Novia Halostar

At the opening of an art installation at the virtual Hotel Chelsea in Second Life tonight, I discovered the work of Novia Halostar, the proprietor of the URSA MAJOR Gallery and Studio. I especially love the light on the curtain next to the green chair, and the way the bird appears to be made of flames.

Congratulations Rita J.King

We're a bit remiss on blogging this past week. Lots of exciting projects in development. More on those soon. In interim, we'd like to congratulate Rita J. King on being appointed Senior Fellow for Social Networking and Immersive Technologies at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress.

An Immersive Google Earth?

The ubiquitous Malburns pointed us to the above new virtual world about which the Guardian will be reporting. This virtual world is an explorable version of planet earth. Seems ambitious and interesting.

Mundos Virtuais, Culturas Reais

A new Brazilian enterprise, "Webcitizen," which seeks to stimulate citizen engagement between citizens and government, conducted an extensive interview Rita J. King and me at the Gov2.0 conference about the power of virtual worlds for cultural relations and digital diplomacy. The interview and write-up, Mundos virtuais, culturas reais can be read in its entirety here. (Note to readers: The text is in Portuguese.)

No Tweet Til Brooklyn

The writer Jonathan Ames, creator of the hilarious, fabulously well-written new HBO show Bored to Death, got his Twitter on tonight when he asked if anyone would host him and a friend in Brooklyn so he could watch his own show, since he doesn't have a TV (see the Tweets below). I was in San Francisco, reading his new book, "The Double Life is Twice as Good."

On the Creation of Digital Identities

We are faced daily with choices about how much like ourselves our avatars should be, whether choosing a profile picture for Twitter or determining how much to reveal in the "First Life" tab of a Second Life profile.

I've been studying the effects of digital anonymity since 1996. One of my most widely read and cited articles, a 2001 cover story for the Village Voice, examines this issue:

"Just as playing Dungeons & Dragons doesn't turn a kid into a wizard, pretending to be a homicidal maniac online doesn't make a man a killer. But determining what it does make him is one of the biggest ethical dilemmas facing modern society."

Eight years later, this question remains unanswered.

The Creation of Avatars

Some avatars are created for recreation and others are representational figures for serious use. Some serve both functions.

Narrative role-playing is fascinating, especially when participants stick to the story to maintain the suspension of disbelief. World of Warcraft is one of many immersive games in which players create a character, become immersed in an environment created for specific tasks and eventually, level up within that framework. Other types of more personal and professional interactions might take place during the game, and players may choose guilds and affiliations based on real world ties, but World of Warcraft remains a game.

Upon registering for Second Life, participants also choose avatar names, which, for many, creates the impression that Second Life is a game. However, as Wagner Au noted in New World Notes today, Second Life residents are weary of the insinuation that Second Life is a game. While it is a spectacular environment in which to create games and many forms of entertainment and learning adventures, it is also filled with serious, sophisticated projects that involve identifiable participants and exercises that can save real lives.

Split Identities

Gartner just released a report on how avatars should present for business, since they are "creeping" into business environments. (Read SL resident Crap Mariner's funny response). Gartner recommends a split between avatars for personal and private use. Having an alternate avatar (or two, or three) can be a lot of fun and very helpful.

But what's wrong with using one identity for work and play?

The most common argument against being forced to create multiple avatars is that people aren't expected to shed their daytime identities when going home at night in the physical world, so why should people who work virtually have to switch in and out of various bodies? But people in the real world do switch between modes. In his landmark book and film The Corporation, Joel Bakan illustrates this very clearly by describing the manner in which regular, "good" people who have Sunday brunch and read to their kids can commit by day to what he calls the "pathological pursuit of profit and power."

This split implies that workers can be separated from their personal identities while under the banner of a brand and then ostensibly liberated from the brand's tether during non-work hours. The evaporation of the boundary between work and play has rendered this distinction difficult to maintain, which can have positive, far-reaching consequences on the global culture and economy as people from all over the world interact in an exploratory way within the digital culture. Play leads to work, work leads to play, and people are happier and more "themselves" within the emerging culture. On the other hand, there's no way to separate professional activities from private ones. And what if your avatar has a name that's associated with a company that you leave?

Leveling Up Into the Great Beyond

Some people attempt to construct the identities they wish they could have in the physical world, whether through fashion, giant muscles, new groups of friends or even a spectacular virtual beach house overlooking a golden, glowing, simulated sunset. Some people lack mobility in the physical world and a virtual world levels the field for interactions. Some live in isolated areas and virtual worlds connect them to new people. Some obtain degrees. Other become themselves in ways that could not have been predicted during the first few steps in an unfamiliar avatar body.

