Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Acceleration of Nostalgia in Virtual Life

The Second Life 365 Days project continues to catupult me into unexpected spaces, both internal and external. Unlike SL365 participants who are inworld everyday and can capture whatever they're up to, so far every entry I've made has been a result of logging on specifically for the project.

Last night, I initially planned to rez my old tower from Botgirl Isle in Extropia and take some shots, when I was suddenly struck by a strong wave of nostalgia for my Old Extropia Home and the life I briefly led there.

My active participation in the Independent State of Extropia lasted only about six months, but represented the most intense, productive and social period of my virtual life to date. A year later, my good friends and leading Extropians Vidal and Sophrosyne have both left Second Life. Extropia itself, once the thriving center of Immersionist and TransHumanist thinking in Second Life, is a ghost of its former self (given the latest post to their website's news section is dated April 1.)

Scarp Godenot posted yesterday in Plurk:
Two SL friends Left SL without a word. Closed groups defriended all, abandoned land. No reason no warning. Are they really 'friends'?
From almost the start of my virtual existence, it seemed to me that the primary benefit of a second life for humans is its potential to lift up one's first life. The accelerated and intensified perception of time, relationships and experience, combined with continual reminders of impermanence make it an ideal classroom for transcendence...to learn to love the friend you're with, even though they will likely disappear from your life one day without leaving a trace.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

First or Second Life, we remain our own biggest obstacles in overcoming our *natural* tendencies to, as Diogenes said, "complicate the simple gifts from the gods"

Great thoughts, great post.

Thanks for it and please know I will not take it for granted ; )

=
c

Michele Hyacinth said...

Both a beautiful post, Botgirl and a beautiful comment, Calease.

Lalo Telling said...

...the primary benefit of a second life for humans is its potential to lift up one's first life.

Amen.

(Quoted, with link, here)

Shockwave Plasma said...

"Two SL friends Left SL without a word. Closed groups defriended all, abandoned land. No reason no warning. Are they really 'friends'?"

I have had the same thing, and I wonder did I say something, Do something?

I would sometime lay awake wondering why did you go, you where always online and a comfort to know you were there, even if we didn't talk that often ?

Friends...maybe not, and that makes me sad, that I'm not worth a goodbye. :-(

Botgirl Questi said...

calease: I agree that we are often our own worst enemies, and the difference between heaven and hell is often just one's state of mind.

Michele: Thanks!

Lalo: Although we haven't met in real-time, I really appreciate your efforts to good in the virtual world.

Shockwave: When people leave suddenly like that, it is almost always about their own issues and NOT reflection on those they leave behind.