PetuinaLore1

Everyone has such great input! I just found it really interesting how Philip Rosedale referred to Anshe Chung as "the government" when referring to the role she plays managing her regions. Of course there is great appreciation for those who made SL what it is today but obviously there is a clear hierarchy and status. It's the skin of the avatar, business ownership, land ownership.. It's a reflection of RL.

((As stated earlier: The one user who is elite, imo, is Anshe Chung. She owns so much land that LL has to take her seriously - because she pays a massive amount of tier money to LL each month. I don't think that applies to anyone else.)) ^^^ SO this is kind of what I was getting at when I started this thread earlier. Chung, ultimately is more powerful over the average resident because of the amount of land she owns. She has that land because she buys it, invests in it. In reality, the more money you invest, the more you have to show for your money, the more powerful in society you are (capitalism). Which, is a heirarchy because peoples inability to reach the higher "status" or compete with the upper class. Obviously we all have our own motives in SL, hers is to potentially become an elite obviously, or why else would you invest so much? Say Chung did get deals on land, as someone said before she may get a cheaper price, that is only because of who she is and how much she has purchaced. And if you did appear in the same area as her and said hi (newbie or alpha), and she just blocks or ignores you, isn't that just filling the stereotypic characteristic of the hegemony? Basically, capitalist ideoloy is the foundation of SL, am I right? Think about it. Everywhere you go, there is a hierarchy. Maybe it's not as profound in certain areas, but it's still there because of modern day societies desire for power.

Technically there is no hierarchy, you are right. But, there are land owners, business owners, and plenty of well-known/popular residents. Are there celebrities? Residents tend not to be as friendly to "newbies," why is that?

I have had my Second Life accout for a few months now. I enjoying being a resident in this world and have met some fasinating avatars. Now, I have noticed a hierarcy. Although, all growth in SL is in-breadth and from raw-material I am curious as to who the elite class is. I am assuming there is an elite class like in our society today because Second Life is a mirrored world. Can someone please give me a few explainations on this upper class and how they culturally relate? Are they approachable? What do they own? What do they control?