In many ways, I have experienced this myself. When Eureka Dejavu was registered, I had no idea that she would transform into my representative for business relationships with so many individuals, companies, universities, think-tanks and global organizations of all kinds. I didn't realize that my own life in the physical world would change so much as a result of the people I would meet and the things I would discover about myself. Despite the fact that we have different names and she's seven feet tall, Eureka Dejavu is as much me as I am.

Some people develop serious issues as a result of too much time in Second Life and not enough time taking care of themselves or the people in their physical lives, but that's not surprising. People become addicted to all kinds of things. Yesterday, Irena Morris announced that she had deleted her Second Life avatar, Eshi Otawara. Her goodbye letter to her friends from Second Life ends with the words: "Wish me luck in recovery from identification with an avatar."

In the end, Eshi Otawara was one of the many lovely creations Irena Morris offered her clients and fans, but she was not Irena Morris. Her letter illustrates the idea that as we grow and change, we have the opportunity to delete identities that once represented us or even helped us grow to a new place in our lives. We can upgrade ourselves, for real world transformation. I have a feeling that down the road, Irena might be one of the many people for whom Second Life was a training ground for leveling up in the physical world, either physically, emotionally or spiritually.

UPDATE: Amanda Linden wrote an excellent post on the subject of professional avatars. My collaborator Joshua Fouts recently secured his real name for his business avatar (though I've noticed Schmilsson Nilsson nearby a lot). I'm going to keep Eureka Dejavu as my business avatar, but I love the idea of people using their own names in Second Life because it's much easier to keep track of real life identities that way.

New World Politics Review Essay

I have a new essay on World Politics Review on "Social Media, Virtual Worlds and Public Diploamcy." The article explores factors that constrain our current foreign policy apparatus from fully utilizing social media and virtual worlds for public diplomacy and provides data and suggestions on how efforts could be improved.

The site requires registration to view it. You can get a free 30 day trial subscription here.

Eshi Otawara: In Memorium

A cryptic Tweet from Irena Morris, (who still goes by @eshi_otawara on Twitter) made it known that her Second Life avatar Eshi Otawara has been deleted after rumors swirled that the designer might be gone--forever.

The brilliantly creative Second Life avatar Eshi Otawara has been deleted by her creator, Irena Morris.

Will a memorial service be held in Second Life in her honor? And what will Irena think if she sees the machinima?

Weapons of Mass Seduction: Why Soft is the New Hard

Monocle magazine's (a briefing on global affairs, business, culture and design) September 2009 issue: "Weapons of Mass Seduction: Why soft is the new hard," reports on "winning friends and influencing opinion through music, sport, design and your very own news channel." I read it on a flight back from Barcelona, and there was an article about the terminal from which I'd just taken off. In fact, there was something about many of the countries in which Dancing Ink Productions has conducted field research, across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, and all of the findings were akin to ours.

My highlights, dog-ears and asterisks on the 170 page magazine are extensive, so here's a roundup of highlights:

Broadcasting Outlets Can Be Wonderful Tools for Putting Your Capital on the Map

Tyler Brûlé's "No Need to Shout," focuses on the expanding world of public diplomacy, where there were "many 'looks' vying for attention as the ultimate soft power accessory this summer."

"As our September issue reveals, there are myriad options for nations looking to cut a dash in the capitals of their rivals...but launching your very own news channel seemed to be the fast track option for getting your point across while keeping up with countries that have had their own government backed rolling news operations for years."

• "Who'd have thought we'd be watching nightly bulletins in English from Doha?"

• "Success in the field of diplomacy is a matter not only of experience, judgment and style but also of historical moment."

• "Power, whether soft or hard, will have to be exercised issue by issue, and strategic advantage negotiated interest by specific interest."

• "A day will come when the leadership of Iran will reflect the desire of the vast majority of its citizens for greater openness and freedom."

In a little graphic called "Turn on the charm," Monocle suggests that "some nations are missing a trick." Switzerland, "as it battles US backed laws against banking secrecy," should "fund a global business news and media brand," while "looking truly neutral."

Soft Focus: Berlin, by Anne Urbauer

Soft power is a useful concept for Germany: after losing two world wars, traditional hard power strategies are not an option. With its history, unlike any other country in Europe, Germany has to avoid being seen to throw its weight around.

The historical burden of Germany's massive Federal Foreign Office at Werderscher Markt I in Berlin, represents a "unique rendezvous with history. More than any other building in the city it has witnessed the past 75 years of politics and history, from the darkness of the Nazi era to the country's new role in international affairs as a broker of soft power."

• Renowned architect Hans Kollhorff, in collaboration with Gerhard Merz, developed a concept for the building's new life that centers on "three layers of history," the Nazi era, the communist past and the present.

• "We wanted to retain as much of this building as possible but also make it eminently clear that a new spirit was moving in," Kollhorff has said.
  

