Take it from behind

Ok I just read the new Linden Blog labeled "Keeping Second Life Safe together" http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/05/31/keeping-second-life-safe-together/.

And just to make sure I have this all clear and abide by all rules at all times, It's ok to have sexual acts with a red animal private, just as long as we don't portray anything the moral majority considers offensive right?

Red animal private? I'm not sure that's okay...

I will continue to take it from behind but only if my height is 8 feet and I have scanned 28 sims around to make sure no one is watching. Of course my schoolgirl outfit will remain well hidden.

Make sure after you scan those 28 sims that your clothes aren't for sale, teh shepherd is everywhere.

Next we will be limited to shaking hand as the only avatar contact and nipple free skin.

Well, as a furry I don't really have nipples. Guess I'm next.

/ban the furries!

Sarah hun, I thought I warned you, having sex with red animals will make you go blind

Sarah, as far as I can tell there is no moral majority. Self righteousness is not a sign of moral anything in my book.

And I don't think you of all people abides by any rules but your own and I would suspect that your moral compass is pretty damn good.

What constitutes the majority in SL? And what is 'broadly offensive'? If an SL group is popular among 2000 people and if 1 person feels offended by that group then that would define the group as being 'narrowly offensive' or 'offensive to a minority'. Would the Lindens then have to use their own personal moral values or will they look to the moral values of some other external majority? And what majority would that be? How would a Linden know that this ONE person represents the majority of the community? Sure they can get perhaps 10-20 more people reporting this group but they could still be in the minority. Of course since the Lindens don't usually research these things, and since all 2000 members of that offensive group are unaware that they are reported and since there's really no way to unreport yourself, or offer a differing opinion against a report, that particular group is out of luck.

The only thing that makes me a little bit hopeful is that...

1) SL is a pretty liberal place. Unless I'm completely reading the tone of this forum wrong or that this forum is not representative of SL. Conservatives and those who hold themselves to a higher moral ground... are not shy. We simply haven't heard from many of them here... because they are a minority. This is something I feel from reading the hundreds of posts we have here.

2)The Lindens have to be pretty liberal themselves. They're based in San Francisco not Salt Lake City. Quite possibly the most liberal city in all of the USA.

So maybe when Linden Labs asks for people to report 'broadly offensive' people, places, and things they may not find many people reporting or at least realize that those reporting might be truly be the minority.

No. I'm definitely a conservative, but I feel that this is just so much BS it's unbeliveable. You seem to imply that because I'm a (gasp) conservative that I'm slavering to end all non PG action in SL and that's totally incorrect. What chaps my butt is that I have personally ar'd classified pictures after a PG search that I wouldn't allow my kid to see, and LL did nothing.

I use the mature checkbox and I still have to be careful what I have on my monitor when the kid is around.

Jesus ******* Christ, now they're going too far.

First of all - what the **** is "safe" supposed to mean, in the context of a virtual world?!? Last time I checked, everything on the grid was pretty safe. No user did ever drop from his chair in RL when he was hit by a virtual bullet. No "victim" of a roleplayed online rape scene ever had to deal with injuries or a trauma. It's a ******* joke.

Second, who the **** is this "community" that decides what is "acceptable"? I always assumed that I'm a member of the SL community. But no one ever asked me for my opinion, so I guess that means that I, despite throwing a ******** of money at LL on a monthly basis, are not part of the SL community - just an island owner, who is told by a faceless community what he's allowed to do on his island. If the "community" decides they dislike the color green, I have to paint my ******* lawn I guess.

Third, what the **** is the definition of sexual violence? Spanking or whipping? What is "extreme or graphic violence"? Personally, I think that someone shooting another person with a gun is extremely violent and quite graphic, but I bet that's ok in the eyes of the "community". And can anyone please tell me what's "other broadly offensive content"? How the **** am I supposed to know what this community, which doesn't seem to include any residents, find offensive? Nose hair? Public belching? Pink furries? Premarital and extramarital cybersex? Homosexuality? Atheism? Certain political opinions?

