A NEW MAP FOR A NEW WORLD

New York Times-bestselling author Thomas P.M. Barnett comes to Second Life in avatar form to speak on his Blueprint for Action-- October 26, 11:30am-1pm PST (details at the end of this entry)

10/26: FINAL UPDATE ON BARNETT'S APPEARANCE HERE.

11/2: FINAL UPDATE: TRANSCRIPT OF BARNETT'S APPEARANCE BEGINSHERE

He'll address us from the floor of a virtual UN building, speaking to an audience, one hopes, that'll include Residents from around the globe-- those in the Functioning Core, those in the Seam states, and with luck, even those from the Non-Integrating Gap itself.

While this jargon will seem obscure to most, it's well known at the highest levels of the world's leadership, from the department of Donald Rumsfeld (who he once worked for) and by John F. Kerry (who he once briefed) not to mention government officials and military officers from NATO, India, Japan, Communist China, and beyond-- all of whom have sat before him as he described, with an acerbic wit and a wide-ranging mind, The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-first Century, his topography of the world post-9/11 and post-Saddam. (Full Barnett biography here at his chattily perceptive blog.)

And on the 26th, anyone with a Second Life account can get a version of that briefing too-- and just as key, meet Thomas Barnett in avatar form as he speaks on his new book, Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating, which is nothing less ambitious than a practical, step-by-step guide for creating, as the old saying goes, peace on earth and goodwill towards men.

A lifetime Democrat who's served as policy analyst for Administrations of both parties (while being more than willing to eviscerate both, when called for) this should be an evening of engaging, multimedia-driven ideas and spirited debate-- most especially over his uniquely-reasoned advocacy for invading Saddam's Iraq. For American Residents of all political persuasions, this is a chance to consider a new sense of their country's place in the world. For international Residents, this is a chance to actually meet someone who has been at the heart of US policies that often trouble and confound them.

For Second Life and New World Notes, this is a very exciting chance to test the potential of this new medium, not only to create a better world of the imagination-- but participate with a leading intellect of international affairs in a conversation on ways to rebuild the one we'll leave to our children.

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICS

If you're unfamiliar with Second Life, the online world where Barnett will appear, an introduction is here, with recent press write-ups here. Provided your computer has the techical specs listed here, a free SL account can be created and downloaded here.

Seating is limited; reserve a place at the event by joining the Barnett Readers group: from the Second Life menu, click "Find", then the "Groups" tab, then in Find enter "Barnett Readers", then "Join Now". Advance discussions of Barnett's ideas will be announced in the week prior to Barnett's appearance. Location yet to be determined; check this blog and Events as the date approaches.

Co-hosted by Jerry Paffendorf (in-world name, "SNOOPYbrown Zamboni") of the Second Life Future Salon sponsored by the Acceleration Studies Foundation. Thomas Barnett's avatar is by lilith Pendragon, who also brought us the in-world incarnation of Cory Doctorow; the United Nations General Assembly Hall is by Ichiro Tokugawa (pictured here drinking coffee where Kofi Annan would usually be.)