Is Second Life more toxic than other games in general?

[AmberJoyBliss]

This is the only one I use and I it became too draining. I still log in, but just don't have any passion left.

I sometimes wonder if it is just me being weak or attracting the wrong people and almost everyone else having a very positive time in-world.

There have been some very negative experiences on this forum here as well, and I would say the negativity in the forums outweighs's the usefulness.

I used to do a lot in here, but the only thing left is DJing and I now want to do that somewhere else.

[Wulfie Reanimator]

Losing passion for anything is normal, especially after so many years.

I don't think SL is even close to the levels of general toxicity as many other games, though some individuals on this forum are exceptional on that front. 😋

[Persephone Emerald]

I don't play other online multiperson games, so I can't compare SL to them. I can compare the forum to older forums, Facebook, YouTube and RL groups of people. All of these exhibit some degree of toxicity, because people are flawed and they sometimes express their own inner conflicts by throwing negativity onto others. I think most of us have a bit of the Grinch or Oscar the Grouch in us. 

I don't interact with many people inworld except through group chats, which generally seem pretty positive to me. I do lose my joy in SL sometimes, which I think usually happens when I'm worried or depressed in RL. The commonly offered solution is to take break from SL, then come back later when you're feeling better, to see if it still feels enjoyable.

Edited December 25, 2023 by Persephone Emerald

[Ceka Cianci]

If you are DJing and in the clubs and hanging with club atmosphere.. That's a whole level in itself..

I left the club atmosphere  years ago because the drama level just became way too much..  I was promoted to HM at the top club in SL at the time and , I thought it was drama before that, but when I became HM, I think I lasted about 2 months and was done with anything related to club life  for years.. hehehe

There is a lot of egos floating around when I was  in it.. Managing dancers and a staff of DJ's and security and omg I'm starting to stress again!! \o/  hehehe

It's a huge grid and so many variety of communities and directions you can go..  When I was absorbed in that world, I thought that was SL, then I got out of there and  it just became sooo much more relaxing and refreshing and meet so many good people all of the time ever since..

I don't know your actual situation, but thought I would share a bit of my worst.. hehehe

 

[Ayashe Ninetails]

In my experience, not at all. A quick romp through the Steam discussion boards for any popular game would prove far more toxic and hostile. As for in-game experiences, I've witnessed people fighting over harvestable resources in self-proclaimed "cozy" games. I also play MMOs (on and off since 2004), so I've seen plenty of fighting over gear and bad pulls and whatever.

That's not to say SL can't be obnoxious in its own way on occasion. It happens. Is it the worst I've personally seen in various communities across the gaming space - nah.

SL's main advantage for me is it's relatively easy to avoid all that as we're able to have our own personal spaces (especially if you rent/own on private land or somewhere off-the-beaten-path). Most online games really don't have that option and you're just kind of stuck there with everyone else the entire time you're logged in.

[gwynchisholm]

SL, toxic? Have you ever played counter strike?

Or like, Halo 3 in its prime on the Xbox 360? That game taught me slurs I didn’t even know were slurs.

SL is a relatively chill community overall, though there will always be mega nerds who live for and breathe exclusively their own online farts. Just ignore them, move on. Some people find a lot of enjoyment in getting super into all the details and possibilities of this virtual world, many people just like to stand around and chat. And there’s everything in between.

Play the game the way you like. If you don’t enjoy it as much, you might just not enjoy it as much, simple as that. Find things you genuinely enjoy, because forcing yourself to do something you don’t enjoy is harmful.

[Love Zhaoying]

Second Life is a game?

[Wulfie Reanimator]

2 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Second Life is a game?

Yup! (Cue 5 pages of "nuh-uh vs yu-huh")

[Love Zhaoying]

3 minutes ago, Wulfie Reanimator said:

Yup! (Cue 5 pages of "nuh-uh vs yu-huh")

That explains all the toxic wieners and whiners, but no winners.

[Sid Nagy]

36 minutes ago, Wulfie Reanimator said:

Losing passion for anything is normal, especially after so many years.

I don't think SL is even close to the levels of general toxicity as many other games, though some individuals on this forum are exceptional on that front. 😋

The forums aren't that toxic at all IMHO. There are far worse places on the Internet.
Of course one needs a bit of skin at places where things are discussed (no matter what the subject is). Most discussions go down pretty civil here, if you ask me.

I never found SL to be toxic at all, but then again I'm never really in SL, I have a puppet in SL and I'm behind the keyboard at home. So it is not really immersive for me, that helps a lot I guess.

[Persephone Emerald]

1 minute ago, Love Zhaoying said:

That explains all the toxic wieners and whiners, but no winners.

In SL, if you're enjoying it you're winning. Nobody is really keeping score.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

11 minutes ago, gwynchisholm said:

SL, toxic? Have you ever played counter strike?

Or like, Halo 3 in its prime on the Xbox 360? That game taught me slurs I didn’t even know were slurs.

Lol, so true. The funniest part is you don't even need to turn to FPS games to find that level of toxicity anymore. I've seen whole arguments over a dev's choice of country flags that appear in a cozy sticker/puzzle game.

Fights over languages spoken in-game. Fights over main character appearance/options. An all-out brawl over accessibility options (and the lack thereof). Platform and exclusivity wars (RIP devs who release to Epic over Steam).

SL's kind of chill compared to the gaming scene. It's wild out there.

[Luna Bliss]

2 hours ago, AmberJoyBliss said:

This is the only one I use and I it became too draining. I still log in, but just don't have any passion left.

