Difference between revisions of "User:Sober Thought"

Revision as of 13:48, 21 March 2005

This article describes the real life motivations of the creator of Sober Thought. For fictional details of that NationStates country, see Sober Thought game.

Why am I 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 (a variant of a flag I have actually made for myself in real life).

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.

What are my values

I am political centrist with a slight left-wing bent. In the NS and real life worlds, I usually rank political freedom first, personal freedom second and economic freedom third.

I prefer to disassociate myself from anti-democratic, communist, fascist, authoritarian and anarchic regimes, policies and alliances.

I am dedicated to civility and reason in all communications, and I expect no less from others.

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.

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). For example, I chose that last option on this daily issue:

Religious professionals and fanatic hermits across Sober Thought have been drawing increasingly animated attention to the decreasing levels of church attendance among the population. The Debate 1. "The apathy of Sober Thought's people towards their religious duties to God is abysmal," rumbles a man known only as 'The Hierophant' as he brandishes his holy book at you. "If we don't rectify this problem immediately the ground shalt quake, the sky shalt turn blood-red, and the fields shalt turn to offal. The government must make religious attendance compulsory before all the land is damned to an eternity in the Netherworld!" (Forced faith is not faith, so not acceptable to me.)

2. "Compulsory church attendance is not the answer to this problem," says swami Zeke Mistletoe in between spells of meditation. "There are many ways to enlightenment and it would be wrong for the government to enforce any one of them so, instead, we must divert some of the money we spend on meaningless economic pursuits into funding an awareness campaign to help people discover their true religious identity. We must establish temples, mosques, and hermitages so people can find out which path to their spirituality is right for them." (Church and state need to be keep apart for the good of both, so not acceptable to me.)

3. "I reckon you could just ignore these zealots and scrap any government funding we still have going into religion," says Elizabeth Spirit, author of the wildly unpopular book 'Face It, There Is No Afterlife'. "I can't believe that modern thinkers like you and me are still tying ourselves down with outmoded and outdated concepts like the 'soul' or 'God'. Just drop all funding and give everyone a bit of a tax break. At least then we can be a bit richer before the long infinite void of oblivion at the end of our small, feeble, insignificant little lives." (Although the tongue-in-cheek colourful phrases mask it, this is the only option that is really about separation of church and state.)

What will I do here

After debating for a couple of weeks, and based in part on entries in the NSWiki, decided to join the International Democratic Union region. 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 my first proposal on the UN World Organ Donor Centre which reflected my values and will have only a moderate effect if adopted.

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 realize 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^)

Those who are looking for a customized flag can send me a telegram. 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 will not do here

So far, I am not willing to go too far into role playing, except when signing telegrams and the like. It's seems like too much time and effort for no personal payoff.

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.

It is very unlikely I will create a region because it takes too much time and effort, and there are several existing regions which reflect my values and goals well enough.

I will not denigrate people, engage in flamewars, nor spend too much time defending myself against these.

Message aux francophones

J'ai trouvé le site web pour le jeu NationStates par accident quand j'ai cherché le Grand Duchy of Fenwick. Après j'ai lu que je pourrais faire un drapeau unique, je me suis inscrire au jeu toutesuite.

Je modèle mes politiques, choix et activités au NS au 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 une 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 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.

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. Ou, quand j'ai faim: Mon pays, ce ne'est pas un pays, c'est St-Hubert. (Merci, Bowser et Blue.)

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.

Ich bin demokratisch, bißchen sozialdemokratisch, und ich will eine Gemeinde des andere Staaten auch demokratische.

Ich möchte Spielen nicht Kampfen, mitsprechen nicht gegengehen.

Ich kann für einmann die Fähne order Flaggen machen. Bitte lesen North American Vexillological Association und fragt mir. Keine Nationalsozialistische, Kommunistische oder anderes Antidemokratische Symbols, bitte.

Including single articles classified in two categories, the one hundred thirty or so articles on Sober Thought break into five major groups: geography (27), economy (15), government (16), politics (12) and defence (65). To further describe the scope of the articles consider the minor groups as well:

1. Geography - nine provinces, twelve municipalities and six others.
2. Economy - seven corporations, four sectors and four others.
3. Government - nine government agencies, five trappings of sovereignty and three others.
4. Politics - ten political parties, historical elections and religion
5. Defence - twenty-six army and militia, eighteen navy, twenty air force, and ten general.