"Termination of accounts", "loss of land", my ***. I thought the planned "porn zone" land flag was meant to protect the frail eyes of minors and puritans? What possible use does it have if there's nothing to protect them from? It doesn't make any sense to first let every minor in, then decide that the adult grid residents have to protect them, and then, after having worked out an age verification system to ensure this very protection, to start banning adult content. And not even content that would be illegal in RL. Why is LL suddenly trying to be more christian than the ******* pope? If I want to roleplay a rape scene in my RL bedroom, no one can possibly object as long as my partner gives her/his consent (which is naturally the case in SL).

LL seem to be unable to think this through. Why are any RL companies investing here? Publicity. What is an essential part of publicity? A public. Why is the public here? A major part of the public (== the actual residents, != "community" seems to be here to commit "other broadly offensive" acts, which is ***, ****** *** including ****** and sometimes a little ********* or ******. What will possibly happen if the public is forced by LL's new thought crime policy to look for another playground, and only the "community" stays? Can this puritan "community" probably pay their wages?


*Please note, dear mods, that this self-censored post may look as if would contain swearwords, but this is an optical illusion. The author simply likes to type asterisks. Unless asterisks have been deemed broadly offensive by the "community" lately, they shouldn't violate any forum rules.

Hmmm.... I thought it would make you deaf???? Oh... wait, that was masturbation....

Morwen.

I'm hoping LL will establish some sane truly "broadly acceptable" policy on content. It seems as if the era of anything goes is gone now for SL.

The blog post smacks of almost endorsing KGB-like tactics. As silly as it may seem, there needs to be very clearly defined rules on what is acceptable and what is not. This deference to "the community" is too freaking vague to me, when the real bottom line is the courts, both in the USA and in other countries.

Not that Im disagreeing with everything else , but my strong Catholic upbringing compels me to point out that the Pope is Catholic. And RP'ing rape? II think the general polulation of the world looks at rape as a henious violent crime, that even simulated is demeaning to women and shows a very disturbed mind...but I guess I'm not part of that community vioce since my opinion wasnt asked. but certainly everyone elses opinion will be forced on us in this thread

I truly have the impression that the Lindens are letting fear get to them and are allowing it to destroy an interesting and diverse community.

I am building a small BDSM business. I am also involved in the RL BDSM community in San Francisco, and it would seem from the wording of the blog that they wish to elimate many things that are not illegal in their own RL community.

Sex in SL is completely consensual. I can't imagine a circumstance where it would not be. By definition, anything like "rape" MUST be simple role playing. It is impossible for it to be any other way.

And who is this majority that must dictate what two consenting adults do, particularly on land that they own? And the standards as dictated to us in the latest blog entry seem to be so vague that virtually anyone could get into trouble.

More troubling than all this is the fact that the Lindens do not appear to be listening to us and do not WANT to hear our concerns.

I respectfully request that the Lindens further clarify this policy and provide answers to the true majority of Second Life residents. Please show us you are listening and be straightforward as to who this majority you cite truly is and why we cannot enjoy ourselves in the privacy of our own SL properties?

Hmf. I suppose I better go find some pants that fit my goaty legs.

Of course if they actually knew what the majority of the community found offensive or not, well, I think it would be different to what they'd like to think.

A Catholic is still a christian imho well, "more christian than the pope" is a german saying. Actually it's "päpstlicher als der Papst" (more pope-like than the pope) and means someone takes morality further than moral authorities could possibly ask for (the law being the authority in this case).

I thought the same way about roleplayed rape once. But what you forget (and what I also didn't see back then) is that the person who roleplays the victim wants to be treated that way. The attraction for the "victim" isn't an act of rape; it's the illusion of being forced to do something they want but don't dare to do out of free will.

