The Alphaville Herald

38 Responses to “Interview with Smoke Wijaya – Anti-FNSL Activitst”

1. 

   Samantha Nowicka
   

   Oct 2nd, 2007
   

   This interviewee a former leader of the SLLA, is claiming to be communist, but owns all the land the CPSL is on. What I find odd as well: there have been many prominent anti-FNSL Av’s in SL, including many french ones who know who the FN are as they meet them every day. Where are their interviews? Why is this non-French AV so interested in FN when there are many other issues on SL a communist should be camping beside?

   Why did we never see an interview of Ichi Jaechun or Meekal Kilara? Those two Av’s appeared in RL press reports at the beginning of the year when the anti FNSL movement was at its height. Ichi in particular built fantastic installations against the FN and along with her group managed to rid SL of any serious FN sanctioned presence. Why have the SLLU never been interviewed? They seem to be the group that started the anti-FNSL actions? And why was this AVs connections with the discredited SLLA and Marshall Cahill not mentioned in this article?

   As an ex-member of SLLA, I feel very let down by this AV and Marshall and by the rumours that CPSL is yet another attempt at keeping the left in check.
2. 

   Second Lulz Vigilante
   

   Oct 2nd, 2007
   

   Why does everybody talk about SL like it’s a country? It isn’t. It’s a service.
3. 

   Tyffany Flintoff
   

   Oct 2nd, 2007
   

   >>>Living in second life and a so called “God sim” means a lot of the players are free to go and do as they please.

   Is the Herald edited at all now? Perhaps I’m way out on a limb here in expecting a “newspaper”, even a tabloid one, to print stories constructed out of proper sentences. And the last time I checked, it was normal to refer to “Second Life”, rather than second life.

   Getting past the mangled prose and concerning the subject, it’s always amusing to see extremism being fought with.. extremism. Are we seriously being asked to believe that a political movement that delivered the world Stalin, Ceausescu, Mao Tse Tung and Kim Il Sung, is the answer to combating Fascism? The tens of millions of Stalin’s victims might suggest otherwise.
4. 

   Rugal Warilla
   

   Oct 3rd, 2007
   

   Another former member of SLLA here. What *I* find odd is that Smoke is a communist and also the head of a SL Democratic Front.

   Democracy and Communism, naturally, aren’t the same. I think a followup should be made on this and he should be asked, seriously asked..about this interesting paradox.

   Also, he claims to be (if i’m not reading this wrong) socialist….Socialism and Fascism go hand in hand. Hitler was once a member OF the Socialist Party.

   I’m seeing alot of paradoxes here, and it disturbs me.

5. The Grid Live
   

   Oct 3rd, 2007
   

   Second Life News for October 3,2007

   Economics 2.0? A business primer on virtual worlds In August 2007, the digital world experienced a first: a genuine run on a bank located on the “virtual world” Second Life. As depositors rushed to withdraw their funds from the shadowy Ginko Financ…
6. 

   Prokofy Neva
   

   Oct 3rd, 2007
   

   Smoke Wijaya and the rest of the gang of the commie thugs here in fact use many fascistic methods themselves.

   I happened to buy a 512 here to put up an office, thinking I’d never face any trouble from any communists, they were on another sim on the other side of the road, not that one.

   But I think they must have seen me and decided to cause trouble because the next thing I know, my land is surrounded, they’ve bought up the 512s, and they have put up belligerent communist labour red-fist crap all over the place, going up into the air, and really defacing the sim.

   For a day, I put up some anti-communist signs in the air too, but since my neighbours were a rental company, I didn’t want to keep signs up in the air for long so as not to mess up their view. In retaliation, the commies put their signs up even more in the air, etc. — but I took mine down.

   The rentals people responded by putting up one of those ugly photo-realistic forest photos that look worse than the blight you’re trying to hide. I told them my signs were down, and they’d expect no trouble from me (the only person I’ll blight with signs is Ancient Shriner, who has done this to sims first, geez, what an inconsiderate ass).

   Soon, my land was completely hemmed in on 3 sides by commies, with the fourth the photo wall of the rentals people. There was no way anyone could use my office, or rent my land.

   So I decided to put up a MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM and put up gravestones in memory of my children’s great grandfather and uncle who died in the GULAG. It was a sad occasion, very real. Looking at all those red fists and hammers and sickles and thinking of the millions who were massacred because of those symbols, I was physically ill. LL will remove the Nazi insignia, but not the commie stuff, although more people were killed by communists than Nazis.

   These idiot commies respond by putting up a monument to the victmis of capitalism (bursts out laughing). Lots of luck with that one, champs.

   So there is is, a lonely little vigil. I hope to develop it more some day, right now, it just all makes me too sad.

   These people are also poseurs and fakes — I suspect they aren’t real commies even, and they could be agent provocateurs, at least some of them must be.
7. 

   Smoke Wijaya
   

   Oct 3rd, 2007
   

   *sigh*

   I wish the author if this article had let me also read/check it before he submitted it, it is full of inaccuracies…

   >who calls himself Smoke Wijaya – the owner of the anti-FNSL parcel in Pahto sim. Smoke Wijaya is a communist and anti-FNSL leader.

