Change. It's what evolves us, moves us
in directions we never would have imagined. Sometimes it comes
unexpectedly, other times it's a struggle to achieve, and ever so
often it is demanded with force. Whatever it takes, it's clear the
people who inhabit the internet are due for a more positive change.
I'll do my best to avoid getting
preachy here, but there's an ever growing issue that's been weighing
on me. The way people treat each other in public is one thing, but
on the interweb, it's a nightmare. If you don't believe me, go to
YouTube and search for any video that has a female host and take a
look at the comments for that video. You're bound to see some
terrible, demeaning things said to her. But it's not just women and
it's not just YouTube, anyone on the internet who stands out is a
target for some anonymous beat downs. Now with the popularization of
“Trolling,” it appears to be getting worse.
So what can we do? Any change you
desire begins from within. That philosophy has proven true for me
many times. I've had some rough moments in life, but my ability to
adapt and press forward has gotten me far. Sadly, there's a few
people you'll run into who say it's a lost cause and nothing will
change. But who are they to shoot down your desire to make a
difference? Fed up with it all, an idea began to develop...
A while back I was feeling frustrated
with the community within World of Warcraft. I played on a PvP
server to be with real life friends, although I preferred my RP-PvP
server, which had friendlier inhabitants. The constant trolling,
name calling, and unwillingness to help one another made for some
terrible experiences playing a game that's supposed to be fun. I
began taking frequent breaks from the game, and longer ones at that.
Finally I decided to build my own guild, with guidelines focusing on
nurturing the community. Problem was, my enjoyment of WoW was waning after 7 years, and my computer at the time was dying. It just
wasn’t the best time to lead a guild. That's where Guild Wars 2
comes in.
Recently there's been talk about the
sense of community that ArenaNet wants to portray through GW2. They
blogged about it on their website and shared a couple tweets
directing fans to other bloggers (Kill Ten Rats and Under the Pale Tree) who shared in their enthusiasm on
the matter. It was refreshing to see this (dare I call it) movement
coming to life. Like they read my mind. It's just another reason
I'm so excited for this game.
For now, I'm focusing on the guild I
dreamed about leading, aiming to be a positive influence on whatever
server I end up on. It's coming along nicely, and I hope to open it
up soon for potential members. Once the guild website is finished,
I'll share it here for anyone who is interested in making their GW2
community a great place to be. Wish me luck!
