Ego is a word that has a negative connotation in society but don't confuse the perceived definition of ego with the actual one. Ego is associated with self-esteem, drive and determination; it only becomes negative when it is selfish. Leaders are by nature proud people and it is doubtful that a person claiming to have no ego would likely climb to the top of any profession or organization. The constant challenge is avoiding the threat of the dreaded ego trip, a destination that is fuelled by the constant need for feeding to the point that sense of true direction is lost.
Pride and ego can blind people and often makes them guilty of unwise choices and rash decisions that they may later come to regret. Pride can cloud judgment and cause emotional stupidity; the only thing worse than wounded pride is taking action based on the state of mind that it creates. Many leaders have severely limited their ability to lead because of pride and ego. An out of control ego can become so over inflated that it can come crashing down like a house of cards if left untended.
The Goldenboy Gene Banton Jr. rolls his eyes upwards while drawing a breath. Cradling the telephone receiver against his cheek he listens with apathy to the voice on the other end of the line droning on, his mind preferring to be elsewhere. Finally, with a heavy sigh he pushes himself away from the cluttered mahogany desk and steps out from behind it, electing to take a seat on the black leather sectional to the right. Plopping down the sofa cushions hiss under his weight as air is pushed out and, kicking up his feet on the coffee table in front he leans back and stretches out while continuing to listen to the reporter on the other end rambling on about his scheduled match this coming weekend against Steve Ramone.
“Look,” He says, having grown weary of the incessant droning of the SCW magazine sports writer. “I understand that Steve Ramone is supposedly fearless and that he has a wealth of experience over me, but if you look at my performances lately you’d also understand that this guy has never encountered anyone like me”. No less than three times he has counted the same question being posed to him; albeit with different phrasing and enough is enough he reasons seizing control of the conversation. “I don’t care if he’s a daredevil taking all sorts of risks because the biggest risk that he’s taking is to his sense of pride by stepping into the ring with someone of my caliber. He says he’ll do anything? I have news for you, he’s gonna need to do everything if he hopes to have a shot with me”.
Kicking his shoes off Jr leans back into the plush sofa allowing himself to be enveloped by its comfort as his verbal sparring partner hurls additional jabs in his direction. Having never cared much for the press, a trait picked up from his father, he nonetheless realizes their usefulness as a promotional tool and grudgingly indulges them from time to time, no matter how inane their lines of questioning may become.
“What the hell does my age have to do with this?” he demands, his voice rising in annoyance. “I’m 19, big deal! He’s a geriatric old man in comparison to me. His experience doesn’t mean squat, ok? Listen, I am a one man think tank! There is nobody in this business who can match my level of preparedness, nobody who can match my ability to think on my feet and nobody who can match my natural athleticism. If Steve Ramone were twice as good as he thinks he is he still wouldn’t be half as good as me”.
With another sigh he pulls his heft from the grateful sofa cushions and lumbers across the white shag carpeting of the home office to retrieve a bottle of Dasani water from the portable refrigerator tucked down on the floor to the left of the desk. Twisting the cap off, he takes a swallow and replaces the cap on the bottle before returning to his seat at the corner of the sofa.
“Jesus Christ man!” he cries. “That’s the fifth time you’ve tried to ask me in one vernacular or another about the experience difference between us. How many times do I have to tell you? Look dude, the dinosaurs went extinct for a reason; because younger, faster, better versions came along. He’s like a decrepit old T-Rex trying desperately to cling to his last bastion of glory but then someone like me is gonna come along at the Club Theatro in Marrakech and beat him over the head with it and there’s not a damned thing he can do about it. This is my time to shine and much like Steve Ramone’s, your time is up”.
Without waiting for another word Gene abruptly hangs up the phone and rises again from his seat. Looking across the room his eyes settle on a desktop computer nestled against the wall and he strides to the machine and sets himself down in the reclining, high-back executive’s chair.
“I don’t have to wait until Sunday to starting pwning noobs,” he says while double clicking the World of Warcraft launch icon.
He types in his username and password and waits for the character selection screen to appear. He then scrolls though a short list of available characters and settles on a blond, male blood elf Paladin appropriately named ‘Goldenboy’ and double clicks the image to launch the game. He leans back into the chair as his character appears where he last left it, standing in the middle of the makeshift basecamp of the Timeless Isle. The camp is presided over by a quartet of Pandaren quest givers seeking to enlist the aid of plays to do battle with an automated enemy. The Isle serves as a central hub for players seeking to advance their characters through the various quests and dungeons offered in addition to boosting their in game currency, gold.
