The Big Picture Topic: Discuss Recent Social/Economic/Political/Cultural Trends Here

With SL growing so quickly, and gaining such a diverse
range of residents, I think it's time for New World Notes
to start asking the Big Picture questions.

Things like, Who are we now? Where are we going?

And just as importantly, I want to ask that question of
NWN readers and SL residents. What would you like SL
to become? What are you *afraid* it might become?
What recent trends excite you? What make you worried?
Which trends provoke a mixed reaction?

Post and discuss here, for possible quotation in NWN
(unless stated otherwise)!

SL is still in the throws of rapid expansion and I'm having too much fun working/playing to be of service to the new members to be able to reflect as yet.

I have no fear of what SL will become.

Stay tuned.

Hamlet,

Without wishing to get too repetitive, let me just say briefly that I spent some time in a virtual world which had the trappings of self-government. This ended up in a kind of totalitarian state, where bannings were used as a political tool, and where newspeak was the official language. Where people just disappeared, and you eventually heard on the grapevine that they had been banned. Where embittered ex-members set up websites, complaining about what had been done to them, and where threats of legal action were made, and complaints were made to web hosts and ISPs.

It wasn't until I escaped to Second Life that I realised what a nightmare that place was. Second Life was like a breath of fresh air. A benign dictatorship really is the ideal kind of government for a virtual world, and I would hate to experience anything else.

What scares me are the postings on the forum which call for self-government. Or setting up a kind of advisory 'senate'. Or making some citizens into a kind of police force. Or giving any citizens power over others. I have seen where this kind of thing leads, and these suggestions, from people who have no conception about the kind of world that they could bring into being, really scare me.

Here is a thought that has been bouncing around in my head since all the recent exposure of SL in the media and the recent influx of new users.
Of course its wonderful that SL continues to grow but for some reason it makes me a bit uneasy that the SL I love will be lost in the oblivion of mass consumption.
Right now the world is small enough that I feel a sense of community here like I have found in no other online medium. With continued growth, I fear that all that will be lost. Also with the addition of many new players it seems that eventually it would be impossible to attend events, make it harder to obtain some sense of privacy and generally make the world more chaotic. I guess I am sounding like a spoiled child that doesn't want to share her dolls.
It's an enigma for sure. SL must grow in order to assure that it will be around for a long time. Yet still it makes me uneasy about the future.
Chalice

I know what you mean, Chalice, but I can't help but laugh. People have been saying the same thing since beta -- OMG, the community we love is being overrun with clueless newcomers! SL as we know it is going away forever!

And of course, they're right. SL as it was when it went public in June of last year *is* gone forever. It was a smaller, closer-knit community then, where everyone literally knew everyone else; and it's been overrun by clueless newcomers (i.e., you and me). SL as they knew it then was replaced by SL as *I* knew it when I joined in January. Which in turn was replaced by the SL you joined in April, which is now itself vanishing in favor of...

The only constant is change. And change seems even more constant here than in real life.

Straight Talk from a 100% Noob.

I just read the CNN article and signed up for an account.
I'm hooked. I've already dumped about $50/USD into
the game (Currently The Currency Exchange) and plan on
making some big dollar purchases.

I've played many sims and online games, this one is
different because you can profit from it. Now Profit seems
like the Evil Master who sweeps in and destorys all. But from
my point of view, it actually funds the game far beyond
it could have alone and allows for 2ndLife to become
self-sustaining. And better.

So while 2ndlife becomes better technically, it will fall victim
to the loss of the old timers who recalled the old days and
old ways. The problem with not changing, is that you lock in
ideas and ways of doing things which is good in the present,
but becomes obsolete in the future. And once clans are developed to create a dictatorship within the game, it
ruins it for all the noobs and causes its eventually decline.

