In the end I conclude, I don’t think I’ll get onto second life after this project. It was fun, no doubt, but beyond a point, second life is pretty depressing and pointless. There isn’t much to do and most of second life is about sex that it might as well be called sex life!
:)
I think my biggest problem with second life is that it is trying to be real life. I find it so funny that in a world, where you can fly, and get rid of a system of consumption and money, we’d come right back to it. It becomes a place where you live out fantasies of being what you can’t in the real world. Second life gives you a sense of power and control because it mimics reality… only it is not reality. I found that in Second life you are faced with the same issues as those in real life. For example, popularity, money, having a group of friends, someone to love, getting a job, owning a large house, a cool car... An important thing to note is that there is no real consequence. It’s a safe place to be. Unlike the real world where your actions have consequences, in second life you can get away with being rude, ignoring people, being someone you’re not, looking like anything you want. I think the behavior of people and the space really says something about human beings. We’re a type of being that is so aware of itself that it spends hours indulging in itself. Seems to me there is something inherently human, a nature a want and desire to be stronger or more powerful or more in control. It is funny how when we’re given the choice of a new world, we’d just repeat ourselves with old systems and values. If you think about it the real world provides us with examples of what is happening in second life. It’s a two way street. Plastic surgery to get the nose you want, liposuction to lose weight, spending hours shopping, changing your hair color to changing your skin color…. its all happening.
Given the choice between the two worlds I’d choose real life any day because I value uncertainty and I value death. If aspects like age, growing old, dirt and struggle go missing, life isn’t really worth living, not to me at least.
:)
I think my biggest problem with second life is that it is trying to be real life. I find it so funny that in a world, where you can fly, and get rid of a system of consumption and money, we’d come right back to it. It becomes a place where you live out fantasies of being what you can’t in the real world. Second life gives you a sense of power and control because it mimics reality… only it is not reality. I found that in Second life you are faced with the same issues as those in real life. For example, popularity, money, having a group of friends, someone to love, getting a job, owning a large house, a cool car... An important thing to note is that there is no real consequence. It’s a safe place to be. Unlike the real world where your actions have consequences, in second life you can get away with being rude, ignoring people, being someone you’re not, looking like anything you want. I think the behavior of people and the space really says something about human beings. We’re a type of being that is so aware of itself that it spends hours indulging in itself. Seems to me there is something inherently human, a nature a want and desire to be stronger or more powerful or more in control. It is funny how when we’re given the choice of a new world, we’d just repeat ourselves with old systems and values. If you think about it the real world provides us with examples of what is happening in second life. It’s a two way street. Plastic surgery to get the nose you want, liposuction to lose weight, spending hours shopping, changing your hair color to changing your skin color…. its all happening.
Given the choice between the two worlds I’d choose real life any day because I value uncertainty and I value death. If aspects like age, growing old, dirt and struggle go missing, life isn’t really worth living, not to me at least.
