Foolish Frost Rants about the FIC (I was bored...)

The following is an opinion based on personal experience in SL and reading of the forums over the last 4 months. It is not to be construed as the absolute truth, but only the most likely truth I have come across in my time here.

Feel free to disagree, rant, or speak in tongues at your leisure.


Now let me speak on a subject that has piqued my interest since I first got on: The conspiracy theories of the SL FIC.

After looking at the commonly called 'FIC' theory, and thinking on it since the first posts I noticed about it, I can say for certain that this group, as people visualize it, does not exist.

But the effect of them existing does...

Hold on! Wait for me to finish before you run off and go into jihad mode!

...

Ok. There would be several things needed for the FIC to TRULY exist. They would have to KNOW they exist, and be able to communicate plans to each other about what needed to be done. They would also need the resources to implement it. In addition, they would have to be able to focus on issues to influence in a meaningful way.

Now, look back through the forum and look at the names of people supposedly in this FIC. Let's be honest, even with Linden support, do you see ANY of the people coordinating in the long-term? It's not to say they are incapable, but really: Some of these people are COMPETETORS! Even more important, some of them can't even stand each other, or at least have no interest in being friendly.

And let's be honest, if Linden Labs was actually building a Masonic group like the FIC, don't you think that there would be more proof by now? Do you think that a small company like LL could actually keep it a secret? For years?

The truth is, there is no FIC. What does exist is far more terrible: A bunch of successful people who are tired of the attitude people throw at them for being successful.

Let's take a look at it from the inside, shall we? Joe FIC joins second life, and starts playing. After an unspecified time, he finds he has a skill that is in demand, and is in-fact good enough to garner notice and some small amount of respect. Soon, he begins expanding on that and begins getting noticed by LL as a person that shows up on their radar more often than is common.

Well, one Linden sees a project come up, and sees that Joe has not only the skills needed for it, but a good rep. When the Linden meets him in avatar, he finds he has basic manners and does not act an immature 13 year old. So, LL decides that they will hire him for a job.

Well. This is where people's reactions are funny: Some seem to think that's favoritism.

Know what? It is. Lord knows that they are not going to favor a person who can't build, is rude, or is unreliable. And if Joe gets the job done? He might get another job when finished.

The Horror.

Well. Because of his terrible crime, Joe FIC has been spending the last 3 months slowly building up a hardened hide against those people who have been attacking him for his good fortune. He's getting so used to the abuse that he's starting to expect it. He thinks that it's a part of the deal.

Color him surprised when someone walks up to him with some basic manners and human respect.

Color him amazed when he finds out this other person is getting the same treatment for similar reasons...

And the cycle expands from there, forming cliques of friends that concentrate the talent and personalities of SL in small groups that in turn get even more notice from LL...

The irony? Those complaining the most about the 'FIC' seem to have helped greatly to push this effect along.

So my point?

That regardless of if the FIC does or does not exist, there is no way in heck that successful people want to deal in business with people who have not proven themselves. They are ABSOLUTLY not going to want to have dealing with people who have abused/mocked them in a hateful manner. Finally, they would probably love it if they DID have the power of the FIC...

...'Cause if the FIC existed, they would not have to put up with all this garbage, and could dust off the Ban-Hammer of Revenge and dump a lot of problems in one shot.



And yes, I know this will not convince the tinfoil-hat anti-FIC brigade, but this post is not for them. It's for anyone who actually gives a darn about another view on this subject...

And now I shall shut up and go back to mocking the idea of the FIC for fun and profit. Thank you for reading my opinion, and please return to the next available 'sky is falling' scenario.

G'day all!

Sorry, man, I couldn't bring myself to read past the first few paragraphs. The subject is just getting dull for me.

<snicker>

That was my point.

And this is a good example of why you don't let a bored writer into the forums with an opinion. Everyone suffers.

I got sick of the topic about 5 months ago, but thanks Foolish. That pretty much sums up how the "FIC" bashing works, not that you will convince the ones who do it.

Foolish,

This is one of the most accurate assessments of the situation I have read to date.

Your comment about hardening of hides is very appropriate and (I think) dead on.

The notion that there is some sort of clandestine, Bolshevik-like sect, plotting and scheming to limit competition and play Wormtongue to Linden Lab, is an elaborate piece of dramatic fiction, but, that is all it is.

It's really a shame that a few intelligent folks have bought into it. It's self-limiting and self-destructive, not to mention, rude, insulting, and unfair to LL and to those SLers who are targeted.

It's as if a few self-made pariahs have locked arms and decided that "the man" must be exposed and brought down. This is why I find the insinuation that the "FIC hates the man" highly ironic.

Some of them slip into caps and declarations of how angry they are.

Some of them play mind games by "exposing" people by luring them into threads and then saying "gotcha!"

Some will just out and out start swearing at people who don't answer their abrasive posts with, *HUGS, I agree with you 100%!*.

Whatever the individual case may be, it's always excused by labeling their methods as "responding", "exposing", "reporting", et al. Or claiming "personal attacks" that LL refuses to police "made them explode finally". "You were ganging up on him or her", when, in reality, those persons has a history of lashing out in multiple directions (some rather subtly), sometimes simultaneously.

Naturally, this behavior draws fire from whoever they are probing at the time, and is then construed as "group think" (therefore the FIC MUST exist! Tricky eh?), when multiple people respond. In reality, it simply is multiple people responding, because the charges leveled by these folks are so wide ranging.

In the end, we are all worse off for it, and less productive. Who knows, maybe that is the plan.

Well. I knew it would come up sooner or later.

The FIC paranoia is not the only thing that boils my bile, either.

