Why the gun fetish Linden Lab?

According to the US FBI, an organization which, if biased, would likely be inclined to underreport ownership, there is a report from 1997 that states:More recently the Statistical Abstract of the United States shows that in 2002 there were 7.7 million background checks made for the "legal" purchase of guns. I've found it rather difficult to get current information on total gun ownership, but the attached graph gives a picture of the number of households with guns in 1997 across various countries and Canadian provences (with the death rate per 100_000 population).

By way of contrast, in 2003 there were a mere 159 million cellphones in use in the US or 34 million less cellphones that year than there where guns in 1997. "Gun fetish" is likely an understatement.

That's funny, Michael Moore made a big deal about how Canadians have a shitload of guns and yet gun crime is extremely rare. I think he said they had about ten million guns between thirty million people. Not that I am a big fan of his or anything. I guess I should just assume everyone debating gun control is making things up

Good assumption, Huns.

Just to be complete, here's a good writeup on violence versus videogame usage.

Moore is certainly a polemecist and he was trying to make a point. I was trying to make a point too, but only about ownership rate in the US using what credible data I could obtain.

If you wish to actually think about the matter instead of just being smarmy, it is actually reasonable to exclude the Northwest Territories and the Yukon from a descriptiion of homocide rates in Canada. Why? Because the those two provences represent 0.2% of the population of and have a wildy different culture and biogeography than the other 30 million residents of that country.

That the graph I was able to find happened to show a correlation between ownership and deaths was accidental. That said, there is an enormous difference between the America-like southern provinces (5ish deaths per 100_000) and their southern neighbors in the US with a rate thrice that. Note also that 80% of the population of Canada lives within 100 miles of the US border. That 70_000 people in the outlier point living in extremely harsh environs with a culture that you likely have no understanding of only amplifies the point you are trying to discredit. How many households are there in Canada? I don't know. Do you?

I welcome any data with sources you wish to bear on the discussion, but snarkiness is not discourse. And imagining that your misreading of a graph tells you anything about gun ownership in the US or the price of tea in China is just silly.

Introvert,

Thank you for using the word smarmy. It is not used nearly enough.

I once told myself: FALSE GUN ANALOG

Which is something to do with the lifted constraints in this world o' Second Life. That is, something that looks like a gun may perform an entirely different function. It doesn't happen all that often, but the possibility prominently exists to be explored.

Kind of reminds me of that scene in eXistenz where one character is feasting away and constructs a deadly biogun out of various carapaces and other bits. It looks vaguely like a gun but the meal from whence it came does not. Or a certain James Bond movie, from that matter.

Imagery that we recognize as having form+function in the "real world" very much can cause our minds to leap to conclusions. We see a dog, we expect it to bark—not to fire bullets, which is why the element of surprise is so startling.

I do not see enough goodgun areas in SL, yet have seen many guns around. I own a small collection myself, used ornamentally (like the Seburo photo contest sometime back was a great hit). I have some which are cool models but don't actually fire. I am currently carrying around a design inspired by the gunblades of FF8, which suits me quite well with its whimsy. It does fire—watermelons.

I envision a flipside of the current grid, another grid underneath this one, kind of like our Hades. It'd be called Second Death and have sims named Necropia, Atrophy, and Styx (not the 80s band). This would go hand-in-hand with better damage systems in the future, along with other foreseeable advances like HUDs. Farfetched today, but many steps do make a staircase.

Many things to touch on, like how many clans from other combat-oriented games could potentially arrive on these shores. Additionally, how an emphasis on combat (consensual in chaotically ordered areas) will pressure (in a good way) boosts of FPS and a drive towards greater dynamics and kineticism in SL. These concepts can be applied far beyond the weapons realm and adapted to general avatar animation. Plus, there's the whole COOL thing.

That is reallyreally exciting. A DIY gun kit would be a great way to learn about building, scripting, sound effects coordination, and a little particle play.

After all, there is a fundamental difference:


More on this thoughtline in the future.

Interesting thread.

Guns themselves have little to do with politics or gun control. No less, do scripted objects have to do with abuse reports. It has everything to do with intent.

Up here in the GWN, handgun or automatic weapons posession is a very serious crime. Collecting of restricted weapons happens, but under very strict supervision. My brother owns ornamental dueling muskets which have never been fired. Yet he must apply for a special permit, just to transport them from his residence. (even packed away in boxes, under the furniture).

The USofA does not have as severe restrictions or penalties for abuses. In Canada or the USA, you can ask anyone if they own a gun and chances are they will say yes. Ask them why? The answers will be markedly different.

