The RAOK Group

When I was in college, I really wanted to form this group called RAOK. Random Acts of Kindness.

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or persons wishing to either assist or cheer up a stranger. There will generally be no reason other than to make people smile, or be happier. RAOK is either spontaneous or planned in advance.

For example, offering to pay for the person in line after you's meal at McDonald's. Offering to help someone when they seem burdened by what they are carrying. Holding the door open after a large event. Smiling at strangers. Complimenting someone at random.

These things can be small and even un-noticable by most. Most importantly, they are random and therefore have no bearing on the personality of the person bestowed upon. The only goal is to make someone's day better.

Of course, I could never do this in RL. I'm way to shy to engage with total strangers no matter how good the intent.

So I got to thinking about applying these RAOK in WoW instead. I always talk about the beauty of the Metaverse. How it's a place to socialy interact and be a place to engage where adults would otherwise not be able to....

But WoW is not such a pretty picture always. If you look closely at the concept of PUGs these days, it has become apparent of our player base's jadedness, greed, rudeness, and elitism.

There aren't many guilds around anymore that dedicate time to helping new players out like they were in the old days. Veteran players don't often spend any time helping out lower players because they're too busy raiding and getting their phat loots..etc.(myself included)
It's not all grim but there is a certain quality of friendliness and goodwill that seems lacking.

SO.. I thought, why not create a group of players who are willing and motivated to engage in RAOK in WoW. I actually intend to try and make this work so I'm only seeking people who truly believe they have an interest in this. The guild will have a lot of requirements such as obtaining level caps, helping to fund projects, and encouraging friendly emotes and macros.

Some of the first RAOK goals are....(all directed at random players)
1. Help to fund bags to low level players
2. Give pets, flowers
3. Spend time around leveling areas giving blessings, water, food, heals, and rezzes
4. Saying Hello and Goodbye to solo players
5. Wishing People well
6. Offering to help low level players with direction to trainers, professions, banks, AH, and quests

again.. all small little things that can help to make someone's day a little better.

if you're interested, please e-mail me at wowcast@wowcast.net (subject: raok) and I'll send you the server/faction info.

So far, I have two standard emotes
/s Hello, %t, Happy Hunting (usually followed by a blessing)
and
/s Thank you! You're Random Act of Kindness is appreciated. :) (for when RAOK is acted upon me)

I've gotten several thank you's and /cheers for giving out blessings and saying hello.

I leveled up a Paladin to level 12 so I can give out rezzes as well. The goal of this week is centered around levels 1-10. I've asked the people involved so far to get to level 10 by Sunday.

I've set up a google group: http://groups.google.com/group/theraokgroup