I think Senator John Kerry lost a few hours of sleep this week as he fumbled through a classic political communications mine field. After all, with the US economy pretending to be healthy and gas prices dropping, there is a singular focus on the war in Iraq so you'd think that *any* reference to US troops and the war in *any* context would be treated cautiously by both parties but Kerry wasn't cautious enough.
Although Senator Kerry was "misinterpreted", emotions are high as we spiral toward the next election, and it is in times of heightened awareness that most communication is botched. Once the first mine is tripped, the subsequent explanations, recounting and eventual apologies are explosive and unfortunately distract from the real problems at hand.
Consider Kerry's woes in the context of the recent Linden Lab announcement about the pending cost increase of private estates, followed by the admission by CEO Philip Rosedale that the information was discussed with *select* individuals before the general announcement and subsequent land store closure, ultimately followed by an announced 15 day delay of the new pricing model. These events, the resultant SL community upheaval, and even the decision by long time Second Life resident Hiro Queso to shut down his rental business resonates with me as a similar communications break down with unspoken underpinnings. It may also be detracting from a*real* issue brewing with Second Life overall ... can immersionists and augmentationists peacefully and even *gasp* productively coexist?
That will be the subject of my next post.
Share Some Grace:
