Expert Takes: Philip Rosedale

Philip, what are the dynamics that have enabled Second Life to be so enduring and what are you most proud of?

Second Life has maintained a very lively, active community for over 20 years. Its biggest dynamic is its ability to enable people to create things that are culturally interesting, sophisticated, and valuable. This creative freedom has driven its longevity. Unlike many platforms, Second Life allows people to make genuinely new things and share them with each other.

What sets Second Life apart is its 3D medium, allowing users to create something of genuine personal value, unlike traditional media such as video, audio, or images. The social aspect is also crucial; people are always together when creating. You could build a house while your friend gardens, and you talk to each other during the process. This collaboration fosters positive interactions, contrary to the general belief that the inter- net often makes people angry. Second Life emphasises pseudonymity, not anonymity. Your avatar isn’t tied to your real identity, but it has rich relationships and social ties, making actions have consequences.

In Second Life, governance is very much bottom-up. As a landowner, you have complete control over your interactions and environment. This contrasts sharply with social media, where conflicts often require interven- tion from external authorities. You are empowered to manage your immediate social environment directly, which is a fundamental structure that contributes to the platform’s positive community dynamics.

This shared environment fosters respect and understanding, as you recognise that you’re both part of the same world. This is what I’m most proud of: that Second Life somehow makes people happier and richer in their interactions with each other.

How did your perspective on virtual worlds evolve over time?

Initially, I was fascinated by the mechanics of building blocks and the imaginative freedom they offered. However, my interest shifted to the personal dynamics and the impact on relationships within the virtual world. Now, I see the more important aspect as how virtual worlds can facilitate cooperation and col- laboration, making us better communicators and more connected individuals.

What would you say are your greatest hopes and fears for virtual worlds and the metaverse?

Loneliness is increasing, and trust in strangers is decreasing, but this is something we can fix. Virtual worlds and online social environments can measurably increase trust and reduce loneliness. If we get the societal rules and technology right, we can use these environ- ments to foster better social interactions.

VR headsets can be problematic because they blindfold users, making them feel unsafe. We’re creating expensive devices for communication, which isn’t sus- tainable. However, the internet has been powerful for accessibility. For example, people with physical disabilities live full lives in Second Life in ways they couldn’t in the real world. Additionally, we should use AI to allow people to communicate in their native languages seamlessly.

I once said I wasn’t building a game; I was building a country. Today, with the world as it is, we have the opportunity to use the Metaverse to explore alternative social, economic, and democratic structures that can’t yet be realised in the real world. We can prototype new ways of living together online and apply those learnings back to the real world. Complex ideas like different types of democracy or basic income can be tested in virtual worlds and, if proven valuable, deployed in the real world.

This interview is from our first opus, released in June 2024. You can read the full opus here on our website.