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| Whats in a name | Started by: Slevin_Kelevra on Dec 06, '07 01:14 |
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*Slevin wanders onto the streets, followed by a few friends. He loves a good discussion, and he has just the thing in mind to pass a few hours before his flight time. Gathering a few random people around them, he hops up and sits atop a waist-height wall, and begins.* "So, I have a question that I want to throw out there for a bit of a discussion... What's in a name? More specifically, does the name we are given as we enter this life mean anything? Should it? I like to lead by example, so I'll start off with my own opinion. People have some strange names, some really strange names. I don't mind it so much, but sometimes I have to wonder how appropriate they are in this thing of ours. I mean, say I meet this great guy, who I think will be good for the family. I take him to my boss, and all I have to do is introduce him... Herein lies the problem. 'Hey boss, this is a friend of mine, xxAsshat69xx' Now, I just made that name up, but to be honest I've heard worse... How does that make this person look to my boss? How does that make me look? First impressions are often important, and hard to shake free from. If someone looks at you, hears the name you choose for yourself, and thinks you're an idiot, it's going to take a lot from you to change their mind. Not only that, but some of the names I see on business cards across the country are such a mouthful, I don't even attempt to say them, things like that can really hinder a conversation, I find." *Slevin pauses, and runs his hand through his hair.* "Now, I'm a true believer that people can and should come in all shapes and sizes, but when it comes to the mafia we all have a certain image to uphold. Perhaps I'm a little old fashioned, but I like to see people with names and nicknames that at least make sense, without the need for long and unnecessary explanations. Now, what I'm going to do next is pick out some names of actual mobsters, throw them out there for debate. I want to make it clear, I'm not slating these people in any way, they're just names I think are particularly, uhm, non-traditional, and will go well with the discussion." *He grins, and continues.* "I'll take one from each family, to make things nice and fair... Let's see, we've got MA_0922, from my very own Mr McTavish, Budzis13 with RonMexico, packrd with TylerDurden, srv54327 from Moretay's crew, jay3r3 with the already slightly unpronounceable Cthulhu, and to round it off we've got DrLATBC from Jay-C's family. Now, as I said, I'm not slating these people, but these names are hardly something you'd expect from a traditional Mafioso. Do you think these names would hinder these people in any way? Perhaps we might hear from a few of these unconventionals, see what their take on the subject matter is..." |
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laughs slightly while listening to Slevin Can't argue that there's some odd people floating around the place, some extra odd now that I think of it. I don't like to judge a book by its cover but I suppose I unconsciously do, I was never a fan of the numerical names, to me it screams 'Look at me, I'm Johnny090, that's right, the 90th generation to these shores, my bloodline has a short life span' I'm not saying everyone with a numerical name is like that, just saying that's the impression which enters my mind. I think you have to realise that a persons name is personal to them to the extent that its meaning holds some significance which others might not know. A mugger or rogue could have the most proper name you could think of but it wouldn't change the fact that they are crossing the line, while Johnny090 might well turn out to be a godfather one day. |
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| Reply by: Orcus at Dec 06, '07 05:05 | |
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You make a very good point. I agree totally with the idea that first impressions count but I also agree that a man or woman's name can be personal and have some important significance. Personally, my name comes from my beloved car. This is a fairly vain way of thinking but in my eyes, it is a perfectly reasonable way of finding my identity. |
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| Reply by: beemaboi at Dec 06, '07 05:14 | |
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*47 stands up from his chair and begins to talk* I agree with you. I mean asking to have asshat join the family is going to look a bit bad. For one your gonna think he is going to have no help to the family what so ever. But than again you cant judge a book by its cover. But you do bring up a very good point. |
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| Reply by: Agent47 at Dec 06, '07 05:27 | |
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It's an interesting debate and one which I often think about. The fact is that it's true that first impressions are very important in this life and a name will be the first thing you see. The importance of name is always underated. Everyone has thier own perceptions of what certain names and word imply to them and how they relate to experiences in the past. There are three main "ingredients" in a name that help me understand a persons character and they are RELEVANCE, MEMORABILITY and ORIGINALITY. Names like xxAssHat57xx may well be original but no way memorable. Unfortunately around these streets they are a penny a dozen and are no way relevant to the life we lead. People often take the name of fictional chararters who they may admire or look up to. This works well with memorability and more often that not is extremely relevant to the life we lead. (If you are chatting to Peter_Clemenza, you already have a perception of this persons character and how they might react in certain situations). Unfortunately there is no originality here. |
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| Reply by: Louis at Dec 06, '07 05:59 | |
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| "I suppose to take the conversation along a level, many people's ultimate aim in life is to run a family of their own. With some of the, erm, unique names we see daily, do you think there is any chance of people taking them seriously enough for them to be able to head up a crime family? Do you think bosses are taken any more or less seriously because of their names?" | |
| Reply by: Slevin_Kelevra at Dec 06, '07 06:14 | |
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I think its really important. In my opinion somone with a name like _KillU20 will never run a crew no matter how well they integrate and get involved with the community. A name like that just cries out "I don't want to be taken seriously" |
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| Reply by: Louis at Dec 06, '07 06:28 | |
