loyalty" thing anymore. [WIP]

[Queen Yuno]

[Disclaimer: I might edit this later since it's still Work In Progress. THERE IS A TL;DR SUMMARY AT THE BOTTOM]

Hey there ^^ I gain nothing from posting this essay. I'm only sharing this philosophy out of my own goodwill, because there are many young folks who play the game and naive people who would benefit from learning.

Plus I don't (seriously) play NationStates anymore so I lose nothing from imparting my wisdom, only helping others.

So this little essay MIGHT be controversial and could gain some more hate since it's preaching against an extreme form of loyalty. (Some won't call it extreme, but I'm calling it extremist.)

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Please remember that NationStates is a GAME. NS players need to learn to control their emotions.

Rant 1:

You can’t be dead loyal to a region, which is a game mechanic. There's something wrong with that.

What if the leadership changes to someone corrupt? Or what if other players with shifty motives joins up the region. You CAN be loyal to a region, as that's how you're supposed to play a game, and regions are like alliances. But all alliances have internal problems. I'm not saying that you should incite the problems, or call out the problems (although I feel you should,) or choose sides, or get involved. You don't have to do any of those. Heck, you don't even need to question things aloud, as long as you question them in your mind.
At minimum, you have to be a SKEPTIC.

If someone, who's actually a cool person, simply calls your region (or a region you're loyal to, or a region you're a fan of) a "shit region."
Don't be offended! The insult is not about YOU, but the region. And don't even be offended for your region; your arm is not attached to a "region" game mechanic.
That's an opinion and freedom of speech on NS (or anywhere) permits expressing negative opinions. Instead of furiously jumping to the defense of your region (and it's a region, not a specific person being insulted) you try and find out WHY?

(Instead of insulting the person who expressed his opinion, or retaliating or ragequitting, become a skeptic. Don't believe their opinion right away, but don't dismiss it completely; there's no need to act on it if you don't want to, but consider it.)

--
Now these regional defenders (which can include anyone, from government officials to regular members) are told by their regional superiors, "Don't engage the troll/dissident" and to ignore them because replying would give them a voice. Well, fine, if you'd get in trouble for asking "Why is your opinion that way?" you can simply PM them and ask. No one would find out, or if they somehow find out, they can't really blame you for asking a question to get more information on what the other side is saying. Who knows, you might unearth some problems that you never knew existed, that you'd benefit from knowing about.

All I gotta say is that a REGION IS A GAME MECHANIC, and if someone expresses problems with a region, perhaps there ARE problems with something in a region. After all, a region is a LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE clustered in a game mechanic. It'd be impossible if there aren't a problem.

So don't be hostile and alienate someone just for criticizing your region.

It's happened more times than I can count in my 3 years playing NS. As a person, you also want to be informed about all sides of a problem, instead of being a blindly loyal sheep who gets offended because someone expresses an opinion contrary to yours.

Do not blindly take orders and information from 1 single person/side.

I'm not saying rally up and grab arms to help the opposition of whatever group/region you're in, but keep an eye out for internal problems because no community is perfect. And blindly believing your superiors whenever they engage in cover-up, or doing something bad, is a horrible idea. It's the internet, no one is truly loyal to each other despite claims of best friendships. I don't care if you knew someone for 10 years or talked everyday for 3 years, it's NS. I got backstabbed by someone I almost gave my home address to once.

That leads to point 2:
-don't give away your real life name to anyone over the internet
-if anyone asks for your personal information or life, don't give it away. Report it, if you discover that it's suspicious.
-Try not to give away personal information, whether yours or others.
-Don't doxx yourself or others.

______

Rant 2:

At the same time, don't be blindly loyal to specific people. There's something wrong with that too.

Always be skeptical of everything you are given or told. Always question your superiors(or don't do it aloud if you're too scared to, but mentally.) Base your judgments based on your own observations, not solely what you are told.

"Credible people" may not be so credible after all, everyone is HUMAN.

