The Tradeoffs of Second Life

The reading assignment about Second Life is unusual because of the views expressed in the reading. The first time through the reading I started to think that Second Life was great because of all the opportunities presented to the players. I then quickly realized this was because the article did not discuss any of the negatives or drawbacks. The article was very biased in this sense, because it did not even bother to employ the “they say, I say” form of argument. I can think of many scenarios when this game can be good for a person, but I can also imagine many more that the person becomes worse off as a result. An example of how this game can be used for benefit would be someone that deals with discrimination or cruelty on an everyday basis. They may be disabled and unable to do the things that others take for granted. When they log into Second Life they are free to do all those things and are just the same as everyone else, which is what they want. They can achieve a sense of acceptance in this game when in real life they do not always have that opportunity because of their physical or mental disability. That good example can be outweighed by many negative examples; specifically how a person basically destroys the potential they have by obsessing with this game. They lose control of their ability to improve themselves, by choice, and this is unfortunate because this causes them to disconnect from reality. This game can be good for certain individuals, but it is much worse for a larger group of individuals because of all they lose by becoming overwhelmed with this game.

Alter Ego

The character that I will be writing on is the one created by Lui Da that exists in World of Warcraft. This is because I find this person very interesting, in terms of his entire outlook in life. It may not be fair to judge him based off of only two paragraphs in this book, but his statements are strong and very telling of the impact that virtual worlds have on a person in their real life. He basically says that this virtual reality is his life because it takes up most of his time and he has no other hobbies. His only care in life is this game, so much so that he does not even bother to think about the future or care about it. This relates to the concept of freedom as growth because he is unable to grow as a person in this situation. He is trapped in this virtual way of thinking, by choice, and cannot improve himself as a person in this scenario. He does not make much money and will not if he continues this trend. This is why I think that people obsessed with this mindset are pathetic to a certain extent; because they waste any actual talents they have. This person may be really smart or talented at something that could be actually useful, but he does not care because this computer game takes precedence to everything. He is not free to grow as an individual by choice and this is an unfortunate situation. There may be benefits to playing a game like this, but the negatives are so severe that they outweigh any possible positives. Enjoyment with a computer game or virtual reality is one thing, but obsession is another that destroys any actual potential that a person can offer to society. He realizes the fact that thinking is not necessary in this game or actual lifestyle, but he chooses to accept and embrace this mindset, which is sad.

Privacy in Advertising

The article describing the ideas behind RealAge is interesting, but not unique because many companies are doing the same thing in order to create money. Money drives all of these decisions and often times this crosses over into a person’s desire for privacy. The idea is that a person’s confidential information is being exploited by companies that want to sell them products that should appeal to them. They would be appealing because the confidential information is analyzed to determine an appropriate marketing technique. I have a personal interest in this idea of advertising and marketing because I know how a television company views this scenario. They have the idea of using information about a customer’s preference of channels and convert that information into advertisements that they would most likely respond favorably to. This initially seems like a good idea, but the concept of privacy is infringed upon because the television company is using their potentially sensitive information as a means to generate more money from them. The company recognizes this dilemma and that is why they are still determining the appropriate course of action, but there is little doubt that this form of advertising will appear in the near future in some capacity. There is too much money to make for these companies not to explore these opportunities, not to mention the fact that competition will drive companies to out perform the other. If one company is content with resting on their morals and ethics they are going to miss out on profit margins and may be forced to shutdown as a result. This dog eat dog mentality explains almost every business decision and explains why all of them tend to test the limits of what is acceptable and appropriate.

Alter Ego

I have been reading Alter Ego for a while now.  As mentioned in the assignment turned in, I have read a little at a time throughout the semester.  There are a few things that come to mind when I am reading these individually unique situation.  When someone is handicapped physically but not mentally, I really think that this is a perfect escape for them.  I hate that our society is like this, but is a guy really going to like it if a girl in a wheelchair comes up to them at bar and wants to buy him a drink?  Or is a girl really going to like it if a disabled guy does this?  The brutal truth is, probably not.  This is extremely unfortunate and, to be honest, it is very unfair and makes me upset that this is how humans work in this world.  Moreover, it is what it is.  If a physically handicapped person wants to live his or her life almost completely online, then I have no problem with it at all.  One the other hand, if someone who is a very normal physical human being, being addicted to these games could really hinder them from other experiences that the world has to offer.   Human interaction is a huge part of life, and the more comfortable you are with it, the easier life becomes.  If one of these gamers doesn’t open themselves up to the life that the offline world has for them, then many opportunities could be missed.

