I think there was a lot more to it actually– he kept putting things in front of DC’s stuff over and over again (of course he was also allowing it to be moved so i’m not sure what that means) I’m hoping to have a conversation with him in world sometime soon and find out what he says was the point- I think some other kind of parody would be a much better way of making fun of DC if that is his goal.

Left by jvanb on July 30th, 2008

Wasn’t this the same person that added the “DC SUCKS” sign last week?

I think it is undoubtedly personal.

Left by Arahan Claveau on July 30th, 2008

Well, I don’t want to get into any discussion of virtual drama, because when I show more stuff, I don’t think I’d like it, either. The conflict isn’t that interesting; there have been trolls since the Net was born. Not “acceptable use”, but Femi doesn’t look like it’s taking down your server. That’s probably where I’d go DEFCON. At this point, my vote is that Femi’s just yanking your chain, and I don’t want to go negative.

One of three things:
It knows DC personally, and it’s a vendetta. Boring.
It just doesn’t like him, and is rattling the cage because DC has a history of reaction. Not interesting, but probable.
It’s conceptual/ideological and DC’s just in the jaws of the thing because it’ll be seen.

Urrr. Iffy proposition.

On the last two posts, I’d rather not give Femi much concern, because that’s the fuel for the first two.

For DC’s sake (noting that we butt heads a lot and I don’t give him much slack) let’s make lemons from lemonade, given that we’re out of the safe zone of “nominal” SL experience.

What about Jay’s arguments of objecthood, (even in the term of programming, as “objects” are modular subroutines in forms of code) virtual fetishization and art? How about the relation between affect and virtual confrontations like this. Are these things legitimate “objects” in terms of BiW’s discourse?

And, on the other hand, what’s really the social function of a grief (is it affective, or more of a Marxist function of disruption of forms of “capital”), and as Shirley said, can there be parodies of this? Is it grief or protest, and what’s the difference between Femi and events like the WWIIOL/Jesse Wars and the Patriotic Nigras (having seen both…)? Can “real” protests be effected in SL other than acceptable ones, or does that fall outside AUP?

Lastly, could the “fake” sign be a comment on what is real in virtual worlds? We can say that affect is real, as Jay said, out investment with our avatar is real (That’s pure Sherry Turkle - Second Self), and a number of symbolic exchanges are real.

That’s my brief take, for what it’s worth. I’d like it to stay positive, as if Femi’s a real troll, he wants the flamewar. In SL, it’s easy to go after a troll; just lock ‘em out.

But on the other hand, do you think there’s any “good” way to do any of this?

I don’t know. As I said, best way is to stay cool and keep positive unless it gets a lot worse.

Left by patlichty on July 30th, 2008

Sound advice from Patrick.

I’ve had my art covered before by neighbours who did not appreciate the sensitive, political content and it was very invasive and disturbing. In DC’s case I think they are griefing the persona as equally as the art itself, which makes it potentially more alarming.

It is possible to make a statement under the guise of griefing and be effective with it, I think this is absolutely fair game with say the unwelcome presence of the French National Party in SL. A sustained barrage of very clever, political griefing, definitely contributed to their eventual downfall and retreat from SL.

But when it comes to art or artists it is usually very ill-conceived, as in this case, because it makes me sympathise with DC a lot more than question his integrity, the latter of which I’m sure was the intended effect.

Griefing can be damned funny though when used appropriately. I think I achieved a modest level of hilarity with my Brooklyn is Wanking sign.

Left by Arahan Claveau on August 1st, 2008

Heyas!

I have been busy in with a new magazine I am art directing (called h+).

Thanks for the analysis of Femi’s efforts at defamation. I am not so charitable as Jay about this kind of trolling, and yes, there was a lot more activity going on than I made noise about.

Being high profile in SL is a mixed bag. One might say that the state of SL celebrity begs for anonymous “interventions” of this sort. People simpy can’t resist the opportunity to speak their true feelings when they can hide behind pseudonymity.

I can totally understand this because I have done performance work in FPS games that “bent” the usual activities in the game in odd and interesting conceptual directions.

Femi’s comments and activities were of a personal nature and an ideological nature. An while I think Patrick’s supposition that it was a form of jamming capital culture, I think he gives this person too much credit.

Thank you for your kind words Arahan, I appreciate your comments very much.

Incidently I LIKE the fact that you Patrick does not give me much “slack”. If an art educator and experienced and intelligent critic talks about your work and discusses it with you, it is a very good thing. I’m not looking for exclusively affirmation in my work. So I appreciate your input very much Patrick and don’t consider it “butting heads” as much as a healthy exchange of views. I learn a lot from it and I hope, like any engaged student that I give back something as well.

The troll that was stalking me was an anti-artist. The person sent me messages that brought into question the value of art in ANY world, not just my art in SL. He is not fooled by our high faluttin’ conversation and the expanse of art history. Nopes. Not one bit.

