Does Second Life make anyone else nervous or is it just me? After learning about this phenomenon I have wondered who is playing in this game and if I know anyone involved. Granted, I still don't know enough about it so it might not be as crazy as a I am thinking it is. While watching the slide show explaining this virtual world I saw that the average user is in their thirties. I don't see how that is possible, not that I am arguing with the stats.
I always assumed that after college people go out into the real world, get jobs, and start a new social life that involved going outdoors. I can't help but be confused about all of this. People are seriously going on Second Life and building a whole new reality for themselves which they apparently take very seriously. I know am being highly judgmental of the whole thing but I can't help but feel sorry for people.
Our society is so focused on who can get ahead and successful we are in terms of material things and now this pattern is even hitting us on the internet. So if we can't get where we want to be in real life we now have a Second Chance at doing so in the virtual world. I don't know about everyone else but it all seems like too much pressure to me.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Second Reality
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5 comments:
I agree with your reasoning. I, too, thought that with the average age of the user being in the lower-thirties, that something was seriously wrong. However, I think that this statistic is probably a product of the very early stages of the Net generation, who has matured to their 30's now, and who is looking for a way to increase their techy side, if you will. I think they want to feel more socially connected, even though in reality, most of the people their age connect socially in physical terms, and their inactivity in the real world thereby cuts them off further from the real (physical) social world. This, of course, ends up defeating their intentions of using SL anyways.
I know it sounds weird that people in their late 20's and early 30's are playing games instead of or in addition to having "real lives". But based on this site: http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/001365.php
the average World of Warcrafter is 28.3 years old. So it seems pretty consistent across games.
In my personal gaming experience the people I played with (and knew in real life) who were around 30 y/o were young professionals, married and usually their wives played as well. Most of them either had children or had children on the way. Curious, I know.
Sarah mentioned that people are playing this game at this age, and when I read that I think I figured out what was bothering me. It's not so much that the average user is out of college, it's that this isn't really a game. It's just a "life" that they create for themselves. I don't know if I am explainig myself well, but I think it's strange that this isn't even a game. It's a virtual world where you just live day to day life, I have never heard of something like it until now.
The most popular users of second life are 30 year old housewives in Europe. Not regular full time employees.
Housewives playing this game are probably trying to fulfill their career prospects in this virtual world.
I think people that are full time employees and graduated out of college and play this game are kind of strange.
I see SL as another online activity to get addicted to. Maybe I shouldn't say wasting their time, but why are people using their efforts into creating a life that doesn't exist? Why not concentrate on the one that does and the one that has real benefits.
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