Homeless in Second Life (where you
don’t…need…a home…)
Let’s begin with Homeless hangouts. These are place where
homelessness is literally a title you can choose to have. I checked out a few
of them, and for sure, they look like what you’d expect from a homeless
hangout. Giant trash can fires and gritty old mattresses discarded haphazardly
against concrete half walls.
I assume people
who roleplay being homeless want to experience it virtually, and if that’s the
case, then I somewhat get what is being done. I think of the irony that people
who are role playing being homeless while sitting in a house, or at the very least,
an apartment with internet. My thoughts are, the reality of being homeless is
devastating, and yet it is a rich environment in which to role play? It is
confusing but that is just my own opinion. This would have to be a case of ‘to each their own”.
I cannot fathom the idea to be homeless. I’m not saying
it’s wrong to role play in such an environment because I’m not in the business
of judging folks for how they play Second Life, but I must admit to a complete
lack of understanding about this particular role playing game.
What is the
attraction, honestly? Using what little I know of homelessness, I’d imagine you
spend your days scraping for money and food, trying to secure shelter, or
perhaps substances that make the pain of homelessness less intense while trying
not to get murdered or raped. Let’s face
it. This is desirable? I’m sure the
homeless in the real world wouldn’t find it amusing at all. Here are some
places I found that cater to Homeless Role play.
Hobo
Railroad Infohub
Hobo Haven at Virtual
Railway Consortium (VRC) Headquarters
Yoga,
Tai Chi, and Acupuncture?
Ladies and gentlemen! Bring your mats, your water, your
incense, and get in touch with your inner…uhm…avatar!! Second Life offers many
a venue for Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, and Acupuncture. These are great places
for those of us who’d like to learn more about Yoga, and the other disciplines
mentioned above, there’s just one issue here.
Yoga is a discipline meant to connect your soul to the
universe through sacred movement. When your avatar does yoga, does it connect
it’s Prahna (life force energies, like Chi or Qi,) to the complex and divine
designs of the Metaverse, rather than the RL universe?
Is there a Metaverse consciousness that avatars doing
yoga can tap into to seek out their peace, or their wisdoms? Wouldn’t that be
rad? As for the acupuncture aspect, this one’s a big “Why?” to me as well,
since you most definitely need an actually body to benefit from acupunctures
therapeutic applications. Tai Chi, again, you can learn a lot about it by
visiting these sims, and I can see how one might benefit from watching their
avatars do Tai Chi if they physically cannot.
Engaging in Tai
Chi can assist in meditation, so I can see why you could benefit from it
through your avatar. The Kundalini Awakening Center really cracks me up,
because you absolutely need a physical body to benefit from Kundalini
Awakenings. (Google Kundalini Awakening and you’ll see what I mean! It
literally REQUIRES you to have a body, I promise!) If you are curious about how it is done in
Second Life here is a link.
Hot Springs Buddha Center Yoga and thai
chi
Kundalini
Awakening Information center
Drug
Dens?
Now this one I get, but I revel in the strangeness. If so
desired, one can role play being a crack addict, or junkie of any kind, at The
Crack Den. I’m sure you can also role play a cop, a prostitute, or any other
type of urban low-life you desire!
There’s also a rad opium den, if sedative drugs are more
up your avatars alley! This place offers a free opium pipe at the door, and
comfy ‘racks’ (cots) to lay on while your avatar indulges in some of China’s
Finest.
I attempted to
infiltrate the Crack Den, but being so new, no one spoke to me so sadly, I can only comment on what I’ve seen thus far. Everything looks
appropriately dirty, dingy, and haphazard, with rusted out cars on fire, tagged
buildings, and greasy little alleys in which all kinds of nefarious business
goes down.
For pure scenery,
I prefer Octagium’s Opium Den, a beautiful open aired room filled with
firelight and beautiful tapestries hung on the Romanesque walls. I’ve visited
the place a few times, and so far, I’ve always been the only one there. Pity,
I’d love to listen in on the types of conversations that would happen in an
opium den or crack house, all from the safety of my own living room!
Crack
Den
Octagium’s
Opium Den
Second Life is full of strange yet interesting places
that mimic the real world. If you are looking for something a little off the
beaten path, I am sure you will find it.
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