Cyber relationships

I was very intrigued by the conversation we had in class the other day that broached the question, "If you walked in on our significant other having "avatar sex" with another avatar, would you consider that cheating?" My first reaction was no, that would not constitute as cheating because it's not a real sexual interaction - a sexual encounter between two virtual characters in a virtual world would be virtual sex, thus not real. With more thought, though, I began to think differently. If my significant other was having a relationship with another avatar in second life, that would signify to me that they were unsatisfied with the relationship they were currently in and thus turning elsewhere to satisfy a desire. Though it is in a virtual world, it is the same as if they were to turn to another person and have a real affair with them. Whether or not there is an actual physical connection, the intent of turning to someone else to fulfill a desire that is not being satiated in the real world relationship constitutes as cheating. Consequently, I also believe that "dating," someone in second life is also a form of cheating because again, it is forming a relationship with someone else. Even though it may seem removed because the avatar creatures do not look like real humans, there is always a person behind every avatar. Some equate virtual sex with watching pornography, believing that both are not forms of cheating, but I also disagree with this statement because of the fact that there is a person behind the other avatar, whereas pornography is just a film. This leads me to believe that people playing second life need to be very careful not to blur the lines of what is real and what is virtual, because your actions in second life can impact your real life.

Avaitars and self-determination

Reading "Alter Ego" was an eye-opening experience for me, and ultimately contradicted some of the preconceived notions that I had about avatars and virtual worlds. While I still think that people need to remember that it is a game and not reality, I found that creating an avatar and playing second life can create a sense of freedom and self-determination in those who do not, and possibly can not, experience such freedom in the "real" world. For Jason Rowe, a man with severe physical disabilities that renders him unable to live an active life, the creation of an avatar allows him to do outrageous things like “ride an Imperial speeder bike [or] fight monsters,” but also to do the things that many take for granted, like “hang out with friends at a bar” (Cooper). His avatar not only gives him physical freedom and independence from his disability, but also gives him the freedom to get to know people, and for them to get to know him, without his looks dictating the direction of the relationship. As Rurouni Kenshin, he has control and does not have to let the judgments of others, nor his disability, determine his life. Similarly, Young Ki-Jang has greater freedom in his life as his avatar, Knight Lummis. When he assumes the life of his online character, he is in control of his destiny – “the path forward is up to [him]” (Cooper). He is not held back by his socioeconomic background or his education or the status of his parents, but rather is at the steering wheel of a life he created. The freedom that Young Ki-Jang experiences when playing with his avatar truly embodies that of self-determination – if he works hard and plays well, he will undoubtedly succeed, something that is not guaranteed in the “real world.” Online living grants him complete freedom from constraints that hold him back in the real world.

Thou Shall Not Cheat

This has a very different meaning in our society where the lines between virtual and reality are screwed. The article “Is a virtual affair real-world infidelity?” brought about an intriguing class debate about cyber sex. I agree with most of the class that this kinky virtual sex is weird. I personally can not understand how a person would consider this entertainment but this isn’t a debate about hobbies. The issue involves the reaction to cyber sex. If your spouse was engaging in cyber sex, how would that make you feel? First, I would think my significant other was very strange and I would probably have to reconsider the relationship. Regarding the issue of cheating, I would say yes. It is cheating if this cyber sex enthusiast is engaging in real intimate, sexual, personal, and emotional feelings with someone else. Engaging in any exchange of intimate and romantic feelings with someone other than your significant other is cheating. You are betraying the trust of your loved one. If anything, this type of engagement should show they cyber sex enthusiast that the person they are with is not fulfilling their needs thus they should terminate the relationship. I would normally agree that the virtual world is not a real place but if these interactions are actually producing real emotions then one must consider the effects of the virtual relationships in the real world. In conclusion, I do not consider the virtual world as reality. Those who do engage in the virtual in ways that induce intense emotions are, I hope, in a rare bred. When cyber sex is inducing romantic emotions it is cheating, plain and simple. An individual must decide whether this characteristic in a person is something they can tolerate.

