Re: [-empyre-] discussion on Second Life in another list

["Ana Valdés" <agora158@gmail.com>]

Hi Christy and thanks for your input! I think the problem with SL is
the lacking of audience (depending of the technical problems, too
difficult to have more than 100 avatars in the same room connected at
the same time) and it's reproductive character. For me, used to Neal
Stephenson's metaverse and to Courtenay Grimwood's universes it's
difficult to grasp why SL is now so mainstream and so flat.
The censure exerced from the Linden Labs (owners and developers of SL)
against all critical voices has been a strong issue for me and for
others who want democracy and participation in cyberspace, as much we
want it for real life and for "this world".
SL should be an arena for experiment and transgression of barriers, a
place where we can exerce  Rosi Braidotti's "nomadic identities". But
it's now instead a place for Ikea and IBM to advertize.
Sex and gambling and virtual shopping of virtual furniture and clothes
don't attract me.
As a friend wrote : "Yes, SL is as a big mall, but where are the crowds?"
To be elitistic is SL too rude and bad technical implemented and to be
a massive entertainment arena, it's too boring for me.

Ana, a SL sceptic



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