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XX, R&R, and the allure of power

Bob Ilyani

Entry posted by Bob Ilyani

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There's a oft-repeated quote that says "power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely". Since I'm personally convinced that CN is a blown-up exaggeration of everything that goes on in real life politics and diplomacy (think of CN as NBA Jam and real-life as the regular NBA), I've come to the conclusion that this is an even more relevant fact in the realm of CN politics than it is in the world outside of these halls.

It's pretty clear to say that at least the majority of the groups that have been in a position of power in this game before have abused it for their personal benefit. Some have done it worse than others, but everyone has done it. NPO disbanded alliances, forced people out of the game and installed viceroys. MK and friends pre-emptively strike their enemies and attempt to humiliate them on the world stage with displays of extravagance and excess. Now, I know those are nowhere near on the same level, but they are undenyable misuses of power. However, neither NPO nor MK are the topic of discussion that I want to relay that quote towards.

I want to look at R&R. Specifically, R&R and the whole UINE affair. Now, I have no issue with R&R's CB, and I even expressed support for the war in the initial thread. It made sense given the actions of UINE gov leading up to the war. That having been said, it was pretty clear that R&R was the newest drinker of the power punch, so to speak. XX is a truly massive bloc, yet many of their members have a reputation of being timid and afraid to take leadership into their own hands. The rationale from R&R in this scenario was obviously one to deter that image; they wanted to say to the world "we mean business".

So what does that mean? It means that the terms R&R imposed on UINE were probably intentionally unfair; the fact that they were even in a position to impose such terms was enough proof of their new level of power. And that, at the end of the day, is purely acceptable; it's not like it hasn't been done before, or that it won't be done again. With the actions imposed by the spreading of their new found power, R&R has sent a message to those around them; they aren't willing to give up their newfound power.

They, like those before them, have been corrupted by their own power. And I'm sure they wouldn't like it any other way.

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Sardonic

You can't seriously be accusing R&R or XX of being corrupt can you? If you think R&R is corrupt for the terms they gave UNIE, which by their own admission UNIE was going to do anyway, what does that make us?

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Bob Ilyani

You can't seriously be accusing R&R or XX of being corrupt can you? If you think R&R is corrupt for the terms they gave UNIE, which by their own admission UNIE was going to do anyway, what does that make us?

That was not the intended point of my post. The point I was trying to make was that, when one is given a position of power over others, they tend to abuse it. In the context of CN, this applies to essentially everyone that has been given said power. Sure, it's been abused on different levels and by some more than others (e.g. NPO). That includes yourselves and R&R.

What it makes you is the same as everyone else who has been given the opportunity to spread power and influence. Not that that is a bad thing; I'm inclined to believe that I (or anyone else for that matter) would do the same should they be given the opportunity.

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Arcturus Jefferson

You can't seriously be accusing R&R or XX of being corrupt can you? If you think R&R is corrupt for the terms they gave UNIE, which by their own admission UNIE was going to do anyway, what does that make us?

To turn that around, why impose terms that the surrendering alliance was going to do anyway?

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Ogaden

I like how the post right before this is "Why being too nice has kinda made CN boring".

See, the chain of causality leads back to you, look what you've done! MY GOD WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

AAAAAH!

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IYIyTh

looooooooooooooooooooooooooooool what!!!

This is hilarious. I don't know what is more!

The presumption that R&R corrupt, the additional assumption of XX as having unilaterally attacked UINE, or the OP probably not being aware R&R is in SF too.

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Bob Ilyani

Woah woah woah, take a step back here people. It's clear you guys are taking what I said and going a little too far to the races with it. I never said that XX was the "Hegemon" in the game, because it is clear that they aren't. That being said, to say that they aren't a political power is doing them injustice. They hold influence in what they do, and that is clear.

looooooooooooooooooooooooooooool what!!!

This is hilarious. I don't know what is more!

The presumption that R&R corrupt, the additional assumption of XX as having unilaterally attacked UINE, or the OP probably not being aware R&R is in SF too.

Tell me where I said XX unilaterally attacked UINE? The point I made was that R&R has exercised their new-found power through the other XX allies by imposing otherwise unthought of reps on UINE. It had literally nothing to do with an all out attack on UINE by the signatories of XX.

Not that R&R would need help with UINE, mind you.

Also, perhaps if you were more aware, you'd realize that I'm high gov in an alliance that left SF a few months ago. Also, SF no longer holds nearly enough political power to do something along the lines of the examples in the OP.

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IYIyTh

It's implied in the OP, in saying that R&R was incapable of doing anything it did without XX, which although flattering, is simply not true.

As you admit, the war was sound and warranted that there was no need for XX to even be concerned.

There was no involvement of XX at the bloc level at any point other than being completely aware of every step R&R had taken and how patient they had been with UINE.

Hell, the reps owed were around about three months past due when XX was formed.

This was a matter between UINE and R&R, and has been resolved between UINE and R&R to terms upon which they've both agreed upon, hardly in a manner that convince me R&R is out to disband alliances.

Your position in government is irrelevant.

(Save the italics, it's a blog post.)

The statement that you believe SF to be incapable at a bloc level right after you make a point that RoK recently left it is just an indication of bias,

not in any sort or way convincing or providing a different perspective.

Saying that R&R is somehow corrupt (Even then, your definition of corrupt is unsuitable,) on only a disputed interpretation of the reperations it gave UINE after three days of war is innappropriate.

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