Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual reality is the epitome of the human desire to have a world that revolves around us. They are digital worlds made through technologies such as laptop, tablets, or even phones, that simulates the real world but also reflects the creativity of the human mind.  They are used in regards to many things, like for recreation activities, academic purposes, or even in regards to improving one’s health.

Notably, the evolution of virtual worlds would bring a lot of benefits to society. For example, because education is getting more intense as time progresses, and because a “good learning environment” is subjective, virtual reality expands the notion of shaping an education’s settling to make students more comfortable. But the general idea behind that, is that virtual worlds would be detrimental to student’s ability to cooperate with other individuals in real life. However, there are ways to overcome this issue. Diane Mehta in her article “After Second Life, Can Virtual Words Get a Reboot?”, pointed out that “Virtual worlds can give us social connectivity, built-in support groups, and ways to avoid ever being alone again.” (Mehta). In other words, virtual worlds can be social, in fact as social as people are in the real world. This can be very helpful for adolescence that are learning how to effectively network with others.  Another example is that virtual worlds helps individuals that suffers from social anxiety in becoming better at socializing. This is evident in an article on CNN, “iReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction”, when the article express the idea that virtual world can help people with social anxiety issues, such as people with autism. This is done by creating simulations where individuals with autism can interact with avatars that act like real human beings. This way, they can get more practice socializing before interacting with real people in society. (CNN.com). The essence of the article’s point, is that virtual worlds can give these individuals in society a chance to work on fixing their social issues, and without the stress of the peer pressure.

  

On the other hand, virtual worlds can also be used to imitate crimes that individuals secretly wish they can do in the real world, and without negative consequences. This can have a detrimental effect on how people behave in the real world. An Unknown author explores this notion on the web article “Virtual world may impact real-world behavior” when the author noted that “in virtual environments, people can freely choose avatars that allow them to opt into or opt out of a certain entity, group, or situation…Consumers and practitioners should remember that powerful imitative effects can occur when people put on virtual masks”.  In other worlds, these virtual worlds give people the ability to take on a new identity or a “virtual mask”, which makes it much easier for them to imitate bad deeds. This make it extremely hard to point a finger at the person committing these acts. This can seem harmless because although the virtual world visually mirrors reality, it does in fact lack the ability to allow people to physically feel what they perceive. However, it doesn’t protect people from the potential psychological harm that these “cyber villains” could do to others when they have their “virtual mask” on. Thus, making the victims behave in a depressive manners in the real world, and the villains more prone to misbehave in the real world.

Ultimately, virtual reality fosters creativity because it allows individuals to create worlds through their imagination. Thus, in these worlds anything is possible. However, this arises the concern in society that it will allow people to behave like they would in a state of nature. Savagely with no restriction to their behaviors. However, most likely there will be monitors that will prevent these act, like the monitor of society, or cops, that we have in the real world. To progress in virtual reality, is to progress in a world that gives individuals many super powers. In the end, I believe that virtual reality will be a part of society very soon, and it will beget a new era of creativity.

 CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/sl.autism.irpt/index.html>.

Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/dianemehta/2013/04/30/after-second-life-can-virtual-worlds-get-a-reboot/#4c3e2844143b>.

"Virtual World May Impact Real-world Behaviour." Health24. N.p., 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. <http://www.health24.com/Mental-Health/News/Virtual-world-may-impact-real-world-behaviour-20140210>.