It won't be "Lively" by Garret Bakalava
July 09, 2008
Mitch Kapor speaking at SLB5 closing ceremony.
Just the other night I was thinking: I sure wish someone would build a virtual world that markets itself as a “get rich quick” scheme.
A virtual world that welcomes armies of bots. A virtual world where every 90 seconds a person can conceivably create a “throw away” alt.
A world that offers almost a limitless supply of griefing tools, mind game possibilities, and no citizen goverenance system - while conversely offering its residents a premier set of privacy tools (which seems odd given how more “private” can one be sitting behind an avatar?).
A virtual world where an avatar itself comes complete with copybot capabilities.
A virtual world where mere human inhabitants behind avatars can overnight become an expert on all things virtual world and futuristic and pontificate to their heart's desire.
A world with the best darn sex beds in the virtual universe befitting any flavor of predator.
Why do I have the aforementioned wishes? I hate to say it: I secretly wish for a partial mass exodus from SL. And if the above list doesn’t hint at that what I might hold the door open for, well…………….
Does this mean I am against people making a profit? Or against people being able to try on other in-world identities or to be able to escape into an alt to avoid the constant calling of an in-world business or role?
Am I suggesting Second Life become a police state or that our avatars be forced to bear our RL names?
Do I wish to squelch free speech, open dialogue or analysis?
Do I wish to PG the grid? Heavens NO to all of the above.
(As for bots: Sorry to say, I do not find one iota of value in them, so banning bots along with a concerted effort by LL to enforce TOS as to user account limits and accurate identity information given at sign up seem to me simply something LL should and can do by decree.)
". . . impelled by some kind of dream . . ." Mitch's words remind me of the saying, "Those who don't hear the music think the dancers mad."
Isn't it funny how you can invent a new technology and then be blind to its true value? Garret, I think you've hit the nail on the head when you yearn for community. That's the real value of SL. Forget the virtual economy, the marketing spins, and the invasion of the multinational companies. The value of SL is in its being able to bring isolated people together.
Who needs more pragmatism? There's enough of it in First Life. On the other hand, there's a distinct shortage of dreamers, impelled or not.
Licen
Posted By:
Licentious | Wednesday, July 09, 2008 08:10 PM
The yearning for a past that cannot ever be true again, and the deep emotional feelings (mostly sad) that come with that earning, is a pretty strong fundamental emotion shared by most Portuguese, and called "saudade" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudade), and which is distinct from the English nostalgia.
With your article, I shed a small tear when reading your words, since you evoked that very feeling.
Indeed, there is no turning back the clock, but we can dream it might become possible, if only someone wishes strongly enough to do so. Alas, sadly for us, that wish is not strong enough: we have to make do with what we have and hope for the best.
Second Life will never lose the small pocket of hope and dreaming that you speak of: it will just shrink, becoming smaller and smaller, as the vast gulf of the indifferent mainstream surrounds it completely and renders its significance to almost zero. But it won't disappear.
Garrett, I have to say, beautiful job. You talk about SL before 2007. I cme into the world in 2007, and in my early days, I could still see the vastness of SL and the potential it held, it was several months before LL started implementing policies to sanitize the grid. Even in my "youth," compared to some avatars, I feel I have enough experience to tell the difference between what was and what is. Bravo for standing up for community. SL is an online community. Where will LL be without the goodwill of its denizens? Screw sanitizing the grid. We're all adults here, or sposed to be. And I"m definitly not in favor of making the grid PG so we don't offend anyone. Go play on PG Sims, and let the easily amused have their mature ratings. As far as child avatars? Well, even those are sposed to be grown-ups, right? Then again, LL is in San Francisco, and all I can say is, "That's California for you."
Posted By:
Delaynie Barbosa | Saturday, July 19, 2008 12:55 AM
;)
