sugarvalves [1963573] —
Original article
Should you start your own faction? What can you do if your employer shafts you? And how can you tip the balance when you're being marginalised in a leadership role? Let's ask Aunty Torn!
Aunty Torn sure is glad she isn't an NPC at this time of year, as I'd be having to look over my shoulder for some young whippersnapper trying to nab my precious tag! Or at least I would... if the Dog Tag event had actually started. Not that this is anything compared to the olden days. Aunty remembers when the lights used to go out every second week! But did we take to the forums demanding compensation? Yes, probably. I can't remember.
Anyway, here are some of the questions you've sent to my mailbag this month. If my answers are a little longer than usual it's because Aunty's been laid up having rolled her ankle trying to clear a pigeon corpse from her gutters - that's not a euphemism.
Dear Aunty Torn,
Should I raise a new faction up on my own despite being in a high respect super chill faction? I just want to know your opinion. I would like to remain anonymous.
Anon
Dear Anon,
My opinion? Save your money. Factions are expensive to maintain, both in terms of time and money. You see, when a mommy faction and a daddy faction get together, there’s often a lot of infighting that leads them to break up again, and they can’t raise their little factions as well as they need to.
Forming your own faction is now more attractive than ever due to the rewards provided by ranked warring, but there are easier ways to make money. Just because this is a new age and you CAN start a faction, it doesn’t mean you should. Wait until you’re settled down with a nice faction leader you’ve been close with for a while, then if you both feel like you’re ready and have enough time and money to sink into that kind of thing, go for it.
Regards,
Aunty
Dear Aunty Torn,
I recently got scammed for my Private Island and don't know what to do. I'm panicking and trying to keep calm but it's hard. What do you recommend I do?
Theclonetrooper
Dear Theclonetrooper,
Dear oh dear. It just isn’t Torn if you don’t get scammed. I recall a time when scammers got thrown in the slammer. Now every LucasHugs, fakeasstkiller, or DaedricPrince fancies themselves a con artist. Dry up those tears and listen good, because Auntie’s only going to say this once. Get smart, stupid! You got to use every bit of wits the Good Ched gave you to survive in this city against scammers, or you won't last long.
That means not toodle-loo’ing offline while you’ve got things up for sale. It means not skipping around the contract in your trade just because you’re trying to be quick about things. And it means acting like what you’re trading has some damn value, instead of just giving it away to any old idiot pretending to be your old friend from middle school.
Haste makes waste, and you just got wasted for a private island being too hasty. Read your trades carefully. Because, as my good friend Shirley C once said, "protect ya neck or get your junk wrecked."
Best,
Aunty Torn
Dear Aunty Torn,
I've recently been demoted at my company for no good reason at all - I'm regularly active, I don't take too much Xanax and my work stats were easily good enough. When I complained to the owner, he told me it was for the good of the company and "You should feel complemented. When I looked at my many 5-star ride attendants I asked myself "who's a dope MF who would totally take one for the team" and then I saw your name."
Am I being played for a fool here? Should I tell my boss to go take a running jump or continue to follow him blindly as I've always done?
Yours,
Dedicated Company Employee
Dear Dedicated,
The first thing you should know as an employee in this cut-throat city is that you are of limited value. That's harsh, but it’s the truth. A director can go out and pick some Jose Schmose off the street with better stats than you who will ask for less money. The second thing you should know is that company roles don’t really mean that much in the scheme of things, except for how many stats ya get just for being in that role.
If you got moved around, it’s likely because your director hired someone else to fill your old role better than you. Long story short, if ya don’t like your job or the jerk you're making money for, leave. Just as there’s no shortage of employees to hire, there’s no shortage of companies to work for. You have to advocate for yourself in this world because if you don’t, you’ll be stuck in a dead-end job writing help articles for idiots.
Working from home,
Aunty
Dear Aunty
I am a longtime listener, first-time caller... I mean longtime reader first-time writer. My biggest problem during my time in Torn is the almost constant muggings - as soon as I get a little cash I am attacked and it's gone. Maybe I have a face that needs to be hit or I have a sign around my neck saying "mug me?" Do you have any advice on how I can stop the beatings or save money so I can get myself a palace filled with guards and a security system with turret machine guns?
