Friday, September 4, 2009

Have You Noticed?

This is my Third year in SecondLife and I've noticed many changes. I'm not just talking Linden changes, I am also talking the changes of the residents of our world. There is a developing world of anti-social behavior.

I remember when we got a notice we'd read it and decide to attend or not. Or if someone sent us something in world we'd accept it. Now, we've all learned how to click DECLINE or DISCARD. We've gotten so good we can click through all the Notices, IM's, gifts, invitations before our first 12 seconds in world. We don't even look at the heading anymore.

Many people are shutting off all notices. Deleting all friends. Declining all groups. Some people don't even leave the 16 meters where they log into SecondLife. Builders are building things no one goes to see. Musicians are playing songs for audiences that could fit into a minivan. Comedians have to laugh at their own jokes.

Friends have discarded their old avatar and created a new one so they don't ever have to have friends or groups. It's a rebirth of virgin anti-social behavior. We are now ignoring Facebook. We don't read Tweets. Most think newspapers are something vinyl records are made from.

One of the great benefits of SecondLife, before the new wave of behavior, was the ability to go to a show, be in a voice convo with friends, answer IM's, talk to firstlife children, open mail, pay bills, listen to a YouTube, google a movie, order a pizza on line, all at the same time.

What happened to our multi-tasking. What are we doing now? THINKING? sleeping?

Wake up and hear the silence.


4 comments:

R. said...

It's Web 2.1, the backlash against Web 2.0 social networking and sharing everything.

The noise and clutter became too much, so now people are learning how to filter and firewall again.

-ls/cm

Anonymous said...

Too much land, too little interaction. With no population density, there's no need to join/participate/care.

SL has become a canvas upon which to paint...and is less and less of a community. Sad.

Iris said...

decline things? yes, i decline all what i dont know. Why it is now different? cause we learn! There are more hacker outside.. there are people sending you something that takes your money.. that lags your pc.. that opens a Map that you cant close again..even a relog do not help.. and you really asking why? cause 3 years ago it was not like that.. there were no copybots.. no different viewer, not that much hacker.. yes.. we are just carefull.. not dead of feelings and ease

Unknown said...

I agree with all the comments left here. And in response to Iris I can only say, "I just wish it weren't so." Thanks for commenting