by Julianna Gwiszcz

Created on: April 25, 2008

Let's face it. We have moved into an electronic generation where virtual reality is quickly taking a front seat in the lives of many, young and old. Video and computer games dominate homes, practically being used by some parents to raise their children. These games are becoming more and more advanced, to the point where there appears to be a blurring between the real and virtual worlds. Companies attempt to bypass the parental units, now marketing directly to our impressionable youth despite claims of their games' harmful effects. Thus the debate over the role of video games and virtual worlds in destroying the minds and morals of our young is growing hotter.

One of the latest virtual reality phenomena is the Internet based Second Life. As to be expected, critics of the trend of digitizing society have posed a host of negative attacks against Second Life. They view SL as a threat to the social cohesion of society as it slowly numbs the minds of its users and isolates them from the outside world. These same conservatives consider SL dehumanizing and a waste of time for it seeks to replace one's service to society with an obsessive addiction to a simulated avatar existence.

Despite the above harsh attacks, there are still thousands of individuals across the world who swear by the power and rewarding nature of Second Life. Proponents of the virtual world point out a dearth of opportunities made possible through SL that may not otherwise present themselves for certain individuals. Some positive aspects of SL include one's ability to assume the persona of anyone they would like. Through an avatar, a person can virtually alter their physicality, personality, talents and capabilities. This is one of the primary features that draw new users into SL. There exists a freedom to be who you want to be without fear of judgment, shame, or rejection.

Another popular component of Second Life is one's exposure to diverse locations, settings, and environments. People are able to travel across the globe in a matter of hours through their avatars. Different environments range in definition and complexity. The best part is avatars are able to perform both human and super-human activities such as flying or seeing through solid objects, etc. This gives users a sense of power and control that they might never know in their mundane or oppressed and meager lives.

While I had originally considered myself a moderate critic of Second Life and other time-consuming video games and digital systems,

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