A Foul Mist

by fantasyrain

Jealousy. Greed. Frustration. Emotions that are running wild in Neopia. A foul mist has settled over our online community…it is time for it to be blown away. The poor blame the rich for their situation. The rich think the poor are lazy and want everything handed to them. Who's to blame? The rich? The poor? The staff? We are looking for a scapegoat and I have found that there is one.

Should we blame the rich for the situation? These are typically people who have worked very hard. They play games each day. They stock their shops with a wide variety of items. They love their pets. They help those they can. Yet, because they can buy what they want, because their hard work isn't as easily noticed…they have become the poor person's scapegoat. A person with only 500 NP wanders into a shop in the marketplace and cannot purchase something, so they blame the shop owner of being greedy. They don't stop to think that they are in one of the top shops. Shops that tens of thousands of people look in every day. Owners with shops as large as that not only have the luxury of charging higher prices, they HAVE to. If they had items priced at market value, they would have to stock their shop constantly just to keep on top of the demand. If their shops emptied out, they would get nasty messages for not keeping their shops stocked! It's a lose-lose situation for them. Neopians need to realize that just because a shop is in the marketplace, you do NOT have to shop there. Use the Shop Wizard. It's there for a purpose. These rich Neopians don't neglect their pets. Some have chosen not to train them for the Battledome - but that doesn't mean the pet is neglected. The pets are fed, read to, and played with. They are happy pets. Don't blame a rich person for not giving you items or NP. The rich (especially the mega-rich) receive anywhere from 10 to several hundred messages each day begging them for items. They cannot help everyone. Most of the rich donate to the Money Tree regularly. They help the few that they can. They aren't able to help every single person. It's just not possible.

Should we blame the poor? Typically these are those just starting out. Or it is someone who has just had some hard luck. Their pet was sick and it cost a lot to get their medicine. They have just upgraded their shop and don't have money to stock it. They did one to many quests. I have found that the poor tend to be the ones that spoil their pets too much for their financial situation. They paint their pets with the most expensive paintbrush. Their pets have more expensive pet pets. Or they have just spent too much on Quests of Scratchcards. I know this isn't always the case. But there are so many ways to change your financial situation now. Playing games is only part of it. You can find money or items on the ground. You can go to the Money Tree. Unfortunately there are a few who feel that begging is the way to make their fortunes. The message boards are littered with people degrading the rich, and begging for items. Don't do this. It degrades yourself as much as the person you are talking about. I have heard so many rumours and untrue stories being spread by someone bitter about someone else's success.

Should we blame the staff? Accusations of the staff playing favourites are a common theme. I don't know if this is true or not. I do know that the staff members are human. They work very hard to try and help people, and they have several million owners that they try to help each day. New games, new items, new shops are being introduced every day. I'm sure that for every compliment the staff receives, they get 200 complaints. Yet how many of us would be willing to walk away from our NeoPets without looking back?

Now, for the part you were waiting for. The scapegoat. Who is to blame? Well, if you are looking for someone to blame - look to yourself. Ask yourself the question: What can I do today to make my day a little better? If you are poor it might be to play a game of Kacheek Seek and earn a little more NP to stash away in your bank account. If you are rich, it might be to make someone's day by donating to the Money Tree or by giving someone some food items. If you are middle class and feel that there is nothing you can do either way? Write a thank you note to the staff. They deserve it.

By the way if you are wondering who I am to be writing this article? I am a caring member of the Neopian community. I am someone who works very hard to take care of my pets - whom I adore. And I am someone who cares enough to want the animosity and "foul mist" that has engulfed our community lately, to be over.