Re: [-empyre-] Prototyping

[Andrew Burrell <andrew@miscellanea.com>]

Hi all,
(i think i sent this as rich text earlier so hopefully this does not  
come through twice)

Pall wrote: "For art is never virtual, it either is or it isn't  
regardless of how it manifests itself."

I love this line, though I would like to take it one step further and  
say that:

"LIFE is never virtual, it either is or it isn't regardless of how it  
manifests itself."

In the case of the current discussion, there is no REAL or UNREAL - a  
dichotomy that appears to underpin many of the arguments that have  
suggested that to choose a multi user real time 3d environment as an  
artistic medium, is to somehow step out of life, or to be devoid of a  
social conscience, or to be so unfortunate as to not live in a mighty  
US city.

There IS a REAL thriving community that exists because of MUVEs such  
as SL, and asking the question if any of them are "'full fledged'  
universes where art, activism and politics engage to enlight a  
broader audience." is irrelevant. The real question I ask myself (as  
is the question I would hope any artist, crafts person , engineer  
etc.would ask them self) is: "what role does my creative output play  
in engaging with, and enlightening, a wider audience?" and "How am I  
working with my chosen medium(s) in a way that explores its  
possibilities and pushes it boundaries? (as has been one of the  
defining qualities of humanity ever since we hit one rock against  
another and created our first tool.)" (I see no usefulness in  
differentiating between a tool that is physically crafted with, and  
manipulated by, physical hands and a tool that is entered as lines of  
code, and manipulated through a user interface -  at least on this  
level of the discussion.)


cheers


andrew  burrell
http://www.miscellanea.com

nonnatus korhonen
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Escanes/34/180/46