I find the decision to do research on virtual worlds interesting. But, from reading the chapter and your research methods, I do not know how I feel about the study. It seems you went through great lengths to alter the date, for the sake of confidentiality and anonymity.
Regardless, I think that there are some really surprising points to make about how virtual worlds compare to the real world. For instance, the excerpt between Kimmy, Laura, and BettyAnne. The two seem to mock Laura's inexperience and Kimmy eventually states "lol/we're all born like that" to cut Laura some slack. The idea that she considers her joining SecondLife and the creation of an avatar a "birth" is somewhat questionable. This seems to imply that the game is not just simply a game. There is a sense of self and identity that is created and hence managed. And apparently to deeper levels, pending on personal choice.
I myself have joined SecondLife as a requirement of class and created my avatar. I don't remember the date I joined and I don't consider it a "birthday". Because I do not actually see myself or someone else in the avatar I made as an actual entity living in a world. It is just a game to me, that does not exist when I am not logged in.
I don't think about the SecondLife world happenings in my real world life. But, unfortunately, it seems with the millions of active users, others feel differently.
People seem to lose their real identities and transfer themselves into their SecondLife avatars and live vicariously through themselves or whatever they choose to be.
- M.
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