The Tyranny of the Beat

In which YHN opines on YADEs and Differentiation....

Dancing is an ubiquitous part of virtual life in Second Life. Literally, every night, somewhere, an average socially active avatar might expect between one and five invitations to an event that features avatars perched on dance balls
gamboling about in complex gyrations as we all listen to streamed and sometimes live music. For the vast majority of Second Life customers, this activity represents the primary focus of social activity-- virtual clubs, virtual ballrooms, virtual
pubs, virtual bars, virtual beach parties, all playing music, all with roughly the same dance poses (a want that greatly needs filling in Second Life.. what is with the standard dance pose balls, already?).

The vast majority of YADEs (Yet Another Dancing Event, as I've heard them called) follow roughly the same pattern-- streaming music starts, people show up, stand on dance balls, and witty banter ensues. There may be a host present encouraging us to "show the DJ some love." There may be some extracurricular event featured, like a "sploder ball," the Second Life equivalent of half and half fundraisers) or some form
of contest designed to reward an individual or a couple present. The YADE may be formal, with dance cards reserving partners for the duration of the event For the most part, however, YADEs conform to the same old, same old concept of people showing up to stand on dance balls, listen to music and talk.

And why not? We aren't really dancing, are we? What we are really doing is engaging in a shared musical experience and socializing, with an emphasis on the latter. Avatars don't like to be alone in Second Life communities, for the most part. This is not universally true, of course. YHN knows a few virtual agoraphobics, but most avatars tend to cluster along the lines of shared communal interests, and they tend to choose the safest definitions of such, every time. Dancing is a very safe form of socializing that doesn't threaten any avatar's comfort zone. We know what is expected of us (stand on the ball, tip the DJ, tip the establishment, tip the host.. sigh) and make funny remarks (if you know the crowd assembled) or gallant remarks (if you are at a formal event), or just crack wise. Even just shut up and listen.

Allow YHN to preface the next two paragraphs by stating that given the opportunity to practice and the proper venue, he can be quite a dancer. Yes, there actually was a time when YHN was often to be seen engaging in a RL activity called "Swing Dancing", without even having a pressing need to impress a female with his suave demeanor and twinkling toes-- he did it solely for fun. So YHN is not against the notion of dancing as such. It's a fun, fun activity.

However, what is an all-too-rare treat in RL becomes an everyday affair in SL-- and what is commonplace, becomes tired with repetition, no matter how sparkling the bon vivants at the YADE might be. In many communities I belong to, there is literally an exhortation to come dance that is as reliable as the call to prayer from the muezzin. These are regularly occurring YADEs that are part of a recurring schedule. There's a reason for this-- the proliferation of virtual pubs, bars, clubs, beach cabanas, tree-houses, art factories, love-caves, floating sky-dance platforms, pavilions, and etc. are competing for the same commodity-- people to show up. People that show up tend to tip, and the tips are often the sole revenue stream for the pub owners. Let us not be mealy-mouthed here-- there is absolutely nothing greedy or wrong-headed about making a living in Second Life. Instead of providing some object made of prims, a pub owner has constructed an experience for customers to enjoy. There SHOULD be a dollar value attached to this, it's hard work. YHN never begrudged anyone that-- he always tips, even when experiencing a money belt light on golden sovereigns.

So, if the owner of a venue is selling an experience instead of a thing, then perhaps he or she should take a life lesson from Marketing; Product Differentiation. All to often, virtually everywhere I go in virtual life, venue owners are offering the SAME thing. The same experience as the last place I've been-- the people may be different, but the essentials are still there, time after time after time-- dance balls, people, music. Conversation. All well and good, if you fancy vanilla ice cream. For those of us in a Neapolitan mood, the YADE experience begins to pale after the 200th repetition. I wish that was an exaggeration, but it isn't. Some of us, (well, okay, me) crave differentiation. We live in a world where almost anything could happen (prim count and lag permitting). Yet a typical night at the club is, once again, people standing pose balls, listening to music, talking..

Salvador Dali used to complain that there wasn't enough surrealism in the world. He said it was a shame that when you went to a restaurant and ordered a nice piece of fish the waiter never brought you a flaming phone book. While most people recoil from anything out of the ordinary, Dali reveled in the surreal. He knew the unusual made life more interesting, memorable and worthwhile. If you have read YHN's profile blurb, you'll note he sets great store in this philosophy. Second Life could be that flaming phonebook. if you want it to be. What if, at the next YADE you attend, instead of another night of standing on dance balls and trading quips, a herd of wild rhinosceri invaded the dance floor, and attempted a freeform gambado? Or there were landmines under the dance floor? Or the floor slowly tilted everyone on it into a pool of hot magma? Or giant Raiders of the Lost Ark style stone balls were rolling around unexpectedly? Now that's some kind of market differentiation, there! What if that was tied into an activity-- something other than betting or 'sploder balls? There are so many directions a venue owner could go with the colorful palette of Second Life. All too often, we paint in monochrome.

Disclaimer: the above is an opinion of a grump that probably
has been hanging out in Second Life far to long for his own
good. There are many Sim communities that take a big
interest in differentiation-- the community I live in makes a
veritable religion out of YADE themes, for instance-- but far
too frequently, it's another week of same old and same old.