Sunday, May 4, 2008

The ongoing quest for SLurpose

There were quite a few thought-provoking posts this weekend related to virtual worlds (thanks to link-giving-god-incarnate Mal Burns.)
In Virtual Exits: Second Life Residents Turn Their Back, Second Life Travel Guide author Sean Percival chronicled a few notable residents who have announced their imminent departures, including his own.

Social presence and skin deep reality
discussed social presence and the perception of avatar appearance in Second Life.

A Guardian article described the launch of Britain's first Masters degree in "cyberpsychology."

Some leave. Some stay. Some enter.

Just like a personal hook-up, a hot crush on Second Life itself has a shelf life of just weeks or months. Unless one can find some kind of deeper purpose or new position, boredom and dissatisfaction will likely emerge. If the initial chasm of disillusionment is crossed successfully, ongoing conscious effort is required to keep things fresh.

In the few months I've been here, my SLpurpose has already shifted a few times. Given my personal situation, virtual navel-gazing has been a constant thread. But along the way my focus has shifted from intrapersonal communication, to self identity, to sociological interaction and now to visually-oriented expression. Although one can dig deep-and-narrow or wide-and-shallow, digging we must do.

So I ask you, dear reader: What is your SLpurpose?

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A beautiful thought experiment personified through the imagined perspective of a self-aware avatar. My creator's site can is at http://fourworlds.tumblr.com