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Louis, you say that but I remember a time in the old mafia.org where I was in a crew (a big and relatively powerful crew) run by someone called 'SlutsRule3'. I think a name like that is definitely a hindrance, but I suppose I admire him more than most for being able to get a position of power while being weighed down by his stupid name! |
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| Reply by: Olivero at Dec 06, '07 07:19 | |
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Yup, my whole argument is flawed, I don't remember that name and am not aware of the circumstance of that auth but do know that "It's now what you know but who you know". I imagine that that guy was well connected within the community and therefore the name no longer has much relevance, as people already have thier perceptions of what this character was all about. :D |
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| Reply by: Louis at Dec 06, '07 07:28 | |
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I seemed to have posted a very *NOT* well know saying in my previous post! Correction: "It's not what you know but who you know". |
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| Reply by: Louis at Dec 06, '07 07:29 | |
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Correction: "It's not what you know but whom you know". The relative pronoun replaces an object, so it must be written in the accusative case: 'whom'. :P |
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| Reply by: Olivero at Dec 06, '07 08:23 | |
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"I suppose there are a few that get through the process of elimination, and reach the dizzier heights, but is that really anything to do with the name they are using, or is it more to do with the names of their ancestors perhaps? Even if you prove yourself to your family, work your way up the ranks, maybe even get auth from your leader to set up your own family, is your name going to hold you back in your role as a leader? In negotiations with other leaders perhaps? Will it hinder? Will a more traditional name help? Maybe it doesn't matter either way, or maybe everything we do in this world matters greatly, and selecting your alias is all part of the process." |
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| Reply by: Slevin_Kelevra at Dec 06, '07 12:36 | |
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A name is simply a label and honestly should not make a difference how people perceive you. But just as in the civilian world, we would assume person dressed in rags to come from a poverty stricken background or man dressed in a suit we'd perhaps assume was well organised and had a well to do job. No matter how hard we try, we make judgements on someone's appearance. Equally if someone's name does not conform to our idea of what makes a good mafioso then we assume that they will not be able to do well in this world. Personally, I would rather wait to actually speak to the person to find out more about them before my judgement of them was complete. |
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| Reply by: Cathy_Parks at Dec 06, '07 12:45 | |
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I dunno is SamTheAmericanEagle much of a mafia name????? |
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| Reply by: DennyCrane at Dec 06, '07 12:47 | |
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good point Denny, good point indeed. I would like to throw in a Hollowpoint and a Rumblefish if I may. |
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| Reply by: Cathy_Parks at Dec 06, '07 12:49 | |
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"I do agree there." *Slevin smiles to the newcomer in the conversation, and continues.* "I personally like to reserve making any harsh judgements about someone until I've had a conversation with them. Just as equally, Jesus himself could walk over to me, I still wouldn't be singing his praises until I'd had a chance to form my own opinions of him through our own interactions. There is no denying however, the way you choose to be known can indeed influence the way people see you, for better or worse. I'm just trying to find out just how important a name can be. To throw another angle onto the debate, what about famous names? Sons and daughters being named after their parents, and being treated accordingly? If they choose to be permanently associated with their ancestors, they will quite often be held in the same light, be that for good or bad. How do you think this effects the way people are seen by others?" |
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| Reply by: Slevin_Kelevra at Dec 06, '07 12:50 | |
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Actually Those two are very mobster like Hollowpoint - its the bullet that gonna mash up your brain when you get shot RumbleFish - aka a rumble in the bronx. |
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| Reply by: DennyCrane at Dec 06, '07 13:31 | |
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| Mr "Pedantic" Crane, I can't agree with you there, unless we're working on the assumption that Hollowpoint and Rumblefish were nicknames given to them whilst in the life. For example I could see it if the names were Frankie "Hollowpoint" Borgia or something along those lines - but to have something like Rumblefish on your birth certificate, I can't really see that. | |
| Reply by: Cathy_Parks at Dec 06, '07 13:36 | |
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In a fish market in the Bronx? I believe it would do well as a Japanese game show myself, but well.... I think the big thing is, the step between appearing powerful and effectively becoming so isn't all that great. Someone with ability can do well no matter what their name is so I feel a name is no barrier in that sense. But looking respectable does give an impression in the minds of the people around you. In a world where first impressions are important, it helps to get off to a good start. The biggest problem is that many who use names such as the aforementioned asshat perhaps lack these abilities. Thus the gate is rather firmly closed in their case. Not to generalise of course, but in many cases mail from such people reads as wkwardly as their own names, a fact that I tend to believe is no coincidence. |
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| Reply by: Sledge-Hammer at Dec 06, '07 13:37 | |
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Ms "Making An Ass out of U and Me" Parks. Some guys are ONLY known by their street name. The fact that you and the rest of us, never got to see their birth certificate does not prevent them from being known to all as just plain "Rumblefish". |
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| Reply by: DennyCrane at Dec 06, '07 13:38 | |
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