I, avatar the culture and consequences of having a second life

What is an avatar? Why are there nearly a billion of them, and who is using them? Do avatars impact our real lives, or are they just video game conceits? Is an avatar an inspired rendering of its creator's inner self, or is it just one among millions of anonymous vehicles clogging the online fr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Meadows, Mark Stephen
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Indianapolis, Ind. New Riders 2007
Series:Voices that matter
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: O'Reilly - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
Description
Summary:What is an avatar? Why are there nearly a billion of them, and who is using them? Do avatars impact our real lives, or are they just video game conceits? Is an avatar an inspired rendering of its creator's inner self, or is it just one among millions of anonymous vehicles clogging the online freeways? Can we use our avatars to really connect with people, or do they just isolate us? And as we become more like our avatars do they become more like us? In I, Avata r, Mark Stephen Meadows answers some of these questions, but more importantly, he raises hundreds of others in his exploration of avatars and the fascinating possibilities they hold. His examination of avatars through the lenses of sociology, psychology, politics, history, and art, he will change the way you look at even a simple online profile and revolutionize the idea of avatars as part of our lives, whether first or second
Physical Description:134 pages illustrations
ISBN:9780321550231
0321550234
9780132704861