Welcome to the tenth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed here. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!
This month’s banter leans a little, OK a lot, on the academic side. It comes to us from xiphos83 of A Misguided Adventurer, who asks the following: ” Victor Davis Hanson argues that western culture, comprising of ideals such as freedom, debate, capitalism, and consensual government, are what make western society so successful at waging war. These ideologies create a warrior who’s direct participation in government, ability to think freely, and desire to remain free, fights harder and is willing to suffer more than his conscripted foe. Though a military must remain a structured oligarchy to fight a war effectively, why in a world where military conflict is as familiar as breathing are there so few alliances that embrace these ideologies when governing their members?”
The question posed here is based on circular reasoning. Let me break the question down so it’s easier to see the flaw.
1 - Victor Davis Hanson says western society produces a better warrior.
2 - Since Eve is so saturated with war why aren’t there more alliances that promote western ideologies?
Logical flaw: This whole question assumes that we all agree with Victor Davis Hanson. It’s therefore circular reasoning (begging the question) to construct a question based on a debatable premise.
I for one do not agree that western ideologies make better fighters. All you have to do is look at
I have already read some of the responses to this question that have blown off the whole concept, saying comparing a game alliance to the real world governments doesn’t make sense. I disagree. BOB wanted to control the entire galaxy. How is that any different from British imperialism? Phoenix Propulsion Labs adopted a communistic ideology. The Goons are crazy and want to fight everyone (
When you try to get down to the details of why alliances don’t adopt western ideologies is because you’re looking at the universe of Eve from the wrong perspective. Eve is the government and the alliances are the businesses.
Look at any real world business designs. They have regulations, restriction, and codes of conduct all of which are more restricting than their governments. Why? Because it achieves an effective organization. Eve is no different.
Moral of the story: Alliances are not nations fighting against each other, they are businesses. They operate under business ideologies because they are most effective.
OK, your reasoning is much better than mine! Great banter mate!
ReplyDelete