The Ruler of the World Writing Contest [WRC][Winners announced]

reply to post by michaelbrux


It's a tough topic to be sure. but using what the greats have already said only makes it easier. Be creative, and original. It's hard enough getting flags, but that makes the challenge all the better.

This was WAY more fun than I thought it was going to be. I can't believe how much I enjoyed this!

I'm at 1100 words but I don't think I'll write too much more.. or it may blow way past what would normally be considered "short"!

Gonna watch the hockey game first, then come back to it for final edits before posting.

Yes, I Am Canadian

reply to post by michaelbrux


Plagiarism, in my understanding, is using the words, either exactly or by paraphrasing (changing the wording, but saying the same thing).

What is not plagiarism is using another's idea and extrapolating on that. What would be perfectly acceptable here would be, for instance, using Hitler's Third Reich pipedream and writing a fictional story on that.

I remember being wowed by science fiction writer Harry Harrison and his West of Eden series, where the dinosaurs never died out and evolved into a civilization.

One could easily take that idea right into this contest...

i.e.

Out of the vast uncharted system of caves in the Appalachians they came, the scaled ones who could not be defeated...

etc

That's not plagiarism, but it WAS Harrison's idea.

Hope that helps

reply to post by masqua


Plagiarism is a crime. It's cheating. Why would members try to create a story merely from all the quotes from all the famous Rulers throughout history. However, isn't there a statue of limitations?

Thought it was ten years after original publication?

Not that it's an issue for me. Just wondering.

Hmm. There's also something about attributing the quote to the original author.

This excerpt:

I was a soldier for more than four years in a war where more blood was shed than ever before throughout human history. I never lost my nerve, no matter what the situation was and no matter what sights I had to face. The same holds good for my party colleagues. But we did not consider it as part of the program of the National Socialist Revolution to destroy human life or material goods, but rather to build up a new and better life.

From here:
Adolf Hitler - Speech before the Reichstag January 30, 1937

Is well beyond any statutes, as long as you work it in like so:

*story text*

"During my journey to power, there were many obstacles in place before me. I had to overcome them. I had to be ruthless. As Adolf himself once said, "I was a soldier for more than four years in a war where more blood was shed than ever before throughout human history. I never lost my nerve, no matter what the situation was and no matter what sights I had to face. The same holds good for my party colleagues. But we did not consider it as part of the program of the National Socialist Revolution to destroy human life or material goods, but rather to build up a new and better life." I made that my guide, that philosophy, without incorporating the hatred of any race, religion, or belief, and that is why I rose to power, because, simply, I read about the past, knew it was undeserving of the future, and chose to follow forth with a different plan."

*end story text*

There is zero plagiarism there. It's also the start of an interesting story, but honestly, it's a guide to utilize quotes from famous (or infamous) rulers, and a way to incorporate them into a story-line.

masqua, does that seem legit?

Originally posted by masqua
reply to post by michaelbrux

 

Plagiarism, in my understanding, is using the words, either exactly or by paraphrasing (changing the wording, but saying the same thing).

Even if you make it clear that those words aren't yours? I think of plagiarism as an attempt to be dishonest in using someone else's work, trying to pass it off as your own. In my story I used this following sentence:

but as a wise man once said 'By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfill their promise, they never will.'

Do you consider that acceptable? I didn't exactly say that it was something Charlie Chaplin said, but I made it clear that the words didn't belong to me, as I am the character in the story that is speaking.

Dang you guys, now you have made masqua go and research these things.

Plagiarism occurs if you use another's words without acknowledging them as the author. I pretty sure if you quote the original author as the originator, and directly reference them, you can quote them in your story. (see above).

However, masqua decides the correct procedure. He's the mod, and what he says, goes.

Ive come up with another one. I think I stepped it up a little with this one but I will let you all decide.

The Revolution Is Over. Prepare for A Speech From The New World Leader.[WRC]

reply to post by Druid42


That looks about right, yes.

I might have included a hyperlink within the body of text, though, just so that the reader can research more from the external material. It's an advantage we have online.

A third entry. Not quite as dark as the last one...

Or is it?

Commercial Break [WRC]

reply to post by masqua


consider this however...rulers of the world often claim the status of being immortal...so the words used from what mortals consider someone else's work may be something the new ruler of the world could claim they wrote in a past incarnation, when they also conquered the world and became ruler.

no trying to be difficult...just thought I'd add this.

Originally posted by michaelbrux

...rulers of the world often claim the status of being immortal

Quite true. From the earliest times in recorded history, such a thing has been claimed by, or heaped upon, great conquerers. Not that it was ever proven to be true, however.

so the words used from what mortals consider someone else's work may be something the new ruler of the world could claim they wrote in a past incarnation, when they also conquered the world and became ruler.

Sorry, but I don't agree. Most mortals who have gone on to be deemed god-like and immortal died or were replaced by the next mortal to ascend to the throne. The Egyptian pharaohs replaced Early Egyptian kings and then it became rule by lineage, much like the English royalty of today. The only re-incarnation exception I can think of is the Buddha. Not even the mysterious Merovingian line claims re-incarnation.

Also, Gilgamesh tried very hard to be immortal and failed miserably

One can use the words of a previous incarnation as long as they are properly attributed within a short story using this method:

So why did I decide to eradicate the evil forces which controlled the world? Why was it neccesary to wrest free the iron grip of the money grubbing slavers such as those corporations who decided for us how we should live? Yes, I did send my forces to remove those individuals from society who dared to resist the changing course of our history. To those who would question my legitimate rule, beware, for as Julius Ceasar once said;" If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it."