In any case... The Linden Economy will be the biggest
driver of change in the game. The more people are able
to make money and convert it into real world dollars, the
more popular the game will become. I'm waiting for the
news article that says, "Online Gamer Quits Real World Job For Online Job". Cmon folks, if you could have fun playing 2ndLife all day long like a job and get paid for it and the
money you made was equal to a normal wage, why not?
Why spend several hours a day in traffic to work at a job
you can't stand? Just wake up in the morning, login to
the game, and get paid for having fun.

i don't like the idea of playing a game for profit. and what i fear is SL turning into a place filled with get rich quick builds that offer no fun for me, but are just a way to consume my Linden money.

i've been wandering around in world looking for all the fun places i've seen in the numerous image galleries. but when i get to the landmarks the gardens or amusement park that once were there is now occupied with something else.

so i'd like to see more fun-oriented builds. and the truly creative ones. i wouldn't mind paying a ticket to go to an amusement park with roller coasters, etc. or paying a cover price to see original art in a museum.

there are better ways to make money if that's what some people want. just keep in mind that most people are here becuz SL caters to their creativity. so build on that level.

Really, there are only two options. SL will either change, or stay the same.

Given the current trends, I believe that the former is more likely and the latter to be most scarey.

Very interesting thoughts, all. Hope to see more coming.

Sort of spinning off what has been written here, does anyone
get a sense that many veteran residents are becoming more
insular and close knit? In other words, that residents who've
been here for awhile (say, more than six months) are sticking
with the people they made friends with, starting out, and
besides occasional public events, confine their online time to
their particular subculture and community, for the most part.
(Nothing wrong with that, of course, if that's the case.)

Anyway, that's a trend I *think* is happening now, as the
population grows, and old timers recognize less and less
residents. Agree or disagree?

Agreed, Hamlet. There are definite generations. I find myself hanging out mostly with people of my "age" (one month old).

We all started together, learned together, and we're at the same place now as regards scripting, land ownership and building skills.

Not to say I don't speak to others at events and such - just that they're not the people I IM when I log on to say hi!

I'm not sure, Han, but I know i've done my best to meet veteran players and Charter Members and thes folks have helped me learned the Tao of SL.

Reach out and find someone.

Those are interesting comments Hamlet, Garth and I have made many new friends amongst the newer players.

But as a Beta player myself I have noticed lately many of the old Beta players I barely knew have reached out to contact me. I guess it is because we have so much in common.

We lived through the good times, and the tough times too. It wasn't always easy forging ahead for us. Now one can sell US dollars and buy outright that which we had to struggle for.

I remember one newbie before the taxes were revoked was struggling to make a place for himself, he came to us frequently for help. Then suddenly he was able to convert to a lifetime membership and he came crowing to me "Now I can have everything you do!"

Is this good or bad? I don't know the answer to that.

I can only hope for it to prosper, grow and become more of the so-called 'metaverse' it has been suggested to become (or is as some believe). Hundreds and thousands of users with hundreds of Sims would be quite a sight to behold.
The draw of profit making cannot be stressed more. Hopefully there will be more and more ways for people to use SL to facilitate this. There are sure to be those who may look down on this from SLs humble origins and the early spirit of selfless creativity - it is key to future growth in my opinion. It's started now, there's no going back.
Self governance I think is a facinating idea for SL (despite the nay-sayers). I wish i had Selador's experience, but I would give a very limitied experiment a chance. If it proved successful and productive enough, loosen the reigns abit more...bit by bit. Who knows?

Hamlet,

I'm a beta person and I had a small "sinking spell" a few months back related to the world getting so big and it being so difficult to find my old friends.

But I got over it in about a day. LOL. I've just had to make a little effort to see my old friends, whereas in Beta you didn't have to. You saw everyone.

Now I've bought some land in another area mainly so I can build and be around new people. That's probably what I'll do from now on....just buy small plots now and again in areas away from my home so I can keep my SL life from being insular.

I'm trying rely only on the things that will not change for me in SL...it's a place where I can be creative and play. Before SL, I didn't "play" enough. Here, I play and make things and laugh a lot. The rest of it can change, as it inevitably will, but it won't really matter.

I'm just along for the ride.

