The night was late, my eyes were weary and devastatingly I had nothing to show for the hours of study I had intended to complete. Instead, my time was spent developing friendships and spending enough Linden dollars on coffee to cause my Avatar to seizure. These details encapsulate my first encounter with Second Life, another real, only virtual, society.
I’ll be honest – I have often been sceptical of ‘games’ such as Second Life. This may have resulted from the fact that I barely classify myself literate in computer programs, exterior to Microsoft office, or the fact that I have never been an avid online gamer. Either way, I will admit to having passed judgement, an action Flew describes as common for many people, due to judgment of the unfamiliar (2002, pg 11).
Discussion in earlier tutorials frequently saw Second Life dominate debate around one of this unit’s key topics, online communities. These discussions revealed that many people share misconceptions about users of online social gaming sites, including Second Life and I was no exception. I believed that these individuals must have struggled to feel fulfilment in their real lives and as such lived vicariously through a second, virtual one. This, I believed, stemmed from evidence suggesting of a correlation between excessive gaming and antisocial behaviour (Huesmann 2006, pg 392). However, class discussions demonstrated how these sites allow for a virtual extension of ourselves, rather than a substitute.
In an attempt to understand what it was about this ‘game’ that successfully engaged so many users, I created myself an account. Within hours I was hooked, like my sister to Dawson’s Creek reruns.
In his book, New Media: An Introduction, Flew refers to Shenton and McNeely’s research to illustrate reasons for an individual’s involvement in online communities. He claims that whilst some individuals are drawn to the lack of boundaries, others involve themselves out of intrigue or routine (2002, pg 56).
Intrigue indeed! After much aimless wandering on the part of my Avatar, my very own virtual perception of myself (Stein 2006, online), I realised just how much is available in the virtual world. From Multinational corporations, like Wal-Mart and Starbucks, to local merchants, an individual can locate anything the imagination permits. According to Flew this situation is a consequence of the virtual world impacting greatly on the real world (2002, pg 54). This has lead to the development of a real economy in Second Life, in which venture capitalists have picked up on (Stein 2006, online). That’s correct – real money being spent on virtual items. Look at my Avatar’s virtual coffee addiction for proof!
I’ll be honest – I have often been sceptical of ‘games’ such as Second Life. This may have resulted from the fact that I barely classify myself literate in computer programs, exterior to Microsoft office, or the fact that I have never been an avid online gamer. Either way, I will admit to having passed judgement, an action Flew describes as common for many people, due to judgment of the unfamiliar (2002, pg 11).
Discussion in earlier tutorials frequently saw Second Life dominate debate around one of this unit’s key topics, online communities. These discussions revealed that many people share misconceptions about users of online social gaming sites, including Second Life and I was no exception. I believed that these individuals must have struggled to feel fulfilment in their real lives and as such lived vicariously through a second, virtual one. This, I believed, stemmed from evidence suggesting of a correlation between excessive gaming and antisocial behaviour (Huesmann 2006, pg 392). However, class discussions demonstrated how these sites allow for a virtual extension of ourselves, rather than a substitute.
In an attempt to understand what it was about this ‘game’ that successfully engaged so many users, I created myself an account. Within hours I was hooked, like my sister to Dawson’s Creek reruns.
In his book, New Media: An Introduction, Flew refers to Shenton and McNeely’s research to illustrate reasons for an individual’s involvement in online communities. He claims that whilst some individuals are drawn to the lack of boundaries, others involve themselves out of intrigue or routine (2002, pg 56).
Intrigue indeed! After much aimless wandering on the part of my Avatar, my very own virtual perception of myself (Stein 2006, online), I realised just how much is available in the virtual world. From Multinational corporations, like Wal-Mart and Starbucks, to local merchants, an individual can locate anything the imagination permits. According to Flew this situation is a consequence of the virtual world impacting greatly on the real world (2002, pg 54). This has lead to the development of a real economy in Second Life, in which venture capitalists have picked up on (Stein 2006, online). That’s correct – real money being spent on virtual items. Look at my Avatar’s virtual coffee addiction for proof!
Consequently it appears that Adam Marshall’s claim, you only live once, has since lost its meaning. If you can spend real money on virtual products and make real friendships with virtual faces, it does seem that you can actually live twice. After all that has been said, now who’s calling online gamers somewhat socially inept – not me that is for sure!
References
Flew, T. 2002. New Media: An Introduction. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Huesmann, L. 2006. The Role of Media in antisocial Behaviour. Annual Review Public Health, 27: 393-415. http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?did=1040921501&sid=4&Fmt=2&clientId=14394&RQT=309&VName=PQD (accessed May 10, 2008).
Stein, J. 2006. My so called Second Life. Time Magazine 11:43. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570708,00.html
(accessed May 9, 2008).
Flew, T. 2002. New Media: An Introduction. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Huesmann, L. 2006. The Role of Media in antisocial Behaviour. Annual Review Public Health, 27: 393-415. http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb?did=1040921501&sid=4&Fmt=2&clientId=14394&RQT=309&VName=PQD (accessed May 10, 2008).
Stein, J. 2006. My so called Second Life. Time Magazine 11:43. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570708,00.html
(accessed May 9, 2008).
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