I have decided to resign dramatically and publically

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_mUthxMmiziBWy-elnVPsl-dCiBlKXSb6F3JgVt4WeJyYlJcXPDOFb3mgu>
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 13:46:27 -0000


In the spirit of those who have gone before me on this and other lists I have decided to resign. From what. From whatever you have got.

It may surprise many of you to realize that some people do not agree with me. Despite my best efforts to help them understand that I am right, they perversely continue to hold other opinions. I appreciate you all understand the extreme foolishness of anyone thinking that their ideas were right, when they are in contradiction to my own, yet some continue with this perverse attitude.

Normally I would accept this, but shockingly, a number of them have publicly expressed these contradictory opinions to my own. This places me in a very difficult position because I find their public expression of contradictory views undermines my authority and general air of 'rightness'. If this continues some might begin to doubt me by authority. It is enough that people choose to disagree with me in the privacy of their own bedrooms. But in public! I cannot support that attitude.

As a result I feel the need to make a dramatic gesture by resigning in front of the 2-300 people here. I understand that this will touch each and every one of you. Some may, I fear, cry. Some may remember that dark days when the prophet Boaty was crucified for speaking the truth. Cry not for me Immoderate Glorantha list, you know I always loved you.

I am sure you realize the significance of my gesture. I hope to achieve two things by this:

First, most projects can be proven to have failed in some way. By disassociating myself from their efforts I will be able to say 'I told you so' at some future date. This is considerably easier than working with the fools who do not get my rightness, and allows me to have the smug glow of satisfaction when they fail.

I will also have me the satisfaction of carping from the sidelines. I need to do this in case the misguided fools should by chance look like succeeding. This will of course not be through their own efforts, but random chance, but it is important for my credibility to make sure they do not. I need to be free to undermine their efforts by sowing rumors and portents of doom, resigning will give me that platform. It also has the benefit that making something is hard while tearing it down is easy, so I will save considerable time and effort as critic of other's efforts than by actually contributing myself. Win-win as they say :-)

If they do succeed, I will be able return to the fold like some prodigal son. God loves a sinner, so even if the idiots do take over the asylum I feel sure that the fatted calf will be killed to welcome my return. Hopefully it will be at the expense of one of the lucky fools who got a break.

Some may say, why not quietly withdraw if you do not agree. But I ask you, how would that allow me an opportunity for self-aggrandizement and grandstanding in front of the mob? The mob love the idea of drama, and I intend to give it to them, stirring them up with half-baked accusations and rumors. If it worked for Mark Anthony it can work for me. 'I come to bury Ceaser not to praise him' and all that.

I have been encouraged by the baying of the mob for blood based on rumor and intimation and feel that the time is now right for me to take my turn in exploiting them, whipping them into frenzy with a few vague equivocations.

And so I say to you. I resign, I resign, I resign. They forced me into it, though I cannot tell you why. Dark forces are at work, dark forces...

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And I call on you my brothers and sisters to post your resignations here too. It doesn't matter what from. Let's join together in whipping people up into a frenzy through half-arsed accusations and economies of truth.

And let's see who we can take down, by unleashing the fury of the mob, through these our public and dramatic resignations, in front of this great crowd. The mob loves death and spectacle and we must give them bread and circuses.

PS If I should be posting again at some future date, say in the next couple of hours, please do not let this detract from the symbolic act of my public and dramatic resignation.            

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