Now, I notice that whenever a controversial conflict happens, many people are quick to jump and takes sides with their region-- or their superiors, whether those are their forum admins or high rank government officials. If it's OOC (Out of Character, involving personal/serious matters- not gameplay NS politics,) I believe that's the wrong thing to do. Lately, so many OOC situations involving players have been politicized in some aspect.

Sometimes, people who took sides with their leaders, despite knowing (or not knowing due to willful ignorance) that the information is false, only did it in order to KEEP THEIR GAME JOBS. (OR to keep favor with someone.)

It's difficult to persuade someone about a problem when their PAYCHECK relies on NOT understanding the problem.

So this could be you. If you opted to stay neutral, make sure to watch your own actions, and the actions of others. If you blindly believe whatever the information you are fed, without asking for proof or hearing both sides of the story, guess what:
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire

So make sure you don't engage in spreading the absurdities of false rumors, if you're not 100% sure about the facts. Be really careful when treading on this territory. (Also, definitely don't do anything more drastic than gossip, based on heresy.)


Don't be blindly loyal to anyone. Always investigate, and question your superiors, and if you're too afraid to voice your concerns, then remain skeptical silently instead of wiping out your concerns.

(In fact, don't even be blindly loyal to me. Because that's a bad habit to get into. Don't do it with anyone, look out for yourself first and foremost. Make sure you're not spreading lie/defamation because that could get back at you (in a lawsuit) - if it becomes a habit.


"Not doing enough research" or "I only spread that because my friend told me that" or "I only spread what a high rank admin told me" are worthless excuses. CNN is being sued for $265 million because they didn't research a boy before defaming him for something.

If you're blindly loyal to someone, without even need to get proof (or accepting flimsy proof and excuses of why there's no proof, that's called blind loyalty which is the whole thing I'm arguing against.

And as much as your friend getting insulted, get both sides of the story and always force the person telling you information to cite their sources/back up their information with proof. Otherwise once again
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." ~Voltaire

And it's completely stupid to be blindly loyal to someone over the internet. I handed my private chatlogs(bad idea) to a guy I trusted for years, who I thought I could trust with any RL or game secret (we were that close,) and the first thing he did was spread the chatlogs to people whom I didn't want to find out about them. This guy being my best friend ever, did not even ask for context or what I meant or my intent. OOPS trusted the wrong guy.

So this proves you can't trust people:

"Give me six lines written by the most honest man in the world, and I will find enough in them to hang him. If one would give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I would find something in them to have him hanged." -Cardinal Richelieu

^^^^These out of context logs have happened more times than I can count, and the only solution I got is, don't get into the habit of leaking logs because that could happen to you (getting hanged) for saying something you didn't mean or wasn't originally conveying. And private stuff should not be leaked, you have no "rights" to it.

SOLUTION:

Sadly, I still don't have a solution to these two "blind loyalty" issues- whether to regions or select individuals. People WANT blind loyalty. I'm saying, don't give it to anyone.

I notice many people being blindly loyal, please at least switch to being loyal but actually be a reasonable person with "common sense."
Be open minded and kind.

Groups of friends will self-cannibalize when this issue keeps happening, when they jump at each other's throat on someone's order.
You don't want to be a part of that. When you turn a blind eye just because your boss told you to. (Honestly, in that case, just look out for yourself.)

I wrote this essay real quick, it's not formatted, but I think it passes the point. The culture of blind loyalty in this game really angers me. No one belongs to another person, only themselves; please act like it and learn to think for yourself.

You can, for most cases, safely give people the benefit of the doubt, just don't do the blind fanaticism thing, for your sake or safety. That goes for all NSers.

Good luck ^^


(I'll post more philosophies in the future)

-Yun the Philosopher

TL;DR:


RL wise- you're supposed to be skeptical of anything you read in the media; same goes for the internet, games (like this one), friendships.

1) don't be deadly loyal to a 'region' without reservations,
2) don't do blind loyalty to individuals without reservations,
Be skeptical/smart.

