There's a great new blog out there that I just discovered while reading School Library Journal: http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/. ALSC = Association for Library Service to Children. Check it out!
Under the entry, "How I became a FSA Groupie"(Federation of American Scientists), is a description of Second Life which startled me into seeing this "thing" that I've feared with new eyes: "Second Life is not a game but the Internet in a different skin. Amy described it very clearly to me that it was a wikipedia of MMOs (Massive Multiplayer Online) worlds. Once I suspended my disbelief, something amazing happened. I saw the beauty of the technology–that it rolled everything into one–IMing, emailing, podcasting, videostreaming, weblinking (Web 2.0 features) into one. I finally understood what all the rage was about! It was truly the internet in its next evolutionary stage. And a great platform to ally ourselves with other open-minded, public-serving organizations."
Maybe I will dare to investigate Second Life further. It's just that so much time is lost in there. I think of all the other things people could be doing in the natural world, and I feel an abiding, deep repulsion towards getting so lost in technology. It's like we're going back to cave-dwelling where artificial light illuminates so much of our lives. I don't like it. (Am I talking myself out of re-visiting Second Life?:)
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4 comments:
Sue, through your words, I, too, am uncomfortable with such a "world" as the writer describes. It sounds like a stripped-down version of Pandora's Box. =-(
Your reference to "going back to cave-dwelling" reminded me of Plato's Allegory of the Cave, and it really fits what you are talking about. Technology is the light-show on the wall, which the cave's occupants try to decipher. But "real life" is the person who turns around to find the source of the light. Maybe I'll find a copy of the book, review it and detail my idea in another blog. Thanks!
I'm very interested in exploring Second Life but I just never feel like I have the time to dedicate to it. Why don't you become the expert and tell me all about it?
I have a Second Life account, though it's been so long since I used it I have forgotten my logon ID! It really is very cool, although I never really got the hang of my avatar. Moving around is a bit weird; it's not quite the same as in World of Warcraft or other computer games.
I've seen a few articles about libraries setting up shop in Second Life, which is great. If we are going to be where our clients are, we'll need to be in places like Second Life.
MAry Alice,
You're referring to Judy K and her becoming he specialist, right? Because I prefer to spend time connecting with the source of the light, as Todd describes it. I won't much spend time exploring life in Second life --life in real life is too fascinating.
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