Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds can be called a haven for some as it is a place people go to escape from reality.  However, these virtual worlds today are being used for more complex and helpful situations.  As explained in Nicole Saidi's CNN article entitled, "'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction", these virtual worlds are being used to serve people with autism spectrum disorders.  It is with these virtual world that allows people to "create a "comfort zone" that can coax users out of their shells and get them communicating with others" which helps better improve their social and communication skills.  With these virtual worlds, people are able to be themselves without the negative thoughts of being criticized as they are under an alias and only shown an avatar.  However, there are some negativity with this as people are not always what they seem online.  For example, there can be instances of cyber bullying in these virtual worlds and people can get away with this as they are hidden behind an alias and avatar.  Although virtual worlds can benefit people who are socially isolated, they can also be targeted as a result of this.

Another use of virtual worlds can be applied in the business world.  Instead of meeting up in person, business partners are able to meet up in virtual world to discuss and exchange files and documents.  This is exemplified in Mark Tutton's CNN article entitled, "Going to the virtual office in Second Life".  More companies are using the same virtual world technology, but have extra security.  This would help employees to meet up easily as they do not have to be in the same room or even the same country.  However, Tutton mentions some negative drawbacks to this such as isolation caused by lack of human contact as well as not being able to "take advantage of the kind of impromptu "water cooler" conversations that occur in a real workplace, where colleagues can share information they may have forgotten to communicate in meetings."  This can cause people's lives to become more "scripted" as they are able to prepare for in advance instead of thinking up topics on the spot.

Virtual worlds foster creativity as it allows people to come up with an alter-ego who they can relate to.  With virtual worlds such as Second Life, people are able to live the life they come up and create.  These "second life" they have can be the total opposite of their reality which is not necessarily a bad thing.  The future of these virtual world looks to be very promising as many video games can be thought up as a virtual world.  Maybe in a few years or so, we may be able to live out our virtual world in holographic forms as something seen from a Matrix movie.