Rhizome Experiment, Fall 2015Main MenuPowerteam pageRhizome ConceptThe Virtual and The RealSelfTeam Overview Page & TagIntro to the Virtual SelfThe world of social media, avatars, and the brandscapeSimulation MachineDerived from the previous paper to make an introduction to AI, the advanced simulation machineArtificial IntelligenceRace and the Social MachineDrone PilotsFull Battle RattleTechnology and the Black ExperienceVideo GamesDwayne Dixon5129acc1d78d02bed532993adeb2cc39f7be6920
Skins in Second Life
12015-12-05T19:49:36-08:00Anna Quinnce7934d735971c9d732f90c8072fb6f45d7c154672258plain2015-12-11T19:55:25-08:00Anna Quinnce7934d735971c9d732f90c8072fb6f45d7c1546In the online virtual world Second Life, a player creates an avatar where the player can choose its physical characterizes. This includes gender and skin, which can be altered in shade and texture. Some users make a virtual living by designing and selling skins, dominantly white or off-white colors. In choosing skins, it is reported that “persons seeking darker skins complained of the difficulty in finding them” (Boellstorff 145). While darker skins are rare to obtain, finding white skins is simple since “whiteness acted as a kind of default” (Boellstorff 145). Through skins, the idea of white supremacy is strikingly visible. Being white is expected and therefore more powerful within the virtual world to the point where it is difficult to even give your avatar a non-white complexion. A racial hierarchy is formed in the Second Life where being black near the bottom and are not respected to the same degree. In the virtual world, the appearance of skin color causes instant prejudice and inequality similarly seen in the real world. Race is viewed as the first characteristic seen and considered before behavior, actions, and personality. If one decided to change skins to a darker shade, it would lead to racial remarks, halt in communication, and even unfriending. This racial hierarchy has existed in the real even as technology and biology has proven it wrong, as seen in Stephanie's piece on X-rays showing equal, homologous black and white images from both people of color and white,. However, this notion of color has been embedded into society as a form of power rankings that continues to exist.
12015-12-03T17:20:11-08:00Chloe Lewis294c1d34536ef85ac1a5ea3e5ceddfa87b7caae7The Virtual and The RealChloe Lewis17plain2015-12-13T10:16:31-08:00Chloe Lewis294c1d34536ef85ac1a5ea3e5ceddfa87b7caae7
12015-12-02T18:44:35-08:00Kayla McCoyfa3b1d39a48cd3ddcbecc54f9313e53aad657050The Second Life SelfKayla McCoy12Avatarsplain2015-12-09T18:06:46-08:00Kayla McCoyfa3b1d39a48cd3ddcbecc54f9313e53aad657050