tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8799549488984901926.post2794567703691768987..comments2024-03-18T16:35:30.116-07:00Comments on The SL Enquirer: The Elders Summit - November 2013The SL Enquirerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05759069845009937615noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8799549488984901926.post-6521564677373157262014-04-04T11:54:09.032-07:002014-04-04T11:54:09.032-07:00I did not call the "elders" "bigots...I did not call the "elders" "bigots." Calling you "elders" is over-the-top enough for me. I called you, the individual to whose comments I was responding, and your attitude bigoted.<br /><br />Apparently I need to use a parallel example in order for you to see your bigoted comments for what they are. Substitute a minority for people who use child avatars. The ones who do unsavory things make it difficult for people who use adult avies to accept the rest of us. This attitude is not acceptable.<br /><br />People who use adult avies have made games out of rape and murder, and they make real money in SL as prostitutes, all according to the rules of the game. And if you spend a few hours using a child avi on the mainland or other public area not intended for kids exclusively, you'd see how many of the good "adult avies" feel perfectly comfortable soliciting you for sex. People who use adult avies are no better than those of us who don't.<br /><br />Your private chat was not focused on people who use child avies, but your own comments in this section made clear this prejudice. As you said, it was meant to be focused on the good people in the good communities that are thriving in SL. There are lots of good things happening in the SL kids communities that you will never include in your private chats because you have chosen to ignore them in favor of your advancing prejudice, which you still feel justified in defending.<br /><br />Perhaps this issue is worthy of its own story here in the SL Enquirer?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00776867515690614166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8799549488984901926.post-4213522307540166452014-04-03T06:08:12.134-07:002014-04-03T06:08:12.134-07:00Interesting long winded comment there Robbie. Sorr...Interesting long winded comment there Robbie. Sorry you have taken such an offense to the way many residents feel about child avatars in Second Life. You are right not all child avatars do unsavory things but the ones that do make it difficult for "adult" avatars to accept children at their events and activities. Calling the elders bigots for sharing opinions and their own personal thoughts is a little bit over the top. For future advice, keep your shirt on, it makes adult avatars feel uncomfortable. BTW This summit isn't even focused on child avatars in Second Life, it is a combination of thoughts shared by those of us that have been around a long time who observe the community. With all due respect, if you don't like what you read, look for second life news somewhere that suits your needs better.One of the Eldersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8799549488984901926.post-86698057551083057422014-04-03T00:01:01.067-07:002014-04-03T00:01:01.067-07:00I only now realized there was a reply to my commen...I only now realized there was a reply to my comment. I wish I had seen it sooner, because you have expressed an ugly prejudice faced by many of us who enjoy SL, and it has now gone unchallenged for several months, with the unearned credibility of being expressed by someone worthy of the title of elder. While these comments are directed to you, "One of the Elders," they apply to a great number of people in SL, the good members of this good community that is thriving yet does so at the expense and exclusion of others. Someone needs to call this bigotry out.<br /><br />Two things would be obvious if this prejudice didn't exist: Adult avies are pixels and do not perceive anything, nor would the perceptions of their users be more important than the perceptions of those who use child avies. We users (with avies of all ages and many species) are equals, and we are all adults. You call my comments rude and immature. That would be made meaningful if you said what you're talking about. Where is the rudeness? The immaturity? In the age of my avi? My comments were neither rude nor immature, only critical. So what is your basis? You're "not sure" what adult avies might perceive. "Apparently child avatars seem to add bad side effects to the reputation of Second Life too." These are non-comments about non-facts that you use to justify and spread your prejudice. Who perceives what? Apparent to whom? Seem to whom? What "bad side effects?" You are saying nothing, but implying, as if from afar. Kid avis don't do bad things. Again, pixels. Some users do very bad things, yes, but those of us who have fun and play child-like are not a homogenous group of bad guys, though your comment is that we cause harm. Yet you distance yourself from that comment with "apparently" and "seem." Why?