   Yes, I am the owner of *one* of the anti parcels in Pahto, which is anti fnsl, anti fascist, anti racist, yes, but not owned by the group “Anti-FNSL” and I am in NO way a “leader” of anti-FNSL, and I have never said this anywhere either.

   As is said in several comments, and they are completely right, Anti-FNSL and SLLU, as groups, have been always on the fore ground of opposing them. I just acquired this parcel couple of months ago, when FNSL landed in Pahto-sim for a new HQs. In the same style and simultaniously with people acquiring land for “Anti-FNSL”, like Dimi, Ichi, Prodyck, Alys etc.

   >According to Wijaya he started the group two months ago,…

   I did not started a group for this…dont know which group the author talks about.

   >Since Wijaya and his group have taken it upon themselves to wipe the SL slate clean, I sat down to have a chat with him about what his group stands for and its growth from humble beginning to members in the several hundreds – a number that even the FNSL can’t come close too.

   I dont know where the author is talking about, about what group, but I think Anti-FNSL, which, as said, is not mine nor am I a “leader” in that. But they have indeed several hundreds of members.
   Besides that, no group is “mine”, only formally.

   I am getting really tired of seeing SLLA history surface everywhere and being seen as a paria and to be distrusted because of what the former owner did. Everyone just shouts out what they think and take their own ideas as truth.

   >As an ex-member of SLLA, I feel very let down by this AV and Marshall and by the rumours that CPSL is yet another attempt at keeping the left in check.

   Samantha, as ex-member of SLLA, you have received (if you did not leave right away with that crisis) all notices etc. You will know that we, the active remaining members have met many times during a short time, after the ex-leadership resigned. You would also know that the decision to start a new group with same goal, but different strategy, was made by all of those people and that SLDM/DF is what was created.

   CPSL is in NO way connected to SLLA, it existed already, and the only connection is that a couple of the comrades are ex-SLLA members. And yes, I pay tier for almost all groupowned land of CPSL, but what has that to do with this?

   >Another former member of SLLA here. What *I* find odd is that Smoke is a communist and also the head of a SL Democratic Front.

   I am not the “head” of SLDF, we dont have a hiearchical centralist structure. We dont have a “leader”. As said, formal owner yes, not leader.

   >Democracy and Communism, naturally, aren’t the same.

   True, but not a paradox either. “Democracy and Stalinism”, that would be a paradox.
   Of course, so-called “communist” states have been criminal and destructive, but in my view stalinism is not communism, it is state-capitalism.
   True communism in my view is about direct democracy, not a centralist one party “democracy”. Maybe I am a libertarian communist, an anarcho-communist, a anarcho-syndicalist…I dont know exactly. I am in no way a stalinist at least and oppose this tendency hard.

   > Also, he claims to be (if i’m not reading this wrong) socialist….Socialism and Fascism go hand in hand. Hitler was once a member OF the Socialist Party.

   yes, you are right. If you mean with fascism, nazism here. Nazism stands for National Socialism, yes. That is because they are reasoning from kind of same theories about society, namely communautarian ones. You also see this with the new nationalist (neo-fascist) cancer in Europe. But what differs is the people you include in the “society”. I am a full internationalist and anti-elitism, I include all people, opposed to what national-socialism or new nationalism says.

   Anyway, let it be clear I did not ask for this interview in anyway. Again, I am not the one who should get credit for succesfully opposing them all that time, also during elections in France, before they moved to Pahto a short while ago; anti-FNSL and SLLU, as luckily most know, should be credited for that.
   For what about SLLA, how that was solved has been public. I dont know how I can take away the false ideas that still exist. But SLLA is dead, closed. And there is no group started like it. SLDM just has the same goal, that is, more democratic structure to enable selfrule.

   Regards,
   Smoke Wijaya.

   PS: The parcels talked about in the article are not set to CPSL anymore.
8. 

   Jenny Raymaker
   

   Oct 3rd, 2007
   

   “Smoke Wijaya: well, LL should become a public organisation, a democratic structure should be implemented, stability and bugs should get solved before more bling is added to the platform, the servercode needs to get opensourced….”

   So firstly, you are saying “hey you guys in LL built this place for us and now we demand that you give it to us”.

   Why not build your own version of sl and give it to “da peeple” instead of expecting someone else to hand over the fruits of their labours?

   The reason I included the rest of your quote is simply because it shows you appealing to the common denominator of sl. You know that “vote winners” right now are stability of the grid, removal of bugs and the possibility of going open source. That’s not a genuine political statement on your part – it’s just the same as any political party saying they’ll lower taxes if you vote for them. Sure there’s no elections to speak of but your attempt to gather popular support in this way is transparent.

   “Hitler was once a member OF the Socialist Party”

   Hehe. I love the way “da peeple” always conveniently forget that fact. National Socialists remember? National SOCIALISTS. “Volkswagen – Da Peeple’s Car” is just one example that could be highlighted.

   Drugs are bad, mmkay?
9. 

   plot tracer
   

   Oct 3rd, 2007
   

   Tiffany and Rugal… what strange things to say… there has never been a socialist society, never mind a communist one. Socialism leading to communism would lead to true democracy, not the super facism we have at the moment where big business/ money/ capital controls all. There is a documentary on UK tv this week- Thursday night, about a tribe being brought over from a rainforest as tourists to see how we live our lives. One of the interesting comments by one of the tribespeople is “why are there people who do not have homes?” – my answer as a socialist, and probably what they are amazed at is that those WITH don’t care about those without- western life/democracy/capitalism pits people against each other, rather than encourages people to look after their fellow humans. White trash, neds, chavs, detris, scum… all words we have for people who have less than us.