Although his Paladin has also out leveled the zone in which he currently finds himself, Gene still prefers to stay here, away from the obnoxious ranting and trolling in trade chat in favor of the peace and relative quiet. Besides, he eschews the never ending dungeon crawling loot chase, preferring to spend his time in battlegrounds engaging in player vs player combat. Selecting the battleground queue feature he scrolls down a list of available engagements and selects random, having no favorites. He guides his character through the sparsely populated aisles with vendors of numerous races hawking their wares while waiting for the queue to pop, which it does in quick order. Glancing at the screen he wonders which battleground he is about to be thrust into, but the ambiguous mural of the loading screen refuses to divulge the information.
The screen finally loads and he notes a red horde banner against the wall behind him and tucked into a nook, a flag bearing similar markings. The room is moderately sized, built of concrete with a small, closed off room in the left rear corner and above it, a second level with an enclosed hallway leading to a platform from which to jump onto the first floor. Above that sits a wooden awning tucked back to the rear wall and an open view of tree tops which frame the open faced roof. He is in the Warsong Gulch flag room.
Warsong Gulch is a 10 vs. 10 player battleground nestled in the southern region of the Ashenvale forest where the Horde cut huge swaths of woodlands raising the ire of the Night Elf population who strove to preserve it. The objective of Warsong Gulch is to take the flag from the enemy flag room and carry it to your own faction’s base, thereby earning a capture. The game is won by the first team to score three flag captures.
The terrain features a small number of hills tucked away on either side of the map with a smattering of upended trees lying on their sides. These too, are mostly settled off to the sides leaving a spacious center designed to force opposing teams into direct combat. The participants on both side wait anxiously for the gates sealing them within their respective flag rooms to rise and allow them to join the battle in earnest. A timer is displayed in the center of the screen informing them how much longer they have to wait for the gates to rise and upon reaching ten seconds it begins to count down with a loud hiss accompanying each second until the timer reaches zero. The gates rise and all ten players rush out of the flag rooms and onto the field where they summon their mounts, the battle for Warsong Gulch has begun!
“Alright, I’m the battleground leader,” Gene says, speaking for his character through the keyboard. “So if everybody follows directions and does what I say we’re gonna win this easy”.
Now fully mounted the group charges into the fray, Goldenboy, the Paladin leads the pack by virtue of crusader aura, a class specific spell allowing players to travel an additional 20% faster while mounted. Peering to his left as he jumps down the small hill leading into the barren center he notices the Alliance team doing likewise, only they are traveling the opposite side of the map, a tactic developed long ago to delay the initial engagement until each team has something to fight for; namely a flag in their possession.
A human Rogue catches an unsuspecting Orc Shaman midfield and begins stabbing away, dismounting the Orc and forcing him to fight back. Despite his efforts however; the Rogue is extremely well geared and quickly slices away at his health pool. He calls to Goldenboy for help as the Paladin passes by but is ignored as the Blood Elf continues to ride towards the enemy base, his sights clearly set on the flag within.
“Fucking asshole!” the now dead Orc curses in chat. “Just rides by me while I get stunlocked to death, real team spirit jerk!”
“Don’t be a scrub next time”, Goldenboy advises. “I gotta get the flag and win this for the rest of you”.
Approaching the foot of the Alliance base he guides his plated horse into the tunnel leading to the flag room and is automatically dismounted as no mounted riding is permitted indoors in the game rules. Goldenboy proceeds through the rocky cavern and notices that the speed boost remains up, an effort by the designers to allow flag carriers a short burst of speed to clear the enemy base and get onto the field as an in game announcement pops up on his screen,
Purrfection has taken the Horde flag!
Blowing the announcement off he charges into the flag room and grabs the blue and gold Alliance flag and quickly darts through the corridor opposite from which he came, ignoring the other tunnel and the speed boost, trusting in his own skill and gear to get the job done.
Goldenboy has taken the Alliance flag!
Emerging from the mouth of the tunnel he drives directly into the center of the field with the flag where his teammates do battle with the opposing players. A pair of players, a Death Knight and a Warrior quickly converges on him to attempt to retrieve their flag. Engaging them he applies repentance on the Death Knight, a Paladin class spell which effectively puts the enemy player to ‘sleep’ for up to six seconds which allows him to focus on the warrior. The warrior strikes him hard, knocking out a sizeable chunk of his health pool but then suddenly backs off. Rather than look a gift horse in the mouth Goldenboy continues on his way towards his flag room, unaware of a grey cat, a druid in cat form, with dark blue markings following him closely.
