Discrimination, The Truth About Second Life Most Hated Community – Samuel Roberts Reporting

In the real world we deal with things everyday that make us come face to face with hate itself, whether you’re a woman in the workplace and you are discriminated against or a African American being pulled over for no justifiable reason by the police simple because of the color of your skin, racism, agism, sexism, ableism and basic ignorant prejudice is all around us in many places in the world we live in. 

Often this is even increased on platforms like video games that give the player base a sense of anonymity which in turn allows the ugliest parts of person to be revealed once the promise of consequences is removed. The question is, “Is it the same in Second Life?” have we reached the utopian ideal in this virtual world where we all live and get along in harmony, no. No. a giant big, colossal No. 

I Spoke to many people this week about the things that they have faced in second life for being black, for being a woman, for being disabled, for being young or old but the one community that stood to me the most was the furry community, the stories I heard were just hurtful and appalling, music venues not allowing them to even come and enjoy music, sims not allowing access to anyone with a tail or non-human face. I found corners of SL where Fury’s would gather and they seemed like “safe spaces” spaces in the grid where they could be free to be themselves, it hurt my heart to hear the stories around them being removed form places for just being who they are and to be honest I met some of the nicest people I’ve met in my 10 years in SL in this community.

I even bought myself a tail, initially it was to blend in for my attempt to infiltrate the community but over time I grew to love my tail, I would get compliments on it from the other Furry’s around me and I’ve honestly never felt so welcome by a community in second life. To be honest with you I was overwhelmed when a multitude of Furry’s started to explain their stories, banned for being furry, hunted, shot at, targeted directly by groups of trolls who would go out and find Furry’s to make fun of. One story stood out to me and gave me an unsettling feeling, it is as follows. A certain Group/Sim which shall remain nameless would literally target specific furry groups and hunt them as a kind of warped sport, they would RP as is if they were looking for Furry’s to kill. Another story that comes to mind is a man who has a love for motorcycles and tried to start a MC in second life only to realize that the entire MC community for the most part shoots at any furry on site and regards them as less than human, he has been rejected from any MC meet ups and is considered a pest in the eyes of some of second life’s largest MC’s. Even a personal story to end on, as an SL musician, some of my furry fans have been not allowed to come to certain venues to hear me play.

I hope this article brings awareness that not only agism, sexism and racism exist in second life in places like “The Boardroom” where if you are black you will be called the N word 100 times in the space of 20 mins or whether because you’re a trans woman you will be told you look manly and laughed at many public places around second life, Discrimination exists in Second Life and no more than that of the Furry Community.

I want to give a shout out to a lovely creature by the name of Keith who was warm, genuine, and welcoming to a human on the search for answers. Change comes when those with passion can no longer hold their tongue my friend 😊

I want to leave you with this closing remark from the wonderful Raven, it grants us a glimmer of hope and reminds us the light is always stronger than the dark. 

Raven Corvinus: “As someone who has operated a furry sim since 2016 it is my opinion that the harassment and gatekeeping has gotten better since then. I cannot remember the last time I had a hate group show up (yes there are hate groups still active on SL but that is expected. It’s the internet after all) However the furry community remains hurt over the earlier years and get fearful when a person that is not a part of the community shows up to furry sims. Even if they mean well and have done nothing, almost everyone has a freeze response and gets quiet. Work is needed on both sides to come together and not discriminate against one another. I don’t think there is a long-term solution. Some folks just have a lot of hate in their heart and don’t care to hurt others. It’s those that give majority a bad name. For all my time in SL, I have more memories of fun and feeling safe than I have feeling unwelcome and actively hated. I feel like if we focus on what is good it easily trumps the bad. It’s my belief that if you feel you don’t belong somewhere, then make a place where you do~ Much love to you all.

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Dolla Dolla Bills Ya’ll – Samuel Roberts Reporting

Money makes the world go around, right? Apparently, this is not only true for the world we live in outside of Second Life but also the Grid world we all know and love. It seems Second Life is far more than just a video game but its own country with a GDP larger than some countries. Yes, that’s right, with a GDP of over 600 million USD Second life could literally be listed as a country in the range and scope of its free market power. 

