Topic One: Overview & Second Life

Lecture

Steven Stockwell introduced us to the subject in the first lecture. He covered the course outline and other information important to the course. The start of the class was very basic but the second half of the class was the most entertaining and thought provoking. There was a screening of a Four Corners feature story named “You only live twice” on the gaming phenomenon Second Life. Second Life is a game where the gamer is able to interact with people all over the world by using a personalised character and inserting this character into simulated environments and engaging in acts with other users of the game. The game is not ruled by ethics instead it revolves around impulse and desire.

Tutorial

Our first tutorial allowed us to discuss the impacts from a game such as “Second Life”. It was very interested to see how many people escape into this artificial world. There were a few major points raised about the reason behind so many people being interested in escaping into this artificial world created in “Second Life”. I believe that the main selling point behind the game is that one can escape their reality and live an idealistic life controlled by their desires instead of their responsibilities towards society. Their animated character, or Avatar, as they are known enables the gamer to represent themselves in a glamorised or idealised version of themselves which in turn allows the gamer to not be restricted by the confines of reality. The gamer is able to live a ‘life’ that they wouldn’t necessarily be able to live in the real world. Their actions are uninhibited and their actions have no real world consequences. This technology is seen by some as being able to connect people but in my opinion it disconnects people from the outside world. The gamer doesn’t understand accountability and loses touch with reality by living a simulated life instead of a personal and interactive life in the real world.