This person, instead of being a materialist subversive, was a good example of a typical Amerikkkan run-of-the mill anti-intellectual meanie. Yeps, the same kind of hater that elected the goofy oil jerk president and probably has a “rebel” flag flying hanging in a shed, right over the gun cabinet in the back of his house…

Now, don’t get me wrong, in some bizzarro land of postmodernism this guy’s voice is important. He’s a member of a marginalized majority that can’t seem to understand why anyone would want to go to the MoMa when there is a NASCAR race on TV.

However I think Jay did the right thing to ban, mute and scorn this goober. Not so much because he was after me, but because what he was doing is clearly contrary to the SL terms of service, the DMCA and not in keeping with the spirit of honest conversation.

Bullying cannot be tolerated. What’s next? Racism? Homophobia? Anti-Semitism?

man, I hope not…

-DC

Left by DC Spensley on August 3rd, 2008

Good discussion from bad behavior.

Well, I’ll say a few things about this. First, I understand that I’m in the “bad” spot out of the gate, as I’m the griefer, disruptor and so on. I decided to take that resposibility. Understand that by talking, I really can’t do it again. I’m banned anyway. Move along.

Thanks to the guys for reading me right - most of the whole intervention was intentional, and not a real “grief”. As an artist, there are statements that you can only make as an outlaw, and you take the bullet.

Why? Because I respect BiW for what it is, as a possible spot for real art discussion. It was time to make a statement against the eternal strip mall that is SL.

Why DC? He was targeted, but it wasn’t that personal. He’s just the best example of poor self promotion gone crazy, and a we’re tired of his online kiss up/kick down bullying against people like Juria and others. People selling themselves is ok, but things get out of hand, and sometimes it’s good to push back. And doing it this way is the only way because Lindens like DC, complaining of ad griefing is worthless.

Might it have been done poorly? Probably, but intentionally, and the conversation that came from it was really good. I’m happy that people like James and shirley are here. If I “behaved”, things would not have been so immediate and charged. No justification, but it worked.

Am I a Republican, White-truck driving, rifle rack toting Bushie? I’m a hard left Californian Nader voter. I am against money grubbing capitalist Jesse Helmists like DC who believe the only art worth having is the art that sells, and that it’s ok to crowd everyone out through bullying and overpromotion. Capitalism and art don’t go together well, you wind up with people like Thomas Kinkaide and DC who just shovel shit to the unsuspecting. To call me a right-winger is a typical Fox News Neocon move. I’m rubber, yer glue.

Also, information wants to be free, SL is made of information. What you have to understand is art in sceond life is basically worthless, and is just symbolic because Linden owns everything. It’s easy to copybot and rescript anybody’s work, snapshields are worthless. Art’s value here is only social, pay for appreciation. That’s all. Love sells more than IP.

Right on with the Kruger thing, dudes. That’s it, the guys got arrested, I got banned. Formulaic art, formulaic ban. And go to hell on DMCA - this was fair use (although bad) parody. Without the notecard it would have been DMCA. I know better.

Lastly, my fake/real - my real rebuke of stuff pretends to be art. My work did not lie. It was a very real statement.

Sometimes it’s better to just put up yer dukes. take a swing, and piss on the bad art. And that’s usually tolerated about 15 minutes in SL. I know that.

It certainly isn’t “acceptable use”.

But I love what your doing, and and it was a good conversation, even though in a wrong way.

Over and out.
Love, Femi

Left by femiaabye on August 5th, 2008

Hey Femi,

It’s cool you came here and talked about how you feel and I can see where you’re coming from. I pretty much agree that SL art has no financial value, mainly because it can be infinitely replicated, or, as you pointed out, copied.

Personally though, whilst I respect your views on the state of SL art, I think your actions were too aggressive in this case. I’ve taken action myself against several “artists” because their work irritated me so much, including a rather explicit faecal protest, so who the hell am I to give advice!

Left by Arahan Claveau on August 5th, 2008

I can respect that. I think that art could be a weapon, and SL typically does not allow strong language. A lot of people think it’s quite inappropriate to test social and technical limits.

I might have been ham-handed, but that’s the risk you take for making strong comments. You get arrested or banned sometimes. But I think the way things happened had an effect, as the actions clearly got their point across.

Not that I can do any more, more because I outed myself than technical issues.

As I said, it was a good conversation, and a little excitement in a normally quiet landscape.

Left by femiaabye on August 5th, 2008

I don’t get it.

Left by Ichibot Nishi on August 5th, 2008

Well, in regards to DMCA, thisis a tremendous problem in SL. So many frame shops are selling scans and internet image uploads.

For example, when I was first on in 2005, I remember one of the first mega-malls Iwent had almost nothing but vendors of scanned anime art. This may not be as much of an issue as copyright is much looser in SL.

However, the recent June takedowns of DMCA-related material shows two things:

SL is governed by a benevolent autocracy. There is a strange overlay of freedoms between US law and Linden Policy, and this is subject to change without notice.

As just mentioned, like the elimination of kudos, and so many other things, one really has to understand that a significant change could happen tomorrow or the next day.

My challenge to the Lindens on this point is to at least give the public atleast a 7-14 day grace period when changes are put up and given time for public comment.

Left by patlichty on August 6th, 2008

Look at these examples of what Patrick is talking about.

Left by Arahan Claveau on August 6th, 2008