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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence

Normally I blather on about whatever is on my mind.  But today I would like to ask a question.  Right now both of my main characters are training charisma intensive leadership and trading skills.  Once that is done I'd like to go out and join a real corporation or alliance.  However, now that people are actually reading the blog, I'm wondering how joining a low or null sec organization would effect any credibility I have on issues I care about like botting and illicit RMT.  Right now I'm just a high sec carebear so politics don't matter.  But if I join a null sec alliance, will people dismiss my stance as just propoganda?  I really don't want that to happen.

So my question is: does a blogger's in-game corp or alliance influence what you think about his or her writing?  I'm really interested to find out.

18 comments:

  1. The problem:
    1: most alliances demand obedience
    2: therefore most alliance members are obedient minions
    3: so you must also be an obedient minion
    4: everything you write is commanded by your alliance
    5: ergo propaganda

    Solution: don't tell anyone who you are. Join without any link to the blog. They just see John157 random pilot.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would say, find a compromise : FW.
    In FW, you can return in high sec space, and you'll be more secure than a low sec/null sec corp/ally cause your wardeccers are the opposite faction, and at war with the one you choose.

    You'll discover PvP, Factional activities like plexing and missionning for your faction, and certainly lots of good ppl ;)

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  3. Gevlon doesn't know what he is talking about.

    If you are worried about attacks on your credibility, I see at least two things you can do. One is to admit your biases and allegiances. While you will never defang the most strident trolls this will minimize their bite. Hidden agendas have to remain hidden to be effective and by being honest about your motivations it lends credibility to your writing.

    The second tactic I would suggest is when possible to approach questions empirically. Given a debate about an issue, what would be the ideal evidence? For example, ideally we would have the numbers for the total bots currently in use and when CCP makes a change we could see how that number fluctuates. Instead of this ideal, what we actually have are proxies for this information. Things like botters complaining in forums or number of banned accounts. Empirical questions are much harder to dismiss out of hand as mere agitprop.

    I am not saying that you can't have opinions, just to be careful in the presentation and avoid the sort of "All X is Y" or "X is terribad" that are so common on the forums.

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  4. No. I read blogs from people in various alliances, both SoCo and CFC. I read blogs based on my evaluation of that particular individual, not what alliance they are in. I can't stomach most SoCo people, but the ones who blog tend to not be the obnoxious ones. Same goes for Goons/testies/etc.

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  5. Nulles Alliances/Corporations will want to be sure you're not inadvertently giving away intel and will shy away from a blogger on those grounds. Others may expect you to support the Alliance/Coalition party line in your blog. Readers will always assume a bias toward positions that benefit your own alliance or coalition.

    The best way to avoid being dismissed as a sock puppet for your leadership or as a turncoat against your leadership is to steer away from writing about topics or strategic situations in which your alliance has a strong vested interest.

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  6. How could it not? Can you read anything from a known Goon and not wonder, at some level, to some degree, if yer bein trolled?

    Consider my position... when I was in Helix down in nasty ol Null, I felt very uncomfortable posting anything that I felt could in any way negatively impact the corp. The three P's, Politics, Personalities and Protection, were very much on my mind while considering what to, and what not to, post. I found myself posting a lot less even after I asked and was told I was to feel free to post as I please (there were and are a 'very' supportive group to thier membership).

    In HBHI, as a Director and in W-space with just myself a my two RL corpmates, I KNOW I can post whatever I please... but even then I still run stuff past them before posting things that I feel might have a possibility of a negative impact... such as "anything" about the Goons or Mittens (you never know what's gonna piss them off)...

    Mord hit it on head... which will limit what you can write and opine about, possibly significantly.

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  7. Ignore Gevlon, pay attention to what Mord says.

    Having said that, I read quite a few blogs where the writers's in-game affiliations are well-known. Some of those blogs are quite good and some are little better than propaganda. There will always be some form of self-censorship even on the best blogs; no one expects a blogger to leak corp/alliance secrets.

    As long as what you have to say, and how you have to say it, have truth in it, I wouldn't worry too much about your blogging independence or perceived lack of same.

