Anyone joined Second Life?

[jambo101]

This whole addiction to technology is scary in its ramifications for the future and people who would enjoy living in a psuedo world should maybe have a talk with their therapist.
As a long time sci-fi enthusiast some of those ramifications have probably been foreseen,eg "We are the Borg,resistance is futile"
Holodecks? imagine how many people would become addicted to those and choose to live their whole lives in a virtual reality.
Then there is the concept of computers becoming self aware "i think i think therefore i am" and all the imaginative scenarios that will ensue.
A Wiki on Raymond Kursweil is enlightening on where we may be going in the future..

 

[Nords]

This whole addiction to technology is scary in its ramifications for the future and people who would enjoy living in a psuedo world should maybe have a talk with their therapist.

I bet there were similar warnings for TV.

And radio.

And them new-fangled motion-picture theaters...

 

[Billy]

Nords, I bet you are right. I find the future exciting and full of promise.

People will abuse anything they can if they can - the choice is ours.

A

 

[whitestick]

This whole addiction to technology is scary in its ramifications for the future ....
....on where we may be going in the future..

While the concept might ultimately be realized in some form, the predictability of the timing tends to be off -
In 1949, while reading of the scary future predicted for 1984, still hasn't come even remotely totally true in 2007, and likely would take another 50 years and still not come to pass.
Or in 1969 while contemplating the moon landing and how quickly that occured from the Kennedy challenge, it was easy to accept that by the year 2000, we would have fully operation colonies on the moon. Don't think that's likely for another 50 years either.
I'm sure we are going somewhere in the future, just not when or where. My sig line may color my thinking though.

 

[ERD50]

In 1949, while reading of the scary future predicted for 1984, still hasn't come even remotely totally true in 2007, and likely would take another 50 years and still not come to pass.

I recently read an interesting opinion piece on 'Big Brother is watching'. The writer felt that modern technology has actually turned the tables on 'Big Brother' - that with blogs and instant internet access, politicians and big corps have a harder time getting away with stuff. It is actually the common man watching 'Big Brother'.

I think there is a lot of truth to that. Of course, we don't know what we don't know.

-ERD50

 

[Billy]

whitestick:

I'm sure we are going somewhere in the future, just not when or where. My sig line may color my thinking though.
__________________
Mens ability to see the future is limited by their horizons of today!

I have to agree with you on both counts, Whitestick. There are so many unknown factors that can cause the future to go in a variety of tangents -how could we possibly predict? I like your signature line... if we have a limited horizon... our future is colored by that.

Candace Pert, Ph.D., (Molecules of Emotion, Your Body is Your Subconscious Mind, etc.) states that we see the world through our memories (which are, in part, chemical). Since we do that, we are constantly 'proving ourselves right' because we discount anything that doesn't fit in with our sense of reality.

ERD50

It is actually the common man watching 'Big Brother'.

Let freedom ring, eh?

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[Zoocat]

This forum is the only "second life" that I have, other than my work which is online with a company I have never interviewed with and supervisors I have never met in person.

 

[Billy]

Hi Oldbabe,

This is sort of what I mean... we are living in a world of such possibilities due to the World Wide Web -- employment and news options being just 2 important changes. We have already influenced our world in massive ways by this internet connection - and from my perspective, many of them have been positive.

As human beings, there will always be the tendency to 'abuse' some thing or another. It's not so much the 'thing' as it is the psychological tendency towards abusing. (IMO)

That is amazing that you have never been interviewed nor have seen your employer! So there ya go...

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement