Hey yo, I'm virtual Pather Man, and I just bought my digitised Adidas at the pixelated sneaker store. Who, you ask? Where, you enquire? Second Life, yo, that's where.News agency, Reuters, is opening a virtual bureau there, according to rival, BBC online. Is the world going a bit too Alice in Wonderland? Second Life's virtual inhabitants are represented by avatars - they may be digitised likenesses of users, or total chimeras.
Check it: I could create a virtual Scot with a polar bear's head, Elle MacPherson's boobies, Robocop's arms, an eagle's legs and, like, dress in virtual, see-through tutu. Or something like that. Question is, would I want to?
As my vast* network of friends and contacts will attest, I'm bad enough at maintaining my own real world community let alone a new, virtual one. As much as I love new technology, gadgets and even - zoiks - blogs, I'm just not a fan of simulations like Second Life.
The artist in me needs something tangible, touchable and authentic. I'd rather see a zebra on the savannah than transform myself into Zebra Boy on the grid. Different strokes for different folks.
Opening a virtual office in Second Life seems to be exciting certain businesses, however. Sports wear brands and car brands alike are setting out their digital stalls there. And communications businesses - like Text 100 - perhaps see opening a virtual Second Life office as vital brand behaviour: despite all other evidence to the contrary, it is meant to say that they have their finger on the pulse.
If you, like me, are not ready to enter this version of a brave new world, amuse yourself with this link to the MTV Music Video Awards spoof Matrix parody.
*this is a euphemism for "small and laughably shrivelled"
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