What's the essential New World Notes post? I once asked a metaverse academic that question, and he said, "A human interest story." That nonplussed me a bit, I have to admit, because for me, the term "human interest" calls to mind news filler stories about lovably harmless eccentrics with giant balls of rubber bands and the like. For me (and my readers are welcome to disagree), the essential NWN post is not just a story about avatars and their internal personal/sociopolitical dramas; it's also an anecdote that crystallizes how we're learning to express our humanity and our culture in this new medium. With enough SL history behind me, an essential NWN post also includes
what Om Malik calls a "think piece"-- big picture essays on Second Life
as a society, a phenomenon, and not least, as a business.
I always feel awkward meta-blogging about what New World Notes is on New World Notes, but there it is. Anyway, here are my personal favorites from the last year, roughly arranged in chronological order; I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I loved writing them:
- Lindens Limit Libertarianism
- True Idoru: Meet Chouchou, A Metaverse-Only Music Group
- The Husband That Eshi Made
- How Much Is Linden Lab Making From Second Life, Anyway?
- Thursday's Traveler: The Avatar Who Loved Himself
- Muslim and Metaverse Humor, Live From Karachi
- A Babylonian Scholar Returns To Second Life, with mixed reality follow-up photos from Iraq, here.
- The Second Life Of Sarah Palin
- Generation Why: Is The Second Life Experience Fundamentally Gen X-Centric?
- Universe In The Metaverse: Garrett Lisi Explores An E8 Polytope In Second Life
Here's five more that are close seconds:
- Five Lessons On Virtual World Protest From The Second Life Tax Revolt of 2003
- Can A Female Avatar Be Too Thin?
- Meeting Abi: How Intelligent Have Second Life AIs Become?
- No Better Friend: Veterans' Support Group Emerges In SL
- The Hottest Male Avatar of 2008: Bone Mosten (This last one's by Iris Ophelia, and I love how she profile's Mr. Mosten's evolution as an avatar and an SL Resident.)
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