There are a few ways in this world to be anonymous. Sure. The most basic way is to be “incog” and not let people know whom your mommy or daddy was. ooo and ahh. But there are a few other fun ways. Of course, I’m sitting pretty on the hit list by an anonymous party, but that party isn’t in this world incog, at least I’d suppose since they want to conceal their identity anyway… But further, there are the throwaway lives that are used for criticism in street speeches. My own bloodline has been used for that means, once. However, there are a few different ways that can go. One is simply to tell the truth about something, not on your family name. Another is to say something not so true, not on your family name, almost in a yellow journalism fashion. Yet another way is to simply post falsehoods or a variation of falsehoods to create paranoia.

Anonymity is pretty powerful in certain facets in this world. It can be useful, but at the same time, I find certain applications of it to be cowardly, especially when it’s being used to stir paranoia. Some people become addicted to this. It becomes their angle: stirring paranoia a la the Kuku sense. Repeatedly a line is used to stir the pot through trashy means. 

Though Kuku isn’t always Kuku, the name in itself has the stereotype of being used that way. That addiction though has one major problem: This world has a place for warmongering, under-the-table-dealings, and otherwise, but in the end, there is a certain track. Our sons and daughters build and work for a family, generally for a goal, a familial goal, generally. Then of course there are the “plants,” the rogues, incog or otherwise, but even they follow a certain path that’s still within that track I’m describing; if anything they’re simply hit men, without loyalty. If loyalty is what drive this world? Then what does that make them. WORLD STOPPERS!?!? No. In most cases, just dicks with a grudge.

The people that use anonymity repeatedly, and never get on track, live short lives, and don’t really get absorbed into say the “mafia,” are just misguided souls, who inevitably get nowhere in this life, and in some cases toss away what could be a valuable family name (if they were using their real names) given the effort that some of them put in. Are they a waste of space?

There’s room always for the Kukus and the cowardly anonymous paranoia drivers of the world, but there’s still a deserved dirty mark to them.

Never trust an addict. Never trust something without a face because behind the shadows of the figure, true sight becomes too tricky to decipher and the darkness overwhelms. 

I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish here, it got a little too metaphysical for my simple minded ways. What it seems, though, is that they are getting right under your skin. Enough for you to come out and make a whole speech that is most likely following on deaf ears.

This is far more a philosophical commentary rather than a reactionary piece, despite the fun timing. Deaf eared speeches are what I do best. 

Vladimir walks up and decides to respond to MrSpikeS

I can't speak for all forms of the unknown, but after hearing what you had to say, I can tell you my experience of anonymity. I will admit that it doesn't follow everything you said exactly, but still, I'll explain how anonymity can be an advantage.

I, for example, am not well known. While I would not say I'm incog, I often find myself attempting to hide my father's existence from view when I decide to start again. Thus the majority can not follow my bloodline from one generation to the next. People may be able to place 1 or 2 members of my bloodline, but generally no one has any idea who my major ancestors were and have trouble linking me back to major events. Now, as someone pointed out earlier today, being unknown and anonymity are not the same thing. I want to stress that although I am unknown to the majority, I am known to those who I am close to. And it has remained that way throughout my bloodline. Thus, I would have to say that I'm not unknown, but rather anonymous. And I see that as a huge strength.

This is my first auth. I'm pretty sure that is not due to my anonymity but rather my ancestors disinterest in becoming a CL at the time.  My bloodline never used to want the position I hold today. Yet, my bloodline still made friends. And it also made enemies. Yet my enemies can't place whether I am friend or foe, and my friends recognize me straight away. So I see my anonymity as a complete advantage. It didn't prevent me from advancing with hard work and good relationships, and mistakes of your family's past never come bite you in the ass. 

That being said, I have to say my bloodline has few notice-able mistakes and I can't say my ancestry has had too much of a defining role in this world. I've never rogue'd or dishonored a family, yet my family lineage does have enemies nonetheless and with my name in the shadows, those enemies do not haunt me today. 
I also want to say this, despite my bloodline having "enemies," I personally do not. See the problem? If I was known, people who hated my father would hate me. Instead, I have a clean slate.
Now does that make me a coward? Maybe. But a smart coward.

Excellent points Vladimir. Your application of anonymity is a very common one, and usually respectable enough. You haven't done... dishonourable deeds though. I'm focusing on that end, in terms of cowards. Avoiding enemies can be smart, but there's also quite some fun in having enemies. It makes the world an wild adventure rather than a terminal journey. A clean slate has its place, but it removes ego, and I could never personally do that to myself, and nor could many others I know. However, there are ego driven people that use it as a tool, as sorta a "haha that was my daddy" after the dishonourable act. 