It's funny that you mention Catholicism, because a lot of submissives have a catholic or at least christian background. (Christian monks who happily flagellate themselves come to mind; christianity and BDSM are closely connected). They fear to "sin", therefore they want to be ordered or even forced to "sin". Psychologically totally understandable imho. I'm a deconverted christian myself, who has learned from a young age that he is nothing but a lowly sinful worm and has to submit to an allmighty invisible guy in the clouds. No wonder I'm into BDSM If you call that a disturbed mind, also ask what disturbed it

A submissive woman who choses to roleplay a rape scene with her Dom is neither demeaning herself nor other women, not anymore than a woman asking her lover "please tie me up". Usually there is no violence inolved at all (even in RL BDSM games that come close to a roleplayed rape). It's about dominance and submission, power exchange, the feeling of being controlled or controlling someone (the natural urge to be in a position of power, the alpha wolf or herd leader) and also about being absolved from the "sin" of sexual acts, by not being in control when it happens and therefore not responsible.

As for the dominant part: if a beloved person asks you for something, how can you deny it? For someone who likes to be slapped, a slap is worth more than a kiss. For someone who likes to be called a dirty slut, it's a nicer term of endearment than "my darling" (another Catholic aspect: being told that one is sinful, feeling shame for one's sins, the need to be debased and humiliated in order to gain absolution; it can become a sexual fetish). It would be cruel to deny someone their sexual needs, much crueler than actually fullfilling them, even if those needs involve a little consensual violence.

Ah.... we have that saying over here as wel: "Roomser dan de paus!!!"

Me bad, I use it often

Morwen.

Psssst, it's make believe. You can not make anyone do anything they do not want to do in Second Life. As the old saying goes "it takes two to tango". If a person is getting raped, it is because it is a game they wish to play.

Ok. let I get this straight . LL needs to monitor PG land and make sure its safe. Mature land is a free for all.

Just the idea of making SL "Safe" is a bit ludicrous. We can fly without airplanes. Is that safe? I can skydive and not open my parachute. Is that safe? (and will the funny splat animation be banned now?) Will the shooting sims be deemed unsafe and objectionable?Part of SL's charm, at least for me is to do things I can't do in RL , sometimes for safety reasons. I'm not here to run a business, get educated, or expand my cultural horizons. If any of those things happen, that's fine. But I'm here primarily just to have fun, decompress from RL, and yes maybe do some naughty stuff I won't do in RL. And I bet there are a lot of people here for the same reasons. There is nothing here we need to be "protected" from. If it's illegal, get rid of it by all means. Everything else: There is a proper place for it for sure. make sure everything is in it's proper place and move along home. It's clear what group the grid is being made safe for.

"Not that Im disagreeing with everything else , but my strong Catholic upbringing compels me to point out that the Pope is Catholic."

annnnnnd... not Christian? Are you saying that the Pope, and thus all Catholics aren't Christians?

BWAAAAAH HA HAAAAAAAA!

Good one!

Ever read a romance novel? The main female character almost always initially tells the male character "No" and attempts to get away from him, at which point he becomes aggressive and sometimes borderline abusive...pushing and throwing her around. Invariably, she can't help but succumb to his 'passionate' advances. And the primary audience for romance novels? Women from all walks of life, from soccer moms to high-power professionals.

There have been numerous studies on sexuality which indicate that a large percentage (I want to say significantly more than half) of the female population has, at one time or another, fantasized about forcible sex. This isn't to say that they actually want to be raped in RL - they don't - only that there's a certain appeal to giving up control for a period of time, to being 'taken.' The fantasy varies widely, from simply having a partner behave in a more dominant manner, to actual violence, trying to fight him off full force...maybe SL gives those intrigued by the latter end of the scale a safe place for initial exploration.

As has been said again and again, if you don't agree to it in-world, no one can RP rape on you unwillingly.

"Don't!... Stop!..... Don't!.....Stop!.....Don't Stop!...Don't Stop!...."