Romantic Rendezvous?
by Pixeleen Mistral on 11/05/07 at 12:49 am
Call me a pervert but I think sex is normal
by aurel Miles
We walked together, hand in hand and then hip to hip. We sat on the ground and talked, she put her head in my lap and I stroked her hair. We swam the deepest ocean – we flew.
And then I had to ask: “are you planning to make a mature version of this product?”
Talk about spoiling the moment.
JenZza Misfit recently spent an hour with me demonstrating the Rendezvous Couples Animator recently developed by Val Valcirca. She thinks the product will change Second Life but is adamant about one thing – this is a sweet and romantic product. Friends can use it. You can use it alone as a portable seat. With this product, you need never worry about getting lost again. Using a Rendezvous means you can be clamped into couple-mode on a semi-permanent basis. And nothing but a Sim border or a bug will separate you but there will be no sex.
Rendezvous feels like a car crossed with a sex-gen bed. The poses are very sophisticated and according to the marketer all either cute “CUTE!!!” or sweet, “SO SWEET” (stop yelling lady, I’m buckled to your hip, remember?).
To be fair, everyone who sees it is immediately charmed. I was no exception. It’s nice to be able to recline and look into the face of the person beside you. It’s even nicer to be able to have a conversation as you walk, perfect for art galleries and for new fliers or swimmers who have a tendency to get lost. But at $3000 a pop I’ll learn to be a better swimmer on my own. If you are partnered with someone having one to share is probably worth the expense. The Rendezvous expands your seating options tenfold but then again, since feet don’t get tired in Second Life, sitting doesn’t seem quite so important.
Then there is the actual content; the Rendezvous’ biggest weakness could have been its biggest strength.
Rendezvous is the fundamentalist chaperone you never had. Get your hand away from that breast, Mister pointy-pants; this is a Rendezvous, not a date. Keep your smutty little mind in your inventory. As JenZza Misfit says, “We are strictly PG.” I haven’t heard anything this repressed since recently-outed, homosexual homophobe Ted Haggard’s last sermon. 
Call me a pervert but I think sex is normal. It only takes a glance at the popular places page on your search function to realize, people in SL do not leave their libidos at the firewall. And the last time I checked, romance and sex are fairly closely linked. If you can separate the two, that’s ok I guess. Personally, I think separating sex from the rest of human life has caused more harm than good – but that’s a big story, best saved for its own discussion. At the very least, since humanity relies on sex to continue our existence on earth, maybe we should be a little more open to admitting it’s there.
Of course, nobody should be forcing people into sex but pretending it isn’t there only makes it more present. Rendezvous has a peculiarly sexual quality to it simply because you can’t do anything with it (why do you think Haggard found bath-house sex so irresistible to begin with?)
Rendezvous is like a Manga drawn by the people who think Bert is shagging Ernie in their little Muppet bunkroom after the lights are out and we’ve all gone home. You know those people, the same ones who won’t let Tinkie Winkie alone until he puts the purse down – the ones who find Sponge-Bob sexually threatening. If it isn’t outsold by its first mature competitor that means you can start looking for whatever the next virtual reality/Second Life might be because the thousands of people in the various sex rooms around Flatland have packed their sex balls and found a new home.
The marketers are well within their rights to keep Rendezvous PG. As one sex animation scripter told me, “with the new identification requirements coming up, it’s probably a good idea to have a product that is sex-free.” And then there is the kid-grid. Rendezvous could sell like hotcakes to the underage crowd. (who ae much more tech-saavy than most adults and who will probably be the first to tweak it into something more R rated, but never mind) There are a lot of good reasons to have a PG version of this product. Being anti-sex, which is the only reason the marketer gave me, is not a good reason.
Apparently the product is selling well. The people I spoke to who already own it are happy with their purchase, if somewhat frustrated by its instability. They were also hard to find. Even on Muse, where Rendezvous is sold, I couldn’t find anyone but the owner using it.
Rendezvous is sometimes like having bugs in your pants (and not in a good way.) It is only functional in areas where building is allowed. If you’re using it for a mood-builder, take my advice and stay on the ground. The image of JenZza’s lipstick smearing across her jawline, skin stretching as her head took on a G-force shape during a basic flight was as creepy as a 1940’s horror movie (“Whatever Happened to Baby Jane”? I’ll tell you what happened to Baby Jane; she’s flying in tandem over Second Life, don’t look up.)
Prokofy Neva
May 11th, 2007
I disagree. There are enough products out there that can provide couples or other configurations all kinds of ways to fuck a hundred ways from Sunday, that to have one PG type device that enables you to feel as if you are really with someone and talking to them and flying with them etc. is a nice counterpoint.