Regarding Trends, I have to agree with Selador. Self Government would be a real detriment to this world. My husband and I both joined after reading the CNN article and I am hopelessly addicted to the unlimited ability to create and to enjoy the creations of others. I think that a self government would quickly deteriorate into petty squabbles and usless creativity restraining power struggles. I get enough govermental BS in RL, SL is where I escape to when I come home from work.

It would be nice to see more "global" events where all of the cultures in all the different areas come together so that I can share a glimse into their community. (Sort of like the parade that you are planning.) The world is so big and I could spend hours exploring it. I love that!

Regarding Veteran Players - No one has been anything but wonderful and welcoming to me. I've had offers to help me build and people have answered countless questions both technical and cultural. While wearing a box on my head my second day in SL probably got a few snickers from them, someone still was kind enough to tell me how to open a box.

Thanks for a great game and a lot of amusement after a long hard day.

Hi,

I've been around for nearly a year now, and lots has changed in my experience of the game.
But mostly because I have changed, not because the world has changed.
Things I did in the biginning I can still do.
People I met in the first weeks after my second birth I can still talk to.
Comminities that I grew to love are still there.
True, the world got a whole lot bigger, there's more to do and more going on at the same time.
But that's a rather interresting point if you think about it.
There's only so much you can do in a day and despite the huge possibilities of this world you can still only be at one place at one time.
The world will change lots, but your experience will only change if you let it.
I chose to ignore most of the inworld events and gatherings and focus on whatever interrests me at that time.
For me it doesn't matter what happens in a sim somewhere on the other side of the world, just as it doesn't matter much to me what happens in a far away country as long as it doesn't affect me or catch my interrest.
What I do want to stress is the following:

This world is split up in communities, social circles and gatherings of friends and people who relate to eachother in one way or another.
They can all coexist because the actions of one community do not often affect the wellbeing of another.
Ofcourse, it does happen, just as it does in our first lives.
But for the most part we can coexist.
And then there are people who come up with the idea of self governance...
well, I am not against anything really, exept disturbing this nature of live and let live.
Sure, you can create communities that govern themselves but please, for the love of diversity, don't create a system that governs EVERYTHING.
I will morn the day that people start to influence the functioning of communities they are not part of themselves.
I feel it's somewhat like the US enforcing democracy in IRAK.
True, having a dictator that does a bad job at taking care of his people is no laughing matter, but who says Iraques funtion well under a system they did not come up with themselves?
What works for one, does not always work for another.
Irak may flurish under democracy, that's not the point.
The point is, noone seems to even considder that it might not work.
The same goes for the Second Life communities and systems like self governance.
It may do wonders for some of us, but not for all of us.

To each our own ways.

http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,62738,00.html

He made enough to live on. But he was hardcore. If he put that much energy into the REAL WORLD he'd have a real small business and he'd have even more real money and have LOTS more time to play his games.

You can do it if you want, but the same effort applied to the real world is going to be worth MUCH MUCH MORE.




http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,63363,00.html

"I'm not building a game," he says. "I'm building a new country." - Philip Rosedale


It's not really up us. I don't know Philip but I don't see why he'd be any different from any other CEO. He'll do whatever causes a ruckus and he's gonna sit back and watch us fight.

I am not one to beat a dead forum...err, YES I am...but, I hate censorship.

I also hate censorship.

/scratches nose

Who are we now?
Pioneers ;P

Where are we going?
Wherever we can

What would you like SL to become?
real, as in something useful in real life that you can't get along without, like cell phones.

What are you *afraid* it might become?
Only thing I'm afraid of, is that it'll fail, but I'm becoming more and more optimistic that it won't every day.

What recent trends excite you?
Every time there is more creative ability added, such as the actions, or animations that can now be created and imported... It opens up the envelope that much farther.

What make you worried?
That I don’t have enough time to devote to SL

Which trends provoke a mixed reaction?
I can't think of any.... oh... except like above, censorship. Maybe it'll always have to be adult only, so we can be free as possible to push that envelope, but I like the protections created for those who are uncomfortable with certain directions.. But as adults, we simply censor ourselves, right?

