Second Life® is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe.
From the moment you enter the World you'll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Once you've explored a bit, perhaps you'll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business.
You'll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow Residents. Because Residents retain intellectual property rights in their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other Residents.
The Marketplace currently supports millions of US dollars in monthly transactions. This commerce is handled with the inworld unit of trade, the Linden™ dollar, which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online Linden dollar exchanges.
Accessed on Tuesday 29th April: http://secondlife.com/whatis/
Second Life is a engine that runs similar to a game theory however more realistic in public sense. People see second life as a new way to meet people, explore a new space and traveling beyond the barrier that is created in the reality world. It is also a great opportunity to expand their personal interest by combining their interest in a different world.
However i see secondlife is the same as saying second chance!
Public state that people who spend their entire day in a computer is defined as nerds, however second life is a virtual world that is happening, depending on how well they do in the virtual world it effects them in the reality world. (add research "a lady who made a million from secondlife."
There are people who struggle in the real world, either by socially or personal problems. However secondlife hides the negative appearances or internal behaviour, and allows you to configure your own behaviour and appearances in a virtual world. Majority People in the virtual world may see a well defined character of you a virtual world. This is why i state that second life is known as second chance.
Secondly a number of reserach shows that many users cross dress online. They act as different gender in a virtual environment. This again helps them to hide away their identity. Not only by selecting a prefered gender, but also a specific age that interests you. Young adults can have a choice to act older while older audiences can act younger and can be seen younger in seconds life public. Yet again a second chance of life from a virtual environment.
Generally online communities can effect peoples identity, it allows the user to hide away the real identity by changing and improve what may be seen in real world. It is also a useful engine for people who struggle in real life, or have absolute no interest on how the real world runs, they are capable of using this engine to add their own desires and finally achieve what they desire jsut by a simple tool known as technology -- to internet!
**builds confidence on users who lack self confidence**
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3 comments:
I found this post massively interesting, engaging and thorough; I enjoyed your concept of secondlife as a second chance.
Even though I have not played the game before, I’m still familiar with elements relating to secondlife that you discussed so concisely: hiding behind a virtual character, finding success in the online world when it’s lacking in the offline world, etc. I’m glad you clarified that secondlife is also seen as a social tool and a niche online community, in a sense, and THEN made your statement regarding secondlife as a second chance.
Even as a non-player, this post was fascinating.
I would have liked to see more exploration regarding your conception of the virtual world as a second chance. Do you think that it’s healthy for users to “hide away?” In a sense, I can understand WHY a player would choose to do so, especially ones that “have no interest in how the real world runs,” as you said, but it’s difficult for me to accept that this is healthy behaviour. You state that secondlife “builds confidence on users who lack self confidence.” Does this confidence have real worth though, if its all generated in a virtual world? “Secondlife hides the negative appearances or internal behaviour.” Again, I can understand why a person struggling socially or personally would want to “configure a new behaviour and appearance” online, but in the long term, I feel this is damaging rather than healing - masking a problem through a secondlife persona, and effectively ignoring it.
Second life I can defiantly agree on but second chance I am not so sure on.
Let’s take Face book for example and the good the bad and the ugly which comes with this powerful and loved virtual community.
You log into your account and a grin spreads wide across your face. There’s a new friend request on your facebook account – oh, but who could it be?
Secret admire? That old friend you lost contact with 10 years ago?
Nope none of them but you add them any way. WHY? Because it’s the polite thing to do and this is facebook, after all.
These virtual communities such as Facebook, MySpace and Second Life have changed the way we network socially and people are finding it a fascinating insight into the human mind.
We analyse everything from people’s profile, photos, to the types of messages people are posting on their page, to their ‘status’.
Whether conscious of not, Social Networks have turned most of us into stalkers.
It’s just to easy to access another persons life – you can size up their friends, what type of music they like, which social events they have been to over the past month – the list goes on.
People have even begun using it as a dating tool or a brake up tool – I guess you really know the relationship is over when that once special person’s status changes “in a relationship” to “single” or clearly flashes Ben and Jill have split up.
Facebook and other social networks have changed the way we interact socially – even in the smallish ways we may not notice.
The whole concept of networking online is becoming to overwhelming for some people like me, they simply don’t have enough time to keep up – so facebook eats into their work time.
Now apparently workplaces that ban facebook are being looked at upon unfavorably by potential employees.
My advice, save your self the time and trouble, go back to the best way of communicating and seeing your friends – face to face.
I have two thoughts after reading your post. My initial thought is around the concept of the game Secondlife, as I have never read about or experienced it before reading your post. I found the concept quite intriguing depending on what aspects other players use the game for. After reading further, I was quite disturbed that you see a ‘virtual game’ as a second chance for people who in your opinion aren’t adapt to the real world.
You write “It is also a useful engine for people who struggle in real life, or have absolute no interest on how the real world runs”, but this to me is not a positive. My view is supported by Holmes (1998) who questions whether people are people being sold the illusion of sociality for the price of an ISP? I fear that these people who struggle in society, for whatever reason, will become significantly worse as they choose virtual communication over reality. Hiding behind a computer screen, especially when you ‘pretend’ to be someone, can have significant psychological and medical effects and should not be encouraged. Living in fear is no way to live a life and I find it disturbing that you can condone such behaviour as a ‘second chance’.
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