This is the kind of sad mediated spectacular world we oppose. Why do anything real when we can all be fantasy characters in some gigantic mega-reality devoid of the knocks and blows of real life. As a form of solidarity, it's not as good and invigorating as standing with people you know and don't know outside some greek embassy or bank. Or going out at night and burning things. Or just putting out a leaflet that reaches real human emotional human beings. Anything has to be better than doing propaganda work in this ape-crazy dreamlife called 'Life'.

Can you smell the burning petrol in Second Life?
When you demonstrate in Second Life, are you in affinity with all those strangers around you?
When the cops beat you in Second Life, do you hurt?

Revolution is on the streets and it's messy but we come together and work out what kind of world we want to live in. We don't hide away in some daft virtual playground where struggles come and go at the flick of switch. There is no Second Life...there is only this one. Enjoy it! Enjoy how it is.

This is sad just as what the world leaders what us to do, play a game version, tuck away from the real thing. This has to be the worst post ever.

Dear '@ 15.12.2008 14:08' and ' Loppy 15.12.2008 17:07' ,

Please respect this new, modern way of showing solidarity.

Please don't be conservative, please be careful with prejudism and please try to look further then the horizon as you know it now.


It's a widespread misconception that Second Life is simply a 'computer game'. It is not at all, in my opinion. And I am absolutely not alone in this: Actually this platform is perceived by many digital pioneers as one of the (most liberal) predessors of the future 3D-internet! 'Web 3.0' so to say. What you are seeing here, are pictures taken from a THREE DIMENSIONAL, LIVE INTERACTIVE INTERNET SITE. Created by the people, for the people!

Shortly after the web ('1.0') was invented about twenty years ago, I remember some activists who said: "What do we need a World Wide Web Site for? We already have our alternative newspapers, our free radio, and our squat meetings!" (...) I am convinced Revolution in the 21st century is not happening if it is only at 'the streets', and not IN 'the media' as well... Especially 'our' media! And in the end, revolution has to happen inside peoples minds, or not? How 'non-physical' is that?

Are modern indymedia websites sad? Is the all time we spend on the internet a waist? We don't think so, now do we? I would also prefer it if people learn about other people's minds and ideas, from all over the planet, in a virtual world instead of all those daily hours of hypnotized passive staring at the top-down controlled mind-polluting television. Anyway I believe this 3D interactivity is an inevitable future of the web, whether we like it or not... I feel that activism for a better world needs to be everywhere and it needs to adapt, reinvent itself, and advance all the time...




And who says we are also not at the streets as well? One action doesn't exclude another action, now does it? We have to be everywhere!

Besides that, there are people for whom it is not easy at all to go on the streets:
Physically handicapped for instance. Or those who are living very remote from any happenings. Or simply to shy... And there are many other reasons to think of why people express themselves on the internet only. Many of these kind of people you would probably never have seen on the streets anyway in the past centuries. But modern technology provides the opportunity to mobilize more people then ever, and in totally new ways!

Next to that, people are truly informing each other at the SLLU 3D-site, almost just like any indymedia website works. People who otherwise would never have been reached, now find out about what is going on in Greece for the first time! And even Greek activists have been visiting this electronic activists meeting place, with latest stories.

By the way, please ask yourself, if you don' t live in Greece: Did you personally meet and speak to any real eyewitnesses of this Greek uprising since december 6th? I did: in SL.

So, everybody is welcome to drop by for a chat, if you like to find out more!


(Note: English is not my mother tongue, just in case some phrases orso don't make sense, excuse me and please say so. I'd be happy to clarify it further at this page.)




P.s.: For those not convinced about the above arguments for virtual world activism: Here's another way we could look at it: ART. For instance in 1937 the great and very egocentric painter Picasso expressed his feelings about a fascist tragedy in the Spanish civil war in the famous art piece 'Guernica'. Now this 3D-internet solidarity site can be perceived as a modest not-for-profit, non-ego-centered interactive artwork. Not created by a single individual, but build by a REAL international collective of REAL people.

The title of this 21st century conceptual work of art could be: 'ALEXANDROS'

...

Oh, just in case some people are wondering what the last picture is all about: During the rally at this public virtual square some people reacted very ignorant and even offensive at the SLLU picketers. Some even created counter-protest placards as you can see.

We noticed many people in this place had never even heard anything about the situation in Greece yet, some people were seriously interested to hear about it.

This only proves we are dealing with representations of real people here, not just 'fantasy characters'.

