Comprehensive Essay

Griffith University - Gold Coast


STUDENT NAME: Julie Hanna

STUDENT ID: 2677108

COURSE NAME: New Communication Technologies

COURSE CODE: 1501

COURSE CONVENOR: Adam Muir

ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: Friday 30th May, 2008

ASSIGNMENT DUE TIME: 5.00 pm

DAY & TIME OF TUTORIAL: Monday 9.00 – 11.00 am

TUTOR’S NAME: Adam Muir





There are many reasons why people find participation in a virtual world attractive. There is a sense of community created and connections between people can be formed without the barriers of gender, age, and attractiveness being prohibitive. If “some people feel more comfortable participating in virtual worlds than in the real world” (Rheingold 1993a, p 3). it is important to discuss the reasons why and to examine the positive and negative impacts on that individuals real life. The effects of participation in virtual reality can be explored in community, identity and relationships. These topics will be discussed by means of a general definition followed by some analysis of particular skills practiced in Second Life.

A need to feel a sense of belonging to a group of people is a strong motivator for participation in virtual worlds. Hamman describes a community as a group of “people who share interaction and some common ties between themselves and other members of a group, and who share an area for at least some of the time” (See Appendix 1). Studies indicate that our contemporary cities and suburbs are no longer experiencing the sense of community that was enjoyed in the past. (Foster 1990; Sennet, 1973 as cited by Hamman 1997, p 2). Meanwhile Rheingold says that virtual groups of people are “in part a response to hunger for community that has followed disintegration of traditional communities around the world” (Rheingold 1993, as cited by Hamman 1997, p 2).The loss of community is one reason why people are seeking new ways to interact.

Some reasons for feeling more comfortable networking in a virtual world like Second Life, include the opportunity to participate in social interaction regardless of age, attractiveness, personality or geographical limitations. For example an eighty five year old woman may be able to freely converse and be accepted by a much younger audience (Rheingold 1993b, p 5). The successful interaction between unlikely groups’ reveals how easily connectedness can be established when there are no preconceived ideas of someone’s cultural value, otherwise known as Stigmatized ID (McKenna, Katelyn Y. A. and Bargh, John A. 1999a). Concealing one’s identity is a contributing factor to feeling at ease in a virtual space (Utz 2000, p 7). To take on a new persona can be a catalyst for shy people to rise above their problems and is seen as a type of protection from possible ridicule or social rejection.

One user describes the experience of participating in a virtual world as being “drawn into a bloodless technological ritual that is rich with vitality. This makes participation in it both attractive and addictive.” (Rheingold 1993, p 1). In-part the magnetism is due to the fact that most people work, subsist, are lonely, afraid, or simply feel that they are unattractive. The anonymity of Second Life is an invitation to be all that you want to be. “The roles you create give new identities, and the new identities affirm the reality of the scenario”. Rheingold further described it as a type of pretense that may include one or several different identities all existing simultaneously, and by their very existence you get the sense that you have contributed to the creation of a world. (Sarbin & Allan 1968, pp as cited in McKenna et al, 1999b).

There is some debate concerning the cause and effect relationship of the interaction between the virtual and real world. Sarbin and Allan suggested that by having multiple roles in the virtual world one’s ability to adjust to change and manage stress in the real world is increased, in contrast to someone who lives life with “all their eggs in one basket.” (Sarbin & Allan 1968, p , as cited in McKenna et al, 1999c). Rheingold challenged this by saying that the construction of an identity is built on past experiences of “safe places”, and is to a certain extent how we learn to define self. Rheingold raises the question that if “we define our sense of self by what we can control then the world of safe things becomes severely limited because things are not people.” (Rheingold 1993c, p 4).

The initial attraction to participate in Second Life as a way of being in control through a new persona may not contribute as strongly as first thought to the quality of one’s real life. On one hand the new identity and the ease of interaction builds trust in relationships, while on the other hand Rheingold warns that this perceived safety invites the possibility of unwanted impostors being able to access these exposed private details (Rheingold 1993d). Rheingold exposes further danger by giving an example of a young man that had no other source of social life than Second Life; he fell into deep depression when his access to the internet was cut off (Rheingold 1993e). It seems that the quality of his real life was not enhanced by his time spent in socially successful interaction in Second Life.