   Hitler was an imperialist. A nationalist. A state capitalist, the difference between him and Stalin and Mao was that he courted elitism. And believed in an abject slave class. Mao and Stalin where deranged enough to think people could be forced to being “good citizens” and if they could not they could be hidden or wiped out. Why do we allow so called leaders to lead us into death and mayhem? The beauty of true socialism and ultimately communism, is that we all lead. Our lives are our own. But we will look after the weak, rather than stomp on them and degrade them in order to justify their poverty.

   Regarding the groups Smoke owns, they have been involved in some good things over the past while. It is a shame they feel they must have a “leader”.

   There are good things going on in SL- CPSL an Smokes other groups have been involved in some of those. Like the ibm strike. Like the anti G8 protests. Like the coming together of disparate groups and people from all over the world to show contempt of the Burmese military capitalist dictatorship for their exploitation/ rape/ murder of the citizens of Burma. Details of all of these actions and of action you can take in RL can be found here: http://slleftunity.blogspot.com/
10. 

    Smoke Wijaya
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Another thing, which I might have to make clear before people make themselves a new idea and put that in the public sphere as “truth”:

    SLDM is NOT campaigning for a communist structuring of Second Life. It IS campaigning for a democratic structure. SLDM aims to be a broad democratic front. I might be communist, but most of the other members are not; we all work together for a common cause, democratic selfrule. In our principles you wont find reference to communism.
11. 

    Smoke Wijaya
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    re Prok,

    I am not going to react to your crap again, I already did that a while ago on your own blog:
    http://secondthoughts.typepad.com/second_thoughts/2007/07/graves.html

    I already explained there the intentions behind the land you are talking about and set straight some bigoted assumptions you made.

    Anyway, congratulations, you have found yet another possibility to talk about yourself.
12. 

    plot tracer
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Prok is being disengenuous here. Prok owns land the length and breadth of sl (or has she forgot). The “flag” incident should be slurled. And people should investigate who owns the land around and for how long. The incident she speaks of was involving a sllu member who to be honest joined by mistake… and the flag incident was because said mistaken member did not like the fact that the lovely sim (prok owned) of zephyr had been blighted by new commers erecting HUGE stars and stripes. When I was a Zephyr resident, Prok had a rule after the incidents with the flags… NO FLAGS which most people stuck to. Though the flag rule seemed to suit when something anti-imperialist was hoisted. A 512 prok puhleeze!

    The only other times when people in sllu – or in my experience any left org – has been involved in “mines higher than yours” is when the FN were in sims.

    But perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps Prok is not talking about the Left Unity group in SL. SLLU is what it says on the tin. A left unity group, not just a group for communists, tho almost like the Democrats in USA – commies are welcome. A little bit of goodness never did anyone any harm.

    http://slleftunity.blogspot.com
13. 

    Smoke Wijaya
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Thanks Plot.

    one little, but important, thing though imo:

    >Regarding the groups Smoke owns, they have been involved in some good things over the past while. It is a shame they feel they must have a “leader”.

    As said in another comment, groups that I am (one of the) owner(s) of, are not structured with a “leader”, a vertical hiearchy.
    Both at CPSL and SLDM, we have a horizintally and democratic structure: we have regular, public membership-meetings, in which the membership decides, not a “leader”. The membership is at all times sovereign.

    so, “ownership” does not entail “leadership” in our views and structures. I know this is the case with almost all SL-groups, but not with us.

    Regards
14. 

    Smoke Wijaya
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    re Jenny,

    I am not attempting to gather popular support in this conversation with Bitha, I just answered a question. I am in no way a populist or machiavelian.

    But it is true that almost whole of SL-community thinks that those things should happen…which is exactly the point. LL does not listen to its residents(customers).

    Who bring me to your other point…if it werent for the residents, SL would not be what it is. That is, a community, not just a technology.

    >Drugs are bad, mmkay?

    I dont know why you say this, but I suspect because of “Smoke Wijaya: sure thing and thanks ~*420 smoke weed everyday*~”…

    this “~*420 smoke weed everyday*~” is added by the author, not said by me. Just shows the inaccuracy of the article.

    Regards
15. 

    Chav Paderborn
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Oh, how poorly history is taught these days that people still buy Hitler’s use of “socialist” in the name of the party. They were left-wing? Tell that to the socialists, democracts, communists and trade unionists they murdered. The Nazi party was given a name that would appeal to almost anyone, and the coincidence of some policies means very little. It’s like saying capitalism caused apartheid, for feck’s sake.
16. 

    Just to point out
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    “These idiot commies respond by putting up a monument to the victmis of capitalism (bursts out laughing). Lots of luck with that one, champs.”

    Would indeed be difficult, you’ll be spending every minute of your time on SL in adding more and more names as new victims are made on a daily basis.
17. 

    bitha botha
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Go away prok.
18. 

    bitha botha
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    >>Why did we never see an interview of Ichi Jaechun

    Ichi is a douchebag, and because I cant go anywhere near her without her claiming im a nazi (for some fuckin’ reason) I feel its pretty pointless to try, this story is gonna have two parts, this one being the first.

