The Guild Council: Why is a Spot SO Crucial?

'I am sorry but I am going to have to leave your guild for another guild because they offered me a position on the council. I couldn't resist! I love this guild but I NEED TO BE ON THE COUNCIL!!'

You click on their username and notice that they have joined this really small inactive, pointless guild. With only THREE MEMBERS! All whom are on the council!

Sound familiar? Then this article is for you. You are probably asking yourself, "WHY? Why do they HAVE to be on the council? Why is it so important?" or "Why did they choose THAT lousy guild over ours?" or "What does THAT guild have that we don't." The answer is, no council requirements.

In most average sized to big guilds, the leader doesn't choose just ANYONE to be on have that special position on their council. They have to be active, kind, loyal, have good ideas, be good at recruiting members, or maybe be good at HTML. Most people don't have time to be active, aren't creative enough to come up with good ideas, and cant seem to understand HTML. So, they join those small guilds with less than five members, so that they are GUARANTEED to be on the council. Put weaknesses aside.

The thing is, Neopians LOVE recognition, and seeing THEIR name on that little list that millions of Neopians can see can give them a rather false sense of recognition. But the thing is, it has been statistically proven that you get WAY more recognition for being on the sub council and the rank below it in a big guild (that gets tons of pageviews) than being on the council of a small guild, getting hardly any recognition, since very few people get to see those small guilds. Also, people like to have control. They like admin powers that come with being on the council, like layout control, so THEY can decide what the guild is about, and put their ideas to work. THEIR way. This gives them a feeling of POWER.

So, I have decided to go the neoboards and ask people whether they would rather be in the council of a small, inactive guild or be a normal member of a bigger, more active guild. I have also asked them their opinion about why Neopians are so fixated on being on the council.

xxkrazykrachxx approached me and said:

"I would rather be on a larger guild and not be on the council because then you can have more people to talk to and make friends with which will generally turn out ot be a happier guild!"

Then, chocolistic piped in:

"I think neopians are so fixated on being on the council because they want to be in charge and to rule. They like to take control."

Rosief agrees with chocolistic.

"It's a power thing isn't it? People like to have some control over the guild they're in. Take advantage of lower ranked members in some cases.

I'd rather be a normal member of a big guild because people who can't be important in the real world, like to be important in the online world? I think so. "

Playmobil_is_my_life, a frequent contributor to the Times, approaches me, wishes me best luck on my submission, and hands me a slip of yellow paper, it reads:

"Members want to be on council because it not only gives them authority, but also respect in the guild. They believe that council is the only way to succeed and be admired."

Most people crave fame, and fortune, that sometimes comes with it, so, they try to get attention in as many ways as possible. Some people do it by acting n00bish and posting attention seeking topics (which will only get NEGATIVE attention, which isn't a good thing). Some people do it by submitting informative articles in the Neopian Times, like myself, some get it by getting tons of avatars or on a high score table, and some THINK they can get it by being on the council of a guild. They MAY be right, if they earned their way on the council of a big, successful, Tons-of-pageviews-per-day guild. But most of the time they are wrong.

After a very active member in the sub council left my guild and made her own guild, tons of others in her guild were offered council positions, without any requirements, so about 10 people in my guild left for hers. Because I "didn't give them a spot on the council".

I run a respectable guild. Who in Neopia do they think they are asking to be on the council when they didn't even DO anything? no posts, no idea contributions, no NOTHING. Do THEY think THEY deserve a spot on my beloved and sacred council for just sitting there and doing NOTHING? I don't think so, but some people do. Many guilds keep at least one council spot open, no matter how big the guild, so that they can lure members to their guild, making them believe that they will get a spot on the council.

Imagine you were a leader of a big guild with 315 members. Suddenly, council member left because she was busy with a long school project and didn't have time to go on Neopets for a long time to fulfill her duties as a council member. So, in the first day the position is open, you get 25 requests in the same day.

Who will you choose....? About half of the applications say "Because I'll leave if I don't get put on the council."

Very threatening eh? Well that is a regular occurrence for me, the leader of a fairly large, active guild. When a council spot opens, I usually get about 25 applications in the first day the spot is open. Most are from members whom I've never heard about. How could I have? They haven't posted a single message, nor did they send out a single Neomail saying that they are in the guild. Then, I got another application from a very active, dedicated, loyal member, who has been in the guild for a while, whom I have carelessly overlooked. Who in your opinion shall I choose? The threatening one? Or the kind, loyal, active one who cares about making the guild a better place? Obviously I pick the second one.

Think about that next time you apply for a spot on a guild council, and remember, do NOT just leave the guild in frustration when you find out that your application wasn't accepted. Imagine how hard it is for the leader!! To choose one out of 25 applications. For me, this usually ends up with one very happy excited member, and 24 members who hate my guts, half of them leaving, because "Girlsarefun doesn't like me!!!"

If the leader, lets call her Bubbles, didn't choose you, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SHE DOESN'T LIKE YOU! It merely means that there is someone out there who she feels cares more about the guild. Remember, Bubbles is faced with an extremely hard, gruelling decision, which she knows will end her up with plenty of enemies. If she doesn't choose you, that only gives you the opportunity to be more active, and to be a better member. Remember, there is always a next time.

Being on the council isn't everything. It is actually hard work! You need to be on Neopets every day for several hours at a time. You need to impress the leader, come up with an endless supply of ideas, recruit members, make layouts with a deadline, and work hard to STAY in the council. It is, in my opinion, a rather nerve-wracking experience.

So, if you want recognition, try:

1) Going to the boards a lot and making friends and helping people

2) Making graphics for people (If you know HTML, and for FREE.)

3) Playing tons of games and work hard to get on a high score table.

5) Write an awesome article for The Neopian Times

6) Win a weekly contest, like a caption competition, a beauty contest, ect. (FAIRLY! NO CHEATING!)

7) Make a big, helpful Neopets help site.

Or

8) EARN your way on the council of a big, successful guild.

NONE of these are easy! Most well known people in Neopia EARNED their fame. They didn't get it through cheating, scamming, or bribing. They got it for working hard, and being kind to others in the process. THAT'S how you can earn recognition. The only place being n00bish on purpose will get you to is Ice-Land, a.k.a, frozen. Yes, maybe recognized, but recognized as a total moron.

Also, limiting yourself to only council positions makes you turn down opportunities to be in awesome guilds. Well rounded guilds have council requirements. They don't let just ANYBODY be on their council, and it is NOT impossible to meet those requirements, just lots of work, being active, kind, loyal, and show that you care about the guild. Then, I bet you'll get that coveted spot on the council. Because remember, as I already said, there is always a next time. Remember, most of those requirement-free guilds don't last.

So think about that next time you get that urge to leave for a seemingly irresistible council position. Would YOU rather be in a large, active guild and EARN your way on the council? Or get on the council right away of a small, bad quality, inactive, requirement-free guild. I would choose the first choice, and I hope, that after reading this article, you will too. :)