What Price To Win?!

Okies so...I think today I'll prolly have a cpl posts...b/c...I have some things on my mind regarding this competiton as a whole...and I don't really want to dilute them with posts about pretties and other goofiness that I enjoy posting about...:D

So...day 13...our second round of eliminations. It's been a quiet week...and yet a lot has happened. Increasingly in this experience, I'm seeing that when push comes to shove...people will go quite a ways to get ahead...and sometimes the tactics they will use can leave a pretty bad taste in the mouth.

So I ask you out there...those who read my incoherent ramblings...exactly how far is too far...exactly what is it worth to win...and exactly what *IS* winning, anyhow?

Let's take for example a resident we had who was actually paying $L100 to anyone who would come in and vote for him. Now, myself, I am not one to spam out names and information to stir the ol dwama mill...and will generally keep my posts to my own thoughts and observations without doing so...but...since he openly admitted it/talked about it in the room prior to eliminations...with not only other residents but supporters around to hear as well...I see no harm in it. It's information that's out there already. So...paying $L100 per vote. Not actually against the rules...but also I suppose not actually a very viable tactic anyhow. It would cost a lot of Lindens to sustain that long term...so really it's not like it was ever much of a threat. As Lilli so rightly pointed out in her own blog...it'd be pretty easy to scam them out of money by pretending to vote anyhow...and as I noted myself when talking to some friends yesterday over by the voting area...there were accusations by people that they were not getting paid to come as they were promised. So...I guess buyer beware...but seller beware too. Rencius did point out that it's a tried and true method used by rw politicians all the time...and I know he's right. Still, that doesn't really make it sit right with me...just as it doesn't in the rw. However, would I be surprised to learn that others might be doing the same or similar? No, probably not. At least Rencius is up front about who and what he is...I suppose that must count for something, right?

I make that last point because I know there are those in the house who are probably not what they seem to be. The bad thing about an experience like this is that you see enough to start to have doubts...and you start to wonder who is being straight with you...and who is just playing you for what they can get. Oh...and not just you...but every single person who comes to visit the house as well. I have a lot of friends who come...just to vote...they're busy people...with things to do. They don't come goof off. They don't join groups and put tags on their heads. They hang out a few...they speak via im...they vote...they go back about their business. But...they do tell me what they hear....what they see...and what people say to them. And so yah...some of it I find a bit shocking...to be sure.

So at this point I think it's fair to say that there are people to whom winning that island is more important than their integrity...more important than their reputation...more important than their dignity...more important than really connecting with other human beings on some level other than 'hi nice to meet you vote for me thanks now on to the next conquest'. There are some, I think, who would even be willing to sacrifice friendships to win...but to me, if you have to do that, then you really haven't won anyhow.

Ok so...what does all this rambling mean? Probably nothing...thanks if you're still here reading as I churn through some of my deeper thoughts on this entire thing. And frankly...who am I to judge anyway? No one. I do realize we are all different and as humans we tend to view people through our own ideals...and sometimes unfairly judge them for nothing more than simply not being like us. Certainly there's nothing set in stone about what is *right* and what is *wrong* in situations like this. There are only opinions...and personal boundaries.

So here's the thing. I know I have a lot of friends who are pulling for me...supporting me...coming out. I think (I hope) they all know, however, that I would love them no less if they just didn't even care about this...or didn't want to be bothered. I hope I have in no way made any of them feel pressured, so to speak, and if I have, I apologize. In the end there is no way this would ever be worth it to me to damage trust...or to use friends. For those who come out...talk to me...meet me...I'm glad you do. I enjoy every minute of it...and if you decide you'd like to vote for me...hey...I'm thrilled! But, to be perfectly honest, you're seeing no different Kit than you would if you popped into the Big Horn Lodge or the Paper Street Soap Company in Selby. I'd still say hi...I'd still be just as interested in getting to know you...I'd still be just as happy to meet someone and possibly make a new friend. I have a really difficult time with the idea of pretending to be something I'm not...and if that's what it takes...then I'm prolly gonna be walking away with no island and a lot of good friends...old and new. But...yanno...I'm good with that! ;)

</self-absorbed rambling>