Raking Muck in the Metaverse

General scene during "Rock The SIMS" Online Launch Party at Private Residence in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage)

WARNING: This episode's audio quality is exceptionally, exceptionally bad. Special thanks to Will Kraus for cleaning it up. In future episodes, I’ll be using a better mic.

Is a journalist who reports on virtual events that happen in a virtual world still a journalist? If you choose to present yourself as a rabbit online, does that say anything meaningful about who you really are? I spoke with Peter Ludlow, founder of The Alphaville Herald about living your life—fully online.

Referenced articles:

• Raking muck in "The Sims Online" by Farhad Manjoo (Salon, 2003)

• Evangeline: Interview with a Child cyber-Prostitute in TSO by Peter Ludlow (2003)

• A Real-Life Debate On Free Expression In a Cyberspace City by Amy Harmon (2004)

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I am an awkward person, and audio conversations aren’t always easy for me. I forget words, I stutter sometimes, I even lose my train of thought. Needless to say, the podcast format can sometimes be challenging, especially when I don’t already know the person I’m speaking to. Are these conversations valuable? Should I keep doing them? Drop me a line below, let me know how you feel anonymously.