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Stop pluralizing it.


Moridin

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I promised myself long ago I would never make a blog. Today I break that promise!

The reason for this is the resurgence of a particularly irritating term. At some point during the course of this war, people began referring to the "Orders" in the plural. This was a term that had more or less disappeared from the vernacular since the cancellation of the Ordinance in 2008 (with a brief return after NpO and NPO signed an MDOAP in early 2009). I am not sure specifically what made this a valid term again, as we are about as united as we were this time last year - which is to say, not at all. The use of the plural implies that we are somehow in sync with each other, which is a notion that seems to have been perpetuated by the comically absurd casus belli used against NPO - namely, that Polar and STA were willing to sacrifice ourselves to save NPO.

Personally, I'm indifferent towards the NPO. Having been one of the co-founders of Vox, I can say I used to hate them as much as anyone. At this point though, after a year and a half of the NPO playing about as much of a role in world politics as GPA, I really don't care one way or the other about them. You'll probably find that most Polars have a similar view, though there's some lingering mistrust mixed in there as well. Much of the rest of you have gone on hating them as much as you did during the Karma War, and so relative to Doomhouse maybe it seems like we actually like the NPO. If you hate them, that's great. Good for you. I don't see a basis for it, but it's not really my call. The point is, just because some of us don't despise them with every fiber of our being doesn't mean we're somehow deeply in love with them and willing to die to save their infra. Sure, I'm cheering for NPO right now, and that's entirely due to the fact that their nukes are dropping on people I don't like. I do not, however, believe in the idea that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" - my attitude towards the Doomhouse/NPO war is not one of supporting NPO, but rather wanting to see Doomhouse damaged as much as possible. If NPO is blown to hell in the process, that's fine by me, and as soon as this war is over, I'll return to a state of not caring about anything related to the them.

Using the term "Orders" to describe the combination of NpO and NPO makes about as much sense as using the same word to describe GOONS and TOP. They both have "Order" in their name and they're both treatied to the same alliance. The NPO and NpO are distinct alliances with different goals, different methods of achieving them, and above all different views of this chaotic world we call Cyber Nations. Attempts to lump the two alliances into one neat package are born out of ignorance, dishonesty, or both.

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You may not be at the level of relationship you had in the OoO, but to me at least, the creations of Moldavi are the collective Orders; just because you don't act as one does not remove the shared history.

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You may not be at the level of relationship you had in the OoO, but to me at least, the creations of Moldavi are the collective Orders; just because you don't act as one does not remove the shared history.

I agree that shared history has not been removed, and if you are referring to historical events in which NpO and NPO acted in unison, it's a valid term to use. However, I've seen many instances in this war - and I can cite them if you disagree - of people using the term "Orders" when describing what they suppose are the joint views, behavior, or goals of NPO and NpO. While there's nothing intrinsically wrong with using the word "Orders", in just about every instance I've seen it used, it's been used in such a way as to imply some current form of unity between NPO and NpO, which is something that simply does not exist.

Saying that the two alliances "may not be at the level of relationship" as during the Ordinance is one of the larger understatements I've seen recently. It's not so much that the relationship isn't quite there yet, it's more that the relationship is nonexistent.

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So it's just one Order now?

Far more than one. But there's no reason for "Orders" to refer exclusively to NPO and NpO, and not, say, TOP, GOONS, the Order of the Black Rose, TDO, GO, and GOD.

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namely, that Polar and STA were willing to sacrifice ourselves to save NPO.

Eh, that's not exactly what we're saying. It's more a mix of that and the other way around. NPO and certain allies are willing to sacrifice you to save themselves and you're more or less complicit in the plan, since them entering wouldn't help you and them not entering buys you a potential friend of convenience down the road. It's not really them you're trying to save, it's the hope of a future victory.

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Eh, that's not exactly what we're saying. It's more a mix of that and the other way around. NPO and certain allies are willing to sacrifice you to save themselves and you're more or less complicit in the plan, since them entering wouldn't help you and them not entering buys you a potential friend of convenience down the road. It's not really them you're trying to save, it's the hope of a future victory.

Archon said the NPO was "The alliance they [Polar and allies] shield, the alliance they cling to, and the alliance to which they entrust their safety and prosperity". If all he was trying to say was that it was possible that at some future date we might be friends, then it was a gross exaggeration.

