Satan emerges from his club in Chicago. It was a sunny day, but of course it was a little windy...
He had a little down time from work, and a lot was on his mind, so he decided to gather a crowd to discuss his thoughts.

Thank you everyone for taking time in your busy day to come listen to a pointless person like me babble about... probably nothing, right? Anyways, I hope you enjoy the party favors that my staff are passing out. Some of those bags may even contain some spare cash just for the hell of it!

It's been on my mind lately, because I'm constantly hearing Life is what you make it. 

Satan laughs a little bit

Sorry, I always seem to laugh when I hear that. People say that life is what you make it. But is it really? There's always something the confides us to this hell on earth. Trust me, I know... I am Satan after all. 

Everyone has stepped on these shores with the same dream... We want to make it to the top. However the top is reserved for those who deserve it. Who deserves it though? The tyrant with the powerful gun who remains at top because he'll kill anyone who defies him? Is it the leader who has his position only because he knows people of power? Or is it the leader who actually bonds with his members and tries to truly create a family?

So that mobster who has the capabilities of being a great leader.. Can he really make the life that he wants? Of course not. He's restricted by the control of the tyrants and lapdogs of those tyrants. It's been seen throughout our history.. I've seen my ancestors interpretations of the past.

Now I know that every mobster truly has an opportunity to spread his wings, and make an impact on this community. But I wonder when the next tyrants rise? Or will there ever be a tyrant again? Will those who diamonds in the rough be given a chance to shine? I guess we shall see only in time.

Satan checks his watch, he turns to his bodyguards and they nod to him

Well everyone, I'm done wasting your time. I have to go back to business. Thank you for listening in. 
I would love to hear anyone else's opinion on this matter. Speak it here, or feel free to send me love or hate mail. 

He pulls a lighter from his pocket as his bodyguard hands him a pipe. Satan lights up his bowl of marijuana and takes a long hit. He then tips his hat to the crowd and re-enters his club.

After listening to Satan speak his mind, Prozac sits and begins to think to himself about what he had just heard. Many thoughts begin to formulate in his mind

From the moment we enter into this life of ours we all do our best to enrich our family and to make an impression with our family head in the hopes that one day we can be called upon to attain that one thing that we all strive for, leadership. Some can make that impression by making money in heaps upon heaps, some by getting copious amounts of blood on our hands for our family, and some for keeping everyone entertained and morale amongst the troops high. 

It is hard to say that there is any one type of person that "deserves" to have the chance of leading their own family. In my opinion everyone deserves a chance. Will they get it? Perhaps, perhaps not. That is not for us people who are not in the position to make that choice to decide.

Just because the current leaders and Godfathers don't decide to give an opportunity to certain people does that make them tyrants and lapdogs to tyrants? I don't think so at all. I see it as a true leader looking out for the best interests of their families and alliances. 

It has always been that when there are certain powers that be in top positions and they are loved by many and even in secret hated by many. I could sit here and say "rank up and do something about it" but that really isn't the way to go about it. I have always found the best way to make your mark is to just go out there and do the best that you are capable of doing and hope that it will be enough for you to leave your legacy upon this world, good or bad. 

I will cut myself off here before I start to really ramble on more than I have begun to. 

Prozac tosses a couple pills in his mouth and washes it down with a swig of whiskey and begins to wander down the street looking into the shop windows as he passes

Satan overhears Prozac's response and nods in agreement

I agree totally with what you are saying. I was not saying that our current leaders are tyrants, and I wasn't saying that I, myself, was looking to get my own leadership opportunity. I am happy with the life I live, but I know some people who have had the thoughts I have, because I know my ancestors shared those same thoughts. I agree there isn't much you can really do except try to earn your stripes. 

I will allow further discussion on this topic, I just wanted to confirm my opinion and mention that I am happy with my life, and the current leaders are not tyrants to me. The recent war(s) have opened up this world for opportunity. I just want to hear the thoughts of others. Will the current leaders turn into the tyrants we've had before? How does one earn his opportunity? Questions like that. I'm interested in hearing what others have to say.

Also, this isn't gender based either. I apologize for constantly saying he,him,his, as the opportunities can also be she,her,hers.

Oh, and Prozac... have any extra pills by chance?

Satan sips on his drink and smokes a little out of his pipe.

Prozac stops and hears that Satan is addressing him and turns to speak to him. As Prozac approaches Satan he pulls out a paper bag from within his jacket cautiously as he sees Satan's bodyguards flinch nervously.

These pills here should help what ails you, just use them sparingly of course.

Prozac hands the bag to Satan and shakes the man's hand. 