The Fear of False Identity

One aspect that I have noticed about society is the fear of false identity. In the 19th century, there existed a fear of false identity (I am taking a English course called 19th Century Crime Literature). This was due to the fact that there was not a way to identify a person unless you knew them. Identification cards and social security numbers did not exist. This also had economic issues. Checks were written on the basis of the notoriety of the person or the person’s name. Now, we have identification cards, social security numbers, passports, authorizations, background checks etc. to differentiate people from each other. We have secured many ways of our lives from locks on our doors to bank accounts. Identity theft is a crime that many have been prosecuted for. I find that people are uncomfortable for virtual world interactions because the identity of a person can be altered. I, Kristina Griffin, 22 year old female from San Diego, CA can easily become Jerry Mathias 64 year old male from Columbus, OH. As in the 19th Century, people are uncomfortable with the unknown identities of people. This is why I believe people are afraid of virtual tools like SecondLife but not afraid of Facebook. In SecondLife, profiles can be completely fabricated. Facebook profiles are supposed to an accurate representation of the users. In class discussions, many have assumed those participating in virtual worlds such as SecondLife are freaks. In some instances, I would agree but definitely not in all. I believe the root cause for this resistance is society’s fear of false identities.

Freedom in the Virtual World

The discussions regarding the avatars in Alter Ego had a common thread of freedom. Remember, however, that positive freedom and negative freedom do exist. Freedom, as means of freedom of constraints, is understood in these situations. Online characters and avatars allow the owners to pursue anything that is possible in the virtual world. These actions include cyber sex, flying, interacting, and creating. These actions may not be possible for people in the real world. As it was said in class, the virtual would is makes things possible for the disabled in the real world. Those who are physically disabled in the real world are able to fly in the virtual. Those who have social disability can achieve equality in the virtual world. Does the virtual world provide a freedom as growth? The video shown about how many hours a day can be spent playing these games online may disprove freedom as growth. If this interaction with these games hinders this person’s interactions in the real world then freedom as growth is not achieved. However, some gamers are using these games in a way that can be freedom as growth. Lucy Winkett, a precentor, uses her avatar to spread the word of God. This is means, in a free culture, of distribution. Does freedom exist in the virtual world? Yes, its does and gamers have reaped the benefits of the freedom. Too much of a good thing can become a problem. Extreme cases should not generalize for the group. Freedom in the virtual world is possible and should be seen as positive for those who engage in it safely.

Freedom in the Virtual World

The discussions regarding the avatars in Alter Ego had a common thread of freedom. Remember, however, that positive freedom and negative freedom do exist. Freedom, as means of freedom of constraints, is understood in these situations. Online characters and avatars allow the owners to pursue anything that is possible in the virtual world. These actions include cyber sex, flying, interacting, and creating. These actions may not be possible for people in the real world. As it was said in class, the virtual would is makes things possible for the disabled in the real world. Those who are physically disabled in the real world are able to fly in the virtual. Those who have social disability can achieve equality in the virtual world. Does the virtual world provide a freedom as growth? The video shown about how many hours a day can be spent playing these games online may disprove freedom as growth. If this interaction with these games hinders this person’s interactions in the real world then freedom as growth is not achieved. However, some gamers are using these games in a way that can be freedom as growth. Lucy Winkett, a precentor, uses her avatar to spread the word of God. This is means, in a free culture, of distribution. Does freedom exist in the virtual world? Yes, its does and gamers have reaped the benefits of the freedom. Too much of a good thing can become a problem. Extreme cases should not generalize for the group. Freedom in the virtual world is possible and should be seen as positive for those who engage in it safely.

Freedom in the Virtual World

The discussions regarding the avatars in Alter Ego had a common thread of freedom. Remember, however, that positive freedom and negative freedom do exist. Freedom, as means of freedom of constraints, is understood in these situations. Online characters and avatars allow the owners to pursue anything that is possible in the virtual world. These actions include cyber sex, flying, interacting, and creating. These actions may not be possible for people in the real world. As it was said in class, the virtual would is makes things possible for the disabled in the real world. Those who are physically disabled in the real world are able to fly in the virtual. Those who have social disability can achieve equality in the virtual world. Does the virtual world provide a freedom as growth? The video shown about how many hours a day can be spent playing these games online may disprove freedom as growth. If this interaction with these games hinders this person’s interactions in the real world then freedom as growth is not achieved. However, some gamers are using these games in a way that can be freedom as growth. Lucy Winkett, a precentor, uses her avatar to spread the word of God. This is means, in a free culture, of distribution. Does freedom exist in the virtual world? Yes, its does and gamers have reaped the benefits of the freedom. Too much of a good thing can become a problem. Extreme cases should not generalize for the group. Freedom in the virtual world is possible and should be seen as positive for those who engage in it safely.