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Personally, I use the term "Order" to mean any and all of the N_Os (Pacific, Polar, and Sith). To me, the word order in the "Order" sense means a certain kind of alliance with a certain (negative) connotation; specifically a totalitarian dictatorship headed by an emperor and populated by mindless drones and sycophants who live only to serve their emperor. As for what the Orders as alliances actually do, in my experience, Orders have no allies, only tools and patsies that they use to advance their own positions at the expense of everyone and everything else.

So yes, I think grouping the three of you together is fair. You're all the same. And even though I'm technically fighting on the side of NpPO, a part of me is happy to see you take damage. I'm also extremely happy that my alliance is not allied to any Order.

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Personally, I use the term "Order" to mean any and all of the N_Os (Pacific, Polar, and Sith). To me, the word order in the "Order" sense means a certain kind of alliance with a certain (negative) connotation; specifically a totalitarian dictatorship headed by an emperor and populated by mindless drones and sycophants who live only to serve their emperor. As for what the Orders as alliances actually do, in my experience, Orders have no allies, only tools and patsies that they use to advance their own positions at the expense of everyone and everything else.

So yes, I think grouping the three of you together is fair. You're all the same.

How dare you insult us! The Emperor, may His Divine Holiness live forever, shall strike you down with his tremendous wrath!

Stop pluralizing GOON while you're at it. It's GOONS, not GOONs.

I agree with this one too. I've always found "GOONs" a very bizarre misuse of the acronym.

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How dare you insult us! The Emperor, may His Divine Holiness live forever, shall strike you down with his tremendous wrath!

I agree with this one too. I've always found "GOONs" a very bizarre misuse of the acronym.

Did your emperor tell you you could say that? Admin forbid you have an independent thought.

The groupthink and obvious prostration you guys display is just disgusting. I can understand groveling on your own forums, but your ambassadors seem to think they have to grovel in their embassies abroad, too. It's disgusting.

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Did your emperor tell you you could say that? Admin forbid you have an independent thought.

The groupthink and obvious prostration you guys display is just disgusting. I can understand groveling on your own forums, but your ambassadors seem to think they have to grovel in their embassies abroad, too. It's disgusting.

I'll respond to this as soon as I get my reply approved by the Ministry of Truth.

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Moridin, I think that you misunderstand the intention behind the use of this label.

We all wish that NpO still acted in unison with the NPO. Both alliances were much much much better when they were together. Apart, both seem aimless and small minded.

Perhaps Ivan can reunite them for Christmas next year and bring back the real Orders?

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Moridin, I think that you misunderstand the intention behind the use of this label.

We all wish that NpO still acted in unison with the NPO. Both alliances were much much much better when they were together. Apart, both seem aimless and small minded.

Perhaps Ivan can reunite them for Christmas next year and bring back the real Orders?

While it warms my heart to see you're able to take any subject under the sun and still make a jab at people you don't like, I doubt that people use the term "Orders" because they wish the NPO and NpO were united, rather than falsely believing that we are. It makes zero sense to use a label while simultaneously acknowledging it is not a valid one.

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No, I seriously do. Most ODNers from 2 years ago would tell you that I often entertained thoughts of joining the big "P" but it's sort of lost its mystique. It has been somehow degraded in my perception.

But I'm probably just speaking for myself.

Anyway, are you excited as I am about AMoL coming out this fall?

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Frankly, a lot of people in the current power structure believe that NPO runs every alliance not directly connected to them.

It's that kind of insane paranoia that leads to people thinking that the Polars attacked \m/ because Pacifica wanted you guys to.

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NPO, NpO and NSO clearly have nothing in common.

That's not true. We have similar names and were founded by the same person. All three alliances have in the past had treaties with one another - and NSO and NPO still do. However, when discussing current outlooks and relationships, there's really not much there in common between Polar and the other two.

Anyway, are you excited as I am about AMoL coming out this fall?

Naturally. Given the continuous progression in the quality of the books since Crossroads of Twilight, I have little doubt that AMoL will be amazing.

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Did your emperor tell you you could say that? Admin forbid you have an independent thought.

The groupthink and obvious prostration you guys display is just disgusting. I can understand groveling on your own forums, but your ambassadors seem to think they have to grovel in their embassies abroad, too. It's disgusting.

This guy has got jokes. Ignorance like this is way too thick to be taken seriously, but you almost had me. Nice one!
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Although I still have a soft spot for Plolaris and I would like to see us a bit closer if/when the circumstances are right, I agree with Moridin. Now days the only thing that we have in common, concerning politics, is that we are targeted by the same people that use vague and mostly invalid reasons/beliefs to justify their actions.

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However, when discussing current outlooks and relationships, there's really not much there in common between Polar and the other two.

That should be changed, in my opinion.

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