Why Second Life?

I learned about Second Life a few years ago (ok, about 3 or 4) listening to Ira Flatow talk about how to meet him on Science Friday in Second Life (SL). Within a year or two I was reading about job interviews taking place in SL as well as people beginning to make money - real money, not just Linden Dollars, the currency used in SL.

It all came together in my Digital Literacies class with Dr. Jennifer Stone. She asked us to choose a digital literacy as a final project. Besides wanting to start a blog (ta da!) I'd been reading about conferences and classes being held in SL and thinking about how to attend. The match was made and here I am. In addition to wanting to learn about both, I'm also fascinated with the idea of avatars and identity.

Second Life, as a virtual space, utilizes avatars as the public "face" of an individual to interact within Second Life. Because you choose your avatar's appearance you have the ability to also choose your identity in SL (you receive a selected list at first, but from what I'm seeing you can change your appearance if you have the tools, ability, and Linden Dollars, if needed). You can have more than one avatar if you so choose, although that needs a First Life or real world currency.

While the idea of avatars and identity have/are being written about, for the purposes of this class and the current writings in this blog, I am using an avatar to observe two types of interactions within SL. One is to learn about the SL culture and how the structure of SL forces my avatar into certain roles or interactions with the culture - either the physical landscape or in relationship with other avatars. The second is to focus on what I call recognition moments - those times when I personally and consciously understand that either I as Karla or I as my avatar - and is there a difference?- have gained mastery of any type (movements, being recognized by others, etc.) as well as when others within SL seem to have these recognition moments in relation to my avatar as well (within bounds. I will not record every movement that I make, when I breathe, etc. This will be those instances that I choose to report). Will my avatar's identity change over time with accumulation of mastery and will any recognition moment change as well? In other words, my avatar will lead a highly observed and reflective existence.