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| Thread: The Griffin Dynasty Burns the Social Contract. | |
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Raelag84
Famous Hero
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posted May 14, 2013 08:12 PM |
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The Griffin Dynasty Burns the Social Contract.
In 1762 Jean Jacques Roseau wrote his famous treaties, The Social Contract, a document explaining his idea that societies form when people decide to sacrifice some of their sovereignty to come together and solve problems that they could not solve alone. Today we might consider Roseau's work naïve, since it is so hard to get people and governments to sacrifice sovereignty for a greater good. Still Roseau had a point; forming a group has benefits, but requires sacrifices. I personally am part of a group called the, United States of America, and to keep the group going I have to sacrifice some of my earnings in the form of taxes and some of my time to make good voting decisions, but I benefit from roads, law enforcement, social safety nets and a strong national defense, so in my opinion it's worth it. Still, not everyone is part of group that is worth the required sacrifice and this is the situation that the story of Heroes VI revolves around
As someone who has watched the story of Heroes VI on Youtube, I am of the opinion that it's not great, but it does have a message that is very relevant to our times of consent protest, civil conflict, and partisan bickering. The story begins when Duke Slava must protect his allies, the orcs, from his old rival Duke Gerhart, except that the orcs are shunned by the Falcon Empire, which is the organization that Slava is part of. Emperor Laim, sovereign of the Falcon Empire, eventually intervenes, and to force a lasting peace he declares that Duke Gerhart will not be allowed to attack the orcs, but as a consequence Duke Slava's daughter is required to be Gerhart's bride. For Slava this a sacrifice too great to be worth keeping peace in the Falcon Empire, and though he dies early in the story his five children carry his sentiments and independent spirit.
However good or bad the story of Heroes VI is, I am sure we have all been in Slava's position at some point or another. I remember in high school all I wanted to do was go learn and then go home, but my class wanted me to help with all these fund raises, proms and other class activities I really did not care about. I felt imposed upon and even resentful, because I was asked to sacrifice for a group that I felt little connection with. Similar feelings became very public in my country with the rise of the libertarian “Tea Party” movement. The members of the Tea Party of protest against, taxes, social programs, health care policy, and other forms of government intervention. Though they wave the America flag and dress up like the founding fathers, I suspect they feel imposed upon by the country, because they don't feel the sacrifices of keeping a group going are worth it.
So how about everyone else here? Can anyone else here understand Slava's predicament? Has anyone else wanted to take the “social contract” and “burn it?”
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natalka
Supreme Hero
Bad-mannered
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posted May 17, 2013 04:48 PM |
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tell me where I can buy the thing you are smokin' 
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LongF
Hired Hero
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posted May 17, 2013 05:41 PM |
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My strong opinion is that it is not best idea to mix real life politics and gaming. I live in Russia, so if i will take all games which shows my country as an "evil empire" to close to my heart - better choice for me will be not to play games at all. So games are games, play and have fun without mixing them with real life problems.
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Simpelicity
Promising
Famous Hero
Video maker
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posted May 21, 2013 06:58 AM |
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Weird thoughts you're having.
Regardless, your interpretation is wrong. Or it's that Slava is being asked to sacrifice his orcs for the good of the group? That's just wrong, if only because it isn't for the good of the group. It's for the good of one person (Gerhart), with religion as the pretext. It does the empire no good to kick the orcs out (or evil to let them stay). It does allow Gerhart to infringe on Slava's territory to kick 'em out though.
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