Sugar Shack 25: The Value of Intelligence: Who Cares?
Now and then, it seems like someone has hacked us or our site, through foul or fouler means, like with Gothique abusing poor BlueLile, or Mek. The first few times this happened, I got kind of concerned. Then I started thinking about it more and more, and I concluded, what difference does it make?
I think we worry too much about this. Historically, in wars and organizational conflicts, knowing the adversary’s thoughts helps you get something:
1. Win decisive battles.
2. Get something before they do.
3. Prevent their strategic plans from realization.
4. Get access to resources.
If intelligence does not serve any of these purposes, it is strategically pointless. The worst it can lead to is transient embarrassment. When Gothique cruelly abused BlueLile’s account to learn of Lucen’s event plant and counterfeit it, this was a bitter embarrassment. Yet it was not like the Battle of Midway or something. After all, in MxO, there is no scarce resource that can be possessed or controlled (with one exception which our enemies are not aware of). And now no one thinks about this event that she ran. Ultimately, it was irrelevant.
Therefore, if an enemy knew everything we were thinking, what difference would it make, strategically? If Gothique or Prim3 could read everything on this site, they would see our internal dynamics, they would see our thinking on PvP, and they would see our unvarnished thoughts on applicants.
Would any of this help them more than one time to defeat us in PvP?
Would any of this help them to get something we want? Info? Frags? Boss drops?
Would any of this let them frustrate our clan’s hopes for the future?
Would any of this help them get access to resources that we seek?
To me, the answers are no. Their knowledge of anything we plan makes no difference in the game, unless we let ourselves feel nervous or embarrassed. That means it makes no difference unless we choose to let it make a difference. For example, Gothique’s theft of Lucen’s plan for an event was petty and vile. But it did not make her clan stronger, or us weaker.
In the current case, I do not believe that Prim3 was able to really retrieve anything from Sattakan’s account; his posting is a fabrication. But even if it were genuine, it only shows a division of opinion among us regarding Alfie’s departure. What, that’s news?
Forgive my rambling. In a nutshell, Clan discussions should obviously remain confidential among us so no worries about being sharing. But in the event that someone somehow gets hold of information, there is no reason to freak out. There is virtually no type of intelligence they can obtain which will make any lasting difference ingame whatsoever. Which is not to say we should not seek to deeply understand our partners and adversaries.
