I once read an interview with Henry Ford. When the journalist asked whether the car was what people had always been looking for, he responded with 'If I had asked people what they wanted, they would've asked for a faster horse.' - Now I'm not suggesting what we try to do here is as innovative as Mr. Ford's work, but the radicality of it is similar.

If we had just changed a small thing, only remove DoctorBoom for example or only open up one city for the daring, the variables of our world would slightly change, but it wouldn't change the story we've known for so long. With the proposed plans, the story does change drastically and we don't know how it's going to end exactly. But we know that it breaks open the comfort-zone we collectively hid in, or were forced in. This story involves much more people and can take a lot of different routes. We will have to rethink how we approach certain situations. To me, that's exciting. To me, that's exactly what this place should be about. To be in a world, that despite risks and uncertainties, allows you to make something good out of life, to create a meaningful and exciting story.

Does that mean we should forget about all we know? No, let's cherish what was good, but please, let's leave behind what was wrong and don't look back. When will this change be complete? I have no clue and perhaps we shouldn't aim for an absolute truth in that sense. I find reinventing this community, together with all of you, exciting. It's much more rewarding than that break-even point where we all fell asleep.

I want to thank you insta for adding to the positive engagement of our current time by starting this debate. If you miss the good from the past, feel free to propose plans to reinstate what was good. I know for example there has been a lot of communication about these new businesses emerging, but somehow that never reached you. Propose a plan and if we all agree, let's make it work together. But that simple example of an announcement regarding a new business across the country is an example of what we are used to It's something we can evaluate for whether it's good. After all, such an announcement doesn't change much about the intent of those who open up shop. I'm sure my former Godfather would agree.

But let's embrace this attitude. This attitude where we can question what the hell we are doing. Let's come up with answers, plans and ideas we believe in. Let's surround ourselves with the things we are motivated for instead of the crap we got used too.

The old habits die hard is a test for the community as a whole that way, who will be willing to come out of their shell, who will change and give that chance to a valuable member elsewhere, who will sit pre-judging someone before they have a chance to put a foot wrong but thats part of the excitement i guess.

I hope these events bring communication, streets, business districts to life, i hope it inspires people to take a chance as mistakes or opportunities seem to be where we learn the most.

From a personal point of view, i hope we don't go back to same old thing.  If we do at that point what will make us any different from the past.  People constantly ask for something different, chances and when they come it seems some wonder whether it simply is a trick whilst others seize it.  

As for communication and new crews, i think it has to be a 2 way thing i won't lie internal communication within a city was easier at the start as these are people you know, and already built that bond of trust with.   I have had more open conversations with some leaders than others so far, and not talked to others at all.  The fact is it doesn't have to be a free city/traditional city divide even but is one of them things like Insta said takes time and like i said earlier, is always a responsibility as a leader or a hand which sometimes slows these things.

Matt listens intently as he sips his expresso.  Having kept his mouth shut for as long as he possibly could, he finally puts his empty expresso cup down and decides to take a lil' go round on the ol' Soap Box.  He pushes his glasses up on his nose, he hikes his pants up and he bulldozes his way through the crowd...

"Excuse me. Coming through.  OH HEY ANTON!!! How's your mother??  Just a little more.... Annnnnd good."

Matt steps up.

"Insta I want to take this time to thank you for the discussion that has started here.  This is truly inspiring and I think that this is very healthy for the community.  There have been several people opine here and sometimes I think it's gotten off topic and convoluted and sometimes hard to follow.  But - at the heart of it I'm just a simple guy.  The question to me is do we have the world that Mr Oakheart promised?  I would offer that - while still early - we do.

Is it disjointed?  Absolutely.  But - a word that I would prefer to use rather than disjointed is dynamic.  This world is very dynamic right now.  I see storied ancestries coming out of the woodwork that were previously hard to motivate, and I see them motivated.  I see the streets more alive than they have been in some time, and I see discussions such as this one happening.  To me - We are moving in the right direction.

I look out there and I see the cities full, I see young people working hard and I see a lot of laughter.  I see more opportunity than I have for a wider variety of mobsters, and I see people having far more choices in selecting their crew than they have in recent memory.

Now I can understand this to be unsettling to some.  I look across my city of LA and I may not know my crews that well.  It bothers me a little, but - it's been all of 12 days since our world was turned upside down and shook to its core.  I'm concentrating on my little corner of the city right now and making sure they are happy and their needs are met.  I think we need to let this world of ours evolve just a little more before passing fair judgment on it.  I get that the auth speeches are down, the notices are down, etcetra, etcetra.  But, I found the posted rules of the previously empty cities, I see the crew board and I know the fundamentals of what has to be done here.  To me - that's enough for now.

I don't know what the future holds.  I really don't - but I'm on the ride and I'm holding on tight.  I'm going to try and have a little faith in the good intentions of people here, and I'm going to do my best to contribute and ensure that this world continues to evolve in a positive manner.