• "If soft power is the power to attract," Urbauer wrote, "Berlin now pulls in more hip young visitors than any other European capital."
  

It is worth noting that all experts interviewed for the piece unanimously declared the Soccer World Cup in 2006 to be Germany's soft power high point of the last decade. The combination of the World Cup coming to Africa in 2010 and mobile phone usage on the ascent across the continent will have a major impact on Africa's status as a global player. Later in the issue, Monocle covered art as a powerful means by which soft power can be achieved in "Art Attack: China, Kenya, UK and USA."

Q&A with Houda Nonoo, "First Lady: Washington," by Sasha Isenberg

Bahraini Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo has broken the diplomatic mould by being a young Jewish woman representing an Arab country abroad. With her island nation's proximity to Iran, relations with that country occupy much of her time, as well as US Jewish investments in Bahrain. She discusses President Barack Obama's "From Kansas to Cairo" speech, Bahrain's business laws, religious tolerance and the rule of a Shia majority under a Sunni monarchy.

• Q: As a Jewish woman from the Persian Gulf, how have you been received? A: I don't think people in the US can believe I'm an ambassador. A female from the Arab world!

• Q: You have a Shia majority under the rule of a Sunni monarchy. Does that make it difficult to govern? A: It's hard. We had no issues, Sunni-Shia, pre 1979. It's only since 1979 that we have this issue of Sunni and Shia. Before that we were all Bahrainis, regardless of what our religion is. To a certain extent, we still try to be Bahrainis as much as we can.
  

...Above Us Only Sky

It's been a busy day for us Americans. We crashed into the moon (hopefully not into the John Lennon Peace Crater, shown above) and President Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize.

Today would would have been John Lennon's eightieth birthday, had he not been killed in the prime of his life in only five hours after Annie Liebovitz took her famous photo of a naked Lennon holding Yoko Ono.

Yoko Ono just appeared in Second Life tonight to unveil the Peace Tower. Due to lag, I lost control of my avatar, Eureka Dejavu, shown here floating up above the crowd toward the light.

Much is made of the idea that "human interactions can't be replaced by virtual worlds." That argument is beside the point. I could not be in Iceland tonight for the unveiling of the Peace Tower, but I could share in the experience with people from all over the world, listening as Yoko Ono dedicated the memorial. It isn't the same as being there. It's something entirely different.

In the physical world, I would not have had the sensation of complete surrender as I watched my body drift up toward the light.

The map isn't the territory in a virtual world any more than it is in the physical world, but each green dot shown here on the Second Life map is an actual person. A real person, who can share volumes about his or her actual life, traditions, customs, rituals, thoughts, fears and acts of singular boldness. If the dialogue happens in a virtual world, it is still real.

Please Follow Paulo Coelho on Twitter!

The writer Paulo Coelho is playing coy on Twitter, promising the people who already follow him that if he can get another 7,000 followers (the campaign must be working because last time he was looking to lure 10,000) he will explain why and how he and the burlesque queen Dita von Teese (shown above in Gaultier, in an image she shared on Twitter, retweeted, not surprisingly, by the writer himself. He has tweeted that he considers Dita his "icon of femininity").

I really want to know the story, so please, follow @paulocoelho and @ditavonteese!

For Journalists, On the Subject of Opinions

Last week, @mathewi and @palafo had a compelling public discussion about objectivity in journalism in the wake of The Washington Post releasing its social media policy.


The issue of objectivity in journalism is as complex as the human beings who together compose the industry. Just because celebrity gossip has been given the limelight doesn't mean there aren't hundreds if not thousands of journalists out there right now risking their lives to raise awareness about the mundane and transcendental aspects of trying to survive on a planet riddled with poverty, violence, disease and climate change, to name but a few of the challenges faced by the tiny humans. (Is a story worth dying for?)

But how much of her own thoughts should a journalist share while covering such issues?

It would have been spectacular if, while I was working in the Gulf Coast for six months, I could have had the incredible Twitter community as a resource for rapid communication and for posting images and brief impressions of what I was experiencing. Much of what I saw was beyond the scope (not to mention word count) of my assignment, which focused specifically on disaster profiteering, not the context of the human systems that lead to pervasive classism, racism and corruption.

Sure, I could have shared my opinions on Twitter, but opinions are a lot less interesting than presenting unexpected facets of reality and giving those who respect you enough to follow your thoughts a chance to draw their own conclusions. Getting stuck on entrenched, diametrically opposed opinions blocks progress.

As a reporter on the nuclear industry, my opinions changed over the years as my knowledge and understanding of the scope of the issues deepened. Expressing an opinion early on would have cemented public impressions of my thoughts and cast a shadow on my reporting. Later, when my opinions changed, I would have been perceived as talking out both sides of my mouth to those who still remembered my earlier opinions. Yes, most reporters have opinions because most humans have opinions. But the story is not about the reporter.