I think you just need to do more shopping and find what is out there for the mature purposes you seek.
I’ve always found it sad that Second Life, unlike the Sims Online, has no way to shake hands or pat someone on the back or shoulder — at least no easily accessible. Instead, it has every other conceivable way of posing, demeaning, and dehumanizing another human being.
Pardon?
May 11th, 2007
I actually totally agree with you on this one Prok.
Neko Longduk
May 11th, 2007
I agree with Prok as well. I think this is a great idea.
I’m cool with people doing the things they want to do in SL, and happy they have the option, but it’s also nice to see things like this that bring a level of complexity to the expression of relationships in-world.
Whether it’s a romantic hand-in-hand walk down the beach or a handshake at a business meeting, a virtual world does not feel wholly like a world when it’s easier to boink someone than to hug them.
SunShine Kukulcan
May 11th, 2007
Prok:
Figures you think sex is demeaning and dehumanizing, especially if its anything other than missionary position.
*gags at that mental picture*
SunShine
Jennifer McLuhan
May 11th, 2007
Sunshine, when I read Prok’s post I didn’t think he was necessarily referring to sex. There are many ways that a person can feel demeaned and dehumanized.
Locking a person into a chair for hours on end for a few Lindens is rather dehumanizing in my mind. It neither contributes to the betterment, education, or joy of the person in SL. It forces new people who may not have credit cards or other ways of obtaining Lindens to spend a large part of their SL time locked in a chair. For what purpose? So the land owner can pretend he has more business. You or someone else may not agree with me here, that is fine. I am only pointing out one area other than sex that could be considered demeaning.
There is a large range between anything goes and being a prude. Anytime someone is pushed into doing something that makes them feel bad or less than human, they are being dehumanized. The pushing doesn’t have to be forcing either. Peer pressure, love for someone else are two ways in which we do things we rather not do.
Your last line about visualizing Prok having sex had nothing to do with the points Prok made, it was an unfair statement of your feelings toward Pork.
And no, I am not a friend of Prok defending him. In fact, Prok thinks about as much of me as you think of him. I just thought your post was a bit unfair and inaccurate.
Sunshine Kukulcan
May 11th, 2007
@Jennifer….
Pork??? XD! And its a she..not a he.
Nicholaz Beresford
May 11th, 2007
I also agree with Prok, in that there’s a clear lack of affectionate human expression on SL so far. Yes, there’s the hug and kiss animations, but shaking hand, patting someone on the back, taking someone in the arm for a moment … yes, there is an imbalance there. Although I also agree with Aurel … if this product is well made and you buy and use it, it would be nice to extend it into the realms sexual expression also.
And the way I know him (and sort of interpolating this his past postings), he’s not referring to regular sex balls but to the tons of stuff you’ll find on BDSM stores and sims (not to mention Gor style).
shockwave yareach
May 11th, 2007
I’m with Prok on this one. There is nothing wrong with animations that are romantic and acceptable for use in public. There are already plenty of Mature animations out there, but not many that one can use in the town square or a mall. I’m glad to see someone make one that’s PG or PG13 for a change. Not sure where to get it, but I want one. Maybe I’ll even convince one of the girls on the island to use it with me
marilyn murphy
May 11th, 2007
i also agree with prok here. i am getting me one of these.
shockwave yareach
May 11th, 2007
Oh. And it’s refreshing to see Prok approve of something a tekkie did for once, too.
TJ Ay
May 11th, 2007
Ohh, about poses, padding some one on the back.
Have a look a “DIDI WUNDERLE”, he has a shop at the “Salsa en Cielo” on the SIM “Kreiss”. He created all kinds of gestures and poses, just doing that. Check it out, you might like it.
TJ Ay
Nicholaz Beresford
May 11th, 2007
Thanks TJ Ay, I’ll sure check these!
Hazim Gazov
May 11th, 2007
I agree with Prok as well, but I’m still Plastic Duck.
Btw, that’s not an internet, it’s an IP address.
Artemis Fate
May 11th, 2007
I have to agree with Prok too.
If you want something mature, god knows there’s 10 billion products out there for it, leave the one cutesy lovey-dovey product maker alone.
Tavasha Martynov
May 11th, 2007
I agree with both sides on this, I agree the need for quality PG animations is definitely there, but I think a lot of the opposing views would come from well, if this product can make PG content this good(sweet, cute, etc), I’d love to see what they can do in the sex department, because, as Prok said, there are a ton of sex positions, but imho few REALLY affectionate ones(unless I’m missing out, someone shoot me a LM/SLURL!!
