(03-04-2016, 09:53 PM)Belschaft Wrote: For me loyalty has always been very important, and when I disagree with someone I'm working with or have agreed to support, I do so privately. As both Tsu and Raven have both confirmed in the past, I made it clear to both of them that I had opposed the decision to dissolve the coalition and tried to persuade Hileville to act otherwise, and continued to advocate for moderation and compromise as things progressed. However, once the decision was made I agreed to go along with it and do what I could to support it.

You say that as if this is the respectable way to act. If you thought the coup was a mistake, then you shouldn't have helped with it by literally helping Hileville decide who to have kick whom. Helping with the coup while privately paying lip-service to "moderation" isn't some kind of enlightened neutrality. I really don't understand how somebody could even think that way.

I think the reality is that people act in their own self interest. You always have. You supported Hileville and the rogue Cabinet because they let you back into TSP, and you were gonna finally have some power in the region to which you genuinely feel you belong. (And your political enemies would be forcefully removed.) You provided crucial technical expertise to the coup because, if successful, you would be greatly rewarded. When the coup failed, almost entirely thanks to Scylla's principled defection, you had Hileville give his nation to you, because that was perfect PR. Some were basically calling you the savior of TSP. Your grand gesture with "truth and reconciliation" was the kind of bait our regional culture clamors for. But it was low on truth (no, you were not open about your direct involvement, unless I'm the last person in this region to hear about it), and "reconciliation" ended up being a tool to hit Kris and me with, while any criticism of the coup-ers or advocacy for real consequences would get the tsk-tsk of the "reasonable adults" in the room. It's quite brilliant. And completely dejecting.

I'm really at a loss for this region. I think we're all content keeping our heads in the sand, and it's just so easy to manipulate our culture and political environment by taking advantage of everybody's desire to avoid any hard realities. But honestly, I think we'll have our collective reckoning at some point, and the hope that we start looking at things and finally start asking, "Wtf were we thinking???" is what keeps me here. I like this game too much, and TSP is the region I chose.