NationStates Jolt Archive

I just occurred to me today that none of my family or friends know anything about NS. When I'm on the computer, I'm not sure what they think I'm doing, but I realized that I never discuss NS in real life. I think the closest I've come to mentioning it is saying "this forum I go on".

So I'm curious. Who here discuss's NS with friends and family in real life, and who keeps it as their "dirty little secret"?

I just occurred to me today that none of my family or friends know anything about NS. When I'm on the computer, I'm not sure what they think I'm doing, but I realized that I never discuss NS in real life. I think the closest I've come to mentioning it is saying "this forum I go on".

So I'm curious. Who here discuss's NS with friends and family in real life, and who keeps it as their "dirty little secret"?

I've mentioned it, but nobody seemed to care at the time so I haven't brought it up for almost two years.

I've mentioned it, but nobody seemed to care at the time so I haven't brought it up for almost two years.
Pretty much the same here.

I havent mentioned it, but not because its a secret, there just has never been a reason why I would want to mention it.

Of course! NS is the shizzle! Well, a few of my friends know about it. But most people don't care, or don't know what an online forum is.

ive mantioned it to quite a few people, but they all just ignore it...

eh, back in school i told everyone and, like, half of my class played it and we created an own region for our class n all.was inda fun. but then it all kinda died out after a while and now i only share one nation with a couple of freinds and then of course have my own nation. so sometimes i tell people stuff like "hey this or that was on NS general and blablabla" but i don't talk about the game itself too often.

I just occurred to me today that none of my family or friends know anything about NS. When I'm on the computer, I'm not sure what they think I'm doing, but I realized that I never discuss NS in real life. I think the closest I've come to mentioning it is saying "this forum I go on".

So I'm curious. Who here discuss's NS with friends and family in real life, and who keeps it as their "dirty little secret"?
I do much the same thing when discussing some of the more intelligent or funnier postings on here with people in RL; "this forum I post on ...."

What's really interesting is the various reactions I get from people "IRL." Some of them seem to be totally mystified that it's possible to hold an inteligent conversation over the Internet. Others are kinda like "Duh;" they aren't sure WTF you're talking about. Some few actually manage to dredge up some interest in the point you're trying to make about the post to which you're making reference, but those are few and far between.

Not really, most of my family are not computer literate and most of the friends I talk to everyday would have problems with an English language forum. ;)

I mention some of the more entertaining posts regarding Japan because it usually provokes a lot of amusement from my Japanese friends.

No. This is a guilt-ridden exercise for me, so I don't tell anyone about it.

NS is my habit and not shared with the rest of family.

No. This is a guilt-ridden exercise for me, so I don't tell anyone about it.
Guilt? You? FASS! Tsk! LOL! :D

Like some above, I've mentioned it. The situation hasn't really arised where I have to explain it in depth :D

Not really, most of my family are not computer literate and most of the friends I talk to everyday would have problems with an English language forum. ;)

I mention some of the more entertaining posts regarding Japan because it usually provokes a lot of amusement from my Japanese friends.

LOL! If you want that then I have to give you this link to a player who is writing some sort of character rp about samurai or something like that. lol, heres the link: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=447492

I think its pretty good, and apparently he uses a few japanese words in it, but I'm not completely sure if they are correct.

Regarding this thread

I was shown it by a friend two years ago, then I got hooked, then I showed a few friends, and only one ever created a nation however. :( But owe well, more loss for them than me. :D

And I don't talk to my family, my parents don't really...get 'invovled' in anything I do or think. I basiclly just ignore them.

However I did show my History prof. an rp I was in concerning the early 20th century, causes of WWI and all, and how because of our manipulations the path that different players decided to take was different. He was pretty interested and I believe he might have created a nation, but I'm not sure.

Nah, I don't mention it. I occasionally link exceptionally funny posts to people i'm talking to on MSN or whatever, but that's it.

One of my friends showed the site to me, I joined and got into it, and then he left. I eventually got a bunch of other friends to do it, but only one of them is still active.
As for my parents, they have enough trouble understanding the concept of the Internet, forget using it to communicate with people. My dad would probably think that you're a bunch of "wierd" adults who hang around with kids and play a kids game.

So I guess I tell people about it, but I don't bother telling my parents. I reference NS to them in the context of "I saw it on the internet." I don't want to have to explain the concept of "forum" to them.

Well, my brother introduced me to NS, but he's since lost interest. I found that a couple of friends of mine also played it, and we managed to convince another couple of people to join, but now one of the original friends has lost interest, and the other couple of people also left.
Other than that, one of my best friends knows about it, mainly because I kept referring to 'this forum I post on' in conversations with her, but she doesn't really have any interest in it.