It is argued by Caplan that if the interpersonal skills practiced in Second Life are not transferred into real life then the user could be worse off. (Scott 2003,) Positively, McKenna states that once a participant has experienced a positive social interaction in Second Life they are encouraged to make it a reality. Furthermore, if these changes are accepted the participant would be likely to continue to gain confidence in public interactions that would assist in the development of relationships (McKenna et al 1999d) (Louis Leung 2002). This theory is hotly argued as examples such as those cited by Rheingold suggest that the transference of skills or benefits of improved self esteem are not necessarily successful.

Forming relationships is the central activity that takes place in virtual worlds such as Second Life. The formation of relationships is done so using representation rather than reality. “There is currently a debate in regards to forming relationships in cyberspace. Based on the fact that relationships on cyberspace are illusionary, one argument says that they are shallow and incapable of developing into intimate relationships (Beninger 1987, Berry, 1993; Heim, 1992; and Stoll, 1995 as cited by McKenna et al 1999e) Another argument is that it is more a case of substituting poor social relationships for better ones. (Kraut, Patterson, et al., 1998, p. 1029). Weissberg, Jackson and Shiver “includes multicultural awareness, making friends and developing positive relationships with peers of different genders, races and ethnic groups in the list of skills for social development” (Weissberg, R. P., A. S. Jackson, and T. P. Shiver. 1993, p 4). Participation in Second Life would appear to provide all of these opportunities. However, McKenna suggested that relying on chosen levels of disclosure could make it easier to interact and form friendships but these relationships would not necessarily be based on true facts. (McKenna 1999f). Many users confessed that the disclosures made to internet friends were more from an emotional and intimate perspective than factual. Because the information shared through virtual interactions may not be true, one is prevented from facing fears about self and the world (McKenna 1999g). These arguments challenge the notion that the relationship building that happens in cyber space positively contributes to personal growth in the real world.

Relationships signify association and realistically time spent online is time where there is no involvement in one’s material surroundings or real life relationship building. Cooper states “The connection to distance others is in itself a form of detachment”. (Cooper 2002). On one hand online interactions are fulfilling a sense of connectedness that is simultaneously causing detachment from localized real life relationships. As shown, participation in Second life provides a sense of community that brings people together that may or may not be healthy as it is illusionary. At the same time their involvement in substitute community is keeping them apart from real community (See Appendix 2).

In conclusion, Second Life has been shown to give any individual the opportunity to experience a sense of community, develop an identity through the practice of social skills with the possibility of improving relationships both online and in real life. However, the benefits may be limited to the virtual context and may interfere with positive relationship formation in the real world. It would appear to be the responsibility of the user to be aware of the condition of their community life and administer appropriate restraint when the use of the internet interferes with the ability to contribute in a wholesome way to their real life situations and relationships.



Appendix 1.

1.
94/94 (100%) agreed that a community consists of a group of people.
78% further agreed that social interaction and common ties between people in group are important defining aspects of community.
73% further agreed that having a shared area is important defining aspect of community. (Hillery, 1995, 118)

3.
In America, the proportion of alcoholic beverages consumed on premises has declined from about 90% in the late 1940’s to about 30% today.

(Oldenburg, 139) The number of church goers has also declined and research shows that this often occurs when other third places disappear.

Today people are staying home rather than visiting 3rd places- evidence seen in massive growth of home entertainment industry


Hamman, R. Introduction to Virtual Communities Research and Cybersociology Magazine Issue Two, p 3. Retrieved May 15, 2008, from
http://www.cybersociology.com/issue_2_virtual_communities/index.html



Appendix 2.
"In 30 days, there are 720 hours. How many hours would you say our first addict spent online in 30 days?" Landaret asked me. I figured that a truly obsessive user could devote about half that time to chatting online, given time for meals and normal sleep. "520 hours," he finally declared grimly.
"What is the maximum number of hours that a single person can spend in front of a terminal without leaving it to drink, eat, or sleep?" was Landaret's next question. I guessed a few hours, five or six maximum.
"The maximum we recorded was seventy-four. What do you think the maximum bill for a period of two months might be?" I guessed $1,000 or more. Landaret came back with another stunning figure--more than $25,000. (Rheingold 1993, p 5)

Results indicated that the higher the tendency of one being addicted to the Internet, the shyer the person is, the less faith the person has, the firmer belief the person holds in the irresistible power of others, and the higher trust the person places on chance in determining his or her own course of life. People who are addicted to the Internet make intense and frequent use of it both in terms of days per week and in length of each session. (Katherine Chak & Louis Leung 2004).


Bibliography


Caplan, S. E. (2003) Preference for Online Social Interaction: A theory for Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial well-Being. Communication Research, Vol. 30, No 6, 625-648 SAGE Publications.


