Politicians as MUCKers

[caraig]

Now, this is a subject that will get the goat of some people, make others say 'It's so true!' or just mildly amuse the majority of people. Or it may disturb people. So take it with a grain of salt, it's not supposed to be entirely serious or anything.

First, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, MUCKer refers to someone who plays on a MUCK. A MUCK is form of MUD, which stands for Multi-User Dungeon, an online multiplayer game, using only text, that predates Everquest et al by many years. if you have ever played Zork or another text adventure, then you have a single-player version of a MUD. MUCK itself was developed from MUD; nobody is really sure what MUCK stands for, though the argument can be made that it stands for "MUCK is Unusual, Crazy, and Kooky." Which is probably a reasonably good description. A MUCK is a MUD without statistics, system, or rules. It's basically role-playing without any sort of dice-rolling or conflict resolution system.

You know, I was going to make a huge essay about this but I found it was rambling needlessly as I usually do. So instead I'll make it short and open it up to commentary:

If you look at the majority of politicians from the perspective of kids who are playing characters on a MUCK who are in positions of power and want to keep those positions safe, and keep their friends safe from the assholes in the rest of the game, and do some Cool Stuff, then it all makes a sudden weird kind of sense.

And, no, this is no sort of slam on anyone. Characters come in all types and styles, as do people. Heck, if anything, this is more of a slam on politicians, I imagine. I just found it interesting that, if you think about it, there are similarities between politicians and characters in charge of factions on MUCKs.

Man, I think I'm loosing my gift of gab. Anyway, on to the commentary. Or lack thereof. Pax.

Comments

[tekenduis.livejournal.com]

How tacky she is, replying to her own comment. But she forgot to add:

In fact, sometimes I was working for and against the council at the same time. Just in different windows. I had this thing with having a couple of windows open at a time to keep my interest up, and there were plenty of times when I had my characters working against each other simultaneously.

Rennyn's passionate speech on the necessity of the council in the face of threats juxtaposed nicely with Alois' plan to disrupt the council into permanant inaction. Alois' friendly chatter in the bar juxtaposed with Sylune's turning evidence of his actions over to the authorities, hoping that they would hunt him down and have him executed.

[tamahori]

Heh, I always did think you had some of the more interesting chars, and more interesting relationships between your chars going on.

On a total side note, I'm amused that almost all of the, very small set of, male chars that my main char ever though were worth getting involved with (that is to say, had an interesting personality that went beyond 'look at my big gun/wang') were run by people involved in this LJ post or replies to it. :)


Brett

[tekenduis.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Hey hey, the gang's all here? ;)

[ahicks.livejournal.com]

I forget which character of yours was there when some poor messenger with a thermos full of acid tried to make a delivery in that room. I distinctly recall being amused (and slightly annoyed in-character at having to go sit in a vat to regrow all the lost flesh).

[tekenduis.livejournal.com]

That was Alois. I believe Cain might've been there too. :)

[ahicks.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't surprise me.

Ahhh, memories. *shakes his fist at Points*

[stardreamink.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was there too, and got the worst of the acid splash. I lost a hand, an eye, and half of my pretty face to that... I had to stay out of public for three months until I was presentable. Sometimes being unable to use cybernetic implants or healing vats can be a real drag.