Second Life
So, here I sit in my little apartment, feeling insulated and safe and in all ways comfortable. My life is not so bad. I am healthy (relatively), I have wonderful parents, I am surrounded by a great group of people I am proud to call my friends, and my cat loves me (sort of).
So why would I go searching for a Second Life?
I first heard of this on (where else?) TV. Second Life (http://secondlife.com) is a type of virtual reality world, inhabited by anywhere from 500,000-800,000 virtual souls. Did it intrigue me? Is Data fully functional?
So away I went. Seems that this virtual reality world has fully functional everything. Reuters just posted a reporter to the Second Life bureau. Really. The economy is based on the 'Linden', which has a conversion rate to the US dollar. Really. You can buy a small island for US$1,250, plus a US$195 monthly maintenance fee or a large island for US$5,000, plus a US$780 monthly maintenance fee. Really. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."
You need to create an avatar to become a citizen. I've always wanted an avatar. I don't know why. Perhaps the same reason I wanted a llama. To be slightly off-kilter with the rest of this real world. I am also incredibly curious to know if I will be the same personality type (slightly geeky, reclusive, etc.) within this virtual world. Maybe I would actually go on a date in the virtual world, with my avatar having slightly perkier breasts and all. Maybe I would become mayor of a town I create. Maybe I would start a utopian revolution and found a commune for ever-single women. The possibilities are endless.
And therein lies the allure, methinks. In the real world, it is becoming ever more apparent that the possibilities are not endless, and that the grind can wear you down faster than you can, well, create an avatar. Having a second chance at a virtual life, starting over, if you will, must be a powerful draw.
If I do buy an island in Second Life, you can bet your bottom Linden that I will turn around and create a Second Life Survivor 'virtual' reality show and makes bags of dosh.
What a cunning plan ...
So why would I go searching for a Second Life?
I first heard of this on (where else?) TV. Second Life (http://secondlife.com) is a type of virtual reality world, inhabited by anywhere from 500,000-800,000 virtual souls. Did it intrigue me? Is Data fully functional?
So away I went. Seems that this virtual reality world has fully functional everything. Reuters just posted a reporter to the Second Life bureau. Really. The economy is based on the 'Linden', which has a conversion rate to the US dollar. Really. You can buy a small island for US$1,250, plus a US$195 monthly maintenance fee or a large island for US$5,000, plus a US$780 monthly maintenance fee. Really. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."
You need to create an avatar to become a citizen. I've always wanted an avatar. I don't know why. Perhaps the same reason I wanted a llama. To be slightly off-kilter with the rest of this real world. I am also incredibly curious to know if I will be the same personality type (slightly geeky, reclusive, etc.) within this virtual world. Maybe I would actually go on a date in the virtual world, with my avatar having slightly perkier breasts and all. Maybe I would become mayor of a town I create. Maybe I would start a utopian revolution and found a commune for ever-single women. The possibilities are endless.
And therein lies the allure, methinks. In the real world, it is becoming ever more apparent that the possibilities are not endless, and that the grind can wear you down faster than you can, well, create an avatar. Having a second chance at a virtual life, starting over, if you will, must be a powerful draw.
If I do buy an island in Second Life, you can bet your bottom Linden that I will turn around and create a Second Life Survivor 'virtual' reality show and makes bags of dosh.
What a cunning plan ...
Comments
Too much effort, I suppose...
Please.