Thank you for bringing this topic to the street, it's not often I find myself here but this is actually something that I enjoy discussing and im glad that we can talk about it. Of course I did not mean to imply that you were calling our current leaders tyrants and such, just pointing out that some people may think that and that my opinion is different to that way of thinking about them as well.

Leaning on the building beside him Prozac pulls out a cigar and lights it as he waits to hear more people discuss what has been brought up here today.

After hearing what prozac and Satan have to say, Lord Voldemort decides to put his 2 cents in...

" I have said it before and i will say it again. i have seen only to many times since i started playing this game, that it is not what you know or what you do that gets you ahead in this game, but rather who you know that makes or breaks you as far as being upper structure is concerned. We have seen already what that leads to. Creep was given another opportunity to lead and he got the entire city of Detroit sunk for a second time. Further more, i have seen the same leaders rise up yet again to power just because they were in power before the war, because they knew the person who was currently in power..."

Lord Voldemort lights a Cigarette and continues...

" I cannot say that i agree with some of the Auths that have come about since the rebuilding process started, but who am i but a lowly gangster who will probably never see an opportunity like that a day in his life, just because he doesnt know the people in teh Upper Structure the way others do."

Lord Voldemort awaits a reply from Prozac on this touchy but yet interesting subject....

Ziva hops up onto a nearby wall and listens for a few moments before deciding to put in her own two cents. 

Some of the judgements thrown around in threads like this one can be quite far of the mark. 

People being held back by tyrants? For a start, these "tyrants" are Godfathers, city leaders. These "tyrants" are people who have worked their way up from the bottom, and yes, sometimes had a little luck along the way, but at the end of the day, they've done what, according to you, everyone dreams of doing - they've made it to the top. 

Once you've worked hard to make it to the top, it does make sense that they're going to choose the people they actually WANT to work with to put in power around them. Some will be friends, some will be people they've worked with before, the bottom line is, they will be people that they've gotten to know enough to trust. Why the fuck would ANY leader auth somebody they don't know, or barely know? If you don't get to know them, and get to know the people around them as you work for them, then no, your name probably isn't ever going to come into contention for auth. Don't blame them for that.

It's not like the current leadership has been unwilling to give people chances either, and I particularly know that to be the case in Chicago. Before I started this character, my bloodline and Cpt-Harris' had never met, but when circumstances lead to Ariadne stepping down, he didn't hesitate in offering me a chance; same as he didn't hesitate in giving Ariadne a chance in the first place. 

It's easy to say that it's difficult to work your way up, and yes, sometimes it IS difficult, and luck and being in the right place at the right time is definitely involved, but I wouldn't say it's impossible for anybody to work their way up, at least not in my experience.

Insanity listens intently and hears many good points being brought up from both sides of this little debate.

Well I definitely see life as being what you make it. But if you're the one in power, what you make it, can override what others want to make it. You'd see hundreds of crew leaders if we could all make it what we want. 

But I see your points in tyrants rising and falling and keeping rule over this world. It's also the fact that some alliances are just way too strong and won't ever break unless tensions rise way too high. The best example I find from my ancestors books is the Roman and Prem alliance. It wasn't ever going to break so that is why people had to throw everything at them to take it down. But this is how the world works. But I ask you this. If you got to power and had a better gun, money income, and defense than all the other leaders; Wouldn't you try to keep power any way you could even if you were seen as a bit of a tyrant or over staying your welcome?

Also as for crew leaders that deserve it or get their position because they know people. Well I don't care what most people say. Rarely do we see crew leaders set up that actually earn it. Many come into this life with a large sum of money from their father or mother and buy a ton of bodyguards. They join up with a Crew Leader who is running a city that they are friends with. Then they begin to train a gun and rank up.  By the time they've been around long enough to earn Made Man, they've already had their auth in place from day one. Because they were known by the current leader, had a lot of money, and already had the bodyguards. They couldn't possibly have earned a position of power from 11 days of work and they definitely don't have a very large gun yet.

While this is happening you will see people who have been around for months, with a large gun, who have earned lots of money, been loyal, and have at least a decent amount of bodyguards get passed over for the job.

But before people try to tell me I'm wrong and that everyone earns it even if only there for a short time. Let me tell you. I don't care what you say. My bloodline has been around long enough to know how it works in this life and I'm not saying that I'm unhappy about it. It's fine with me if that's how the people in power do it. It's THEIR choice when they have the power. I've been friends with people who have been authed due to hard work and some due to friendship. My ancestors have been close to auth before. Once for hard work and around three other times just due to friendships. Although wars stopped this from coming about, lucky for all of you. 