The Soapbox collapses beneath Matt as he falls flat on his face.  He pulls himself back up and walks back off into the crowd.

RobOakheart; thank you for coming out and sharing your thoughts, again its really good to see high statures of this world gracing this place. It shows progression and forward thinking. 

I agree with you, sometimes to change something small, would be to just paper over the cracks and what would that really achieve, probably not a great deal. At times in life we need to radically change the whole process to progress forward. I think someone said it earlier, Rome certainly wasnt built in a day and that is something i, an older generation, needs to come to terms with an accept that change is good an refreshing. 

There is an old saying; "be the change you wish to see" and at this current place in time, there probably isnt a saying that cuts to the core as much as this. We need to be brave with our next choices and its something that im going to adopt and make decisions with going forward. 

i just want to take this time to really thank everyone who took time to come out here and participate. We did see a few crew leaders, it would have been nice to see more. I think we got a good feeling of how people are viewing the change and its good. 

Thanks again

Is there a change?

RodSterling of course there is change. You only have to look at the landscape top see that change has happened. The better questions would be; What has changed? Has it changed enough?  and are the changes better?  The most prominent change here is the whole ethos behind how this place runs and how the leaders lead. 

On the outside there maybe no physical changes as of yet and that may be the problem for a lot of people who cant see change, or who dont think things have changed. Things constantly change, the whole purpose of my speech was to see if people think its changed for the better and if people think its changed enough etc. 

insta, just a quick question if you wouldn't mind? You mentioned that things may not have appeared to have changed. Do you think that this will make it harder for people to believe there has been a change?

I have to say, as someone who is newer to this world, I too had started to get used to the same things the older lines are used to. If you are known, you are given positions of power. If you are unknown, you will most likely have to spend many generations working on your clout to get anywhere. I'll admit as the war raged on in the streets I just sat on the sidelines, waiting to see how it all played out. And then when it was over I continue'd to sit on the sidelines for the most part just waiting to see the usual speeches. "War is over, we killed them cause blah, go about your business" etc. And then RobOakheart posted up his speech about spinning the world in a new direction, I had to stop and think on this for a bit. This is most definitely not par for the course of how things normally have gone out here, usually a new regime takes over and conducts business more or less in exactly the same way the previous group did. New head, same story sort of thing, but here was a new regime that was saying they wanted to change things.

At first I had very much so considered not trying as hard in this thing we do, just living for awhile and not really planning to do anything at all. After all, it didn't seem to get my forefathers where they wanted to go, then Rob's speech gave me the incentive to give this business my all. So far I have to agree with most of the people here, the world has indeed changed, and it is still changing. We have not seen the full fruits of RobOakheart's and ChristianGato's labors as of yet, the world is still adjusting to what they want it to be. For the most part, I am very excited to see what it looks like once we all settle down into the new way things are run. I just hope that some of our older bloodlines will stop up and let go of some of the past policies in favor of more fun approaches to the problems we face in this world.

And lastly, thank you insta for having this discussion and allowing myself and many others to stop and talk about what is going on and how we feel about it.

I think the problem is the view, for the fact the new opportunities are in place, older family lines have attempted to take the opportunities; in some cases, meaning some will think whats changed?

Thank you insta for getting back to my question. I have listened to the conversation closely and I have often a time or two wondered if that could be a large factor in people's ability to see the change. I know personally that sometimes it does cause me to wonder but then I remember that ultimately change will be a slow process.

Just because we aren't seeing new blood taking the leap into the bold suits that we are hearing about popping up across the country. Some may equate this to not changing at all. The chances are there of course. It will be hard for a change of perception to be readily accepted. We have seen particular lines shunned for quite some time, and to wonder if the masses can change their way of thinking will be something yet to see.

I hope that those that look across our cities can get past what they are seeing, and also change their own perspective.  Mind sets are an interesting thing after all.

Going to keep saying it for a while yet I think - loving the streets becoming once again a place for proper open discussion and debate.

In my opinion this world in many ways is a fast one but in others very slow and I think the recent war and post war changes has warped perceptions on what things fell into the fast or slow things that happen.

To be fair change as a success by definition can only be measured in hind sight and after reflection having the full facts and knowledge about the situation - we are not in that position yet. We are in a transition period and it can feel unsettling, for some unsettling because maybe they have yet to grow into what their core values and beliefs are for others maybe because they have family from a world of old and feel loyal to the family values and perhaps for others with a smaller family tree confusion about what appears to be such a radical change....

I'm quietly interested in watching the unfolding events - who is adapting - who is resisting - who is undecided - who feels conflicted - those that are just plain confused...

Thanks Insta for taking the time to acknowledge for 2 cents. The fact is there is change. The biggest widespread change is a simple name change.

I got to thinking more and I still truly appreciate you taking the time to listen to my 2 cents.  It  trumps the asshole who wants to disregard change and toss insults in a passive manner.  I got some ideas that entail real change rolling around in my head but this would entail a challenge for the name changers.