Most time Canadians will admit to owning weapons with the intent of hunting game. To a lesser degree, some will admit to target and range shooting. Many Americans own guns to protect themselves from other Americans. Examine the targets, if you will. Canadian gun clubs issue targets with circular rings, Americans issue targets with sillouettes of humans.

Stigma affects marksmanship. I grew up with guns. I used to ride along roads with my dad and aunt hunting grouse, at a very early age. I was also allowed to shoot, when my dad thought I was able and encouraged to get my license as soon as I turned 15.

I like weapons, but NEVER has it occured to me I might need one against another person.

It would be nice to consider the proportion of suicides to homocides in the gun death statistics. It would also be nice if the original topic would make a reappearance.

That is probably a safe assumption for anyone debating most anything, at least online.

That depends entirely on the individual range and is certainly not representative enough of American firing ranges to be such a blanket statement.

Are you asking us to "come sail away" to those sims? Aw, man. You made me quote Styx lyrics.

Guns in SL are fashion accessories. Some push people around too, but they are a minority.
Most of the time guns I see are sci-fi ones with lots of special effects but who don't do anything to the target , exept maybe push it a few centimers... fashion I say.

Well if'n that ain't the pot calling the kettle black.

I yield to your staggering skills in forensics.

Thanks!

As with RL, people must be responsible for their actions. If one is shooting others in SL as a means of greifing, he/she should be reprimanded. However, rather than having a victim mentality, I would prefer the option of defending myself. I would get into the discussion of gun control outside SL, but it has nothing to do with this forum, so I'll hold my opinions on that.

I want as much freedom as possible in SL. My RL has enough of restrictions as it is. Let's not take away freedoms, please

Or I'll blow your little av head clean off! buhahaha.....

May you be touched by his noodly appendage.

I like the guns, I think there are a lot of gamers who would enjoy having the catharsis of online violence be one aspect of SL (agreed it should be limited to voluntary participation in selected areas. I think ther eis a lot to be said for including a gone as an inventory, SL is your world, and if you want to make an FPS, then you should be allowed to. It is easier to delete the gun from your inventory if it bothers you, than it is to acquire one if it suits your whim.

Sadly for some people SL is still what you make of it, and not what you are told it should be, and some of us enjoy popping off with an AK-47.

As far as being knocked off sims, it has never happened to me because a griefer shot me with a gon, but it HAS happened as a result of home security systems, when I am flying about in my corsair (whihc might have guns). So If we are talking about player harassment. Get rid of security systems before guns.

Ultimately player behavior is about the player and not the gun. If someone wants to grief you, they will find a way to do it with a poseball. Apprently my griefing technique of choice is that I cannot spell.

And maybe its because the lindens know that, in a lot of ways, batttleground2 is more fun than SL.

Sorry for the offense, but it is fairly established fact that as a general rule Americans are infatuated with guns (which is what I implied).

If you are offended, it's perhaps because you are taking this very general truth, personaly?

The graph posted does not disagree with any statements made by Michael Moore AFAICS.

The Lindens have used their alts and sypathisers to drive the thread off-topic so as to cover up their moral shame at promoting gun culture with one hand while they ban it with the other.

Ok, here's my 2 L's on the subject.

IF these "guns" aren't made to be griefing tools, why is it then, that when someone makes a shield to avoid becoming an involuntary target of these "fun loving individuals". Said "fun loving individual" then devises a weapon to punch through this same shield?

And don't start in on me about that not being the case, because that is explicitly stated in some of the advertising on these "fabulously wonderful toys that bring so much enjoyment to a select few."

I said it long ago, I'll say it again, please leave your gunplay to the areas that are expressly made for such things, and stop waving your genitalia replacements in our faces.

"BFG = LFD"

Peace,
Joseph

No, it's a fairly established stereotype.

Lets put your politics back in your pants. If you think videogame guns are a trait of nationality think again. The same FPS titles that are best sellers in the U.S. are best sellers abroad as well.

Gotta agree here. Some of the most knowledgeable and frighteningly obsessive about firearms are the Japanese. And most them will probably never touch a real gun.

Well, the new website images are up, and guns are ... gone?

Political correctness will not prevail!!!

You'll have to pry my cyber-weapon from my cold, dead, av fingers... =)

World of Blingcraft? World of Sexxcraft? Thinking of possible non-violent marketing angles for SL here.

Has anyone noticed less shooting in the sandboxes since school classes started recently? (I've noticed less posting on the forums!)