Virtual Architecture

While searching Architecture in Second life, I found something very interesting; a virtual architecture firm. Lester Clark ( a virtual architect) had written an essay explaining why he even bothers to take such time and effort to design buildings that will only exist in binary code. He argues:

"The 'it' to which I refer, is the emergence of virtual architecture, structures of all shapes and sizes, formed and shaped by the intriguing characters that inhabit a variety of virtual worlds. My mind drifts, I see a catwalk parade of outlandish clothing and accessories, of stick thin models that exist in what seems like a parallel universe, and it seems similar somehow? the garments that no one will ever really wear, the work that went into these items being worn for that brief moment on the catwalks of Paris and Rome. What I find similar, is that what you see on those catwalks - when you look and think - is more than just an outfit; it's a display of creativity and that's what it's supposed to be, the hat that no one will really wear is amazing purely and simply because it's the product of a creative mind, it's outlandish, it defies convention, it exists as a momentary sculpture and it inspires clothing manufacturers and designers worldwide to create something similar that contains just a little of the spark they've just seen but this time its about something that can be sold and used by real people, leading real lives. 

The architects and designers that create these virtual structures give us the chance to experience pure creativity again, an art being lost to some of the real life architects today. There was a time when architects were seen as visionaries, where their input was paramount to creating something amazing, something special. Today, sadly, many architects have simply become part of the process, their involvement and input is controlled by many other factors, budget constraints and the need for profit mean that many of the structures that start out as exciting designs, are value engineered by assorted parties to become dull. The finest architects - both real and virtual, those with the passion that you can literally feel when you meet them, are amazing people, they value life and how we live it, they strive to create nice places to live and work, they should be admired and encouraged because they exist solely to impact positively on our lives. "

I truly enjoy his parallel between "high" fashion and virtual architecture. If it comes from a great mind, and can be experienced, even only temporarily, perhaps it is worth it. He has a point that without any constraints at all that architecture can be the most pure. In this world you do not need to worry about gravity, or popular opinion.  It is momentary, but one could argue that it will actually last longer than any real building. It is written in code,  embedded on the internet, perhaps achieving immortality. Isn't that what most architects want?

Second Life?

Does anyone else feel like they are already in over their head? I had to try to sign up on 3 computers with 4 names and 2 email addresses. I keep feeling like they are protecting people from themselves. Stopping them from creating multiple identities and being completely swallowed up? With all these crazy steps I feel like I'm signing away my first born, cyber or not. haha.

Anyway, I am finally in. I'm already super frustrated. While doing the tutorial I picked up a stupid torch and accidently deleted my hair. No I'm a bald torch wielding woman and 4 people have already asked to be my friend. Its been 5 minutes and I'm already pulling out my own hair.

Now that I've put down the torch, I feel better, but I can already see how people can lose money early on in the game. Just in the tutorial, I have been given several virtual cards to buy land, and I can't get my avatar to look different unless I purchase clothes. As I tried to change my body, there are lots of options to become bald or fat, but I feel as though not many people use them.

After I left the tutorial, I actually had trouble finding people. Maybe I'm not teleporting to the right places. I zoomed out on the map to find that the largest cluster of people were located at a mall type environment, where you could buy skins, faces, and body parts. Beyond that I think most of the other populated places are for cyber sex? I don't know, a wolf with 3 sets of genitalia asked me "how you doin?"..... so who knows what that means....beyond that I'm confused and I'm not sure where to go. This might take a little more time to figure out. I'll keep you posted. ;)

"Are we not more and more monads with no direct windows onto reality, interacting alone with the PC screen, encountering synchronously communicating with the entire globe?"

It is so ironic that the best way to be connected to the universe is to be alone on your computer. We are becoming so anti social as we become more and more cyber-social. Often we forget how wonderful it is to have a face to face conversation over coffee. Normal relationships are being replaced with binary ones. It was said that in 10 years, we would actually miss the delicate chord of the concert A and F dial tone, imagine how much we will miss a human voice. The "No Sex Please" article says that we cannot often distinguish between a human typing and a machine response. That leaves us with the idea that a computer could assimilate all the duties of our online friends and we would never notice. The next generation may have an easier time typing than speaking, which is an entirely new evolution. We can create as many cyber-personalities as we see fit, while leaving our actual self completely abandoned. People need communication and interaction in order to exist. What if there is no one left to be 'old fashioned' what will happen to our ice cream socials and our games of monopoly? Will all interactions be online? I fear that cyborg status may not be optional...

At least your breasts cost more than her's.

"The new and improved Cindy Jackson: A bombshell who wasn't born that way...she lived a real-life Cinderella story." 

-Joan Rivers

One of Cindy Jackson's most prized acquaintances?  Just another celebrity who perhaps used to be beautiful before she began to fear age more than death itself. What a total misconception of a 'cinderella story'. Altering your physical appearance to the point where you do not recognize yourself in the mirror is not my idea of a fairy tale. And who is she becoming beautiful for? Her three cats and hundreds of shallow fans and celebrities just like herself. It is clear that I am quite disgusted by her ideals and dreams. Too many women in this world are so incredibly unhappy with their beautiful selves, including myself. If we weren't bombarded by these plastic Barbies and women who look like plastic Barbies, the women and girls of the world might learn to love themselves as they are. Every woman I know has body image and self esteem issues....isn't that sad? Even if we are in the best shape of our lives now and again, we are still unhappy.  So very few achieve what the media calls perfection and even THEY begin to age and have great difficulty letting 'perfection' go. So the solution is botox, facelifts, and tucks. Desperately grasping for youth again. 

At the end of her quote page Cindy decides to include:

"I thought she was pretty before" ~Cindy's Mom

Joan Rivers first, and her Mother last. Cindy is blank shell of a woman with completely backwards priorities. She was pretty before. But plastic is better than pretty?

Flight of the Conchords

I just fell in love with this hilarious HBO show called Flight of the Conchords. It sounds crazy, but its basically a musical sitcom about these two hilariously bizarre New Zealand musicians trying to make it in NYC. I share this because they have this really funny song called "The Humans are Dead" aimed for robots after they have destroyed all the humans....in the distant future.....in the year 2000. haha. Enjoy?

THE HUMANS ARE DEAD (LIVE)

Frankenstein

I have seen several Frankenstein movies and spoofs, but I did not imagine Frankenstein to be nearly as eloquent or well spoken as he was in this text. I had to even wonder if this could be considered a "ghost story." If a monster can stand there 'menacingly' and explain his (or her) feelings to you, the situation becomes considerably less scary. It is clear that the time period in which Frankenstein was written in includes a different vernacular than ours today, but it is hard to find an enemy  in such an influential speaker. 

In our Father/son or Creator/creature discussion, I was conflicted as to who's side I would take, Victor or the Monster's. In one way, it is very similary to a Father/young son relationship. The creature holds Victor in complete responsibility for his happiness, and continually acts up when his demands are not met. The Monster is mentally just a small child, who is much more capable of causing mass destruction and chaos. Victor abandoned him on his very first day in the world, where as if we viewed this as if it was an infant, it would be completely inhumane. Victor takes blame, but no responsibility for what he has given life. I never thought I would take this perspective, but perhaps Victor is the monster in this novel. I grew increasingly irritated with his whining and lamenting of his mistakes, but maybe there truly was no positive solution....