Second Life - a world in decline?
General Discussion
Ah well, maybe now is a good time to talk about why I got into Second Life in the first place.
It was really intended, for me, as research for a book I am working on - as a few of you know, I am a fashion journalist in real life, and am (still!) working on a book about fashion in the twenty-first century.
The fashion industry's interaction with Second Life has been very interesting - Armani was in Second Life, and Mr Armani himself was interviewed by Candy Pratts Price of style.com (although in hindsight the now-sadly removed YouTube clip seemed far too slick to be true)
The thing that triggered my interest was Ann-Sofie Back's A/W 2010 collection, which was inspired by her experiences in Second Life:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/catwalk-report/id,8763
What Back found fascinating was that, in a world where anything and everything was possible, people by and large prescribed to society's norms, choosing to craft their avatars as 7-foot something muscle-sinewed hunks or gargantuan-titted Playboy bunnies (the very fine Comtesse de Noailles has bemoaned just the same thing to me!).
Therefore, when I first logged on, it was in the name of research and completely oblivious to the appeal. And, if I hadn't found Versailles and the historical RP community, I doubt I would have stayed as long as I have.
I cringed a little reading my review of Back's collection because I talked about Second Life as an 'online gaming phenomenon' - but, upon reflection, I think it is best played as a game. Second Life, I feel, is most interesting when you're playing a character and enjoying experiences impossible in real life. Where else could you wander through a genuine 18th century environment, free from all restrictions, dressed in the garb of a lost time? That for me is far more seductive than wandering through a virtual concrete mall.
Well, that's my stream of consciousness chat anyway. And on that note I really should try and get back on track with my research - so any fashion designers/consumers/fans IM me!!
Much more to come still though ma petite!