[MUD-Dev] Trouble Makers or Regular Citizens

[Chris Lloyd]

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Andrieu
Sent: 11 April 2000 07:31

>This is mixing apples and oranges.  Diversity can drive community, make it
stronger.  One of the interesting things about Japan was that it chose to
shut down its borders for 200 years (~1650 - ~1850) to ward off the
influence of "barbarians", namely us westerners.  This period in Japan is
amazing, but what happened was that the country stagnated technologically
and economically and was unable to adapt to the west after the US basically
forced its boarders open in ~1850.  The result was the loss of divinity of
their emperor, the end of a way of life, and the subjugation of a proud
people to the ways of foreigners.



In this example, the Almighty Emperor of Japan was seen much as a god, just
as Napoleon was in some ways. Dictators like these, even today, are seen as
divine and answerable only to the gods. To take a more modern example,
Saddam Hussein is seen by his people as answerable only to God.

But people rally behind dictators. The concept of dictatorship works, if the
ruler is a good man. The English king, Richard the Lionheart is always said
to have been a good man, and spent years fighting to free Jerusalem from
Turkish rule. He is said to be a hero. But he was a dictator - He said
'jump', and people jumped. The difference between him and Attila the Hun is
that he made what were seen to be 'good' decisions. He was seen to have
honour.

In an MMORPG situation, some leaders of clans and guilds can be seen as
dictators. Even if some of them are voted in by the members, as long as he
or she makes 'good' or decisions, the followers will often obey with little
question, even if they do not know or understand the motives behind such an
action.

For example:

The leader of Clan A says to his members, "We are going to war with Clan B
because their leader insulted me and because no one really likes them
anyway."

In my experience, Clan A would most likely agree (even if they has no
motives at all for disliking Clan B) and start chopping up members of the
other clan. Why? Because their leader is seen as a respectable person, and
he has a certain power over his clan.


C.




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