Seminar 4/17

It is definitely interesting to hear different people's takes on what reality-esque games represent. Everybody talked about how these programs are a good way for you to communicate and I do agree, but people only really allow themselves to simply communicate when they don't get too involved in the games. People who make characters in Second Life or a profile on Myspace usually take to heart the character/profile that they are creating, because they either want to represent accurately who they are, but more than likely they represent who they want to be. Someone who may be considered "uncool" in real life is going to go on "cool" people's Myspaces and see what makes them the way they are. Being online makes it too easy to be who you want to be and not who you really are. If you can go online and just create who you want to be you get this false sense of fulfillment. For example, if you are unhappy with your body you can just go on Second Life and create some random beautiful person that you wished that you looked like. Why go to the gym and work out to feel better about yourself when you can just go on Second Life, already have the physical features that you desire and get hit on? The internet can only offer momentary feelings of satisfaction, but at the end of the day you're going to have to step outside and realize that real life is harder and more complicated than just "writing yourself into being." In the end, these tools such as Second Life maybe helpful, but they will only be helpful if you use them appropriately. Human interaction is more and always will be more natural than going online and posting on someone's wall. You can live without participating on the internet, but you can't live without participating in the outside world.