[MUD-Dev] curses and grief players

[Zak Jarvis]

> From: Patrick Dughi [dughi at imaxx.net]
> Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 9:05 AM

> On Mon, 24 Jul 2000, John Buehler wrote:

> > Jon A. Lambert
> > Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 2:26 AM
> > >Yum.  So do I.  However, I like to wrap it up in the trappings of
> > >a democracy.   Allow players to vote on everything but never
> > >get around to implementing the ideas you don't like.  Fake the voting
> > >with mule characters on the bread and circus ideas, or your pet ideas.
> > >Ask for their opinions but then ignore them, unless it fits in with
> > >your plans.  And finally give them full credit and acclamation for
> > >suggesting ideas you may have planned for many moons or have planted
> > >in their heads via mule characters.  The trick is to make the players
> > >believe they run the mud.

> >   This is one of the most detestable posts I've ever read.  You're
> > advocating treating your customers like idiots, manipulating them
> > without any respect.  This may be 'practical', but it caters to a
> > weak, manipulative admin whose lies will eventually be discovered
> > and players will again be alienated.

> 	I have news for you, this is how the real world works.

I happen to think all three positions here are wrong. Whoo hoo!

First off, my principle of social design is that a society can support a
degree of democracy in inverse proportion to its size. Small groups can't
afford to be very democratic, large groups can.

As for running the small ones, I subscribe very, very heavily to the
Machiavelli school of social management.

When he said, "Surround yourself by the best advisers and tacticians,
listen to them carefully and then make your own choice." he was *not*
telling you to pretend to listen and then ignore people. He was saying
listen to the best people in their fields, try to understand them and then
make decisions based on what you think is best. Simply put; Be a Leader.

The Prince was not about dishonesty or despotism. It was about politically
functional honesty (to coin a fun phrase) and benign social engineering. Of
course, lest you get an overly warm and fuzzy view it's worth noting that
the term Machiavelli used which is usually translated in english to 'The
People' actually referenced a specific, semi-privileged class (or so I've
been told by someone who ought to know).

-Zak Jarvis
 "John is very excited about his teeth."
 http://www.voidmonster.com





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