Recommending SL to Friends Isolating

[Pamela Galli]

I first came to SL to make a virtual clubhouse for my Yahoo group for ppl with bipolar loved ones, since it can be very isolating socially. I invited everyone, a few came, but only one stuck. Since then I have not bothered inviting anyone — no one I knew had the special quality that SLers have, some combination of whimsicalness, introversion, curiosity, and a soupçon of Misifit Toy.

Until now. My neighbor is holed up with her young daughter, teaching from home, and I think, yes indeed, she might really enjoy being able to walk around freely and go dancing, etc. whenever she likes. All kinds of people might find this form of escape attractive now that they never would have before. 
 

I do expect SL to always be a hard sell for some reason, but maybe not so much now. Will report back. 
 

Is there one person you think might be a candidate now that wouldn’t before? 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Pamela Galli

[Bitsy Buccaneer]

The friend I'd like to invite in has two small children so her days are pretty full. Had thought to ask when they're older, but maybe I'll put out feelers now. I also know someone whose sense of humour involves insulting people repeatedly. He's not malicious, he genuinely finds it hilarious, but we probably don't want him picking up tips from the info hub griefers  

SL is an excellent escape from this confinement and since it's a time sink anyway, perfect for those looking to fill long hours. I hope it helps many.

[lucagrabacr]

It is hard, SL appeals to very specific kinds of people. I've been trying to get my gaming friends into SL for years and those who stay are usually the ones who like to build or who can't truly express themselves in the physical world as much as they can in a virtual world (furries) 

[Linda Reddevil]

I just recommended SL yesterday to a Facebook friend who's daughter is a senior in high school. I guess the daughter and her friends were joking around about having a virtual prom since they can't have a real one this year. Of course, I piped in and said it wasn't a bad idea and left a link to Second Life and told her if they needed help to let me know. 

[TechDave]

I have a few RL candidates.... just put out the primary suggestion a few minutes ago. This one I hope to put on FAST TRACK!  Including giving them a Premium Membership, setup with Home and body w/outfits.... FULL BOAT 'on-boarding' and mentoring thru all. Have not gotten a response back yet... but they can't avoid me in RL!! LOL   Will get back to all here on how it goes. 

Other candidates are not so close RL.. am considering my 'social' approach to dragin'em in here too! 

[CaerolleClaudel]

5 hours ago, Pamela Galli said:

Is there one person you think might be a candidate now that wouldn’t before? 

Nope, none. Until recently, I talked a lot about SL to family and coworkers, and absolutely noone had any interest whatsoever. The people who didn't know about it thought the concept is ridiculous, and the ones who did had extremely negative opinions, mostly along the lines of it just being a sex simulation site.

[TechDave]

2 minutes ago, CaerolleClaudel said:

 mostly along the lines of it just being a sex simulation site.

That was mostly the 'myth' of those not using Internet (and BBS's).. as a WHOLE in the 90's. 

Is so difficult to bust/argue/debate that thinking and belief, I have no idea how to get those that harbor those thoughts to be open-minded enough to realize there's so much more to virtual worlds. Actually, RL has much 'sexual content' within famous artistic works. 

[CaerolleClaudel]

4 minutes ago, TechDave said:

That was mostly the 'myth' of those not using Internet (and BBS's).. as a WHOLE in the 90's. 

Is so difficult to bust/argue/debate that thinking and belief, I have no idea how to get those that harbor those thoughts to be open-minded enough to realize there's so much more to virtual worlds. Actually, RL has much 'sexual content' within famous artistic works. 

This was not the 90s, was from 2007 on. People I know still think that about SL if they have heard of it.

[TechDave]

4 minutes ago, CaerolleClaudel said:

This was not the 90s, was from 2007 on. People I know still think that about SL if they have heard of it.

Oh, yes, I am quite aware of that 'general view. That from the few times I've previously attempted to recommend SL to others that had previous 'knowledge'(?) of virtual worlds. 

Obviously Sanar didn't change any of the pre-conceived notions either. All we can do is keep on trying!! 

[Selene Gregoire]

1 hour ago, TechDave said:

That was mostly the 'myth' of those not using Internet (and BBS's).. as a WHOLE in the 90's. 

