Bonus Mission #2: Double Life, Double Death?

“But for millions it is more than a game – it’s an escape, an obsession, and a home.” [Levy, 2006]

Just as at every single second a new baby is born, a new “life” is created. Virtually. For anybody who hates their life and need a new life, or a “second life”, they have found a solution to it. Is Second Life just a game then? People are throwing their lives aside to spend large amount of their time on it.

In a blog post by Theory about Second Life residents trying to fight against CopyBots, which allows replications of created items to be made and used without permissions from the original creators. [Lim, 2006] Sounds familiar? Very much like copyright infringement in the real world, doesn’t it? Just from this alone we can derive two things: Firstly, the fact that people do business and Second Life pretty much proves that it is not a game. Secondly, look at how “players” take things seriously. There are even campaigns launched on this game! Does it still look like just a game? It is almost real-life already, the way things are going. Just look at how crazy things have become. People can even create virtual items resembling the real physical object now, for instance, the Gibson Flying V guitar. [Lim, 2006] It would not surprise me when one day people can actually form bands on Second Life, sell records and do shows on it as well.

If there can be an emergence of Chinese gold farmers in World of Warcraft [Jin, 2007], it would be just a matter of time that there are traders like these appearing in Second Life. To these people who find it an extremely hard struggle fighting their way for a place in the corporate ladder or whatever other fields are concerned, this is their source of income and livelihood. Plus the fact that people have been doing business in Second Life, like mentioned earlier, the picture is already clear. In years to come, be not surprised when one strike it big and become rich overnight through this method. It seems to be no joking matter anymore. It is becoming a new reality as time goes by.

While many people on Second Life adopt a different life and identity, there are also people who actually present themselves as who and what they really are in real life. Hence, not everything is anonymous and not all identities are false. In that sense, Second Life is not really just another game. People who are confident enough about themselves actually promote themselves here, and stay true to their true physical self. They also establish real connections on the “game” (notice I have even begun using quotation marks on words like game and players). In this sense, the virtual reality is a reality in itself. To people who do not use any fake identities, they “playing” as themselves and everything is pretty much real (except for maybe when someone hits you in the face. At this point of time we may not be experiencing any physical pain when that happens, but do not be surprised when one day we actually do. You know how crazy technology can develop).

In all due respect, if we look at Second Life just in its physical form, it looks like a game indeed. The interface, the landscape, the controls, the graphics, everything about it says game. But once you are in it, do you really think you are “playing” anymore? I am afraid not. With that said, now it just leaves me wondering about “second death”…


References:

Levy, S. (September 18, 2006). World of Warcraft: Is It a Game? CNBC Newsweek. Retrieved April 7, 2007 from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14757769/site/newsweek/page/3/print/1/displaymode/1098/

Lim, K. (November 15, 2006). Second Life: CopyBot causes widespread protests among residents. Retrieved April 7, 2007 from: http://theory.isthereason.com/?p=1388

Lim, K. (October 23, 2006). Video: Building a Flying-V Guitar in Second Life (plus Copyright woes). Retrieved April 7, 2007 from: http://theory.isthereason.com/?p=1346

Jin, G. (2007). Chinese Gold Farmers in MMORPGs. Video retrieved April 7, 2007 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEegohRPsqg