Regarding Prokofy Neva
January 8th, 2008 by Benjamin Duranske
For a few months in late 2007, I ran a note here responding, line by line, to some pretty vicious, personal blog posts that a Second Life user who goes by ‘Prokofy Neva’ wrote about me and other professionals who use virtual worlds. If you’ve searched for me, you’ve probably encountered some of her posts. They have titles like “My Enemies List” and “Destroyer of Worlds.”
I felt it was important to detail how each of Prokofy’s posts attacking lawyers, writers, professors, analysts, content creators, support staff and other professionals who use and write about virtual worlds was riddled with false accusations and fabricated quotations.
I’ve concluded, however, that there’s no need to address each of her posts individually, and that responding was simply fueling the fire.
I hope that she will eventually realize that it is important to treat fellow humans with civility, even — perhaps especially — when disagreeing. That is true in law, in academia, in communication between colleagues, and in public discourse. Toward that end, with an open heart and an open mind, I wish her the very best, both in her real life and in the virtual world. I truly hope that one day we can discuss issues arising from this exciting space without rancor.
