What faction would you join in?

Hippi · November 22, 2003, 10:11

Ok so you'r on board Unity at the time of the accident. 7 leaders are gathering followers. Who do you follow?

Alinestra Covelia · November 22, 2003, 15:10

Last time I saw this poll up was about two years ago. The time is ripe to see what the distribution is like now.

Archaic · November 23, 2003, 06:28

Give me the University and our unethical experiments!

Mr. President · November 23, 2003, 06:42

Unemployment's at a record high,
People coming, people going, people born to die.
Don't ask me why, 'cause I don't know why,
But it's like that, and that's the way it is!

People in the world tryin to make ends meet,
You try to ride car, train, bus, or feet.
I said you got to work hard, you want to compete,
It's like that, and that's the way it is!

Huh!

Money is the key to end all your woes!
Your ups, your downs, your highs and your lows.
Won't you tell me last time that love bought you clothes?
It's like that, and that's the way it is!

Bills rise higher every day,
We receive much lower pay,
I'd rather stay young, go out and play.
It's like that, and that's the way it is!

Morgan Industries forever!

waab · November 23, 2003, 09:52

if the Free drones was in I would vote in them...

But in this contest I would say it's either Chairman Yang or Lady Deidra...

The choose depends on how Yang is personally I see him as a model of Fidel Castro, so I would love to go with him, but if he is more of a Josef Stalin, I would run to deidra...

Jethro83 · November 23, 2003, 10:10

I wouldn't believe this a year or two ago, but I would be rushing for Lal's escape pod as the Unity goes down. My reasons are as follows:

1. Freedom!!! Sweet FREEDOM!!!

2. Tolerance. You can be anything from an environmental extremist to a corporate hack; a religious nut to an anti-religious nut and everything else in between all the extremes and still get along (hopefully) with everyone else.

3. Planetary politics. Its a well-known fact that Lal compels more votes, and even without the Empath Guild (which Dee would probably build) he is probably the one most likely to be elected as governor and retained in every forseeable election. Greater commerce would mean greater prosperity, and the extensive infiltrator info would make the job of the defence force easier.

sammy1339 · November 23, 2003, 13:03

"It is not uncommon to see patients undergo permanent psychological trauma in the presence of the Sphere, before the nerve stapler has even been strapped into position. Its effect of the general concsiousness of the culture is profound: husbands have seen wives go inside, and mothers their children. Dr. Xynan left the surface of the sphere semitranslucent for a reason. You can hear them in there; you can see them. It is a thing of terrible beauty." - Baron Klim, "The Music of the Spheres"
OK, who do you think this wacko works for? Possibly Miriam, even Zakharov maybe, but if you had to guess I bet you would say Yang, wouldn't you?

"What do I care for your suffering?" - Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang, "Essays on Mind and Matter"
OK, so it's a philosophical position. But he sounds like a nice guy, doesn't he?

"The Academician's private residences shall remain off-limits to the Genetic Inspectors. We possess no retroviral capability, we are not researching Retroviral Engineering, and we shall not allow this Council to violate faction priveliges in the name of this ridiculous witch hunt!" - Fedor Petrov, Vice Provost for University Affairs
So, if you join the University, you could end up a scientist or a specimen for genetic experiments. Sounds good, right?

"He held his arm too stiffly, and so was thrown back repeatedly, until at last I seized his forearm and snapped it back against itself. His training suffered while the arm healed, of course, but I felt this was a lesson he must learn early, and well." - Spartan Kel, "Honing the Ki"
Oh, yeah, I want to live there.

"Some civilian workers got in among the research patients today and became so hysterical I felt compelled to have them nerve stapled. The consequence, of course, will be another public relations nightmare, but I was severely shaken by the extent of their revulsion towards a project so vital to our survival." - CEO Nwabudike Morgan, "The Personal Diaries"
Poor Nwabudike, he was shaken.

[Insert any Miriam quote here.] - Sister Miriam Godwinson
Right.

"I hold a scrap of paper in the darkness and light it. I watch it burn bright and curl, disappearing into nothingness, and the heat burns my fingers. Where has it gone? What has it become? I cannot shake the feeling that I have witnessed a form of transcendence." - Commissioner Pravin Lal, "The Convergence"
Uh, how often do you do this, Pravin?

"I loved my chosen. How then to face the day when she left me? So I took from her body a single cell, perhaps to love her again." - Commissioner Pravin Lal, "Time of Bereavement"
I really think you should seek therapy, Pravin.

So what we have concluded here is that you are crazy if you don't go with Deirdre.

