Summary of Thursday's discussion on Work in SL!

This Thursday, LnL hosted its weekly discussion on the topic "I feel Useful, I'm going to get a job in Second Life!". London, who was moderating, introduced the topic by stating that in many ways SL is a good place to exercise creativity through work. The group was prompted to start the discussion focusing on the reasons why people decide to get a job in SL. Some stated that it was to get some pocket and rent money, others suggested it was a way to learn new skills and to avoid getting bored! Yet, there are some people, less than when SL was created due to the state of the world's economy, who manage to make a RL living from SL. Many mentioned the fact that it is absolutely fundamental to enjoy what you're doing, otherwise it becomes unbearable to have any sort of job in SL, especially when it is a repetition of what you do in RL. The group mentioned the danger of getting caught in a routine or sacrificing RL. The impact of economies in the way we perceive and approach the possibility of working in SL was also discussed. It was mentioned that working in SL to make a RL living might be difficult as learned skills and gathered experience in SL cannot (will not) be certified and as a result it is practically useless to add it to your curriculum, although it was defended that SL might become more respected in as time goes by. SL could become an important professional tool for people with disabilities, some pointed out. To the topic whether having a job in SL is roleplaying, the group wasn't certain. Some said it was, up to a certain point, yet some didn't see it like that as developing skills in SL could lead to getting a job in RL. An interesting question was raised in the discussion -- how high unemployment numbers were in SL. The group talked a bit about the difficulty residents have in finding a job, especially newbies. But not only newbies face these difficulties. Older residents are often faced with some issues as well, often having to make use of friends' contacts and classified ads. A job in SL has a few disadvantages, like taking time away from RL activities (namely social) and becoming an obssession rather than enjoyment. The way different genders experience SL work was, in the opinion of some, different, yet others defended that it shouldn't be; the only limit should be our own bounderies. One of the last topics to be discussed was the so-called "new" jobs in SL. Before, being a DJ was one of the "hotttest" and best paid jobs. Now other jobs are taking over, for example being a hunt organiser, making a lot of money from sponsorships to their hunts and blogs. Our time was up! So, to conclude, there seems to be a trend in SL regarding work, whether it is to enhance our experience, to kill some time by building things, to grow in our creativity or just to get some money to spend in other people's creations. Everyone agreed that it is a wonderful freedom to have the chance to have a job in SL or not, but because of our work or the work of others, the content the grid has is amazing and it makes our experience very rich! Thank you to a fantastic group! It was a fun discussion. Join us next week for a new topic. Same day, same time - Thursday at 2pm SLT in LnL's Lounge!