Picking back up from where I left off yesterday with week 4, I dove into more depth about the marketplace and how digital goods and services were related to the real world economy. The marketplace is run by Linden Labs, with the majority of the items available being created by the user base. Users can buy, sell, or trade any of their items that they, or others have created, and then upon reaching a certain amount, can exchange their hard earned virtual money, for real currency. In January 2010, Dean Takahashi reported that throughout the fourth quarter of 2009, the economy of Second Life grew roughly 65% to $567 Million. This combines both the currency put into the game, as well as the currency taken out of it. While the in game economy was growing, however, many other critics felt that stagnation in other areas of Second Life were signs pointing to its impending demise (Cremorne). An 11% decrease in user hours just a few short months after the article I previously mentioned, was apparently enough for some people to start planning a funeral.
Week 5, where I began to explore and draw connections between personal spaces and personalities and drew some pretty nifty conclusions, namely, that personal spaces in Second Life can closely mirror the quirks and emotions of those creating them. I found some magnificent treehouses, which someone else made, that mirrored designs I had imagined in my head as a child. Some houses were built into cliffs, which appealed to my adventurous side. Essentially, anything that anyone could ever want to fulfill a certain desire or need, can be made and obtained within this world. As I had stated previously, many people go into this world to escape their current lives, however, not all of them completely leave their personalities behind, and some of them maintain a certain degree of authenticity, i.e. driving a vehicle to get somewhere, rather than just using the ability to fly, which all characters possess.
Week 6 to me, signified the end of the true research, as the nature of my incursion into Second Life was to be revealed to those around me. I was not met with much hostility, and those who responded rashly calmed down after I reassured them that I was not judging them in any way. I had broken the news to Valkyrie in the weeks prior to this one, and she took it extremely well, and even periodically would ask me how the project was going.
With my research completed, I am not entirely sure if I will return to Second Life for recreation, but only time will tell. The people I encountered, as well as the opportunities available, seemed fantastic to me, and as over the summer, I will be far from someone I care about, Second Life may be the bridge that keeps us together. In closing, I believe that through these past 7 weeks, my thesis has been proven, These worlds will continue to exist until there is technology to allow us to instantly be with others, and ultimately, live out our dreams.
-DM
Works Cited
Cremorne, Lowell. "Second Life Economy: Flat but Steady." The Metaverse Journal.
November 10, 2010. Web. Accessed March 25, 2012.
<http://www.metaversejournal.com/2010/11/10/second-life-economy-flat-but-steady/>.
Takahashi, Dean. "Second Life's Economy Grows 65% to $567M." VentureBeat.com.
VentureBeat, January 19, 2010. Web. Accessed March 24, 2012.
<http://venturebeat.com/2010/01/19/second-lifes-economy-grows-65-to-567m/>.
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