Thoughts of a Fool: Community and Commerce, or why I'm worried...

<Suddenly has flash-backs to sesame-street and Bert and Ernie skits where Bert is incited into a fury by Ernie over an extended frustration-fest>

Noooooooooo! <Runs away>

these blogs fucking suck

<Suddenly has flash-backs to sesame-street and Bert and Ernie skits where Bert is incited into a fury by Ernie over an extended frustration-fest>

Noooooooooo! <Runs away>

The problem is, the amount of crap-throwing is increasing in direct relation to the decrease of interesting discussions or themes.

Now bloody well get off my back for not knowing OR caring how many reasons their are to hate the almighty Prok Neva, the banished Dark lord of the SL Forums...

tut tut...
/me takes the knives away again

Wow, look at that anger. See, self-fulfilling prophecy. You are the one freaking out, not me. Your use of him as an example may have been perfectly innocent, but you are getting the reaction you are getting for the very reason I outlined in that post.

Well, being a yearling now, I feel that I can actually see trends and patterns in the SL community that I would not have seen except over the passing of several months.

One of the first things I have noticed, is that walking into the forums, in general, is like walking into a bloody KNIFE FIGHT! Seriously, if people are not sniping at each other for every imagined slight or warring against their personal hate of the week, they're complaining about just about anything they can find.

I'm not saying that some of this is normal: People just don't get along sometimes. The problem is, the amount of crap-throwing is increasing in direct relation to the decrease of interesting discussions or themes. The same people who were happy and friendly just a year ago have become bitter as of late, and those who have not are often brutalized for voicing a happy opinion or thought!

What happened to us?

Where are the fun projects? Where are the folk who just like to sit back and talk for a bit, enjoying others company? Where is the debate without anger, hatred, and nastyness?

Even LL is not immune: In the last year, I have watched as communication between the Lindens and Avatars dropped off to nearly being non-existant! Keep in mind, that's compared with them communicating ALOT before. Have they stopped talking with us because of problems on their end, or because they just got tired of listening to us chop anything that get's close to pieces?

I don't know, and what's more, don't know if it's possible to fix it. Sadly, when married friends of mine start having this problem... Well... Let's just say they didn't stay together long.


Another side to this is the general idea that community and business are juxtiposed in a war of some kind. It never fails that I hear some kind of anti-business sentiment, either subtile or cruel.

They aren't seperate, and they ain't opposed.

Let me point out an example: Many of you are familiar with Botany's Grove? Many of you have wandered there to see it and enjoy the way it looks?

Guess who is maintaining it now? Prok Neva.

He eats the cost to keep that build up because he likes it, and he knows others do as well. When we wanted space to have a May-Day festival last year, he provided the land and free vendor spots for people with relevant items to sell.

And his other businesses helped to pay for that. My building business also payed for some things that had to be done.

Business is not bad for SL just because you can't SEE what good it does for SL. Without business, you would not even HAVE SL.


I don't want everyone to get into a group hug, or even to LIKE each other. I just want you all to look back on your posts for hte last year, and think: Was I like this before, and do I WANT to be like this now?


And to Linden Labs: Communication IS a key to success in what you have made here. I know you guys get busy, and that joining a conversation is sometimes like walking in front of a firing squad some days, but seriously consider this.

Without communication, it will only get worse. Priority's change, but don't forget that being a part of the community you created is chief among them. There was a time when Lindens could be seen wandering the world all the time. I rarly see one anymore.



Anyway, enough ramblings for this week. Just let me get my asbestos underoos on and...

Well, being a yearling now, I feel that I can actually see trends and patterns in the SL community that I would not have seen except over the passing of several months.

One of the first things I have noticed, is that walking into the forums, in general, is like walking into a bloody KNIFE FIGHT! Seriously, if people are not sniping at each other for every imagined slight or warring against their personal hate of the week, they're complaining about just about anything they can find.

I'm not saying that some of this is normal: People just don't get along sometimes. The problem is, the amount of crap-throwing is increasing in direct relation to the decrease of interesting discussions or themes. The same people who were happy and friendly just a year ago have become bitter as of late, and those who have not are often brutalized for voicing a happy opinion or thought!

What happened to us?

Where are the fun projects? Where are the folk who just like to sit back and talk for a bit, enjoying others company? Where is the debate without anger, hatred, and nastyness?

Even LL is not immune: In the last year, I have watched as communication between the Lindens and Avatars dropped off to nearly being non-existant! Keep in mind, that's compared with them communicating ALOT before. Have they stopped talking with us because of problems on their end, or because they just got tired of listening to us chop anything that get's close to pieces?

