Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Snake Eyes snake.eyes@********.att.net
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 15:29:18 -0700
Somebody mentioned a few threads back that the Neo-Anarchists have all gone
away. What happened? I thought it was a cool twist on the game. Has the
concept really been dropped or just ignored & underdeveloped? I must admit
I really haven't kept up with the literature of late, but what's the deal?

~ Snake Eyes
Message no. 2
From: IronRaven cyberraven@********.net
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 19:56:53 -0400
At 15.29 07-13-99 -0700, you wrote:
>Somebody mentioned a few threads back that the Neo-Anarchists have all gone

Simple question: Who exactly were the NAs?


CyberRaven
http://members.xoom.com/iron_raven/
"Once again, we have spat int he face of Death and his second cousin,
Dismemberment."
"Briar Rabbit to Briar Fox; I was BORN in that briar patch!"
Message no. 3
From: MC23 mc23@**********.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 20:21:42 -0400
Once upon a time, IronRaven wrote;

>At 15.29 07-13-99 -0700, you wrote:
>>Somebody mentioned a few threads back that the Neo-Anarchists have all gone
>
> Simple question: Who exactly were the NAs?

Aah, the NA literature that was in the preface to NAGNA was classic.
I've been registering my software as name: MC23 Company: Neo-Anarchist
because of that fine piece of work. It puts a smile on my face even
thinking about it now.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed,
briefed, debriefed, or numbered "
-No. 6, The Prisoner

I am MC23
Message no. 4
From: Twist0059@***.com Twist0059@***.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 21:10:57 EDT
In a message dated 7/13/99 6:29:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
snake.eyes@********.att.net writes:

> Somebody mentioned a few threads back that the Neo-Anarchists have all gone
> away. What happened? I thought it was a cool twist on the game. Has the
> concept really been dropped or just ignored & underdeveloped? I must
admit
> I really haven't kept up with the literature of late, but what's the deal?
>
> ~ Snake Eyes


The Neo-Anarchists are dead because Mike Mulvihill felt they contributed to
the out-dated and musty feel of Shadowrun that SR3 was the permanent clearing
away of. All Neo-Anarchists books are now Target books without the attitude.
Personally, I strongly disagree with the idea of cutting away the
Neo-Anarchists, but it was his call. At least in my games, they still exist.




-Twist
Message no. 5
From: Snake Eyes snake.eyes@********.att.net
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 18:40:49 -0700
At 09:10 PM 7/13/99 -0400, Twist wrote:

> > Somebody mentioned a few threads back that the Neo-Anarchists have all
> gone
> > away. What happened? I thought it was a cool twist on the game. Has
> the
> > concept really been dropped or just ignored & underdeveloped? I must
>admit
> > I really haven't kept up with the literature of late, but what's the deal?
>
>The Neo-Anarchists are dead because Mike Mulvihill felt they contributed to
>the out-dated and musty feel of Shadowrun that SR3 was the permanent clearing
>away of. All Neo-Anarchists books are now Target books without the attitude.
> Personally, I strongly disagree with the idea of cutting away the
>Neo-Anarchists, but it was his call. At least in my games, they still exist.

Screw all that. I'm keeping them, too. Every character I ever played was
a Neo-Anarchist on some level. I was mulling over some new knowledge
skills when I realized I hadn't heard much about them lately. What
exactly, then, is the new *point* of Shadowrun supposed to be -- if it's
not throwing off the shackles of megacorporate oppression? How did
Neo-Anarchy, the natural economic successor to megacorporatism, *possibly*
contribute to the alleged "out-dated and musty feel" of Shadowrun? I must
have missed that one. What, was it too Cyberpunk or something? Man, talk
about missing your target audience.

~ Snake Eyes
Message no. 6
From: Sebastian Wiers m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 21:14:47 -0500
:The Neo-Anarchists are dead because Mike Mulvihill felt they contributed to
:the out-dated and musty feel of Shadowrun that SR3 was the permanent
clearing
:away of. All Neo-Anarchists books are now Target books without the
attitude.
: Personally, I strongly disagree with the idea of cutting away the
:Neo-Anarchists, but it was his call. At least in my games, they still
exist.


Captain Chaos is still used; isn't he a neo@***? Or did he just use
their stuff? I always thought it was kinda silly to have all the Shadowrun
books produced by one small political minority. Sure, their aim may have
been to inform the public- that's the aim of many radical political groups
today. How much such stuff do you all read?
In any case, are neo@***s really "dead"? They might still very well
exist. Shadowland just has some other voices now.

