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Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds are changing the technology environment at a rapid rate. Our reality is also being shaped by the use of virtual worlds. Virtual worlds can be used as classrooms, conference facilities, field trips, gaming, exploration hubs, etc. There are many pros and cons to this. The pros are that they make life so much more convenient. In the article "I've Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life", Dave Itzkoff talks about his experience of going to a music club to listen to a band and not being able to stay because of the amount of people and the smell inside the club. So he went home, turned on his computer and went to the same club, but this time virtually. Talk about convenience! Here, Dave was able to enjoy through a virtual world. Now although this is a pro, this can also be seen as a con. The con is that he loses real-life interactions with human beings. It no longer feels real anymore. And personally, I would probably go insane with no human interactions.  Another con about virtual worlds is the effect it has on human behavior. In the article "Virtual World may impact real-world behaviors" the author talks about how users are more likely to portray the behavior of the avatar they are playing. So if they are playing a villain, those types of behaviors naturally just get caught on by the user. This isn't a safe sign for one's personal development.

A way that that virtual worlds foster creativity is through the various capacities it is able to be used through. For example, virtual classrooms are starting to become popular. Students are able to have interactive learning experiences which get and keep their attention. We are living in a technology age, so virtual worlds are catering to that. The future of the virtual worlds seems to be endless. I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see virtual universities/colleges where students can attend. Although this seems nearly impossible, the way technology is advancing today, it is a possibility.


1. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/arts/television/06itzk.html

2. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxiYXJ1Y2huZXdtZWRpYXxneDoyOWIwYjc5ZTNlZjBhMTU4

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