Chak, K. Leung, L . Shyness and Locus of Control as Predictors of Internet Addiction and Internet Use: CyberPsychology & Behavior. October 1, 2004, 7(5): 559-570. doi:10.1089/cpb.2004.7.559.


Cooper, Wesley. (2002) Information Technology and Internet Culture.
The University of Alberta. Retrieved May 4, 2008 from http://www.brandeis.edu/pubs/jove/HTML/V6/iculture.html


Gauntlett D. Looking backwards, Looking Forward: Cyberculture Studies: 2000, 19 – 30. Originally published in Web.studies: RewiringMedia Studies for the Digital Age, Oxford University Press.


Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional intelligence. pp78 – 95, 261 – 287.
ED512 Value Issues and Moral Development, Supplementary Readings 2006


Hamman, R. Introduction to Virtual Communities Research and Cybersociology Magazine Issue Two. Retrieved May 15, 2008, from
http://www.cybersociology.com/issue_2_virtual_communities/index.html


http://www.cybersociology.com/files/2_5_austnet.html


Leung L. Loneliness, Self-Disclosure, and ICQ ("I Seek You") Use: CyberPsychology & Behavior. June 1, 2002, 5(3): 241-251. doi:10.1089/109493102760147240.


McKenna K. Y. A. Bargh J. A, 1994, ‘Causes and Consequences of Social Interaction on the Internet: A Conceptual Framework’. Media Psychology, Volume 1, Issue 3, pp 249 - 269. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s1532785xmep0103_4


Rheingold, Howard. (1993). The Virtual Community. New York, NY : Harper Perennial. Retrieved May 4, 2008 from http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/


Turkle, Sherry. (1995). Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet. New York; Simon & Schuster Trade.


Utz, S. (2000). Social information processing in MUDs: The development of friendships in virtual worlds. Journal of Online Behavior, 1 (1). Retrieved May 4, 2008 from the world wide web: /JOB/v1n1.utz.html


White, B. A. (2008). Second Life: A Guide to Your Virtual World, Indianapolis, Ind: Que Publications.


Resource centre for Cyberculture Studies
http://rccs.usfca.edu/default.asp

Week 6 with MummaJules

This week we have been introduced to 'wikipedia' and encouraged to acknowledge it, not as an academic source, but as background information that could possibly inspire us with a topic for our up-coming essay. In class we have been made aware of the good, bad and ugly of wikipedia but for our blog this week we have been asked to have a look at some articles, answer some questions and share them with you, the reader.

I live on the Gold Coast Australia and have grown up surfing with my family. I then married a surfer and so our family spent many school holidays and weekends surfing along the east coast of Australia so I chose for my first topic 'Surfing' and this was the link that I followed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_culture

It surprised me how much information was on this site. It took me from simple definitions, to the history of surfing and associated themes of surfing. There are articles explaining how swell is generated, pressure systems and how they affect the swell, topography of the seabed, contours of reef and sand banks and even forcasting. Other topics include surf fashion, music, literature, films, jargon and more. There were big lists of films, documentaries, tv series, commercials, and surf music was even broken down into categories of rock, pop, and instrumental. Events and Festivals come under another subheading, as does Surfing Organisations. Branching out from there was another subheading called "spin-offs" This talks about board sports, branding and multimedia. Each of these topics include many, many links to all kinds of things to do with the surfing culture.

Way more information than I was looking for, but the article appears to be accurate and covers most of the basic facts that I need to understand the topic. I consider that the article follows guidelines for useful articles? The article speaks about some of the not so glamorous sides of surfing by sharing information about territorialism and gangs expressed between local and non-local groups. I have experienced this myself and know it to be true so I would suggest that the article is fair and does not show a bias towards a particular side. Interestingly, I have been unable to find a site that will give any instruction on "How to Surf" which is what I really wanted to find. If you can find one, let me know.

Take a break, go have a coffee or better still a big drink of water and come back. I'll be back with another topic shortly.


Okay I am back with another article to look at and consider. For a number of years when my children were younger I was a designer and manufacturer of swimwear. I specialised in the competive field and provided custom designs for swimm clubs and surf clubs. In addition to this I had a retail store and produced fashion swimwear. I thought that I would check out this article and see what it had to say.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_design

Again the information I felt was quite helpful. It including a table of definitions and terms related to the industry, so if I had no prior knowledge I would certainly gain some understanding of the different aspects of fashion and and it accurately describes the uniqueness of each job: for example, a designer may conceptualize the design but have no experience in any other part of the process of manufacturing. The article not only describes design and the types of fashion from a world wide point of view, it also informs the reader of some of the business side of fashion. From my own experience the article appears to be both factual and useful for someone wanting to research the topic.

