Through the Looking Glass

Second Life is a peculiar beast… It seems to appeal to so many minority communities. It’s called a game, but it’s not. What it is, even after 3 weeks of serious time spent there, I can’t tell you…

Second Life (SL) is beginning to reach critical mass.. It’s now being reported on in the mainstream media… For years it has been the general preserve of gamers and geeks… now the general population is becoming aware of the brand and is exhibiting an interest. How this influx of ‘real’ people affects the character of the community, only time will tell.

The reports on Second Life in the media focus on a new society and the economic activity.. Real Life (RL) bands play, people buy land and build houses, become merchants or sell their skills, live happy fulfilling lives… and all of this is true. People do help, there is plenty of information and free stuff around for ‘newbies’.. and the potential is there to make your life in SL whatever you want it to be..

The positive reports on SL meant that when I first went into it, I assumed that everyone would be pleasant. Not for one second did I consider that the worst of human nature would also be there in abundance.. Freed from the restraints of social approbation, some people behave even worse than out here!… I have met all kinds of people, with all kinds of reasons to be in SL. Some crazy – ok, most crazy – some not, just a little odd..

The best description of the game was from a fellow citizen last night.. he said that the pursuit of happiness was the aim and those that got happiness won..

And I’ve met so many of these people who are pursuing their happiness in the ways they best know how.. Scripters who just want to build, property developers, people who want to watch porn at home but don’t want to download it, sea changers who can’t in RL, those who use it at a dating agency; the sad, mad and lonely.. too many people who use SL as the substitute for RL because it’s easier.. I know this… I’ve been living it and it is a seductive thing..

This really is the future for the human race, and like the changing character of SL, only time will tell how the human race adapts to this latest technology, my guess is that it will embrace it. How can we not? It fills so many basic human needs without having to go out.. TVs biggest threat is not DVDs, movies, or recordable hard drives.. It’s Second Life.. I don’t know how many times I’ve overheard chat where people say that since they entered SL, they’ve stopped watching TV – and I certainly know I have..

So the first few posts will cover my various adventures down the last 3 weeks.. not in any kind of order – I suspect it will be more thematic.. So much has happened, and it’s only been three weeks..