[Queen Yuno]

[RESERVED]

P.S I can answer uestions or clarifications (if parts of this philosophy essay doesn't make sense.)

Btw: This Philosophy applies to real life too (not just NS)

[Drop Your Pants]

Btw: This Philosophy applies to real life too (not just NS)

But we'll just discuss the NS side before a mod comes in to direct us to General.

i'd imagine this isn't a spur of the moment rant, assuming there's something lovely happening on Discord about now

Edit:

I got backstabbed by someone I almost gave my home address to once.

The stupidity of that is beyond words. This is the internet, hardly anyone is who they say they are.

[Queen Yuno]

Yeah well I was like 17 I get leeway >.>

And no lol, nothing's happening on Discord, it's a philosophy that I came up with when I read an argument happen (NSers arguing over their regions,) one that happened too many times.

[Salvarity]

Disagree completely.

Loyalty until Death; Strength in Unity.

[Queen Yuno]

no D:
that's not how it works

Okay well, yes you can do that but make sure to retain your sense too. You're not a "tool"

[Escade]

hai Yuno, I will contemplate your philosophy and try to pinch my evil inner optimist a little

[Klaus Devestatorie]

I'll get you my thoughts on this, right after I ask Kshrlmnt what they are.

[Queen Yuno]

hai Yuno, I will contemplate your philosophy and try to pinch my evil inner optimist a little

Thanks for reading ^^ I think this would help people control their emotions, and to think for themselves rather than blindly follow orders.

But when you think for yourself, you have to *actually* think for yourself:
“Most people do not have a problem with you thinking for yourself, as long as your conclusions are the same as or at least compatible with their beliefs.”
—Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Sometimes the right answer is ugly, and people would rather live in blissful ignorance (and shoot the harbinger of bad news.) However, happiness from ignorance is equal to the happiness of a drunk man in a stupor, over a sober one.
Sober > drunk

I'll get you my thoughts on this, right after I ask Kshrlmnt what they are.

Discussion is always welcome ^-^
In the end this philosophy is based on being skeptical about anything you’re told that’s not backed by solid, indisputable proof; this game (and the internet and probably IRL) holds too many...well, people with not the best motives for you or your sake. You can’t just 100% trust something just because someone in a position of authority says so. That’s dangerous to your personal wellbeing.

Frankly: It’s basically trusting what someone over the Internet is saying.

And blind trust in someone leads to blindly following orders by someone. A blindfolded person makes irrational decisions- and it hurts only you, not the person who gave you the orders. (Or worse, if you’re not the one being hurt by your ill-informed actions, someone else is.) To reiterate:

1) don't be deadly loyal to a 'region' without reservations,
2) don't do blind loyalty to individuals without reservations,
Be skeptical/smart.


[work in progress]

[Lamoni]

Think for yourself, or others will think for you without thinking of you.

- Henry David Thoreau

This is actually a very good philosophy. You are the only one who knows what you want, so you need to think things through for yourself, and stop just blindly following orders. Blindly following orders gets you into trouble. It might not happen right away, but it will happen. Look at RL war crimes tribunals, if you want a good example of that.

[Aynia Moreaux]

Unfortunately there is a power mechanic within NationStates that many new players fall prey to when they start the game if they aren't careful. Your essay may seem like common sense but when there's drama going on and you feel invested in a region or player, you tend to sacrifice your own wants and needs in the heat of the moment.

I think it's good to remind people to look out for themselves, but we also have to be on the lookout for those players who prey on others and call them out on it when need be. I think there are two sides to keeping people safe. Prevention and Enforcement. I hope that everyone keeps themselves safe and follows their intuition, because this game can be very fun and I've met some amazing people. :3 Good work Yuno!

[Myrth]

I'm not so sure about that. Loyalty to the Pacific, or more specifically to the NPO, is what has kept the NPO in power for as long as it has.

[Lord Dominator]

I'm not so sure about that. Loyalty to the Pacific, or more specifically to the NPO, is what has kept the NPO in power for as long as it has.

