This is something I think about all the time! I miss when going "on the computer" felt distinct from its all-encompassing presence now. Especially as a kid, these "virtual worlds" were so magical. I often think about how the children of today don't have these sorts of spaces - the rewritten sites you mentioned serve as a hub for nostalgia for us, but kids aren't using them. Instead they end up on social media so young, which we all know the countless negative impacts of. I loved this piece - gave me lots more to consider!
Reading this made me remember not only playing BarbieGirls but the hours I spent on other virtual world/dress up games when I was a kid!! Neopets, Star Doll, the MyScene makeover games, the Trollz game, this virtual world called WeeMe I think? So nostalgic!!
I often miss the early days of home computers (i started with a digital typewriter, lol) and Internet. It was s terrifying place if you actually looked at what was going on. It also felt like actual people were on it, making things. Websites felt like websites of people. Everything is slicker now. Websites often feel like the product of templates and corporate production. In many ways this has helped so many people. It's so mass produced now it feels less like individual personalities show up. I miss the anonymity a lot but not the horrible predatory/grooming behaviour that came with it. Sometimes people suck so hard. I do miss early memes though. Lolcats and early rage face memes. Le sigh. Feeling old again.l, lemme dust off that dissertation on social identity and language 😝. Before I go, I do like Zennial and Xennial as words even though the age cohort and associated social competitions also feel commercial for some reason. I'm toward the genX side of millennial. Some one called us ancient millennials. Dude, I already feel old.
This is something I think about all the time! I miss when going "on the computer" felt distinct from its all-encompassing presence now. Especially as a kid, these "virtual worlds" were so magical. I often think about how the children of today don't have these sorts of spaces - the rewritten sites you mentioned serve as a hub for nostalgia for us, but kids aren't using them. Instead they end up on social media so young, which we all know the countless negative impacts of. I loved this piece - gave me lots more to consider!
core. memory. unlocked. 🥹
beautifully written!
LOVED this, I’d forgotten that Barbie Girls ever existed until now
Only teamwork can flip the ice berg 🤝
Reading this made me remember not only playing BarbieGirls but the hours I spent on other virtual world/dress up games when I was a kid!! Neopets, Star Doll, the MyScene makeover games, the Trollz game, this virtual world called WeeMe I think? So nostalgic!!
Woah this just also reminded me of when FarmVille was big on Facebook and people would share their gaming updates to their feed.
Incredible piece !! I long for my club penguin wardrobe even today
i think about the beautiful lost world of online dress up games and stumbling upon random flash games ALL the time
I often miss the early days of home computers (i started with a digital typewriter, lol) and Internet. It was s terrifying place if you actually looked at what was going on. It also felt like actual people were on it, making things. Websites felt like websites of people. Everything is slicker now. Websites often feel like the product of templates and corporate production. In many ways this has helped so many people. It's so mass produced now it feels less like individual personalities show up. I miss the anonymity a lot but not the horrible predatory/grooming behaviour that came with it. Sometimes people suck so hard. I do miss early memes though. Lolcats and early rage face memes. Le sigh. Feeling old again.l, lemme dust off that dissertation on social identity and language 😝. Before I go, I do like Zennial and Xennial as words even though the age cohort and associated social competitions also feel commercial for some reason. I'm toward the genX side of millennial. Some one called us ancient millennials. Dude, I already feel old.
My younger cousin had Club Penguin and was obsessed. I'm of the Minesweeper ilk myself.