Location: UR Island

As Beeble Baxter and I work on an academic article about how participants craft their identities in Second Life, I’ve had a moral revelation about this virtual world.

When I began “playing” Second Life with students early this year, I still thought of it as a game with little characters running around. The class and I discovered, however, how seriously people regard the metaverse, and the more avatars we met (and I interviewed) the more the conviction came to me that SL, like so many other online communities based on affinity, leads to lasting friendships.

I’ve not met anyone on my SL friends-list in person, except the UR avatars, Tracy Edelman, and Beeble, of course.  I hadn’t ever intended to take advantage of their friendships to use them as subjects for our article, but when I first started interacting with others online this way, I did see them as mere data-points.  Thus we academics distance ourselves.

So this is a chance to thank the some very kind and helpful folks.  Ida Keen helped me and my students get started as writers about SL, Dianna Defiant and Kyo Runo have reminded me of the value of play, even in a world we do not consider a game.  HoJo Kilda has frankly talked, in an non-judgmental way, about what she herself has called the “sordid side” of SL and provided great advice when one of my students got into trouble.  Pappy Enoch makes me fall down laughing. . . which is better medicine than any jar of moonshine.

In fact, I’ll help Pappy set up a big “Barn Dance” this summer on UR Island, and attend with all of my friends.  Sounds like a party to me!  Bring your own virtual overalls and Mason jars. . .

OMG - Iggy giving fashion advice AGAIN!! Well I think Pappy would says he’s getin’ a might big for his britches…haha!
You’re right Iggy about how things change in this “game.“ I thought it all make believe and silly until I realzed, (and a nice guy from Denmark reminded me) that behind every avvie is a REAL person with real feelings. And just like in RL, feelings can and do get hurt in SL for various reasons. So it’s more than a game it’s a way to make real connections with real people - some connections are brief and superficial, and some will turn into RL friends even if you never ever meet them except in SL.

Ah, the problems we have in SL.  My avatar’s belly shows when he is not wearing a jacket, no matter how long I make my shirt or how high-waisted my jeans. I’ll have to buy a new T-shirt or adjust the length of my torso.

You should probably wear on a tank-top under the overalls.  Try pulling the “undershirt” setting from a clothing folder in your library and adjust it until you are PG-rated.

Who would EVER think this would turn into a fashion-advice column?

Ahaha, very well said..

It could be considered a game, or a breakaway from reality, or.. It could be considered whatever you want to consider it! I love helping people, new and veteran, young and old, and would love to mingle with you guys more than I do already..~ Timezones a little matter.

Would love to show up to a summer big of tomfoolery, but my overalls show nipples for some outrageous reason, i’ll have to buy another set!

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