Purrfection loves you.
Noticing the game announcement he pivots on his heels to find himself face to face with the enemy flag carrier. Purrfection, a Night Elf druid instantly shape shifts into travel form which resembles a grey stag with similar, tribal-like markings and bearing a golden wreath around its neck. Druids are the master shape shifters in World of Warcraft, a class capable of changing into various animal forms including a bear for tanking, a cat for dealing quick, effective damage, a bird for flying, and of course, a stag for running where flight or mounted travel is not permitted, such as in battle grounds. They are the most exclusive class in the game in terms of possible class/race combinations in addition to being the most notoriously difficult flag runners with their unparalleled mobility, ability to self-heal and their defensive capabilities by virtue of their various animal forms.
Purrfection hugs you.
Paying no mind to the emotes by the druid directed at him, Goldenboy quickly levels his oversized sword at the stag but finds himself rooted in place by tree-like roots which have sprung up from the ground. He recognizes it as Nature’s grasp, a Druid ability that roots the enemy in place upon striking the Druid to afford them one of several means of escape, but Purrfection does not run. Instead the Druid directs another emote to the Paladin.
Purrfection dances with you.
The Paladin charges the Druid upon his release by the roots and strikes Purrfection as his teammates quickly converge on the enemy flag carrier. A quick hammer a justice by Gene stuns the Druid as they all begin their attack but the Druid’s team is also quick to arrive and defends their flag carrier. Purrfection shape-shifts into cat form and then activates dash, an ability that temporarily allows the Druid to run an additional 70% faster, but rather than run towards its own flag room the Druid instead begins to run circles, quite literally around the Paladin. Goldenboy desperately tries to strike Purrfection but the Druid is a great deal faster and more agile and easily avoids his blows.
So absorbed is he in his fight with the Druid, Gene fails to notice the members of his team dropping rapidly around him as they are beaten and killed off by the Alliance team. He continues to chase the Druid, which has reverted to stag form and playfully leads him on a chase across the battlefield from one side to another until finally the Alliance team manages to corner him. No matter his perceived skill, even one as bloated on himself as Gene is, they will be quickly killed by the opposing players who all attack them at once. Upon his death the flag is automatically dropped and clicked on by enemy combatants to be returned to its base.
Purrfection loves you.
He watches from a worm’s eye view as the Druid runs off with the flag before releasing his spirit. Anxiously Gene watches the timer slowly counting down, itching for another shot at the Druid which thoroughly embarrassed him. Finally his character is resurrected and he wastes no time in summoning his mount hoping to retrieve the flag, but another in game announcement informs him that it is too late.
“LMAO dude,” a Warlock teammate of Gene’s named Perseus says; “That Druid rofflestomped you”.
Purrfection has captured the Horde flag!
He surveys the landscape and sees the Druid off in the distance sprinting down the far side of the field towards his flag room and Gene jumps off of the resurrection platform which has taken shape as a small hill to give chase. Despite his efforts however; the Druid has too big of a head start and quickly disappears into the Horde tunnel with a pair of Warriors in riding shotgun.
Purrfection has taken the Horde flag!
Sensing an opportunity Goldenoy steers his warhorse towards the tunnel with the speed boost, dismounts and waits patiently for the enemy flag carrier to emerge through the mouth. Several moments pass by as his team engages the Alliance team mid-field but the Druid does not appear. Growing more anxious he turns to see his team being slowly dismantled by the other players but does not charge off to their aid, instead electing to wait for the Druid which has yet to appear.
Purrfection loves you.
Once more the emote alerts him to the presence of the Druid, bearing his team’s flag standing behind him in travel form. He immediately swings his weapon but his attack is interrupted by disorienting roar, a Druid class ability which briefly dazes all enemies within a short distance. Suddenly the Druid shifts into its bear form and launches an assault of its own. His health pool is almost effortlessly depleted by the raging beast, so quickly in fact that Goldenboy is forced to use Lay on hands, a Paladin class ability that instantly heals the Paladin back to full health. Purrfection withdraws and shifts back into travel form inviting him to give chase. He quietly obliges, chasing the into the melee at mid field where his team once again finds themselves dropping like proverbial flies to the onslaught of the better equipped Alliance team. He pays them no mind, his focus squarely on the Druid, even as he is stunned and killed by them as Purrfection dashes away towards the Alliance base and another capture.
