An online identity is a social identity that users rely on to differentiate themselves from all the other faceless characters in the virtual community (Online Identity, 2008). Unfortunately I have never, and probably never will, create an online identity in a virtual community; however, I am aware of some of the virtual communities that currently exist on the Internet such as Second Life and World of Warcraft. In the disembodied world of a virtual community, identity is ambiguous (Donath, 1996). Participants are freed from their own bodies and are allowed to take on an entirely new identity via an electronic persona. I understand that these games serve as an escape from reality for those who are obviously unhappy with their current lives. What I don’t understand is how so many people can become addicted to something that is not even real. When The Sims was first released I remember putting in several hours on the computer each day trying to make my family “happy” and build the coolest house on the block. Fortunately, I soon realized though that this was a total waste of my time. The amount of hours that I spent on the computer had absolutely no benefit to me outside of the game.
Here is a trailer for the movie Second Skin. For those of you who have never heard of this movie, it is a 2008 documentary about the real people who populate online virtual worlds in games like World of Warcraft and Second Life (Second Skin, 2008). You can also visit their website for more information and videos.
I suppose that if I had to name one online community that I am involved in it is Amazon. I recently created a seller account so that I could sell my used textbooks online. When I was prompted to create a domain name for myself I knew that I wanted to create something that sounded professional and did not have my name included in it. To appeal to the environmentally conscious users I chose the name of “recycleyourtextbooks.” I assume that my choice was beneficial because I sold almost all of my books within a month and most of them sold for more than what was the lowest price available. I suppose that my buyers thought that I was a more credible source since my seller name sounded more credible. Through my sales I have earned positive seller feedback and in return have developed a positive reputation on the site.
With online sites like Amazon it is always important that you take the proper precautious when releasing your personal and financial information online. Since my unfortunate encounter with identity theft on eBay, I always make sure that I log out of my account and that I never use the “remember me” settings. I know that this does not assure my safety but it gives me a better piece of mind knowing that I am doing what I can to minimize the chance of having my identity stolen again.
References:
Donath, J.S. (1996). Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community. Retrieved on October 2, 2008 from http://smg.media.mit.edu/people/Judith/Identity/IdentityDeception.html
Online Identity (2008). In Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on October 2, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Online_identity&oldid=108207999
"Second Skin" (2008) Retrieved on October 2, 2008 from http://www.secondskinfilm.com
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5 comments:
I was totally addicted to The Sims when it first came out too. However, like you, I soon realized its non beneficial value and after the initial excitement of it I forgot the game even existed. It is pretty sad though how rapped up people get in these virtual worlds.
I loved the Sims playing the Sims too back in the day, who didn't? Have you ever played the Sims online, though? My best friend in middle school was obsessed and it was so creepy. She seriously had Sims boyfriends and they would "hook up" through their avatars. It was insane!
Interesting post. It really is crazy how much time people put into maintaining their online identities in games such as The Sims. The documentary you posted looks very interesting too. You definitely seem to know what you're talking about.
Amazon screwed me over before so ever since I dont use it. I sold textbook to one guy and he moved and he complained he didnt get the book. Amazon told me to return the money he paid. so i did. But nobody gets the book and I dont get book back. I believe that is guy's fault.
I also loved playing the Sims. For me, I think a lot of the attraction was about the control I had over my characters, and also it is a little bit like playing with a dollhouse. When I was much younger, my cousins and I would all play together and try to sabotage each other's families. Also, we would drown our Sims in the pool by removing the ladders. My parents told us that we couldn't do that, and we never understood why. But now that I'm older and I see the effects that virtual worlds can have on some people (like those that have done extreme things because they can't separate real life from online life). I now appreciate that my parents tried to put such boundaries on the way in which we played to game, and to instill in us that no matter where you are, real or fake, it's not okay to kill others. This lesson is especially important today as virtual worlds are becoming more and more of a reality.
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