[iDC] from Charlie Gere: An Inconvenient Youth and Second Life

[patrick lichty]

Without being too lengthy, I effectively agree with most of the
criticisms leveled at SL to date.  But, as a cultural researcher, I also
feel that "for the moment" my involvement constitutes an interest in
what I feel is a culturally significant event.  Whether it is beneficial
or not, solipsistic (I believe that it probably is), etc. is more of
interest to me phenomenologically.   In other words, I almost feel like
I'm a contact reporter on-world, so I can have that experiential
knowledge of the community and the hype, etc.

I firmly believe that SL may rank up there with the Network PC in
cybercultural terms, but it is surely interesting to see how people are
adopting it and why, etc.

Great place for research.

However, the place where I feel like SL does have the greatest value is
in its structuring of community. As mentioned before, it feels so much
like the mid-90's Rhizome, that it's incredible.  Small, tight-knit
community, idiosyncratic creative methods, no aggregating 900 blogs,
etc.  That's the thing I like.  


Patrick Lichty
- Interactive Arts & Media
  Columbia College, Chicago
- Editor-In-Chief
  Intelligent Agent Magazine
http://www.intelligentagent.com
225 288 5813
voyd at voyd.com
 
"It is better to die on your feet 
than to live on your knees."