In the comments on previous post, Smiley asked
why the heck is there mature content at all in Second Life? I mean, people looking for free porn should just use Google to find some :-P. Plus, there’s Red Light Center now, basically a 100% sex world… :-S
I started my reply with counter-question but there is a lot more to be said.
Why there is mature content? Well, why not? That is the beauty of second life, that the residents can and do create freely. If they want mature content and create it, then it is to be there. I (and I firmly believe that majority of people around share this attitude) don't want to live in a world in which some higher authority declares what do we need and ask why do we need something, be it virtual or the real world. We are practicing freedom of creativity and open society here.
And it is not just porn. Porn that you can find via Google lacks the very essence of second life's experience, it lacks interactivity. Sex in second life is not about surfing the images or movies of naked people having sex, it is about communication and interaction. It is about sharing the fantasies. It is about getting to know somebody and getting to know yourself better. It is much more than just being a passive consumer.
And yes, there is Red Light Center which is, as Smiley said a 100% sex world. Which means it lacks everything else. You come there, make an avatar and jump into poseballs. And then? What do you do after? Nothing. Sex in second life is not just about sex. Not only that you cannot create your own content in Red Light Center, you cannot do anything else. You cannot go shopping or dancing, or building with your lovers and friends. You cannot do anything else with them than to have virtual sex. You cannot meet them out of the sheets. You cannot get the broader picture of them. Not only that is the poor knowing of the person one have cybersex with, it is also poor sex with with somebody you cannot know better.
*nods wildly* You are so right Dandellion :)
I would never visit one of those pornsites. I would never have thought I would have sex on the net anyway. I didn’t mind about the sex thing my first months in SL. Now I do, as you can read in my latest post. And it’s obvious that I *never* have sex with someone I don’t know quite well, and seldom on a poseball. Because it’s using your imagination and sharing this,which make it interesting ;-) You won’t find that on pornsites indeed.
I am with Zippora on this, as you can see
missing link ;)
well, you can see what i think on Zippora’s latest post comments!
Hmm, you’ve got a point there. One heck of an answer, and I didn’t think my tiny little “question” would generate such an answer! :-).
I guess i’m just looking for a way in that can happen before I turn 21?
Argh, acronyms don’t generate that dotted line — hover over “21″ for further details.
“Sex in second life is not just about sex.” – There’s nothing unique about SL in this statement. In fact I’d reduce it “Sex is not just about sex”. And those who think otherwise do cut out a lot from their experience.
Now, all this adult/non-adult jockery is just fun. I remember I learned various “things I was not supposed to know” while being around 8 (so, by far the “PG” age). Of course, we’d like to hide from the kids that 99% of the world is about sex, just to ensure they listen to all this blah they are told in schools, to ensure they’re able to reasonably well hide from their kids that 99% of the world is about sex, to ensure that they listen to the stuff they are told in schools, to ensure that they are able to somewhat hide that 99% of the world is about sex… :-)
(oh, am I repeating myself? :-)
@zippora:
> I would never visit one of those pornsites.
I find there’s a lot of educational value to be uncovered. The most enigmatic part for me is the economy of this industry – someone actually allows to take the pictures of themselves. So, either they do it for the love or art (but I’d think this should be a small percentage), or there is the audience that actually *pays* for it. This is quite amusing.
> I would never have thought I would have sex on the net anyway.
I guess technically what is called “sex” now on SL should be called “computer assisted masturbation” :-) But hey, once the technology goes up to the level where one could call this a full-fledged “sex” that is where it will become a tremendous fun for all the parties involved. And the “non-obliging” environments like SL will have an even bigger value.
Smiley, acronyms generate whatever CSS file say them to generate. It is probably dotted line, I don’t know :)
Dalien, yes sex is not just about sex, not even in one-night-stands.
About porn sites? Dalien, you are kidding me, right? Not that thee are people who are paying it, it is an industry next to drugs and weapons. According to Pornography Statistics
Every second – $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography
Every second – 28,258 Internet users are viewing pornography
Every second – 372 Internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines
Every 39 minutes: a new pornographic video is being created in the United States
All in all, every year industry is close to 100 billion US$ worldwide.