Loyalty buys jack-shit except (usually) preventing leaks.
You're thinking of having quality governmental/security practices to weed out those who would to (deliberate) harm

[Blueflarst]

I never do the blind loyalty, i fight for having my own values and ideas, i fight for a better world, i fight for the improvement of my country in the real life and of my nation improvement within Nation States.
The blind loyalty is one of the worse things a clever person can do, cause a person free of chains can do good and bad things same with a nation government.
A clever person must develop his own position and never bend the spirit, a clever soul is a free soul.

You can have your own beliefs ideas and position, but you must never allow them to take control of you, there are always new things and different aproaches.
I in my life focus on evolution in my spirit, soul, mind and body my nation focuses on the same. Never let your mind take control over you much less other people.
Remeber if someone acts hostile againist you for this is cause you are a menace, we the clever independent people are a menace cause we can not be controlled by ideologies, religious leaders or mass media.
If all people were clever the bad people other people would had a problem trying to control them

You should have ideas, but never allow these ideas to take over you
You should have beliefs, believing in a religion or not but never let these beliefs to take out your reason. I have seen people called rationalist taaken over by their conclusions without lhearing other views, remeber to defend your ideas and beliefs but do not try to impose it over other people unless you are a bad person. Remeber to act with force and cleverness in critical moments in Nation Staes debates, rmb, and issue resolutions and in the real life all critical period in other words be resilient at the crisis, try to evolve yourself without damaging other people unless these people attack you without reason and try to evolve your country. Always have courage, hope, and intelligence and try to remain alive

[Kurnugia]

Counter point: Loyalty is necessary for all communities to survive. Having not enough loyalty leads that a temporary crisis you leave a community before they can change. However a truly toxic region should not be remained in it. But here is the crux: The point in which blind loyalty is crossed is a matter of interpretation.

[Wymondham]

As a new NS Player, at the time, who fell victim to blindly following the orders of my superior without considering them when I served as Feux's(As Adytus) Deputy Scribe in Osiris and nearly joined in with the scheme that lead to their departure I can wholeheartedly endorse this proposition. New NS players are the most vulnerable to being sucked into blind loyalty. I was eager to please and when the Chief Scribe of Osiris himself came to me and asked me to be his deputy, I was head over heels in excitement. I was so eager to please that my moral compass went out the window and in blindly following Feux nearly lost the region I grew to love. Newcomers to NS need to realise that as this is a political game, everyone has hidden motives and most are quite willing to use you as the means to an end. Blind loyalty can lead you down a dangerous path, one that could end up destroying the community you love, therefore newcomers need to remember to question everything.

[Eluvatar]

I have thoughts about this, but possibly not time to compose them.

Maybe another time.

[The Church of Satan]

Blind loyalty does end up something to be regretted. Loyalty to a region has always been important to me. That doesn't mean you can't jump ship though. Loyalty doesn't mean blindly supporting it. Not in the case of regional loyalty. To me regional loyalty means keeping your region in check, making sure it doesn't stray away from it's core beliefs. There is however a point when there's no way to "save" it and you're best option is to move on.

[Escade]

I'm going to agree that blind loyalty is terrible. Personally, I've tended towards that over and over again and am trying to un-ensnare myself from that "follow the leader and think everything is rosy and perfect" cheerleader type playstyle. It can be very difficult especially if you aren't as confident in your own "vision" or like many players looking to be part of a community that's like a home and are used to following some sort of authority.

I'm interested in learning more from Yuno and other players on this and I guess also how to be your own leader which is hard lol.

[Earthbound Immortal Squad]

[Disclaimer: I might edit this later since it's still Work In Progress. THERE IS A TL;DR SUMMARY AT THE BOTTOM
-Yun the Philosopher

TL;DR:


RL wise- you're supposed to be skeptical of anything you read in the media; same goes for the internet, games (like this one), friendships.

