He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.

- Lao Tzu

by Terra_Cide, HSM Editor in Chief

I remember sitting in an auditorium with about a thousand or so other people ten years ago in the greater Toronto area. A sales and marketing guru du jour of that time was on stage, energizing the audience and generally using all the buzzwords and catchphrases of the day – much of which was completely useless.

But there was one line that held a nugget of truth for me: there are two groups of people that grow an organization – leaders and new people.

Think about that for a moment, and about what each of those two groups brings to the table. The former provides the experience and vision; the latter, boundless enthusiasm and the drive.

One of the common failings of all fan projects, regardless of fandom, is that either it’s no more than a collective cult of personality surrounding the individual(s) spearheading the project, and when they go, it goes. As HomeStation grew over the past two years, it became clear to the editors that it was becoming something more than just the idea of a single individual. If it were to continue to grow and thrive, it was going to have to be able to run under different people throughout its life. Sure, people participating can come and go – and these fluctuations occur most prominently during those times when new people take the helm – but that’s more natural than anyone realizes.

It doesn’t take that much to be a writer for HomeStation. All you have to have is an enthusiasm for gaming and Home, a decent work ethic (because here’s the raw truth, folks: even volunteer projects require work), and the humbleness not to expect more than congratulations of your readers and fellow writers. If you feel the need to be virtually significant, to be “somebody” in Home, then I’m sorry; this isn’t the place for you.

The paradox of this, of course, is that the less you expect, the more you will get. However, such achievements take time to acquire – you cannot just come in, believing you know all there is to know. Forget what you know. You have to look ridiculous in order to master something new. When you were toddlers, how did you learn how to walk? People who aren’t willing to humble themselves do not get this fundamental truth, and not only will they find themselves frustrated participating in an organization like HSM, but in organizations in the real world – say, their jobs – as well.

The goals of HSM are just as simple – to help the people who contribute hone their skills in whatever medium they choose to express themselves, and to provide a platform where these skills can be shown. If we had a list of, “wouldn’t it be nice if…?” goals for not only the magazine, but the people who participated in it as well, one would be that it could serve as a platform where a writer could use their time here as a means to build their skills for use in the real world and turn it into a resume credit.

With Norse making the leap into the development side of things, and our newest writer, cjmp, is majoring in broadcast communications who came to the magazine with the express intention of using his time here to build his portfolio, I can honestly say that this goal is on its way to being achieved. It’s these sorts of derivative achievements that are far more valuable than any public accolade, because they are the results of everyone’s cumulative efforts. And you will not get those kind of results in a me-centric project. You just won’t.

When HomeStation started the tradition of these April Fool’s articles in 2011, it was mostly used as a means to criticize Home via parody and satire. But there was also something else – a byproduct, if you will – that came from these articles. What these articles provided were a catharsis for their writers, so that they could express their emotions safely. This year holds to that same tradition. They are as much an exercise in team building as they are fun to write. It has always been an honor to serve them, and damn it, they’re just good people to be around.

We hope you found the articles as amusing as they were to us. And now, we return you to a less silly – but only just a bit – HomeStation.

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2 Responses to “The Meaning Behind the Joke”

1. Burbie52 says:

   April 2, 2013 at 10:55 am

   I loved the articles, they were all had such a different take on the subject. Each of them showcased the writers abilities and styles. Nice article Terra, I agree with your synopsis of our situation at the magazine. If anyone wants to come write for us I encourage you to do so, but check your ego at the door and be willing to learn and grow.

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2. Femaelstrom says:

   April 2, 2013 at 6:25 pm

   Great article Terra_Cide. I loved writing an article where I’m that arrogant…it was fun. I had to use my “Zapp Brannigan” inner voice to do that. It is an honor to write for the magazine. I love working with the crew there. Last night I met a guy at the Cutthroats that recognized me, and wanted to write. I encouraged him to do so because this is a great place to be to do it. I love that it was never the Norse show or now the Terra_Cide show. This is a great place to be and I have no cathartic needs here. I just loved stepping out onto the branch of parody. Good fun.

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