The question this reporter set out to answer was “Can you Make a decent Real-World Wage in second life?” I went out and polled the citizens of Second life with this very question on my mind and before I asked, while I was asking and after I Had asked the answer was unequivocally the same, a resounding yes, I spoke to Coders, Scripters, Graphic Designers, Musicians, Artists, Painters, Visionaries, Sim Builders, Breeders, Escorts, Real Estate Agents, and Event Managers. 

The question was so undeniably answered with a “yes” that the question itself began to demand an upgrade. It was Organically morphed into the natural follow up question of “What’s the most and least Lucrative?” This is where the answers became subjective, some people claiming that escorting was by far the most guaranteed long term while others stating that real estate has given rise the grids first real-world millionaires. Close look at the facts reveals that while real estate is the most lucrative on paper it’s also one of the hardest to gain a footing due to the monopoly on the market held by older names that are quite frankly giants in their industry whereas escorting guarantees an average of 20k-100k per day depending on hours per day, that’s up to 400$ USD per day. But others I spoke to claimed that the escorting market was flooded with more workers that clients due to its easy access and lucrative nature. Musicians come in as the idle of the road, descent wage earners with anywhere from 4k to 40k per day depending on your popularity, even your intrepid reporter here himself sits in that category. Sadly, the answers I got for the least Lucrative was overwhelmingly photographers, those that take your pictures and photo shop the magic in to give you that professional look, on average a photography shoot commission is around 5k however rarely do you find a photographer with back logged work, most have it as an uncommon thing except for a few exceptions.

My Verdict: the verdict simply is Second Life is the best kept side hustle secret on the planet, with a few career paths that can be utilized as a main income source, in short, do not underestimate the power of getting involved in the free market of Second Life,  if could turn your income stream in the real world from your 40k USD per year to a healthy 60k per year if utilized correctly and a last thought from your Australian reporter. “None of this is possible with the consumer, is the every man buying shoes, commissioning a portrait, booking a band, renting land, tipping a stripper or buying a rare breed able cat.

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Has Online Dating Ruined that Old-School Romance?? Samuel Roberts Reporting.

 

Poll on members of SL on the question “Has Online Dating Ruined that Old-School Romance?”

 

It’s a brave new world kids and this is not your grandad’s dating scene, unless your grandad is on tinder in which case good for him. Lol. Look, the truth is it’s a strange new world where the idea of approaching a stranger and getting to know them over time, flirting, building a repour before approaching the father for permission to take things further are all but extinct. Now its like a face you think is hot, if they like your face back then it’s a short questionnaire. ASL?? Age – Sex – Location, how old are you, what’s your gender identity and where are you?? That’s all I need to know and if your answers vibe with my answers then BAM we can meet up and no. you can’t meet my father. Is this what dating has become? Is this really how it is these days? Is it really that cold and lifeless?

 

Turns out no. I hit the grid this week and polled some random passersby about the question on my mind, has online dating in fact ruined what use to be romance? The answers I received were not what you would expect, there seems to be an atmosphere of on the one hand yes something feels like its lost but also, it’s been expanded. Made easier to cut through the red tape and find something special you would never have had the chance to given that you were only exposed to a small surrounding community of offline in person community group.

 

So, I asked around, and these are the answers I got, when asked this very question one woman said.

 “Yes, it has lost honesty, when people are not honest in what they are really searching for, its easy to pretend when no one is looking right at you that you are a genuine guy, so as a woman you get fooled in online dating, lost of players lying to get a few good pics while pretending they want more”.

 

another woman’s reply was.

“I don't think it has ruined it, not even close, I met my husband in RL on an online dating app and 7 years later we are still together and loved up more than ever. In fact, I would have never met the man of my dreams if it wasn’t for online dating”.

 

both these answers seem to contradict but I do not think so, I think they are both correct, they both make valid points. On the one hand anonymity is a good thing to hide behind for the player out there but if you’re in a town of 300 ppl then meeting a few players online before you eventually meet that guy you end up marrying for 7 years is maybe worth it considering without your only option is the abysmal small-town folk currently in your vicinity.

 

One man’s response to this question was.

“Believe it has destroyed old fashioned romance unfortunately, now girls think it’s weird when I try to meet them organically when I’m out and about, its like if I haven’t swiped and said they’re hot on an app first it is considered weird to even talk to them”.

