Dr. Avatar I presume? Anthropologist sheds light on Second Life natives in new book and upcoming Extropia Salon

"Coming of Age in Second Life" author Tom Boellstorff will be featured in this Thursday's Sophrosyne's Salon at 10 am in Extropia. The anthropologist studied Second Life for two and a half years through his ethnographic-collecting avatar Tom Bukowski (who will be appearing in lieu of Mr. Boellstorff at the Salon.)

This book is chock-full of the kind of meaty research I've been craving. It is a goldmine of fascinating narrative accounts informed by well-reasoned and insightful analysis. It sheds light on culture, psychology, community and the possible future.

Here are a few tidbits from the introduction:

• "[in virtual worlds] our humanity is thrown off balance, considered anew, and reconfigured through transformed possibilities for place-making, subjectivity and community.

• "...online worlds are [not] spaces in which we simply work out offline issues and once sorted, happily leave....What happens in virtual worlds often is just as real, just as meaningful, to participants."

• "The gap between virtual and actual self could reverberate into everyday practices of identification and interaction."
  

I'm looking forward to meeting Mr. Bukowski in the virtual flesh tomorrow. The event is open to the public, so teleport on down for what will likely be an intriguing discussion.

Botgirl whispers: Hey, Sophrosyne. Now that I'm an Extropia citizen, do I get some kind of special seating?