    However, prok! I’m hurt! I didnt realize that no matter what someone said about the CPSL had to be run by you, but whatever, I guess thats typical communistic attitude, that and being a crazy cat lady who compares everything that happens in second life is a direct paralell to the russian revolution, get fucked prok. Second life is a game, the reason why I said “god sim” is because, well, obviously it was in quotations, that I wasnt being serious and that I was poking fun at what linden lab has branded their creation, they have said the actual phrase “god sim” in reference to second life, not only that, but its been on here as well.

    It seems like second life isnt good enough for you prok, im sure other people (besides me) are tired of your goddamned elitist attitude and stupid bullshit “BWAAAAA JUST LIKE LENIN” attitude towards everything, its getting fucking old, really fast.

    tl;dr prok takes shit too seriously and second life would be better without her (I bet this is censored)
19. 

    Rockerduck Bogdanovich
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Guys, i want to say that CPSL has NOTHING to do with the SLLA. As Smoke knows well, despite the fact that i brefly was a SLLA peep in my noobie-days, i always criticized that organization, politically and methodologically. This said, many leaders of each colour of the political spectrum made horrible things, but the BIG difference between fascism in its various brands and communism is that the latter is built over internationalism, equality, solidarity, brotherhood despite what Stalin (that strangely studied with priests) did; Fascism is built over racism, xenophoby, and nationalism. If you can’t see the difference well you need more than pixel glasses.

    Last but not least no one of the active embers of CPSL has never been reported or got a ban for griefing, harassing or for any other reason for that matter. If you don’t like us feel free to criticize. But please leave the SLLA away from CPSL, communism is a serious thing, SLLA was not.
    What SLDM is in relation to SLLA is a SLDM problem, nothing to do with CPSL.

    Ah Smoke: next time that CPSL is named and criticized in some articles let us know please.
20. 

    Rockerduck Bogdanovich
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Another remark just to clarify on what Plot says:
    [quote]
    Regarding the groups Smoke owns, they have been involved in some good things over the past while. It is a shame they feel they must have a “leader”.
    [/quote]

    i don’t know about the groups owned by Smoke. For what about the CPSL, it has no leadership but a democratically elected Central Committée with ORGANISING purposes.
    All the decisions (if any) are taken by the Membership Meeting that means by ALL the members that show up at the meetings. As an internal policy we EXPLICITLY REFUSE ANY PERSONAL LEADERSHIP. We are not stalinists this is for sure.
21. 

    Rockerduck Bogdanovich
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    [Prokofy Neva quote]So I decided to put up a MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM and put up gravestones in memory of my children’s great grandfather and uncle who died in the GULAG.[/quote]

    This is the classical argument. Prokofy im sad that your relatives died in gulags, and im not a fan of them myself like im not a fan of Guantanamo (with it you seem to feel comfortable tho). But im sorry, you as usual see only what you want to see: THE FACT IS THAT GULAG WERE THERE WELL BEFORE COMMUNISM, just read Dostoevsky instead to sleep in front of Fox News. If you know any civilization without prisons and injustice please tell. But for sure this one is not what you call Democracy or Capitalism (the two are not the same you know). Or maybe you want substain that prisons were invented by communists?
22. 

    DaveOner
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    Nothing like being an “activist” in a computer game instead of leaving your house and fighting the ACTUAL REAL LIFE manifestations of what you simulate fighting in SL. It’s worse than not lying to yourself and admitting to being the inept consumer you actually are. Also there’s nothing more pathetic than someone who chooses to live inside a company’s box and seeks out the role of the “oppressed citizen” when they could leave said “oppression” at any time. And again I say pathetic.

    The way to fight racism and discrimination in SL? Deny humans from logging into SL. Everyone discriminates. Anyone who doesn’t admit this is also guilty of lying.

    The other funny part: Nothing like champions for communism in a program that’s the perfect metaphor for capitalism and consumerism! In Soviet SL the tier pays YOU!

    This guy’s a joke.
23. 

    Artemis Fate
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    “my answer as a socialist, and probably what they are amazed at is that those WITH don’t care about those without- western life/democracy/capitalism pits people against each other, rather than encourages people to look after their fellow humans. White trash, neds, chavs, detris, scum… all words we have for people who have less than us.”

    It’s kinda problematic to say “well it works for this tribe of people, so it must work for us”, because honestly in terms of a small tribe of people, almost any government will work out fine, because the ruler and politician can’t get by day by day without seeing the direct cause of his actions. You live in a tribe, and you’re going to personally know every single person in the tribe, and how your actions affect them. In our world, with the millions of people, it’s much easier to enact “out of sight, out of mind”, and not be bothered by suffering, Politicians might never have to meet anyone they directly effect, especially if it’s some kind of bill that screws over the poor. They stay in fancy hotels and move in limos, they’ll never see the poor unless they’re forced too. But that’s the thing, that’s how it works for pretty much all forms of government on a large scale, it’s the reason why socialism/communism has never worked, because humans are inherently selfish, and it’s very easy to put something out of mind when you don’t have to look at it.
24. 

    higgleDpiggle Snoats
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    “As an ex-member of SLLA, I feel very let down by this AV and Marshall and by the rumours that CPSL is yet another attempt at keeping the left in check.” – Samantha Nowicka