1) don't be deadly loyal to a 'region' without reservations,
2) don't do blind loyalty to individuals without reservations,
Be skeptical/smart.

Good advice just one problem though. Which is that this is something that can't be taught only understood through experience. Most people will blindly follow a person or cause just because it can shout loud enough or all of their peers support it too, especially at a younger age. It is a pattern of human nature and something that must be regrettably accepted.

[Twins of Hearts]

An excellent post. Sheep follow blindly, and taste wonderful for their trouble to the Wolf, as well as to the Shepherd. It matters not if intention is good or ill, swallowing the hook without evaluating the entire situation ends your chances at wisdom.

I would like to add a point, if I may be so bold: Blindly following ideology is just as dangerous as the cult of personality, and cult of regions.

Example, “blacklist”, created by a mish mosh of a dozen people. Yet “most of gameplayers” follow it as blindly as a rat in a maze, being told to bully and exclude players they do so, without knowledge of why.

Other nefarious concepts, extremism of politics is a major example where players will abuse the truth for their own ends, pops to mind. Just my addition to a wonderful discussion.

[The Notorious Mad Jack]

Example, “blacklist”, created by a mish mosh of a dozen people. Yet “most of gameplayers” follow it as blindly as a rat in a maze, being told to bully and exclude players they do so, without knowledge of why.

When people end up on a blacklist, there's usually a pretty good fucking reason in this game.

[Lord Dominator]

Example, “blacklist”, created by a mish mosh of a dozen people. Yet “most of gameplayers” follow it as blindly as a rat in a maze, being told to bully and exclude players they do so, without knowledge of why.

When people end up on a blacklist, there's usually a pretty good fucking reason in this game.

Personally I'd upgrade the 'usually' to a 'near certainty'

[Perruzio Veloce]

Personally I'd upgrade the 'usually' to a 'near certainty'

Of course not! They're all being FrAmEd.


Nothing wrong with forgiveness and redemption but more often than not, they aren't looking to reverse their wrongs. "Forgive us and we'll be nice!"

....


"WHAT?!! YOU WON'T FORGIVE ME?! SCREW YOU, FORGIVE ME ALREADY! AAAAGGGGHHHH".

ok that was off-topic, apologies.

[Queen Yuno]

Example, “blacklist”, created by a mish mosh of a dozen people. Yet “most of gameplayers” follow it as blindly as a rat in a maze, being told to bully and exclude players they do so, without knowledge of why.

When people end up on a blacklist, there's usually a pretty good fucking reason in this game.

Yeah this ^

I'll be honest . I wrote this NS Essay largely out of sheer frustration and anger that I was framed for something I did not do. And then I got ostracized and verbally bullied by a FEW people in The East Pacific because they were "LOYAL" and they were mad that I was bashing TEP- because they were "loyal to TEP"


Umm duh I was bashing TEP, so what??? Am I not allowed to have my own opinions after what I went through?

Also, being "loyal to TEP" SHOULD NOT mean "hate someone for being indignant at TEP's gross misconducts" and "expect that person to fall over and just take it"
That is *not the right thing to do*, yet someone still legitimately thought like that!

That's why I wrote this essay. I wrote this essay to teach them a lesson.

Besides, that same person who was mad at me for bashing TEP- now is perfectly fine with me.

Because, as it turns out, I was bashing the Previous Administration (which I was entitled to). And of course fast forward a year later- turns out that previous administration sucks, committed a few more offenses and no one likes them anymore. I just happened to have called it early on.


So ironic lol


THIS is why, my essay turned out to be accurate

And why it was the right decision *not to be blindly loyal* to "whoever your leadership happens to be, at the time".... because look where they are now


They're either banned or gone.

AND they're probably not the best people to be around, to begin with.


I can't blame them because they did some serious bad stuff before calling it quits. But that's why I say don't just trust blindly and act like someone's puppet without checking your own *conscience* and verifying the facts first. You don't want to ruin someone's life if you have *good reasons* to doubt the information and orders you're being fed...