Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

I believe that virtual worlds (VW) expand the way people interact with each other. To befriend someone we no longer need to meet that person face in face; today, we can make our avatars meet in one of virtual worlds. Those new ways of interaction bring hope to people who are socially impaired (e.g. people in autism spectrum), for them to overcome the problem. CNN’s iReport covers this issue in “iReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction” by Nicole Saidi.

 David Savill, who created the 'Naughty Auties', a spot witih virtual world of the Second Life, says that his creation allows people like him (on autism spectrum) to practice social skills and to exchange information about their condition. In his own words: "So you're not going out into the real world meeting people, you're going meeting people online and in your own home, so you're perfectly relaxed. It's just a fantastic tool to use to bring people together."
I see the way VW can help people like Mr. Savill to overcome his shortcomings, but that social outlet has also a dark side. People are bound to 'take a path of a least resistance' that is our nature. I'm afraid that VW may become a substitute for real life relations instead of being just an exercise to improve them. People who are just shy by nature will also use VW to socialize. They will befriend a bunch of avatars in VW and that will satisfy their need for human contact. Instead of improving real life social skills VW may cause some people to cease going out.

Another aspect of VW is presented in “No Budget, No Boundaries: It’s the Real You” article by Ruth LaFerla. She familiarizes the readers with financial side of the Second Life (SL). The author points out that SL allows us to escape real problems of financially tough times. I our real life we may struggle financially, be frugal and penny pinching. But we may escape all that in our virtual world. In VW our avatars may ‘live large’, and immerse themselves in luxury unattainable in real life.

I consider this aspect of SL harmless fun. It may help us to cope with tough financial reality as long as we keep it within healthy (money wise) limits. What we need to spend in VW on some goods is far less then in real life, but it still costs money… But it’s rather inexpensive entertainment that allows people to express themselves.
“Certainly her real-world occupation as a nurse affords Ms. Cocke scant opportunity “to rock my new leather Gucci messenger bag or Jimmy Choo sandals,” she said. In contrast, “Vixie’s style is a better representation of my true self,” she said, “as it’s hard to be fashionable in hospital scrubs.””

Being a member of virtual world definitely fosters creativity. Everything in VW is created by its users, whether it is an outfit, tropical gateway, or a building. In the future we can get really creative, there are endless possibilities… We can create virtual classrooms (e.g. for our class J ), go for virtual dates in virtual clubs…. I just hope we won’t become so obsessed with virtual world we will opt out of the real one……