How To Live In A Pervasively Networked World:
What Happens When 1st Life Meets 2nd Life?
Julian Bleecker, Ph.D.
University of Southern California
School of Cinematic Arts
Interactive Media Division
interactive.usc.edu

What Is 1st Life?
What Is 2nd Life?

We Know They Are Different But How So?

Material Contingencies

Every Digital Bit Owes Its Existence To A Quantity Of
1st Life Material

Our 2nd Life Worlds Have A Material Basis

1st Life Resources Support And Maintain
Our Digital 2nd Lives

We Should Be Mindful Of The Material Character
Of 2nd Life

This Material Basis Undergirds 2nd Life

That Is A Debt.

What Is This Debt Exactly?

It Is A Debt Of Human Resources

It Is A Debt Of Expended Energy

“...an avatar consumes 1,752 kWh per year.
By comparison, the average human, on a
worldwide basis, consumes 2,436 kWh per
year. So..an avatar consumes a bit less
energy than a real person, though they're in
the same ballpark.”
Nicolas Carr’s Blog, 05.12.06, http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2006/12/avatars_consume.php

“..looking at CO2 production, 1,752 kWH/
year per avatar is about 1061 kilos of
CO2. That's the equivalent of driving an
SUV around 3,700 kilometers (or a Prius
around 6,400 kilometers).”
Nicolas Carr’s Blog, 05.12.06, http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2006/12/avatars_consume.php

It Is Also A Debt To The Sedentary Body Sitting In
Front Of Our Computer Screens

..And Sitting In Front Of Our Game Machines

So What? Why Does This Matter

It Matters Because There Are Critical Externalities

1st Life Doesn’t Reboot When The System Crashes

In 1st Life, You Can’t Just Install More Servers

In Our 2nd Life Worlds, We Have Many Avatars

But In 1st Life, We Each Have Only One Body

In 2nd Life There Are Many Worlds To Occupy

In 1st Life We Can Only Possibly Inhabit One World

And That World Has Innumerable Crises

So Now What?

Are There Ways To Bridge 1st Life And 2nd Life That
Brings Out The Best Characteristics Of Both?

Can We Make 2nd Life Worlds That Take The
Material Contingencies Of 1st Life Seriously?

Where Should We Start?

Play.

Start By Creating Legible, Playful Reminders of the
Materiality of 1st Life
Motion, Time, Distance

Wii

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Motion

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Motion

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Motion

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Motion

Animal Crossing

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Time

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Time

Teku Teku Angel

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Distance

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Distance

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Distance

Reminders of the Materiality of 1st Life
Distance

How Do You Account For Your 2nd Life?
Thanks To Flickr Buddies
dunkv
andrewmckaskill
unknown8bit
eneko123
mtg
adampsyche
Julian Bleecker, Ph.D.
Near Future Laboratory
research.techkwondo.com