Difference between revisions of "User:Sober Thought"

Revision as of 21:08, 22 November 2005

This article describes the real life motivations of the creator of Sober Thought. For gameplay relating to this country, see Sober Thought]. For fictional details of the structure of the NationStates country, see Sober Thought game.

Sober Thought

Flag of Sober Thought
Motto: We are extreme in our moderation (changed to advert for flags on NS
Regional only / Carte régionale seulement / nur Regionalkarte; thanks Domnonia!
Region	International Democratic Union
Capital	Capital Province, bicephalous English-French beast
Official Language(s)	English, français simple, schlecht Deutsch
Leader	Extreme Moderate, alias RL Andrew "Anderskin" De New
Population	over 1.5 billion served!
Currency	Denkmark
NS Sunset XML

Why I came here

I came to this site in real life accidentally while searching for the Grand Duchy of Fenwick. Although my specific goal was not met, the site intrigued me enough to give NationStates a try. The deciding factor was the ability to create my own flag.

I try to take it "seriously" in the sense that I respond to issues, diplomatic overtures and communications as if they were real. What follows is both my real life and game attitudes and ambitions.

Why am I still here

Good question. At times, NS has become more interesting and rewarding than RL, always a bad sign for one's mental health. 8^) My NS Wiki entry has grown from the single Nation template page I started with and expected to end with to several dozen and counting, attracting the attention (and sometimes polite wrath) of several NSWikipedians.

On a deeper level, I found a fine community in the IDU and NSWiki which extended beyond mere gameplay (and much more roleplay than I'd ever thought I'd want to engage in) and into conversations philosophical and less weighty.

I think this is a common experience, because policy wonks who stick with NS beyond the first CTE-deadline of 28 days are much more committed, interesting and communicative people than you're ever likely to meet in everyday life. North Americans, Europeans and Antipodeans can all converse likeminded deviants half way (or for the Aussies, three quarters of the way -- you figure it out 8^) ) around the world.

While from time to time I cross the pond, I never get to meet as interesting people on the plane or in country as I do here. Take a bow, Grosseschnauzer, Yuunli, Antrium, Lawtonia, Mikitivity and Groot Gouda, among many others I have had the privilege of communicating.

What are my values

I am political centrist with a slight left-wing bent. In the NS and real life worlds, I usually rank personal freedom first, political freedom second and economic freedom third. Inoffensive Centrist Democracy is my normal UN Category, but I've variously been Liberal Social Democrats, Social Democrats and even Capitalist Paradise.

I prefer to disassociate myself from anti-democratic, communist, fascist, authoritarian and anarchic regimes, policies and alliances. This has proved a useful policy which makes my earlier statements about the quality of people I meet in NS possible to make so categorically.

I am dedicated to civility and reason in all communications, and I expect no less from others. One of my regular passtimes consists of ratting out n00bs who respond to my polite and informative recruiting telegrams with illiterate insults (or would be insults, like my new baseline n00b insult: "Your gay" [sic]). Typically, they have at least several offensive nation names, flags, currencies, mottoes and national animals, so they do all my work for me.

I enjoy engaging in reasoned debate and dialectic; some of the best ideas come from the synthesis of others which would never have flown on their own. My exchanges with ALincoln (via my puppet of Hamilton Ontario) have been especially rewarding because we share neither citizenship nor political orientation, but rather mutual respect and a willingness to learn about the political culture of one another's countries.

I strongly believe in a secular state combined with wide religious freedom when it does not contradict the former. Although I am an atheist, I am not anti-religious and I can easily converse and find common ground with moderate religious believers (sometimes easier than dealing with harder core atheists). I lost a friend that way, in part because he adamantly and publicly insisted that any stripe of theist was prima facie stupid. (And in part because of an acquired brain injury. Remember, kids and parents, wear those bicycle helmets, even on bicycle paths and grassland!)

What I have done here

After debating for a couple of weeks, and based in part on entries in the NSWiki, I decided to join the International Democratic Union. You might consider this route when picking your own game region.

I joined the United Nations on March 3, 2005, after some hesitation and deliberation. I was pleased to support, promote and vote for the first proposal on the UN World Organ Donor Centre which reflected my values and will have only a moderate effect if adopted. While I have sporadically contributed to polishing UN proposals, others in the IDU are much more dedicated to it than me.

In real life as in NationStates, I try to think the issues through and make the most informed, rational, sensible and moderate decision based on the options presented. I realise it makes game play possible, but I dislike the fact that there are typically only 2-4 options per issues, when I often have a better option in mind that is not listed. Since the UN crafts its own legislation to issues, this is a bonus. Clearly, I should draft my own issues and submit them to moderators instead of complaining. 8^) I did draft a couple, but the weren't adopted by mods.

I also became active in my region, working as quasi-self-appointed Immigration Minister for many months and elected UN Delegate for a while. I made a botch of it, because my RL was going in the crapper around the same time so I couldn't properly fulfill my functions. In addition to other worries, losing daily and sometimes weekly internet access made defending against invaders and voting for UN resolutions difficult!

