Why Bother?

I had an interesting conversation with someone on Friday about the point of Second Life. He is an educator who works with technology - and very much into cutting edge things. He had all sorts of great information about something called SLoodle which I need to Google. It combines a course management open source software called Moodle with the Second Life interface.

I have worked for the past five or more years with Moodle and educators. It has wonderful potential for bringing communities of educators together in a one dimensional way, synchronous or asynchronous - discussion boards, chats, shared websites, etc. But the idea of integrating it with Second Life and making it a three dimensional learning experience is really intriguing to me.

So I went on to discuss this idea with him further and he began to share, unsolicited really, his thoughts about Second Life. I listened attentively while he described someone he knew who taught scripting in SL and had helped students create whales and other things. He laughed and said frankly he didn't see the point. He was a gamer. He loved games like War and Conflict but SL? Really... why bother. All he could see was that it was all about sex.

Another colleague of mine was listening in as attentively as I. He knows I enjoy SL but didn't give me away. We would smile at each other from time to time throughout the monologue. He was worried I was offended. I have much thicker skin than that. I laughed after the War and Conflict SLooder left. I appreciated his perspectives and loved the SLoodle tip. But, I will not believe as he does that SL exists only for sex. In fact, I made that comment to my colleague who endured the conversation with me. I said.. you know... how does he KNOW about all that SEX STUFF in SL? LOL! Really...

What is it about those crazed sex maniacs that always gives them the edge in new technology? They were the first to over-inhabit the World Wide Web. I remember in the early 90's wanting to use the Internet in my teaching and being cautioned that all that was out there was sex. So here we are now in the 21st Century... in virtual 3D worlds... and who was there first? Those darned crazed sex maniacs! LOL

I think you will find what you are looking for on the web and in Second Life. If you go looking for a good time that involves several X's, then you will find it. If you go looking for exploration and amazing sites, then you will find that too - ancient Greece ruins, New York City slums, beautiful beaches. If you go looking for friends, you will find that too, without even trying. And, I'm not just talking about the friends who want to have sex with you. (joke there). I have made friends from all over the world. I have met people I probably never would in RL. I enjoy them. I don't try to have sex with them. Sure we have wardrobe malfunctions from time to time and show off our beautiful breasts inadvertently... but frankly with the scooped necks these days - I see a lot of breasts that I can't ever figure out if women meant for them to be seen or not.

So... SL isn't for everyone. I know that. If you prefer to shoot em up and blow em up and call it a day, then by all means. Just make sure you leave room for the rest of us who enjoy a little shopping, a little conversation, and some great sights without being clothed head to toe in combat gear.

Happy Sunday! Cheers to some R & R in whatever form you'd like it in. Hoo!