[Web4lib] The end of MySpace, SecondLife, and Twitter

[Robert L. Balliot]

Karen, 

I think that the same arguments could be made
about clothing in the real world.  Shoes make feet
look different, suits and tuxes are designed to
make men look better, and various undergarments change
the shape and look of people too.  No one is born
with pierced ears or implants.  Those are all decisions
that people make.  I recall that Napoleon invented
the heel on the shoe to make French soldiers appear
taller and more powerful.

I think it is unfortunate and linear thinking that
we place so much importance on the way people look.
But, it seems to be a hard-wired part of our brains
based on procreation and survival.

In the real world, I think it is hard for people
to change themselves into rabbits without significant
effort and moving into Hefner's mansion.:)

*************************************************
Robert L. Balliot
1-401-421-5763
Skype: RBalliot
Bristol, Rhode Island
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
*************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of K.G. Schneider
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 7:29 AM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] The end of MySpace, SecondLife, and Twitter

I hope it is not considered too far from the purpose of this list to observe
that my personal hesitations about SL are how real people (who tend to be
unshapely and uncomely, with bulges and wrinkles all in the wrong places)
hide behind impossible standards of representation. It disturbs me that most
of the female characters have bodies that are bizarre caricatures of the
female form from a male point of view, like Barbie Dolls set in a microwave
and stretched out. I won't go into the larger metaphors, but when I think
about the values of technology to everyday lives, I also think about some of
the threats. Maybe I haven't explored it long enough (I do have an avatar
but I made her look like a rabbit, the best I could do), but SL makes me
uncomfortable. 


To what extent is SL a place we go to reinforce our distance from
uncomfortable analog realities?

K.G. Schneider
kgs at freerangelibrarian.com 

_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4lib at webjunction.org
http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/