Hyperreality Bites - P.H.A.T is the virtual FAT

Second Life Avatars getting cybertrashed in a cyberdisco

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" - Alice in Wonderland.

We've all heard of the phrase "Get a life!" But a "Second Life?" This is ridiculous. Alice went down the rabbit hole to her Second Life and met some very strange creatures, who ended up not being what they were. Yet she knew it was nonsense and nothing would be what it is. The same can be said for Second Life. It has been around since 2003 and was created by Philip Rosedale. It's this virtual 3D world where you can create an avatar; a digital alter ego "posthuman" of yourself to explore this Second Life.

Donna Harraway's cyborg theory suggests that humans would become a part of everyday technology, just like here in Second Life. You can explore this virtual world for "free" and talk via chat or voice to other avatars from all over the real world in this virtual world. However to gain any "real" excitement, you must enter your credit card details and exchange real world money into Linden dollars. (Yes Second Life has its own currency you can buy from the Linden Dollar Exchange (LindeX) That is, if you want to go to nightclubs, buy designer outfits, real estate or even an asteroid! (Let's just hope it doesn't get sucked into the virtual gravitational pull and create a virtual crater!)

AVATAR KITTEH IZ INVADING UR 2ND LIFE

I first heard about Second Life from this 60 minutes interview.  Were peoples real lives that boring they needed to escape to a virtual one? Apparently so. I would assume some, if not most users of Second Life are fat lonely people looking for a way to improve themselves in another dimension. I had trouble finding a fat avatar and likely the only fat avatars you will find are of the P.H.A.T variety. These P.H.A.T looking avatars are the idealistic creation of themselves, with perfect hair, skin, and clothing.You can even purchase Phat tracksuits if that's your thang!

Second Life Escort: Cardie Mahoney 

Jean Baudrillard,would be appalled at Second Life. His Hyperreality theory is well and truly alive in Second Life. (Unlike poor Baudrillard) He describes Hyperreality as the "murder of the real" when reality gives way to simulation.

Speaking of simulation, even cyber-sex is well and truly going on in Second Life. Humans who would be physically repulsed by the thought of touching the real person behind the avatar, can "get their cyber rocks off" with a Second Life escort.

The lovely Cardie Mahoney, will satisfy part of your senses all at the sensual click of a mouse. (Just like in this Second Life Mesh up, if "chains and whips excite you"...but in a virtual sense)

But what happens when celebrities want to partake in this "Second Life"? They already have extraordinary lives, some of which we could only dream of living. Which is why some people choose to escape to the virtual world of Second Life. Celebrities see Second Life as a "digital cash cow," and may even cross paths with one if they happen to set foot on a virtual farm. Watch out for the digital cow pat!

Apparently this picture is of some of the avatars of the 80's Band Duran Duran.

Popular 80's band Duran Duran became the first band to have an avatar presence on Second Life. Even charging real money for virtual concerts. I have to laugh. Why would you pay for an avatar concert? It's like watching a music video. I found the below concert trailer for one of their concerts:



Hmmmm well that definitely didn't persuade me to jump on the Second Life Bandwagon! It's lame. I prefer the real thing. Nothing like experiencing a real live concert. There's the atmosphere of the crowd, the live music, the real live people and the interaction! Why would you want to sit in front of a computer screen, to watch a soundtrack being played to a 3D animation? It's nothing if not sad. The only real winners in this case are Duran Duran. They have made a substantial amount of money from losers who would prefer to pay for "that" then experience life in reality.

If your idea of excitement is creating your own Virtual Island, watching virtual concerts, having a pet avatar monkey, building your "dream" home, and paying real world dollars for it, then I say, whatever floats your virtual boat! (In this case it would be the virtual sea on your journey into isolation, fear of natural sunlight and forgotten past times of that thing called the real world.)



But don't go crying into your Cyberboobies when your avatar husband cheats on you with this seventeen-year-old Lara Croft lookalike "CyberNanny." Yes even avatars cheat on each other. Just like in the "real world." Remember what that is?

Users have become so involved in this fantasy Second Life, which tells me they have given up on their first. It's a big world out there and travelling around to real places might actually satisfy all of your senses. Rather than limit yourself to the few you can only use staring in front of a computer screen. Who knows, you might even spot a celebrity or two surfing in the real world!

Meadows (2008:51) argues that experiences create a grounding of belief. “People in virtual worlds build things, use them, sell them, trade them and discuss them. When another person confirms what I am seeing, places value on it, spends time working to pay for it, buys it, keeps it, uses it, talks about it, gets emotional about it, and then sells it – this tells me there is something real happening.  The suspension of disbelief has become a grounding of belief”

The above statement with regards to Second Life, no doubt applies. Something real is happening. Your bank account is getting lower because you are too emotionally involved in a "Hyperrreality." You can't physically touch Second Life let alone smell it. Yet it exists. But realistically it's nothing but a game of virtual life.

For those of you who choose to live in the real dimensional world instead of 3D graphics, this below clip is a scene from the movie Reality Bites. Maybe it might put your real life into perspective.



So forget living a "Second life" in Hyperreality. It turns out all we are really looking for in reality, is a couple of smokes, a cup of coffee and a little bit of conversation.

References:
www.youtube.com
http://www.maximumpc.com/files/u45851/second-life.jpg
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6103161-7.html
http://x17online.com/surfingstars09.jpg
http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Linden-dollars/ta-p/700107
http://www.internetslang.com/PHAT.asp
http://alphavilleherald.com/2006/11/cost_of_sl_esco.html