second life response-

although i missed second life in class i explored it a little on my own time. i also read the article on jeffrey lipsky AND coincidentally, i'm friends with him on facebook. he added me a while ago, while i was on break for the winter and i wondered why.... now i know! i have also looked at his paintings and enjoy them.

however- i am not sure i'm entirely sold on second life or the idea of heavily participating in virtual reality. i think that the biggest issue i have with it, is quite frankly, it scares me...

i feel like this is an extreme example, and probably not something i will ever be alive to witness, but, humans are becoming increasingly more dependent on technology to communicate and i worry that there will be a time in the history of mankind where spoken language and person to person contact is kind of unnecessary and undesirable.

i have no issues with technology being used to help aid us in our quest for more knowledge or easier lives, and often wonder what the potential of man will be when robotic/interactive technology has freed us from labor. (to me- this idea is very Brave New World). BUT- as much as there is potential for good in the increase of people participating in virtual reality, i also think that there is a lot of room for massive error.

the thing that i don't get, is... even though it is difficult to start an "art career", why would someone at least not try to do such a thing in the REAL world, rather than just doing it in virtual reality. maybe i don't understand because i'm young and full of ideas and the world hasn't really gotten to me yet... but i guess i just feel like, instead of creating a virtual world for yourself or creating a place like Brooklyn Is Watching, why not just go do it in the real world? why not get a whole bunch of people together and make outstanding things and bust your ass trying to make a name for yourself in your real and waking life?

i think it is kind of unhealthy to be so heavily dependent on a fantasy world. even though it may be positive for a lot of people, its something that i don't think i could ever involve myself in. i think for me, it would be devastating to be wildly successful in a virtual world, only to have to worry about things like getting evicted from my studio in my real life. i feel like making and experiencing art is incredibly visceral. is it possible to feel the same when you look at a de kooning on a computer screen as you do in real life? i'm not so sure it is...