Ingie

I want to echo Selador's comments. Self governance is the biggest thing I fear because there's no way for it too adequately accomodate SL's diversity. Self governance would be plagued by self interest and the choices made by the priveledged few would undoubtedly be myopic. Having to deal with an in world government would be the one thing most likely to dive me out of SL. As the world grows I think there's planty of room for issue advocacy by player groups to help spread awareness of various issues. I think that's healthy. But if the SL community ever develops a kind of ruling class it will be the beginning of the end.

My second biggest fear is an escalation of the culture war we've seen develop over the last six months between those that are comfortable with the link to real life money and the ability to profit from our efforts here, and those that feel it's somehow destroying the world. As someone for whom Second Life has become an important second income it's no mystery which side of the fence I'm on. The fear of commercialism to me seems incredibly short sighted. I know that if SL wasn't earning me an income that helps me pay my bills I could never contribute to the content of the world as much as I do. I'd have hit a critical mass of guilt and started to distance myself (and maybe gone and washed the dishes or something). Now I don't have to worry about that because there are RL benefits to my dedication to SL.

There are some obvious problems with the influence of real money like land speculation but I think the good far outweighs the bad. I hope that people will stop painting the SL economy with such a broad brush. I fear that people who become really successful in SL will become unfairly seen as greedy or a destructive force. My personal view is that (land speculation not included) someone's financial success in SL is a good indicator of exactly the opposite... they're a big part of what keeps SL growing and appealing to a wider and wider audience. Of course my views might be a tad biased

that's what I mean by having SL become a part of RL. I'm all for you making a living off of things you make and sell. I'd like to see products advertised, heck, even demonstrated. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if in 5 years time, we all have VR helms, gloves, motion dectectors, etc... and are buying computer systems, automobiles, skateboards... I mean, you could try these things out and see how they handle or look like on you (your twin can try on clothes and see how they fit) your clothes could be tailor made???

Go to fashion shows

New ESPN show, VR sports!

I'm rambling....... and a VR nut. damn it Neal, it's your fault, it wasn't even THAT great a book, but planted a seed... that keeps growing... and growing, shoot, like a tumor! yuck!

Yesterday was my one month anniversary here. As a newcomer I must say that people have been extraordinarily kind, regardless of their amount of time here.

I think there are many levels at which SL is experienced.

There is a more superficial level on the surface, that seems to be dominated by nightclubs and casinos and commercial enterprises. I lived almost exclusively at that level my first week or two here. Attending events, chit-chatting with residents, flying around, trying to build very rudimentary twisted cubes. But then I discovered there was more...

I've discovered one of my greatest enjoyments is the interpersonal contact and, sometimes surprisingly for me, the depth of contact.

Now I think there are probably far greater levels than I experience now and I'm eager to explore them.

One of my regrets is not to have been here earlier and witnessed more of the evolution of SL. On the other hand I'm glad to be here now to see what it becomes.

I share some people's fears that it will become too big or too dominated by the more commercial aspects that draw large crowds and, I think, make it harder to meet people.

From my experience, I do think it takes an effort to meet some of the *old*-timers - something I've been trying to do because I enjoy their insights into the place - gives me perspective.

And I love the pure fun here - everyday there's wonder at some fantastic new creation, many laughs, absurd experiences. I wouldn't want any of those to go away as SL continues to grow.

Wait a minute - what was the question...?

I often feel that online environments are like RL but RL 'compressed'. What happened in SL over the last year could be likened to a century or more in RL. A large difference is the founding fathers of our RL worlds have passed on. It makes me wonder at times what would say, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others think if they were still alive.

So in a basic sence we are pioneers, world builders and molders of our own society. We have our ideals and thoughts on what it should, or would be yet, this is something we really have no control of.

We can offer input of our thoughts, and sometimes they will evolve. A lot of them will fall by the wayside. I for one am enjoying the ride. Knowing I have no control of it makes it that much more interesting.

We can only hope everything will turn out fine. We also have to accept that wich doesnt work out fine.

Okay I just woke up and Im rambling hehehe

Good point, Toy.
Can't wait to see where Sl will be in another "century"



Olympia