Sorry about that - I just wanted to give it a try. Interesting how my avatar has a distinctly Drag Queen feel - apologies to Drag Queens... They are at least real...
Anyway, this is as avatarish as I get - I couldn't go into one of these virtual communities. Not interested. I don't actually know anyone who is a 'gamer'. That said, given the staggering numbers of people who use these virtual worlds, maybe people just don't talk about it to their 'real world' friends - they can make that distinction. Happy to keep it that way. But! I honestly cannot say whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that people spend their time (and money) in these worlds - especially when I come off the back of a night where I watched four hours of tele... hhhmmm
References:
Smith, AJ 2009, The politics of participation: revisiting Donna Haraway's 'A cyborg manifesto' in a social networking context., viewed 28 January 2013, http://www.nyu.edu/pubs/anamesa/archive/fall_2009_intersections/the_politics_of_participation_revisiting_donna_haraway.pdf
Turkle, Sherry 2011, Alone Together : Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, e-book, accessed 21 November 2012,< http://swin.eblib.com.au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=684281>.
Ramoane seems fun...
ReplyDeleteVirtual worlds can make it seem so easy to raise chickens as Ramoane does.. just as they make it seem simple to raise children.. Do you think that is a good thing?
Hi Matt, thanks for your comment.
ReplyDeleteI think that loads of people think it is simple to raise children until they actually have to do it (me included!), so I wouldn't say that doing it virtually would make a difference. That is just my opinion. I must say, doing the readings and reading other people's blogs has made me feel like the virtual world is quite harmless and just another diversion for the real world that has to find a way to fit into 'real life'...
I am not sure what makes it seem so scary/inane for me... not knowing is probably a big factor. I am always interested to read your perspective on all things virtual. Do you think there is any harm in spending time in the simulacrum?
Lisa, I am along the lines of you - the virtual world is strange. I worry about how much some people actually become emerged into their virtual life that they find it difficult or surreal to interact in the real world - I know a few people like that
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