| The Miniluv Messenger: Op-Ed on Recent Turmoil in Europeia |
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Big Brother is watching Gameplay A Snowflake-Smashing Charm I Might Just Recommend In defense of what is undeniably right about what often seems so wrong, at face value, in Europeia By Cormac Skollvaldr Editor-in-Chief The regional intelligence agency accuses a popular former President and WA Delegate of leaking classified information. The former President ragequits the region, perhaps in concealed disgrace, perhaps in righteous anger -- no one quite knows all the facts. The sitting President resigns amidst the scandal and is succeeded by his very green Vice President, who inherits a massively unpopular administration. He immediately stumbles into controversy over referring divisive legislation to revoke automatic speaking privileges in the Senate from honored citizens to citizen referendum. Pages upon pages of debate ensue, snark abounds, polls proliferate, and accusations of toxicity reach a fever pitch. The next presidential election is not far off and it seems like the last one was just yesterday. Welcome to the Republic of Europeia, population: political, and proud of it. Beginning my gameplay journey in 2012 in a dysfunctional imperialist region that is long dead, Europeia has always been part of my gameplay. Sometimes it has been central to my gameplay, sometimes it has been at the periphery. Sometimes it has been friend, more often it has been foe. I have served briefly and without distinction as a Senator there, but have served far more time as persona non grata. I wouldn't call myself an expert on Europeia, but what I do have is years worth of observations as occasional participant and much more frequent outside antagonist. In 2012, as my involvement in gameplay was just beginning, I said Europeia "has a soul-sucking effect I wouldn't recommend." But do I still think that is the whole picture or do I see something more in Europeia? To be sure, Europeia is a hyper-political region and, for the most part, its community takes pride in the region's politics. Europeia isn't for the faint of heart. It is the closest thing to hardcore real world politics you will ever find in NationStates. Some regions exist to defend, some regions exist to raid, some regions exist to role play. Europeia exists to be political. When Europeia engages in other endeavors, it is to give its sprawling government something to govern. The government is not a means to an end; the government is the end unto itself. This is Europeia. This has always been Europeia. [violet] willing and the Founder don't CTE, this will always be Europeia. The political nature of Europeia has many detractors, some within Europeia and many more on the outside. Ask yourself, though, if this extremely political style of play is so bad, why Europeia is the largest user-created region in the world and has consistently been the first or second largest for years. Ask yourself why it has such a large, active, dedicated core of citizens. Ask yourself why Europeian dispatches always dominate the front page. Ask yourself why the Europeian Delegate typically has an endorsement count on par with some Feeder Delegates. Ask yourself why, despite the knock down, drag out debates and arguments, Europeia still has a fully functioning -- indeed, thriving -- republic that is second to none and the envy of most. These cannot be accidents. Perhaps it's because the Europeian political culture takes no prisoners and suffers no fools. Maybe it's because each Europeian who has spent significant time in the region is battle hardened and combat trained to develop a fierce independence and a critical eye, making Europeia resistant to the cults of personality and factional manipulation that have brought down other major gameplay regions. Lazy charlatans and would-be demagogues will find no easy path in Europeia, which is perhaps why many such characters who have tried to bedazzle Europeia have left for friendlier pastures more vulnerable to their song and dance. Maybe, just maybe, it's because in a game that is supposed to be a text-based political simulation and not a lousy excuse for a social network stuck in an early 00s time warp, Europeia gives many players exactly what they're looking for and keeps them coming back for more. Europeia isn't for everyone. Europeia isn't for special snowflakes who see "toxicity" in every heated argument or every snarky zinger, who can't take criticism or a pointed joke, who wring their hands and worry the end is nigh if a longtime citizen suddenly ragequits because they couldn't take the heat despite knowing full well they were in the kitchen. But if you like your politics more in the flavor of a rich bourbon with a kick than a weak, saccharine sweet tea that lulls citizens to sleep, Europeia might be for you. If you're looking for a region that is never going to succumb to the demagoguery and personality politics so prominent in other major gameplay regions, Europeia might be your place. If you, too, take no prisoners and suffer no fools, you might just be a Europeian. Five years later and with a great deal more experience under my belt, I've still got the disgusting pink persona non grata masking to prove that Europeia and I haven't mixed well over the years. But as I watch some in Europeia wonder aloud if the region is too toxic, and as a new generation is faced with a choice to fundamentally change Europeian political culture or stay the course despite occasional turmoil, I can't help but speak out in defense of what is undeniably right about what often seems so wrong, at face value, in Europeia. I would go so far as to say that Europeia has a refreshing, snowflake-smashing charm I might just recommend. In a game that has forgotten its political roots and become far too averse to substantive gameplay politics, and thus far too susceptible to manipulation by undeserving snake oil salesmen, the enduring political spirit of Europeia is worth celebrating -- and emulating. |
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