So, it turns out that the "grey goo" in Second Life is Congress...

Second Life fills a platform

Second Life fills a platform vacuum, and that is why it is attracting use beyond gaming and its intrinsic community, despite the fantasy-reality blend rather than because of it. I think it offers three things:
1. Like Internet-mediated chat or forums, it transcends borders and brings people together from throughout the world;
2. It brings together communication and creation. In this user-built world, immediate 3D creation in a space adds to the richness of the communication;
3. Because of the immersive shared experience, the memory of a conversation or meeting is richer and more persistent than a text chat or a conference call. The part of your brain that remembers "presence" uniquely responds to time spent and shared in a virtual environment.

What did Rep. Miller's visit accomplish? I talked to one scientist from a government agency who uses Second Life for education and demonstration. Rep. Miller's visit raised awareness in this new medium. The scientist no longer gets blank stares when he looks to promote and fund his project.

There was spontaneous meeting of political scientists from around the world on the Capitol Hill island this week, something that will likely be more frequent than a visit from a member of congress. But I've also seen staffers there who, even in one-on-one conversations, are meeting with people from all over and discussing the issues facing congress.

It's an experiment with a new platform, and to me is reminiscent of the early days of the Web. What will emerge from this is still to be seen; it shouldn't be judged as an end-point.

There are many

There are many politically-active people in Second Life, and large and active groups around political issues.

I'm an active member of the Libertarians of Second Life and the Free State Project, and deliberately chose to situate my home and business in an anarcho-capitalist sim. Others are interested in other politics, or world social causes such as Darfur.

Age isn't a disqualifier to "getting" SL, but a thorough and professional journalist doesn't report on things he doesn't understand.

My guess would be that he

My guess would be that he accomplished a bit of both. SL at its core is just another tool for communication. Many interesting speakers have given presentations, press conferences, round tables, and the like in Second Life. Ignore the 3d trappings and just think of it this way... where else can diverse people from a wide geographical area interact, ask questions, and discuss issues with a public figure without having to leave their homes? Not only is it a convenient venue for interested parties in general, it allows people who would otherwise be shut out from such discourse (the disabled, the housebound, etc) to participate as easily as anyone else. There's no doubt that some of the motivation was due to SL's hype and getting some free press. We are talking about a politician here after all. But anything that makes it trivially easy for people to take part in the political process who otherwise might not is worthwhile in my opinion.

Of course there are members

Of course there are members of Second Life interested in politics and what's going on in Congress. Why would you assume otherwise except due to your own bias? Just because many people find a lot to enjoy in SL and you don't doesn't somehow make them less inclined to be educated, intelligent, and politically involved. It seems to me what you're really saying is that you're not interested in what's going on in Congress and you're projecting it on a group of people you somehow feel are beneath you because they enjoy something you don't. You barely have time and energy for your first life but you somehow find time to make useless generalizations in a blog. Do you expect anyone to pat you on the back for it?