Bridging the real and the virtual
No matter how hard we try, our virtual selves will inevitably be tethered to our physical selves. Interface with these virtual worlds through looking at our screens, typing on our keyboards, etc. even with a pseudonymity that is not supposedly tied to anything in the physical realm.
The web is not only an intangible space; it is also a physical space made of brick, mortar, metal trailers, electronics containing magnetic and optical media, and fiber infrastructure. (Safiya Noble)
Related to: digital commons and VR
Scarcity
In a world where scarcity is constructed, do we even need to use it? Can we rely on manipulating abundance (agalmics) through incentives?
I realized I had become used to better digital goods being gated and inaccessible to the public when I felt weird taking all the digital goods without pay. (Nancy)
Physical Touch
“One concern, though, is that some social skills may not develop as effectively when so many interactions exist online. We learn how we are and aren’t supposed to act by observing others and then having opportunities to act out our observations ourselves.”
“On the internet, you can pull the plug and walk away. There’s no forcing mechanism that makes us have to learn”: how do we keep people digitally accountable?
Dunbar and his colleagues demonstrated that very light touch triggers a cascade of endorphins that, in turn, are important for creating personal relationships. Can this be replicated virtually?