Mongoose
Message no. 7
From: runnerpaul@*****.com runnerpaul@*****.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 22:52:45 -0400 (EDT)
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

At 07:56 PM 7/13/99 -0400, IronRaven wrote:
>>Somebody mentioned a few threads back that the Neo-Anarchists have
>all gone
>
> Simple question: Who exactly were the NAs?

Neo-Anarchist's Guide to North America, p.9:
"Neo-Anarchists believe in one overriding principle: that no
individual has the right to coerce another to yield to his desires.
Neo-Anarchists believe that unanimous consent, freely and willingly
given, is the only just way to govern any society or group of
individuals."

They generally take umbrage to situations like: "Hi. We're [a
MegaCorp]. You want to buy [Product]? You need to buy from us. You
were thinking of buying [Similar Product] from [A Competing
Corporation]? I'm sorry, that won't be possible, we just bought out
[Competing Coproration], and have taken [Similar Product] off the
market."

Actually they dislike anyone interfering with someone's right to make
a choice, on any level.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP Personal Privacy 6.0.2

iQCVAwUBN4v7SqPbvUVI86rNAQGpNAP/fW1fOfl4oFINLHnBSPg3dwh/aEkkdGxj
uqW/sVA/wwfWBG3+mfXdHldjTDyzl0NQYA1hePlpt2KTgyzJ22XSDrq9zTIGdAkd
lBMv0AKwZKpEgiM+ny8uSnzKDprqkZGfTkhbpPpdFZn9SEhYxrsoqajkdVupXhAr
3tgPUVomwWE=fxor
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

--
-- Paul Gettle, #186 of 1000 (RunnerPaul@*****.com)
PGP Fingerprint, Key ID:0x48F3AACD (RSA 1024, created 98/06/26)
C260 94B3 6722 6A25 63F8 0690 9EA2 3344

---------------------------------------------------
Get free personalized email at http://www.iname.com
Message no. 8
From: Twist0059@***.com Twist0059@***.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 22:53:53 EDT
In a message dated 7/13/99 9:52:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
m0ng005e@*********.com writes:

>
> Captain Chaos is still used; isn't he a neo@***? Or did he just use
> their stuff? I always thought it was kinda silly to have all the Shadowrun
> books produced by one small political minority. Sure, their aim may have
> been to inform the public- that's the aim of many radical political groups
> today. How much such stuff do you all read?
> In any case, are neo@***s really "dead"? They might still very well
> exist. Shadowland just has some other voices now.
>
> Mongoose


The Neo-As didn't really produce all the Shadowrun books, just the two. The
Target books would have been Neo-A material, but Mike wanted a new flavor to
merge with the overhaul he's doing to the game. The Neo-Anarchists as a
movement in SR was never mentioned in the fiction as being killed off, but
the Neo-Anarchist line of books is dead. Even in Corp DL, a neo-anarchist
isn't called a neo-anarchist. He's called a "retro"-anarchist. But I think
in a way the ideals behind the neo-anarchist books are the essence of
Shadowrun, so they'll never go away, even if they are never mentioned again.
Afterall, the whole reason Shadowland exists is as a point of rebellion
against the oppressive megas and corrupt governments.

Captain Chaos was mentioned as being a Neo-Anarchist in his sig in
the NAGRL. As far as I can recall, that sig was never used again or his
involvement in the movement mentioned again, but I suppose it makes sense he
still is one.




-Twist
Message no. 9
From: Twist0059@***.com Twist0059@***.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 23:05:02 EDT
In a message dated 7/13/99 9:41:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
snake.eyes@********.att.net writes:

> Screw all that. I'm keeping them, too. Every character I ever played was
> a Neo-Anarchist on some level. I was mulling over some new knowledge
> skills when I realized I hadn't heard much about them lately. What
> exactly, then, is the new *point* of Shadowrun supposed to be -- if it's
> not throwing off the shackles of megacorporate oppression? How did
> Neo-Anarchy, the natural economic successor to megacorporatism, *possibly*
> contribute to the alleged "out-dated and musty feel" of Shadowrun? I must

> have missed that one. What, was it too Cyberpunk or something? Man, talk
> about missing your target audience.
>
> ~ Snake Eyes


Mike could probably lay out his viewpoints on the new flavor of SR than I
can, but basically he's been turning the game from the Cyberpunk analog it
used to be (better than Cyberpunk by far, considering the CP2020 rulebook I
just picked up) along with its 80s punk feel and illustrations to a dark and
violent game that uses the underworld much more than before. I would
normally support such a move (and I do like the new books) but the
illustrations have been turning the metas into cartoons and the text without
the neo-anarchist theme seems directionless. Crime for crime's sake. The
new books are some of the best stuff SR has ever put out. If only the neo-As
or their basic theme was back, and the illos cut down on the AD&D metas, the
new SR would be perfect.

