Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) once called the internet a “series of tubes,” one which one cannot “dump something on.” To others, it is “serious business.” To a select few others, it is something they invented. For the record, these select few others might be Al Gore.
To me, it is both my favorite research tool and the all-time great distraction. Databases like JStor have saved my life on multiple occasions since I started college, with its endless articles from academic publications that I never knew existed. Of course, I’ve also found myself devoting unnecessary amounts of time to things like Facebook, fantasy football and animals with funny quotes. Who knew that walruses love buckets so much?
Max Rinkel
nutgraf
I don’t have anything against the existence of sites and programs like Second Life. What’s disturbing is the idea that some people see them as a replacement for real life.
What worries me about the Internet is how attached people can get to what it brings them. Last semester, I had a class all about emerging forms of media, which I quickly discovered was code for “popular social networking sites.” We had a brief unit on a program called “Second Life.” Being at least somewhat familiar with the concept of the MMORPG (massive multi-player role-playing game), I was not all that impressed with what amounted to World of Warcraft with less cave trolls and more CNN clips.
A guest lecturer who spoke to my class insisted that “Second Life” was not a game, but rather an actual world like the one we live in now. He challenged us to explain how this was not true. Even though I held my tongue in class, it was tempting to mention how people in this “First Life” cannot fly, teleport or buy private islands for $50. It didn’t help that the lecturer showed us his avatar, which, in case you are a lame First Lifer like me, is a representation of the player. The avatar was well dressed and had good posture, but it also happened to be an anthropomorphized fox. Call me old-fashioned, but I have a hard time calling a program that only exists in glowing boxes where people can transform into well-groomed forest animals a “real” world.
He also told the class that Second Life has its own economy, and you can spend real First Life money. By this logic, any Web site that uses PayPal is taking the first step toward being its own reality.
I don’t have anything against the existence of sites and programs like Second Life. What’s disturbing is the idea that some people see them as a replacement for real life. On the Internet people tend to portray themselves as better looking, more intelligent and, evidently, fox-like, but all of that can easily be ruined by a power outage or your cat walking across the keyboard.
I do love spending time writing goofy messages on my friends’ Facebook walls, as opposed to actually calling them and seeing if they want to hang out, or having long conversations on Instant Messenger with people I see all the time. It is fun, and a good way to stay sane while working on 10-page research papers.
Still, First Life aka “the real world,” or “that scary place on the other side of the foyer” offers things that aren’t worth skipping out on for pixels and a fake life. Like the sun, for instance. Or better yet, real people. They may not be talking foxes, but they still tend to be pretty interesting. On a side note, if you are starting to hear foxes talk to you in real life, please seek help. Or turn off the computer, because it’s starting to take over you.
Cohen is a Topeka junior in English and political science.
Second education
KU joins the list of universities using the virtual world of Second ...
Hirschfeld: Learning through Second Life
Social Web site Second Life has a variety of uses. It is ...
Welcome to the World of 'You'
Move over Facebook, step aside MySpace: a new online community called YouTube ...
Trapped in a game
Students who encounter video game addiction could face job loss, poor grades, ...
A look at KU's changing face of ...
University's turbulent past has evolved into a somewhat tranquil state of activism.
The Truth About Cheating
Jayplay explores the tricky world of relationships and fidelity.
G. Loves spreads the love
G. Love talks about his Lawrence and his musical influences.
Foreign cultures conduce life-changing experiences
Once warriors, now students
Veterans wounded in combat fight to find a "normal" life on college ...
Finding My Way
Two majors later, I'm finally happy.
Getting your game on
How to keep your relationship from becoming a real-life version of Mortal ...
Consumers As Providers helps people help others
The Consumers as Providers Training Program, or CAP, gives people with mental ...
What it's like:to find out you're pregnant ...
We know you're curious
Recession needs new definition
A look at what the word "recession" really means in America.
All's fair in LARP and war
This art not thy mother's game of Scrabble — slay hard or ...
The thin Web line
Twitter reflects civil unrest in Iran
Social networking sites link Tehran with the world
Cohen: Research tool allows people to learn ...
WiKUpedia is a great way to discover all aspects of the University
Ghost world
As winter approaches, downtown Lawrence’s sizeable homeless population must deal with crowded ...
Cohen: A tribute to Professor Wallace Johnson
An inspiring, memorable teacher will be missed by all who knew him.
Get to know your freshman Student Senate ...
Here are the freshmen running for Student Senate. The polls open on ...
Students to soldiers
Facing possible deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan after graduation, 81 University students ...
These are my people
Finding spiritual identity in Italy.
Living in a love-hate relationship
What happened this time? I scrambled for my purple tennis shoes hidden ...
Facebook drama
Why we act and interact online.
Thornbrugh: If a tree falls in a ...
DISCONNECTED: A day without media
Could you survive it?
the scarlet list
Jonathon Bourgeois doesn’t wear a visible scarlet “A” on his chest as ...
Sommerville: Celebrity obstructs reality
Some people worry more about the brand of shampoo Jessica Simpson uses ...
The Anxious Mind
How social anxiety affects us and how we can make it go ...
Blog: Not Settling Down
Looking for Someone Special?
Going the distance
Video chatting helps students network and even apply for jobs.
Get Involved: Alternative Breaks
An opportunity to travel and give hands-on service during class breaks.
A school staple stronger on the Internet
KU Info has had its ups and downs, but it has found ...
Politically Correct: The ethics of torture tactics
Our panelists offer their opinions on whether torture should be permitted in ...
See the World... One Couch at a ...
CouchSurfers explain why staying with strangers is the best way to travel
Mersmann: Honest facts about writing this column
I write a column and so can you!
Boultinghouse: reading news online not the same
The Internet has multimedia features, but holding a newspaper still gives the ...
Boultinghouse: Reading news online is different
The Internet has multimedia features, but holding a newspaper still gives the ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID