REal Clowns Open Wallstreet!
To bring some cheer to those suffering the economic situation they were able to ring the opening bell. Still the words, let the free market system save us, no to big government, and avoid or stop regulation I guess. Brave words they were from Geroge Bush as the whole thing is heading into the shitter on his watch. Alot of things when to hell on his watch, but I watched from another perspective. Inside Secondlife.
I speak occassionally of secondlife and the friends I have met there. One thing that could be said for it is, a virtual community could be a test lab for real life issues, and in a few instances it has been. The economy of Secondlife was once entirely free market. Oh they had their "Terms of agreement", but more or less you could do as you pleased.
In the beginning they even offered Free land (First homes). Well they found over a period of time that a completely unregulated world created very unique problems and the overlords (Linden Labs) were forced out of RL considerations as well as virtual ones to deal with. Banking, gambling, underaged sex, content theft,ad farms and land pricing issues are a few things that they had troubles with.
The trouble was, in an unregulated system, the users worked around (but within) the rules to find the preverbal cheat code. That is to say they found a way to make the system work to their advantage, make themselves richer, while making others poorer or disgruntled for the experience. Linden Labs has also had to deal with Real life issues beyond their control as well. The Vat Tax of Europe was entirely out of their hands as well, they had to always consider the bottom line. They are a company after all that must make a profit and not a social service being offered.
Are they greedy? I would not think so but users come away thinking sometimes they are when something in world does not go their way. As a corporation, I am sure they could be more professional, and operate in a smarter way, but all things aside they are often acting in ways that are not unexpectant to me. Still, in world, you can see real life economic issues play out.
When I first came to secondlife, I was stumped on how to make my mark. That "original" idea that I could profit from or perhaps stand out in some way. All the stores nailed all my ideas, and I quickly found that what I understood about business only half apply in here. I would have to see the virtual community from a different angle. I also became more social in the time I have been there, and dreams of a total capitalist venture are gone. However, in shopping today, I was surprised by the number of professionally run, well looked after, "New" stores there are that were not there a year ago. Those folks didn't see limitatons and cut new ground.
Yes even in my years time I have seen changes in the economy. Maybe it is no longer the free wheeling liberal damn the devil, wide open imaginative test bed it was, but it is still pretty cool. Those who wish for the old days don't grasp the difficulties that secondlife growth has brought to linden labs. So as a test bed, ok, let free market rule, clearly, but as well, regulating the world has become necessary to prevent the perversion ofits economy and offer up unfair practices and profiteering. Stick that in your hat and smoke it Bush. You leave something open, and sure as hell you are not going to seriously expect a business not to take advantage it. There are very kind people out there, but when the population is taken into consideration on the whole, odds are the majority will be looking out for their best interests first, and not their neighbours, state, country, economy, or Linden labs.
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