Curious Contemplations

This seems like a very simple assignment. Discuss your experiences in Second Life. Easy enough. Yet I find my descriptions to be ineloquent and inept. Why is this? Is it because my clumsy attempts in Second Life, when translated into text, become awkward explanations?

It’s hard to pinpoint. You may think I’m reading too much into this…and you may be right in thinking that. But there’s something about describing something you’ve never really experienced before.

Most things are easy to describe. They’re common knowledge. If you haven’t experienced them than someone else has. You can emulate what others have said. But I find myself in new territory here: explaining a virtual world. And in all honesty, before this class existed, I had no idea anything to this extent existed.

It’s a beautiful world. But in the same way that our world is beautiful. It has it’s flaws and perversions, but at the core of it there’s beauty. There’s friendships. Everyday interactions. Uncertainty. A wondering about what were doing there. What are we supposed to be doing there? What are others doing there? Are there certain codes and conventions that need to be followed? Are we mimicking the larger, “real” life? Or creating new rules to abide by? Again, it’s hard to describe.

It’s hard for me to answer questions like these, since like any society, you have to be familiar with the codes and conventions before you can begin to fit in. People notice when you’re new.
Hopefully by the end of the semester I’ll have somewhat of a clearer picture.