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Vox Populi Announcement


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Simple. People who spent many. many hours talking and planning the whole thing since nearly the end of the Coalition War. They took it from an idea to a practical plan. People who even before the Coalition War had the vision and could foresee that the Orders would not be taken down as a bloc, but one at a time and that the project would take not one Great War but two and were talking about doing it *long* before Vox Populi existed. They get the credit for inspiring the former group and some of them even participated in it.

To them both Vox Populi was mostly an inconvenience. A group of people who sapped energy away from the project, trying to regain relevance on Planet Bob because they weren't ready to be a has-been. If they played any positive role at all, it was to show that NPO was human. But those who planned this war already knew that.

No, the people who earned the lion's share of the credit for KARMA know who they really are today. They know that many hard days of fighting lay ahead...but they are smiling.

Today I sit in a trench on the "wrong" side of this fight. My place in the new paradigm that follows this one is uncertain. But I know the truth. A tip of the hat to those who really are responsible.

To Vox: You will find that, without something to push against, you have no goals, no longer any purpose. Perhaps you will be happy simply being that class of participant that stays on the edges and points (and sometimes laughs) at the real movers and shakers on Planet Bob, keeping them honest. There is only steady employment for a few of you to be had that way. For most of you, your road is coming to an end and a new one starting. Make the most of this opportunity.

Hal, I'm afraid that with the passage of time you've become more and more strange to me. While it is true that group of people you speak of did exist, Vox Populi has been the public face, the voice in the wilderness when none of those leaders or members of the former group would (or could) speak out. They fought through a terrible Long War, "irrelevance", and have generally taken alot of #$%^ for the same beliefs that so many people now have the freedom to claim openly. Why do they feel like they can claim this? Because Vox took the whispers and the hidden things and made them plain for everyone to see. They are one of the major reasons why this war was able to happen as a mass Movement of The People, and not a coalition of a small, influential group of players (i. e. Global Tyrants 2.0).

Besides, to claim secret knowledge at this late stage in the game looks bad, and makes you untrustworthy for future "Sekritz" to be told to you.

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The members of Vox Populi do not intend to trade one master for another. When the yoke of oppression is thrown off, it stays off. If anyone in Karma thinks they're going to get away with setting themselves up as the successor to the NPO-led hegemony they had better think again.

Regarding whether or not this not-so-secret cabal of leaders appreciated our efforts - I know they didn't. We were too overt, too brash, too willing to reveal their secrets as well. I really don't care. If it weren't for us they'd still be a secret cabal in back channels plotting a revolution that would never happen. There's no way these people would have been able to pull a 180 on their membership like that. Their credibility would have been shot. We converted their membership for them. The rank and file of many alliances have roundly supported the Vox efforts. The hundreds of messages of support we've received on a weekly basis are testimonial to that.

People can say what they will about the effectiveness of the Vox Populi movement but I believe the numerous words of praise from the average Joe I've seen both on these forums and in private messages that tell me that people didn't feel free to speak until they saw us doing it. We have railed against the status quo and done so with spirit and humor. Excepting the occasional bouts of vitriol, our movement has been a positive one and that I believe is what has won us a staggering number of ideological converts. I've said numerous times publicly that I never once believed that Vox Populi was the group that would actually take down the hegemony. I have believed instead that we have played the role of harbinger for the group that eventually would. John the Baptist to Karma's Jesus, if you will excuse the messianic comparison.

People all want to take credit for the gigantic military victory that will eventually happen. That's fine and they can take as much credit as they want. However, claiming that some people sitting quietly in a back room somewhere were able to influence the opinions of thousands of people by doing ... what is it they did to do this again? I haven't seen that part of the theory. Whatever, it's nonsense. The war of public opinion was waged by and won by Vox Populi. This Week in Pacifica and The Tattler have been the lifeblood of discussion around here for about the last four months. People love to get the inside view on things that only secret cabals of leaders in back channels usually get to see. We have empowered the individual and that scares a lot of people in government on both sides.

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You'd be surprised how many people thought we were going to seize this chance to wrangle peace. We're not. We're going to fight until it's finished with the rest of you (at least, against the Hegemony). And to be perfectly honest I wrote that when it looked like there was a significant chance of perfectly even sides battling each other. I figured since I'd already written it I might as well post it: "waste not, want not" is an essential facet of our mindset!

Fair enough. Tonight we toast to the greatest gale of change Planet Bob has ever seen, and it's least certain future.

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<Snip>

I was going to write a longer reply to this, but ES pretty much summed it up. The Vox movement represented (and created) a dynamic swing in public opinion. Without it, even assuming a secret cabal of leaders with brilliant plans and whatnot, there wouldn't have been the general public dissatisfaction necessary to bring things to a head quite like this. Feet would've been drug, plans postponed, and Hegemony spies would've almost certainly picked off one "secret cabal" member after another. Like them or not (I doubt they care), Vox put revolution on the fast track.