, which is why I think poses like Lovescene are so popular.
Is having a PG only product a bad idea? Not at all. Is not having an R rated version that sells for more due to the added anims a bad idea? Couldn’t tell ya, but I think so. It’d be nice to see more lovemaking and less robotic porno style action.
Tavasha Martynov
May 11th, 2007
That last part should read DON’T think so ^_^ oopsie!
Morgana Fillion
May 11th, 2007
Not directly on topic, but you can buy a Handshake attachment from Motion Merchants. It works similar to the myriad hug attachments available which means it’s not perfect. (Lining up the avatars is tricky) But it is there. They also have handholding poseballs that do what this thing apparently does, though on a much more limited scale.
And I agree with Prok as well – nonsexual touch is an important thing. It’s not that sex is bad, it’s that it isn’t everything. But I am not following… why couldn’t this thing be used in conjunction with more sexual encounters? At the right time, disattach and go onto any of five million methods available for becomng sexual? This looks like a good add on to the other, more adult oriented methods of getting physically close in SL.
Plus… the ability to stay together in spite of lag? Sounds like solid gold to me.
HoJo Kilda
May 11th, 2007
I’m as deviant as a tricked out cyber ho’ can be, but I LOVE the sound of this. I’m all for anything that more deeply adds to a richer, more immersive SL experience.
Honey Klumgrass
May 11th, 2007
Gives Prok a handshake and a pat on the back too. Soon as i get out of work, I’m heading over to get me and my partner one. I hope it works better than the last couples walk that wouldn’t work on uneven terrain or stairs.
Also going to check out the recommendation by TJ Ay – I have a handshake animator, but a pat on the back one would be nice too.
Moody Loner (MoodyLoner Korobase)
May 11th, 2007
Yeah, I’d kinda like some method of interacting my avatar with someone else’s that falls between “standing around uncomfortably” and “jungle-fucking”.
Just like I’d like erogenous zones that weren’t mapped by a guy who hasn’t dated since high school.
Find me something like this, that I can set for sex if I want and not have to fart around with pose balls (Nothing ruins the mood for me quicker – especially when the roles don’t come out right), and I’ll spend my stripping money on it
I am well aware, by the way, that most of my difficulties in this are due to my n00bism.
Jennifer McLuhan
May 11th, 2007
** turns red with embarrassment over saying Pork rather than Prok.**
Sunshine, maybe I was saying someone about my own feelings toward Prok.
I realized that I was writing it wrong and thought I had gone back and corrected each one. Obviously I missed one. Prok, there was no intention of insulting you. I apologize, if I did.
As for he vs she, I am well aware of Prok’s typist’s gender. I was told in very undiplomatic terms by none other than she when I had asked the wrong question. However, this is Second Life. I know several people who use avatars of a gender different than their own. I have made a decision to respect their choice of gender within SL. With some exceptions in intimate details, I will treat them as the gender they use. So it is with Prok. Prok’s avatar is male, so I will refer to Prok as a male. It is only fair.
Jen
Prokofy Neva
May 11th, 2007
>Figures you think sex is demeaning and dehumanizing, especially if its anything other than missionary position.
Typical BDSM position, to accuse someone who criticises this philosophy as repressed blah blah blah. Sex isn’t demeaning, don’t be silly, and there are a million positions. But dengrating another human being, using violence and coercion, and other forms of sadism on them, is not something I find intellectually or morally indefensible — nor do I have to accept it, because it’s (still) a free world.
Prokofy Neva
May 11th, 2007
This article is an article about a vendor who for the first time, made something for FRIENDS in SL that is PG, and not something related to the all-consuming, all-pervasive and often extreme and offensive sexual world of SL.
It’s not an article about my RL or SL gender, and my comments aren’t about my RL or SL gender.
It’s not an article about BDSM nor are my comments merely about BDSM, although mainly about BDSM — they are about the simple, ordinary, human fact, that in Second Life, there are 101 ways to truss up, demean, humiliate, cage, degrade, whip, harm, hurt, execute, kill, behead, and every other conceivable offensive act, but there isn’t a simple way to shake hands, to pat someone on the shoulder, to comfort them, to give them a high 5, to do all those normal interactive human gestures that the Sims Online had.
One of the reasons the Sims Online was a better place spiritually, and the people were nicer to each other, even with its 2-d limitations and lack of custom content, is that from one day, you could shake hands, dance, high-5, pat on the shoulder, etc other human beings and wish them well.