Until next time ...

Week 5 with MummaJules

How does WB work apply to contemporary media?

Walter Benjamin suggests that ‘reproduction lacks the unique existence at the place where it happened, therefore robbing art of its history’ but is the origin of art in the mind of the creator or in the actual production or form? Although we recognize that without the form it would never become public, it seems that the evolution of media and art is something that cannot be stopped. As long as man exists the continual development of expression and imagination will be an ongoing process. History would indicate that as human beings, there will always be the debate between the comfort of what we have come to know and experience, as being the only authentic expression while the pursuit of new ways is resisted, and seen as a threat to what once was. Is the beauty of one piece of art diminished by an additional concept expressed by another? Is it possible to appreciate each for its own uniqueness and gift? - One of the opening quotes in the article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” by Paul Valery says, “In all the arts there is a physical component which can no longer be considered or treated as it used to be, which cannot remain unaffected by our modern knowledge and power. For the last twenty years neither matter nor space nor time has been what it was from time immemorial. We must expect great innovations to transform the entire technique of the arts, thereby affecting artistic invention itself and perhaps even bringing about an amazing change in our very notion of art.”Paul Valéry, Pièces sur L’Art, 1931Le Conquete de l’ubiquite

When Walter Benjamin speaks about the aura of the work of art, he says “what is jeopardized when historical testimony is affected, is the authority of the object”, “mechanical reproduction may not touch the actual work of art yet quality of its presence is always depreciated,” “in permitting the reproduction to meet the beholder or listener in his own particular situation, it re-activates the object reproduced.” My father was a school teacher for many years and taught about San Marco Square in Venice Italy to his year 7 students, but when he stood in that place he could not stop the tears from running down his face because he never dreamed of being there and experiencing the beauty and the history for himself. Perhaps it was the reproduced images that fed my dad’s knowledge, that created such a heightened experience for him that day. Perhaps is some ways the AURA can be enhanced by some forms of reproduction.

Another quote in chapter 3 "the adjustment of reality to the masses and of the masses to reality is a process of unlimited scope, as much for thinking as for perception" brings a challenge to our society in that there seems to be less and less control over the impact that these developments are having on our sociey. We are dependent on the free choice of the individual to either contribute in a positive or a negative way.

I agree with the concepts introduced by Walter Benjamin in chapter 15 in talking about participation and film, where he states that “the masses seek distraction whereas art demands concentration from the spectator.” The intensity of our lifestyles is wearing people out to the point where they cannot think, do not want to think, and just want a break from the worries that consume them. We then become drawn to things that require no attention and allow us to be absent minded but would we be better to re-evaluate the quality of our lives and take responsibility for what drives us to have such a response, rather than criticise the medium that produces the escape.

For more details read the full article through this link:
Walter Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Some side issues to consider...

Digital media has opened the door to a whole new range of talents with varied expressions of 'art'. I am unable to stand in front of an amazing original painting and not be mesmerissed by the intricate skill that has manifest itself in such a beautiful way and hold the artist in such high regard but I am equally in awe of the professional and skilled contribution that a person through video or music can make to the viewer or receiver. I do not believe that ANYONE can create these things but that it still requires an artist's approach in order to be significant and have an impact.

Is a photoshopped image authentic? My daughter just got married a few weeks ago and the photographer is a true artist, prefering to take images as they happen and capture the event rather than stage it, but also in his reproduction he is able to through the means of modern technology offer each print to us in either black & white or colour, leaving the window open for us to consider which best captures the moment and event or is simply a preference of taste. In this instance photoshop has allowed the viewer to measure the artistic value. To be able to crop an image or capture the light more fully I don't believe has changed the authenticity of the day as I recall it.

Week 4 with Mumma Jules

Well I am really being stretched to search the internet in different ways and access information that I know nothing about and now report it to you, so ENJOY!


