Friday 13 June 2008

No Snippets Today

When I open my Flickr's contacts page it's been plastered with the same text-picture for a while now. Make no mistake I understand the outcry. What Linden Labs is doing at SL5B is giving in to a bunch of religious fanatics, right-wing moralists and overall narrow-minded biggots. So I do support Stephen's cause but I will not put the picture on my stream.


"Why?" you ask? Well, because I think that would be a bit too easy. For one those concerned enough to protest will still be a small minority and can easily be ignored by Linden Labs. For two because just paying lip-service to a cause has never changed anything. Three because I mistrust mobs rallying behind a protest sign. I prefer to make up my own mind and choose my own plan of action. Four because just saying "I don't like this" is not very constructive and five and maybe most important because this is part of a larger issue and focussing on this single aspect will oversimplify the larger topic at hand.

Essentially this is about accountability. Who is responsible for what... Are we responsible for our own actions in world or is Linden Labs? I would assume we are but I guess Linden Labs is not too sure about that and fears being sued over what people in-world do.

And really, it's not surprising considering we live in a society where lawsuits are the glib and profitable answer to our own stupidity. Blame someone else for the result of your idiotic behaviour; the lawyers will find the minor technicality to hang them up on and reward you, and themselves, with a boatload of money.

I'll admit Linden Labs' reaction and the way they communicated it is a tad unfortunate to say the least but I imagine they just trying to cover their own butts. With the influx of new avs and SL getting more popular the aforementioned biggots have arrived too and claim their space under the WindLight sun. I say don't blame Linden Labs for protecting themselves but take a good long look around you in RL and drink in what this world has become. LL is nothing but the messenger of bad news and they don't deserve to be shot. Blame them for their half-ass communication, for their poor resident relations, whirly-gig decisions and at a stretch for their lack of balls to stand up and resist. LL is treading the never-before tred grounds of a virtual society created, and, to a degree, mirroring real society. Unfortunately that very same society responsible for demonising a number of lifestyles is also responsible for making the $ king and let's face it, LL need their $$ to survive.

Yes, I sympathise with Stephen, his family and those who wish to protest but I'm afraid it's moot point. "SL is SL and RL is RL" is too easy a slogan. They are intertwined and this is a prime example. Want to change SL? Start with RL and no, I don't mean by posting a pic on Flickr...

3 comments:

~Fin said...

Fully agree and I guess I am not doing the same for similar reasons.
And to add to that, what would Lindens be doing watching Flickr anyway. Flickr should be for pics.
I fully support posting pics that wil help the cause like Kimo recently did.
~Fin

Anonymous said...

Here's a thought on needing money to survive. Make us all pay to be here. Get rid of the free accounts. One we would see a true number of individuals here, getting rid of the ALTS! Two if there were no more alts unless you paid for it...perhaps some of this bad behavior would deminish.

Also... i'd like to know what other platforms like the "sims" do with their bad press? Can't tell me they have wiped out child avatars there too??

Really it comes down to, well thx folks for getting us this far in our sl.. for all the testing you have endured and the upgrades..and the money and creative things you've made...but now we can support corporations and we don't need you anymore. So bugger off.

Why not make a corporate grid? and any "brand" that wants to delve into the darkness of the original grid can cross on over.

Corporate convention centers and virtual golf courses... I wonder what they think those guys do after a meeting besides golf???

Oh yes.. the virtual churches will be full!

Anonymous said...

People should be so worried about their RL world. And maybe things would be better. I am sick and tired of hearing about this. You don't like the way LL is headed fine. Go spend time with your RL wife and kids. Hey there is an idea!