A world that bases itself on BDSM is not civilization, and I refuse to accept it as such. My God, aren’t there millions of enough BDSM outfits and furniture and props as well as every other kind of sexual fetish that we have to beg somebody who made a simple PG device that they have to churn out the mature version too?
I think this author was merely trying to gain points with a roiling public she imagines is pissed at age verification, and hoping to get street cred defiantly asking for the mature version of something to flaunt it.
Frankly, if age verification reduced some of the extremist behaviour in SL, and forced people to balance again with innovation in another direction like this Rendezous thing, it would not be the worst thing, believe me.
Reality
May 11th, 2007
Jen – this is a third party web page that exists outside of Second Life. Nothing posted here or in the comments section is posted by the avatar unless the context expressly shows that it is from the Avatar’s perspective.
In short – unless within Second Life itself, the gender of a person’s avatar means nothing.
Moody Loner (MoodyLoner Korobase)
May 12th, 2007
I have to wonder what SL y’all are going to – ’cause that sure doesn’t sound like my experience.
Then again, I’ve only been there a month – and I have run into a few assholes – but generally I’ve met good people.
Even the scary Gorean first kajira turned out to be nice. And didn’t force-collar me. Or call someone to.
Also I don’t go out looking for assholes, that’s a good way to find them.
I’d just like to keep all my options open without loading half a dozen HUDs
mootykips
May 12th, 2007
“A world that bases itself on BDSM is not civilization, and I refuse to accept it as such. My God, aren’t there millions of enough BDSM outfits and furniture and props as well as every other kind of sexual fetish that we have to beg somebody who made a simple PG device that they have to churn out the mature version too?”
Surprise, Prokofy, you just understood what SL is all about!
Jennifer McLuhan
May 12th, 2007
“Jen – this is a third party web page that exists outside of Second Life. Nothing posted here or in the comments section is posted by the avatar unless the context expressly shows that it is from the Avatar’s perspective.
In short – unless within Second Life itself, the gender of a person’s avatar means nothing.”
That is an interesting idea and, something I had never considered. While this is a third party web site, I must disagree with you that it is not connected to SL therefore; the singling out of Prokfy’s gender is acceptable.
This site may not be SL, however, if it wasn’t for SL it would not exist. Prokfy uses the same name here as in SL.
Lastly, Prokfy has on numerous occasions demanded that we leave his typist’s gender out. I believe that as a matter of fairness we should. Even though, I will admit, Prokfy seldom respects anyone else who may fall within his circle of alleged enemies, it is still unfair to single out Prokfy.
Insisting on calling Prok a she is like teasing a chained dog. It is wrong in itself. It doesn’t contribute to dialog and conversation. It only causes more anger and resentment.
Jen
Artemis Fate
May 12th, 2007
“Insisting on calling Prok a she is like teasing a chained dog. It is wrong in itself. It doesn’t contribute to dialog and conversation. It only causes more anger and resentment.”
I tend to agree, even though Prok is consistently a dick to me, I try to respect his choice by calling him by male pronouns.
Reality
May 12th, 2007
Jen, the existence of this site before or because of Second Life is rather academic – plenty of sites spring up after a program or other such thing (I should know Jen, I’ve run forums and the like before) and really, the only link between the two is quite often, the users.
That said, there is usually an understanding with such places: Whoever you are in the program or game is left at the bounds of said program or game. even if you are running Second Life itself when you come here – your avatar is left at the edge of Second Life’s window the moment you switch here.
The exceptions are – in the case of this ‘newspaper’ – the articles written directly from the Avatar’s point of view. all other entries are from the point of view of the user and should be treated as such, this means that the comments posted are not being made by the Avatar.
Adding to this is the notion that a user should be cast aside in favor of the Avatar. Preference aside it is quite wrong to do so as it gives the user a free pass to act as they please. I personally could not care less about whom the user in question is – it is something which should be done across the board (for the purposes of disclosure, I am a male) with no exceptions made for anyone.
Now then, with all of the above said it is time to move on to the latter section of your response Jen. No matter who it is, demands that a user’s gender should be left out when comments or other entries are made – especially ones that are not coming from the point of view of the Avatar – should be treated as an attempt to hide from responsibility and ignored at once.
There are many reasons for ‘anger and resentment’ when a person is not allowed to hide behind their Avatar, the biggest of these however is the simple fact that the Avatar allows them to do things which they themselves would normally be held accountable for were they to do them in plain view of others.
