Lying about external circumstances

[Seol]

As far as I'm concerned, anything that doesn't break the rules is fair game to say in a game. Lying, obviously, isn't against those rules. Whilst it's arguable that lying about personal circumstances makes you a jerk, more importantly, it's a difficult lie to maintain. Certainly you won't get away with it more than once or twice. I wouldn't do it, simply because I have two siblings on the site and use the same identity on other sites I'm reasonably active on, so it's easy to catch me in a lie.

I have on more than one occasion checked other people's posting records not only on Scum but also other sites to try and find evidence they're lurking as opposed to simply not there. This is not a gentlemanly sport, and any tactic you can use to improve your game is legitimate - whilst as Aelyn said, participation is usually more effective, there's a time and place for everything.

Everything is a tactic - for example, I'm only ever nice to people because it predisposes them to like me, and therefore want to think me innocent, not because I'm actually nice - and all's fair in love and war - but, equally, everything has its consequences. This applies to all walks of life, not just Mafia.

[Seol]

I think all "external" lies should be banned, and this rule should be enforced by a team (lead by MeMe, of course) who would go to people's houses to check whether they really are sick/having connection problems/called away on business/had arm eaten by Ebola virus.

Meme, I think you ought to know I have contracted Ebola and will be unable to post for approximately until I've won all my games through lurking. Now I'm off to post in other threads.

I'll have the Scrabble board and the cheese and wine set up ready for your arrival. 8)

[Seol]

Thanks for your responses, people!

After carefully going through your feedback, I decided to change my mind. I now consider out-of-game-lying a legitimate weapon in the arsenal of the mafia scum... all is fair in love and war, and remember, it's only cheating if you get caught!

Also remember these lessons can be applied to real life too!

[Seol]

lying about personal circumstances makes you a jerk

QFT

I'd like to discuss this further with you, Stoof, but my grandma just died.

[Seol]

Not true - Gramps was a polygamist.

[Seol]

lying about personal circumstances makes you a jerk

QFT

I'd like to discuss this further with you, Stoof, but my grandma just died.

MeMe is on her way. She'll want to see the body.

Too late! Cremated!

[Seol]

There seems to be some sort of fallacy here that lurking is wise for scum. If personal circumstances force people out of the game for long enough to undermine the game, they should be replaced, whether they're lying or not. If they later turn out to be lying, then they deserve to be put on the Quitters list in the Queue forum. If they're just doing it for a week or something, then they ought to have to make up for that later.

What's the problem here - the lying, or the non-participation?