My Second Life or how we are creating a new generation of Otakus

This is the first of my meta-posts. Check out the body of this post for a definition of this term. The featured photographer of this series is Automatt. Check out his flickr site.

Meta posts

I’ve come up with a new way of presenting my posts. The Meta-post. Each day, I’ll have a meta-post. This will link to all the relevant posts in the series of posts that are published each day. This will enable me to split up subjects in distinct and manageable categories and will still maintain the functionality of my posts. I’ve also started reducing the number of categories in order to make broader channels appear.

This is just the next step in my posting evolution. The index was good, though it still needed some added tinkering. From an index there isn’t that much of a difference for the readers to a meta-post.

It will be like a thread of threads, linking one post seamlessly to the next.

Linkage

How to become rich

Customize firefox your own way

Chilean hackers attack US and Israeli servers and replace them with protest images against the war in the middle east

Index of this meta-post, My Second Life or how we are creating a generation of Otakus

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Posted

July 31, 2006

blogs, entertainment, photos, politics-social-racism, technology, writing

range

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13 responses to “My Second Life or how we are creating a new generation of Otakus”

K

July 31, 2006

I like those houses atop. It looks like the one in Greece, the houses all in whites.

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range

July 31, 2006

Hey K!
The photos are still from the same guy, Automatt and still from San Fransisco!

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Mentatoh

August 3, 2006

So are you basing this on your experiences with Second Life? If you are, tell us about the game in a review-style 🙂 I’m curious about it 🙂

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range

August 3, 2006

Hey!
No way!
I don’t use Second Life or ever plan on using it. I just have been reading some article on it and have been getting worried. It’s just like MMORG’s, I just don’t touch them.

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Jessica Doyle

August 3, 2006

I can see though how Second life could be appelaing to people. Sometimes you have done all you can honestly do in physical life all the while not feeling you have reached your goal or are simply shunned by many people for whatever reason be it you are shy, loud, too skinny or fat. People would be attracted to a place where you could create your own environment or even just wonder around the neighborhood without fear and even anonymously so.

We are taught to keep going regardless of what we are facing. It’s not to often you see poeple just stopping to smell the roses. Second life could provide a sanctuary for people whom are unable finacially to go out to clubs, or other social events.

Things are cheaper and more readily available to people online than they are offline sometimes. This does not hold true all the time. There are always exceptions. When I first heard of second life I went and browsed around but did not sign up. It was too easy to think that WOW I could become famous and that in part with the fact that in the end you need money to advance in that world also made me click away. I also read your post about your thoughts on the matter and it got me thinking again and lead me back here to write this.

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range

August 3, 2006

Yes I do agree with you Jessica that there are some benefits to Second Life. However, I don’t think I will ever use it honestly. Just like I don’t use MMORG’s and other persistent games. I know that universities and companies are starting to embrace the phenomenon.

I just think that it is the next step in an otaku centered universe, where people stay online and do everything online, loose their social skills and introvert into a virtual world. There was another article about this in today’s Globe and Mail, on how people who spend a lot of time chatting and interacting online dimish their interactions with their spouses and children.

Whilst I agree also that some excursions in real life might be expensive in the long run, you can always minimize the expenses. I for one do not drink, and most of the time when I go out and socialize, which is rare nowadays, I get a Perrier and pay the cover.

Right now, I’m more of the type to take walks my dog and meets with friends for coffee than actally go out to clubs anymore.

I do enjoy certain types of exchanges, such as blog comments and the discussions that stem from this, through comments, blogs or emails.

But just like I shun IM and chatting, I will do the same for Second Life and MMORG’s. Because back in 1995 when I started university and the chatting phenomenon as well as IM took off, I was doing a lot. But a few years later, when I could not switch my computer on without having 15 different conversations and not being able to do the things that I wanted, I just uninstalled them all.

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Mentatoh

August 4, 2006

You mean a condition called Hikkomori, don’t you, Range? Unless I’m mistaken. I don’t use IM that much these days, it’s too much of a hassle 🙂

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range

August 4, 2006

Yeah, I agree.

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Jessica Doyle

August 4, 2006

range – I use IM simply to keep my costs down for long distance to my family and friends across Canada. However I did the chat thing 10 years ago in college and then ended it to the extent that it is only used occassionally.

I could see how easy it would be to become an Otaku though. Everything is literally at you fingertips except physical contact.

I wonder around my neighborhood quite a bit meeting people and their families. After three years of living here in the same apt it is fast becoming it’s own little ecosystem of sharing, recycling and communication.

I have never owned a cell phone and am holding out for as long as I can and have wired my land line to work through the internet costing only $12 a month.

I tend to enjoy going to BBQ’s, free events, gardening or just visiting friends and heading to the beach.

Ever heard the song “In the Year 2525…. if man is still alive?” The term Otaku causes me to think of it.

And the photos are gorgeous per usual 🙂

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range

August 4, 2006

Thanks! Yes I like the version of that song by Visage. Fade To Grey is their best song.

I use Skype for all long distance. I still have a landline for the moment, but when I move, I won’t have any landline anymore. I have my cell phone, because I need it for work. But that is it.

