A Socio Cultural And Political Overview Of Second Life

A Socio-Cultural Overview of Second Life Angela Thomas

Reality Augmentation Replication Blended Realities The “third space” Embracing the Affordances New Paradigms Community Second Life Universe Fantasy Immersion The Magic Circle

Reality Blended A Slice of SL Culture Fantasy

Reality Blended Politics and Law in Second Life Fantasy

Embracing

the Affordances

What are they?

How can I leverage them

for maximum impact?

Second Life Universe

The Affordances of a Virtual World

Fantasy

For many Second Life residents, their avatars inhabit the ‘spaces of imagination’ as they construct and view their Second Life self on the screen – much like becoming one of the characters in one’s favourite TV show, engaging with an emotional (and financial) investment in their personas in different ways - in comparison, contrast, confrontation, identification or as a form of therapy .

‘ In the end, Barbie’s script is ultimately about selfhood. … Perhaps too, fantasy is as worthy a means of exploring selfhood as therapy, religion, career, activism, or any other endeavour capable of enlivening one’s imagination .’

The Avatar

The Avatar as a Form of Fun and Empowerment

Attitude of many female SL residents about the fashioning of their avatars neatly exemplifies post-modernist feminist thinking within contemporary academic discussions of fashion

‘ dressing up equals fun, and fun equals empowerment’ (König, 2004: 140)

My avatar reflects my femininity in a way that is not possible offline, in my home life and in my professional life I have rediscovered aspects of my femininity through my avatar

I use my avatar…

As a “close as possible” representation of my real body

As a mode of identity expression

To represent aspects of my inner self, in a metaphorical way

As a way of living out a fantasy of my idealised body

As a way of neutralising any discrimination I’ve felt about my offline appearance

To hide

To play with the idea of a fantasy character

To experiment with alternative ways of being

To challenge dominant discourses about gender, race, class

As a vehicle for protest or call for social action

To use the privilege of whiteness, beauty, youth to my advantage

To use the privilege of “otherness” to promote a news-worthy persona and gain media attention

To show off my fashion / skin / hair business

To attract the opposite sex

To express my sexuality / sexual preference

To align with a particular group or sub-culture

Errr…. What?

I get up, dress for work, and have only so many options on what to look like that day. In Second Life, the options are limitless. When I first joined I tried all kinds of looks, and thought of my avatars’ looks as a way to show my avatar-designing creativity.

The Avatar: Desire, pleasure and the conventions of cultural production and reception

Second Life avatar practices has its own set of conventions, norms and values which are part of the predictable pleasures its citizens have come to expect.

Enhancement of Self

Fantasy

Glamour

Playfulness

The Fashion Scene

The avatar as commodity fetishism

The avatar as brand or mascot

The avatar as marketing tool

My close friend and colleague thinks that since starting this course and spending time as Denver (my avatar), I have “blossomed” offline .

Identity

Identity

Trust

Deception

Roleplay and Simulation

Our roles in real life are learned socially or are imposed upon us. These can define and limit us, but through fantasy and role-play, we can lose these restrictions. By assuming roles, we develop judgements, interpretations and values: what would it be like to be that person or to be in that situation?

Roleplay allows opportunities to view situations or problems from various angles allowing one to pivot one’s mind to view the issue from myriad directions

Roleplay can provide a context which allows for the cognitive and creative freedoms associated with open-ended experimentation.

Role-playing creates a space which allows possibilities of creative thinking, innovative problem solving , and

shifts in perspective

Community In World Groups Out of World Groups Creating a sense of community with clientele, reaching new audiences, listening to them, devolving power to them, increasing their participation