Cyberspace and CMC (computer-mediated communication) bring people together in an incredibly complex and arranged network (Communication Process) The overwhelmingly successful development of CMC has lead to the creation of virtual communities and communication opportunities that would have seemed improbable and far-fetched twenty years ago. (See Blogging and Journalism Blogs as a Democratic Medium Global Communication Internet Activism Online Social Interaction Wired.com)
CMC is a natural technological progression onwards from the telephone (Luckman 1999). Hundreds of thousands of people spend their time in a simulated world chatting, socialising, romancing )(see Online Dating, Online Dating-Imagined Virtual Communities Intimacy Online) working and playing Computer Games. People have entire lives built around CMC and interact virtually by creating their own characters through the use of artificial intelligence to mimic human behaviour.
Despite the fact that Virtual Community/Virtual Communities and the 'virtual experience' play an important and central role in human lives today, there are many concerns related to the social impacts of virtual identity. 'Computer activities are showing signs of dominating lives to the point where there is an addiction.' (Crawford 2004) When an individual's identity is hinged on a game, such as a MMOG (multi-player online game) an unhealthy imbalance occurs and an addiction to the second life (or the second identity) takes place. (Crawford 2004) The second identity is recursive, exciting, unpredictable, self created and ongoing. The 'real life' identity is discarded and disappointing.
It is the mystery and 'unpredictability' of Chat Rooms and Computer Games that is being blamed for the addictive draw. (Crawford 2004) The online identity involved in a game or community is often tied to the quest for the achievement of the unattainable. It is also tied into consumption. 'Consumption is a process of signification and communication, based on a code into which consumption practices fit and from which they derive thier meaning.' (Baudrillard 1998:61) This system of exchange (Baudrillard 1998) can be equated with the social impacts of virtual identities. Individuals gain meaning from the exchange; however it is a meaning steeped in unreality. Because 'people create their own character and identity, the relationships that are built are based on fantasy.' (Crawford 2004) It is when this playing around in an unreal world with identity becomes an addiction that negative impacts occur.
A noticeable benefit however of the social impact of virtual identities is that a person who may lack self-esteem and ability and 'power' (Crawford 2004) in the 'real world' can attempt to attain a healthy level of confidence in an online environment.
The quality of an individuals 'real life' has to be questioned when a person is drawn to spend more time communicating with fabricated people in a virtual world (developing an online identity based on fiction) than in the 'real world'. This kind of immersion could point to a potential social inability or impotency in the 'real world' and a problem in terms of the social impact that online identity will have for future generations.
Laura Keneally 21:53, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
Bibliography
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