Maniac · November 23, 2003, 14:20

Two years ago I would have probably voted the UoP; now I chose the Peacekeepers.

swillwater · November 23, 2003, 16:10

I would go with the Peacekeepers, or the Gaians; whichever was closest. It seems to me that the Peacekeeper priorities are a bit sensibler than the Gaians which is why I voted for them.
Anyone who dislikes Democracy is not a leader that I would choose, and the lack of ethics that Morgan and Zharkov both suffer from deters me from following them.
Finally, my dislike of war and violence would not make me a natural Spartan.

Fazdaar · November 23, 2003, 19:48

Zakharov, all the way! Really, the kind of research I'd like to do falls outside the realm of ethics anyway, like physics or math, so the unethical nature of his society wouldn't affect me too much.

Enigma_Nova · November 24, 2003, 01:36

There's a tough 7-way decision there.
In the end, I support Zakharov due to his unethical approach.
IMO Ethics are for each man to decide, and are not absolute but instead a function of the environment.

Hey Zak, got some room? Ya pod's lookin' kinda full!

Hippi · November 24, 2003, 01:39

nice sammy :P

Alinestra Covelia · November 24, 2003, 15:15

You guys really should go read Hydro's (I think) "Planetary Council" short story in the directory. It's very short but well worth it!

Here's the link.

Datajack Franit · November 24, 2003, 19:38

In the real world the University would be an obvious choice in case of a revolution I guess

SynthetGod8 · November 25, 2003, 00:02

sure, maybe you could be a mind-worm boil in Dee's forces. But if you aren't psychic... then what? You get your ass kicked by Morgan or Spartan Needlejets.
I never liked Free Enterprise much anyhow... I can't compete with those big corperate sharks anyway. Besides, I'd only end up buying their crap and their recreational drugs... oh wait. um... no, no Morgan.
The University is where it's at. They've got a good welfare program and even a new teaching machine! Sure, it gives you a ***** of a migrane after, but you've got a Master's in Biochem afterwards. Besides, who wants restrictions on your research or having to worry about funding? Zak would never tell you that you couldn't build a genetic virus in your basement. Morgan would be all, "blah blah, applications and blah blah, funding." Zak: "Oh... so you're trying to find a way to sterilize cats with a potentially deadly retro-virus eh? Well, there aren't any cats on Planet, but here's a lab and some money and some human subjects (just in case)."
Has anyone written a story about how The Consciousness took over Planet, created the Matrix, tossed the whole of humanity (except one other faction, the Angels) into it, and then the Data Angels have to free humanity by jacking into it? hmmm

Jamski · November 25, 2003, 19:07

In the real world I'd join Dee's lot, running naked through the fungus

-Jam

Enigma_Nova · November 25, 2003, 23:24

"A base's culture can be observed in a quick trip to the Rec Commons.

The Sweaty arenas of Fort Legion,
The Sunny Lover's Tryst at Gaia's High Garden,
The gilded gambling halls of Morgan Bank,
or the sombre reading rooms of UN Headquarters
Even the feeding bay at The Hive provides stark insight into Yang's communal utopia."
-Commisioner Pravin Lal

No mention of Zak or Miriam...
I reckon Zak would have a science centre or a symposium or such, "Where you can view the marvels of Zak's creation", and Miriam? A Chapel, for prayer.

Based on the above, I'd go Zakharov, but I'd imagine that most folk would jump ship and side with Deidre!
-just some food for thought...

wgabrie · November 26, 2003, 00:16

Oh come on... You've got to be practical! Morgan is going to have all the best stuff on planet and you want to become a brain in a test tube or try to stay alive preserving mind worm specimens?

AgentSubversion · November 26, 2003, 04:11

All about the University

Nubclear · November 26, 2003, 05:38

The University. Why?

1. Most likely to transcend.
2. Most likely to conquer.
3. Most likely to win a defense war.

Archaic would be there, but....I'd subject him to horrible experiments

Jamski · November 26, 2003, 06:35

Gaians :

1. Most likely to get laid
2. Most likely to get laid
3. Most likely to get laid

See?

-Jam

Dry · November 26, 2003, 11:59

It first goes about surviving, so, let us first eliminate those factions I do not believe would survive.
For me, this is the 2 nice guy/gal: Lal & Deirde.
I'd love to join, but I don't believe in their survival (I'm not speaking about the game here). Remember, I am on the Unity, I know nothing about the planet.

Then, let's eliminate those I'd prefer to be dead than to join: the baddies. Yes, I do believe that in real world THEY have the best survival chance, but one thing is to survive, the other is at what cost? This is
- the Hive: what is everyone last duty again? Better dead than just another ant.
- the Spartan: I bet the weaks are eliminated/enslaved here. What do they exactly do with their wounded/old people? Better dead than nazi.
- the Believers: Some fanatic accuses you of having weared colored underwear the Day of the Lord. As this cannot be proved, your are comdemn to the Lord's Judgement: survive 24h naked in a worm pool. Better dead than brainwashed/potential victim of witch hunts.

