Enduring Judgement in your Underwear

When I targeted Second Life marketing in a new parody video, I didn’t consider the collateral damage. The intention was to make fun of the airbrushed banners that tied together cool people with cool avatars. But the implication in the parody was that there was something inherently wrong or pitiable about someone who might not fit our consumer culture’s image of beauty and success. Here’s a 100 Word Story that tells a different tale:

 Enduring Judgement in your Underwear

The worst (and defining) experience of Joe’s life was the night at sixth grade camp when he was humiliated in front of a cabin full of classmates. Pants below his knees. Bent face down over a cot. Flogged with a broom handle. For the sin of being pudgy, pimpled, uncoordinated and socially awkward.

Thirty years later he sees yet another snarky “parody” about a fat, underwear clad, middle aged Second Life loser holed up in his mom’s basement. It still hurts. 

Joe sighs and gets back to work. The charity event he organized in Second Life is in full swing.