Guest Editorial
The Observer - September 27 2014Guest Editorial by Former President Marokai Blue
Hating on Ideas vs. Hating on People.
And other matters concerning the importance of respectful communication.
I was discussing potential cabinet appointments with Duke one evening, last year, and the issue of who to make Game Moderator was a prickly one, as it always is. Much as I hate it being one, it's often a political consideration for some people. It defines much of your ability to get policy through. Afterall, who could resist the temptation to pack the job with someone who would write the numbers in their favor? Knowing more than most how much of a pain the ass the job could be, and how it needed a special kind of person to do it, I disregarded those concerns, and sought my first instinct: PiT.
I remember his shocked reaction. As if the idea that someone as left-wing as I would pick a libertarian to effectively be God of Atlasia was so silly that
no one in their right mind would do so. A few PMs back and forth later, and he declined, citing RL obligations and a desire to take a break, but claimed he was flattered. "Thank you for the vote of confidence" though, he said. "I've always considered you a pretty logical person."
Throughout my entire Atlasian career I've always been
"that guy" in a party. Always a little on the edges of the group, having ties with outsiders not in the party that most inside it weren't fans of. I remember being friends with Ilikeverin, Jas, or RowanBrandon while I was in the JCP. Trying to always be friendly with Xahar and Al. These decisions led to getting a raised eyebrow sometimes from Bgwah and others. But I respected them, knew they could have good points, and always wanted their perspective. I maintained good terms with them, as best I could.
In the RPP, too, I was on the edge. Obviously, not being a part of the mainstream "right-wing" at the time, I occasionally undermined their efforts because I was so friendly with those on the left. Many said I couldn't be trusted to join their private forum, though eventually I was allowed. In a game full of scheming, backstabbing, and occasional sociopathy, everyone's always expecting the worst from people.
I don't remain free from occasional suspicion even since I've been in Labor. People question my affection toward ZuWo, Hagrid, or TJ, and how much I have personally and politically supported them. I don't regret these friendships.
Has anyone ever said they find you "nauseating"? Over something you never did to them, never had a chance to explain, and never heard to your face? One day you just hear whispers about how people seem to consider you the scum of the Earth, and you have no idea why. Then you find out, and it's a horrendous misunderstanding, compounded by a game of telephone, left unresolved because of the refusal to ever engage you face to face to
even try understand it.
I've made dumbass posts about Front National, and been frustrated that every conversation about them is surrounded by memes and insults. I, as a random 23 year old American dude, don't have much of a clue what makes them so repugnant, and it's difficult to gain this information when the conversation is so uninformative. By pushing the issue with unfortunate language, I
got that information and now get it. But it's not good enough. It makes me a fascist sympathizer.
The idea that I support the far-right is erroneous, to put it mildly, but it's easy to see how these things get spun when the people spinning them don't come to
you to ask about it. What I try to do is hate on ideas, not people, and this often leads to unsatisfying answers. But I have not sympathized with far-right ideals. Anyone who knows me personally would know better.
TJ is a good guy. I've worked with him and we get along. I know he doesn't like homosexuality, but I don't hate him for it. I treat
him with respect, and throw fire on the
position. But in the debate over the bill that would've discriminated against gays of the Mideast Region, I decided to send him a private message that appealed to his better nature, and politely asked him to do the right thing.
He thanked me for that respect. You catch more flies with honey.
Atlasia demands a clean attitudinal break from the current Presidency, it seems. With justification, too. I consider DemPGH a friend as well, and he would certainly admit things have gone less than intended. I can empathize.
The Constitution demands better organization, the statute is in need of consolidating, our society in need of greater equality and opportunity, our game in need of new mechanics after this many years. Many people I respect can agree on such things.
Things, for instance, like equalizing the number of men and women in the workforce. Delivering cheaper power to people in a way that is actually
sanely managed. Perhaps, even, an idea I hold very dear: A regionally based Presidential election system. Or re-editing sections of the Constitution to read more clearly, and name new Amendments with more distinctive titles on the Wiki, so they can be clearly presented.
Many people who support these ideas have seemingly irrational issues with those who present them, which is deeply distressing to me. This is how we ended up with Atlasia in such a rut pre-dissolution. People who bitterly opposed each other for no reason except
intense dislike for them as human beings, blocking ideas that could make Atlasia a more interesting, varied experience.
I simply do not think that is how you create enduring achievements.
Very soon, these ideas and others will be detailed specifically in Antonio and I's campaign. But what we want more than anything at this very moment is for people to
actually communicate with each other openly. We are not party lackeys, and we certainly don't bite. We value direct discussion and evaluate issues on their merits. We are directed by the better argument. We will break bread with you no matter who you are if that respect is mutual.
Even if you don't like a person 51% of the time, you can still side with them on the 49% that you
do, and maybe,
just maybe, if you engaged with them you could work out the kinks and flip those numbers around. I want to know how I can make our ideas work best.
Atlasia matters a great deal to us. We wouldn't be here if it didn't. We wouldn't have endured the sleepless nights and occasional headaches Atlasia gives us if it didn't mean something. As I've said before: Everyone here is as much of a nerd as everyone else is, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And that's okay. Just remember that the key to solving a relationship's problems is to talk
with them, instead of
at them.
