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Senior Columnist and Investigative Journalist: Darien Fenner
Five Points or Round Fifteen: What it Takes to Govern RhyDin March 15, 2010
RhyDin needs more mathematicians.
Granted RhyDin needs more of a lot of things, but the mathematicians being referred to here are not necessarily wanted solely for their arithmetic. Mathematicians understand the concept of formulas, of process, and of laws.
In RhyDin, there is no such thing as law.
With the 2011 Gubernatorial Election nearly upon us, citizens of RhyDin are beginning their traditional circuitous talk about government. Where in any other rational society people would be arguing about what kind of government to have or what the different parties should be, RhyDinians spend the majority of their time getting red-faced over whether there should be government in the first place. Every year, anarchy has had its niche in the elections. From the "Superman for Governor" and Stitch's "Stitch or Them' campaigns in 2007 to Stephen Kidd's and Sinjin Fai's "No Confidence" votes in "08 and "09 to campaigns by angels and Easter bunnies, it is more than clear that there is a startling percentage of citizens that does not take government seriously. And why should they' The government office is not serious because no one takes it seriously. Indeed, it seems like all the governorship has done for RhyDinians is give them another scapegoat " someone to run crying to when their lollipop is stolen or their best friend is murdered. And yet, a growing number of RhyDinians still vote for candidates in every election.
If RhyDin does not want a government, what is the point of engaging in democratic processes"
The truth is, contrary to popular belief, there are people out there who understand that running a city takes some compromise. These are the strategists who would agree with Terran mathematician John Nash when he said that "the best for the group comes when everyone in the group does what is best for himself and the group." Of course this might take a little cooperation and some obedience from RhyDin's citizens, and that is where most of the criticism seems to lie. The obedience being referred to is of course no where near Talomar Longden's bullying campaign in 2007, but even a pirate will say that members of his crew have assigned duties while at sea. Does that limit their individual rights" Of course not. Just as a member of the military follows a general's orders or he dies, a pirate follows a captain's orders or the whole ship sinks.
Would a monarchy be better for RhyDin" It is not unfathomable. Baronies within and around RhyDin have strikingly higher ratings of overall contentment among subjects. But asking RhyDinians to accept a ruling leadership is like telling a feral four-year-old child to iron his slacks and do homework. RhyDin townspeople have been too long spoiled from privileges like going to bed after midnight and eating whatever they want, and as a result are too preoccupied with keeping personal freedoms to acknowledge sharp, overlying regional differences and problems. Moreover, any effort at regulation is met with outright hostility - despite that it is more often than not an endeavor to do what is best for RhyDin as a whole. To be a patient captain or general trying to restore order amidst a sea of squabbling children (or worse, politicians) is truly a daunting task.
Perhaps RhyDin doesn't need more mathematicians. Perhaps it needs more soldiers.
One pattern is certain, at least. Those candidates in the past that have shown even an infinitesimal immunity to ineptitude have all been familiar with combat and dueling. And honestly, duelists and soldiers do seem to have the fairest grasp of reality. They understand rules, competition, equality, and retribution, but more importantly they understand that sometimes you have to risk getting stabbed to earn a point or save a life. Thus it truthfully would not be the end of the world if RhyDin saw Matt Simon, G"nort Dragoon-Talanador, or Wolvinator run again. Simon spent most of his time and energy in "08 and "09 trying to bolster RhyDin's defenses with the R.A.S.G. For all his vain and farcical inclinations, Dragoon-Talanador did himself make it evident in his campaign that he would use his own resources if need be to get the city back on its feet. Even Wolvinator acknowledged more than once that the needs of the many do, in fact, outweigh the needs of the few " a concept that RhyDinians seem to be violently allergic to.
At the very least, whoever decides to run for office this year will have to tread carefully so as not to offend RhyDin's dainty senses with smells of regulation " ironically, something that RhyDin could use a little more of. If pirates can get over themselves long enough to steer a ship or mend sails, certainly RhyDinians can have enough patience to at least hear their candidates out and not throw a temper tantrum the instant tariffs or taxes are mentioned.
This is not a plea to be taxed, of course. Merely a plea for a little cooperation. Then again, I will shoot myself in the foot if I see citizens picking up a broom and showing actual concern about where they live and work.
It takes a lot to keep this particular ship afloat, RhyDin. All hands on deck.
