• Registered: 2006-10-01
  • Posts: 912

Topic: Life with Society of Free Colonists

This thread describes the regular life in the ring Society of Free Colonists. It doesn't reveal any secrets so it's a relatively safe read even to the non-members. I'm posting it here instead of secretly so everyone can get a bit of a better picture of Tower life. Most things described here are generally common knowledge in the Tower, but some of the details may not have reached everyone's ears, and additionally, many misconceptions also circulate around the tower.

The Principle in Practice

The Society of Free Colonists is built upon the ideal of individual liberty. The basic thought of Hansila and the other few founders was that no one should ever be allowed to control the actions of others. In their view, rigid rules and leadership hierarchies serve only those in control, limiting the potential of the people. Only unrestrained human creativity can bring the Tower out of its pitiful state.

These ideals are not only fancy words - they're excersized in the everyday life of the ring. First of all, there's no entrance criteria. Secondly, the ringmembers take turns in representing the ring in Ringleader meetings, with the nominal leader Hansila taking only her share, nothing more nothing less.

Even though no one is considered to have the right to decide for others, cooperation is still encouraged. Instead of a given organization, however, the collaboration within the ring is based on interpersonal friendships, respect and similar interests. No official decicion making mechanism, even a democratic one, is in place.

  • Registered: 2006-10-01
  • Posts: 912

Re: Life with Society of Free Colonists

Politics

Due to their lack of leadership and common direction, Society of Free Colonists isn't a very influential ring politically. Many ringleaders find them difficult to deal with: many keep trying to deal with the nominal ringleader, Hansila, like she's an actual leader, only to be baffled by her reminders that nothing she says will ever bind anyone other than herself. The constantly shifting representation in the Ringleader Meetings doesn't exactly help with creating continuity. Nevertheless, several rings have formed opinions about the ring, and many of the members of SoFC share views about many other rings:

- The Horizon considers them a minor nuisance worthy of emphasized ignoring. The idea of a leaderless society is absurd to them. The very rigid command structure and culture of obedience in The Horizon naturally antagonizes most members of SoFC in turn.

- The Revolution agrees with the critisism against current control structures. However, most members of SoFC consider them a bunch of destructive troublemakers.

- The Collectives share the values of equality with SoFC, and their relations are generally good. However, SoFC doesn't agree with the Collectives when it comes to decicion making. Many SoFC members, Hansila included, consider even the democratic decicion process hampering the creativity.

- The Technocrats are similar to the Collectives in that they also advocate democracy, and thus their relations with SoFC are good. They too, however, advocate decicion making systems too restrictive to the tastes of many SoFC members.

- Many members of The Stargazers are friends with members of SoFC. Thus, the relations are good.

- Most SoFC members critisize The Association of Scholars for controlling the laboratories and simulators, and their relationships are generally cold. There's no animosity on the part of the Scholars, though, and many SoFC members have managed to secure good resources to their projects from the Scholars.

- The ringless Marco is a good friend of Hansila's.

- Da Vinci Collaboration agrees with the method of discussion as a way to resolve differences. Otherwise, they don't interact much.

- The Watch considers SoFC are capricious anarchists that can't be truly trusted, because they always act on their whims. This is argued by many in SoFC, saying that hierarchies aren't a requirement for people to act responsible.