Do the identities we occupy "virtually" have real significance, value, and meaning? In Second Skin, the handicapped gamers seemed to feel that their virtual selves were in fact significant, valuable, and meaningful. The significance to these gamers would have to be that they have an escape from their physical selves. I remember one woman in the film saying that she did not like when a person would see her and immediately judge her. It is human nature to question what is different, and when we see someone with a handicap, odds are that we think they are different. In terms of value, what is more valuable than to have the use of your legs again if you are paralyzed below the waist? What is more valuable then to be able to speak again if you're mute. no one can put an actual value on these but the gamers. We wonder why they choose to live these second lives, but they will probably wonder why we don't. What is imperfect in our lives now can become perfected in the game.
In terms of the new frontier, I hope that our generation is smart enough to not let technology command our whole lives. If a solar flare, like one predicted for 2012, were to in fact change the position of the poles, we would have no way to communicate by phone email or anything like that. What would happen to society? It can be as simple as no one knows how to send a letter. What would we do without texting or calling? Would a kid in today's society walk to their friends house to ask them a question? In my opinion, there is no way that would ever happen. I think that yes technology is the new frontier, but I hope that we don't let technology over run our lives.
For authenticity, no matter how original you think you are, in today's society, i believe you can never call yourself original.
I think that our generation is already too dependent on technology. Most people have their cell in their pocket at all times, and many can't funtion without it. The owner of the hair salon I go to takes appointments by text and facebook as well as the phone. This may sound cool, but she can't get through my hair cut without texting and getting interrupted. Aren't I, as the customer actually sitting in her chair with money in my pocket, more important than the one on the other end of the phone? This is another example of virtual worlds over-running the real world. I don't go to her to get my hair done anymore.
ReplyDeleteleo i totally agree with what you said about humans judging people on first glance and i was wandering do think or agree with the fact that maybe the media and the way society acts is because of the image? tahts my only question for you other wise good blog.
ReplyDeleteI think you had awesome points! I feel you on the issue with the disabled gamers. Its like an escape for them and it probably feels good to not be judged. I know we are very dependent on technology but I feel like that if it was taken from us we could bounce back to letters and what not. At least I hope we could survive without phones and computers. That would be sad if not.
ReplyDeleteI feel our society is way too wrapped up in technoloy to just be able to give it up and completely agree with you that it would never happen. Many kids these days never even wrote a letter and others have owned cellphones pretty much when they could talk and learn how to use one. Also how you talked about the disabled gamers im right there with you. I thought half the people on the film were crazy, but when they put it in the perspective of someone who was disabled I actually understood how the other people felt about gaming too.
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