And, of course, this is true both in-game and out. The Eve Community to which I belong is increasingly becoming blurred - the curtain between what is in-game and out is steadily being pulled away. This is happening at a rather rapid pace. From Twitter to Slack,from forum to forum, from Blog to Safe Spot, to local chat and global chat, the line is exceedingly thin. And it is only getting more so every day.
It is easy to understand then why some people falter. And why it often becomes easier to rely on easily made assumptions than take the step necessary to quantify those assumptions. Certainly my own persona here in these pages over the years can lead many to assume certain things about me. But the line between me (the writer of these words) and Rixx (the character I play inside of Eve) and Bryan (the person I am in the world), those lines are increasingly meaningless. And so assumptions about Rixx, while they wouldn't apply to the writer or to the real me, can be easily made across the board. This is obviously a problem when addressing one or the other - and certainly when addressing the totality of the whole.
Which is all a philosophical minefield constructed primarily to drive home a rather simple point. Assumptions are inherently wrong-headed, especially for those of us in elevated positions in-game or out of game. Leadership positions as heads of Corporations or Alliances, or Bloggers, or whatever else we may choose to participate in. Assumptions are the bane of leadership. And relying on them as the basis of action is certainly a formula for failure.
On the other hand, assumptions serve as a convenient shorthand. Goons are goons after all. PL is going to bring Supers. Stay Frosty is awesome. These types of general assumptions serve a purpose within the game. The trouble is when those assumptions travel outside that environment. Speaking only for myself, I never travel in-game assumptions outside that environment. In a few weeks I'll be in Iceland meeting all sorts of people in the real world. Not one of which I will be making assumptions about based on their in-game persona. That would be silly. And wrong-headed. Their in-game persona does add an element to meeting them certainly, an interest level, curiosity of course - but nothing more. (I'm very excited about this prospect by the way!)
I challenge us all to make an effort to appreciate how thin these lines are becoming. It is difficult to keep up, as speed only seems to be increasingly daily. But it is important. And I wouldn't want to assume that you are not capable of doing so.
When it come to groups within Eve I certainly use assumptions to my own purpose. That is, after all, the heart of what propaganda is all about. I have a very clear and well defined purpose by doing so, one which I almost weekly re-state, and that is to positively position my own in-game efforts. To build my Corporation and Alliance and to provide excellent content to those players that choose to play with us. That is my only goal. But, and I cannot be more clear than this, those assumptions NEVER pertain to anyone individually. (Only in extremely rare circumstances and then only to leadership, or those that have made things personal by their own choice)
I assume you, as a person, are awesome. I have been told by some people that this is a potential character flaw. I disagree. I'd rather assume the best. It makes everything so much easier.
I'd appreciate the same in return.