Consumer Panopticon

In one of the readings we did for Hull, he talked about this idea of target advertising. The idea is that companies could watch what you buy and target you by sending you mail and advertisements for upcoming sales. This idea seems great but it has its disadvantages. First off I like the idea of a company getting involved with an interested costumer. Through this companies could see who is interested in their products and target those individuals. Everyone knows how annoying it can become when you get mail and junk from companies and stores that you have no interest in. So here the main customers would have the advantage in what the store or company was trying to sell. The disadvantage is the main idea of privacy. I myself wouldn’t want someone looking over my back looking at everything I buy, not that I have anything to hide with my purchases. But it’s just this idea of having privacy and buying what you want, when you want. If I buy a couple of things from one company, it doesn’t mean that I want to be on their most frequent shoppers list. People just want the freedom to buy what they want when they want or need it. If this idea of target advertising could be revised I would much rather consider it, but it just seems like all the privacy that exists is thrown out and companies are choosing what to buy for you.

LARP vs. Virtual World

Today we talked about two different ideas of becoming other than yourself. The first kind we talked was called LARP. This stands for live action role play. The other idea was the virtual world which includes computer games such as World of World craft and Second Life. The many difference between the two ideas of becoming somebody else is physical interaction. In Larping people get together and create clans and kingdoms that they defend against another group. They get together on weekdays and weekends to practice and assign roles for the battle that is ahead in the future. But not only do they concentrate on the game but they built friendships and relationships that are real. In the virtual world you don’t get this interaction. You get a virtual character and you can battle or meet other people’s virtual characters. And most people create a character that is nothing like themselves, so are you really “meeting” people in the virtual world? Or are you meeting this person that really doesn’t exist? It seems like from our readings that people use this to make up a fantasy and to escape the reality of life. On the other side, yes, people are becoming something else, but you’re getting to interact in the real world which makes the situation so much more different. It seems so much healthier to be outside meeting others through a common interest, instead of sitting inside and meeting fake and virtual people 50 hours out of the week.

Jason Rowe

One of the saddest stories to me is the creator of the avatar Rurouni Kenshin. Jason Rowe is a disabled, and feels that he has to socialize through a virtual world called Star Wars Galaxies. One of the reasons he enjoys playing is because people see him for who he is and not what he looks like, “The internet eliminates how you look in real life, so you get to know a person by their mind and personality.” He has this idea that people wouldn’t like him for who he is if he were out in the real world trying to make friends. He spends an average of 80 hours a week playing as his avatar in this virtual world. Some people might find his disability an excuse for him to play, but for some reason I just don’t see the point. I understand that a lot of people would judge him for what he looks like, but why not give it a shot and try to meet someone face to face. I find it unhealthy that he keeps himself locked up inside playing in this fantasy world. Yes, he is getting to live a life that he wouldn’t get to live, but it’s not real. So the question is what is the reward? I feel that the virtual has no meaning and is a meaningless black hole that sucks people’s life away. The virtual world just seems to be a place for people to escape to, because they can’t deal with the reality of life.

Privacy and Advertisements

I would like to discuss the way in which I believe that some forms of technology have so completely invaded our privacy that in the process, they have taken away our freedom. The type of technology that I am mostly referring to is the billboards that can determine what kinds of products you are interested in and then advertise them to you by speaking in your head. As crazy as it seems, technology has allowed a billboard, a seemingly inanimate object, to read someone's mind and then speak to them in a way that no one else can hear. Though this can be viewed by some as the "next generation of advertising," to me it is just a horrible invasion of privacy and one that threatens our freedom. There are so many ways these days in which our freedom is limited in the name of national security or protection in some form, all of which I completely support - but to invade someone's personal thoughts in the name of advertising is the Consumer Panopticon gone too far. There are times where our privacy has to be invaded in the name of a bigger good, but this is not one of those situations. Our minds are the only place in which we have ultimate privacy and the ability to think whatever we want without the opinions or judgments of others, and these thoughts should not be invaded and then used to the advantage of someone else. While talking about Lessig in class, we discussed the question, "Are we free only insofar as the technology that exists is imperfect enough that we don't have to worry about people observing us all the time?" If this is what freedom is, then not only has our privacy been taken from us, but also our freedom.