Meditations for Rats #2: The Rat is not a Pig.

When thinking on the Way of the Rat one must be aware of what the Rat is, and what the Rat is not. One simple Truth is that the Rat is not a Pig. This simple Truth is one of the most vital lessons a Rat must learn, and failure to remember this often leads to dead Rats.

Pigs are known for their gluttony and appetite. In EFT, this translates to Greed, and Greed kills. A Rat must listen to the Earth Spirit, and know that slow and steady growth is worth more than a brief flare of success followed by famine. The Rat must listen to the Water Spirit, and know when filling the container beyond capacity will result in a spill and loss of all. The Rat must listen to the Air Spirit, and know when it is time to leave.

An example of this, from this wipe: Three Rats went raiding together. They found Rashala at New Gas, and fought him there. Two of the Rats died in the fight–one because he stood rooted and ignored the Air and Water Spirits directions to move, and one because he failed to overwhelm his target and was subsequently snuffed for ignoring the Fire Spirit. There remained one Rat, who won the fight.

After winning, this Rat collected what he could. While looting, he had to kill 2 player scavs that arrived, and then a player who was also looting the battlefield. After this, his packs were filled with decent loot: not riches, but good. He moved to loot more bodies closer to the station, but witnessed a group of two players fighting an unknown foe.

Here, the Rat had to remember that he was not a Pig. Fighting the two would be easy enough, simply shooting them in the back. However, the foe they were already fighting was unknown and unknowable without engaging in the fight. The Rat had profits in his bags. Engaging in that fight could have lead to more loot, but it would be slow looting with full bags, and more danger was highly likely.

The Rat knew it was time to leave, and collect his profits. The Pig would have entered into the fight for more, More, MORE!!

The Rat who leaves when he should will live and profit every time. The Pig who succumbs to Greed will die more times than live. The Rat will live well, with a stash getting full from a dozen meals, where as the Pig's stash is barren despite the occasional feast.

Think well and often on this, my fellow Rats.

Happy Gaming!