I sometimes wonder if it is just me being weak or attracting the wrong people and almost everyone else having a very positive time in-world.

There have been some very negative experiences on this forum here as well, and I would say the negativity in the forums outweighs's the usefulness.

I used to do a lot in here, but the only thing left is DJing and I now want to do that somewhere else.

I've learned to brush the negativity off me and follow my bliss     Not always easy, I know, but it is possible!

Is there some untapped talent/interest you could pursue?  That can bring back the passion.

[Solar Legion]

Any social platform, game, VW etc can be toxic depending on the company one keeps/where one goes and such.

[Marigold Devin]

2 hours ago, AmberJoyBliss said:

This is the only one I use and I it became too draining. I still log in, but just don't have any passion left.

I sometimes wonder if it is just me being weak or attracting the wrong people and almost everyone else having a very positive time in-world.

There have been some very negative experiences on this forum here as well, and I would say the negativity in the forums outweighs's the usefulness.

I used to do a lot in here, but the only thing left is DJing and I now want to do that somewhere else.

I also don't use any other, but have reached the point where, if I do log in, it tends to just be for a few short minutes, because I also have lost that passion for Second Life. I was ill a few years ago and had to take quite a long break, and then when I returned it just seemed to have become too much of a rat race, I was too far behind to even try to catch up, and didn't actually want to. It saddens me to feel like that, as I can tell it does you too. 

Although I don't personally feel the negativity in the forums outweighs the usefulness, I can see why you would feel like that. Some threads can run on and on and on and become very tedious, and I feel it would be useful to be able to block threads, not just the people who are annoying or overbearing. 

During my early years in Second Life, each week seemed to have a different theme going on and was enjoyable. Eventually I found my own personal place in the world and for a while it felt like there was a purpose. Now it seems to be a rat race, all about dressing up dolly, and I was always more of a wash and go and explore kind of person. 

I never tried the DJing thing. That sounds like fun. If you're in the right type of venue. With there being a lot of places in Second Life, it must be difficult to find the right ones to be in, the right mix of people. 

 

 

 

 

[Love Zhaoying]

6 minutes ago, Solar Legion said:

Any social platform, game, VW etc can be toxic depending on the company one keeps/where one goes and such.

I would like to add, as humbly as I can, that one cannot always exclude one's self from the possible sources of toxicity.

Put another way: If "every place one goes" appears to be toxic, then one's self could be the common factor.

I am NOT suggesting or insinuating that the OP has this problem (or that they said "every place is toxic"). 

I am merely referencing what I have learned in the Forums and in life.

 

[Lysistrata Szapira]

As the old saying goes, "You are the company you keep."  Sure, there are toxic people in SL, but there are toxic people online EVERYWHERE.  I spent years playing World of Warcraft, and hoooooo, that place got crazy at times.  I marvel at that certain SL gossip website wherein people complain about all the toxic people, roleplay sims, and whatnot and just wonder sometimes how they meet these people.  I've managed for 10+ years to keep the toxics away from me in SL.  My profile scares away the manhos.  The club I hang out at must keep its drama on the downlow because I am not aware of it (and I don't want to be).  And unlike some folks, I get a lot of happiness out of dressing my dolly. I have health issues in RL, so SL allows me to be someone I can't be in RL. 

[AmberJoyBliss]

I would like to add, regardless of your RL gender, if you want to DJ, make a male name and male avatar, it will remove a lot of disrespect, stress and abuse.

[Persephone Emerald]

16 minutes ago, AmberJoyBliss said:

I would like to add, regardless of your RL gender, if you want to DJ, make a male name and male avatar, it will remove a lot of disrespect, stress and abuse.

And probably increase your tips from female patrons.

[JUSTUS Palianta]

After the week i had i do think there is toxic people in SL but remember linden gave you the tools to make your SL peaceful.  Delete, Mute, Report. 

[Rolig Loon]

2 hours ago, Marigold Devin said:

I feel it would be useful to be able to block threads, not just the people who are annoying or overbearing.

Yes, but ...

23 minutes ago, JUSTUS Palianta said:

After the week i had i do think there is toxic people in SL but remember linden gave you the tools to make your SL peaceful.  Delete, Mute, Report. 

Or, even easier, don't read threads that bother you.  You don't have to go to all the trouble of Delete, Mute, Report.  Just Ignore.

[JUSTUS Palianta]

Oh i meant inworld, i never had to block people on the forum i just ignore them.

[Kathlen Onyx]

3 hours ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Lol, so true. The funniest part is you don't even need to turn to FPS games to find that level of toxicity anymore. I've seen whole arguments over a dev's choice of country flags that appear in a cozy sticker/puzzle game.

Fights over languages spoken in-game. Fights over main character appearance/options. An all-out brawl over accessibility options (and the lack thereof). Platform and exclusivity wars (RIP devs who release to Epic over Steam).

SL's kind of chill compared to the gaming scene. It's wild out there.

You must play Palia. LOL!

 

[Kathlen Onyx]

2 hours ago, AmberJoyBliss said:

I would like to add, regardless of your RL gender, if you want to DJ, make a male name and male avatar, it will remove a lot of disrespect, stress and abuse.

Won't everyone know once you start speaking?

[JUSTUS Palianta]

55 minutes ago, Rolig Loon said:

Yes, but ...

Or, even easier, don't read threads that bother you.  You don't have to go to all the trouble of Delete, Mute, Report.  Just Ignore.

How are you supposed to know if a thread is going to bother you before you read it.   

There are a few toxic people on the forum too, but it's easy to get on with enjoying your day and forget them because they are not important. 😘