[MUD-Dev] Re: (no subject)

[Jon A. Lambert]

On  1 Jan 98 at 15:32, Chris Gray wrote:
> [JC Lawrence:]
> 
> :There is a wonderful old quote, which I wish I could remember, but I'm
> :away from my dictionaries and libraries here at work (yes, I'm working
> :on Christmas Eve, and will be working the day after as well, and on
> :New Years...) which asserts that those without evil deeds have no
> :secrets.  There's more than a little truth in there, tho I'll acccept
> :questions on its absoluteness.
> 
> [Note, I'm still catching up, so likely this has already been discussed
> to death - I have all of today (New Year's Day) to catch up.]
> 
> OK, I'll bite.
> 
> Who defines "evil deeds"?
>
> Deeds contrary to the local law might be evil - they can certainly get you
> in real trouble if discovered.
> 
> What about deeds contrary to the local morality? They can get you in
> a different kind of trouble, but it might actually be more serious, and
> will vary wildly depending on where you live.
> 

The controlling moral authority.  This can be local, cultural or universal. 
Universals definitions do exist and are much more important and 
significant.  There are local variations.  For instance, the last time I 
was in Fredrickburg, Texas it was still considered immoral to work on 
Sunday and was also inhibited by local ordinance making it illegal to 
sell hardware on Sundays.  

<pointless observation> 
This is quite a different concept than U.S. VP Gore's, "There is no 
controlling legal authority". 
</pointless observation> 

Bringing this back into mud administration, that would of course
be myself.  As mud administrator, I assume the mantle and responsibilty 
of controlling moral authority.  Local morals might be somewhat odd, but
ultimately for they are for the users' benefit.  I am certain that some 
would say, "you have no right to decide what is good for the users.  Who 
died and left you supreme moral authority?"  The basic point I'm trying
to make is that for almost every gathering of individuals, someone steps
in as a "local moral authority" and imposes restrictions on the rights 
<laugh> of others.  For instance, it is immoral for me to come to work 
without a tie and there would be severe consequences for daring to wear 
bluejeans (quite possibly loss of a day's income and not to mention the 
associated shame my colleagues might shower upon me).  Back in my high 
school days my "rights" were stomped on by a tyrannical basketball coach 
when he benched me for not following his moral authority in regard to 
running the plays he called.  I even witnessed a librarian "delete and ban" 
someone from a public library for being loud and boisterous, another highly 
evil deed.   Well I'm being somewhat tongue-in-cheek here, but there are 
locally immoral, shameful and evil deeds that one can perform in an RP-only
game.  Repeatedly asking Bubba, Boffo and Bixie who their favorite Spice 
Girl is, for instance.  While I realize that it is a severe violation of
players free speech rights in supressing Spice Girl discussions, they must
abide it or die a slow and horrible death.  ;)

> As mentioned before, it is fear of discovery that is often more of a
> problem than fear of the actual punishment. This fear is likely to be
> *stronger* in the second case - the punishments meted out by today's
> law are often more inconvenient than anything. Ridicule by your
> neighbours, and social isolation can be much more serious things, and
> fear of discovery is likely what *results* in violent crimes.

It's quite difficult to get any sort of lengthy stay in my local
county jail.  One needs to commit murder or rape to get any sort of 
extensive holiday.  Much of this revolves around federal regulations
about ratios of TV sets, fitness training rooms and psychologists to
numbers of prisoners (aka clients, in the prison industry). 

I am reminded of Elizabeth Reid's thesis (sorry, forgot the addie) where
she described mud punishments as: (really mangled quote from bad memory) 
"Medieval and quite backwards as opposed to RL.  Where transgressors 
are literally placed in stocks or held against their will on the public 
square and feel shame, humilation and harrasment of other players".  
While I think she described the differences quite accurately, my opinion
as to the "value" she places on them are diametrically opposite.

> I'm often glad that I live up here in Canada, instead of down in the
> U.S., where the "moral majority" is much stronger. Is that type of
> phenomenom present in other countries as well?

The moral majority is largely silent and votes most often with their 
feets.  There are some vocal groups and individuals, but they are largely
drowned out by the chatterings of the "immoral minority".  <sigh>

--
Jon A. Lambert
"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant" - Plato