Let's have a toast for the douchebags, let's have a toast for the assholes...

Usually you don't see much depth in Stardoll users. Why should you? It's a fashion site that promotes conventional beauty, wealth and the general lack of imperfections or a personality. It is rare to come across an enticing project that isn't based upon such shallowness.

A few days ago, I read a heartbreaking post on MDM, written by Aislin Victory, about her cousin Emily, a girl who committed suicide as a result of relentless bullying. I am truly disgusted that just because one doesn't like someone's appearance, they feel the urge to taunt them to the point they want to hurt themselves.

Bullying isn't that uncommon an occurrence on Stardoll. About a week ago, Austin (alexapie200) was tormented on his own guestbook by fellow Stardoll users because of a photoshopped picture of himself sporting... lipstick and blush. (More on the story, here.) The comments were nasty and, unfortunately, many people called out on the victim of this situation for not blocking his bullies. As if this horrendous act rightfully enraged them and it is only common sense why they had to keep throwing tirades at him. As if it's his fault that some people have nothing better to do with their lives. Frankly, I don't care if this person is a famewhore. Hell, I don't care if he's called you "fat", or a "bitch"; stooping to such a low level just to publicly humiliate a child is exasperating.

Bullying is neither acceptable nor will impress anyone, and, fortunately, there are some people who have realized it. Aislin, for example, decided to launch 'Beauty Week', in order to "remind everyone how beautiful they really are". She even took to the popular blog to reach out to talented Star Designers to help her create T-shirts in her cousin's memory.

She's not alone, though. On the same blog, mere hours ago, I read an interesting post by Dei (To_Royal), who led me to The Stardoll Peace Project, created by audreyxbeth. No, this isn't a flower children gathering. It's more of a "star vehicle" for talented Stardoll users who wish to have their projects showcased in a more accessible platform. As the name indicates, bullying is not tolerated and no form of discrimination is acceptable. (I wonder if Reece will finally find a place where he is wanted.)

Hopefully, more people will follow suit; projects such as those mentioned above are to be applauded by the Stardoll community.

Come on then; applaud!

The Nerve Of A Virtual Con Man.

I've been meaning to post about this for a while, but I've been distracted with other things (i.e. real life). A couple of weeks ago, Stardoll's most notorious hacker, mizzmileycyrus9, allegedly "bought" .Marcela..'s  popular blog, M by Marcela, renaming it Résuir by Reece (What the fuck is that supposed to mean, anyway?), as well as openly stealing her other extremely popular blog Hot Buys Addicted. Low, I suppose, but not particularly odd. For Reece anyway.

I will not yammer on the aftermath, as I don't wish to repeat a tale that has been told, or, rather, written, on other, much more popular blogs. I will simply openly condemn the callousness, exasperating sarcasm and apparent indifference of, without a doubt, the most disliked person of Stardoll.

Being the nosy, snoopy, curiosity-killed cat that I am, I decided to carry out a professional journalistic research, or in other words, roam the Scum's guestbook. The results were rather depressing. The Scum showed no remorse of his horrible action. In fact, he didn't even attempt to justify himself, as he usually does. Instead, he opted to answer every insult and accusation with cryptic comments or smileys. In a few, unfortunately not rare, occasions, he actually gets positive response from a few, apparently sap-head, users, who proudly declare to be on Team Reece.

To be completely frank, I am disgusted that someone can do such deplorable things as steal someone's hard work and, essentially, their well-deserved success in the form of a thousand followers, but also proudly admit it. I certainly commend anyone able to own up to their faults, but owning up to lapsing and proudly defending it differ greatly in my opinion.

What is actually sad, is that people like Reece, or, as I like to call them, Scums, will never cease to exist. Neither in the real world nor on Stardoll, or any other form of virtual reality for that matter. In fact, I believe that the mask of protection the Internet can offer us is directly responsible for most of these vile acts.

Shouldn't Stardoll be a fun and innocent place, anyway? I have a faint suspicion that this is exactly why it has ended up becoming fucked up beyond repair.