In the past week or so there has been much discussion (e.g. Slashdot) regarding Second Life's use of a corn field as a novel means of punishing misdemeanors.
Violators apparently are placed with corn-ears-above-their-head, without communication to the rest of the (virtual) world and in front of a large black-and-white television playing the 1940's film "Boy in Court." Clickable Culture describes the precipitating event with some thoroughness and asks:
...whether or not The Corn Field is an effective remedial measure compared to a standard suspension. Yaffle supposes "it's a little better because it made me laugh, but not a whole lot better. There's nothing you can do there except ride a tractor and watch a boring movie, which was black and white anyways."
The Boing Boing discussion references VZones and their use of "the void" as a similar virtual world example. Also, Boing Boing coined the phrase "prison simulator"...
Yet this tale seems like it should say less about a prison than of the relationship between a punishment and a prisoner. Just as child time-out (a disciplinary method) is all about technique and little about location or decorum. With child time-out often the professional discussion emphasizes the need for punishments to be exercised within a larger context of rewarding good behavior. One is said to reinforce the other.
Would virtual time-outs be more effective were they applied within a framework that also rewarded good behavior? Or is membership and participation in that world reward enough?
Do a good deed, a plus-up?
Beyond the novelty of a corn field and black-and-white TV, a prisoner in a corn field means judges, and rewarding those who do well means managers. That developers must occasionally punish harshly for rules infractions is sadly necessary and justified. But does that easily extend to the subtle. Might easy time-outs and modest nudges connote a social engineering that at the margins can invite greater alienations (or at least headaches) as yet another level of winners and losers are chosen?
Where am I?
In The Village.
...
Who are you?
The new Number 2.
Who is Number 1?
You are Number 6.
I am not a number — I am a free man!(The Prisoner).
