About this blog
If, as predicted by Ray Kurzweil and others, most interpersonal interactions will by mid-century occur in virtual environments, we need to understand the psychological and cultural implications for education, business, governance, and for society overall.Taking its title from the J.G. Ballard novel of that name, the Unlimited Dream Company is an in-world research and discussion group for those interested in the ways in which technology shapes psychology in virtual worlds--and, in particular, those who believe that immersive 3D worlds have become a medium par excellence for thought experiment and personal transformation, whether intended by its 'residents' or not.
You are encouraged to read the introductory statement and About page before reading individual articles.
This blog was launched on 28th December 2010.
Category Archives: Presence
The Ondrejka Definition
One of the mysteries of SL is why a few are captivated by it, when everyone must suffer problems like crashes and lag. Why do we not all quit? What hook can get someone committed to this online world? I … Continue reading
MANY ME
MANY ME. During a Thinkers discussion on Google+’s stance on psuedonymity, Laborious Aftermath raised an interesting point several times. “You end up with the same problem of others ending up trying to use the same psuedo”. In real life nobody … Continue reading
BOTGIRL: (UN)REAL
BOTGIRL: (UN)REAL. Botgirl Questi has a post on her blog called “For Those Who Say Avatar Identity Isn’t Real”. What could possibly be meant by a statement like ‘Botgirl isn’t real’? If we equate reality with existence, then the statement … Continue reading
The Technology of ‘Friendship’
So you’ve had your SL account a while, and have made a few friends. You log into Second Life, and you see in your Contacts window that one or more of your friends is online, though elsewhere in-world. You wait … Continue reading
The Pose Ball, the Animation, and the Intentional Stance
…or, Why, whatever you do, you’ll probably send completely the wrong message When we see a realistic human-like avatar, we unconsciously expect it to do similar things that a real human being would do. And we also read signals from … Continue reading