I am the Supreme Ruler of all this earth and no-one shall stand against me as long as I shall live.

While these things may not be popularized in modern Media...I have reason to believe that an individual considering actions toward achieving the status 'Ruler of the World' will go to great lengths to link his own existence to the most ancient of known Rulers.

For example: its well know that Saddam Hussein invoked a comparison between himself and Gilgamesh, as described here:



Best, Dick

PerHaps some are asking why are my posts taking this turn...its because the entries to the contest should embrace the mindset of being a ruler, which I interpret as:

If you think you can challenge ME...you will need the endorsement of none less than GOD himself...

if you don't believe in GOD...perhaps you should find a different line of work...you'll live longer.

Megalomania was mentioned earlier in this thread...it would be cool to read in the entries if people actually understand the word.

reply to post by michaelbrux


That ain't gonna fly here because it's a copy/paste from another website. It will need removal by another moderator unless you're willing to remove it yourself.


The way it's going to appear is:

Dear Cessair

Our discussions have made me more conscious of Mesopotamia otherwise known as Iraq and I note from the papers (July 1988) that the governemnt of Iraq has mounted a ferocious counteroffensive against the Iranian hordes who have been invading the lowlands from the mountains of the East, threatening the Shatt-al-Arab waterway that connects the ancient Iraqui city of Basra to the Persian Gulf. It seems that the war is being fought with a gleeful brutality that shocks even the most bloodthirsty correspondents. Chemicals and piosonings and the bombing of civilian centers are the order of the day. The Iranians had almost taken Basra, then had been driven back. It appears that the war is a continuation of a battle that began five thousand years ago between the Sumerians and the Elamites. It is said that much of the fighting is conducted by young village boys attracted to an Islamic afterlife that the almost certain and speedy death is likely to bring.

There was a map of the area in the paper and I noticed that it seemed to be in the vicinity of the outlet of the valley of the Tigris and the Euphrates, where the two rivers join to flow into the Persian Gulf. Geographically, it was if the people of Stockton and Sacramento had been attacked by the residents of Reno. I marked up the map to show where the old and new geographic feaures are. I seem to recall tht Abraham grew up in Ur of the Chaldees which puts him right in the area of the war.

I did a little research on Mr. Saddam Hussein, Iraq's leader. His son recently killed his father's food taster while partying on a tourist island in the Tigris. It was not the first time of such trouble; Uday, aka "The Prince", had been accused of another discotheque murder in 1986. Hussein was reportedly in the midst of a national campaign to recreate himself as a Mesopotamian king; centerpiece of the effort was a campaign to rebuild ancient Babylon with a thousand imported workers and large sums of national treasure. Great artistic festivals are to be held there. The city of Faw, which Iraq captured earlier this year at an expense of 160,000 dead Iraquis, is having its name changed to "The City of Sacrifice and the Gate of the Great Victory."

Best, Dick

www.stanford.edu...

End of story.

ATS does not abide obvious plagiarism and, even if it was yourself who wrote that on the stanford website, it is still crossposting which is also not allowed per the T&C's.

reply to post by masqua


pretty strict rules...nevertheless, it'll be amusing to see which entry wins. I read one that was posted yesterday... uninspiring is what I'd call it.

i want to read an entry that'll make me feel like submitting to the authority of the author.

we'll see what happens...great thread, OP.

reply to post by michaelbrux


No stricter than anywhere else on ATS.

I'm not the owner, so I didn't make those rules, but I can tell you that the original reason for me joining this site as a member were exactly because of those same rules. I liked the fact that one couldn't copy/paste someone else's thoughts and pretend they were their own. It took me a bit longer to realize that the material I'd posted elsewhere on the net was also frowned upon. I'm still learning things.

Synchronicity. Sometimes you just can't help but acknowledge it's existence and the idea that some sort of prescient entity guides us all.

So there I am, reading through this very thread and one of my favourite folk-rock musicians starts to sing on my play-list. If ever a thread had a theme song, this would be it ..... (“King of the World” by Dan Bern)


By the way, interesting theme. I would have to believe that everyone, at one time or another, has had at least a moment where the possibility of “running the entire show”, so to speak, has crossed one's mind.

Ok here's mine. I'll just leave it at that.... for now anyway. I think I am going to keep going on my own with it because this was just too much fun.

Let me know what you think: www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by benevolent tyrant


Wow... syncronicity is right.



That song completely describes what this contest is all about. I liked the song, the singer and the guitar.

Here is my contribution, thanks for the opportunity to share this story.


"The Lottery Was Today"
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Peace, NRE.

Third entry, I am Satan, your Supreme Leader.

I'll admit, I was going for shock value, a fire-hose dredge, 12 hours of floating to collect flags. I actually incorporated memes that people should abhor, but it didn't take the pure evil aspect I was originally thinking of, and instead I wound up with myself facing a hypothetical value. It was fun to write, but it contained more of a smug sort of meglomania than what I was actually shooting for.

What I really want to do is find a balance. I want horror and bloodshed, with deserving justice. A ruler should earn their position, aye? I haven't got there yet.

I find myself challenging myself to do better. I've read the other entries, and everyone has improved their writing as well, tentatively exploring other aspects of the topic, but curiously enough, there have been no female entries, (why?) and most are about improving the conditions of life on the earth. Does that show that the authors inherently are good, benevolent rulers, or do we need to spend more time exploring what the qualifications of a real ruler would be?

Food for thought.