    When it comes right down to it, you pay CCP to have fun playing EVE, not blogging about playing EVE. Do what's best for you in the game and do your best to remain as honest as you can be on the blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heretic gives good advice. As does Mord.

      Provided you do not disclose sensitive intel good alliance leaders should not have any issues with you. If they do that is a good indication you might need to shop around for a better home.

      People definitely will take note of your alliance and wonder if there is bias. The good readers will think critically and make their own judgement based on what you write. The poor ones will sperg in comments the way they always do.

      As a long time reader I have no fear you will suddenly transform into a propaganda regurgitating imbecile, so I encourage you to enjoy trying something different.

      Delete
  8. If you join a major alliance, it is only natural to think about your associations when it comes to the stuff you write. Being objective ... is pretty much impossible, because one's views are informed by one's circumstances.

    For example, Wilhelm at The Ancient Gaming Newbie has (I think) become considerably friendlier to Goons in his posting since he moved out to a Goon-friendly alliance. I don't think this was done purposefully on his part, just part of the natural process of flying alongside the same folks and so on.

    That said, some alliances and organisations would, I think, be viewed more suspiciously than others.

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  9. Free 2 Play public forums; with instructions on how to join and 'rules' such as they are for our alliance; Industrialist losec presence; with a holding corp for those that don't need their own corp yet; forums.f2p.hotdrop.in/viewforum.php?f=9

    So far no need to impinge on editorial independence.

    I am a blogger who happens to now play eve. (foo-eve.blogspot.com; foo-wow.blogspot.com)

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  10. Sadly the tin foil hat bregaid will think you are bias.

    On the other hand Tinfoil hats don't look too far into the research. So if you Join an alliance, you can say you write a blog. and keep it at that. Only answer if people ask what blog you directly. Don't mention what alliance you do join in your blog

    When Empire Strikes back - a Anti-botting campaign Web site was put in play it didn't get get off the ground well. What momentum that it did have died when statistics from fan fest showed there was heavy botting activity in Decklen, . As The creator of the Web Site was Apart of the Space Monkeys Alliance which was apart of the CFC and Goon are the Ones in Decklen.

    Eventhough we at SPACE MONKeYs Alliance "really hate bots" and made some serious immature stink about it that resulted diplomatic issues with the CFC. We Can't set the policies of other Alliances.... Though that Botter left our space quickly, how much hassle we caused him.

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  11. Be up front about your blog with your corp/alliance. if they have a problem with it or want you to use it in a way you don't agree with, obviously don't join. Similarly, be up front with us, your readers, about who you join. We'll then make our own determinations about your biases.

    You might lose some readers, you might gain some others. The question at the heart of it seems to be, which do you care more about? Going to null, or maintaining the blog? Knowing your true desire, your course is then clear.

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  12. There are allot of smaller alliances out there that you could join.

    Unless you joined one of the Big boys, i doubt anyone would really care.

    And Gevlon Dont know Jack

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  13. Personally your membership of an alliance is of no importance and I would thin that true of the general readers of your blog. Alliances have no control over what its members do out of game. Keep your blogs as balanced and well written as they usually are and you'll have no problem.

    By the way Gevlon, you really need to see someone about that paranoia of yours, its a game and no one in came can make you do a damn thing if you don't want to.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Definately move to a corp/alliance if that is what you want to do next.
    Be clear about your blogging with your new corp.
    Let your readers know of any possible bias that you have because of your new corp.
    After that everything should be fine.

    Your readers will judge for themselves the level of possible bias on the rare occassions that there could be a conflict of interest.

    On the plus side, it will give you many more interesting things to post about, and might boost your viewers longterm.

    Over the longterm you might actually change your opinion on some things. But that would be natural, having experience first hand in something that you didnt have before.

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  15. I love to hate the goons. always have. Having said that there's a lot of players in Goon and some of them are very talented.

    hell, i'd not think less of Chribba if he joined Goons.

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    Replies
    1. problem is if YOU joined Goons would we dismiss your entire blog as biased now? possibly propaganda to support high sec ganking on OMG HE DIDN'T REPLY WITHIN 5 SECONDS IN LOCAL HE MUST BE A BOT! targets.

      bears thinking about.

      Delete