Tilting at Windmills in eRepublik
![USA](http://www.erepublik.net/images/flags_png/S/Belgium.png)
MaryamQ
Gentle Readers,
Having had a VPh.D with the Chair in the Philosophy of Happiness conferred on me by the Free University, I am taking it upon myself to share the wisdom which they have so amply bestowed upon me with a lesson on the quixotic in eRepublik. Undoubtedly some of you are wondering what Maryam is carrying on about now. Well, in the past several weeks, besides my studies at Free U. and my political and military activities here in eBelgium, I have been priviliged to read some comparisons of the eWorld to novels from the mythical “Real Life”. Among these have been this by Arjay Phoenician with this reaction by our own mittekemuis and this by Thedillpickl. While I have been impressed by their insights, I have a somewhat different view, albeit (with apologies to mitte) possibly also a bit stereotypical, of those who are citizens of the New World.
Fans of Monty Python of eUK or students of more traditional history may recall the Spanish Inquisition, in which thosewho did not conform to the officially approved views were subject to arrest, torture, prosecution, and possibly execution. During this time, Don Quixote, an eRussian who for some reason apparently was located in La Mancha for a time, was introduced to the world in a lengthy novel and a sequel by the famous eUkrainian Cervantes, who was unfortunately banned, possibly for his unorthodoxy. As told by Cervantes' novel and subsequent other art forms, including the eBroadway musical, Man of La Mancha, Don Quixote was a respectable elderly gentleman who immersed himself in writings about chivalry and became obsessed with the idea that the world ought to be more like the one described in those writings. Instead of sitting and complaining about it, he decided to go out into the world and try to make things right.
Now Don Quixote did not conform to others' ideas of what was normal, to the point that many thought he was crazy, and he made those of his own family and household extremely uncomfortable with his exploits. He fought giants which only he recognized as giants, but others saw as windmills. From this we get our expression “tilting at windmills”, meaning fighting for a hopeless and possibly pointless cause. He idealized a young woman of low birth and little respectability, treating her as if she were in fact a high-born lady. He fought for what he believed was right, even when others did not see what he saw. In short, he was the ultimate role player. In the story, he died lonely and defeated, having been overcome by his niece's fiance with a trick and confined to his home, although in the musical at least we are led to believe that a very few people did catch his vision, at a least to a certain degree.
In this game, there are a few quixotic souls. Many of these are indeed role players, although not all role players are quixotic. Those who are frequently cling to the belief that we do not have to make the New World just like the “Real World”. They believe we can and should champion the weak, and not trample them underfoot just because we can. They fight because they believe it is the right thing to do, for people who sometimes don't appreciate what is sacrificed for them. They try to right wrongs and live by high ideals.
On the other side of this conflict stand many (but not all) game mechanics advocates. These are the ones who feel all is fair as long as you play by the rules (or don't get caught cheating), that might does make right, and who often will tell those that don't conform to their views that they should quit whining or simply quit. They don't necessarily harbor RL hatreds and attitudes, but they are perfectly willing to take advantage of them to win.
The message of Don Quixote, as I see it, is that the idealists and romantics among us will probably never win against the conformists in the New World or RL, just as those who did not conform did not win against the Inquisitors on the whole, but it still matters that we do not let them defeat us. We can still find and inspire each other and play the game our way. As Don Quixote sings in “The Impossible Dream”, “the world will be better for this”.
I wrote this long before I heard of eRepublik, but I believe it fits.
Modern Quixote
His rusted and dented armor
Does not fit
The corporate dress code.
Nobody travels by horse any more.
Windmills and dragons
Are in short supply.
And damsels,
Even distressed ones,
Are too liberated to need knights.
In a world where
Poetry lacks rhyme and form,
He tilts on,
The unrepentant romantic,
Unwilling to quit the quest,
Knowing if chivalry dies,
So do we all.
Don't let eChivalry die, my friends! The eWorld needs the quixotic among us, whether they know it or not. Keep reaching for the best, and even if the world doesn't become better, you will.
Comments
Ooh, ooh, FIRST!
Not only first, you even got a mention, Thedillpickl!
Quixotic FTW!
MaryamQ FTW!
Dear Maryam; To be as brief as possible, first thank you for noticing my article and linking it here. I do consider that some of my best writing, even if it is 85% book report. 🙂🙂 And then surely it's interesting only to those in eUSA that were RPing the Revolution/Counter Revolution spoof about our government last month.
I've read the links to Arjay & mittekemuis you have provided and am intrigued. I agree in part but have a slightly different outlook. I will pass on more to you tomorrow (for my time zone) and ask what you think.
