2nd life? Or the lack there of.

I attended the presentation on second life, and most of what I would say about it would generally be very negative. BUT of the sake of thinking outside the box and trying to get away from my own bias I am going to attempt a paragraph or two of positive things. However, I will be voicing my concerns later in this blog.

Second life seems like a great way for many cultures (provided they have computers) to mingle in a common area and learn from each other. I like how using this program would allow several people from all over the world to share ideas or work on a common project. It eliminates the need for people to be in the same room together to have "live" (i use the term loosely) interactions. It would also provide a sort of amenity, and maybe create an environment where ideas could be shared more openly since it would not be a face to face situation.

Educationally, I think virtual field trips would be a great way for students to learn, especially about the Internet and its capabilities. Children should be provided with a safe place in the Internet where they can interact with each other without the age division that usually happens in schools (i.e. freshman are not cool enough to hang out with upper class men). I see possibilities for kids to explore art, music, culture, design, computer graphics, and much more in a safe school environment where the teacher could provide a watchful eye on what they were doing, not from the computer program but from walking around the room and allowing the students to be in control. I think it would be a great place for interaction between schools in different countries, imagine a USA high school Spanish class taking a virtual field trip with a Spanish high school's English class. Certain trips could be strictly Spanish speaking and others strictly English, children would be allowed to learn from their peers in another country rather than an old woman in the front of the classroom yelling at them the correct way to say "elephant."

HOWEVER, I do believe this technology has some downfalls. I see this technology as a way for people to live in a fantasy world, one where they get to look the way they want, live where and how they want, and basically have no reason to ever want to enter the world outside of computers. I don't see this program/game/ whatever it is bringing out the best in people. Instead I see it creating a large group of people afraid of live social interaction with very few social skills, not to mention very out of shape and unhealthy. Lets face it even though you may workout in the virtual world your really tush is still going to be fat. Humans need interaction, biologically we are a social species and this technology does not support that fundamental need. Ignoring this, will only lead to higher depression rates and more people on prescription drugs, and I am pretty sure that the "virtual sex" the guy mentioned isn't going to cut it. Although maybe that's a way to sell this "2nd life"... "Can't get laid in the real world? Try virtual dating!" But seriously, I think the message this program send is not a good one. I guess during the presentation the country song "I'm SO much cooler online" kept running through my head. In the end I find the "world" a way of escaping the real world in an attempt to be something we are not, and that is not a good reason to create a "2nd life."