Am I the only one thinks this...

[AntoniaMerEnfant]

You know one thing I don't quite understand about Gaia is how seriously some people take their gold. Now I have quested for items on here that I thought looked spiffy on my pixel gal, and I have made numerous bump posts to boost gold to do that. But one thing that blows my mind is how seriously some people take the fictional gold.

It kind of bothers me as a young adult when people gripe in threads about being "poor" because they don't have a lot of Gaia gold. I mean so you can't make your little avatar shine. Poor to me means that irl the house is out of food, there isn't enough money for a bill and that very inconvenient medical problem with a family member has just arisen. Poor for me was hoping I'd get enough money back selling books one semester that I could scrape up enough for the books next semester, and maybe have enough money left over for a tube of tooth paste. And I'm one of the lucky ones, a lot of people have it even worse.

Next there's the donating. Now when it comes to donating for a guild, that makes a lot of sense to me. Unfortunately guilds need gaia gold to get started and do their magic, plus donating Gaia gold to a small community makes you feel a part of a team. What I don't get is people guilt tripping you over not giving them gold, or donating for their quest. I do donate, irl to my church and to any sort of children's miracle network jars I see, and the like. It's not much (for four years I lived off of 15 dollars a week, so a dollar here and there was really the best I could spare).

Then there's the griping about inflation. Inflation to me means gas prices irl which make commuting to work or school, or visiting old friends across the country difficult. Inflation is watching stamp prices go from 25 cents to 39 cents. I'm sure other 21+ gaians know that feeling. We've all noticed how things were somewhat cheaper when "I was a kid" and it's kind of disheartening watching prices escalate... but very rarely our salary or hourly wages. All things considered I'm not too bothered when a pixelated staff goes up in price, as long as milk and bread stay the same irl.

I mean maybe it's weird to be irked by this, but I just think some of these kids don't quite get it yet.  

[Zandaga]

...  

[AntoniaMerEnfant]

I'm sorry if that offends anyone. sad  

[Juggalo1213]

thats why they need us old folks around. to put things into perspective for them.besides, they still live at home and are probably insulated against all those worries. Gaian gold might be the biggest problem they have to worry about. I miss those days crying  

[SydneySkye]

I know what you mean. IRL I just went to the store and you add everything as you go. Here on Gaia I earn the gold and I spend it, I mean this is for fun and fantasy. I have always made sure my son knows what things IRL cost, I make sure he knows when I pay the car insurance and what it costs me to have him there, i don't want him to ever think that everything is super easy and you can skate by. I don't get how they think that they are poor on here. No offense taken, and thanks for letting me rant.  

[AntoniaMerEnfant]

When I was a kid I got an allowance, it was a good lesson cause I had to save up for stuff and I couldn't just bug my parents to buy it. Course it didn't prepare me for the concept of untouchable money, you know the kind you have to have on hand for bills, food, emergencies, etc. When that 100 dollars you have can't just go buy a tv, it's probably going to pay for a gas or electric bill. sad

I really miss when if I had 2 bucks I could blow it on whatever my heart fancied at the moment.  

[lightsenshi]

AntoniaMerEnfant

I really miss when if I had 2 bucks I could blow it on whatever my heart fancied at the moment.

I know the feeling. Do I ever know the feeling.... crying
Kinda like having a love life... sweatdrop  

[miiyukki]

I've been accused of taking Gaia too seriously.
People PM me all the time asking me to help them on their quests and I refuse (most of the time) because I've got everything I have because I earned it myself without quests or help.

Just like I earned as a kid. If I wanted something, I didn't get an allowance, but I WORKED for what I wanted. Did chores and tasks. Paper route, babysitting, petsitting and so forth until I could get a "real" job. Everything I had I earned on my own. It taught me a lot about the value of money, even on a virtual site.  

[lunashock]

I think when I first started I took Gaia way too seriously. Now, when it starts getting to me, I take my mini-breaks so I can realize this isn't real life, there's much more important things to get pissed about. Now, not to say I don't get annoyed here and there with things on Gaia, lol.  

[Dafthank]

I don't see anything wrong with kids taking gaia too seriously, but for us adults out there it's definately more of a problem.

For kids, it teaches the skills of buying, selling, trading, hard work, financial discipline, interpersonal speaking (even though they can't spell worth a lick), and other essential skills that are needed once theese kids cross over into young adulthood. I say let them take it as seriously as they want.

For US, though, who already have lives, work to make ends meet, and are surviving in the real world, it's just not healthy. Some guy was trying to sell me July donation letters, saying that he had bought 50 of them. That's $125 straight donation, and while that is a great thing for gaia, it's not too practical for the world we live in. I'll log onto towns in the morning on like a Tuesday for a bit, log out, go to work, get home, and log in some 10-12 hours later, and the same people will be there in that same section of town that they've been in all day still talking to people. Creepy but true.
Gaia is a good thing, but there is even a limit on how much one can be on, you know?  

[Raien3]

AntoniaMerEnfant

When I was a kid I got an allowance, it was a good lesson cause I had to save up for stuff and I couldn't just bug my parents to buy it. Course it didn't prepare me for the concept of untouchable money, you know the kind you have to have on hand for bills, food, emergencies, etc. When that 100 dollars you have can't just go buy a tv, it's probably going to pay for a gas or electric bill. sad

I really miss when if I had 2 bucks I could blow it on whatever my heart fancied at the moment.

remind me to send you 2 dollars.
i dont think i am aloud to really speak on the gaia gold thing as most of what i am wearing is boworred from a friend lol
i have the donation thing i guess cause i find it funny but i am not one to do the om to "all friends" asking for anything you dont want
In real life i have become my grandfather. When ever i go shopping you can hear me under my breath saying i remeber when this was only $1.29 not $5.89.
Plus now a days i really have to shop around, i mean i get tofu, leeks and fish from Ranch 99 an asian market i get milk and other meats for my local Safeway (love the $2 off coupons on meat) my fruit from the local swap meet (it is super fresh and really cheap) and bread flour, potatos, and oinion from Cost Co (i dont even have a membership, my friends are nice and buy me a CostCo Cash card, dont need to be a member to use it)
umm wow i am really sorry i kind of went off there well i am going to shut up now thanks for reading  

[AntoniaMerEnfant]

I see that now we have lured you into our trap of old fogies my friend muhahahaha.

Aye, we've all done it. Mom used to argue with me that walgreens was expensive, some things are there. But the dollar isle is my best friend for cheap kitchen utensils, when I was living in the dorms I needed the basics, but didn't have money to spend on the utensils. I hate to admit it, but there are buys at walmart -sobs in shame- And vintage stores can be the center for rare finds of joy smile  

[Prince Mykal]

If only real life could be like Gaia. You walk around talking to people whild gold magically fills your pockets. You can decide to give the gold away or save up to buy stuff. If you need more gold than you have, you just go up to a stranger and ask for more. They may even give it to you. If only...  

[K-ne]

AntoniaMerEnfant

All things considered I'm not too bothered when a pixelated staff goes up in price, as long as milk and bread stay the same irl.

For me, seeing something like a pixelated staff (or whatever item I might want at the time) go up in price is not a terrible thing in itself, but coming from the real world with its multitude of financial problems, Gaia inflation can just be depressing. wink Like "aw, man, not here too!"

Of course, it's a whole lot easier to make money in Gaia than it is in real life, so you'll rarely hear me bitching about it unless I've had a terrible day or something.