Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG).
Folks are spending real money in the SL. Why! Is the SL opening up new career avenues?
“Every day, the 60,000-odd SL residents conduct 50,000 transactions trading everything from land to sunglasses. In the bargain, an economy has evolved that generates $2 million every month. single mother who’d much rather keep her real name private because she’s a rock star in the virtual world, she works long hours every day, designing clothes for citizens of SL. Her income, reportedly, runs into five figures. Yes, real-world dollars.”
The SL can bring out the Mr. Hyde in some folks, the less desirable socially unacceptable personality, since there are no social bindings. One may call it the cyber personality. A look at the police blotter shows the following: blatant personal attacks, fanning the fires of a flame war, pornographic littering with another resident’s name, indecency, spamming, trolling, flaming, global attacks, mature content in PG areas (I never saw any PG areas, the SL was a free for all entry). There were no safeguards at all. Every one seeks to speak his or her heart out some do it subtly, others are brash depending on the social space/environment, personality and now technology. If a person could not be identified, may be they could get angry or cruel too. The SL world dissipates all inhibitions of a person; he/she may cross the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior. How is this going to affect our society where we have strived over centuries to bring about decorum?
One may start believing in the make believe world. In the SL, activities are largely geared towards seeking a partner. Preening and flaunting are rampant. The need to make money is another activity.
SL will probably take off in a big way in the next couple of years and it remains to be seen how the cash flow and online relationships affect the RL.
Anyone for RangnarokMobile
Reference:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1271788,curpg-3.cms
