Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds allow people to create a virtual image of themselves and create communities with others with an endless array of possibilities. In Saidi's article, we see how a group of autistic individuals use Second Life to communicate and learn more about their conditions.  This use can also be used for other conditions such as serious health conditions or mental health issues. The virtual world will allow the people to remain in their home where they feel safe but also have a safe space to talk to others.  The virtual world adds something that chat rooms don't which is a  visual representation of other users. The virtual worlds allow users to be creative and create a version of themselves that they may not be able to show in their real life. In Ferla's article we see how virtual worlds allow users to don their characters in the designer fashion they wouldn't be able to afford in real life.  The negatives that virtual worlds may have is that it still allows users to be anonymous which causes some users to feel more comfortable saying harmful and negative things towards others. I believe that virtual worlds will constantly be evolving in the future with the improvement in technology and graphics and this will cause their popularity to soar.

Ferla, Ruth La. “No Budget, No Boundaries: It's the Real You.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Oct. 2009, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html.

Saidi, Nicole. “IReport: 'Naughty Auties' Battle Autism with Virtual Interaction.” CNN, Cable News Network, 28 Mar. 2008, http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/sl.autism.irpt/index.html#cnnSTCText.