 

and another reply I received was.

“Yes, the days of grabbing a woman by the hair and dragging her back to the cave are unfortunately long gone.   This seems to be the future...but is it more reliable? I think not.”

 

A hint of jest and sarcasm in the latter reply but I think the gentlemen’s point rings true in the sense that it is neither more nor less reliable. which I think is the point I’m walking away with so far, online dating isn’t a new kind of dating, it isn’t some kind of evolution of dating, its just a different forum, it has its pros and cons but threonyl thing that has really changed is the way in which we initiate contact, its still up to our own charm, personality and charisma to finish the job.

 

I especially love one woman’s response when she said.

"Hm, that is a very open-ended question. I would say yes and no. There are good and bad aspect when it comes to dating in general. Personally, I don't really care much for dating in either world because I am extremely anti-social so talking to people in general is hard. As for dating a whole, it is a lot of work, taking care of yourself for some people is hard enough. Adding in another person is just overkill. Especially when most people want some type of fairytale romance, which in a game is easy to give someone. So no, I don't think that online dating is what ruins dating for people, it's people who ruin it.”

 

Or one woman’s response which I found enlightening when she said.

“ personally i think it helps to an extent, getting rid of some awkward conversation if you are not interested there’s no *trying to find a way to sneak out or get called away* but it also makes it easier for predators to get to know their prey before they can be identified so it’s just as scary and in my opinion needs to stay verbally cautioned. that way people aren’t letting their guard down too soon because it is more comfortable to be behind a screen at first.”.

 

In closing Online dating is Bad for those with bad experiences and good for those with good experiences, all in all its just another brick in the walls don’t hate the game. hate the player, guns don’t kill ppl, ppl kill ppl, if you’re not catching my drift il spell it out… its not ONLINEDATING that affects or changes anything… humans will do what humans do…online dating seems to be just a forum we use. But what do I know? Right? What do YOU think?

 

To Jump In the Pool:

 

Love Actually Dating Agency: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gold%20Hollow/75/74/30

 

Lonely Hearts Dating Agency:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Morenci/32/36/3501

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The Magic of Mavenn - Samuel Roberts Reporting

         There’s something in a person’s voice that catches you, there are people that can sing sure but every now and then you hear a voice that almost physically grabs your attention. For me it was Mavenns voice when I was lucky enough to catch a 4am show at Cafe Musique. She has a haunting rasp and yet a gentleness to the way her tone rings out across the airwaves, and I know we are all dancing at these shows we go to but Mavenns voice has me dancing in my chair not just in avatar form. There’s a magic to the notes she hits.

         I think sometimes in second life we forget how blessed we are to have such amazing talent on our grids, I for one have taken it for granted, surrounded by amazing, gifted people, one of which was this amazing woman who sang like a Goddess and it turns out this isn’t an opinion held by me alone because the crowds gathered for this event were a testament to her reach and impact which was not surprising. I caught up with Mavenn after the show to ask her a bit about her journey, check it out.

 

      Samuel: Hi Maven, quick question to begin with, how long have you been doing this in SL, this music thing.

 

Mavenn: 11 years tbh, it's been a bit of journey but I wouldn’t change it for a thing, it's been amazing and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon lol

 

      Samuel: Wow, that’s commitment, what keeps you going, what motivates you I guess to not just stop sometimes or move on?

 

Mavenn: Oh I love this, everything about it, every aspect. I Mean it’s not something you can explain, you have to be in the culture to understand what I mean.

 

      Samuel: So, this is kind of not a job you do, its more of a life you live?

 

Mavenn: Absolutely. Music has always filled my soul with magic. I have come to realize that I have the ability to experience that with others too. That's real connection.

 

      Samuel: One more question for you Mavenn before we go, who are your top 3 collab pics of all time.

 

Mavenn: Eric Gales, Joe Bonamasa, Christone Ingram

 

      Samuel: Wonderful speaking with you, see you up there Mavenn.

 

         In short, Mavenn is a goddess, her music, vibe, and overall presentation is legit and I’m ALL IN, joined the group, subscribe to the scribo, and WILL be back.

