Brainiacs of Freedom! ver 2.0 (IC)

[alderwitch]

"I think, rather than the chance to see winners, it's more likely the chance to see something. Criminals, too, have their own misguided fans. I would say that the popularity more comes from drafting one's own wants and desires onto a fantasy. The powers we have, terrible or wonderful, allow others to live out their fantasies vicariously. Not everyone worships a hero, after all. There are many who would rather root for a charismatic villian." Alex interjected thoughtfully in the wake of the good doctor's speech.

[angrydurf]

"It also brings an interesting point to light about the seperation of individuals with powers and those without." Ace said, "It is not common for those with powers to recieve acclaim far beyond even thier exceptional abilities, the cult of personality can be a powerfull thing."

This was something Ace knew well as he certainly could be considered amongst those who had such a following. Of course some turned such reverence to sinister ends as well setting themselves up as petty dictators or even gods on earth. He had encountered his share of both.

[Dr Archeville]

Cretins! You talk in circles so much -- can you not see that there are those who are blatantly superior to the gross mass of humanity?

Calm down, calm down, and focus on the topic at hand: setting examples, being role models.

"'Vinners' vas perhaps a poor choice of vords," Archeville conceded to Psyche with a small grin, "but you all seem to grasp mein point, vhich is enough."

"Und, ja, cults of personality can be very powerful," he said, turning slightly to Ace, "a fact dat I, as a German, know far too well." Archeville chuckled a bit, then continued, "but de qvestion is, are dere vays dat dose can be used for de betterment of all? De individuals at de heads of such 'cults' do by definition haff strong personalities, vhich can make dem predictable, but such individuals are also inherently strong-villed, vhich can lead to unpredictability, especially if dey sense dey are being influenced by some outside force. Vhich is more effective, to convince de Freedom League or some other existing hero to endorse some plan of action, and dus encourage deir fans to follow suit? Or to engender some new face, von beholden to a group of... influencers from day von, insuring loyalty to de creators and deir particular vision? Or, to put it slightly differently, vhich is more effective, for a corporation to create a new mascot that vill work to vin de hearts und minds of consumers, or to convince a superhero to endorse deir product?"

[alderwitch]

"It depends," Alex opinioned in response to the doctor, "If you have access to a powerful and charasmatic super hero, that will likely take the least effort. However, you also are dealing with that individual's own motivations and if that person ever falls from public favor, so falls the product they're pushing. Designing a mascot takes more time but the experience would be better controlled, the outcome more certain. Hypothetically speaking, of course."

[Dr Archeville]

Did we not just say that?!

Actually, no, not really. We left that bit somewhat unsaid.

... bah! These people are supposed to be 'geniuses,' they should be able to pick up on something that blatant even if I leave it unsaid!

"Ja, ja," Archeville nodded, "if an existing Metahuman vere to be used, dere should be comprehensive psychologikal testing in addition to thorough background checks. If von is to be a light for others, dey should be as clear und bright as possible."

"On de other hand," he continued, "as de zeitgeist -- 'spirit of de times' -- changes, as various trends come und go, a balance must be struck. bBetveen vhat in de mascot vill change in response do de changing times -- perhaps even svitching to a different mascot entirely -- und vhat de mascot vill continue to embody despite de changes in de vorld, vhat from de old 'ages' vill be kept und carried by de mascot into de new 'age.'"

[angrydurf]

Ace nodded he was able to follow most of the conversation, as at this point they were in his element of the social manipulation realm. "Well," He said thoughtfully, "There is something to be said for a more varied approach, a single personification or even linked group can falter or even fall and all the work is undone. A collective of like minded individuals can serve both as a sort of checks and balance as well as prevent the all eggs in one basket scenario."

It would also of course allow a more varied footprint for the masses to look up to and identify with but that was likely obvious to intellects of this caliber so he left it unsaid.

[Dr Archeville]

Well, of course it i- oh.. ohhhh....

What? What are yo hatching now?

... we could make our own superhero team...

A small grin broke across Archeville's face as he nodded at Ace's contribution, "an excellent point, Herr Danger, dough von mit a correspondingly greater risk, since you vould haff to insure dat all members of de team not only vorked vell mit each other -- skewing perhaps more for complimentary members rather dan similar, homogeneous members -- but dat dey sincerely trusted each other. Having to many similarities could run de risk of de team becoming insular und going off on vild tangents from deir original goals und purposes."

The Doktor was pleasantly surprised at how revelatory this meeting had come to be.

[angrydurf]

The meeting of course continued on for quite some time. Get a group such as this discussing a common interest and it was bound to consume its fair share of a day. By the end of the meeting all had exchanged basic contact information and Ace arranged for more detailed plans to be sent his way along with an offer to aid any of the others in their plans related to the matters discussed. His resources and more importantly access certainly would ease the implementation of any plans the assembled minds chose to enact.