A few of my friends play the game, but I'm the only one that actually uses the forums. My former roommate perused the forums for about one day before giving up out of boredom. No one else really cares when I do mention it.

If ever I happen to mention any sort of forum to my friends they usually react in one of three ways:
Oh! A forum. [Pause] Well. [... they could just as well be honest at this point and say 'I really couldn't care less', but nooo...that'd be too obvious.] That's... uh. ... interesting.
or:
A forum? [pronounced like it's something incredibly filthy] And can you like...talk to people there? Uh-huh?
or just plain:
A what??

...so I pretty much gave up trying ;)

I come on here mainly because my friends would not care about NS. There is no such thing as a good discussion with them.

I've explained the convoluted nature of regional politics to some of my friends and been laughed at slightly or given a weird look. They understand the game, but the twists and turns that it can go through completely merits a dumbfounded look in my opinion. :p

Let's see: I told most of my friends about the game, but considering how few that is, very few really cared. One of them joined the forums and has about 80 posts over a year-and-a-half, most of them from this summer. The rest all died out.

I told my parents about it, but their knowledge of the internet ended at e-mail, so they never really cared, until it became obvious that I was having fun playing it, which is why they decided to ban it...

general is the only NS forum i participate in. of COURSE i tell people about it. there are times when its just too funny to keep to myself.

Let's see: I told most of my friends about the game, but considering how few that is, very few really cared. One of them joined the forums and has about 80 posts over a year-and-a-half, most of them from this summer. The rest all died out.

I told my parents about it, but their knowledge of the internet ended at e-mail, so they never really cared, until it became obvious that I was having fun playing it, which is why they decided to ban it...
are you still banned from it? and arent you a little OLD to be banned from internet political games/forums?

No one else I know is smart enough for NS. Like before getting an intelligent conversation out of them is like talking to wall or a cat and expecting it to respond to your questions.

And on a saide note the one who posted on the role playing form is just sad. Very very sad :rolleyes:

are you still banned from it? and arent you a little OLD to be banned from internet political games/forums?
I am still banned from it, yes I am a little bit old to be banned from anything, but my parents are real control freaks. They state very clearly that until I turn 18, I cannot play any internet games. Originally, they banned these things because they thought they were causing me to become more disobedient, etc., but first of all a) that's fairly normal for teenagers, and b) even after they banned me from the game, my "behavior" as such continued. I asked them, since it was obvious by now that my behavior had nothing to do with the game, whether there would still be any harm in playing it. They said yes, because it was their rule, or some kind of logical fallacy.

I could have told them that this was the only thing that had kept me alive through five or six suicide attempts. I could say that the reason why I have no friends IRL is because none of the people I know share any similar interests in discussion, and I have to find people who are interested in the same things I am—and what better way than a website designed for people who like building and running nations? Their lack of understanding of an internet forum appears to be one of the causes, as they think I can easily get the same discussions by starting my own blog or meeting real people. I ask, how will I find out which real people to meet? They say, talk to everyone you meet and see which people you like. :rolleyes: I spend hours explaining the difference between a forum and a blog, but they still don't understand.

If I told them about my 28 suicide attempts to date during the past year, they'd either blame them on NS or insist that I be taken to a mental hospital. If I told them that this was the only place I could meet people with similar interests, they'd tell me that all the people on this forum are obviously perverted, drug-addicted pedophiliacs who go on the forums solely to pick up females, or anyone for that matter, and then either rob them, rape them, or both. Also, they continue to tell me that the only reason you people like me is because you haven't met me IRL, and if you were to do so you'd be completely disgusted. And when I state that I told people about some of my problems and they had similar ones or sympathized, they say that they're lying just so they can find another "victim".

I have never seen two people so close-minded when it comes to the Internet, especially considering their broadly liberal views on almost everything else.

No one else I know is smart enough for NS. Like before getting an intelligent conversation out of them is like talking to wall or a cat and expecting it to respond to your questions.
I agree with that. Nobody I know my age is interested in politics, debate, role-play, or any of the things that make NS worthwhile. On the other hand, the older people who do enjoy those things are too close-minded and stuck in their ways to turn to the Internet for that kind of thing.

And the few people of the right age (20s or so) who I've talked to, have always been with my parents around, and my parents have always managed to prejudice them against NS with subtle "humorous" hints. Besides, nobody else has the kind of time I have to play these games.