Purrfection has captured the Horde flag!
“Fuck dude, you suck,” an Undead Hunter named Kittylitter says in chat to Gene. “We’re getting stomped all over the place and all you do is chase that Druid around. How about helping us out a bit?”
“Because I’m the leader and this is my show,” Goldenboy replies. “If you don’t like it then leave”.
Kittylitter has left the battle.
Perseus has left the battle.
Noobzilla has left the battle.
Suzieq has left the battle.
Hotpantz has left the battle.
Now finding himself severely outnumbered with the departure of five members of his team, Gene looks on to see the other four dancing in the graveyard, effectively out of reach of the Alliance team waiting for the game to end. The Paladin has no such designs however; as he remains steadfastly determined to kill the Druid that has tormented him for seven minutes now.
Purrfection has taken the Horde flag!
He spies the Druid emerging from the tunnel with the flag and quickly summons his mount to give chase. Fully expecting to be targeted by the Alliance team players travelling with their flag carrier he is surprised as they let him ride right through their ranks and closes on the Druid. Now within striking distance he stuns the Druid with his hammer of justice and quickly begins slashing away only to see the Druid shift into Tree form and heal itself to full before reverting back into stag form.
Purrfection loves you.
Undeterred Gene continues swinging away at the Druid but thanks to the support of its teammates with their quick heals Purrfection remains at full health.
Purrfection dances with you.
“God damn it you fucking asshole,” he rages. “Stand still so I can kill you!”
Although he is surrounded by the opposing players, ten in all, while his own team continues to dance at their grave yard, they make no moves to attack him, instead just keeping their flag carrier’s health full. He reads another game announcement an emote by Purrfection motioning for him to follow. He does so, while continuing to try in vain to kill the Druid. The Night Elf shifts into cat form and walks slowly up the tunnel towards the flag room shrugging off Goldenboy’s melee strikes until it reaches the main room. Walking up to the flag base Purrfection turns to him and offers one final emote,
Purrfection loves you.
And on that note captures the flag ending the game. Gene sits staring at the screen in a stunned silence, his reddened face ripe with frustration. After several moments of stewing in the humiliation he exits the game and waits for the loading screen while his character is returned to his original starting point of the Timeless Isle.
With a sigh he aimlessly guides his character through the vendors and quest givers, his mind still fixated on the battle of moments ago. He ignores a quest giver shouting out to him, stopping and staring blankly as another player engages in a challenge fight against one of the elite NPCs.
Purrfection loves you.
Recognizing the emote he spins his character around and immediately strikes, rapidly pushing buttons on his keyboard trying to activate every ability available in hopes of finally killing the druid. Unfortunately for him, player vs player combat is frowned upon by the governing NPCs of Timeless Isle who enforce their rules with a cadre of guards who automatically attack any and all players engaging in combat with each other in their vicinity. Their health pools are a great deal larger than the average player and their strikes considerably more powerful than those of the average non player character. They swarm on Goldenboy and chop him down with blinding speed forcing him once more into a worm’s eye view of the Druid who has shifted into travel form.
Purrfection rolls on the floor laughing at you.
“Son of a bitch!” He cries, slamming his fists down on either side of the keyboard as the shrill ring of the telephone alerts him to an incoming phone call. Angrily he pushes himself away from the desk and walks over to pick up the phone, “What is it?” he snaps.
“Oh, hey Cassie,” his tone softens upon recognizing the voice of his sister, but a frown slides down the sides of his face as he denotes heavy laughter on the other end. “Look sis, I don’t know what you’re laughing about and I don’t really care, ok? I’m in the middle of a crisis right now and I don’t have time for your crap”.
He sets the phone down and pokes his head into the hallway. “Mom,” he announces. “Cassie is on the phone, you wanna talk to her?”
He waits quietly listening to his sister giggling for his mother to pick up the other phone by her seat in the kitchen before hanging it up. Returning to his seat behind the computer he stares at the corpse of his character for a few moments before reaching into the side pocket of his jeans to fish out his cell phone. He punches in a telephone number and brings it to his ear waiting for the other end to answer.
“Hey, Aunt Christian,” he says. “I gotta question for you.., does Steve Ramone play a Druid named Purrfection in World of Warcraft?”
