Sense of reality… or sense of futility?

http://webpages.scu.edu/ftp/dcaswell/secondlife_main_485.jpg


As I sit writing this on my real computer at home… in my real house… in my real study… in the existing town in Melbourne, I have begun to wonder how technology can replace such a form of reality. I have started to ponder my thoughts on how individuals could spend their time living life through virtual worlds, such as The Sims and Second Life, rather than in the real world of fresh air, ranging weather conditions, and natural light.


Having only heard about Second Life about two months ago, it shocked me that such a program existed. I couldn’t get over the fact that people were falling in love and getting married…over an internet site. I found it intriguing that a majority of Second Life users look nothing like their virtual avatar, and will even pay real American dollars to make themselves more attractive. Although- I must admit I do own the first edition of The Sims in which my friends and I played many a time in grade six. We found it fascinating, as we watched our Sim characters starting their own kitchen fires, while we deleted the stairs from our pool so they would drown. Cruel….I know, but it was slightly entertaining as we knew it was not real life, but futility and pointless. How one gets so obsessed living through a virtual character is beyond me.


The thing that frustrates me with the virtual world of Second Life is not being able to see the real person behind their avatar. What brings these people to play this game of having another life? Are they not happy with their real lives? Are they afraid of what society will think of them? I asked my dad, a 53 year old business owner whether he would ever use such a program. It was no surprise to me and as stubborn as he his, he flatly replied no as he couldn’t find the point of creating a ‘second life’ over the computer. Having never really been into technology, let alone not even being able to use the microwave, he just couldn’t understand the whole concept.

Meadows (2008:51) quoted: “People in virtual worlds build things, use them, sell them, trade them and discuss them. When another person confirms what I am seeing, places value on it, spends time working to pay for it, buys it, keeps it, uses it, talks about it, gets emotional about it, and then sells it – this tells me there is something real happening. The suspension of disbelief has become a grounding of belief”. Although in a way this quote is true, I find it difficult to understand how these real individuals living through these virtual people can become emotionally attached to items, without the senses of touching, smelling, or even tasting the valued possession.
Although these virtual worlds are used by many, for me it will never compare to the reality of my life in which I can walk outside, breathe in the fresh air and life live properly.