A new society is forming. It is taking shape out of a racing, frenetic mass of electrons, along our phone lines and out of our screens. We have seen the evolution of the society, its rules, caste system, and economics. Settlers are building their homes along the electronic highways set down by those that came before them. Communities are appearing everywhere, gathered together by common interests. Like any society, there is crime, disease, poverty, and prejudice.

In this paper, we take a look at this new frontier society, its laws, economics, identity, and diseases. We parallel its evolution with that of other cultures around the world and, as we do so, we discover that this Virtual Nation is no different than any other. It has its prejudices and misunderstandings, just as any other society would. And it has its benefits. However, it is still bound by the basic laws surrounding human interaction – nothing exists in the Virtual Nation that someone did not bring with them. And as such, the Internet allows us a unique opportunity to study communication between individuals in a more distilled form.

 Welcome to the Neighborhood: Introduction.

 Location, Location, Location: Geography of the Virtual Nation.

 The Madding Crowd: Interactions in the Virtual Nation.

 Legends and Heroes: Storytelling in the Virtual Nation.

 Who Do You Want To Be Today: Identity in the Virtual Nation.

 It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Conclusions.

Created On: 4/8/99

Last Update: 4/30/99

This page has been visited times.