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Yet again, I am baffled by Gaians. It happens all too often. It's getting kind of ridiculous.

This time it's about the Avatar Arena. So I was inspired by the new Monthly Collectables, and made an avatar and entered it in this week. I've entered twice before, but never made it into the top ten; I've placed in around the 100s, but never higher. This week I'm doing relatively well for rates, by my standards... but it's some comments that confuse me. I'm not going to quote them, I'll just paraphrase:

"I'm sorry, but I don't give good rates to those who ask for votes." and "I usually don't give good rates to those who advertise in their signatures."

What? I'm sorry, but are you saying that you have never been persuaded by a television commercial or radio advertisement to go out and buy a product? That is the art of advertisement. You get your name out there, people remember you, and you profit from that. Every single time that I have entered the Avatar Arena I have had an image link in my signature suggesting that you head over the the Arena and vote. There is no justification for downvoting someone who suggests that you vote. It's not against the rules. I'm not asking for a specific number, just rate my avatar. I spent the 1k, I'd like to get as much feedback as possible. I'm not going to judge you for what you rate my avatar, it's completely up to you. My fate is in your hands, per se.

I also don't understand the art of downvoting. I'm sure that I wrote a journal about this last time that I was in the Arena, but I come across it all too often. I understand if you dislike the avatar for whatever reason you may have, but that doesn't mean that the entrant didn't put effort into their submission. Are you that unhappy with yourself that you have to go around and give those deserving people downvotes just to make yourself feel better? I just don't understand it.

But anyways, this was moreso supposed to be about effective advertising and how those who submit to it feel like they have been used. But it's a contest. The more you're seen, the more likely you are to do well.

It's just a little thing in society called "effective marketing." Look it up sometime.

Edit:

I have just recieved yet another retarded comment. I enjoy writing about other people's stupidity. But I'd rather not reply to it on my entry, so I'll write about it here, like I have with the previous two comments.

This one was along the lines of, "Stop copying each other."

Firstly, it's not possible to copy someone in the Arena. You enter your avatar and your avatar alone. You cannot see other people's avatars that have been entered. So unless you're some kind of psychic, don't give me that "copying" bullshit.

Secondly, even before I entered the Arena, I had never seen an avatar similar to my drowning CoCo. There are more than five million users on Gaia. It's more than likely that one person will have the same item combination as another person. There's just so many items and so many ways that one can wear them, so it's likely that there is an avatar doppleganger out there. Even if you've never seen them.

Suck it up and move on, people.

Edit x2:

Final placement in week 51

Title: Swim CoCo! SWIM!
Score: 8.2889
Total Ratings: 879
Total Comments: 248
Rank: 50

DAYUM. 50th! I'm so proud of myself crying