Shireroth

It seems my attempt at hiding myself away failed in light of Ari's excellent sleuthing abilities.

I am, in fact, still alive. Had you going for a while, didn't I?

More seriously: Hello, folks. I've been away far too long. Truth be told, I have no idea how much time I can dedicate to this place now that I have a job (and what a job it is! and what a wonderful apartment I got my hands on now that I've moved (though, for those of you who remember my UK obsession, unfortunately I'm still in Germany)!), but I am now properly armed with A Link in the form of a bookmark, so I'll probably pop by every once in a while! I'm surprised anyone remembered me to the point of wanting me back. I guess I wasn't annoying enough the last time? Hah! ...there's something I don't aspire to catching up to.

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".

Now then.

How are you guys faring?

Heh, I was going to ask you how Dark Arcadia was doing, but you managed to ask get there first by asking me how I'm doing

I'm surprised anyone remembered me to the point of wanting me back

Well, as far as I'm concerned you *did* make quite an impression... by being the exact opposite of annoying. Besides we Shirithians always remember other Shirithians, and that includes friends of the nation that are pretty much citizens except for the formalities anyway .

To the new people who haven't seen Neike here before: You have in front of you a frighteningly multi-competent writer, roleplayer, illustrator, and in general awesome person who founded one of the more unique micronations about - one of the few where I take the assertion that it's still alive in the hearts of its citizens seriously. She originally showed up in Shireroth trying to track down Shyriath, and in my opinion has a lot of the same nature as him (even if that seems to include not having much time for Shireroth since the rest of the world wants its piece of the awesome too )

Welcome back-ish, Neike

Ari Rahikkala wrote:Heh, I was going to ask you how Dark Arcadia was doing, but you managed to ask get there first by asking me how I'm doing

I see reading Ari Distraction Tactics 101 has paid off.

Ari Rahikkala wrote: To the new people who haven't seen Neike here before: You have in front of you a frighteningly multi-competent writer, roleplayer, illustrator, and in general awesome person who founded one of the more unique micronations about - one of the few where I take the assertion that it's still alive in the hearts of its citizens seriously. She originally showed up in Shireroth trying to track down Shyriath, and in my opinion has a lot of the same nature as him (even if that seems to include not having much time for Shireroth since the rest of the world wants its piece of the awesome too )

o.o Ari-praise. *protests* You're one of those people who's opinion matter, you can't flatter me like that, I've no idea how to deal with that. *whines* Thank you. <3

Ari Rahikkala wrote:Welcome back-ish, Neike

Thank you. It's good to be back.

Hmph.

You MUST be someone he likes. I've known him for 10 years and he's never praised me like that.


Anyway, welcome back!

Weird, weird baffling and confusing website. Though it's cool to meet another meritocracy fan.

Gman Russell wrote:Hmph.

You MUST be someone he likes. I've known him for 10 years and he's never praised me like that.

Gah, make it worse, why don't you!

Gman Russell wrote:Anyway, welcome back!

Thank you! It's good to see you're around, still, too.

Harvey Steffke wrote:Weird, weird baffling and confusing website. Though it's cool to meet another meritocracy fan.

Hi, Harvey! Seconded on the meritocracy fan. Pleased to meet you. n_n

Can you tell me what's confusing about my website? I know I can be; but I'd like to fix it if that's possible. I don't like confusing people.

Welcome back, milady.

Hi, Jonas! Good to see you.

'tis good to see familiar faces still around. Anything exciting happen in my absence?

Thank you! It's good to see you're around, still, too.

Oh please, i'll be here long after i've had kids and grown old...

Gman Russell wrote:Oh please, i'll be here long after i've had kids and grown old...

All the better!

Haha, it is a bit awkward explaining this hobby to people...

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.

it's cool to meet another meritocracy fan.

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?

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.

Neike Taika-Tessaro wrote:I don't like confusing people.

heh, i read that at first with confusing as an adjective and immediately though, avoid me at all costs

Scott of Hyperborea wrote:What do people in a meritocracy actually do?

Effectively the same question that hit me when Aryeztur was on about Aryez running itself on meritocracy. Then again, he also had a "People's Empire."

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.

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!)

Uh...erm...yes, you have failing memory. Stop being so memory-failing all the time! *Scott quietly hides the evidence of his year-long deception of the Shirerithian people under a random rock*

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.

Hmmm...you should come to #micronations sometime and chat with me and Harvey. We seem to have a debate about something like this on a monthly-or-so basis (*looks for some example, finds only the very end of this conversation).

As for your thoughts about democracy, you're right. It reminds me of a Charles Stross essay that brought me one of my first flashes of poli-sci enlightenment. So I will concede that no, democracy isn't really an attempt to get the best people in charge, but that it's one potential solution to that problem and that anyone calling themselves a "meritocracy" will need a better solution.

I would very much like to hear more about the system you use (the government of my own county, Hyperborea, is in a perpetual state of re-design). If you don't want to drag your welcome thread off topic, give a lecture about it in the university.

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.

Never seen an anagram generator before? They're hours of silly fun.

Scott of Hyperborea wrote:

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!)

Uh...erm...yes, you have failing memory. Stop being so memory-failing all the time! *Scott quietly hides the evidence of his year-long deception of the Shirerithian people under a random rock*

Oh, wow, I sure missed stuff.

If it helps, back in about 2000 I tried to pass myself off as a guy online because, you know, women don't exist on the internet. >.> And I know at least two other people who pulled similar stunts. And survived. And I'm glad you're another survivor, you're verreh neat.

...though I didn't like your Yvain persona nearly as much as I like your Scott-persona. <.< There, I said it.

Scott of Hyperborea wrote:Hmmm...you should come to #micronations sometime and chat with me and Harvey.

Okai. *drips snot all over your carpet* >.>

Scott of Hyperborea wrote:but that it's one potential solution to that problem and that anyone calling themselves a "meritocracy" will need a better solution.

"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others."

I can dream, you know.

Scott of Hyperborea wrote:I would very much like to hear more about the system you use (the government of my own county, Hyperborea, is in a perpetual state of re-design). If you don't want to drag your welcome thread off topic, give a lecture about it in the university.

Needle me to do this when I'm back in shape and I shall.

Scott of Hyperborea wrote:Never seen an anagram generator before? They're hours of silly fun.

I have, but hadn't expected that. Very nice. (I hadn't expected it because I missed the F in "of". I'm sure you know that phenomenom. Brain draining out of nose doesn't help.)

Howdy. Was wondering about you the other day, actually.

Erik Mortis wrote:Howdy. Was wondering about you the other day, actually.

o.O! You must have summoning powers.

I have many power.

I have teh powerz.

Neike Taika-Tessaro: since you have personal experience with a meritocracy, along with no-doubt some major thoughts and theories on the matter, I would like to talk with you whenever it is convenient for you.