Is so difficult to bust/argue/debate that thinking and belief, I have no idea how to get those that harbor those thoughts to be open-minded enough to realize there's so much more to virtual worlds. Actually, RL has much 'sexual content' within famous artistic works. 

SL didn't exist in the 90s. Linden Lab didn't exist until 1999.  SL opened to the public in 2003.

[TechDave]

Yes, I'm aware LL didn't exist in 90's.... point is it was that general , widely held 'Old Wives Tale', belief that ALL and ANY activity ANYWHERE on/from 'internet' was 'Sexual' activity and perverts overall. 

Of course.. that's cleared for the most part now... but then again... there's still some of those 'Old Wives' that still believe so! 

[Lindal Kidd]

6 hours ago, lucagrabacr said:

It is hard, SL appeals to very specific kinds of people. I've been trying to get my gaming friends into SL for years and those who stay are usually the ones who like to build or who can't truly express themselves in the physical world as much as they can in a virtual world (furries) 

It's true that those who like a lot of games won't like SL.  The reverse is also true.  I recently got into watching the trailers and shorts and reading the comics for the game "Overwatch", a superhero game by Blizzard.  I LOVE the characters and the story!  I then watched some YouTube videos of actual game play.  The action was so fast and furious I had NO idea what was going on...and I could never move my character and shoot that fast.  If I played, I'd die every three seconds.

It was the same way with Portal.  I loved watching the puzzles, and following the story, in videos.  In actual play, I suck totally.

Edited April 4, 2020 by Lindal Kidd

[Selene Gregoire]

15 minutes ago, TechDave said:

Yes, I'm aware LL didn't exist in 90's.... point is it was that general , widely held 'Old Wives Tale', belief that ALL and ANY activity ANYWHERE on/from 'internet' was 'Sexual' activity and perverts overall. 

Of course.. that's cleared for the most part now... but then again... there's still some of those 'Old Wives' that still believe so! 

I've been online for well over 20 years and I didn't start hearing that bs until around 2005. Maybe it has something to do with the kind of people we hang out with. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[TechDave]

Yep... hanging out with 'Old Wives'!! LOL!  (yes.. I DO certainly mean plural on dat!). Giving away my age here.. I was around BEFORE the internet... even B4 computers... the BC Years.

Tho.. we're drifting from OP's original post of NOW inviting current RL friends to join SL. Someone commented that RL friends that was aware of SL but only those sexual aspects. We NEED to formulate a proper/good agreement for those that feel that way and object to returning to SL. 

[Selene Gregoire]

18 minutes ago, TechDave said:

Yep... hanging out with 'Old Wives'!! LOL!  (yes.. I DO certainly mean plural on dat!). Giving away my age here.. I was around BEFORE the internet... even B4 computers... the BC Years.

Tho.. we're drifting from OP's original post of NOW inviting current RL friends to join SL. Someone commented that RL friends that was aware of SL but only those sexual aspects. We NEED to formulate a proper/good agreement for those that feel that way and object to returning to SL. 

I remember seeing the price per gallon of gas on the pumps as 35 cents, a pack of smokes was 50 cents and payphones were a nickel.

Threads tend to drift. That's just how people are.

The thread wants what the thread wants.

[Selene Gregoire]

8 hours ago, Pamela Galli said:

Is there one person you think might be a candidate now that wouldn’t before? 

Can't think of one. Most just are not interested. They'd rather be outside in RL, doing things with friends and family. Like me. Thankfully, it has finally stopped raining so much and I can get some yard work done this weekend.

[BelindaN]

Same here. They think I'm weird enough as it is without upping the ante.

[TechDave]

Ok everyone following this.... How would you describe "Second Live Residents" to RL non-residents? 

How about something like:      A race above and beyond imaginations. Those that have mastered a virtual platform to create and display a mind's horizon.

[Pamela Galli]

1 minute ago, TechDave said:

Ok everyone following this.... How would you describe "Second Live Residents" to RL non-residents? 

How about something like:      A race above and beyond imaginations. Those that have mastered a virtual platform to create and display a mind's horizon.

I did that in the OP.