As mean spirited as this sounds, such people should get over their desire to hide behind their Avatar and own up to the fact that the words being typed come from them, not some computer construct.
It is only here, in this closing section that I will mention Prokofy. It does not matter what name she uses outside of Second Life, the words she types come from her and not from her avatar – the same as any other user when they submit material to a third party site, exceptions noted in the above text. You may not hold the same opinion or view that I do Jen, it truly does not matter much to me. I thought I would present this to you as an explanation as to why some of the more reasoned (which you seem to be) sorts simply ignore Prokofy when she rants and raves about not using her Avatar’s gender.
I personally do not give free passes to anyone …. I will not start to do so now either.
HolliVals Allen
May 13th, 2007
“And the last time I checked, romance and sex are fairly closely linked.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is no sex in SL. Just 2 or more computer graphics going back and forth like robots combined with as deep emotionally typing as “yes baby I’m cummin….” If SL ever becomes truly sexy I’d rather depart from humanity and fall in love with the potate peel I threw in the garbage bin last week.
HoJo Kilda
May 13th, 2007
Funny Moody, I’ve been in SL for about 7 months now and I think the same thing. Who are all these evil people that are out to get us? I dunno. Mind you I’m not into Gor, but I know plenty who are and noone’s ever tried to force me to do anything against my will. *shrugs*
What’s your deal with all the vitriol against people into BDSM anyway Prok? I only know you from what I’ve been reading here the past few months, but I’m just curious. I don’t know why you can’t understand that there are many shades and colors to the spectrum human intimacy. If people want to express their affection (or work out their neurosis if that’s the case) in a safe and consensual way, who cares what gets them off? By the way, just for some background. I’m a person who is into BDSM in RL and I’m in loving, long term relationship. I’m also an owner at a pretty successful BDSM club in SL. In both RL and SL I do a lot of things that a lot of people would say are pretty extreme, but only with other consenting adults. I don’t try to get people to enjoy what I’m into or even understand it. Why should I? Eroticism comes in many different flavors and none are more valid then any others so long as it’s done responsibly. So who am I hurting?
Really. I’m just curious. What’s up with that?
oh please
May 13th, 2007
Reality:
Oh jesus, you could have just saved yourself a lot of typing and been much more honest and said “I know prokofy doesn’t like it, so I’m exercising my right to be an asshole and doing it.” Don’t preach some bullshit theory about a website dedicated to SL, which is arguably an extension of that game which is, matter of factly, a place for people to live out their fantasies, to be somewhere that everyone must be somehow stripped of the anonymity that the game provides is really just a load of horse shit. I don’t see you putting your RL name, gender, race, etc., or shit, even your SL name on your comments. How are WE to hold YOU accountable for the bullshit you spout here? Or is that only applicable to peope you don’t like?
Just because someone outed another person’s RL gender/info you feel like you get to use it as a means to constantly needle them, good for you. Do that all you want, but don’t hide behind some bullshit code of honor that is supposedly based on right and wrong, like you accuse people of hiding behind an avi. God damn, go fuck yourself.
Prokofy Neva
May 13th, 2007
>Why should I? Eroticism comes in many different flavors and none are more valid then any others so long as it’s done responsibly. So who am I hurting?
Um, yourself, and the person you inflict pain on, duh. Er, this is like…rocket science? My views on BDSM are well known. Google them, look in the back pages of the Herald, I won’t be repeating myselfI believe it is not intellectually, morally, or legally defensible. Coercion and violence and coercion and violence, end of story. The most coercive thing about BDSM is the way in which it tries to force liberals, under the guise of “lifestyle choice,” not merely to tolerate BDSM, but to cease their critique of it, as indefensible for civilization.
Jennifer McLuhan
May 13th, 2007
Thank you Reality for your detailed expression of your views. Thank you even more for the cordial and courteous manner in which you expressed your thoughts, while trying to explain them to me. It was a pleasant change to be told that I was wrong without the use of profanity, demeaning terms or expressions of how I should attempt to procreate with myself. It is nice to be able to discuss differences of opinions with out resorting to the lazy use of foul-mouth, in you face language that says more about the character and thinness of the writer than win arguments.
Nevertheless, I still think it is wrong to use the outed gender or real name of another as a weapon in an argument merely because you consider the other person to be obnoxious . This is especially so, when the user of this information does not wish to have their RL identity exposed.
I fail to see how addressing a male avatar as a male, or a female one as female gives a pass for anything the person writes. As other’s have said in other threads, the real person behind the avatar will come out. My avatar is nothing more than a slightly skinner and prettier version of me. She is still me. If you were to meet the SL and RL Jennifers, you would see that they are basically the same. I bet it is the same with better than 90% of us.