Goodnight for now. Thank you for your always unique perspective.
Dr. Thedillpickl, chair of pickles!
A well written allusion that leads to a rather heart-rendering vision. Brilliant!
Aye I say to that, don't let eChivalry die!
intriguing article
We always had the score to "The Quest" sitting on the piano when I was a wee grasshopper. Not entirely sure, but I think it may have been the first song a learned to sing beyond nursery rhymes.
Plus I'm a longtime Boston Red Sox fan, so impossible dreams are like my bread and butter. Apologies for American sports metaphor.. the Red Sox had an 86-year-long drought between winning the championship between 1918 and 2004. They are known for being written off and then surging ahead to win. Also, they are fierce rivals of the (New York) Yankees.
"I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star"
The SFP Fight Song, sung by Samuel Ramey:
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=man+from+la+mancha+youtube&tnr=20&b=41
Just last night in American sports two underdogs pulled off upsets of the Don Quixote type. The best example of not giving up nor listening to those who would write you off is the run by Marshawn Lynch who had been written off by every team except the Seahawks.
As a graduate of the Free University with an honorarium in Canadian Relativism, I feel compelled to spin this tilt towards an eCanadian interpretation.
There was a time when eCanada was chock full of role-playing institutions that were vibrant in their purpose to enliven an otherwise dull gaming experience. You see, eCanada was a backwater, a Hobbit-like shire far from war, protected by its European and North American allies. We were bored so we made our own fun by establishing such things as The Writers Guild of Canada, the eHockey League, the Supreme Court of Canada, an eCanada University, CSIS, and a whole slew of forum-based, non in-game groups and activities.
All this began a slow decline over the last year. There has been a strong reaction against role-playing as militia men, politicians, and hard-nosed economists shouted down all blatatant forms of imagination and non-game mechanics fun. All the the groups mentioned above are nearly gone. The Congress in eCanada is currently attacking the remaining institutions, trying to dismantle the Supreme Court and CSIS; forum moderators have chopped the WGC forum and eHockey League.
We're a war nation now with plenty of battles. Some would argue our media is a little more bland or the forums are a little less inviting. But now we have two active military organizations, recruitment is high and training is given high priority. The game has shifted somewhat away from a social-based platform towards one more heavily invested in doing the most damage on the battle. This is not a loss, merely a change in the type of player eCanada promotes.
Oh, and to back up some of what I say about the decline of eCanada...our President released an article today pointing out how eCanada is shriveling up:
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/canada-039-s-long-decline-1630686/1/20
PQ, I was born in eMaine and have always been a Red Sox fan through what indeed often has seemed an impossible dream. 🙂
Sports to life analogies are clearly popular here. A lot of people here seem to like underdogs. 🙂 Who better to go out and "right the unrightable wrong"?
Plugson, we have experienced a similar decline in eBelgium, although everything here is on a much smaller scale. I don't think this can be entirely attributed to the game mechanics mentality - game changes, frustration and normal attrition have all played a part. Nevertheless, the role playing does immeasurably enrich the game experience, especially for those of us who don't want to believe it is all about war. Our core community here is, in fact, composed of people who are active in the forum and the sociopolitical aspects provided there.
But in truth, aren't we all role players? How many of us would even dream of doing the things in RL we do here? I have never considered for running for any public office in RL, certainly never Congress or CP, or of serving in anybody's Cabinet, working on national security issues (my current role in government), or - as I am a devout pacifist - serving in the military in any form, let alone my country's para-commando troops. Although the divide does fall roughly along the "role play" and "game mechanics" lines, it is a blurry division, not a sharp one. eCanada's present problems are clearly real, but I don't believe they are unique.
Thanks Maryam, it's interesting to hear a perspective from another country, as it does seem there has been a shift in attitude on eRepublik. No doubt many of the changes we endured through V2, V1.5 to the current state has taken its toll on how we perceive the game. Great article, btw.
great article, and I loved the poem
Unfortunatley the eUS is convinced that eRepublik is a war game, and everything else exists to supplement and support the war module
makes a guy like me want to rage, which I do from time to time
because truthfully, I hardly ever fight in eRepublik, I don't really find it very satisfying, and you really can't say there is much strategy to it, because there isn't.
My fufillment comes from meeting people, and interacting. I like the social aspect of it, the political parties, the ideologies, the brainstorming etc...
I just like to get on here everyday and see what all these crazy eRepublikcans are up to this time
if the only thing I could do on this game is press work, eat, train, and fight, there is no way I would have been playing for over a year as I have