Virtual Worlds

        Virtual world provides a 3-D environmental world on internet, also called as "Second Life". There are many different ways these virtual worlds can be used, whether or not it has postive or negative affects to society are hard to determine. Virtual worlds can be used in education, according to the article "After Second Life, can Virtual Worlds Get a Reboot" shows that more than half of the 200 million accounts are children between age 5-15, it provides a platform for kids to exercise imagination and create things. Virtual worlds can fit in to business, "At Hearing, Virtual and Real world Collides", business members can broadcast simitaneously on company's own virtual world, it is useful for conference and share ideas. Virtual worlds also can be create for psychology purpose, such as a way to heal soldier's mental stage and mindfulness-based stress reduction. In the article "In room 100, it's Sid and Nancy All over again", virtual world is not just about what's currently happen or future development, but also a way to emphasize and real view of the past. The negative side of the virtual world is that there's no rules in the Second life, so people whom join the virtual world might stuck in a unreal world, and becomes neglect to the real world. Virtual world creates a sense of "be alone together" might actually caused people to think they are isolate from real life. Since there's no rules in Vitrual worlds, anything could have happen and encourage users to foster creativity. I played "SIM" few agos, it's a Second life game that needs users to create a character and city. In my opinion, this game is not just about entertainment, but also to improve your creativity. You have to imagine what a city looks like and build the city out from your mind. I believe in the future of virtual worlds, more connection will be add to minimize the gap between real world and virtual world, and virtual worlds can be use to strengh one's ability or treat for psychology disorders like soldiers and pilots.


1. Mehta, Diane. “After Second Life, Can Virtual Worlds Get a Reboot?” Forbes.com. Forbes, April 30 2013. Web. March 23 2015.
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/dianemehta/2013/04/30/after-second-life-can-virtual-worlds-get-a-reboot/

2. Mike, Musgrove. "At Hearing, Virtual and Real World collides." The Washington Post, April 02 2008. Web. March 23 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/04/01/ST2008040103032.html

3. Saki, Knafo. "In Room 100, It's Sid and Nancy All over again." The New York Times. May 01 2009. Web. March 23 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/nyregion/thecity/03virt.html?_r=0