Thursday discussion was like this!

Last Thursday, LnL hosted its weekly discussion. This time the topic was "Get out of my Lawn!! Hate, Limits and the "Small Powers" in SL"!!!". We started talking about banlines, and for some participants these are necessary, when living in high traffic areas and constantly finding strangers in our property, not to say our beds... But some participants defended that banlines are annoying for the limits they impose and in specific situations such as riding a vehicle or when using a big avatar, like a dragon. It was interesting to see that banlines seem to tempt the senses and people feel like camming in and checking the area. Setting limits triggers the need to break them! The feeling of privacy in Second Life is merely an illusion according to some, others defended that privacy is possble, you just need to know how to achieve it. It was mentioned that the (little) privacy some have in SL is the only real privacy they have in any life. So true. Interestingly, someone suggested that those who wish to set banlines should be allowed to do so in specified areas. Security orbs were considered extremely annoying, especially when they eject you from the location without giving you enough time to TP away and/or make you crash. Hate and prejudice often go hand in hand in Second Life as well as anger, jealousy and petty comments and it was defended that RL and SL, in this respect, are very much alike. The group considered that vampires, tinies, children, furries can be easy targets because of their looks. Many thought that looks may determine people's reactions towards others making them a bit more "trigger happy" regarding the eject/ban button. The example of clubes was mentioned; some ban non-human avies on sight. This may have to do with a strong feeling of "power" by club owners, trying to offer a more immersive experience to their guests. RP sims were also mentioned. They have rules and they are often very strict in enforcing them. The group stated that it is important for these sims to have a Landing Point area with clear information, some even offering an Observer's tag to visitors. Another limit discussed was the existence of Adult land which, in reality, does not serve its purpose, since you can and do get exposed to "Adult" content in General and Mature areas as well. Some defended though that in Adult areas there seems to be less griefing, and a smaller number of annoying people! As a conclusion, the moderator stated that humanity has taken many steps towards fighting limiting behaviours and hate, even though we still suffer from it on a daily bases. But it is up to us, in our tolerance to try to grow away from it and know that more than Hate, Love without barriers is what really will make us happy and free!! As always, an interesting topic, a great moderator, a fantastic group and a fun discussion! Drop by next week, Thursday at 2pm SLT for a new topic! In LnL's Lounge!

PS: Notice the discussion pics London has been preparing for the blog! Very cool!