If I write something totally stupid and absurd most people will treat me as stupid and absurd. If I am an angry mal-content who thinks the world owes me, you will treat me as such. It matters not if I am female, male or an undisclosed “it.”
I would like somebody explain to me what useful purpose it serves to continually rub Prokfy’s typist’s RL gender in her face. Sunshine made a point to correct me earlier in this thread when I use the masculine gender. I do not wish to single Sunshine out, she is only one of many who take the time and effort to single this one person out. Why?
Does is bolster the writer’s argument against Prokfy? I doubt it. My feelings are, as one who has felt Prok’s poisoned pen’s sting, that because of Prok’s unique logic, we sometimes feel it is the only way in which we can strike back with some effectiveness. We all know how much the person behind the avatar hates it, so we do it out of spite. I still say it is wrong. If we become like Prokfy in order to fight Prokfy, we lose more than the argument.
I apologize to anyone who considers this post off topic. I will restate my original support for the basic argument Prokfy made in the beginning. I do not hug every man in RL, nor do I want to hug every one in SL. Sometimes a simple handshake is appropriate for the occasion.
I also feel the difference between something being good or bad is often a matter of degree. I love ice cream. A little is wonderful. Too much and I will hate myself the next day. Sex can be the same. To much can be bad.
I feel that sex is meant to be enjoyed. It should also bring the two people closer and be life building in the sense that you feel better as a person afterward. I can’t speak with any knowledge about over doing or bad sex in SL however, I know from experience that sex isn’t always life building in RL. Anything abused is bad.
Jen
Satin Slade
May 13th, 2007
Wow…I find it extremely interesting why someone would be so bent on demeaning a product and fellow citizen of Second Life simply for not including sexual acts in their product. Not everyone is in the mood to have sex or wants it for that matter. Even if sex was on someone’s mind, wouldn’t this be a great way to warm up to your partner prior to having sex? Call me a romantic, but I like a little tenderness with my partner.
I have also tried and purchased the Rendezvous and I believe it’s an excellent product for S.L. and for those of us that simply want to spend quality time together. (Btw, what’s so wrong with being enthusiastic over a great idea or product)
As for the price, all you have to do is some shopping and a little math with individual animations, poses, and scripts to see that it’s at a fair market cost. While, yes I do host the product and no not for direct financial benefit, I suggest that people should at least try the free demo for themselves before falling victim to negative reviews. You never know what you might be missing.
Jack L.
May 14th, 2007
“Call me a pervert but I think sex is normal. It only takes a glance at the popular places page on your search function to realize, people in SL do not leave their libidos at the firewall. And the last time I checked, romance and sex are fairly closely linked. If you can separate the two, that’s ok I guess. Personally, I think separating sex from the rest of human life has caused more harm than good”
You can get a large audience together for a strip-tease act — that is, to watch a girl undress on the state. Now suppose you came to a country where you could fill a theater by simply bringing a covered plate on to the stage and then slowly lifting the cover as to let everyone see, just before the lights went out, that it contained a mutton chop or a bit of bacon, would you not think that in that country something had gone wrong with the appetite for food? And would not anyone who had grown up in a different world think there was something equally queer about the state of the sex instinct among us? . . .
You find very few people who want to eat things that are not really food or do other things with food instead of eating it. In other words, perversions of the food appetite are rare. But perversions of the sex instinct are numerous, hard to cure, and frightful . . . for the last twenty years we have been fed all day long on good solid lies about sex. We have been told, till one is sick of hearing it, that sexual desire is in the same state as any of our other natural desires and that only if we abandon the silly old Victorian idea of hushing it up, everything in the garden will be lovely. It is not true. The moment you look at the facts, and away from the propaganda, you will see that it is not. They tell you that sex has become a mess because it was hushed up. But for the last twenty years it has not been hushed up. It has been chattered about all day long. Yet it is still a mess. If hushing up had been the cause of the trouble, ventiliation would have set it right. But it has not. I think it is the other way around.
shockwave yareach
May 14th, 2007
Jack:
Too much of something is bad for you. Yes, the overt sex-in-everything isn’t healty. So go scream at Madison Ave. a bit. However, the Victorian age was also patently unhealthy, decrying any instinct at all as being uncivilized and paths to corruption. Neither sexpot nor prude is a good way to live.
