matthewwing:
I have, in fact, been a guild leader. Not in WoW, but in other MMO's. Was it a responsibility? Sure. But it was a responsibility I chose. Just like Whitney chose to be the leader of her guild. Game's not fun for her anymore? Maybe she should step down and let someone else run the guild for a while. Maybe she should ask her guild officers to take on some of the responsibilities. Or maybe she should just give herself an attitude adjustment. Whenever you get a group of people together, there's going to be conflict and problems, just like there's going to be laughs and the fun of a shared experience. Her article conveys that she takes the whole thing far too seriously...
WOW! A guildleader in MORE than one other MMO and you've never had a problem as leader that didn't detract from your personal gameplay. WOW! How perfect you are! Everything always runs smoothly and is always "light and fun". Just perfect! You've GOT to invite me to join your next guild.
While I will definately agree that it's important to keep things "light and fun", but you seem to claim that running a guild is mostly "wine and roses" and mostly a fun job (make no mistakes...I AM saying it IS a job)? I think it's apparent in her op/ed that there certainly is a good bit of responsibilities delegated on several levels and layers if you look at her quote you used below. Most other guildleaders I've met and myself included have been honest enough to express that, as Whitney said in her op/ed that, "Lately, my escape is not an escape.". Doesn't mean it's ALWAYS like that, just that sometimes the "job" of Guildleader does feel like a second job. I personally think that is the point of her article.
Whitney Butts:
"Lately, my escape is not an escape. It's a second job where I'm CEO. The currency is DKP and the employees are guild members. My subordinates are officers, class leaders and raid leaders. Logistics are raid strategies, personnel issues are drama bombs and company politics are guild politics.
I do it because I love to help; I love to see so many people happy when a new goal is achieved; I love that feeling of success, but it's really not that much fun. I sacrifice my escapism so others can enjoy theirs. I do my job as guild master, I make sure as many people as possible are happy and I keep things moving, but it's not fun - it's work."
Matthewwing:
Sounds like Martyrdom to me...the poor dear...she's sacrificing her escape so her guild can raid...if only there was guild housing in WoW...she could put a big cross on the wall of the guild house and nail her avatar to it whenever she was feeling unappriciated.
I've haven't walked in her footsteps, I chose a different path. I chose to remember that in the end, it's a game, it's an escape. Guild leaders set the tone for their guild. I kept the tone light and fun, instead of turning it into drudgery.
WOW! You are so perfect, I just can't argue with you. Always light and fun, never any drudgery. lol I am a little surprised that someone so "light and fun" goes so far out of their way to be so critical and condesending.
Like I said, I really personally believe you missed the point of the article. Could it be that YOU were trying so hard to make her a Martyr? As far as myself, I like the article. Makes some good points and there have been times that I have felt the same, but then again...I'm not perfect, just a regular "run of the mill" human bean. Does that make me a Martyr too? lol
I think Myan's post above makes some good points about Wow being "a wholy different beast" and a nice summation of what Whitney was trying to convey in her article as well as a nice definition of Martyr.