Or is it?

In 2006, I wrote a manuscript about all of the stories I didn't have a chance to fully tell during my years as a journalist. I interviewed a former member of the Black Panthers who'd spent a year on Death Row in the 1970's after a shootout with cops in New Orleans. I delivered and picked up the sweetest nun you can imagine after her prison stint on charges of civil disobedience. I interviewed Cal Ripken Jr. and spent an afternoon with George Plimpton at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. I went on a civil rights quest across the Deep South, retracing the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and interviewing key figures all along the way. I interviewed American soldiers who have served in multiple wars and people from around the world as they explored the global culture and economy. In many ways, my life was made up of the people I met. I was constantly focused on their stories. Sometimes it was difficult to separate my thoughts about my own life from the things I learned about them. Human interactions are at the heart of metamorphosis.

My agent shared the manuscript with a number of major publishers. Several were interested. All of the editors had the same recommendation for the next draft: They wanted me to add more of myself and my own perceptions to the story. This came as a shock. As a journalist, I was conditioned to keep myself out of it. But there I was, as the common denominator that tied all of these myriad people and their stories together.

Once the entire tale was down on paper, however, I found that a weight had been lifted and I was no longer interested, at the time, in doing another draft. I had started Dancing Ink Productions by then and I knew I could always take the time later in life to add my thoughts and perceptions to the story. It will take years to determine what's worth sharing and what isn't.

It is important to recognize that a journalist becomes a part of the story, interacting with the people about whom the story is told, operating within a geographical location in which the story unfolds, and hopefully learning about the context in which the story took shape. Increasingly, however, particularly in the transitional cycle between pervasive print toward digital penetration, away from passivity and toward participation, the journalists who refresh their skills and keep current are experiencing a major leveling-up in the most important way: as futurists capable of helping the public understand what the likely outcome of current policies, events and practices will be down the road. Journalists can now compile data in ways that we have barely begun to imagine as new models of funding for journalism are explored.

The debate about the meaning and value of objectivity is only one of the many being hashed out on Twitter.

To follow the Twitterers mentioned in this post: @mathewi, @alexismadrigal, @brianstelter, @palafo, @brianstelter @lavrusik and me: @ritajking.

By way of background, I'm a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs the CEO and creative director of a company focused on the evolution of a new global culture and economy in the Imagination Age, and an investigative journalist. I've been consulting with various organizations and companies on the ethical use of social media, with a particular focus on issues related to anonymity and identity.

Smarter Cities

Art is a big part of smart. In Barcelona last week, thousands of paper people were strung in the sky for a joyous, multi-generational neighborhood dinner, shown below. All images in this blog post were submitted to IBM's Smarter Cities project.

Jack Mason of IBM sent me an email inviting me to participate in the Smarter Cities Tumblr project, where people can post Smarter City ideas. I could spend the rest of the night posting images, videos, quotes and other mixed-media. What makes a culture culturally and economically smart is one of the central questions at the core of Dancing Ink Productions, which was founded as an extrinsic result of an IBM InnovationJam during which 37,000 employees made suggestions for how the company should invest $100 million.

I believe that IBM's Smarter Planet project, bolstered by human creativity and sophisticated analytics, represents one of the best chances we have in the effort to combat the most serious crisis that faces all humans, climate change, while it serves to improve life in specific locales the world over.

People in smart cities care where their food comes from, how it is produced and how far it travels. The market at La Rambla, Barcelona.

No study of the metaphysical reality of cities is complete without a read of Italo Calvino's brilliant Invisible Cities. I submitted a passage from the book, which is about Marco Polo reporting back on imaginary adventures to the aging emperor Kubla Khan, from a section called "Trading Cities 4:"

In Ersilia, to establish the relationships that sustain the city's life, the inhabitants stretch strings from the corners of the houses, white or black or gray or black-and-white according to whether they mark a relationdhip of blood, of trade, authority, agency. When the strings become so numerous that you can no longer pass among them, the inhabitants leave: the houses are dismantled; only the strings and their supports remain.

From a mountainside, camping with their household goods, Ersilia's refugees look at the labyrinth of taut strings and poles that rise in the plain. That is the city of Ersilia still, and they are nothing.

They rebuild Ersilia elsewhere. They weave a similar pattern of strings which they would like to be more complex and at the same time more regular than the other. Then they abandon it and take themselves and their houses still farther away.

Thus, when traveling in the territory of Ersilia, you come upon the ruins of abandoned cities, without the walls which do not last, without the bones of the dead which the wind rolls away: spiderwebs of intricate relationships seeking a form.