From a complete mug
Hey Complete Mug,
You may need to consider finding a change of address. This is Torn City, the home of hustlers, scammers, and bad mama-jammers. Attacks don’t stop in Torn, they just pause for a while before they kick back up. The real tea, as the kids like to say, is that you can’t stop the beatings, but you can sure wise up to making sure they come away with nothing.
For example, are you a gambler? Do you know people actually wait outside the casino so they can jump you for your chips?! Not only that, but selling points or items or even properties make you a prime target. If you take a look at that activity log doohickey, you’ll notice you have a few precious seconds between having money on hand and getting mugged.
Get a ghost trade going with a trusted friend or stash that cash in your faction’s bank, but don’t waste the little time you’ve got. And most importantly, if you’re selling stuff, get yourself to the hospital!! Torn’s got the hospital doors on lockdown if you turn revives off while you’re selling - no muggers, no problem.
Save safely,
Aunty
Dear Aunty Torn,
I recently became a co-leader of a faction. I was on the council for about five months before being promoted, at which point the leader said our opinions carry equal weight for all the decisions. But more often than not, it doesn't feel that way. I was told to just be my version of the co-lead, but it feels like I am being measured by the standards set by the previous co-lead. Sometimes I feel like stepping down after disagreeing with the leader, but I know that my stepping down would not change anything about our disagreement. Please help me with how to tread these waters.
Thank you, Aunty.
An Uncertain Co-Lead.
Hello Uncertain,
Leadership is a heavy burden to carry. That’s why Aunty leads by example and doesn’t lead a gosh darn thing. But from what I’ve seen, the best leaders speak up in times of hardship, so open up that mouth and air your views within the faction. If your leader is worth their salt, they’ll listen to what you’ve got to say, but if they keep ignoring your concerns, maybe others will rally to your cause. And if they don't, it’s time for you to find a different role, either in the faction or elsewhere.
When there are many cooks in the kitchen, there’s gonna be disagreement on the recipe, so all you can do is be confident you were chosen for a reason and start spicing things up your own way. But you have to make your mark at some point, so remember, true leaders don't seek permission from others - your leader is a prime example of that. If you see a problem that needs solving, be bold, be brave, and solve it.
Good luck!
Aunty
If you are experiencing any of the issues discussed in this article, too bad. Don't write me again as I only answer the same questions once. But if you have a new and original query for dear old Aunty, you can contact me via the Tell Your Story link on the main page of the Torn City Times. Make your question brief and interesting, and if we publish it in our next article you'll receive a Donator Pack!
Until next time,
Aunty
Anyway, here are some of the questions you've sent to my mailbag this month. If my answers are a little longer than usual it's because Aunty's been laid up having rolled her ankle trying to clear a pigeon corpse from her gutters - that's not a euphemism.
Dear Aunty Torn,
Should I raise a new faction up on my own despite being in a high respect super chill faction? I just want to know your opinion. I would like to remain anonymous.
Anon
Dear Anon,
My opinion? Save your money. Factions are expensive to maintain, both in terms of time and money. You see, when a mommy faction and a daddy faction get together, there’s often a lot of infighting that leads them to break up again, and they can’t raise their little factions as well as they need to.
Forming your own faction is now more attractive than ever due to the rewards provided by ranked warring, but there are easier ways to make money. Just because this is a new age and you CAN start a faction, it doesn’t mean you should. Wait until you’re settled down with a nice faction leader you’ve been close with for a while, then if you both feel like you’re ready and have enough time and money to sink into that kind of thing, go for it.
Regards,
Aunty
Dear Aunty Torn,
I recently got scammed for my Private Island and don't know what to do. I'm panicking and trying to keep calm but it's hard. What do you recommend I do?
Theclonetrooper
Dear Theclonetrooper,
Dear oh dear. It just isn’t Torn if you don’t get scammed. I recall a time when scammers got thrown in the slammer. Now every LucasHugs, fakeasstkiller, or DaedricPrince fancies themselves a con artist. Dry up those tears and listen good, because Auntie’s only going to say this once. Get smart, stupid! You got to use every bit of wits the Good Ched gave you to survive in this city against scammers, or you won't last long.
That means not toodle-loo’ing offline while you’ve got things up for sale. It means not skipping around the contract in your trade just because you’re trying to be quick about things. And it means acting like what you’re trading has some damn value, instead of just giving it away to any old idiot pretending to be your old friend from middle school.
