@QueenKellee: I've only been to Burning Life in SL and not to the real Burning Man, but I'd definitely say I'm aligned with that creative spirit. If I was born in the 60s, I might be a hippie-beatnik hybrid. Those are the sorts of life philosophies I embrace, altho am certainly not limited to.

I like the comparison you drew re: proud parents. Some musicians openly say their songs are like their children. I'm not a godfather (not in the mafia but in the goodwill, friend-of-the-family sense) but if I were, I'd definitely impart lots of knowledge in hopes to helping to raise someone well and expose them to flavorful, lively possibilities.

@agent: No. But, I will add this: people who're widely/morally perceived as "good" or "bad" can have plentiful "toolsets" to work with, and the ends which they shape can greatly differ. For example, highly intelligent killers like the Unabomber who used their smarts to hurt others. Some people spend their lives inventing problems/causing hurt for fellow humans instead of bettering themselves and also enhancing lives (by sharing). That's deplorable and tragic, without a doubt.

@Lovebird: I replied in http://torley.com/never-apologize-for-wonder-torley-visits-the-world , and another thing that came to mind is, you can also have alt(ernative) accounts in Second Life so you aren't confined to one name. You can't change an account's name after you pick it, tho. Happy choosing!

@Greg: I also agree with patience with newcomers… I'm immensely grateful to those who taught me (how to pay my dues, how to climb the ropes — all those expressions). So if I were to describe the analogy further, the pendulum swung one way as I developed my skills, and it's human to see it start to swing the other, particularly if you're reminded of your roots when helping "noobs".

As a rookie in any field, I value and seek out the advice of other, more experienced people. Arrogance or jealousy may fly in high school, but legitimate gripes in real fields will end your career in said fields.

I'm decent at guitar, was in the ECHL and do design for a living… and I find that I have little patience and often snap at the "noobs". It takes a LOT of effort to be nice and mentor the people starting out, in essence "I don't like people because they're earlier versions of me". It takes a big heart and patience to mentor these people, because either you can never think of yourself sucking at guitar that bad, or you're protecting your career (ie they're a threat), or you've paid your dues playing hockey.

That's just my experience. I've always been humble… but the few things I actually excel at I defend and get jealous over, especially when that person shows promise. Being helpful and not threatened is great, and usually those below you really look up to you and respect that, much less remember it for years to come.