Edited by Vhalen
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To Vox Populi, I have this to say:

While I must say that you didn't influence my decision to join the NAAC in any way, shape, or form, as I hadn't really read anything of yours until after I re-joined this banner, I support you guys. While I don't like spies necessarly, I like the idea, of trying to give people the freedom of speach they deserve. After I joined the NAAC I freely used that freedom, and for the first time I felt truly alive. I would like everyone in Planet Bob experience this freedom, as I didn't have to worry about anyone getting killed from what I said, it made my words have a strength behind them that was not seen before.

While a lot of the people who have come out have started trolling more and more than I think is in good taste, it is their choice and I will quote a famous man from somewhere who said this: (OOC: Keeping IC, and he doesn't exist in this game really) "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it."

I thank you Vox Populi and give you, FAN, and all others hanging around on Planet Bob, who are faithfully flying their "dead" or "defunct" alliance's banners my support and tell you that what you do, while impact is not immediate, people are noticing, and are becoming increasingly intrigued with the ideas we have been promoting.

Pro Populi.

For the people.

Forever Free, Forever Blue, Forever NAAC.

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As if we weren't aware of this little secret cabal. Something some people will never understand is that you don't need a treaty to have a friendship.

As the Doctor Reverend Admiral Senator pointed out, we never expected to be the ones to physically take the hegemony down (hence why we never rubbed perfectly well with Blackstone). As has been demonstrated more than amply the past few days, public opinion does matter and even your little cabal knows that. This wasn't an effort by any single entity. This Glorious Revolution has come about by the hard work and contributions of a great many people with similar aims and ideals.

We've eached played our parts and for the most part we each know what that part was. I'm glad you care enough to try to take even that away from us, Hal.

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I know what you mean to say. And I appreciate the fight. It has been a long war for all of us, one that has not stopped since the very beginning. I appreciate your actions to bring the world of backroom politics into the light. I appreciate all of these things, because it took courage to stand alone for so along.

But this is not the way it should be. I see the polls, and I hear the conversations in IRC and on the forums. There are too many who would do exactly as those they hate have done in the past. "Destroy Pacifica" is as hateful a mantra as any attack ever launched by the NPO and her allies. I will not forget so quickly what I have been fighting against. This culture of destruction, back-stabbing, and injustice will not perish if we choose to continue to follow the old ways. I do not want the Hegemony to survive. But I do not desire the destruction of its constituents. And I certainly do not want another tyrant, after the blood of so many has been shed in order to remove the tyrants we currently have.

This is not your message, and you have made it clear. But there are too many who feel this way. The only way to finish the fight is to stay true to our ideals until the very end. We cannot lose sight now, for I fear we should never recover.

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The way I see it Vox Populi was never about the leaders. It was about the people. Having leaders want to bring down NPO is one thing. Having the masses desire it too is another.

There's no doubt that there have been plots and organizations dedicated to attacking or bringing down NPO for a long time, and Hal's reputation as someone involved in such plans is known far and wide. The fact of the matter is that there's truth in what he said and truth in what we say. The schemes and hopes of these leaders have peaked and flared and ied over and over again without ever coming to any fruition, others have been betrayed, rooted out, or fumbled.

Vox took to opposite approach, whipping up the masses in a big, memorable way, then keeping things as fresh and exciting as we could for the following 9 months.

From Hal's perspective, Vox is a club of losers grasping for one last chance, because most of Vox's big names have pissed off Hal or been pissed off by Hal. He won't give more than the most begrudging, slight nod, and that only when he's tipsy. In his mind, work not done by leaders of alliance currently attacking NPO is not work at all (it's "side-line sitting"), or if it is work, it's not work worth mentioning done by people that are contemtuous due to his blanket view of Vox members.

From my perspective, Vox is what we've said it is: An eclectic group of people--not all has-beens (though many of our most visible/celebrity members could be described as such)--that quit because we were fed up and impatient, came back because we were pissed, stayed because people joined, and have dedicated everything we had or could scrape together for the last 9 months to bringing the things that made us quit to light and changing them. Dragging those issues kicking and screaming into the public arena so that when the people with guns--you leaders--finally got it together, found the mettle to act, your members were just as excited and willing to put their nations on the line as yourselves.

Edited by Schattenmann
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Yes, taking out NPO will result in a magnificent Utopian society. I'm sure of it. People still buy this !@#$? Amazing.

To sum up Doitzel's post:

It has less to do with NPO than with the balanced distribution of power.