Society changes through time. What’s acceptable and unacceptable changes with each passing year. Nothing at all wrong with that – stagnation is doom to any civilization, history shows. There is a suitable middle ground between the two extremes. Only you can find the altitude and attitude that suits you best.
mmmmnope
May 14th, 2007
“It is nice to be able to discuss differences of opinions with out resorting to the lazy use of foul-mouth, in you face language that says more about the character and thinness of the writer than win arguments.”
Is Reality’s insistence on referring to Prok’s RL gender at every turn any less telling of character or thinness? I think not.
Perhaps a little foul language will shock him into actually paying attention to the hypocrisy inherent in criticizing someone for not being willing to be held accountable for what they say(how someone’s RL gender affects this one way or another is still anyone’s guess), while speaking from a position of anonymity him(her?)self. I don’t think it will, however: likely I’m just telling Reality something he/she already knows, because that argument is simply a half-baked justification for his/her being cruel to someone he/she dislikes. Regardless, my profanity is far less invalidating than his/her complete and utter hypocrisy.
I think it’s wonderful that you’re so civil with everyone, Jen, and I’ve enjoyed reading your arguments. Unfortunately, however, I see nothing but mean-spirited attempts to hurt Prok’s feelings in Reality & co’s insistence on referring to Prok’s RL gender when he obviously don’t want it to be done, and not only that, but attempting to justify it with some off the wall sense of fair play, and for that they deserve nothing more than the profanity-filled fusillade that I typed above. Either way, it’s hardly my thinness of character you need to worry about.
shockwave yareach
May 14th, 2007
For the record and to avoid hostilities: Prok, do you prefer male or female pronouns with your name? I have been using female since the AV in SL is female and because others have been doing the same. What is your pref?
HoJo Kilda
May 14th, 2007
“Um, yourself, and the person you inflict pain on, duh. Er, this is like…rocket science? My views on BDSM are well known. Google them, look in the back pages of the Herald, I won’t be repeating myselfI believe it is not intellectually, morally, or legally defensible. Coercion and violence and coercion and violence, end of story. The most coercive thing about BDSM is the way in which it tries to force liberals, under the guise of “lifestyle choice,” not merely to tolerate BDSM, but to cease their critique of it, as indefensible for civilization.”
Sure Prok, whatever you say buddy. Why bother trying to defend myself when I’m a morally, legally and intellectually indefensible, right? To hell with the fact that I what I do is done responsibly, with consenting adults. I do love how you “end the story,” as though your word if the be all, end all. It’s sad really.
All I know is that I have a fabulous sex life and my exploring BDSM has greatly enriched my life (both 1st and 2nd). I’m pretty indifferent towards what you’re all about Prok, so I am not going to spend my time googling you or wading through your hefty prose to see the origins of your prejudice against people into BDSM. This whole emphasis on coercion, leads me to believe that it’s based on personal experience or maybe I’m completely off base. Oh well, sorry you feel the way you do. C’est la vie.
Johan Durant
May 14th, 2007
@3: “Whether it’s a romantic hand-in-hand walk down the beach or a handshake at a business meeting”
I’ve been selling both of these animations for months. You can find my store through my profile in-world!
Nathan Childs
May 14th, 2007
“This article is an article about a vendor who for the first time, made something for FRIENDS in SL that is PG, and not something related to the all-consuming, all-pervasive and often extreme and offensive sexual world of SL.”
I don’t believe this is the first product of its type. My partner and I have enjoyed products along a similar line to the ones talked about here. They come from Abranimations and they have been available for a quite a while now. We have both a hand-holding set and a co-flying set. They also do a handshake which I find most people are very suspicious of for some reason (it asks for animation permissions first). Each one of these is around L$300 I believe and are very good. Of course they are not rolled into a single product which is probably the differentiator here.
Jennifer McLuhan
May 15th, 2007
…they deserve nothing more than the profanity-filled fusillade that I typed above. Either way, it’s hardly my thinness of character you need to worry about.
I am sorry if you thought I was referring to you and your post. I wasn’t. If I was thinking of anyone in particular it would have been Prok. I don’t have a problem with profanity. What I was speaking about in my post to Reality was, attack the writer rather than the writer’s thoughts, logic or comments type of profanity.
I have had this happen to me on a couple of offsite forums and, I no longer go to those sites. With a few exceptions, whenever I see someone attacking the character of the person or using a profanity laced barrage of insults rather than answering the arguments; I consider that person to either be intellectually void or lazy, credit card thin character, or suffering from some sort of deep stress and frustration or, they have major personal issues with life.
