Sunday, November 18, 2007

The State of Mahala

I have really struggled with my life on the grid this past week. So much so that I've contemplated selling my land, deleting my blog and downgrading to a free account. Doing these things would make it easier for me to walk away.

I'm sure you're thinking my decision has something to do with lag, Linden Labs or the state of Second Life in general, but it doesn't. My dismay with the state of things is based on a very human condition, the existence of hatred.

I've found myself retreating more and more into myself in world, something I do in my first life all too often. I try to distance myself from conflict, from pain, from hatred. It isn't always the best option for dealing with these things, it's just how I chose to, due to my atomic temper and huge mouth.

Things have been said regarding my unwillingness to be friendly towards some individuals and it's been suggested that my reasoning was incorrect and I'd like to address that here. I don't care if someone has an alt, I don't care if they have 15. It doesn't matter what face you wear or the name above your head, when I witness someone showing no respect for the choices of others, speaking with hateful words, calling others "idiots", displaying bloodied heads on sticks etc., I choose to separate myself from them.

I harbor no ill will.

I am not angry.

I just would rather not spend the limited time that I spend online in the company of individuals who gain pleasure from the pain and hurt feelings of others. There's enough hate and frankly, bullshit, in the real world.

Some of you will say it's just a game and that these displays are all in fun, but hatred and intolerance are dangerous things, in any form. If you freely sprew ignorance in Second Life, then I'm sure you do the same in your first. Your avatar, regardless of how hard you try to hide it, is an extension of who you are inside.

All the expensive skins, hoochie mama clothes and flexi hair on the grid won't mask your charade forever.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, Mahala .. great post. Maybe this 'script' could help ?

On rez
{
]]Reset_Mahala's_consideration_to_leave_SL < 0;
else
]]Say("SL should never be without Mahala");
]]Give_Mahala_big_mental_hug;
}

Maybe this helps against daily displays of ignorance you encounter in our world. And the 'things they say' are best left behind... SL needs you like the sun in there needs Windlight to display rays of warmth ... ;)

Most regards,

Mahala Roviana said...

No worries Will, I'm not going any where any time soon. The handful of good friends I've found are enough to make sticking around a bit longer worth it :)

Anonymous said...

I know how you feel, I have that problem as well...sometimes SL is just like the RL; no fun at all. So I (try to) stay away from drama's and go my own way...it's not worth it to get upset about..
Try to stay cheerfull!! :-)))

Anonymous said...

Wasn't it you making fun of someone who outwhitted you..... Kind of contradicting yourself.
She even quit the game because you made her feel so bad about herself.. Shame on you

Mahala Roviana said...

It's the first I've heard of it, anyway.. that's what happens when you create an atmosphere of tension and put people in the position of defending themselves. Feelings get hurt.

Anonymous said...

feelings get hurt because `stuff` tends to get said in IM which then spreads causing chinese whispers which eventually gets back to the original person 50x worse and 100% bullshit added. Mahala, good on you for voicing your feelings openly, instead of what most do, in IM being cowards!
Yes, I feel strongly on this, having seen the effects from both sides. The very people that complain in IM that such and such is doing something wrong are the ones that try and comepletely *&^% up your day!
Take no notice, hostages or prisoners, and don't feel you have to justify being quiet, waste of keystrokes telling them they're idiots, so do as you do, mute and ignore, *eventually* they'll get the hint and piss off...

*rant over* Karma restored... just need to throttle my chakra and I'm fine :D

 
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