Haste makes waste, and you just got wasted for a private island being too hasty. Read your trades carefully. Because, as my good friend Shirley C once said, "protect ya neck or get your junk wrecked."
Best,
Aunty Torn
Dear Aunty Torn,
I've recently been demoted at my company for no good reason at all - I'm regularly active, I don't take too much Xanax and my work stats were easily good enough. When I complained to the owner, he told me it was for the good of the company and "You should feel complemented. When I looked at my many 5-star ride attendants I asked myself "who's a dope MF who would totally take one for the team" and then I saw your name."
Am I being played for a fool here? Should I tell my boss to go take a running jump or continue to follow him blindly as I've always done?
Yours,
Dedicated Company Employee
Dear Dedicated,
The first thing you should know as an employee in this cut-throat city is that you are of limited value. That's harsh, but it’s the truth. A director can go out and pick some Jose Schmose off the street with better stats than you who will ask for less money. The second thing you should know is that company roles don’t really mean that much in the scheme of things, except for how many stats ya get just for being in that role.
If you got moved around, it’s likely because your director hired someone else to fill your old role better than you. Long story short, if ya don’t like your job or the jerk you're making money for, leave. Just as there’s no shortage of employees to hire, there’s no shortage of companies to work for. You have to advocate for yourself in this world because if you don’t, you’ll be stuck in a dead-end job writing help articles for idiots.
Working from home,
Aunty
Dear Aunty
I am a longtime listener, first-time caller... I mean longtime reader first-time writer. My biggest problem during my time in Torn is the almost constant muggings - as soon as I get a little cash I am attacked and it's gone. Maybe I have a face that needs to be hit or I have a sign around my neck saying "mug me?" Do you have any advice on how I can stop the beatings or save money so I can get myself a palace filled with guards and a security system with turret machine guns?
From a complete mug
Hey Complete Mug,
You may need to consider finding a change of address. This is Torn City, the home of hustlers, scammers, and bad mama-jammers. Attacks don’t stop in Torn, they just pause for a while before they kick back up. The real tea, as the kids like to say, is that you can’t stop the beatings, but you can sure wise up to making sure they come away with nothing.
For example, are you a gambler? Do you know people actually wait outside the casino so they can jump you for your chips?! Not only that, but selling points or items or even properties make you a prime target. If you take a look at that activity log doohickey, you’ll notice you have a few precious seconds between having money on hand and getting mugged.
Get a ghost trade going with a trusted friend or stash that cash in your faction’s bank, but don’t waste the little time you’ve got. And most importantly, if you’re selling stuff, get yourself to the hospital!! Torn’s got the hospital doors on lockdown if you turn revives off while you’re selling - no muggers, no problem.
Save safely,
Aunty
Dear Aunty Torn,
I recently became a co-leader of a faction. I was on the council for about five months before being promoted, at which point the leader said our opinions carry equal weight for all the decisions. But more often than not, it doesn't feel that way. I was told to just be my version of the co-lead, but it feels like I am being measured by the standards set by the previous co-lead. Sometimes I feel like stepping down after disagreeing with the leader, but I know that my stepping down would not change anything about our disagreement. Please help me with how to tread these waters.
Thank you, Aunty.
An Uncertain Co-Lead.
Hello Uncertain,
Leadership is a heavy burden to carry. That’s why Aunty leads by example and doesn’t lead a gosh darn thing. But from what I’ve seen, the best leaders speak up in times of hardship, so open up that mouth and air your views within the faction. If your leader is worth their salt, they’ll listen to what you’ve got to say, but if they keep ignoring your concerns, maybe others will rally to your cause. And if they don't, it’s time for you to find a different role, either in the faction or elsewhere.
When there are many cooks in the kitchen, there’s gonna be disagreement on the recipe, so all you can do is be confident you were chosen for a reason and start spicing things up your own way. But you have to make your mark at some point, so remember, true leaders don't seek permission from others - your leader is a prime example of that. If you see a problem that needs solving, be bold, be brave, and solve it.
Good luck!
Aunty
If you are experiencing any of the issues discussed in this article, too bad. Don't write me again as I only answer the same questions once. But if you have a new and original query for dear old Aunty, you can contact me via the Tell Your Story link on the main page of the Torn City Times. Make your question brief and interesting, and if we publish it in our next article you'll receive a Donator Pack!
Until next time,
Aunty
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