1. Who was the creator of the infamous “lovebug” computer virus?

It is suggested on the following links, that the beginning of the virus code Signatures in the LoveBug virus source code indicates a possible origin, and through the archives of these anonymous emails, authorities were able to locate the alleged author of the Lovebug virus - Onel de Guzman
http://computerbytesman.com/lovebug/index.htm http://edition.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/05/04/iloveyou/index.html


2. Who invented the Paper Clip?

http://www.officemuseum.com/paper_clips.htm
It seems that there was some resistance to the development of the paper clip because at the time the business world thought that straight pins did the job adequately. The first patent for the bent-wire paper clip was registered by Samuel B. Fay in 1867 but it took a few more decades, before the paper clip really became well known and well used. By the late 1890’s and 1900’s many other patents followed and a number of different styles were introduced. Another reason for the delay was the need to develop a machine that would reliably bend and produce the clips
A quote from (Henry Petroski, "From Pins to Paper Clips," The Evolution of Useful Things, Vintage, New York, 1992, p. 60) explains why paper clips weren’t marketed earlier.
“According to Petroski, "Steel wire was still new in the second half of the nineteenth century....The widespread manufacture and use of the paper clip had to await not only the availability of the right wire but also the existence of machinery capable of tirelessly and reliably bending it in a flash into things that could be bought for pennies a box."
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/paperclip.htm
This site from another search engine, led me to a table showing the dates and developments which is interesting.

3. How did the Ebola virus get its name?

http://www.geocities.com/mockturtl/variations.html

Simply put the Ebola owes its name to the fact that it was discovered in Zaire near the river Ebola
-- The disease is caused by infection with Ebola virus, named after a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in Africa, where it was first recognised.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL06277921

4. What country had the largest recorded earthquake?

On May 22, 1960 at 19:11:14 UTC, with the epicenter in Valdivia, about 700 kilometers south of Santiago, Chile the world's largest recorded earthquake struck since measurements began in 1899, the Great Chilean Earthquake.
Over 2,000 people were killed, 3,000 injured, 2,000,000 homeless, and $550 million damage in southern Chile.
The tsunami that followed caused 61 deaths, $75 million damage in Hawaii; 138 deaths and $50 million damage in Japan; 32 dead and missing in the Philippines; and $500,000 damage to the west coast of the United States.
The magnitude: an Earth shaking 9.5 on the Richter Scale.
http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/largest7.html
How cool is this website name!

5. In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?

This was a great site that showed tables and byte converters that revealed the answer to be 1,073,741,824, but have a look at the webpage, you may learn more than you need.
http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/calculate/


6. Who is the creator of email?

http://www.multicians.org/thvv/mail-history.html

This article suggests that email was "not invented but evolved from simple beginnings", similar to leaving a note on someones desk. It began with having one computer with various users. But once networking developed there needed to be a more complex system that involved addresses just like the postal system. Ray Tomlinson is given the credit for inventing email in 1972. He picked the @ symbol to indicate sending a message from one computer to another. Simply combining the nomination of the name of the user @ the name of the computer.

7. What is storm worm and how many computers are affected by it?

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/storm.asp

It is NASTY!!!!! is spread as an attachment to e-mail messages through various subject lines like "230 dead as storm batters Europe" or something that appears to be sweet "You've received an e-card from an admirer" and installs a Trojan Horse onto the recipients computer.
This article goes on to say that hundreds or thousands of computers can request files simultaneously and has been known to bring the whole country of Estonia down last year so those that are affected by it are world wide and can be dense in the number of shut down's.

HOW ARE YOU GOING? DON'T SWITCH OFF YET, THERE IS JUST A FEW MORE.

8. If you wanted to contact the Prime Minister of Australia directly, what is the most efficient way?

This link will take you directly to the prime ministers web page and contact details. Although contact details are offered, the site stresses the lack of security via the internet and email and suggests that if your message is sensitive to use the postal address provided.

http://www.pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm

9. Which Brisbane-based punk band is Stephen Stockwell (Head of the School of Arts) a member of?

Some interesting reading but 'Who would have thought????????'

http://users.bigpond.net.au/blackassassins/index.html

10. What does the term "Web 2.0" mean in your own words?

Web 2.0 has moved from the foundations of Web 1.0 that allowed users to simply view and download content, to introducing opportunities for the average person to contribute to the content. It is suggested that blogging for example, and free web services like wikipedia take the control away from a select few and allow free speech to be excercised in a whole new way. Not everybody is happy about this progression. I wonder what Web 3.0 will introduce?

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci1169528,00.html

Week 3 with MummaJules - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm growing into it!

Welcome to the thoughts of Mummajules!

This week I have been asked to reflect on my own experiences with communication technologies and how I use them.

Before participating in this class I have not been a real big fan of these modern technologies. One reason I guess, is that my life has been so busy from a practical and needs based perspective (see personal profile), that I have not had the free time to explore these new mediums. If I needed to talk to someone I would just ring them up and get the job done so that I could move on to the next thing. And if it is for social reasons, I would rather meet up with a friend to enjoy their company, and share some time together.

