Scott of Hyperborea wrote:Hi. I don't know if I've met you under this name before; you probably remember me as Yvain Wintersong. Welcome back to Shireroth.
Actually, I remember you as Scott of Hyperborea! Guess I wasn't gone long enough for
that one, was I? (Though, wait. I remember Yvain Wintersong, too. I could have sworn I saw both names in parallel. Ohdeargod, failing memory!)
Scott of Hyperborea wrote:Please explain meritocracy to me. I mean, sure, everyone wants the best people in charge. I thought the whole problem was figuring out who the best people were: so democracies let people vote on who the best people are, monarchies let the monarch determine who are the best people, and so on. What do people in a meritocracy actually do?
Honestly, I don't think "everyone wants the best people in charge" is true, but perhaps you're right.
To explain: I think a democracy is primarily peacefully inclined - give the majority the reins and that very majority isn't going to start a revolt, meaning that by definition (err, you know, in theory) revolts can only come from the minority, which should make for a very stable and peaceful nation.
Because I'm ill I'm having troubles writing my thoughts about monarchies down, but unless my leaking brain is failing me, it has something to do with simplicity and power-retention. I have no clue.
*plugs nose, sips medicine and stops rest of brain dripping out* >.>
Nonetheless, of course your underlying point is valid. Meritocracy is quite possibly impossible.
What Dark Arcadia is trying is a certain semi-circular (or, well, potentially circular), individualistic model, wherein citizens are asked to assess themselves and serve those they themselves deem superior, and a hierarchic net of sorts maps out of that. That kind of requires a certain degree of self-reflection, honesty and some degree of humbleness, of course, which is why we screen people before we let them into the nation. (Yesss, yarrr, we are horribly elitist and isolationist go awaaaaay hiss rarrrgh grrr. Except not. Because we might be doomed to failure and we accept that possibility.)
Even if we pull it off, whether or not that classes as meritocracy may well be in the eye of the beholder.
Scott of Hyperborea wrote:Dark Arcadia, in case anyone's curious, is still alive, if only in the hearts of its Citizens. None of us have time to dedicate to making the idea grow, but then, given the type of people we draft in, it's no surprise. Apparently, if you rearrange the letters in "Dark Arcadia", you get "Workaholic Nation".
I know how that feels. If you rearrange the letters in "The Imperial Republic of Shireroth", you get "Furthermore, please prohibit chili," so...actually, no, I don't know where this sentence is going.
Good god, where did you get that line from? If you just made it up, I'd like you to know that you are, in fact, a genius. ...or my failing mind thinks so, which I suppose is less flattering, so ignore that part and just feel flattered, okay? I dug it. I laughed. I have no idea what to say other than that.
Yes.
Yes, I'm really this out of it.
.
It's good to be back.
