A lot has been written about Second Life, the 3d Virtual World where it’s users can meet and chat in an online virtual environment. Some of what’s been written about this so called online multiplayer rpg has been good but there are critics.
Image by secretlondon123 via Flickr
A lot has been written about Second Life, the 3d Virtual World where it’s users can meet and chat in an online virtual environment. Some of what’s been written about this so called online multiplayer rpg has been good but there are critics.
In August of 2008 a North Carolina woman attempted to kidnap her Second Life lover after he broke off their online relationship. This is just one of many stories critics of the 3d online world point to as proof that real life people are spending too much time as virtual world avatars.
But is this truly the case? While true that too much online activity can lead to relationship dysfunction and even addiction, online communities in general and Second Life in particular can and does do good in the real world.
Consider the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life promotion. For those who don’t know what Relay for Life is, it is an event put on by the ACS to raise money for research to eradicate cancer. People in the real world walk or run around a track for donations which are then given to the American Cancer Society. What many people don’t know is that Second Life is a pivotal part of these events hosting auctions, dances and even a “Great Snail Race.”
People who suffer from addiction also have a place in Second Life. There are many support groups in this 3d virtual world where avatars can find help dealing with almost every vice, from AA to NA. A simple search inworld can lead to a virtual 12 step meeting at almost any time. If there is no meeting available, people can find links to the internet leading to web pages offering help.
Big business also makes itself known in Second Life. Reebok and Dell computers have a presence in the online rpg and at least one person, known inworld as “Anshe Chung,” has become a real world millionaire buying and selling virtual real estate. Don’t think that making money is limited to online land, however, many people make a living creating and selling everything from clothes to new virtual bodies known as “avatars.”
It’s true that spending too much time online can lead to problems but it is necessary to realize that doing too much of anything is never a good thing. Second Life can be a boon as well as a bane to it’s users but those that have problems on it are in the minority… and it’s not Second Life that’s the problem, it’s the user himself.
To find out more about Second Life visit http://www.secondlife.com
To find out more about Relay For Life visit http://www.relayforlife.org
Sat, Jun 20, 2009, by Loy Williams
Web Talk