    “For what about SLLA, how that was solved has been public. I dont know how I can take away the false ideas that still exist. But SLLA is dead, closed.” – Smoke Wijaya

    As someone who was never involved in SLLA, but who did have to deal with some of the fallout when the proverbial inevitably hit the fan, i’d like to make a suggestion here. Smoke you could start by not constantly coming over like you want to sweep the whole inconvenient SLLA incident under the carpet and instead acknowledging that many sincere people were betrayed by leaders of a so-called ‘radical left’ group who it emerged were very likely simply a cover for a corporate espionage agency. You were part of a group which seriously compromised its members, you emerged from that group to organise new SL political initiatives, you took it upon yourself to try and salvage something from the ashes, and in the absence of anyone knowing which alt Marshall is currently operating as (or is it more likely he would have just vanished into thin air?), you are rightly being held accountable, due to your continued high profile. What bothers me is how you seem to want to downplay this, and your reluctance to confront the reasons for people’s justified wariness. It is not that people want to continually drag this up for the heck of it – it is that they are seriously creeped out by the implications of what occurred. It is for others to decide when the issue is ‘solved’ and ‘closed’ – not you alone, and people will decide that on their own timescale, not yours. And as long as there is a risk that people could get burned again by this kind of underhanded, manipulative and deliberately divisive operation, then the issue is very much alive, and something that people who do want to bring their political beliefs into SL should be vigilant about.

    for people who are unfamiliar with what i am referring to, please see:

    http://www.secondlifeherald.com/slh/2007/04/is_second_life_.html

    That said, I do respect the fact that you took the opportunity to justify the glaring innaccuracies in this article.

    I hope you will continue to take the necessary steps to rebuild bridges with those who have been alienated here, and to take on board what they are trying to get through to you.
25. 

    Smoke Wijaya
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    re DaveOner

    >Nothing like being an “activist” in a computer game instead of leaving your house and fighting the ACTUAL REAL LIFE manifestations of what you simulate fighting in SL.

    YOU are the one equating the meaning of the words “activism” and “citizen” with their meaning in RL; and also assuming I do that. And besides that also projecting their own way of living onto someone else. Pathetic. This only shows your lack of thinking-skills, not mine.

    re Higgle

    I never want to sweep it under the carpet…only no one askes questions.

    The problem is I dont know more then you. This is the internet. All I know about the allegation against Marshal Cahill is what has been published in the SLH. Which was published by someone also of the leadership of SLLA, without deliberating within the CC, or at least not with me.

    I am betrayed just like the others

    It is true, when all the leadership (but me) resigned within a day or two, that I took over the formal ownership of SLLA “to try and salvage something” and to at least ask the members what they would like to see that happened.

    I have never spoken to Marshal Cahill after this again.

    We have had several meetings directly after that and decided to go further with the idea of democracy. The result of those meetings is SLDM. Which has now become a democratic front, instead of a left-radical one. And fully transparent.
    The minutes and other documents of all these were distributed in the group many times, after we closed it. They were public.

    As said, not trying to sweep anything under the carpet, just dont know what to do or what I can do…If questions, ask me.
26. 

    Plot Tracer
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    To answer the criticisms of those who suffer from the lack of imagination building perfect human society entails, I answer:

    John Donne eloquently put it, ‘no man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main’.

    Trotsky said, “Socialism, if it is worthy of the name, means human relations without greed, friendships without envy and intrigue, love without base calculation” (‘The revolution betrayed’ pg 117).

    The end result of socialism is what Marx envisioned as the ‘withering away’ of the state and the emergence of a classless society with no social antagonisms- or communism. He saw this as the ‘end of history.’

    Tony Benn sums this up well when he said in modern society he sees ‘two burning lights’ the light of anger over injustices and the light of hope (Marxism 2007).

    Socialism is thus the emancipation from the injustices of the capitalism system; greed, profit, poverty…etc. It is the understanding that what unites human beings is deep rooted and differences only appear on the surface, socialism is a love for one another widened in a way to structure society.

    Capitalist government and reform was summed up by William Morris over a century ago: “The palliatives over which many worthy people are busying themselves now are useless because they are but unorganised partial revolts against a vast, wide-spreading, grasping organisation which will, with the unconscious instinct of a plant, meet every attempt at bettering the conditions of the people with an attack on a fresh side.”

    “The worker who votes for the upholders of the system of society that
    allows him to be robbed of the larger part of the wealth produced by him
    and his fellows, is clearly a simpleton.” John Maclean, early 20th Century Socialist,
    Glaswegian, Scotsman, Internationalist, Honorary President of the first
    All-Russian Congress of Soviets, Teacher.

    You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Gandhi
27. 

