Mr. Linden, Preserve the Free Market

LOL. I hate to break it to you Chicago but it had been discussed at length already and was no doubt in the works for quite a while.

You must be kidding...you mean they didn't work all night writing some rating decay code after reading this here thread!!!

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How dare you question the power of Chicago?? Any idiot can see that Philip *did* make a change to the economy, and it happened immediately after Chicago posted his letter. 1+1=2, man, or didn't they teach you that in school??

I hope Chicago will continue to use his power for good. Truly, with great power comes great responsibility. Write your next letter well, Chicago. We're in your hands.

Cubey you blew out my sarcasm chip, there is actual smoke rising from my head.

You seem to have confused the term free market, which has a well-defined technical definition, with the term freedom. One can be a proponent of a free market economy without believing in social freedom. However, I'm not entirely sure that Friedman didn't believe in social/political freedom. But I must be honest: I've not read enough of his work to offer an informed opinion.

I brought him up, not because of any particular desire to make a political statement about social or economic freedom, but a desire to point out how ridiculously people were abusing economic principles and terms. Sorry for being so oblique. I considered expanding on it, but figured I'd just end up calling someone in this thread an idiot.

Hunnnns!



This thing totally gave me the willies! Gah!

And I totally agree with your point.

*shivers*

That's the falicy that you're guilty of right now, by assuming your letter was the immediate cause of the Linden's announcement regarding ratings.

You're probably unaware that the discussions that prompted this decision by the Lindens happened nearly a month ago, when the cost to rate a person was raised to L$25. Philip and Robin held public discussions, multiple forum posts and much contreversy was made, etc, and one of the big issues that came up was whether ratings from before the change should be kept or wiped or allowed to decay (the later being the one they've settled on).

If you hang around here long enough, you'll flind that most of the Linden's policy decisions are *never* immediate.

Additionaly, while ratings are tied to L$ bonuses, I doubt the decision had anything economic to do with it: It's no secret that the rating system is heavily flawed even if it weren't so tied. The Lindens have apparently been patching it bit by bit while hopefully working on a new system to replace it.

Why not let Phillip let us all know? I maintain that my letter spurred action. You, my friend, are merely opposed to the free market. But in the end, only a free market can win because at some point free lunches cease to be free.

Actually Isis, I feel exactly as you do. I am sure after reading my post, Linden Labs realized immediate action was necessary to move SL more towards a free market then a socialist one.

Thank you, Cubey. I promise you I will use this rhetorical influence sparingly and toward good cause.

Please, if anyone has any concerns they would like to express to me, feel free to IM or PM me. I am working in the best interest of SecondLife.

Perhaps I should set up a thinktank group so that future ideas I might have can be discussed on an easily communicable format? I shall ponder on that idea.

Most Sincerely,
Chicago

Grandiosity always makes me giggle.

Who IS this idiot, and why is he posting in MY forums?

I literally can't understand what is happening here. Chicago, are you familiar with the concept of sarcasm? Because you don't seem to get it.....at all. Your opinions about your impact on the world are grandiose and totally unrealistic. Listen to the people here, some of them obviously know what they are talking about....moreso than you, at least.

I never believed in or even had any interest in the concept of Socialism until I came to Second Life. I'm still not sure what I believe. But I know for sure that I do NOT like Capitalism. Every four months or so Second Life gets worse and worse because of it. It will be fun to hear in a month or two which category everyone belongs in: rich or poor? Disparity levels are rising, kids. Are you upper class or lower class scum?

I cannot understand why everyone is trying to hold me down. Look, I am TRYING to make SL a better world for ALL of us. Why is everybody so angry that Phillip Linden read my letter and took action?

First of all, the action was needed. Secondly, the action taken will help us all. The power of letter writing is well established. Its what is used a lot to get legislative change done in congress.

I'll give you another example of what I mean. About three months ago, after President George Bush won his second term, I sent him a letter telling him about the crisis surrounding social security's future solvency. I urged him to make it more aligned with the free market. A month later or so, I received a letter back from the White House thanking me for letting the President know about the issue and I also received an inauguration photo of him and the first lady.

Guess what? Social Security reform is a big issue with the President now. Letter writing can make a big influence. So instead of holding me down, why don't the rest of you start writing more eloquent letters?

Thats my take.

If we can persuade the Lindens to move towards a total free market, this socialist disparity will begin to dissappear. The President understands this, and that is why he is trying to make social security more privatized.

What have we learned? Either A: Chicago is fucking with us or B: Chicago is COMPLETELY delusional.

My logic is sound. You have not refuted or defeated my arguments, you have merely attacked me as a person. That is how I know that I have won.

Your logic is FAR from sound Chicago. Thinking that a letter to the Lindens spurred immediate action is ridiculous enough, but how can you honestly think that the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES is taking action based upon a letter from ONE citizen whom he knows absolutely nothing about? The President has advisors and experts for things like that, and odds are he never even touched or read your letter. I'm sorry to burst your bubble but politicians RARELY act upon the advice of individuals they don't know. And the letter and picture you received were probably the standard responses sent out by the White House. I can't even fathom what convoluted network of thought allowed you arrive at your conclusion.

That is ridiculous. The President knows who I am because ever since I was 18, I joined the republican party and have been doing leg work and political action work ever since. Also, I have been at dinners where senior republican party officials were in attendance and have talked with them and shared my ideas. That shatters your "he doesn't know me" argument. That is why it is very important to get involved in politics. So that the players know you. I plan on getting involved here in SL, too. It may be a bit easier since I already have the ear of the LL upper management, but I will still do the legwork required to bring about change.

Stop trying to bring me down and go out there and do some politial action work!!! That is how the process works here in America. Thankfully, now that we actually have a President who isnt afraid to take a stand, this country is moving back toward the right course. And I use "right" in an ideological sense as well.

If it's not A then Chicago is starting to scare me, lol. *me backs away slowly*

You people are acting as if we live in a dictatorship. Our government is based in the people. They listen to what the people want. They get their ideas from the PEOPLE, not the experts.

I know that I've influenced national policy through my actions. And I'm starting to influence SL policy through my actions, as well. Please, take hold of yourselves and have a higher locus of control. We shape our own destiny, not "experts" or similar jibberish.

SL is a great place and it will only continue to get greater if it is based in the people and the free market.

meg·a·lo·ma·ni·a
n.
1. A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.

Thank you Chip. I'm beginning to lose heart in the face of this obvious inability to grasp the REALITY of the situation. I'm out for now.

i thought we were an autonomous collective.