Over a period of several months, a new player come into this game and got a bad reputation for being hostile and obnoxious. Regardless of if that reputation is deserved or not, I have noticed certain things:

That the person being banned has not stopped the attacks on this person, even though the person cannot respond.

That the use of this individual as a whipping boy is now apparent, though I admit that the person set themselves out to get abused.

And that the person was NOT as bad as I consider would be needed for the level of infamy that is now heaped on this individual.

Now we all know who I'm talking about, and I'm not interested in a war about it. In fact, the point is this:

ELVIS IS DEAD. GET OVER IT!

No it isn't. He keeps attacking people on other websites. Even poking around into their RL. But keep that head turned away, Foolish, the view must be better in that direction.

Then who did they bury in Elvis's grave?

You almost got me!

Witty retort: 1
pandastrong: 0

A Fool has to try... You know how it is?

Witty retort: 2
pandastrong: 0

Whipping-boy apologist trumps!

I am not sure if my post brought yours on, but just in case, allow me to clarify.

The people I gave examples of are people that are not barred from posting in the general forum. They are alive and well. Able to respond at will. You referred to them as "the tinfoil-hat anti-FIC brigade".

I did allude to a statement made by he whom you are speaking of - "the FIC hates the man". That was the extent of any direct reference.

Expecting people to "GET OVER IT!", after including the notorious acronym invented by that selfsame person, in the title of this thread, is a bit unfair.

Elvis created the FIC? It's all so clear now! I understand!

I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING!

What happened is this... Wait a second, I think I heard something out#$**#HD8hdGD*(#df***NO CARRIER***

uh... yeah...

Being that we are both saying approximately the same thing (if you stand behind your earlier remarks), I have to admit, I am a bit confused. You were actually as harsh, if not harsher on the subject. Were only certain people supposed to respond in your thread?

How can we talk about Marxism and not talk about Marx?

Did you mean it when you said,"Feel free to disagree, rant, or speak in tongues at your leisure."? Maybe you should have added, "...but I might ridicule you"?

Do you think that with the last line given in my post, and with the response to Pandastrong, that perhaps you are being a MITE bit paranoid. And I did not say you could not comment on anything. What I said is that the excessive abuse now was older than my beard, and that's just as sad as the FIC. BOTH sides are annoying.

And if I wanted to ridicule you, I would do it with much more directness and flair. Look up Foolish Lords and see what I post when I'm feeling truly vexed.

See. I'm an equal time annoyance. I don't play favorites.

Well... except with my favorites.



(Now stop making me have to discuss this seriously.)

No. I don't think that I am being paranoid. I know when I am being ridiculed. In this case, it's likely because of who I am, versus what I actually written. You have yet to point out what was said that caused you to turn from collected and reasonable into sarcastic and judgemental. C'est la vie.

Am I supposed to tremble at the thought of being targeted by your rapier wit? I am not, but that doesn't mean I can't see it, terrible and earth-shattering as you may delude yourself into believing it is. Elvis and gibberish! The height of scalding improv!

You said it, not me.

If you say so.


Here's how it works. Person A makes a thread, one of 1000s devoted to the issue. Person A invites people to reply. Person A expects respondants to adhere to some undefined response format. Person A then goes into a patronizing comedy act when people reply. Nice tactic. I was only serious in that first post, I recused myself of it through a clever disclaimer. Now I am free to take aim at those who reply with my ever-so-witty mockery.

Well, this is were I exit your little cat and mouse game. It's been real.

Have fun talking about what you don't want to talk about...

ELVIS IS DEAD?

Foolish, my friend you have crushed me...
Who was that I saw at K Mart standing next to Martha?

(Yes, Baccara went to K Mart)

It sounded plausible until this was said.

Er... About who you are? I don't even KNOW you. Nor do I want to with that level of paranoia. I will be perfectly honest, I hadn't even THOUGHT about your post really, until you started in about me targeting you.

I start with a semi serious piece about the sillyness of the FIC idea, and why it was a self fulfulling myth. I then post an even sillier piece ending in a punchline, and you want to act like I was ATTACKING you?

You want an attack? Then let me try this: You have anger and persecution issues. I don't know you enough to hate you, and at this moment just learned enough about you to dislike you. And as far as me threatening you? Good lord man! I was pointing out that when I do attack, it obvious. I don't dick around with it and make people wonder IF i ment them!

Get this through your exceedingly thick head: It was NOT about you.

And I think I'll let less nasty attitudes decide if my humor attempts are interesting.

Finally, let me leave you with this: You could have taken my attempt at humor as I read it out to be. You could have even noted the second time I said it was aimed at humor. Instead, you have to find any slight you can and attack it.

I don't have a problem here, and you didn't either.

Now, How will this go? You want to take 3 rounds in an arena duel to salve your honor?

Foolish,

Excellent original post. One thing I will mention is that while you, as others have, lament dear Prokofy's status as muted whipping boy, banning him did not stop his attacks on the very people that you were speaking about in the first place, he just moved them to a different venue. I periodically get sent links to read things of Prokofy's since I read neither the SLH nor Prokofy's blog, and it both amuses and sort of weirds me out that my name appears so frequently in his writings. While the legend of Prokofy has taken on a certain life of its on, he is is alive and well and more prolific than ever.

PS - I hope you don't mind me choosing a quote of yours.

Oh no. Prok has placed himself in that position willingly. I was using the irony of the staments I made for a punchline about elvis. Literally. Seriously was about the humor. And that I was sick the SUBJECT would not die...

I don't defend people who want to be whipping boys. Impossible to pull off...

Addentum: That and I think it's just taken too far. Just my opinion, though.

hehe. I caught the humor. I didn't think you were being THAT subtle. I think sometimes people skim read posts.

What does drinking skim milk have to do with anything?! Sheesh. Some people!

I don't get it.







<3

You were probably just skimming