Meet Milo . . . and shudder!

September 2009

Humans are intrinsically relational beings; they are wired for community. So when growing numbers of individuals felt increasingly estranged from their human communities, it was no surprise that they would create electronic ones through online chat rooms, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Until recently, the ultimate in all this was Second Life, a digital world created by online "residents" who live virtual lives through their created avatars.

Now -- or very, very soon -- as the concept of "community" has devolved from human, to virtual, to a human-virtual hybrid, the legion of alienated souls will be able to dispense with real people and digital avatars altogether; they will form relationships directly with computer characters.

To get an idea of what is just around the corner, meet Milo, a kind of Trekkie-age Teddy Ruxpin. (Profanity in comments.)

Reproduced within the Link-Zone pages with the kind permission of the author: GE129/06

Regis Nicoll is a freelance writer and a Centurion of the Wilberforce Forum. His "All Things Examined" column appears on BreakPoint every other Friday. Serving as a men’s ministry leader and worldview teacher in his community, Regis publishes a free weekly commentary to stimulate thought on current issues from a Christian perspective. To be placed on this free e-mail distribution list, e-mail him at: centurion51@aol.com.