Government in SL

This post is in reaction to the attempt to develop in-world government in SL. For the short version of this post, let me just say, how profoundly and vehemently I oppose this trend.

People purporting the institution of government within SL appear to be, from what I have seen, people with a self interested view of the subject. Political Science educators wishing to use SL Residents as free test subjects, and out of control control freaks.

I am not a griefer yet I oppose any and all attempts by a Resident of the community (or group thereof) to control my actions or reap monitary (or other) benefit from my presence in game or even of my ownership of the right to use the game. Linden Labs provides the structure and controls necessary to maintain a close to acceptable level of order in-world. No further 'governement' is necessary.

People all over the Real World are in daily revolt against oppressive governments who presume the right of power and control over individuals unfortunate enough to live within their borders. I, personally, am not acquiesing my individual freedoms and rights of liberty to any such self appointed authority. Such self appointment historically is known as a coup. Coups are generally frowned upon by the international community and seen as illegal. Any such SL government would likewise be illegal.

No one is forced to join such a community. Many buy in because it's cheaper to share the costs of tier, others join because they want to have a home in an area of like-minded individuals who won't ruin the view or cause lag issues.

No one can force you to join, submit or be ruled by a resident run gov't. The tools don't exist. You are now, and forever, free in SL (subject only to LL). You can tp and land is created. As such you are much freer than any RL citizen.

Well said; a clear statement, and I fully understand your desire for freedom.

I share it.


That said, within my sims:

a) I do have the power to control the actions of residents, and also,

b) benefit from them in a monetary way.


Please note, I've never had to force anyone to do anything, beyond banning a few obvious griefers that shot everyone in sight.

Also, I've never cashed out.

Why would anyone in their right mind subject themselves to this, let alone over 100 people already, with more waiting on lists to get in?


I leave that as an open question for you to consider.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. The post related to a in-world SL wide government. It was not meant to speak to any control individuals have over their own sims.

There already is an SL-wide government. It's an oligarchy run by a group known as the "Lindens". What you're protesting is player-run SL-wide government, which given that state of current governmental experiments, has a snow ball's chance in hell of being implemented. So, relax.

~Ulrika~

Actually, I am now thinking that player-run governments might work very well:

First of all there should be a neutral zone, let's call it "Lindenburg" or something, that is under no player's government and complies only to Linden Oligarchy rules. It should be a decently-sized cluster of sims perferably near the middle of the world. That would be used however the L.O. finds suitable, and its settings would be controlled by the L.O. as well. That means, they will most probably dis-allow fighting in that zone, it would be sort of like what the Newbie Island is right now.

All the land outside that zone would be owned by players, and governments in which land-owning players choose to participate. Those governments can be whatever the players in power make them, anything from a Communist dictatorship to a Democracy. The only difference from the real world will be the players having the choise of which, if any, government they serve. So if there is a government run by jerks, they can all just leave.

that would be interesting

Except that Lindenburg is 99% of mainland. 99% of private sims are under firm dictatorial control of the Sim owner. Lindenburg can be seen as "The Jungle", "No Man's Land", "The Elysian Fields" or "Eden" or "Terra Nullis" depending on your point of view. Certainly we are all familiar with it.

It would be nice to be able to choose a form of resident run gov't *if you wanted to*. The more choices the better. Chances are you could belong to multiple "nations". Because LL can create new mainland and new sims at will, there should never be a case where there isn't a vast amount of Lindenburg to live in if one so chooses.

LL is fundamentally different from any Earthly (or player-run SL) govt, and those differences, I think, pretty much preclude any chance that they'd knowingly oppress us, or allow us (to the best of their ability) to be oppressed by others; that would be bad business, as LL can't stop people from going elsewhere if they're unsatisfied. So I wouldn't worry about ever being forced to live under the thumb of other avaricious players.
I think choice will continue to reign.