Statement issued by: Kenpei
Peace and order in a clan is dependent upon the willing cooperation of its members. A clan is not subject to exactly the same principles to which a political/military government is subject because governments rule over people who did not necessarily choose to be born into them. Participation in clans is entirely voluntary, not coerced. Therefore, with the willing cooperation of its members, it can afford to be far more strict than the political governments of the world, which due to pressure from the people are forced over time to reduce the severity of their laws.
Nevertheless, it is in any clan’s best interest to set forth certain goals that will be conducive to the ongoing happiness of its members. Although the clan has no obligation to behave justly, a clan cannot reasonably expect to stay alive when justice is forgotten. Since happiness and fun is the goal of most every clan, and since every clan has complete freedom to do whatever it wants, a clan may, when it so chooses, elect to enforce justice. Clans do as they please, and justice is in their best interest because it leads to greater tranquility in interpersonal relations.
In order to achieve justice, certain regulations must be placed upon interpersonal conduct. As already stated, clans can afford to be far more strict than the governments of the world. Within this context, a clan’s rule-makers are not obligated merely to protect people’s rights. Rules are made in accordance with the clan’s goals.
This clan, in its capacity as a free agent, seeks to better the lives of its members by promoting a greater understanding of justice and honor, living out these principles with integrity, encouraging others to do the same, and discouraging the activities of those who cause harm in the gaming community.
When one person is harmed or treated unjustly, we are all harmed because we all become vulnerable to injustice and we are all collectively responsible for creating the environment that encouraged the harmful behavior to take place. Living in this hostile environment also harms us directly, because as pressures build it becomes increasingly more difficult to resist the escalation of anti-social attitudes and actions.
For the clan to meet its goals, it must discourage anti-social behaviors. Anti-social behaviors break down the institution and create needless divisions. Although there are other applications of the principles of justice, honor, and integrity, the main purpose of this issuance is to describe the anti-social behaviors that must be discouraged in order for justice and tranquility to be maintained within the clan.
Whether on the server, on ventrilo, on the forum, or even speaking in private to someone, these principles apply. Notice, however, that each principle has a reversal because context always dictates the wisest action to take. The clan’s rules for the forum, server, and ventrilo should flow out of these principles.
- Principle 1: Seek that which is constructive, rather than destructive. In communicating with others, seek to help them rather than to put them down. Even exhibiting a negative attitude or speaking positively about bad habits can have an effect on people. If someone is lazy, you would not be helping them by congratulating them—as is often the tendency with ignorant teenagers. And if someone sets a great but ambitious goal for his or herself, push them to go for it rather than to be cowardly about setting forth to meet it. The most successful people are people who surround themselves with positive, encouraging people—that, or they possess in themselves a wild drive that ignores all discouragement. A clan simply cannot be successful if it is filled with negative people who hold ignorant and destructive attitudes.
Good habits should be encouraged and praised, yet bad habits should not necessarily be judged. Seek to understand the other person and help them overcome their problem rather than putting them down for it.
Reversal: It may not always be your place to try to help people. Some people really don’t like it and will get defensive if you try to help them in any way. You must always remember that people are still responsible for their own actions and it is ultimately up to them to take control of their lives and fix their problems. If someone simply doesn’t want to hear you, don’t push them. Let them do as they please.
- Principle 2: Be moderate in all things. Virtually anything used in excess is probably a bad thing. Excessively cursing, even if it is not in the form of insults, creates an environment that is hostile to the diversity of people we are seeking. On the other side, being excessively righteous makes you appear self-righteous and arrogant. (Allow yourself to make mistakes and admit to them.)
Reversal: There may be a time when the drama reaches such a climax and the stakes are so high that moderation would begin to appear self-righteous or even naive. When the time is right, allow passion to take its course.
- Principle 3: There is a certain time and place for everything. Life moves in cycles, and the situation is always changing. There is a certain time and place where one action is right, but then if that action is repeated another time or another place, it might be a huge mistake. Do not assume that what flies one day is necessarily going to be fine the next day, and do not assume that what would be disastrous yesterday will still be disastrous today.
Also, there are certain things you can do or say in one place that you cannot in another. Trying to publicly spread your religious, political, or social beliefs is never acceptable in public in this clan. In private, people can talk about whatever they please, but religion and politics do not belong here. They have their place in the world; there is a time and place for seeking out those kinds of answers, but it is dangerous to seek them out here, on the Internet, with people you cannot meet in person.
Reversal: There are always going to be some absolutes—never forget about love or reason. No matter the situation, they can guide you to the correct path even if it seems wrong at the time.
There is also one exception for the rule about not discussing religion or politics anywhere publicly: The forum has a Debate & Serious Talk forum, and these issues are not ruled out of that forum. However, even in there, you may not proselytize. All conversation must maintain an atmosphere of philosophical inquiry.
- Principle 4: We are all one. It has been said that "we all bleed red." No ethnicity, gender, religion, political/social/economic status, or lifestyle should ever become an object of contention or even discussed in anything other than non-judgmental terms. In many cases it should not be discussed at all. No one is ever be the object of any kind of hate—racial discrimination, or religionism, or sexism, etc.
Reversal: There are some political, social, and/or religious beliefs which teach that some groups of humans are inferior to others. While we would like to tolerate all beliefs, this is one group of beliefs that we cannot tolerate because it would contradict the other tolerances.
- Principle 5: Don’t take everything so seriously. All of us, young and old, are here to have fun. We like to joke around and laugh. Not everything should be turned into another reason for someone to moan and cry because it isn’t structured like a rigid military outpost. Fooling around, horseplay, and even a little "trash-talk" is okay in moderation.
Reversal: While all of this is true, Azuma Zaibatsu is still a strictly disciplined and ordered clan. There is a time to be in a joking mood and there is a time to wipe that stupid grin off your face. Keep yourself finely tuned to the attitude of the server and pay special attention to who is on and what they want you to be doing to make sure you are never acting out of place.
- Principle 6: Perfection is unattainable in this life. One might say that "not everyone’s perfect," but this strongly implies that there are some who are. We believe that none are perfect, and that total perfection in all realms of life is unattainable in this lifetime. Never hold people—whether they are below you in the hierarchy or even if they are your superiors—to unreasonable standards of perfection. This includes not expecting people to speak perfectly or convey what they are trying to say perfectly, not expecting them to act perfectly all the time, and not expecting people to react to difficult situations perfectly. Show understanding, sympathy, and gentility with all people.
Reversal: While the fact that none are perfect will always be true in every situation, there are definitely times when someone is doing something the right way and other person is very much in the wrong. Our lack of perfections cannot be used as an excuse for negligence or wrong-doing. We must strive for perfection at all times yet recognizing that we will never reach it. The more we reach for perfection, the better we will be, and that’s the best any of us can do.