Jen
Prokofy Neva
May 15th, 2007
>have had this happen to me on a couple of offsite forums and, I no longer go to those sites. With a few exceptions, whenever I see someone attacking the character of the person or using a profanity laced barrage of insults rather than answering the arguments; I consider that person to either be intellectually void or lazy, credit card thin character, or suffering from some sort of deep stress and frustration or, they have major personal issues with life.
Or…another possibility — just think! — is that *you* have behaved like an asshole, have written yourself an absolution, have pried into someone’s real life, and have insisted that you endlessly get to do this with impunity, and they’ve called you on it. Imagine! It’s not intellectually lazy to call someone a name that in fact fits them to a “T” when they behave like a cunt; it’s not “credit-card” thin as character when one says, no, Jennifer, you don’t get to inflict your “spontaneous me” sense of licentiousness on all and sundry.
One wonders if some people’s parents ever said “no”.
naznomad
May 16th, 2007
The simple solution to this is to just have two (or three) different versions of the software–one PG and one (or two) rated for adults. Or it could be configurable within the app. OR, you could have a “parental lock” feature. This doesn’t have to be an either/or discussion.
Sigur Roeth
May 16th, 2007
I guess I should not be so lazy and really read all the postings, but in reference to the earlier chat and some of the many entertaining, contreversial comments and articles by Prok:-
I would like to tie Prokofy to a chair (best possible Japanese Rope Bondage of course) and whip in the kinkiest way possible uttering the command “Prokofy YOU WILL LIKE BDSM” over and over.
Keep up the good work Prok, and all at Herald, me wonders do your days have 30 hours in them compared to my measily 24:-P
Morgan Northmead
May 16th, 2007
Check out sl boutique. There is a line called “gentle greetings animations” that includes handshakes as well as the kiss-on-both-cheeks greeting. I tried out the kiss-on-both-cheeks greeting. It works as long as both avs are the same height. It is really nice to have friendly, PG options in SL, since lots of avs may be friends but not lovers.
Effulgent Brown
May 17th, 2007
My bodyguard(jk) just got this thing and so far it is really sweet. It is expensive and takes some getting used to.
I dont see any problem with it being totally pg, there are plenty of things for that and i dont think a flying sex gen would be a good idea but give it a week, somebody will make it.
I wish it was a little less expensive or didnt need to be rezzed on the ground but everything has its limits, you can swim together with this thing 0.0
We went flying over the new continent with it, its kinda dreamy and you can type and talk and stuff, and its better than a car
do we not boink enough on sl?
arent avies having sim crashing orgies
aaaaaaaah! isnt that whats making
this place look like pervs on holiday??
Jorus Xi
May 22nd, 2007
I want one
Troy Antwerp
Dec 15th, 2007
BE WARNED ABOUT THIS MERCHANT!!
MUSE ISLE – RENDEZVIOUS ANIMATORS
(Muse Isle 81, 155, 28)
Be warned and beware of Rendezvous Animator and its proprietor JenzZa Misfit.
I was at her store today (12/15/07) with every single intention and plenty of Linden’s to buy the $L3000 couples animator. I made a simple comment about the price, which the owner Ms. Misfit heard. Within fifteen seconds of making my comment Ms. Misfit found the only solution or response to be promptly ejecting and banning me from her store and the entire Muse Isle simply for having an opinion and making a comment in a store that was occupied by two people, Ms. Misfit and myself.
So if you decide to patronize this business, which I don’t recommend; be sure to keep your comments to yourself.
JenzZa Misfit is by far the rudest and most unprofessional merchant I have encountered in all of SL. Her actions and the tongue lashing she gave me were unprofessional, unwarranted, uncalled for, and absolutely unappreciated.
[12/15/07 7:27] JenzZa Misfit: so lets review before I actually mute you —- this is all documented ….and you have been in SL long enough to know that as an island owner — it is MY decision who can be here on my island and who cannot. — but think on this :: in the future when you are hearing about this product Rendezvous .. even in RL media — look back and remember how narrow minded you were.
So yes, while it is certainly within Ms. Misfit’s right as a landowner and merchant to eject and ban as she so chooses, it is certainly within my right as a citizen and a consumer to voice my comment to whomever I choose, whenever I choose, and wherever I choose.
As a RL merchant myself, I appreciate the consequences of irrational ‘knee-jerk’ reactions to the thoughts and opinions of my customers. One dissatisfied or mistreated customer has much worse effect then simply one customer not buying. Word of mouth is a double edged sword. As a merchant one needs to know which battles to walk away from in order to win the war. Ms. Misfit has shown this customer at least that she does not understand this concept.