An Open Letter to the Community

Dear EMC,
We are better than this.

I mean that truly - all of us, current and former members alike. Active players and forum lurkers, white-names and purple, and every status in between. To set foot on the digital soil of the Empire is to be included, here, for the singular purpose of this message.

We are better than this.

It's a difficult statement to believe in, right now. Our community is fraying at the seams, full of harsh words and bitter accusations, criticisms and recriminations, and short tempers quick to speak their minds. Things have been done that cannot be undone, words said that cannot be taken back, and for some the Empire has changed too much from what it once was. Yet I still believe in it. In us.

I believe we are better than this.

I know some of you feel wronged, hurt, and betrayed. Or that you are standing up for what you feel is right. You feel you must speak out against perceived insults and injustices, or that you must set the record straight and shed light on these misconceptions. To all of you, I ask very simply - stop. Bring an end to it, and let the fighting cease.

We are all better than this.

The damage done cannot be fixed by angry posts, emotional arguments, snarky statuses, and pages of profile comments. It will not be healed by hiding threads or filling them with hate. I single no one out by this, for we are all part of the community. These actions and reactions affect all of us, with nothing to be gained by bickering over whose hands are which shade of crimson - it is still the blood of our neighbors and friends. And yes, some bonds have been broken that will never mend, but no good will come of pouring vitriol on the tattered ends.

I single out no one with these words - if you feel anything I say rings true for you, then hear all my words, not just the ones that make your ears flush red or your teeth clench. Be better than this. Let bygones be as they are, and let the flames of your ire and indignation at last burn out. Fractured as we may be, we are all still the community of EMC. Our friends, our neighbors, our family, gain nothing from keeping these wounds open. We gain nothing.

But if nothing I have said sways you, if there truly is nothing left in the Empire you value and no friends or compatriots remain to bear your consideration, then I ask you very honestly - Why do you remain? What unfulfilled purpose keeps you here, a spectre among the bones and emptiness?

If not one scrap is left of the Empire you once loved is left, if your tortured ghost truly cannot make its peace with this place, then pass on. Brighter futures await, free of anguish and painful reminders. But depart knowing we bear you no ill will, for you were and always shall be part of EMC, and part of us.

And we are all better than this.

~Kephras

I debated making this post at all - it is not my intent to call further attention to the problems, but to encourage everyone to help put them aside and move on.
I've spoken privately with several people to help air grievances, settle differences, and make EMC the best possible version of itself. If there is something troubling you that runs too deep to be set aside, but you feel you aren't being heard, I encourage you to PM me.
I'm no one special - neither supporter nor staff, and I've done very little to earn my keep as "contributor." I have words to offer, nothing more.
But I will use them to my fullest if it helps us all finally move forward.

Amazing read again kephras, kudos to you, your inspiring words and kudos to us EMC!

I don't know I try to stay out of stuff like this and I am new around here so maybe it's just not my place. However that being said I think to the extent of what I have seen it's about self interest. Everything that gets started is about purely self interest.

I know a lot of people here have been around for a long long time, this server isn't just a thing anymore it's a part of them and a part of their daily/weekly life. It can be hard to separate feelings from something they have put so much time into over the year(s) and when something doesn't feel right they want it handled, they don't want to see this 'family' or 'community' be hurt or altered in a negative way.

What people also need to realize though is that when you come on to strong with your emotion, while even if your intentions are good and there, you could be at the same time negatively effecting others around you, which just creates a vicious cycle of arguments and flame.

People just need to take a deep breath before posting something. Take a moment and just breath and think. Is it going to be useful in some way? Will it help better the community? Will it cause more issues? Remember that sometimes it's just easier to ignore a situation then it is to confront it, some battles are just not worth the time and could just make the overall situation worse. If you don't reply, guess what? It ends there. If you do reply, it gets dragged on and gets more heated.

Just my thoughts on the topic, won't really be getting anymore involved then this. Also not meant to be calling anyone out or pointing fingers, it's just what I have observed in the week of me playing here.

Can't say I've noticed any of this

All the more fortunate for you, then. If none of this has impacted your experience here, so much the better. For my part, I just want the bitterness to end.

Well said, very well said indeed.

I'd be happier if it didn't need to be said at all, honestly.

Thank you Keph, I think we needed this. . .

I do see a brighter future in the works, especially if you look at roadmap, aikar has created, along with my more members joining. Ive seen more members on the past few weekends then ive seen for a while.

Heh I see that despite what you put in your status, you don't mind taking on the role of community manager after all (without the title). Good job and thanks for your efforts.

Very deep.

it should never of turned out this way in all honesty, and the way people have been acting is upsetting. Everyone just needs to get along and do what the game is ment to bring to the player. HAVE FUN YALL!

Still no way in hell I would wear that hat. But my brain wouldn't let me sleep until I'd written this.

Same here.

- to functioning as a community manager that is

Haha I'm so remarkably disconnected from all the going-ons, all I know is that it's business as usual for me, I started my first wild project since the fall of the NR and nobody noticed

You're evil. And enjoying this far too much.
Also, that's a Smooch quote.