Socially|Mundane

The premise of Second Life is that in-world you are experiencing a... well, second life. Certainly there are those, usually the younger crowd who look upon their experience in-world as simply an extension of themselves, much like your typical other social tools like iChat, Yahoo! Messenger or even Facebook or MySpace.

However, in Second Life, you are for the most part completely anonymous with regard to your real life. All that is known about the real you is whatever you are willing to share.

Thus, most, if not all of your persona in-world is basically role-playing to some degree. At the very least, your look, meaning your avatar shape, skin, hair - your entire 'look' in SL is a role-play of some sort, as it is assumed and most likely not anywhere near what you look like in person.

And that's okay.

There are those, including myself, who enjoy really living a completely different existence in SL: being someone you aren't or, in my case, being somewhere that simply doesn't exist in the real world. We build characters and 'live' by the rules of the environment we choose.


Like a 'stage-play' where we are the characters acting out our fictional stories in the fictional environment that interests us. And in SL, there are many: science fiction in Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica; the Romanum Imperium (Roman Empire if you haven't figured that one out,) the planet of Gor (which is radically misunderstood by practically everyone not in it); Medieval fantasy - with or without Elves, Wizards and Dragons.

Along with these themed environments are the actors: all manner of citizens: Roman Centurians and ladies; Elves and Humans; Humans and Klingons; Masters and Slaves and Panther Girls (yes, proper term is "Panther Girls" - not "Panthers" as that is an animal last time I checked and National Geographic Society backs me up on that.)

So in my role-playing environment, it is considered uncouth to gleam information from another's profile. Whether it be the main page or something in their "Picks". For instance, if I run across a Panther Girl and read her profile and learn she is a member of the Kuka-monga Tribe, it is inappropriate for me to simple start using that information in my role-play.

"You are of the Kuka-monga Tribe, who captured my brother so I will kill you in revenge! Aaaarrrgghhhh!!!!"

Okay, I agree, that's just stupid. Not my example above, but the idea that I would know such information and suddenly start using it in role play. It's totally implausible.

It doesn't matter which role-play environment we are speaking of, I'm sure this is an issue in all of SL's role-play 'cultures' - whether in space, on Gor, in Elvenwoodlandplace, or in Shangri-la.

So my question to all you role players whose role-play is ruined by being on the receiving end of such a person with 'magical knowledge' about you is this:

Why is that information in your profile to begin with?

If it is such taboo to read name tags, (to see your name and tribe or whatever,) and horrible role-play to read your profile and whatever back-story you have placed in there and use that information in role-play interaction with you - then why the hell is that information in there to begin with?

Can anyone tell me the meaning of "oxymoron"?
Or, more appropriately: "hypocrite"?

So with regard to most players, in the Gorean communities anyway, profiles often include "rules" such as the following:

"I am the member of such and such a city or tribe and I am a warrior/huntress/slave with or of so-and-so and I am of this heritage and this is my caste/place/dities.

"Read LIMITS IN PICKS!!!

"DO NOT USE THIS INFORMATION IN IN CHARACTER OR ROLE-PLAY IS INVALID"

And of course, in their picks they have a bunch of stupid crap like:

RP LIMITS:
No cutting hair
No killing
No raping
No capturing
No punishing
No this
No that
No RP in 5-Minutes and I TP out

Okay - if I am not to read your name tag or profile in role-play, then how the hell am I supposed to know what your ridiculous limits are? If I am not supposed to know what you put in your profile regarding your back-story in-character; who you are; what your status or whatever is - why is that information in your profile to begin with?

As for "limits" - this is Gor. No such thing as limits.

My profile does not include anything regarding my role-play except one. All that is there is information how to contact me and work with me if you need assistance with one of my creations you have purchased. That's it.

In my pick, the only thing that is there is there for the profile-whores who simply cannot resist. And all that is there is to reinforce my belief about the role-play in Gor:

Role-play Limits:

The world is a mirror and YOU are the mirror. Therefor, your limits are the same as mine;

Limits:
None.
Done.

I only wish I could put the same emphasis formatting in my profile.

If you simply must read my profile to learn as much about my 'character' as you can before you interact with me in-character, you won't get much as you can see. Even my tag is blank so you cannot easily see what my caste is. About the only thing you can learn is my city as I obviously have that in there to help with SL ranking.

When someone comes to me and suddenly blurts my name and caste, I don't go stupid on them and proclaim "how could you know that? You are reading profiles - RP is invalid!!!"

I simply assume they have learned via role-play through other means: such as someone else pointing to me and saying "That's Ari, the city slaver." Is that not plausible?

So all of you with all that information in your profile: I don't read profiles. Which also means your "role-play limits" are completely moot. If we interact and you proclaim some dumb-ass role-play limit - then I will make it known far and wide what a crappy, whiney-assed role-player you are and put you on my 'do-not-role-play-with' list. That will be in my picks.

If by chance I am curious enough (or someone tells me) to read your profile - all the information there is fair-game. I see it as you with a 'scroll' pinned on your forehead for everyone to see and read. If you don't like it - then remove that information.

It's a lot like when dumb-ass slaves or free women (and yes, sometimes men) emote "thoughts" as a way to insult someone without in-character repercussion. If you emote a thought in my presence, I will react to it and treat it as you "thinking aloud" and I guarantee you might not like the result.

My answer to any proclamation of "((that was a thought, you can't hear it))" - is this:

"Then you really must be more careful to keep your thoughts to yourself and not absentmindedly think-out-loud."

So, what's your opinion on "role-play information" in profiles, and at the same time that information being off-limits in-character, unless you 'learn' it through role-play?