But of course, you know this; otherwise why would you bother with that pitiful little strawman?

Really? I remember you specifically telling me that Vox started as a joke that people bandwagoned into after you joined.

But go ahead. Take the opportunity to pretend Vox had something to do with this, or that you're even serious. :popcorn:

I told you that its success was unexpected. Just because something starts out as one thing does not mean that it cannot evolve into something else. Your precious alliance is proof of that -- they were once freedom fighters much like ourselves, you know, struggling against an oppressive government. I'm sure they remind you constantly.

Edited by Doitzel
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It has less to do with NPO than with the balanced distribution of power.

But of course, you know this; otherwise why would you bother with that pitiful little strawman?

I'll give you that one. The distribution of power was definitely making the game more stale than it could have been...

However, with the group that is currently leading Karma, with the possible exception of RoK (Hoo IS still around, right?), the world will not be a kinder/gentler place for very long, if that's what the aim is here.

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However, with the group that is currently leading Karma, with the possible exception of RoK (Hoo IS still around, right?), the world will not be a kinder/gentler place for very long, if that's what the aim is here.

The aim of this announcement is to let anyone that finds themself thinking "I hate [alliance x] on the NPO-Axis side, but my alliance is sitting this one out" know that they're welcome to fight under our banner, as they were in the last crappy war.

Dont try. Everyone knows Vox has less morals than anything us ebil baby eaters ever did. And please dont kid yourself that this was your doing.

Sup, brah, you're [OOC]wearing an avatar that glorifies a fascist dictator who aided Hitler. What makes it even more fun is that you're associated NPO with him, too.[/OOC] Why don't you argue your case on something other than moral highground. We've already won and maintained the hill in that battle, anyway.

Edited by Schattenmann
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I'll give you that one. The distribution of power was definitely making the game more stale than it could have been...

However, with the group that is currently leading Karma, with the possible exception of RoK (Hoo IS still around, right?), the world will not be a kinder/gentler place for very long, if that's what the aim is here.

We're not looking for "kinder and gentler" so much as "more free and more dynamic".

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That is a well written post, and some several really good replies. I mentioned elsewhere in another post that NPO failed the propaganda war.

I'm just curious to see what will happen to Vox after NPO is knocked down a notch or two. Once their raison d'être has expired, what then? Will they continue to police the largest nations for any imperialistic tendencies?

Since the implied point of the game is to be the top power, and the nature of exerting one's power often involves imposing one's will over others who covet that power, there will forever be a cycle disgruntled people at the bottom who overwhelm their masters at the top. A perpetual wheel of revolution and counter-revolution.

What's more interesting is that people think they are personally responsible for such actions but are, in fact, only operating through a well established pattern of human behavior. They themselves are puppets of social biology and the tenancies of all the losers to conspire to overthrow the winners. If Vox were not in existence, another group would have done the same.

Edited by Kzoppistan
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Whether people like to admit it or not, there is no doubt that with the reformation of Vox Populi you flapped the cultural butterfly's wings that have resulted in the hurricane of nuclear annihilation currently raining down on your enemies. Before your movement, people were scared of the group of miscreants leading Q/1V, and change looked impossible.... the mass of NS the few rampant bullies in leadership positions had behind them represented a great level of support for their actions, and who could ever overcome that?

But the sacrifice of your nations has helped overcome it. You showed what it meant to fight for what you believed in, and your use of the world stage to remind everyone of the injustices that lead you to take up arms in the first place - be they injustices past, continuing or fresh - gave your cause credibility and true momentum in a way that no actual military force could ever achieve. I remember what the world was like when you guys first set out. 'No Ordinary Alliance members above the rank of Ultimate LeaderTypeGuy!!! may post here' messages were common, no average member was allowed to have a critical opinion on world events for fear of one of the small band of cronies spluttering the words:

"Oh realy so Do ur onpinions reprezent them Of your alliance I wonder???? HMMM interesting :jihad: :popcorn: :popcorn: :jihad: :popcorn:"

Yes, most of the time the cronies were illiterate too. However, that world is no more, and now gag orders are ever only issued on the GGA (although it's usually far too late) and by government members of small alliances who like to feel powerful once in a while. You gave the world back it's voice and it has spoken to make this place a better place, for that I am grateful. Pro Populo, and thanks for the nice reads Doitzy :blush:

That was a really fantastic post - period, end of story, no debate.

You gave the world back it's voice and it has spoken to make this place a better place, for that I am grateful. Pro Populo, and thanks for the nice reads Doitzel, Mega, Schatt, ES, Rebel and others along the Vox path

This above alone shows what Vox gave to Cybernations and something its members should be quite proud of.

Edited by Paradigm
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