The Ball was a great deal of fun. I wore mostly the same thing I did for the whole conference (a kilt and tee-shirt), so I fit in pretty well between the dressed in costume, and those who were not dressed in costume. There was nothing terribly surprising to me, I’ve been to more bawdy Renaissance Faires. People need to get over sex.

I turned down all media interviews when at SLCC, mostly because I figured they were just out to interview some “weirdo” in a kilt. I new that I was unprepared and would certainly be taken out of context, if what I said even had a chance of getting out into the media world.

Just say no. Until the media and their “journalists” pull their collective money grubbing heads out of their asses, just tell them to take a hike.

“Quote me as saying I was misquoted.” ~ Groucho Marx

I did not discourage the friend in question, but rather encouraged him to try SL. However, after he tried it, he was confused and left unsure why and how he would use the service. I actually know quite a few people like this.

As I’ve written on my blog, I think SL adoption will be purpose-driven. I don’t think it is mainstream yet, evidenced by the high churn rate and the constant “what do I do?” question.

I’m not fussed if someone isn’t ready for Second Life, because it probably means that Second Life isn’t ready for them. All in good time. I view the technology and market as very early, but none of this makes me question the fundamentals of this space.

I’m not surprised the journalist saw this all as a bit strange, and of course he was going to focus in on the titillating activities of the masquerade ball. Surprise surprise surprise.

more of my thoughts (from a few days ago) here: http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/giff/?p=440

If anything, it will keep a lot of people OUT, that shouldn’t be in SL in the first place. Like my mom. Wouldn’t want her to know all the things I get up to in SL, and if she sees this report, she’ll just go back to playing Bejeweled. *wo-hoo *

Seriously tho.
Everyone should be doing what they enjoy, and not care what others, especially others that don’t matter in any way (like the media), think about it.

Just shrug it off, and go back to your Second Life… Wether that involves building a chapel and giving virtual sermons (spelling? hell if I know), shooting at people in combat sims, or getting your kink on leashed to a pole in the middle of a BDSM sim for everyone to use.

“Yes, second life is gross. This article is very well written and well thought out.

No shame on anyone there, that IS second life.

Fucking gross.”

You obviously haven’t seen the rest of the internet then…or RL for that matter. But hey, enjoy being sheltered! lol!

I went from an elf (which is how I was dressed), who was going to a mascarade ball and talking about how SL could help people who might not otherwise be comfortable starting business or with handicaps; to being portrayed in the article as a pirate in black and gold trimmed costume going to a fetish party looking for a place where people could explore things they were not comfortable with in first life.

If that was not twisting the facts to support a point of view, I don’t know what is. ABCnews.com had a skewed point of view going into this series.

There were a few people dressed more exotically, though the majority were not dressed up at all. This was much calmer and less unusual than other parties happening on college campuses and other places around the world. SL has its folks looking for sex and more bizarre behavior, in that way it mirrors the web and RL. But most there were not looking for that, at least not publicly.

But I guess that doesn’t sell papers or attract web hits.

There isn’t much BDSM “evangelization” that goes on. People who are curious (and there are a lot of those) come and see … and if they like it, they stay. If they don’t, they leave. It’s very straightforward, really, like anyplace else on the grid. The difference is that there are a *lot* of people who find SL a “safe” place to explore these kinds of fantasies in a way that they would never do in the material world for varying reasons. What that means is that there are more people like this than the “why can’t we just be normal” people like to think, and that, rather to the contrary, being into BDSM, or at least curious about it, isn’t “freaky” at all, but is quite common.

Staying with your faulty comparison, there is no BDSM beancounter making the price of admission into the In-club being how many souls you drag in with you.

We just tell it like it is. Don’t blame us if your world is a kinked out phreaked out scene. If you don’t like it, waddle on over to Club Penguin.