3pointD.com

Simon Spartalian (SL’s Simon Jezebel) is a Chicago art student who has introduced a service that lets Second Life residents produce real-life versions of their in-world objects, possessions or selves. He gave a brief talk at the Second Life Community Convention after lunch, about how such a service might help create real value in a virtual world.

Spartalian and a partner offer the service through their company, Recursive Instruments. His thesis is that the presence of tangible real-world versions of virtual objects helps lend value to their virtual counterparts. Some excerpts from his talk:

“The ease of copy and paste in Second Life undermines traditional economic practice,” he said. “Without an original , a gold strandard, the Linden [dollar] faces an uphill battle. We believe a body of images and ideas exterior to Second Life is paramount” to giving a virtual currency like the L$ some sustainable value.

“Tangible objects can carry a vivid experience outside the world that gave them birth,” he said. “The language of Second Life is composed of our actions. As we continue to develop complex cultural islands, whether in Second Life or in our first lives, how will they affect each other. In what way will the virtual craft itself, craft ourselves?”