<br /><br />Bigots cause harm, not the use of kid avis. I learned at age 43 that I am autistic. I want to have the kind of fun I missed out on as a kid. I've gone on scout trips to tour the Pyramids of Egypt, the Titanic, the battlefield at Gettysburg, and theme parks. I'm a student at Hogwarts. To me this is fun - a lot more fun than I had as a kid with undiagnosed autism. Yet there is such a pervasive social mentality in SL, which you only strengthen, that I am causing harm, or that I must be up to something nefarious. Merely visiting the Mainland in SL is a risky thing to do for someone with a kid avi. There are the griefers, who feel their cause is just in our case. There are those who assume we're looking for adults to have sex with, and therefore hit on us, regardless of the maturity level of the sim. There are also those who follow the rules in ways that harm us. When I was two days old in SL I was ejected and banned from a sim because I took off my shirt to show a friend my new avi skin. There were people swimming in the river right next to me wearing considerably less, but the sim owner had a problem with a 12 year-old boy avi taking his shirt off. Why is such a thing worthy of sanction in SL but not in RL? It's not. It's just bigotry.<br /><br />Kids exist in 1st life. Kids exist in 2nd life. No, we're not real kids, but no one in SL is real. You're not a real elder. You and your friends are not as you say "the ones that have stuck around," but a few of the many who have been around that long, several of whom are friends of mine. You don't speak for the masses. You have not earned that credibility with me. Let's keep this in perspective. You're a user who has been in SL longer than I have and who therefore feels justified in admonishing me to use more tact with the grown-ups. You have spread the word that kid avies cause harm. Well, grown-ups such as yourself who think it's ok to impugn other grown-ups with their own prejudice, other grown-ups who have also come to SL to live a creative fantasy life that is different from theirs, need to be challenged, and if they find it upsetting, perhaps it's because they have a little growing up to do themselves.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00776867515690614166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8799549488984901926.post-11315519556908057832013-12-04T10:28:53.695-08:002013-12-04T10:28:53.695-08:00Hi Robbie, thank you for your colorful comment abo...Hi Robbie, thank you for your colorful comment about the self appointed Elder's and our non news content. You are right! We are a bunch of 8 year olds with our own opinions. We are the ones that have stuck around in second life for that long to see the many changes that have occurred. Despite the Lindens lack of governing standards, Second Life is a community that is still here thriving due to the creativity of the residents and bonds we all have with each other. You are also right, we could have addressed some of the issues and conduct of LL, like we did in the last summit. (which you must have missed) but for this summit, our focus was more about the positive outlook on the community and those that do great things in Second Life. The positive residents are the ones that keep the energy going. We just observe and speak our minds. Perhaps you should get more involved in Second Life media and have a voice much louder then this comment box. Also, just a thought, I am not sure how adult avies might perceive your child avatar standing on a soapbox voicing an opinion that seemed a bit rude and immature to begin with. Apparently child avatars seem to add bad side effects to the reputation of Second Life too. Let's not forget, we all have the power to voice our own views and opinions, some just do it with more tact.One of the Eldersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8799549488984901926.post-54854435258031793342013-11-30T15:50:29.136-08:002013-11-30T15:50:29.136-08:00This is quite a non-news event. A bunch of sell-ap...This is quite a non-news event. A bunch of sell-appointed yet anonymous "elders" (if such a term can be applied to eight year-olds) has a secret chat (which is hardly a "summit"), wearing clothing that covers their identities. Photos without content, comments without context, and no verifiability of anything - this is not news, Conspicuously missing is any mention of LL from a customer service point of view. While SL customers are indeed here for far more than business purposes, LL is a business, but it's not run like a business - more like a junta with contempt for its customers. I hear this everywhere! It's one basic concept that so many agree on, and it's a very serious problem with tremendous ramifications. Odd that self-appointed "elders" would not think to discuss the conduct of LL itself, only us customers of LL.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00776867515690614166noreply@blogger.com