This leave me with the 2 "neutrals". Good survival chances, and still room for individual existence/thinking: University and Morganites.
I have a small fear that among the morganites, only the sharks will have a life (without money you are mothing).
I have the fealing that only the University gives a chance to those who are not like them (smart in their case).

I'll go with the University.

Marid Audran · November 26, 2003, 16:55

I'd be one of those citizens who would try to make it in Morgan or Peacekeeper society, buy psychotropic novels entitled "How to Release Your Inner Talent!" and "Rich Talent, Poor Drone," switch careers several times, become a chess bum in the Rec Commons off-hours, become disenfranchised and disillusioned, and eventually sneak out into the night on a Planetary Transit to seek refuge in the elegiac embrace of the Believers.

Marid Audran · November 26, 2003, 16:59

DP

TimeTraveler · November 27, 2003, 04:00

First off, I'd have to avoid the factions in which I have little chance of surviving in:

The Believers: There are so many things I would very quickly get in trouble for there, that I probably wouldn't want them to know of my existence.
The Spartans: I'm weak. I'd be taken down very quickly.
The Hive I might actually survive in, but it seems like it would involve a lot of painful labor, which I'm not up to.

Then there are the factions which I would not mind too badly living in.

Gaians/Morgans: They're somewhat neutral in my mind. I'm relatively apathetic toward economic policies.
Peacekeepers: I'd join just for any humanitarian aid I would need, and the high freedoms is a nice addition as well.

It probably is little surprise that I would join the University of Planet. Just like Zakharov, I too would prefer high research, technology, and information flow.

Jamski · November 27, 2003, 05:05

Most people saying University would be forced to be the subjects of unethical experiments. That's WHY they are unethical, because they're forced experiments on humans.

-Jam

Nubclear · November 27, 2003, 06:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Marid Audran
I'd be one of those citizens who would try to make it in Morgan or Peacekeeper society, buy psychotropic novels entitled "How to Release Your Inner Talent!" and "Rich Talent, Poor Drone," switch careers several times, become a chess bum in the Rec Commons off-hours, become disenfranchised and disillusioned, and eventually sneak out into the night on a Planetary Transit to seek refuge in the elegiac embrace of the Believers.

Says the one already trapped in New Jerusalem...

Adalbertus · November 27, 2003, 14:52

dp

Adalbertus · November 27, 2003, 14:52

Zak for me. Research doesn't have to be necessarily immoral, does it?
(and in most cases it is not research or its result which is immoral but the way it is used. Which is decided by politicians, managers, lawyers, journalists and other sorts of ~~immoral~~ people.)

N35t0r · November 27, 2003, 19:43

Well, it's a clear Zak for me. For one, i think that science is the way to go... And of course that in research some human testing would be required on some areas, but of course animals would be used first (not for a long time though); and who can say no to neural grafting? Besides, the subjects of the experiments will certainly not be any productive citizen... With chances of being either Democratic (which is a good way to go) or Police (only when having too much bureaucracy will put survival at stake), while avoiding brainwashing people to blindly believe in someone is never a bad thing...

A free choice in economics... The usual free enterprise (you get paid the more you research); a planned approach (evrybody gets paid, everybody researches just for the sake of having the theory named after you); or the more naturist one (the more efficient we get, the more stuff we will have to experiment with - and we will not leave our grandsons a huge ecological blunder)

All in all, i expect a longer time under a planned system, only for a better coordination of research, and ensuring that the brillant minds get what they deserve (and are not eaten up by the big sharks)

As for values, a clear preference of knowledge will mean that we will waste as little as possible to get as much as possible researched...

The ensuing hit in probe team vulnerability can be easily countered by devising hole-free, outsider-unfriendly, vicious soft.

Of the other choices, i'd eagerly walk away from Miriam else i'd be burnt as the atheist i am. Lal presents a nice choice, but i shudder at the thoughts of having all my former creche friends voting as well... (and up to the point in which several bases ight be gifted to bully factions if it makes the average voter more at ease (and less likely to be conscripted). Morgan proposes an interesting 'money money money' approach, but i fear that some essential research will be turned down due to lack of practical approaches, and the fact that most of us will end up in the genejack factories.). Santiago i would also run away from, as living for the military until i show a flaw, and then god knows what they will do with me is not very comforting (especially as it will not be very nice to keep being 'perfect' all the time). With Yang i think i could cope a bit better, as even though i'd probably end up among the ant pile, i'd still have everything i need to live. In theory. Although i do have some interesting ideas that might interest the chairman himself.