(Image is not mine, and can be found on the History of Second Life wiki.)

I want to quickly say how disappointing it is to see that, though second life was not the 1st to lay down an unscripted virtual experience in its true sense... it certainly stood to inherit the mantle of being the future of the Internet. Seeing others trying to steal their thunder is disappointing for them, I'm sure. I am disappointed on their behalf. 

I am also extremely disappointed on behalf of all of the creators that have really invented the world of the metaverse that others are now casually trying to claim as their own, without even a reference to its origins and the countless lives that were dedicated to making it all happen. For it to coalesce into the monster economy it's about to become. While leaving the true builders nameless.

That many in the mainstream are now trying to behave as though these ideas are new, that they created world building, that they are the 1st to build content and feed virtual economies. And the 1st to report on it.

It sounds like defeat I know. But I say rise up and take your place. Go and make yourself heard. Do not let history forget what you have done. All of you. You saints and angels. You creators. Royals of the first rendition. Founders and masters. Speak up. You are the elder race of avatars. Do not let them forget it. Do not let them claim origin. These pretenders. Tell your story to the world. Before you are diminished and replaced. Be proud of your avatar. Your virtual living.

As they go from mockery, to imitation, to replacement and erasure. Propagate your name. Put your stamp on it. Tell your story. And the stories of our loved ones who died making this world happen. Who we all mourned. Those that none can remember. If it's imperfect, tell it anyway. Share your images. Caption it. Put it on video platforms. On audio platforms. Prove these liars are not the true world builders. They should have come to you first. Not expect you to acknowledge them after a decade or more of contempt. And do not get left behind. Make them acknowledge you. Demand respect.

This post is originally made on another server, and is based on frustration I expressed on a Facebook group concerning celebrities on Instagram and Facebook itself trying to claim the meta tag. The tag says November 11, 2022 but may have been earlier. Here are further thoughts I added later the same day.

While  typing this all I could think of was the ancestors who painted and  hewed the walls of rocks. And signed their name with hand prints. Do not let the metaverse forget you. Your very existence should be in museums. We all laughed at the second life prints  in the cafe years ago. But really how true should this be, in the light  of recent developments. All who read this are classic heroes. Share  your story, please. Please I admonish you. Music  artists and painters have been showing work and performing for a decade  that i know in virtual worlds. We have our own radio and television  programming. We have the strongest and historically stable virtual  economy in terms of spending power and earnings. Don't  let any pass you and wear your face. Share your story. Do your best to  monetize. I'm not joking. Search a page on current trends and you will  discover the imposters are conspiring to forget us on purpose for the  very reason I mentioned. Don't let them. Put your hand on the wall, as  high as you can reach.

My  issue is the complete and willing ignorance by newcomers toward the people who made Second Life a success. And who promoted the concept of  what is becoming the Metaverse. Without all those who laid the  groundwork, it would not be possible for those who  are about to "cash in" to do so. These same "newbies" are also  attempting to claim origin and complete ownership of something that  cannot be owned at this point. So  one cannot succeed in a crowd that it is also attempting to ignore. No matter how hard they try. The CEO of Facebook for one is discovering  this. I have also seen a lot of music artists behaving as though they  are about to invent "live virtual concerts". All of this is already happening. And they want to own that success. Without acknowledging  those who made that success happen. Without at least approaching those  who have been around for a decade to my knowledge, and asking them at  least for feedback. Or even offering them a job. Instead of pretending they don't exist. While also expecting them to become customers.

If  you read the entire post, which I admit is long, I dived very deeply  into empathy for those various avatars that made Second Life and it's  look-alike worlds a great success. And for those who translated that  success to the internet's 2D format. They all  worked so hard to make the world understand and accept the future. And  they should be employed by these who want to emulate the same success.  At least referenced. Doesn't that make sense? Each  civilization is built upon another. I do get that. I am also attempting  to tell people to recognize this is precisely what is happening. The  only way to counter this is to share their story now. Or else they will  be forgotten. I find THAT so disappointing. To ignore the struggle of so  many. And try to destroy it, so it can be replaced by what amounts to a  pillaging invasion. They should be hiring these avatars. Not trying to  make money on them, while simultaneously pretending they don't exist.