The High Road

                The recent news of Rezzable’s withdrawal from SL has evoked a mixture of emotions from the public. Their collection of sims are some of the most well known across the grid; more impressive is that the major landmarks – the Black Swan, Crimson Shadow, and Kings to name a few – were focused on art and architecture, with merchandising taking a secondary position. A number of people have responded to the announcement with sorrow and well wishes. Others have reacted… Well, let’s just say they’ve reacted. 

                I can’t speak to the reasons behind the angry comments left on the blog. My involvement until now has been indirect, working with Nocturne Modelling Agency to produce fashion shows in their various sims. The most ‘interaction’ I’ve ever had with RightAsRain was when there was a miscommunication and he accidentally flung the Digital Alchemy models across and out of Kings Rezzable. (As you might imagine, the memory is more enjoyable in memory than it actually was.) 

                That being said, some people have acted out of line. Maybe it’s the way I’ve been raised; maybe it’s because I’m striving to be more respectful to others in general. But in my view, dancing around in a public forum thumbing your nose just paints you as ugly as those that ticked you off. Seeing a glorified “I told you so” is just as irritating to a bystander as it is to the receiver. Honestly, if you wish to make a point and be taken seriously, there are much better ways, and they are not hard to pursue.

                There are probably people out there that think because I’m “naïve” about the Rezzable situation that I should shut-up and butt-out. As a blogger, I should just focus on fashion, events or activities and not stick my fingers where they “don’t belong”. However, I’m not just a writer- I’m a human being, and one that thinks we should be conscientious of our actions, especially towards others. This pertains to whether or not you’re speaking to them in person, over the phone, or through an anonymous online account. Yes, there are crappy people out there – I’ve had my unfortunate share of run-ins with the ilk. Yes, there are stubborn jerks in the world- I can be one of them on a bad day. Yes, their actions can be absolutely infuriating to the point where you could just punch babies.

                But reacting poorly just brings you down to their level. And when some people are grieving over something, such displays – no matter how right you are – makes you look like a bad guy. In the case of Rezzable, the disappearance of some incredible places is upsetting to people- due to money matters, creative masterpieces are facing the chopping block. This is a reason we hear too often and why art, music and physical education programs are struggling in our real lives; for it to invade our worlds and our imaginations can be deeply unsettling. As I’ve said, the reasons for lashing out may be valid- but right now, the high road needs to be taken.

                To RAR and the rest of Rezzable, I can imagine this was a difficult decision. A lot of time, energy, money and emotion have been invested to their SL presence. It would be my hope that they are working with the architects, artists and possibly groups such as Will Your Work to preserve some of these virtual treasures on the grid. But I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I know pitching a fit about it is not going to sway the situation. At this point, I feel there’s only one thing to do:

                To the whole team, I wish you the best in your future endeavors, whatever they may be. I hope you learned a lot from your time in Second Life and that you will use the experience you gain to be a stronger, wiser company and individuals. Thank you for the beauty you helped make possible in our virtual landscape- the joy, intrigue and reflection they brought to the residents will not be soon forgotten.

                To the rest of the public, if you haven't visited the lands of Rezzable, see them now before they disappear. Too soon, they will simply be memories and snapshots.