Yahoo ran this story earlier this week about a man who sold his virtual property inside the game Entropia Universe. This was top news at Yahoo because he sold it for $335,000! That's not virtual money but actual US currency! Stories like these show how the line between real and digital is being blurred. Yet is this story really that outrageous? When people buy things like digital music on itunes aren't you doing the samething?
This video explains the value virtual properties have in the games themselves:
When I first read this I thought it was kind of crazy but if people spend a majority of their time on these online communities it makes sense to invest in them. I am a gamer, though I rarely play MMORPGS (the kind of games where you can own virtual properties), but have seen the strong bonds that form over such communities. I guess a person's reality is what they chose it to be, and a virtual home maybe better to some than a real home.
This is a very interesting topic. I think it is intriguing that people are building these elaborate cyber-worlds and cyber-communities as a hobby and a means of networking. However, I feel in some way that the amount of time they are spending creating these fake worlds could probably be better invested in doing something more constructive in reality.
ReplyDeleteI agree that because these kinds of activities are growing ever more popular the lines between reality and "fiction" are becoming blurred....and that is alright when it means cashing in on $335,000, but when it means neglecting your responsibilities, bullying people and even murdering your child it can be very serious!
1. Reminds me of this website we talked about in Senior Seminar called Second Life where people create these elaborate digital worlds.
ReplyDelete2. I read an article in the Express today that a man is trying to charge people for using the energy from stars in outer space and is saying people are telling him no because they're jealous they didn't think of it first... be honest... is it you??
@malwal0711
ReplyDeleteI see what you mean with the "neglect of reality" aspect that follows stories like this and at times it does seem like people are rejecting/not helping this world in order to escape to a virtual one. It's kind of scary that we know have that choice but hopefully most people can stay grounded in reality.
@EAFoster
Honestly yes that is me because most people are jealous of me :)