I dont really "play" NS since I only go to the general board and post. But I do come here for the sometimes intelligent conversations that do not result in pissing contests between the US and Europe. But other than that there are a fair share of intellectual people here, why I spend so much damn time here. If it was not for the near constant flaming of each other I would spend even more time here.

I've mentioned it to people - even got a few to join - but it's not the sort of thing that crops up in convenient conversation that often.

I've introduced several new players to the game, but they have yet to prove themselves dedicated NSers.
I've explained the game to my family, but like most of the people in this thread, lots of people just aren't interested. I don't think people get why Id want to spend time on a forum, political or otherwise.

I am still banned from it, yes I am a little bit old to be banned from anything, but my parents are real control freaks. They state very clearly that until I turn 18, I cannot play any internet games. Originally, they banned these things because they thought they were causing me to become more disobedient, etc., but first of all a) that's fairly normal for teenagers, and b) even after they banned me from the game, my "behavior" as such continued. I asked them, since it was obvious by now that my behavior had nothing to do with the game, whether there would still be any harm in playing it. They said yes, because it was their rule, or some kind of logical fallacy.

I could have told them that this was the only thing that had kept me alive through five or six suicide attempts. I could say that the reason why I have no friends IRL is because none of the people I know share any similar interests in discussion, and I have to find people who are interested in the same things I am—and what better way than a website designed for people who like building and running nations? Their lack of understanding of an internet forum appears to be one of the causes, as they think I can easily get the same discussions by starting my own blog or meeting real people. I ask, how will I find out which real people to meet? They say, talk to everyone you meet and see which people you like. :rolleyes: I spend hours explaining the difference between a forum and a blog, but they still don't understand.

If I told them about my 28 suicide attempts to date during the past year, they'd either blame them on NS or insist that I be taken to a mental hospital. If I told them that this was the only place I could meet people with similar interests, they'd tell me that all the people on this forum are obviously perverted, drug-addicted pedophiliacs who go on the forums solely to pick up females, or anyone for that matter, and then either rob them, rape them, or both. Also, they continue to tell me that the only reason you people like me is because you haven't met me IRL, and if you were to do so you'd be completely disgusted. And when I state that I told people about some of my problems and they had similar ones or sympathized, they say that they're lying just so they can find another "victim".

I have never seen two people so close-minded when it comes to the Internet, especially considering their broadly liberal views on almost everything else.
i find that people who are not on the net never understand what its like to have net friends. all they know are are the horror stories in the news where someone gets raped or killed. they have no idea how cool it is to be friends with someone not for what you look like, what stuff you own, where you live, what connections you have, but only for who you are inside your own head. its an experience you cant have in "real life"

I told my friend about this game. We tried to invade the region of Costa Rica a few weeks ago.

I'd talk about it all the time, but people look at me kinda funny when I do. That is, when they're not looking at me kinda funny for other reasons.

i find that people who are not on the net never understand what its like to have net friends. all they know are are the horror stories in the news where someone gets raped or killed. they have no idea how cool it is to be friends with someone not for what you look like, what stuff you own, where you live, what connections you have, but only for who you are inside your own head. its an experience you cant have in "real life"
I know. I tried to get them to understand that, but they just can't. I tried to get them to join NS so they could understand, but they never did.

I know. I tried to get them to understand that, but they just can't. I tried to get them to join NS so they could understand, but they never did.

Just keep posting here, doing exactly what you want. My dad's about as understanding as your parents (read: not understanding whatsoever), and he views everybody on the internet the same way: They're perverts and psychos.

and he views everybody on the internet the same way: They're perverts and psychos.
Sounds about right.

I started an official NS club at my school.

I started an official NS club at my school.
How'd that go?

How'd that go?

Sounds like a place to bad mouth the mods with no fear of revenge

j/k:eek:

Don't worry, Czardas. My parents are the same, so I told them I stopped.

...Obviously, I lied. :) Parents who have no understanding of computers are easy to fool in regards to them.

Just keep posting here, doing exactly what you want. My dad's about as understanding as your parents (read: not understanding whatsoever), and he views everybody on the internet the same way: They're perverts and psychos.

Oh good, join the club. At the moment, Drunk Commies Deleted is, I quote "probably a 50 year old from Liverpool called Derek". I love prejudice parents sooooo much:(

I agree with that. Nobody I know my age is interested in politics, debate, role-play, or any of the things that make NS worthwhile. On the other hand, the older people who do enjoy those things are too close-minded and stuck in their ways to turn to the Internet for that kind of thing.

And the few people of the right age (20s or so)
Ahem. So I am what ... chopped liver??? :p

Ahem. So I am what ... chopped liver??? :p

well i didnt want to say anything but.......
http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/images/smilies/anti-old.gif

i find that people who are not on the net never understand what its like to have net friends. all they know are are the horror stories in the news where someone gets raped or killed. they have no idea how cool it is to be friends with someone not for what you look like, what stuff you own, where you live, what connections you have, but only for who you are inside your own head. its an experience you cant have in "real life"
You mean kinda like getting all the bad news about another country via the media, then finding out when you actaully visit that they're not the enraged, gun-toting, rioting, fat people you were lead to believe? :D

I didnt bother to tell them.
They just see me on it.
No one is worthy to know.

well i didnt want to say anything but.......
http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/images/smilies/anti-old.gif
There's one self-appointed comedian in every crowd. Sigh.

So who died and made YOU Czardas, huh? :mp5:

There's one self-appointed comedian in every crowd. Sigh.

So who died and made YOU Czardas, huh? :mp5:
Me.
I died and made him Czardas.

Just keep posting here, doing exactly what you want. My dad's about as understanding as your parents (read: not understanding whatsoever), and he views everybody on the internet the same way: They're perverts and psychos.
Where the frack do you people find parents like some you describe??? If I had treated my own children the way some of you say your parents treat you, I would have died from the shame of it alone! My philosophy was always to give my children as much independence of action as they wanted, unless they subsequently proved to me they couldn't handle it yet. Always seemed to work for me. :confused:

Me.
I died and made him Czardas.
Harlesburg ...

... ahhh, nevermind! Heh! :p

You mean kinda like getting all the bad news about another country via the media, then finding out when you actaully visit that they're not the enraged, gun-toting, rioting, fat people you were lead to believe? :D
yeah
or you go to france and no one is rude to you

Where the frack do you people find parents like some you describe??? If I had treated my own children the way some of you say your parents treat you, I would have died from the shame of it alone! My philosophy was always to give my children as much independence of action as they wanted, unless they subsequently proved to me they couldn't handle it yet. Always seemed to work for me. :confused:
maybe your wife was a little stricter than you were and you never realized it

it amazes me that people can turn out so well when they have really crappy parents. what is the point of trying so hard to keep your child "safe" that you dont let them LIVE?

Where the frack do you people find parents like some you describe??? If I had treated my own children the way some of you say your parents treat you, I would have died from the shame of it alone! My philosophy was always to give my children as much independence of action as they wanted, unless they subsequently proved to me they couldn't handle it yet. Always seemed to work for me. :confused:

Try Walmart when the sales are on:p

Oh good, join the club. At the moment, Drunk Commies Deleted is, I quote "probably a 50 year old from Liverpool called Derek". I love prejudice parents sooooo much:(
would there be something WRONG with him being a 50 year old from liverpool? are y'all prejudiced against scousers??

would there be something WRONG with him being a 50 year old from liverpool? are y'all prejudiced against scousers??

I assumed they meant paedo or something of that ilk. Then I laughed, turned some TBS and drank far toooo much:p

yeah
or you go to france and no one is rude to you
:p

maybe your wife was a little stricter than you were and you never realized it

it amazes me that people can turn out so well when they have really crappy parents. what is the point of trying so hard to keep your child "safe" that you dont let them LIVE?
No, as a matter of fact, I was almost too strict with my own children, but only where truly important issues were concerned: schoolwork, being kind and respectful to your mother, treating your siblings with respect and compassion, keeping yourself in good health, etc.

Some children seem to thrive regardless of circumstances. A study a few years back referred to them as "super-kids."

yeah
or you go to france and no one is rude to you
Come on now, everyone knows that French people are axe murdering, kittin kicking, pricks who hate everyone not French. GEEEEEZ, everyone knows that!

No, as a matter of fact, I was almost too strict with my own children, but only where truly important issues were concerned: schoolwork, being kind and respectful to your mother, treating your siblings with respect and compassion, keeping yourself in good health, etc.

Some children seem to thrive regardless of circumstances. A study a few years back referred to them as "super-kids."

my god, you would really hate me as a teenager:p

Incidentally, is thsi super in the "incredibles" context?

Yeah, I've told people about NS, but not these forums... They're my special place...:eek: :eek: :eek:

Come on now, everyone knows that French people are axe murdering, kittin kicking, pricks who hate everyone not French. GEEEEEZ, everyone knows that!
yeah it was weird

of couse i wasnt in paris, i was in the french alps but STILL who woulda thought?

I've told a friend of mine in my first period class at school. I gave him the URL and what my nation name is. Although I don't think he visited it yet.

Actually, I'm not supposed to post here anymore. If they find out, then I'll go back to jail.

