Introduction


The purpose of this blog is to examine the role that key concepts of convergence culture play in Second Life. Launched in 2003, Second Life is an online virtual world that is largely built by its users. Second Life users contribute to the platform through world building, avatar building, commerce, and entertainment. The Second Life community is multi-faceted. As a platform, Second Life can be used for education, recreation, and as a way for users to explore a number of interests, and community life in a virtual world. 



Published in 2006, Henry Jenkins' Convergence Culture analyzes the process where old, and new media collide in the current media landscape, and the consumer’s role in not only being an active participant in new media landscapes, but realizing the influence of collective power. Collective power in new media landscapes can take the form of knowledge communities, and collective intelligence (Jenkins, 2006). At the time Convergence Culture was written, knowledge communities were just beginning to realize their power; leveraging their collective intelligence to influence the way media was produced, and consumed.



Knowledge communities, and collective intelligence were central to Jenkins’ Convergence Culture, and will serve as the primary analyses in this blog, specifically in their relationship to Second Life. Knowledge communities’ use of collective intelligence in Second Life is a way for users to explore their interests in a virtual setting, fostering a virtual community haven. In addition to these two concepts, I will examine Second Life’s collaborationist approach to participatory culture. The collaborationist approach views fans as important collaborators in the production of content, and as grassroots intermediaries helping to promote the franchise (Jenkins, 2006, p. 134). Not only is this true of Second Life’s collaborationist approach, it has proven to be equally beneficial for Second Life as a business, and its commerce driven users.


Last, Jenkins explored the concept of transmedia storytelling-that a story might be introduced in a film, expanded through television, novels, and comics-the idea that a story could be told through multiple platforms (Jenkins, 2006, p. 96). Applying this concept to Second Life, I will explore how the Second Life community is present on multiple platforms; typically those that best support the user’s skillset. Not only does this expand the Second Life community, but through collaborative enterprise allows users to share their creations with others, encouraging collaboration, and participation.



The blog will conclude with a summary of the major themes from Convergence Culture that are present in Second Life today.









References



Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York,

NY: New York University Press.

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