    Sage Straaf
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    I tend to obsess a wee bit over the politics and internet drama surrounding FNSL and anti-FNSL, even though I’m an anglophone Canadian — as I type this, I’m sitting in the FNSL parcel, peering down at Smoke with my camera — and I’ve found that there are cool people on both sides. Yes, the FNSL folks are quite nationalist, but (with a few notable exceptions) they appear to be more interested in protecting their culture and stemming the tide of immigration into France than hating or even actively discriminating against other races. On the anti side, I see a lot of crazy and far too much griefing for my tastes, but I think their hearts are in the right place. I even consider Rascal a friend… at least when he’s not waving signs, shouting, and spewing anti-nazi particles at my friends on the other side

    Of course, given the company that I keep, many FNSL people think I’m secretly a commie spy, and the antis regularly accuse me of being a neonazi. I had no idea political sims could be so much fun
28. 

    higgleDpiggle Snoats
    

    Oct 3rd, 2007
    

    “Nothing like being an “activist” in a computer game instead of leaving your house and fighting the ACTUAL REAL LIFE manifestations of what you simulate fighting in SL.” – DaveOner

    The two modes of organising aren’t mutually exclusive, Dave.

    according to a recent Guardian UK article:

    “Today, the [Burmese] regime has calculated that it can again win the propaganda battle if it controls the traditional media. It is wrong. The military had forgotten about the internet and the mobile phone, two weapons with which the protesters have managed to grab the world’s attention…..

    ….more than 100,000 people have joined a group supporting the uprising on the popular social networking website Facebook. The group, which was started less than a week ago by the US Campaign for Burma, has already helped to organise a series of public demonstrations, vigils and hunger strikes around the world.”

    new technology and new media demand new and creative ways of organising. Such stories, and also the massive attendance of the recent inworld IBM strikes, show that exploring these new frontiers are not so easy to dismiss as you might wish.

    see also:
    http://ibmslprotest.blogspot.com/
    http://slleftunity.blogspot.com/
29. 

    Prokofy Neva
    

    Oct 4th, 2007
    

    Thanks for illustrating in spades that communism is as faction-filled and as hobbled with doctrinaire idiocies as ever, Smoke Wijaya.

    Plot Tracer is the one being disingenuous. He is a former tenant who for ages had a very cheap discounted parcel in an beautiful area on one of my sims where for some reason, lots of socialists moved in (I guess because the rentals at $300/250 prims were quite discounted — I was trying to make it available to people).

    Plot Tracer was late on his rent a number of times, and called on it. He was given grace periods merely due to the length of his stay there, but he took advantage of it. He also complained bitterly and fiercely at the $2 or $3 Linden fee that is automatically debited from the group which I in fact do make people pay in the group for “group liabilities” and do state on leases, cards, regular group notices etc is indeed part of his rent.

    He started a huge fuss about this small fee as he felt there was no “proper notification”. But…he would evidently never read any group notices. What can you do? He preferred to fuss endlessly about this, I stood right up to him, and finally he and higgledy left the area in a huff, whereupon other people with valuation for discounted land promptly rented it *shrugs*.

    Um, I don’t “own land the length and breadth” of SL, I own about 17 sims worth of land, spread out of 60 sims. There are now 12,000 sims. Oh, well. I know it makes nice “copy” to portray even Anshe Chung as an “evil land baron” but even Anshe only has 600 islands, for example.

    The Lindens are the main land barons. The rest of us are tenants. And they are land barons because servers cost money. Did you think everybody must endlessly provide socialism for you?

    The flag incident is emblematic of Second Life and the fucktards who inhabit it.

    One person on this sim — Peldon — grumbled about another tenant’s American flag. He did this because he was angry about U.S. foreign policy blah blah blah. I generally don’t allow any display of items that jut up in the air, because it ruins the view. But in areas where nobody is complaining, I don’t go out of my way to return something.

    In fact Peldon, the original complainer about the flag, himself had out a huge-ass windmill that was spinning — and therefore in total violation of the rules in the lease against not having large objects over two stories, and objects that spin. No matter. Socialists always want exceptions for their own fuck-you hedonism.

    But since the look of this particular windmill didn’t really bother the view that much, and no one complained, I left the flag and the windmill alone. The minute Peldon complained about the flag, and I asked the tenant to remove the flag, then that tenant said, but hey, what about his windmill! No fair! And that’s how it always is in Second Life. One idiot being literalist and demanding full compliance of rules only engenders another doing the exact same thing as their only recourse.

    That necessitated me to remove the windmill, of course. But finally, peace was restored because these two tenants, without having to use “the law” and “the evil landlord Prokofy to settle their disputes” (note how this is a microcosm of the LL/SL relationship) were able to tolerate each other’s displays of waving/spinning stuff, and reached accord. Today, both items are out, nobody complains.

    Now…why didn’t they do that in the first place?! And here is where Peldon and all his friends like Plot Tracer scurry to self-justify themselves, saying, oh, but we didn’t complain about the flag. But…he did, and they have their anti-American sentiments. So when I get a complaint, and I see a technical violation, just like a Linden, I act; I do have rules about not putting stuff out obstructing the view. Anyway, I’ve learned from this episode, as from others, that you can never please entitelement-happy socialists *enough* so I don’t try : )

    The starts and stripes were not “huge” — they were a normal flag, absolutely no different from *another* flag on an equally tall pole of some soccer team or something that didn’t elicit the wrath of these socialists. So their perceptions are skewed here.

    Also, what’s happening here is two different incidents are two different sims are being mixed up:

    o the incident with Plot Tracer and the flags occurred on Zephyr, on my property, where there are no communists, just socialists

    o the incident with these communists took place on Mieta, a completely different sim on another continent, and didn’t involve any American flags from me or anybody else, merely a normal rentals latest listings kiosk that was on the ground.