Cheers!

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Troy

August 9, 2006

Range, I have played mmorpg’s for years now. Swg for a couple and GW for the last 5 months. However….they are still games a person can “set down”. And I have seen some people just as easily lost in a world of non-mmo, video games and rpg’s. I dont belive its the game but it is the mindset and the personality of the person that determines if they are gonna totally submerge themselves into a game, or the t.v. or the book even. I had a friend once that would lock herself away for months reading….is doing that to read any healthier than to play a mmorpg…or Heroin?…probably better then heroin but you see what i am getting at. Any O/C behavior can be bad for you if it interferes with your life…ie. developing healthy real life relationships, your work, school and family.

Yes. I play a mmorpg. But I also read, paint, play music and listen to music. I have time with my family and my friends. I play with my children and read to them. I take them swimming AND I play videogames with them. *whispers* and some of those video games are mmorpg’s. My wife can set the mmorpg down. I can set it down and my children can set it down and we can all put our shoes on and go outside for a walk.

MMORPGs are fun and entertaining and I think can someday be turned into a tool. A resource for education and shopping and advertising. I too have read Tad Willams Otherland. And even though the concept in that novel turned somewhat insidious the idea is quite remarkable. But the human mind is equally remarkable if not a thousand times more so and I dont think is in any danger of being zombified by it.

I am sorry for babbling on and I know this is your blog and site and feel free to delete any or all of this. I just thought that I would type it out and I guess I am using your “meta post” as a starting block for the idea that you have stirred in me.

I just want you to know that I find all your writing quite fascinating and good. From what you have posted you are very smart and have a very interesting life. I might even be a little jealous.

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range

August 9, 2006

Well thank you for the insightful comment Tony, of course I agree with some of your points.

But I have to say that you can not compare reading to playing MMORGs. Reading is learning and developing yourself. MMORGs are games. You do learn stuff from them, but not in the same league as reading. Because you develop your imagination a lot more with reading that with MMORGs. I do believe that they can be used as tools. But, I have heard and read too many horror stories, or witnessed too many friends just playing for hours and hours on an end too just dismiss my concerns. Naturally, they are mine and not everyones. I do appreciate your comments, they challenge and bring forth other points of view, which are important in these types of discussions.

Thanks for your compliments, I have worked on some time before being able to come up with the concept of the meta-post. For now, it’s the best fit for my style of writing/blogging. As much as I like just writing a post and publishing it right away, its always better to leave them stew for a few days before publishing. This way, I blog in spurts. On my last updates, I posted 8 posts. After having written over the weekend, I posted 13 posts today. And the way that they are organized, it helps people skip the parts that they don’t like.

My life is ok. I have just sold my condo and I am looking forward to seeing my wife in a few weeks, she’s been gone since July, in Vancouver BC. Right now, I am examining my career choices and thinking how I can mix those with my desire to go back to school. Don’t be jealous mate, this year for me has been one of my worst ever. Personal stuff happened, nobody died, but it wasn’t that fun. At least I had my dog and I still have my wife, which are the two things that count the most for me right now.

I have been working in finance for the last four years after having worked about 7 years as a software, graphic and web designer. I find that my career in investments and personal security counselling isn’t that satisfying. Right now, I am getting involved with a few internet start-ups, with a few pals of mine that I might through blogs.

Thank you again for your comments and your compliments, I am looking forward to discussing more subjects with you on this forum.

Cheers.

Reply
Troy

August 9, 2006

Not too big a deal but my name is Troy. Tony is a fine name and nothing agianst it. Just thought that I might clarify.

Yes, reading is more stimulating intulectually than video games. I give you that…However as far as reflexes and dexterity go, video games are very helpful for that. I only point this out because my daughter, who three years ago under went several brain surgeries to remove a large tumor, is doing great at stimulating her basic motor skills by playing video games. Granted there are other exercises that she could do to help her develop in these areas but…maybe not as fun as me and my daughter playing Guild wars together.

You are right. Many people do get sucked into MMORPG”S. I accused you of over reacting in a differnt post but I may be minimizing the issue as well. The fact is differnt people react to it in differnt ways and I guess generalizations can be made for either side. I think I mainly posted just because I felt that I had something to say but maybe didnt have a fully developed idea of what I was thinking.

I am sorry to hear you have been having a bad year…Trust me…I know how those go. But it sounds like you have a good idea of what you want to do and you seem quite the smart fellow. Currently I am working in the MN State Security Hospital as a “Security Counselor” But trim the fat and it’s just a guard job. I have a B.A. in Sociology which I regret. I should have stuck with T.V. and Radio broadcasting but it is what it is and now with my daughters health issues and current health care I cannot afford to go back to school or find a differnt job. But it could be worse. I at least like my job and it pays well with, like I siad, good health benifits….Sorry…Babbling agian.

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My Second Life or how we are creating a new generation of Otakus

Meta posts

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Index of this meta-post, My Second Life or how we are creating a generation of Otakus

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My Second Life or how we are creating a new generation of Otakus

Meta posts

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Index of this meta-post, My Second Life or how we are creating a generation of Otakus

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