Fortunately, Grosseschnauzer, with whom I had the most civilised election campaign and discussions about the possibility of this eventuality, ably took over the daily administration and left me to make such contributions as I was able in a supportive rather than leading capacity. Happily, GS has won re-election after being acting delegate for so long during my incapacity. Consider the fine leadership shown here to RL examples, and you'll see how NS can become a more attractive place to live.

Those who are looking for a customised flag can send me a telegram or use the Custom Flag Service I set up and to which I still contribute. No matter how you reach me, I'll draft one or more proposals -- subject to North American Vexillological Association guidelines, my own values listed above and my sense of style -- for your consideration. I will make it within the pixel and kilobyte range the game demands (but without animation), and send it to you as a JPEG or in some mutually agreeable manner.

What I thought I would not do here (and did)

I didn't think I'd get into role playing, but I got in much deeper than that. By some measures, e.g., NSwikimania, I am much more RP'd than my region or any region; by others, e.g., RP sports, I am much less so. Although I pay no attention to sports in RL, so perhaps that's unfair. 8^)

What I though I would not do here (and didn't)

I won't invade a region nor defend one indefinitely if barbarians are at the gates. I'm here to play, not be prevented from playing.

I will not denigrate people, engage in flamewars, nor spend too much time defending myself against these. As mentioned earlier, most barbs are rather dull and ill-aimed ones from n00bs which I can deflect rather easily. A few times I got friendly with new and (to me) unknown nations and lived to regret it, but that's the price you pay for being open. Frankly, the pay off has been enormous for the few hassles I've gotten -- better than any other online environment and most offline ones too.

Message aux francophones

J'ai trouvé le site web pour le jeu NationStates par accident quand j'ai cherché le Grand Duchy of Fenwick (une place imaginée aux romans américains des années 50 et aux films britanniques des années 60). Après j'ai lu que je pourrais faire un drapeau unique, je me suis inscrire au jeu toutesuite.

Je modèle mes politiques, choix, écrits et activités au jeu NS à ceux de ma vraie vie, c'est-à-dire: politique centre-gauche, soutien de la démocratie, la politesse et discussions logiques.

Je me suis inscrire à la région International Democratic Union qui croit et garde mes croyances dessus. Le IDU a un article (en anglais seulement) dans ce Wiki et il m'a aidé de choisir ma région. S'il y a une région vraiment francophone et tu voudrais me donner de l'information sur elle, veuilles m'envoyer un télégramme.

Du 3 mars 2005, je suis un membre des Nations-Unies. J'aime bien le premier projet de loi qu'elles ont adopté après j'ai devenu un membre, au sujet des transplantations des organes humains.

Si on a besoin d'un drapeau unique, je peux les faire en se fondant des règles du North American Vexillological Association (Société nord-américaine des drapeaux, texte anglais, mais je peux te donner un sommaire français ou une traduction par Babelfish), mes croyances et le mode. J'en ferrais en accord avec les règles du jeu et t'en envoie par courriel. J'ai créé aussi le Service des drapeaux uniques, ou` on peut lancer un demande n'importe quelle région de résidence.

Si on voudrais me battre ou insulter, n'oblie jamais que NationStates n'est qu'un jeu, pas ma vie; je ne voudrais ni donner des coups accepter ni insultes ni affronts. Il est peu probable que je fasse une région qui garderais mes croyances; ce projet demande plus du temps et travail que je voudrais lui donner, et il y a déjà quelques autres régions qui sont démocratiques comme mon pays.

"Mon pays, ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver." (Merci, Gilles Vigneault.) Ou, quand j'ai faim: "Mon pays, ce n'est pas un pays, c'est St-Hubert." (Merci, Bowser et Blue. Pour les liseurs de cet article qui ne sont pas canadiens, St-Hubert est un resto vite des poulets qui se trouve au Québec.)

Zum Deutschesprächers

Ich kann nur ein klein bißchen schlecht Deutsch schreiben und lesen. Aber das ist richtung Deutsch, kein Babelfish Deutsch. Jeden Jahr, ich fliege nach Deutschland und besuche mein Bruder. Und diser Jahr, er und seine Söhne haben mir ersten mal in Kanada besuchen. Super!

Ich bin demokratisch, bißchen sozialdemokratisch, und ich will eine Gemeinde des andere Staaten auch demokratische. Mein Spielstaat heißt richtig "Gemeinde of Sober Thought."

Ich möchte spielen nicht kampfen, mitsprechen nicht gegengehen.

Ich kann für einmann die Fähne oder Flaggen machen. Fraggen Sie mir mit Telegram oder auf Custom Flag Service.

Bitte lesen North American Vexillological Association und fragt mir. Keine Nationalsozialistische, Kommunistische oder anderes Antidemokratische Symbols, bitte.

Tschuß.