Interesting Discussion at Terra Nova

There is an interesting discussion over at Terra Nova on whether virtual worlds really are liberating.  I think blackrazor hit the nail on the head when they said in the comments:

"But true long-term growth only comes with political and intellectual freedom, in my opinion. In that regard, virtual worlds are still very much in the dark ages, with the dev. and/or management team as sovereign. Their rule is absolute; there are no courts, parliaments, constitutions, elections, etc. None of the wonderful innovations that we often take for granted here in the real world." Link

Without freedom from arbitrary and absolute power whatever liberating force a metaverse may have is greatly diminished. It is merely replicating the conditions for the growth of the same ideologies, culture and notions of self in the real world. I would note, however, that ideological structures will develop in any world that allow for, perhaps even necessitate, the marginilsation of some people. The power of the virtual word is that it need not be the same ideology as that in the real world and therefore it may be a "better" one. Regardless of attaching a value judgment to the new ideology we should at least be able to find out what it may be.

Click here for the full article.