    The land in Mieta is a 512; the land in Zephyr is more like 6880 and in brilliant socialist style, is shared by everyone on that area as it is not parcelled.

    The flag/objects/view rule has always been in all leases, and wasn’t somehow “thought up after the fact” — this is just some corruption of this story from the re-telling by rabid socialists ROFL.
30. 

    higgleDpiggle Snoats
    

    Oct 4th, 2007
    

    Prokofy, i know you don’t think you are being deliberately untruthful here, but you are not giving a full representation of the facts regarding the problems in Zephyr.
    “He is a former tenant who for ages had a very cheap discounted parcel in an beautiful area on one of my sims where for some reason, lots of socialists moved in”

    erm – this must be a complete figment of your imagination. I started renting from you in Zephyr around this time last year. As a result TWO of my friends also moved into the sim. One of whom was Plot, and one of whom was Peldon, who is most decidedly *not* a socialist, but a liberal, as you claim to be. So, between Plot, and myself, and a grumpy US-flag-disliking liberal, you managed to conlude that your sim was infested with socialists?

    Your response to Peldon’s passing grumble (which i doubt was even intended wholly seriously – knowing Peldon, he was making mischievous conversation) was hardly restrained reasonable or professional. It was *you* who started frothing at the mouth at the mere IDEA that a foreigner would dare to question the sacredness of the US flag. Instead of addressing the perceived ‘complaint’ rationally, you launched into a totally irrelevant tirade against ‘you socialists’. I have the convo in full. you made all sorts of unfounded and bullying accusations about Peldon’s imaginary socialist tendencies, and came over as a total crazy lady frankly.

    The same happened when Plot contacted to ask you to explain to him what ‘group liability’ was. He made no complaint whatsoever, he simply and straightforwardly asked you for some information. Once again, you instantly launched into this weird, paranoid, aggressive *attack* mode, and assumed that this was all evidence of the same imaginary evil socialist agenda that you seem to enjoy being obsessed about. Again, you were totally unprofessional, you presumed an attack, when there was none, and you once again victimised a tenant for assumed political beliefs which had absolutely no relevance at all to the incident. Again, i have the convo in full. It is quite incredible how you are able to react in a way that is completely disproportionate to the event. I left Zephyr shortly afterwards, for a variety of personal reasons, but also, yes, because I didn’t want to continue to be in a landlord-tenant dynamic with someone who is effectively nothing more than an unprofessional, paranoid bully.

    Anyhow, this isn’t exactly news to most people in SL – but I did want to set the record straight here.
31. 

    plot tracer
    

    Oct 4th, 2007
    

    Just to correct you, prok- I never complained about the small payment, merely asked u what it was for. You went balistic at the impudence of my question. That is why I stopped staying in Zephyr. You used absolutely appalling language in your replies and showed yourself to have the tolerence of a … erm… capitalist hehe.

    As for the other things u have said here… What an awful thing to do- to mention another av who is not even in this thread to defend himself. I hope Peldon has seen sense and stopped paying you.

    Regarding your continued attacks on socialists/communists- grow up and read some grown up political books- or at least switch your channel from Fox.

    As a rl resident of the UK I can def say that the stars and stripes and the union jack have been sullied by the present us and uk govts forays in imperialist wars. imho. k?
32. 

    DaveOner
    

    Oct 4th, 2007
    

    “YOU are the one equating the meaning of the words “activism” and “citizen” with their meaning in RL; and also assuming I do that. And besides that also projecting their own way of living onto someone else. Pathetic. This only shows your lack of thinking-skills, not mine.”

    Keep thinking you’re not a huge hypocrite as you pay your tier to a capital-driven company. Your Che shirts and Rage Against the Machine CD purchases are oil for the cogs of the very machine you pretend to rage against!

    Not much different than kids dressed like punk rockers and goths hanging out at the mall! haha
33. 

    DaveOner
    

    Oct 4th, 2007
    

    @Plot:

    Your storybook definitions are great but this is the thing with communism and socialism. Naive idealists and devious opportunists are the only people that subscribe to it on their own. The naivety comes from thinking there are no opportunists that will use such a system to their advantage and stand on the backs of the idealists who actually think utopia is possible. Russian Revolution anyone?

    Democracy admits that people are weak and would try to abuse power. That’s why there are (supposed to be) checks and balances and ways for victims to get justice. I say “supposed to be” because socialst ideas have been corrupting this country. The Orwellian state of US and EU politics is obvious to those who step back and take a look…at all the video cameras mounted in public places. They keep us pacified by letting corporations convince us that the way to live better is through different products while the government is left un-checked by the average joe. The only answer to this problem would be ACTUAL activism and revolution…not neccessarily violent, though.

    The answer DEFINITELY isn’t pretending to stand for something in a computer game that you aren’t required to be a part of. Chalk one up for Consumer Socialism!
34. 

    plot tracer
    

    Oct 4th, 2007
    

    Dave, a rudimentary search on the internet will show u I am an activist in rl. I am also an educator in rl- and I believe sl is the perfect media to link both of these aspects of my life and make links across the world. As an educator, I believe that the principles adhered to and developed by Paulo Freire can be applied in sl. I think people learn through shared experience – both teacher and learner -education is a two way street.

