"...The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth—it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true."

The first stage is a faithful image/copy, where we believe, and it may even be correct, that a sign is a "reflection of a profound reality," this is a good appearance, called "the sacramental order".

The second stage is perversion of reality, this is where we come to believe the sign to be an unfaithful copy, which "masks and denatures" reality as an "evil appearance—it is of the order of maleficence."

The third stage masks the absence of a profound reality, where the sign pretends to be a faithful copy, but it is a copy with no original.

The fourth stage is pure simulacrum, in which the simulacrum has no relationship to any reality whatsoever.

what are you smoking

And where do I get some?

Guess I found the play-dough crowd.

Silly H.H,Everyone knows science doesn't exist.

You could sculpt The Cave from the play-dough?

While the works of Umberto Eco, et al., are fascinating, what does this have to do with role play?

Thank you A.Dawg! There is fascination among some to dechiper the identity of various alts. Like gossip in a knitting circle, it pervades VO in some circles. Some even perpetuating the narrative that the latest incarnation of my namesake is a name theif and not the real 'H.Hornblower.' To that I respond what is real and what is not real? If H.Hornblower acts likes a Hornblower, talks like a Hornblower, and swarms like a Hornblower, is he not a Hornblower?

And for the VO community at large, I extend the same courtesy. I will accept alts at their face value and not waste energies attempting to decipher where it's roots lie. It doesn't matter if a nationalist maintains identities as a pirate. Or if a nationalist maintains identities as a trader. It's all simulacrum and simulation, after all.

Thank you for clarifying what the hell was going on here.

H.Hornblower is fake! Tresknor said so, so it must be true!!!!!111111oneoneoneeleven

;)

After a certain amount of time alt detection is about the only interesting thing in this game for some.

My pride and joy.

I fly a starship
Across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I'll be back again, and again and again and again and again

Don't ruin Highwaymen for me please

Too late.

/donates his Highwaymen CD to one of the new TGFT shopbots.

Here you go, Consignment Shop: one slightly defiled work of art.