I definitely am one who now adays doesn't let this topic bother him. I know know how it works and that it'll continue to be that way for a while. But I definitely support any leaders who rise to their position after weeks or even months of hard work doing other positions no matter how big or small to get to that spot. Well that's just my two cents. I'm not here to argue or debate over this because my view on this will not change so while I respect other peoples opinions, I won't be caring much if you have something wrong with how I view this world.

Satan hears the opinions of other mobsters, and returns back to to offer his insight again, after smoking out of his pipe

Again, let me reiterate the point, that I am in no way calling out those currently in power. Like Insanity, my ancestors have recorded their interpretations of the world we live in at their time.

I'm just constantly hearing that life is what they make it, and people will earn the chance they deserve when the time comes. To me, I feel like that is just a scapegoat answer, sort of like the American Dream. Yes anyone can truly achieve the things they want, but if those in power do not allow them to, then is life really what they make it?

We've seen Rogues in the past. People who felt they deserved a chance, didn't get it, and wrecked more havoc than predicted. Do we want to make our world vulnerable to something like that again? Will "project cities" be constructed again to experiment leaders, and if it fails, then the city is crushed? 

This is the mafia. Omerta. Everything is done in silence. You will be approached if you are needed. Otherwise, you will be blind to the true workings of what goes on in our way of life. That's the reality of it. My lineage has had tremendous wisdom, especially the last few bloodlines. 

I brought this topic to the streets, because I wanted to hear the insights of my fellow mobsters. I'm sure there will continue to be a difference of opinions throughout the discussion. Those who have had it easy will of course reply in such a manner. The ones who haven't and are still unknown are likely to reply differently.

My viewpoint is this: I have the utmost respect for the current leaders in power and the Godfathers that lead them. We wouldn't have a stable world without them. Some may say this world isn't stable, but we could of been brought to a apocalyptic state after the last big war. These leaders have provided homes for us all. Time will only tell if these leaders turn into tyrants we have had in the past. Or if there will be constant wars. I just want to hear the opinions of others. 

In terms of leadership: I feel like those who deserve it, earn their spot. If they are a friend of those in power, then it is just easier for them to earn their spot. It's under the discretion of those in power. It's simple logic. However, there is also a chance for someone to earn recognition and get the chance to make a mark. This in turn may bring their bloodline into the inner circle of our world. 

My point is this... Almost if not everyone wants to break their bloodline into the circle of power that essentially builds the world we live in. Not the actual GODS, but we want to be apart of the power that shapes what goes on in this community. If you have held a spot in power before, then essentially your bloodline will remain somewhat connected with the other bloodlines of power. With that, you can perhaps earn your future lineage a position of power or perhaps a better one than you've had in your past.

I wish our current and future leaders well. You have earned your spot, do not take this speech as something questioning your qualifications. 

Satan takes a sip of his drink again, and awaits for someone to reply again.

Pickles listens for a bit then decides to weigh in just for the heck of it.

I've noticed that Side A always has fine upstanding leaders, but Side B are tyrants!  It seems that simple to me.  Us = good, them = bad. 

By the way, I'm currently applying for the job of tyrant.  I think it suits me.

Insanity looks long and hard at Mr. Pickles before beginning to speak...

I've read your resume Mr. Pickles and well....I have to say.....YOU'RE HIRED! Now get out there and you be the best damn tyrant this corporation has ever seen!

Everyone has stepped on these shores with the same dream... We want to make it to the top. However the top is reserved for those who deserve it. Who deserves it though? The tyrant with the powerful gun who remains at top because he'll kill anyone who defies him? Is it the leader who has his position only because he knows people of power? Or is it the leader who actually bonds with his members and tries to truly create a family?

-Satan- I couldn't agree with you more on this statement.  It's true that people who know people get to the top a lot faster and that the guy who's working his tail off hours upon hours in this world gets jack shit.  But that's the world we live in.  I myself have been on both sides of the fence in this catagory.  I know people in power and because of that I ONCE had a CL position.  I've also worked my ass off and have been promised a CL position multiple times though it never came due to wars,  mistakes and sometimes just for spite.  So I know both sides and it truly is pure strategy.  I joined the family that I'm in because I have a good relationship with my CL so it's easy to be loyal.  Do I want to become a Crew Leader?  More than ever.  Will I get to be a Crew Leader?  My personal statistics show no but you really never know and that's the thing.  So in response to your title, it might not be what WE make it but we can still pull on it a little.  Know what I'm saying? 

Also I forgot to add that there really are great leaders in our mist that get over looked time and time again and it is sad, truly sad.  I'm one usually.  But put there shoes on, wouldn't you want someone you know can lead and trust and has experience to be a Crew Leader in your city?  I would want that as well to be honest, as much as I would like to have my shot like everyone else, I understand if I don't get chosen too.  It's just like a regular job in that aspect except your interview could go on up to months at a time.