(Oh, and I really don't like the Prescott illustrations with the big-eyes
big-mouths technique; gives me the Innsmouth creeps. But that's just a
personal preference. I'm sure others dig it.)



-Twist
Message no. 10
From: Geoffrey Haacke knight_errant30@*******.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 11:08:21 CST
> Captain Chaos is still used; isn't he a neo@***? Or did he just use
>their stuff? I always thought it was kinda silly to have all the Shadowrun
>books produced by one small political minority. Sure, their aim may have
>been to inform the public- that's the aim of many radical political groups
>today. How much such stuff do you all read?
> In any case, are neo@***s really "dead"? They might still very well
>exist. Shadowland just has some other voices now.
>

Also, the Neo-A's have made appearances in books. They just don't take the
centre stage. For example, in Corporate Download, at least one section is
written by a self-described NA.


>Mongoose
>
>
>


Geoff Haacke
"If you not part of the solution then you are part of the precipitate."
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Message no. 11
From: Sebastian Wiers m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 12:46:57 -0500
:Even in Corp DL, a neo-anarchist
:isn't called a neo-anarchist. He's called a "retro"-anarchist.

The retro anarchist is intended to be just that- what an anarchist today
would consider an anrchist.
Rob Boyle wrote that section and is a student / practicioner of
anarchism IRL. From what I know, the neo-@ stuff is basically Libetarian-
they are quite pro-capatalist for anarchists. I think the "retro-anarchist"
is an intentional counter to the neo-@ stuff, like Chromed Accountant, who,
if not a neo-@, could be.
I personally like the expanded breadth of "character" authors. More
voices = good thing.

Mongoose
Message no. 12
From: Darrell L. Bowman darrell@******.dhr.state.nc.us
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 21:43:59 -0400
On 13 Jul 99, at 23:05, Twist0059@***.com wrote:

> normally support such a move (and I do like the new books) but the
> illustrations have been turning the metas into cartoons and the text
> without the neo-anarchist theme seems directionless. Crime for crime's

Errr... that would be Laubenstein.... right?

---
Speak softly and carry a plus-six bastard sword.
--source unknown


Nightshade, Human Racoon Shaman
or
Raven, Elven Irish Rigger with an attitude.

Darrell Bowman
darrell@******.dhr.state.nc.us
Message no. 13
From: Twist0059@***.com Twist0059@***.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 00:20:31 EDT
In a message dated 7/14/99 1:49:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
m0ng005e@*********.com writes:

> :Even in Corp DL, a neo-anarchist
> :isn't called a neo-anarchist. He's called a "retro"-anarchist.
>
> The retro anarchist is intended to be just that- what an anarchist
today
> would consider an anrchist.
> Rob Boyle wrote that section and is a student / practicioner of
> anarchism IRL. From what I know, the neo-@ stuff is basically Libetarian-
> they are quite pro-capatalist for anarchists. I think the
"retro-anarchist"
> is an intentional counter to the neo-@ stuff, like Chromed Accountant, who,
> if not a neo-@, could be.
> I personally like the expanded breadth of "character" authors. More
> voices = good thing.
>
> Mongoose


I think he was called a "retro"-anarchist because Mulvihill didn't want the
term Neo-Anarchist clogging up his new version of SR with what he felt were
mistakes of the past. But maybe that wasn't so.





-Twist
Message no. 14
From: Twist0059@***.com Twist0059@***.com
Subject: Neo-Anarchists?
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 00:17:49 EDT
In a message dated 7/14/99 11:19:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
darrell@******.dhr.state.nc.us writes:

> > normally support such a move (and I do like the new books) but the
> > illustrations have been turning the metas into cartoons and the text
> > without the neo-anarchist theme seems directionless. Crime for crime's
>
> Errr... that would be Laubenstein.... right?
>

No, he used to be the only artist at FASA with that style, now they seem to
have dedicated the entire art force to it. Those big droopy ears on the
Cover Ops Specialist are fraggin' cheesy.



-Twist

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Neo-Anarchists?, you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.