Additional Information: 

SLURL: Cafe Musique: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sandness/73/212/21

Group: Mavenns Group URI: secondlife:///app/group/9a07db0b-c458-66ea-9e99-84965f88e837/about

Preferred contact: To Book Mavenn IM her InWorld Using Mavenn

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The Bubbles We Build - Samuel Roberts Reporting

It is said that the enemy of progress is comfort. I believe PT Barnhum said that. Technically he said “Comfort is the enemy of progress” but it's my article and I’ll word things how I want. All jest aside, we as human beings have this uncanny ability to build for ourselves an echo chamber of like-minded thinkers with similar environments, this however does not mean people that agree but rather people who think along the same genres you could say, people that enjoy politics…. Know lots of people who disagree with them in regards to politics, even though someone who doesn't care for politics knows neither crowd and isn't interested in knowing them. Sports fans know other Sports fans, and Sci-Fi Lovers know other Sci-Fi Lovers. etc.

These “worlds'' virtual you could say… or at least social, are all around us, these “Bubbles”, going back to the old phrase, “you can't see the forest from the trees”. There is a lack of awareness of the other bubbles around us, for example; to one person SL is one thing.. And to another person, it's something else.. To some it's SL: the drama simulator, to others it's SL: the online Barbie Game and to another SL: the explorer and create, Minecraft for adults. For me it's SL: The Music business simulator, that's my bubble. I've been an SL musician for years, but that's not relevant because it has nothing to do with the article and I make terrible music. The point is… these bubbles, these ideas.. They ARE subjective… in nature.. SL isn't one thing.. It's the bubble you see, nothing more, it is multi-faceted beyond comprehension. SL is almost a billion-dollar real-world economy based around virtual clothing and real estate. It's also this cool game where you troll people as a half-naked lizard waifu. It's both.. and neither… 

BUT what if.. What if I traveled inter-dimensionally between the multiverse from one bubble to another.. What if instead of attending a venue.. I went exploring. What if the explorers station themselves at a known troll location and heckled strangers for the “lulls” what if the Real Estate Mogul attended a few live shows, found a singer they loved, and became a fan? What If I stepped outside of my bubble into something I’ve never done or been involved in, that would be quite the adventure.

Heading back to our original thought, Comfort… this thing that says to us “This is fine, I'm good here” is the thing that halts our progress, there are experiences, there are feelings, thoughts, truths I haven't learned because I'm comfortable here in my SL bubble, I log on every day, I go to my live venues I hear my friends sing, I sing, I talk to fans, then I log off, how small is my bubble… how limiting are these restrictions I place on myself, SL IS only what I can envision it being, it's comfortable to do what I enjoy over and over.. But perhaps there is something else, something just beyond the horizon that will give me more joy than I anticipated waiting only for my own courage, not to try new things, but the courage to be uncomfortable. 

Well. This week I did just that, your fearless courageous intrepid reporter here took himself outside of his bubble and I did some things I'd never done before. I went exploring.. But not just randomly sim hoping, I assigned myself a purpose, gave myself a mission if you will, I explored the history of this virtual verse we inhabit, I went to Sansara, more accurately Da Boom, SL’s oldest region and sim, I went to the mainland, explored some key iconic sites but not just looked, I didn't just travel and stare like some kind of peeping tom gawking my eye spheres on all the wonders oh no no no. I read while I traveled, I read the wiki, I read blogs about the legends and myths surrounding some of these places, I felt like I was hearing ghost stories, and my mind was never quite sure if what I was hearing was true or not, my mind began to wander about where certain people were now, I had a 1000 questions to ask the right person if I bumped into them, my quest for knowledge left me with questions I didn't know existed. My mind felt stretched, and my comfort at first had dwindled but what I gained was much much better, I was pulled from my same ole same day to day routine and thrown into an adventure, an actual adventure, like something from a story, I was the main character in an episodic tale and I felt alive. 

Bubbles.. They have their purpose, and they are comfortable.. But I'm beginning to think we owe it to ourselves to poke a little tentative finger outside our bubble and begin to touch what could be. So my question to the reader is what now? And I will leave you with the immortal words of Helen Keller “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Additional Information: 

Da Boom SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Da%20Boom/128/128/2/

More Information about Second Life's Historic “Oldest Sim”

https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Da_Boom#:~:text=Da%20Boom%20is%20the%20oldest,importance%20in%20any%20grid%20map. 

https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Sansara 

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