Another reason is that I get frustrated with technology. It is great when it works and really annoying when it doesn't. In a way you have become dependent on it in that it has become your mode of interaction and then when it lets you down, you have nothing else to fall back on. If the net is down, it is down....... and know matter how much you want to type that note, speak to that person, complete that assignment, there is nothing you can do - for the moment. Grrrrr!!!!! I have a saying with my husband Trev, "I dont want to know how it works, I just want it to do the job" Quite ironic, now that I am taking this course, and need to understand the nitty gritty of the workings and functions of New Communication Technology. Life has a way of bringing you around doesn't it?

Email has been the starting point of new communication technologies for me and was originally used more for business back in the 90's, than for personal use. While running a business which designed and manufactured swimwear, email was a daily ritual; sending information to suppliers and contractors in order to keep them all informed, sharing rosters and timetables, forwarding minutes of meetings etc. This proved to be a very successful business tool and an effective form of communication with the added advantage of being able to track each detail and part of the process by having a confirm message sent each time correspondence went out.

The company grew quickly and required a lot of my time, and so alongside business use, personal use of email allowed me to stay in contact with friends all over the world. I love that email is immediate, unlike the older methods of mail taking weeks to send and receive. Being able to attach photos and even video clips to messages means that I can share family events as they are happening and more than just hearing about them, friends are able to see them as well.

Another technology that I use is Skype, with a camera. Allowing me to stay in close and visible contact with each of my four daughters who are living all over the Australia and other parts of the world. To speak to one honeymooning in Thailand, another living in America, another working in Sydney and one locally on the Gold Coast we are able to communicate separately or in conference together. It really is an amazing technology.My only frustration is sometimes the delay or lag that you get on the line.

I have four beautiful daughters who insisted that I have a MySpace page and set it up for me but I am not very good at following up. Before now, I thought that I preferred to share with people that I know, but after checking out some of the other student's blog sites, I realise what a privilege it is to get an insight into the lives and thoughts of these amazing young people. As they share parts of their lives, it brings out the Mumma in me, and has challenged me to consider chatting with new friends.

Another advantage is that it provides me with the opportunity to touch base with people that I may have not seen or heard from in years. Your life moves on, and you lose touch with some friendships, and form new ones as you experience the different seasons of life. These developing methods have definitely exposed me to new opportunities to communicate.

Week 2 with MummaJules - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Welcome to 'Second Life'

Hi there to whoever is out there to share in the thoughts of Mummajules.

My subject is Communication and Technology and we are looking today at networks of which blogging is one. I will need to go through the process of understanding what kinds of thoughts are relevant for this site. I really have no idea what I am doing at this point but that is why I am here - to learn!!!!

Some thoughts I had in regards to the movie 'Second Life' that we watched in the lecture on Wednesday were:

The founder said that in the Virtual World (with no rules) we discover that people are basically good and yet the rest of the program appeared to reveal the opposite - sex, exploitation and out of control fantasies were talked about as though they become moral because they are not real, and further reasoning, that because they are not real, they're not hurting anyone.

But if 'we are what we think', then does acting things out in a virtual way prevent you emotionally, physically and socially from suffering the consequences of these actions any less than if they were real? eg: You may not experience STD's, but is being unfaithful in your mind, any less damaging than being unfaithful in reality?

You create a perfect you and then a perfect other, but will the dissonance between your reality and your fantasy, not affect your ability to relate to your real partner or experience satisfaction in that relationship? Will the virtual eventually result in a collision of contradictions between what you think you would like, and what you have? Aristotle has some insights that relate to the subject. Chapter 6, titled "The Soul and Psychology" paragraph 5 in particular got me thinking. Tell me what you think?

Maybe you could help me with some more thoughts that are raised for me.

What drives people to spend more time in the virtual world than in the real world?
And if upon investigation, these virtual worlds proved to be a negative influence on people's wellbeing, would it then be considered exploitation by the founders, to feed this kind of opportunity for fantasy to people, and justify it by suggesting that because it is not real it won't hurt you?
Consider this quote, "Pleasure is not to be identified with good" but Aristotle appears to have more to say in his chapter 7 on Ethics, where he makes some points about the nature of moral virtues and the ability to regulate our desires.
If you have anything to add either agreeing or opposing these thoughts? I would love to hear from you.

Until next time ...

Enjoy