Shava Nerad, a 48 year old from Massachusetts got her dream wedding on the 9th of February this year. She met her husband, Matthew Fishman through Second Life, and bonded over their shared love of the virtual world and even celebrated their love online. She chose Second Life as her backdrop as this was the medium that the two utilized to establish their relationship. Second Life is a 3D virtual world where users can connect, socialize, and start business partnerships and global tie ups online. Developed by the Linden Research Inc, it created a virtual lifestyle and virtual commerce world where you can create an image of yourself through an avatar. It’s like playing SIMS online, where you can actually interact with people through their avatars. There are even virtual real estates, corporations, businesses, parties, taxation and even governance.
Even GMA joined the game. She activated her avatar in Second Life as part of the launch of the Philippine National Innovation Strategy in the National Innovation Summit last November 2007. Aside from GMA, other government officials made their avatars and joined the virtual community, among them is DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro. They said that the idea behind this was to show that the President was a proponent of change & innovation by employing a virtual world. With the Head of State joining the virtual community, the setting up of a virtual Philippine Embassy is not so far behind. IBM executives are already using the game for its regular meetings using their own avatars. This can be a prototype for our well desired inter-connected government. If the President recognizes change and innovation, she might put those ideas to practice and use the government’s resources in establishing the most needed inter-connectivity between the different government agencies with the private sector. Should she put her mind in setting this up, she would be able to deliver public services to her constituents effectively & efficiently.
On a side note, I wonder what her avatar looks like. Avatars are self projections of the user, a representation of himself or herself in internet forums. Imagine how her governance works in the virtual world. I wonder if Philippine politics and corruption would still come into play or would those enter the scenario in the outside world, a.k.a. the real world.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2008/tc20080214_131079.htm
http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=103122
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2 comments:
Hi! Just a note to say I did not meet my fiance in Second Life -- we met at a party at a coffeeshop in my neighborhood. We had a zillion friends in common and had somehow not managed to run into each other in person. So the romance was facilitated by Second Life, because I was a single mother who traveled for work, and that was a good way to stay in touch when I couldn't be "out" for an evening.
Yrs,
Shava
ei shava! thanks for the clarification... i read your story in the businessweek website, and i got intrigued about the Second Life, especially since the President of my country joined the virtual community. Congratulations on your wedding! And thanks again for the clarification! :)
cam-b
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