It’s a sad sad day, but I’ve decided that I’m going to give up piracy and settle into a corp.

APRIL FOOL! Kidding… Not a chance I’m giving this riot of a lifestyle up to go mining or missioning.  Were you worried there for a moment?

So why do I choose this lifestyle…. well I’ll come to that in a moment, but did you notice I use the word “lifestyle” rather than career?  Piracy isn’t exactly a career, it’s more a lifestyle.  Mining or researching is a career because outside of the jobs you can do other things - say for example missions or trading, even a bit of PVP if your skills allow.

No, piracy is much more than that.  I would say that it’s probably something within you (or not as the case may be).  You’re either able to ransom someone for every isk they have, or you can’t.  You can quite happily blow up a mining barge and pod the pilot for no good reason, or you can’t.

That sort of explains the “why” part for me, but now onto the “how”.  Being a pirate is more than a career, as I’ve said it’s either something you can or cannot do but outside of that it’s a lifestyle because when you’re not hunting someone you’re dodging the anit-pies coming after you.  When you’re not robbing someone, you’re being robbed by someone.

It’s a 24/7 constant and unending cycle, because there is no “clock off” option in this lifestyle.  You can’t simply say “I’ve done my pirating for the day, now I’m off mining” because the chances are another pirate will shoot you, somone out for revenge will catch you or the anti-pies will have a shoot-fest!

Going further than that though being a pirate gives certain freedoms (and of course curtails others) which you would not normally find in other careers.  A mission runner/part time PVP’er for example is probably quite protective of their security status and would not want to ruin it - that restricts their choice of targets.  A high sec pilot cannot simply go on a trigger happy frenzy without a wardec.

Also being a pirate gives other freedoms, freedoms from corp responsibilities.  Of course there are pirate corps, but they are of like minded people doing the same/similar thing.  As a pirate, you don’t get your CEO shouting “haul this over here”, “help so and so with this”, “go and refuel the POS”.

Piracy = freedom.  The freedom to do what you want, when you want to.  Freedom from rules, laws and regulations.  Freedom from the corporate grind.  Freedom to choose.

It’s not for everyone of course, because those freedoms come with a lack of safety.  You don’t have police protection (the opposite infact), you don’t have the security of high sec space, you are not safe from other pilots.  At anytime you may be the victim of anothers opportunistic gamble.  If you are willing to make the trade-off then it’s quite worthwhile IF those things indeed appeal to you.

Pirates are often viewed in a negative light, for obvious reasons.  It’s assumed we have an easy life, sitting back, counting our loot and spoils - and to an extent thats true.  But it’s not all the high life.  Being an outlaw makes travel much more difficult - sometimes it doubles or triples the journey.  It means you simply cannot pop to the local hub for some goodies - you have to make arrangements to have it delivered to you.

I’ve heard someone say “I’m not mining and missioning all day so some lazy pirate can come along and gank me!”.  That’s fine, that’s your perspective.  From mine, it’s slightly different.  Your work is mining and missiong.  My work is to hijack, rob, loot and steal from you.

They each involve risk.  You might be able to outmatch me and I skulk away with my tail between my legs.  You might have friends closeby ready to help.  The way I “earn” my money is different from the way you earn yours.  It’s far from laziness, just a different choice and different lifestyle.  They can be equally hard, and equally rewarding depending upon your persona and what you’re looking for.

Enjoy your career, enjoy your lifestyle… depending. 

Until the next time, happy yarring, looting and robbing.  May your killboards fill with victims, your wallet bulge with isk and your hangar overflow with loot

Alia