Virtually Organic: Life in SL

My SL avatar was born April 21, 2007. I learned of SL from my academic advisor. She gave me a brief overview, but I really did not know what to expect. The world of SL parallels RL with added twists and turns. On April 23, my back went out and all I could do was lay flat, period. To overcome the daily grind of daytime TV, I explored SL and along the way met some I consider friends and others as drifters. It must be the anthropologist side of me; I have not been able to rid myself of the social fabric that exists within this virtual space.

SL has its own culture—socialized learning and sharing, and specialized symbols. Upon entering SL you are a “newbie,” and to survive, you must learn the mores. You are a babe again, as you need to observe behavior and ask questions to absorb and internalize the appropriate social intricacies. SL has a unique language; it is a mix of gaming communication and electronic communication symbols. Avatars share and teach other avatars the ropes. Overtime, life within SL becomes a “natural” experience, and you behave according to the specified norms learned.

SL is my field work. In essence, I am a participant observer analyzing the world of SL and my BLOG will be my informal ethnography.