What in the World!

That's precisely my summation of thoughts about virtual environments and life on-line. Not knowing where to begin with the reading I selected "Second thoughts About Second Life" to start. 

The utter shock after reading the article still sticks with me. I will admit I am incredibly naive when it comes to what goes on in the social media world. I have purposely made a point to not engage in it since the failing popularity of MySpace. 

I think that many people see the virtual space as a safe haven. A port of harbor from which you can be yourself or be someone else. As many of my fellow class bloggers have purported they enjoy the level of anonymity and the ability to socialize in an open world. 

But are we deluding ourselves to think that the virtual world is really any different from the real world. Art mirrors life, the web is a creation and an expression of human existence just like art. Many modern artists in the last century have produced works in the “real” world--like Robert Mapplethrope, Chris Ofili and Tracy Emin that were considered offensive or obscene. If we think of the virtual world as a perpetual master piece being crafted by a world of artisans is it not then just a piece of free expression? Is it not just another way to communicate meaning, reflect on the world and show the many facets of life? Is this not what art does? 

Of course the virtual world is so much more, but is it? It is a world of our making, it has all the beauty and ugliness of the corporal world. Art imitates life or does life imitate art? -

Learn More About Artist's Who Shake Things Up

I was fortunate for many year's to see the Turner Prize exhibitions every year for 10 years, if you love art and want to see artists who are breaking out and testing boundaries this is the place.

My phone, my laptop, my i-pad, Oh My.

The question at hand are all these devices and the worlds within them creating a world of under-achievers. Well from class we heard that it is impacting our brains so why not our grades.

According to the study “Facebook and Academic Performance” they would conclude with some caveats that FB time has an adverse impact on grades.

In class recently, I was observing my fellow students phone use throughout the session, this was prior to reading the FB and Academic Performance report. At least 1 out of 4 students was on their phone. From those that I could see it was Facebook. Two students continued to peruse the phone even in the presence of the professor who was overseeing group work time. Was this a conscious disrespect, was it a lack of care or interest in the class or was just an oblivious disregard for the “real” world? It would seem regardless; we are all distracted. Whether it be FB or just by virtue of having a device in front of use (at least according to a new study detailed in article I saw this morning on my news feed "Give your phone some snooze time"

Distraction is never good, there are plenty of studies to show multi-tasking does not make us better or more efficient. But I guess the other question is as I think about my fellow students in class, are we missing out? As we connect with our virtual world are we missing out on the “other” world.

I love this “youtube” video eloquently address this point Put down your phone

Ps. It always makes me cry when I watch it