There's one self-appointed comedian in every crowd. Sigh.

So who died and made YOU Czardas, huh? :mp5:
Don't worry. S/he's nothing like me at all. In fact, even though I know his gender, I'm deliberately withholding it to show I don't care.

;)

~The Libertarian Concordance of Czardas~
The Third Unofficial NationStates Self-Appointed Court Jester

~The Libertarian Concordance of Czardas~
The Third Unofficial NationStates Self-Appointed Court Jester
Who were the first two?

Who were the first two?
I will have been the first once my time machine has been finished and I end up going back to preceding NS, and becoming one of the first nations founded.
Regretfully, I have accidentally killed myself before I will be able to announce my accomplishments.

Who were the first two?
Cogitation and TJHairball, IIRC.

my parents don't know anything about NS. their like Dobbsworld's. my friend introduced me to her but shes stopped. no one else is interested.

This is my stimulus, when I have nothing better to do. So, no, this never comes up in conversation. Ever.

It is quite fun stimulus though... Is it stimulus, or stimuli... bah, its lunch time here, time to eat.

This is my stimulus, when I have nothing better to do. So, no, this never comes up in conversation. Ever.

It is quite fun stimulus though... Is it stimulus, or stimuli... bah, its lunch time here, time to eat.
Whats for Lunch?

This is my stimulus, when I have nothing better to do. So, no, this never comes up in conversation. Ever.

It is quite fun stimulus though... Is it stimulus, or stimuli... bah, its lunch time here, time to eat.
I think you mean stimulus. Stimuli is plural of stimulus.

Whats for Lunch?
Ah, lunch was fish and potates, along with carrots and milk. Quite good, I might say, for being a government subsidised school lunch program.

And about the stimulus/stimuli thing, the "s" on "stimulus" threw me off. Thought it could be a plural, but then again...that was a good lunch. What a stimulus....

Ah, lunch was fish and potates, along with carrots and milk. Quite good, I might say, for being a government subsidised school lunch program.

And about the stimulus/stimuli thing, the "s" on "stimulus" threw me off. Thought it could be a plural, but then again...that was a good lunch. What a stimulus....
Wow thats pretty lucky have The Government suppling your food.

Wow thats pretty lucky have The Government suppling your food.
You get better food if your parents cook it, or at least buy it, themselves.

It´s quite difficult for me to speak about this habit...because in germany NS is associated wit National Socialism...and you really don´t want to get that kind of smell on you :eek:

Otherwise this bunch of hopelessly weird and funny and desolate characters is such unique...you only meet such on the forum :D

Yes, not just any government, The Government.

My mother does cook better, and I cook better as well, but sometimes, I'm just soo lazy. And I'm 16km away from home, so, its just easier this way. Plus, there's all these good looking people here.

I told my doctor about NS last week -- no, not because I needed treatment for it:rolleyes: .

The doc used to write for medical journals, but he wanted to branch out into fiction. I told him about NS because knowing that someone is waiting for your character to rescue, romance or ruin their character makes you write whether you feel like it or not.

(It also makes all the cliches rise to the top of your brain.)

Anyway, he wrote me a prescription and I wrote him the Jennifer Government website.

He charged me, but I didn't charge him.

I like feeling morally superior to my doctor.

That's a strange story.

Anyway, I tell whoever I feel like about Nationstates. Most of them sign-up, to give it a try, and then get bored and perish.
I'm the only one left out of the original group of people that signed up with :( (actually, this isn't my original nation, so none of the originals have survived!)

Real life? What the cr*p is that?

You get better food if your parents cook it, or at least buy it, themselves.
That is true.

Real life? What the cr*p is that?

I don't know. Probably the same as this 'Social life' thing that I've been hearing so much about.

meh... I don't go out of my way to tell people but I won't hide it...

I don't know. Probably the same as this 'Social life' thing that I've been hearing so much about.
There is such thing as a 'social life'? I thought that was just a myth.

Real life? What the cr*p is that?
Something that happens to other people.

I mention it and people suddenly take notice when I explain how the RPing in this game is better than any novel writing workshop I could ever take.

There is such thing as a 'social life'? I thought that was just a myth.

Apparently so, or so I'm told. I'm not in the least bit interested in getting one though.

Apparently so, or so I'm told. I'm not in the least bit interested in getting one though.
Personally, I think someone's been having you on, but suit yourself.

Personally, I think someone's been having you on, but suit yourself.

I'm a naturally gullable person I'm afraid. ;)

I'm a naturally gullable person I'm afraid. ;)
Pity that. Well, you'll learn eventually, I suppose.