Not for me but certainly for others

Dear Dmitri Williams,

I’m not really a big fan of online games whether it be through a PC such as World of Warcraft or via a game console such as Call of Duty, but I do think that they serve some purpose in many peoples social life. As you state, “there is no doubt that social capital was created along the way.” I like the idea that they were not “bowling alone” as this conjures up a thought in me that while these games are meant to be entertaining, much like bowling, there is a social aspect that is almost sub-conscious yet so essential to peoples willingness to participate in the game with other online players. The potential for socializing that it gives many is very interesting as well because users get out of it what they put into it.

I certainly could not see myself getting into this kind of social interaction as I do not have established friends in these virtual worlds and they do not interest me enough but I can understand how this is an outlet for most people. Others have said that spending time in a virtual world such as WoW is a waste but if people are getting something out of it, as your research has shown, then I think that it does satisfy a certain segment of our culture and society. Hopefully your findings can enforce people’s use of WoW and similar worlds to extend real life relationships in a different dynamic one that enriches people’s lives instead of making them stagnant.

Sincerely,
Andrew Kerth