It`s not a game

Second Life is, at this point, not “just” anything. Least of all is it just a game.

Second Life is a communication platform. While it offers anonymity, it depletes that by allowing you a name that you make yourself- so it’s less anonymous and more pseudonymous. Remember, though, there is no such thing as true anonymity.

Regardless of these facts, Second Life should be treated as a communications platform rather than a game.

To illustrate the ethics of a communications platform, call someone you love over the phone. Tell them that you hate them and wish they would die. If you can manage to make it sound sincere, try to tell them that because you didn’t say it in person, it doesn’t matter.

To further illustrate the point, one can even apply game logic to Second Life. Play a game of Soccer or Football. Then, when someone does better than you, run them over in your car. Attempt to tell the police afterwards that it was just a game.

Hyperbole aside, what you do here matters. These are real people. Grow up.

Written by Eianna Cale.