I don't know, and what's more, don't know if it's possible to fix it. Sadly, when married friends of mine start having this problem... Well... Let's just say they didn't stay together long.


Another side to this is the general idea that community and business are juxtiposed in a war of some kind. It never fails that I hear some kind of anti-business sentiment, either subtile or cruel.

They aren't seperate, and they ain't opposed.

Let me point out an example: Many of you are familiar with Botany's Grove? Many of you have wandered there to see it and enjoy the way it looks?

Guess who is maintaining it now? Prok Neva.

He eats the cost to keep that build up because he likes it, and he knows others do as well. When we wanted space to have a May-Day festival last year, he provided the land and free vendor spots for people with relevant items to sell.

And his other businesses helped to pay for that. My building business also payed for some things that had to be done.

Business is not bad for SL just because you can't SEE what good it does for SL. Without business, you would not even HAVE SL.


I don't want everyone to get into a group hug, or even to LIKE each other. I just want you all to look back on your posts for hte last year, and think: Was I like this before, and do I WANT to be like this now?


And to Linden Labs: Communication IS a key to success in what you have made here. I know you guys get busy, and that joining a conversation is sometimes like walking in front of a firing squad some days, but seriously consider this.

Without communication, it will only get worse. Priority's change, but don't forget that being a part of the community you created is chief among them. There was a time when Lindens could be seen wandering the world all the time. I rarly see one anymore.



Anyway, enough ramblings for this week. Just let me get my asbestos underoos on and...

Foolish, Prokofy wasn't banned from the forums "because a bunch of people had a problem with him." He was banned for violating the TOS, repeatedly, despite warnings and suspensions. He continues, on pretty much a daily basis, to vituperatively and divisively attack members of this community, including the Lindens, on his blog and other SL-related venues where he is still allowed to post.

Anyway . . . Desmond, no one would nail you to a cross for being friends with Prokofy. Even some of us who find ourselves the target of his attacks were once on good terms with him ourselves, and recognize his good qualities and why you'd want to be his friend. I hope your friendship with Prokofy never turns sour, and I admire you for speaking up in defense of your friend.

You know, I had a long 'I give up statement' about how just mentioning Prok's name invalidates all I said, but something occurred to me in a moment of lucidity...

It's doesn't. Period.

Really, now that I think back on it and look back over the posts, it becomes obvious that nothing I said was worthy of the anger and revilement I'm getting. Mentioning Prok's name does not make my statement’s invalid. It just opened a window of attack that could be used to rationalize dismissing me as a troll or agenda wielding villain.

Why?

Perhaps because people don't like having themselves called on the idea that they are acting in a nasty, cruel, or vindictive manner. Perhaps anyone who does not join in the anger is an outsider. Perhaps... Eh... I'm not a psychologist. If I was, I wouldn't have to ask 'why'.

I have people I dislike too. I don't go rabid every time their name is mentioned. You all hate Prok. Well, you know what? That's YOUR issue. Not mine. Prok does not rule every aspect of your thinking, and his name should not be able to push your button to 'make you' snap. No one in this forum is a pavlovian dog, and Prok's name is not a ringing bell.

You guys have issues with Prok? Take them up with him. When you take them up with me, you're just beating up your neighbor because your co-worker ticked you off.

Whatever makes you feel better about yourself Foolish.

If you folks think that likening people to knife fighters, animals, and Jerry Springer guests somehow elevates you above the rest, you need to have a good hard look in the mirror, and ask yourself if employing selective empathy is the right path.

Prat, Foolish. et al; do you folks read outside SL sites at all? Are you aware thet there is a world beyond these forums, and that the example used in the OP is still attacking mercilessly dozens of your fellow residents? Do you care at all about that (or worse yet, is your silence thereof an indication of agreement with that hate and anger?)? Or are you content to sit on your fake mountain tops with your fingers in your ears critiquing the rest of us?

Perhaps because people don't like having themselves called on the idea that they are acting in a nasty, cruel, or vindictive manner. Perhaps anyone who does not join in the anger is an outsider.

y'all suck. you should nice like me.

Huh? not sure I understand what you mean. My comment was directed at those who expose their worst behavior in public forums just for the personal gratification they get from people's reactions. Those who don't have that behavior know who they are and I'm sure they will not take offence.

And yes, I do read other forums beside SL. Most are just the same as here. People will cater to their inflated ego first above all else.

I agree with Foolish. I disagree with Chip.

coco