I debated with myself whether or not I should post this up here, instead of merely ranting to my close friends about it.  Obviously, I decided I should.

There have been a handful of times over the last three years where I have either walked in on, or been otherwise informed of someone in the main store in my sim, trash-talking me and my work.  I'm not talking about criticism, and certainly not the constructive kind, but more along the line of mockery, insults and name-calling.

What bothers me about it isn't that someone disagrees with the pricing of items or design decisions. Frankly, I don't design and build things with the goal of making something that everyone will love.  I think attempting to do so can result in nothing more than mediocrity.

However, being insulting and disrespectful in the middle of someone's place of business is just rude.  I find it hard to imagine that anyone was raised to believe it was an acceptable behaviour, but I've been surprised before.  Personally, I've been to stores in SL where I looked around and thought, "What utter crap."  I would not dream of turning to someone in that store and saying that out in the open.  Perhaps by IM, but I feel no need to put down someone's work when I can simply go elsewhere.

Really, it's about respect and being able to understand that not everyone sees the world as you do, and thus not everyone will make decisions with which you agree.  If you think your ideas are better, then go make it happen.  The Omega Concern came to be because I followed precisely that philosophy.

-AH