[quote="Mikael Lunardi":3tpo9vtw]Then maybe those actions should not be pursued. I don't know.
With a community as small as NFS, and as old, it would be wrong to run off long standing citizens over new progressions in action.
Of course the last three of my posts are opinion, and as it stands I am not even a landowner or voting citizen, but I believe the tragedy would be to forfeit the community for progress toward a large scale nation.
It is easy to ask rhetorics about "what if?", it is harder to make a concrete ideal that all subscribe to.[/quote:3tpo9vtw]
I was not trying to be difficult, I hope that you understand: the point was simply that, if one should only make a decision about what to do in relation to important matters if there is almost universal agreement, very little of importance will ever be decided. It is no answer to say that, if people disagree about what should be done, then nothing should be done, as that would automatically resolve the dispute in favour of those who favour doing nothing, even if they are in the minority and advocate doing nothing for reasons that are insubstantial.
I do agree, however, that it is good to try to seek agreement and compromise where it is possible - much of value can be acheived by such a method, but it must be borne in mind that, very often (especially when people know that they might get everything their own way just by holding out, as those who are resistent to change would if the status quo was the default position when there was no near-universal consensus) compromise acceptable to all simply cannot be reached, and there simply is no possible option (including doing nothing) with which at least a significant proportion of the population are not substantially unhappy. In those circumstances, one must be able to be decicive, and do what is right, even if one cannot find universal consensus.
[quote:3tpo9vtw]Believe me when I say I am very intriqued by the idea of the large scale progress toward an expansive nation---but I am disheartened when citizens in good standing that I have talked with seem to be dismayed or completely against the idea. I understand that in a group of 3 you are likely to find 3 slightly different opinions on any given issue---
The difficulty that I percieve is that in developing policies---the Judiciary System, Franchulettes, Citizenship, Economic Policy---anything that is done with ONLY expansion (from outside existing areas), instead of natural inward ->out expansion or betterment of the existing community, will alienate a good many citizens who are presently happy with the scope of the community and see no need for further, rapid external growth.[/quote:3tpo9vtw]
I quite agree that it is very important to balance the interests of exsting and long-standing citizens against the interests of new or potential incoming citizens. Indeed, if things are done properly, good, sustainable expansion will bring substantial simultaneous benefits to both groups. If expansion is done with care, the interests of the groups can coincide, and not conflict.
[quote:3tpo9vtw]I am not trying to be combative or act as if I have the answers, I do not!, but I know I would not like to see some exodus happen as a result of the desire to expand.[/quote:3tpo9vtw]
I quite understand - I very much value your contributions and am very pleased that you are so keen to join our community and help to develop our economy. Although economics is not my area of expertise, and thus I cannot evaluate with accuracy whether your ideas are good or not, it is a great boon to our community that there is somebody so interested in helping to develop its economy with so many of what at the very least superficially seem to be good ideas. The idea of a securities exchange is especially fascinating - we could really become an economic powerhouse if one of those took off.
The point that I was making was just about the need to have consensus: while it is best if everyone agrees, sometimes things have to be done even when not everyone agrees, as doing nothing is often worse than doing something with which some people are unhappy.