And about definition…. once again, SL is a place with so many different experiences. I cannot call SL sex “computer assisted masturbation” because my human doesn’t masturbate while I am in the action :) … need those fingers to make typos :p
Yeah, I know the numbers, just amazing someone’s actually *paying* :-) But hey, they do have the red light districts as well, there’s got to be some economic incentive there :-)
Can’t keep myself from recalling this gem – http://youtube.com/watch?v=eWEjvCRPrCo
*points up at Dandelion’s comment* : exactly what I wanted to say about the “computer assisted masturbation”
And yes, sex sells and is possibly the biggest industry in the world. But they wont make much money from this consumer :)
ROFL about that movie from Dalien’s link :D
I think I’ve more sympathy for this vision about the internet ;-):
http://www.secondlife.blogspot.com/
Uhm, nevermind my long post about the imperfections of the technology – it is catching up – http://www.dansdata.com/ifeel.htm :-) (especially the link in the end of the review – just priceless :-)
… or for those that prefer Disney http://youtube.com/watch?v=_GGGAJ_2TvQ&feature=related
I am thinking about making a panel what humans are doing while we have sex. Just to share experiences. Girls only. We know what guys are doing. Discussion might be followed by a workshop.
Dalien…. for DIY new technologies check http://www.slashdong.org
And about that Taiwanese girl and her boyfriend… why people don’t go to sex shops? It is much safer than using mobile phones.
I’m in :D *tries to imagine what the workshop would be like and giggles*
[...] here you have one, two and three links, totally different in content, all of them worth taking a look at them, from three virtual [...]
Well I’m a bit late (I somehow managed to miss this one til London linked it), but I have to say…
“I cannot call SL sex “computer assisted masturbation” because my human doesn’t masturbate while I am in the action :) … need those fingers to make typos :p”
*giggles* This is why way way before SL ever existed and out virtual worlds were all text based… I learned to type with one hand… ;)
But then again I’ve often been called a horny kitty… ^_^
That 99 is familiar to me from I-don’t-know-where…. have we met on ICQ?
:) It is not that I cannot one-hand-type. And that I never do or did. ‘Tis just that I love it this way… riding the tide of hormones, like evening surfing.
*giggles* Well I think I’ve commented on your blog… But there is also the possibility inworld at a blogger party… Or any of I’m not sure how many places online ^_-
O… Well when it’s done well I get to excited and need to use said other hand… ^_^ I wait as long as I can even so, but….
Why is there sex in Second Life? Because it is everywhere. It is a part of what makes us human. Anyone who tries to ban it is knocking heads with millions of years of evolution.
Do very true. What I sill never understand is why large part of all that hstory of human kind is also covered by those who try to ban sex.
I know I am extremely late on my answer to this one. I have only just started reading this blog.
I take great exception to it being said that Red Light Center is just sex. No doubt that is what it was created for. It has evolved in to much more then that. Granted, the world is small, and you are right there is not much to do in way of content (compared to Second Life). However, there are many people there who spend very little time in sex rooms. People do get to know eachother just as they do on Second Life. I knew many people during my time on RLC that hardly ever visited a sex room, except for with the person they are with.
The only real difference between RLC and SL is content and abilities. RLC is far superior, but the same premise. Not everyone who uses or has used RLC is a sex-aholic who is just out to get laid.
The mistaken point was made that you cannot go shopping or go to a club. That is entirely false. There are several clubs in RLC, as well as a few shopping areas. As I said it is much smaller so there isn’t as much… But it is there.
I have left RLC for good to Second Life, but only because as far as virtual worlds go Second Life is far superior, not because of the people or interaction.
Welcome to the blog, Willow, and thanks for commenting.
I must admit that all my knowledge of RLC is second-hand. It’s nice to know that RLC is also social area, though that was to be expected. Jumping in the poseballs is not a game that is interesting enough on the long run unless we add something to it.
I am not sure if I understand your comment… beside the content creation in SL, which one you find superior and why?
Really that’s it. That and improved graphics, clothing, and character enhancement. I don’t mind admitting it is severely lacking in character creaction. You can choose small, medium and tall height, and a variety of hair, faces and clothing, but it is still very… uniformed. No one really looks different. Everyone is the same shape and proportion. There were people with the know how to make clothing and skins and whatnot, but it wasn’t quite as simple as clicking on it and poof as it is in SL.
Also a big draw is your own land and space. RLC has been promising “apartments” to there VIP members for over a year now. I still do not believe it has been implemented. The building is there, but it is unusable.
Just overall the feel of second life is better. And although there is much more to do then you thought, it is still a very tiny world, and there is only SO much you can do. I think for everyone there once they saw all there was to see they would find there little hangout and sit around and chat. Being such a small world everyone knew eachother. That wasn’t so great. You couldn’t escape the drama.
Yes, uniformity in shapes is bad for any world let alone sex oriented one. Though that gives more stability and faster performance, it takes away a lot of feeling.
And drama… SL is huge, still there is drama. Though it is easy to escape it if you’re not willing to play tha game.