I agree with those who say that there is more order in the world than random chaos. These "orderly things" are actually very subtle things that set everything in balance. Such an "order" continues to expand until it encounters some other corresponding form that somehow limits, influences, and sometimes even defines it. Sometimes these "other" forms are external, sometimes internal. For example, a criminal gang can only be so large until it reaches a point where other gangs notice its expansion (external) as well as limitations due to the nature of gang members (internal).
Gankers to me simply seem like players who are only in this game for themselves - trying to do or get whatever pleases them at the time, with no regard for others. They don't want any checks and balances telling them what they can and can't do. And this chaos gives them carte blanche to do whatever they want. I bring this up for what I think is the main malfunction of C&P in this game. Let's take a closer look at this issue from this point of view.
From an outsider's point of view, he sees the game world in two parts - player characters (PC) and computer-controlled non-player characters (NPC). Now, an NPC superpower like Empire has almost god-like powers. However, since it is computer controlled, while they may have great power and authority over others, they suffer from limitations imposed by their computational nature and cannot, for example, effectively be "coded" to resolve disputes on a case-by-case basis, as we humans do. In RL, we also have similar checks, balancers, requirements and benchmarks. Although they are different in nature, they are equally harsh and demanding. Think about it, for example, from the point of view of an ordinary school teacher.
And then our friendly neighborhood ganker arrives with his Jolly Roger. Where most people see two separate and well-functioning systematic strongholds (PC and NPC), a ganker glances at the area between them and sees an opportunity. The option seems to be defending some legitimate cause and claiming PC jurisdiction over what they do (without any community checks, balancers or requirements), but also without NPC checks (computerized C&P from some superpower's governing body). Does that sound like a juicy deal or what? And thus our friendly neighborhood ganker is able to sell his activity to the unsuspecting as a legitimate activity that benefits the game.
The reason I stay away from the Open is because I ask myself something (and this applies to all games I enter, not just ED). Would there be prostitution without customers? Would there be theft without buyers? Even the guy who buys a stereo out of the back door of a van has theft in his heart. I believe that by doing this I am helping to make online gaming worlds better places to be.