I attended the Second Life protest because it was the first opportunity I had to do something in solidarity with the Greek uprising.
I live in Wollongong Australia, a small city near Sydney. Due to the transient population the Anarchist movement has been reduced to a mere 2 people which doesnt lead to the ability to do much overtly Anarchist. The Second Life protests gave me a chance to hook up with like minded individuals and and have a bit of an impact. Not something I get the opportunity to do in the real world very often.

Before maybe a too long of a comment on the reactions of @ 15.12.2008 14:08 and Loppy 15.12.2008 17:07, I want to express solidarity and support with our greek comrades who are fighting the struggle I hope we can spread to all streets and I salute those that are doing so across the globe.

With websites as indymedia and other webbased forums, the internet is used for international solidarity and organizing, to the point that it is part of the very possibility for rapid expansion of local uprisings towards a global revolution. While we now all have accepted and embraced the internet as a tool for us to oppose state and capitalism, this was, as Demo says above, not the case in the beginning of the net. I don't see anyone nowadays opposing comrades that create a website for communicating and organizing. But when it comes to Second Life, people get all conservative and judge everything and everyone that uses this medium next to websites like indymedia or libcom etc on the flatweb as desillusioned, apathic, armchair activists, who completely disregard material reality and psychical struggle. I am sure that you can see your falsely perceived idea of essential difference between logging in through your browser and communicate and organize here on the flatweb -and- logging in with a browser into SL and also communicate and organize there.

(Granted, Second Life as the product is at the moment not nearly as widespread, decentralized and interconnecting as the web, but it is global as well. And usercreated. And free, open source, alternatives are being created now in a fast pace, as well as interoperability between these grids. Next to that also ways to communicate into SL without logging in, from mobile etc.
Many people are of the belief that a 3D web, seamlessly integrated with the flat web, is the next step on the evolutional ladder of the internet.)

The biggest false assumption made above is that somehow when people also make use of 3D virtual world-tech as Second Life, that this means that they are doing so in an escapist manner, to replace the psychical world and hide away, to push away the problems of real life. “There is no Second Life...there is only this one.”.. indeed, there is only one and that shows in how we use SL. We bring in the problems of the real world, to get people to act, to act in their real life. Don't judge us on the rhetoric of the creators of the platform, who indeed would very much like to see us hide away and indulge in their dream world. But many activists from all over the globe have also used this medium and start to organize through groups for the real life causes we work for on the street. Making use of SL does not exclude being on the street. Of course, you cannot do both at the same time. And believe me, thursday I will be on the street again for sure in Amsterdam and if we could create here and now the revolutionary push our comrades in Greece are living I would not even write this. But differences in history and context also have to be acknowledged.

We quickly created a place in Second Life during the first days of the uprising in Greece to draw attention from the at large ignorant and apathic userbase of SL to what is truly happening and help spread awareness next to the different websites. In this light you also have to see these two “protests” from this post. They are of course not meant as replacements or even enactments for real life protests, nor assumed to have direct influence on state and capitalism, but to inform and agitate in a realtime form (like done in real life...much more personal then on a message board) a not informed crowd from across the globe.
The “protests” were but short “events” done, next to the fixed place that was created to inform, which is visited by people constantly, again from across the globe. Websites as indymedia and libcom and occupiedlondon are pushed in front of the eyes of many people from across the globe that were ignorant of the uprising, or that had their view fed by them by corporate media, but changed this after they came to our place and/or spoke to activists at the place. We push updates (also first hand ones) on the revolt, international actions and reports each day through many groups, reaching hundreds of activists from across the globe. And as Demo above also says; the realtime communication also made that we have spoken one on one with greek comrades when they were in bit quieter moments .. and I can assure you, appreciation, support, solidarity and affinity is felt. But hell yeah “As a form of solidarity, it's not as good and invigorating as standing with people you know and don't know outside some greek embassy or bank.” Of course it aint! And I wish I could stand that easily next to you comrade. And I will stand next to dutch comrades in actions to come, but, as said, differences in history and context also have to be acknowledged.

SL, like real life, can be used to waste time, hide from realities, and pretend to be someone 'else'. Or, it can be used as a learning tool, a communications tool, a way to connect with people from all over the planet in meaningful ways...to disseminate information and share ideas and also, importantly, to perform activism.
The choice is always with the individual on how to use the internet...just as we each choose how to utilize our real lives.

Beginning 2 years ago, i received the greatest political education of my life in SL, thanks to meeting a very fine teacher...an Anarchist who lives in Eksarxia, Athens, Greece... who knows more about history, philosophy and politics than anyone i ever met...who also happens to be a computer programmer, and who knows the value of internet for communicating ideas, educating others, and inspiring activism.

