I StumbleUpon'd My Virtual Model the other night. It's a shopping site that lets you view clothes from companies such as Sears and Speedo on a personalized 3D avatar created from your photo and measurements. Of course, I had to upload Botgirl's photo and give the site a spin. Somewhere along the way, the surrealistic aspect of the larger process stuck me like a ton of bricks:
- A human creates an avatar and projects thorough it into a virtual world- A distinct identity emerges reinforced by social interactions
- The virtual identity leaps into the atomic world through blogs, social networks, instant messaging, etc.
- Finally, the line between physical and digital blurs entirely as Botgirl tries on clothes at Sears
I don't know why this experience seems so particularly absurd. But in some way it really brought to life the illusionary aspect of the Botgirl identity for me. Give it a try and see what it's like for you!
