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I thought Rhonda Lowry's TED talk was a little bit over the top. She made things seem too deep, when in reality they could be simple concepts. I do agree that many people form their identity based on current culture and trends, including social media, but I think there is much more to someone's identity than that. We are shaped by how we've been raised, our peers, our nature, etc. Some people may be too stuck in their ways to accept the idea of virtual realities like Second Life, but most people eventually adjust to change. It's like how people are outraged when Facebook changes their layout, but then after awhile they can't even remember what it looked like before. I don't think this video really helped me other than realizing that I might be accepting to virtual realities like Second Life, but only for certain things. I can see that it is what we are gearing towards for the future, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. I like doing things in the real world, like going to business meetings, having coffee with my friends, going hiking... Why would I trade that in for sitting in front of my computer and having an avatar do them? Although I think it could help reveal some people's true identity, it could also cause some to lose their identities. 


Concepts that we've discussed in class that relate to the topics discussed in this video include convergence, the Industrial Age, and networking. Convergence is relevant because I think a lot of different sites and platforms will start incorporating virtual reality into their purpose or mission. It is appealing because you can be whoever you want and have skills that you don't possess-it is like video games in that sense. The Industrial Age relates to Lowry's talk because she mentioned that many people are still hardwired to think in terms of making and producing things instead of delving into other methods of doing things. The final topic that relates to this video is networking. Networking is creating a web of connections that you can access at any time and follow, or ask for advice. I believe that your unique network influences what you do, what you see, how you think, etc. If people in your network start hopping on the idea of virtual reality and things like it, you might want to check it out too. Many people try things simply because their friends are trying them-they don't want to be left out. 


Watch the video here.