Thanks to him i became a participant in the Greek community of SL and am able to communicate on a frequent basis with Greeks of varying ideologies during this present rebellion.

In real life i am a disabled person living in a remote town...unable to fight on the streets, even if a fight was happening here..which it isn't. But in SL i can educate others, and gather more information every day...including minute-by-minute accounts from people who were on the streets in Athens and other Greek cities over the past days since 6 December. (By the way, thanks to SL and internet I was notified within a few hours of the murder of Alexandros, directly from Eksarxia where the shooting occured.)

The internet is the greatest tool we have for global communications, to create awareness, to wake up some of the apathetic fantasy-seekers of the world, to create global actions, to send and receive uncensored news.

I can never say how very grateful I am for the opportunities it has given me to learn, and to participate in educating others.

Lisabeth Nikolaidis

Video:
 http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=mBegf0y81aE

A greek blog:
 http://giantakos.blogspot.com/2008/12/second-life-place-of-solidarity-for.html

A main Greek newspaper:
 http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=11424&subid=2&tag=8470&pubid=2064774#

Published here as well about SLLU solidarity actions:

 http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=en&article_id=941791

 http://indymedia.org/en/2008/12/917615.shtml

 http://indymedia.org/en/2008/12/917779.shtml

 http://indymedia.nl/nl/2008/12/56448.shtml

(Greek translation of SLLU pressrelease)

Τα άτομα και οι ομάδες που οργανώνονται μέσω του Second Life Left Unity (SLLU) έχουν δημιουργήσει στον εικονικό κόσμο του Second Life μια διαδραστική εγκατάσταση μέσων πληροφόρισης, αφιερωμένη στην αλληλεγγύη και την υποστήριξη των ελλήνων αγωνιστών και για την ενθύμηση του Αλέξανδρου Γρηγορόπουλου, ο έλληνας έφηβος που δολοφονήθηκε στις 6 Δεκεμβρίου 2008 εν ψυχρώ από την ελληνική αστυνομία. Αυτό το έγκλημα της κρατικής τρομοκρατίας ήταν ο σπινθήρας των επακόλουθων διαμαρτυριών και της οργής στην Ελλάδα.

Αυτή η τρισδιάστατη ιστοσελίδα έχει δημιουργηθεί για να παρουσιάσει την υποστήριξη και αλληλεγγύη των πολιτών/χρηστών (από όλο τον πλανήτη που κυκλοφορούν στο SL) των μελλών του SLLU και ευαισθητοποιημένων πολιτών, στην οικογένεια και τον αγαπημένο της Αλέξανδρο καθώς επίσης και *για να ενημερώσει και να διαδώσει τη δολοφονία, την έξερση και το ιστορικό πλαίσιο*.

Ένα ανεξάρτητο κέντρο πληροφοριών είναι οργανωμένο με συνδέσεις σε διάφορους ιστοχώρους για την παρουσίαση της τρέχουσας κατάστασης, για να αντιμετωπίσει τις μονόπλευρες ειδήσεις από τους καθιερωμένους, καφαλαιοκρατικούς ελεγχόμενους τόπους συναντήσεως. Το ελληνικό ανεξάρτητο ελεύθερο ραδιόφωνο (Κατάληψη Πολυτεχνείου) αναμεταδίδεται ζωντανά.

Το second life είναι μια διαδικτιακή πλατφόρμα όπου οι άνθρωποι από όλο τον κόσμο συμμετέχουν σε ένα τρισδιάστατο περιβάλλον (δωρεάν). Παρακαλώ ενωθήτε μαζί μας για να δείξεται την υποστήριξή σας για την τραγική κατάχρηση των κρατικών αρχών.

Πάρτε μέρος, η οργάνωση διαμαρτύρεται ενάντια στην κράτική κεφαλαιοκρατική κατοχή οπουδήποτε, στον κυβερνοχώρο ή στις οδούς!

SLLU έχει σχέδια για περισσότερες δράσεις, για να προκαλέσει το ενδιαφέρων για τα γεγονότα, τα οποία θα αναγγελθούν στη θέση διαμαρτυρίας & αλληλεγγύης στο SL, καθώς επίσης και στο SLLU blog (συνδέσεις παρακάτω).

Παρακαλώ ενωθήτε μαζί μας για να δείξεται και εκεί την υποστήριξή σας κατα της τραγικής κατάχρησης των κρατικών αρχών.

Επαφές μέσα στο SL: Smoke Wijaya; Abel Koskinen; Plot Tracer