    Of course in a society where greed is the only way people can scrape their way from the bottom, some people will try to walk over others- but that behaviour is rewarded in our present society. Goodness and love and helpfulness are not. That needs to change.

    Regarding the Russian Revolution, I quoted “The Revolution Betrayed” written by a man who lived through and indeed helped move that revolution forward, only to see it wrecked by an elite. He was a socialist who realised very early that what had happened in Russia was no longer socialism after a point. And for his protests, he was killed by a blow from an icepick.

    SL is not 1917 Russia, nor is it a world apart. It is, however, part of many peoples experience of the REAL world and an interface where people from across the world can communicate and share rl and “sl” experiences. The right and the corporations are using it to brainwash people into seeing their products as part of the metaverse – and to further brainwash people into believing that the current system of capitalism is the natural order- the haves and have nots. The thing is it is not the natural order. It is a system highly controlled by an elite and their institutions- as was so called Russian communism- which is actually NOT communism, nor socialism. It is social control- keep the minions in perpetual fear over their livelihood and they will walk over each other to serve the elite. This is the case when poor people join armies to kill other poor people and die for no gain to themselves- the only gains go to the car company share holders and the armament factory share holders. This is the case when they return to live in their economic depressed areas to take up the mantel of poor white trash or black, while George and his family rake in the dollars. This is the case when people fight for jobs, walking over other poor people and wage slaves to get the scraps off the table to work to enrich the already rich further.

    So regarding the left and socialists etc being peppered with opportunists… the opportunists are creating laws in your country to ensure they get richer and hold on to it, while those who toil and die for them stay poor. And they are slandered for their poverty while the greedy and exploiters are congratulated and voted for.

    There are a few of us real people who work together to help each other and to fight for a better world. activism- my rent to the world.

    More details on me (if u really want them…:-s )and on social actions in sl and rl can be found here- http://slleftunity.blogspot.com
35. 

    DaveOner
    

    Oct 5th, 2007
    

    …or your rent to your ego.

    Sorry, Plot, but I have other things to do than read up on a nerd that thinks he’s changing the world by playing a video game. Get someone on your little team there to stroke your ego for you.

    Now let me explain how you’re silly.

    a) SL IS A PRODUCT MADE BY A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY!! Why is it hard for you fools to understand? Why do you think there are RL corporations creeping in? LL wants some cash and will allow whoever has it to buy an island. Get over yourself!

    b) If you’re so active IRL then why do you have time to play on a computer game to fight the virtual Man? There is no shortage of actual causes to champion IRL.

    c) Q:”So regarding the left and socialists etc being peppered with opportunists… the opportunists are creating laws in your country to ensure they get richer and hold on to it, while those who toil and die for them stay poor. And they are slandered for their poverty while the greedy and exploiters are congratulated and voted for.”

    A: Stalin. The population didn’t vote for him…yet there he was! I’d take our system in it’s current state of disrepair over that ANY DAY. I’m not trying to be hip by any means!

    d) As I stated in my other post, our democratic system is being corrupted by exactly what you’re talking about but that’s because we let it. We’re too busy feigning revolution with things like iPods (digital revolution) and Second Life (your revolution). Marketers have figured out how to keep the 60s from actually happening again…60s retro! Make everyone feel like they’re sticking it to the man by buying their product (Apple) instead of the establishment’s product (now Apple)! Buy a Che’ shirt!

    If you were actually doing something to change things then I’d be all for it…even if I disagreed with what you were pushing for. But the fact remains you’re just like the rest of us…only we’re not pretending not to be complacent consumers.

    Post 6 Grrl anyone?
36. 

    Plot Tracer
    

    Oct 5th, 2007
    

    (yawn) now teach me something…?

    first question – well it is a game and other things… thats why rl universities use it and thats why corporations use it as well…

    second question/statement – I am human – I can’t be out on picket lines/ campaigning against nukes/ campaigning for free school meals/ campaigning for an independent socialist Scotland 24/7 – nor do I do my rl job 24/7. I have time out where I can make contact with people in SL and have fun times/ chat etc. You?

    Third one…The population didn’t vote for Bush – and there he was! Same with Toeknee Bliar over here… as for Gordon Broon, even less.

    fourth one – I agree entirely…

    as for complacent consumers – I am a consumer just like you. I consume. And I live in a capitalist society – I can’t escape that and don’t want to. I want to be part of the change to a fair society.

    I don’t push myself as any different from you. I don’t believe in leaders… I do believe in learners and teachers – and I think everyone is both. I see injustice, I don’t like the injustice, I shout. Not just in SL – but I see a place for shouting in SL – it actually does activate rl people into doing rl things – eg our blog has details of organisations and politicians to contact about the Burmese uprising and subsequent massacre. The more people who show they care, the smaller chance the dictatorship have of getting away with what they have done for much longer.

    The Page 6 grrrl is definately not a thing I would be bothered with. IF I wanted soft porn, at least I would not bother with a cartoon construct who in rl is probably a man. But hey! Whatever floats your boat.
37. 

    Plot Tracer
    

    Oct 5th, 2007
    

    Forgot to say – the debate with Prokofy went over to the SLLU blog – http://slleftunity.blogspot.com/ – well at least my part of it did.
38. 

    Proteus Hand
    

    Oct 6th, 2007
    

    Unfortunately for most of you, Communism and Facism are two sides of the same coin.

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