Five Points or Round Fifteen: What it Takes to Govern RhyDin March 15, 2010
RhyDin needs more mathematicians.
Granted RhyDin needs more of a lot of things, but the mathematicians being referred to here are not necessarily wanted solely for their arithmetic. Mathematicians understand the concept of formulas, of process, and of laws.
In RhyDin, there is no such thing as law.
With the 2011 Gubernatorial Election nearly upon us, citizens of RhyDin are beginning their traditional circuitous talk about government. Where in any other rational society people would be arguing about what kind of government to have or what the different parties should be, RhyDinians spend the majority of their time getting red-faced over whether there should be government in the first place. Every year, anarchy has had its niche in the elections. From the "Superman for Governor" and Stitch's "Stitch or Them' campaigns in 2007 to Stephen Kidd's and Sinjin Fai's "No Confidence" votes in "08 and "09 to campaigns by angels and Easter bunnies, it is more than clear that there is a startling percentage of citizens that does not take government seriously. And why should they' The government office is not serious because no one takes it seriously. Indeed, it seems like all the governorship has done for RhyDinians is give them another scapegoat " someone to run crying to when their lollipop is stolen or their best friend is murdered. And yet, a growing number of RhyDinians still vote for candidates in every election.
If RhyDin does not want a government, what is the point of engaging in democratic processes"
The truth is, contrary to popular belief, there are people out there who understand that running a city takes some compromise. These are the strategists who would agree with Terran mathematician John Nash when he said that "the best for the group comes when everyone in the group does what is best for himself and the group." Of course this might take a little cooperation and some obedience from RhyDin's citizens, and that is where most of the criticism seems to lie. The obedience being referred to is of course no where near Talomar Longden's bullying campaign in 2007, but even a pirate will say that members of his crew have assigned duties while at sea. Does that limit their individual rights" Of course not. Just as a member of the military follows a general's orders or he dies, a pirate follows a captain's orders or the whole ship sinks.
Would a monarchy be better for RhyDin" It is not unfathomable. Baronies within and around RhyDin have strikingly higher ratings of overall contentment among subjects. But asking RhyDinians to accept a ruling leadership is like telling a feral four-year-old child to iron his slacks and do homework. RhyDin townspeople have been too long spoiled from privileges like going to bed after midnight and eating whatever they want, and as a result are too preoccupied with keeping personal freedoms to acknowledge sharp, overlying regional differences and problems. Moreover, any effort at regulation is met with outright hostility - despite that it is more often than not an endeavor to do what is best for RhyDin as a whole. To be a patient captain or general trying to restore order amidst a sea of squabbling children (or worse, politicians) is truly a daunting task.
Perhaps RhyDin doesn't need more mathematicians. Perhaps it needs more soldiers.
One pattern is certain, at least. Those candidates in the past that have shown even an infinitesimal immunity to ineptitude have all been familiar with combat and dueling. And honestly, duelists and soldiers do seem to have the fairest grasp of reality. They understand rules, competition, equality, and retribution, but more importantly they understand that sometimes you have to risk getting stabbed to earn a point or save a life. Thus it truthfully would not be the end of the world if RhyDin saw Matt Simon, G"nort Dragoon-Talanador, or Wolvinator run again. Simon spent most of his time and energy in "08 and "09 trying to bolster RhyDin's defenses with the R.A.S.G. For all his vain and farcical inclinations, Dragoon-Talanador did himself make it evident in his campaign that he would use his own resources if need be to get the city back on its feet. Even Wolvinator acknowledged more than once that the needs of the many do, in fact, outweigh the needs of the few " a concept that RhyDinians seem to be violently allergic to.
At the very least, whoever decides to run for office this year will have to tread carefully so as not to offend RhyDin's dainty senses with smells of regulation " ironically, something that RhyDin could use a little more of. If pirates can get over themselves long enough to steer a ship or mend sails, certainly RhyDinians can have enough patience to at least hear their candidates out and not throw a temper tantrum the instant tariffs or taxes are mentioned.
This is not a plea to be taxed, of course. Merely a plea for a little cooperation. Then again, I will shoot myself in the foot if I see citizens picking up a broom and showing actual concern about where they live and work.
It takes a lot to keep this particular ship afloat, RhyDin. All hands on deck.