[MUD-Dev] Wild west (was Guilds & Politics)

[Jon A. Lambert]

On  7 Jan 98 at 17:20, Ola Fosheim Gr=B0stad wrote:
> JC Lawrence <claw at under.Eng.Sun.COM> wrote:
> 
> >I probably shouldn't note here that I consider a life itself to be a
> >communication, and thus a point of responsibility and record for that
> >individual.  If that individual considers, rightly or wrongly, that
> >portions of that life were reprehensible or otherwise less than
> >admirable, then that is their choice in engaging in those activities.
> 
> I don't feel like discussing religious beliefs that most people
> (users) don't have.  I am not even going to ask you do define terms
> like "choice" and "decide".
> 

I have a hard time separating religious beliefs from morality from 
philosophy.  I believe them to inextricibly linked.  From my limited
vantage point, the US, most user's have religious beliefs and they vary 
considerably in the specifics.  I don't think these will necessarily show 
up within the context of the _game-world_ yet they do show within the 
social aspects of the virtual world.  While it's easy to hide one's race, 
gender, disability, etc. (physical characteristics), the political, 
religious and cultural aspects of one's character and personality are
magnified by the amount of communication that occurs in a mud.

"Choice" and "decide" are rather slippery terms and are of considerable 
and lengthy debate.  I'm a soft-determinist myself, say no more. ;)

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