Ah yes, I realize that you weren't talking about people like me specifically, yet I figured I'd put my experience down to show that not all of us who wish to stay out of sight are doing so with malicious intent.

Thank you for your input. That sort of anecdotal/self example is the best way to portray the positive end of incogging. 

While I agree being anon has it perks and I agree with Vladimir, although I have never felt the need to hide my bloodline despite my past.  While I have incog in the past, I have never set a hitlist simply for someone else to do my dirty work.  That is by far the biggest act of being a coward I have ever seen. Simply put you don't like someone get an auth to duel or even if just reasons talk with your GF, I see being anon/incog as other benefits but simply to hitlist because that person can't get the job done is laughable.  But with that I take my leave and you fine men have a great day.

Putting on his coat and fedora he steps outside and hails the first taxi, quickly entering and closing the door behind him as it pulls away.

MrSpikeS,

The Gods grant anyone here with certain powers and certain mechanism.  These are available to everyone - the Hit-list, credit exchanges and, like you said, the ability to shun the bloodline name and appear unrecogisable.  Most people have, at one time or another, tried one or another.

And again, like you said, some lineages have used these mechanism far more often than others, some to greater effect than others have managed.

The Gods also grant each individual in this thing of ours with the power of reason and personal agency.  And this is key.  You speak of addiction and of paranoia.  Paranoia is rampant in this thing - even the most seasoned of person is capable of incredible ill-judgement, informed by paranoia.  Conspiracy theories are given a currency in this thing that they simply shouldn't.  Certain bloodlines become like the bogeyman, assumed to be always lurking, always conspiring, always plotting.  Even when there is simply no evidence available to support the paranoid conspiracy theory.

Case in point:  Many years ago, someone of the Kuku bloodline called themselves Gaspipe.  A considerable period of time later, another man called himself Gaspipe on IRC avenue.  He was relatively new to this world and had no idea that that fairly common nickname had connotations from the past.  This particular Gaspipe was a highflyer, he'd got to Capo quickly, in a crew led by Jono.  Jono saw a man named Gaspipe on IRC avenue, assumed he was of the Kuku bloodline and shot him dead instantly.  No sitdown, no interrogation - a bullet through the head and a payoff to the son of the man wrongly killed.  Suffice to say the Kuku lineage didn't have a clue about what had happened until afterwards.  Who was at fault here?  Heck, it's hard to say.  Jono was decisive and acted totally within his rights and arguably with due diligence and responsibility.

So if certain individuals have an addiction to anonymity, then many more are addicted to paranoia, conspiracy theory and accusations.  This thing of ours doesn't have to prove anything to beyond a reasonable doubt.  Let's face it, there's gun-rule.  But that doesn't mean that there's a familiar face/bloodline up to no good.  In fact, it's quite common for a triple bluff - someone using the quick recourse to conspiracy theory to set in place a plan for violence by proxy.

In summary, whilst it's easy to talk about anonymity addicts never changing and therefore being untrustworthy, wouldn't it be more prudent to demand restraint, investigation, sitdowns and reason instead of conspiracy theory driven paranoia and conclusion jumping?

Anonymity usually is not being used to hide someone's past,  but to hide him in the present in a way he will avoid the consequences of his actions to the future.

But as far as I see it there can't be anonymity. And there shouldn't. When I am interested in recruiting a new blood, I use the same old school method. To let a person enter the mafia world, you need to know where his family lives. So, you have to know all about his family, and his past. In case he makes a mistake, and then disappear you have the chance to get your revenge by killing his entire family. And this may sound bad, but its the most fair thing in our society. It helps Mafia grow strong, and it sure helps me to trust someone easier.

I must confess I have taken a great liking to the unrestrained criticism that ''throwaway'' people have to offer on these streets. Some are absolute shit, some are very valid, and I enjoy listening to all of them. There is definitely a place for such people in the streets in my eyes. 

"I find anonymity falls into the same vein as dishonesty. If we are dishonest, it is because we are afraid of the repercussions that the truth will bring. We're only dishonest when afraid or anarchistic, I feel that anonymity can be perceived the same way."

If you wanna find someone, you always easily can. The point is: Don't do things that would might you think you will be noname...

damn beer. I wanted to say: Don't do things that might make you want to be noname...