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Nobody Fugazi just wrote an article on Phil Rosedale(Philip Linden)'s announcement regarding his resignation as CEO of Linden Labs. Rosedale's announcement created quite a buzz amongst the SL community - as it should- and the questions emerged. Most of them were inquiries into why "Philip Rosedale is leaving Linden Labs."

Having actually read the report, allow me to say that Philip Linden is NOT, repeat, NOT leaving Linden Labs. What he IS doing is stepping down from his CEO position. He will retain his position as Chairman. Now, just to avoid having Philip Rosedale read what I just wrote, and in a blind fit of misassumption, run and write an announcement on whatever virtual exchange he might use for his nonexistent virtual company, allow me to say it one more time: Philip Linden is stepping down as CEO, but retaining his position as LL Chairman. Oh, and Philip Rosedale isn't Investor Merlin, either.

Frankly, I saw this happening sometime ago. Since I've only been at Second Life since November, "some time ago" puts us at about, oh, January 11th. Nobody Fugazi eluded to the reasons why this might have occurred. Rosedale himself said that it seemed people wanted a business leader rather than a creative visionary. The statement struck me as a bit injured. Philip's earlier quotes promoted SL as limitless. Phil didn't count on the machinations of humanity and our evolutionary drive to pay exorbitant amounts of money to play games we probably won't win. Or to take advantage of opportunities that seem "too good to be true." Virgil said that "Fortune Favors the Bold." David Hannum (not PT Barnum)said that "there's a sucker born every minute." Who's right?

You can find snapshots of Phil schmoozing with the business elites of SL (I smirked while writing that, by the way). Some of those "elities" have proceeded to be virtual counterparts of the real life virtual(fiscally speaking) Enron Corporation. In each snapshot Phil has the look of a proud father seeming to say "these folks are benefiting from my vision!" Not "Hm, I wonder if 89% interest an hour is suspicious."

Creative genius made Second Life, there is no doubt, so I won't besmirch Rosedale's innovation. I will say that Van Gogh didn't sell Van Gogh's paintings (incidentally, my cousin tells me that this is so because Van Gogh is buried in Grant's Tomb...never quite understood that riddle). Creative eccentrists make things like Second Life. Bloodsucking businessmen exploit it. This in turn calls for the retention of the Lestat de Lioncourt of CEOs to stand guard over the creative genuis' vision so he can go on painting happy little trees and the like.

So Philip Rosedale, dear sir, it's not that we don't want a creative visionary to see us into the future. We DO want that. But we want that to happen for us so we can continue taking huge risks with our money for the possibility of receiving a very small return. You know, the American Dream? Guess it's the virtual dream now.

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