ALL ABOUT MY AVATAR: CHAV PADERBORN

Chav in Babbage Square

I spoke with Chav Paderborn, a pigtailed waif who fends for herself with an abacus computer and an informal support network of fellow urchins who make their way in places like Babbage Square (direct teleport here), a smoggy, steampunk city resembling a Victorian London that never was.  When I found her, I noticed her profile biography read thus:

"Chav Paderborn was found in a street in 1801 was found in a street in 1801 and put to work in a factory where she was bonsaied to remain forever small enough to crawl under looms. In 1832 Chav led a worker's revolt that burned the factory to the ground and since then has walked the streets of Second Life unionising workers, freeing slaves, and scavenging for scraps."

Naturally, I had to know more.

May I interview you?

You want I set myself on fire to protest Tibet?... Are you gonna write something Freudian about me?

How do Residents respond to your avatar?

It helps stop people saying, "I new.  We f*** yes?"  When I become tall for some builds, that happens.

Once I was tall for ten whole minutes before a German tried to shag me.  I dont know if that happens to Second Life men.  [Chav vehemently rejects any association with "age play". - HA]

With friends Eliza Teatime and Tallulah Tallulah Maddaloni

What is your Second Life like?

I wander about a lot, build in sandboxes, and talk to people try to be helpful if possible.  Fly into banlines and then photograph them to put on the Internet... erm, cycle and fly.

A free spirit.

Chav Paderborn: When you urch, you dont need to have L$. It removes you from the s*** part of SL. I mean the really cutting edge good part.  Erm.  I LOVE SL CORPORATE CAPITALISM!

Do you urch to protest the rise of corporations in SL then?

Sometimes I do, yah. Them, and more so the people who are after money.  And go, "Oooh, it's not a game", "Blah blah get off my fake land!"

Sounds like you're against L$ and virtual land as opposed to companies.

Nah. I against the love of them above all else. They are fine in theory, yah?  Just it always seems like they hate the fun when that's ALL people care about. 

Newbies arrive in SL at Hobo Infohub a lot.  The number one question is, "How do i make money?" And... for what?

Most of the profiteers don't bring the arts. [Grimaces] So we have newbs who want money. Skill-less, and without any capital.  They gonna camp [on free money chairs] for a week then give up.  It not like I opposed to the whole concept.  But there's people that just... they talk down to us all if we dont try to make millions by-- and let's never forget this bit-- investing thousands of real life dollars. "Oh, you don't understand it! It's not a game!" 

It is, and that's half the joy no?  I made Da Vinci's helicopter fly in this thing!  I've leapt from 2000 meters! I rode a whale.  Yet I didn't make millions.  So I lose the game?

Much thanks to Laetizia Coronet for sending me to find Chav.  Is there another fascinating avatar out there I should know all about?  E-mail me, or IM Hamlet Au, and tell me more.

Comments

[Laetizia Coronet]

And thanks to you for making it into a remarkable story! I shouldn't say this as a store owner but there is a lot of truth in what Chav says. Some people are too serious about their Linden balances. What fun will SL be if you bring RL financial stress into it?

[Torley]

Oh the lovely culture! Great writeup, Hamlet, and cool connection, Laetizia. I have a lot of admiration for putting people together when there are stories like this to tell.

/me wonders if Chav Paderborn and Arcadia Asylum, also of the hobo-waif persuasion and steampunk inclinations, would be good friends.

[Pavig Lok]

Meh, Arcadia and Chav are as different as chalk and cheese. They just both short feisty prolific builders. Urching be a good way to create your own sl personality as it's not got the established vamp/lycan/fur/victorian/gangsta/etc cultural baggage to adhere to.... and being small (contrary to popular media lately) you don't get asked for the sex a lot. If you want to focus on being creative in sl I think both Arc and Chav would agree that even tho that might not be the primary reason for urching, it's certainly a bonus.

[Hobo Mister Hansup]

Chav speaks for so many in SL who seek the joy inworld; and who remember that the greatest potential for profit here is of the spirit, not the wallet. Should you ever have the great fortune to meet her just remember; cr*p like that first line will just get her riled. Seriously, don't PO any urchin, most of them can script you head off.

[Borba Spinotti]

I reckon Mister Hansup has said it all in the phrase "the great fortune to meet her". There is a lot of joy to be had from fellow residents involving neither sex nor money, nor even the shadow economy of "celebrity". Speaking as a hobo who likes free entertainment though, I'd watch a riled Chav any day!

[Anna]

That must have been a long time before I met her! She's tall alot now.. though she does miss bein' small, or does she... anyways, CHAV IS AWESOME :D