Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Anshe Chung

In Second Life, subscribers get a tool kit that enables them to build and create an avatar (a character in the world). They also get a small quantity of Linden dollars to start out with, enabling the participant to buy additional tools and objects within the world itself. Linden Lab converts currency at a floating rate that, now, is about 257 Linden dollars per U.S. dollar.

Second Life's economy looks remarkably like that of the physical world. More than 50 businesses in the virtual world made more than $100,000 each last year. As Second World has grown, some users have built full-time businesses.

Second Life's owner, Linden Lab, makes money by selling land plots and islands. An island runs about $1,000, a high barrier of entry for most Second Life users. But to open a strip mall, dance club or office tower, or to build a home, avatars need land. Some Second Life users have taken on Donald Trump-like personas, buying land from Second Life and then leasing plots to small-business owners or would-be homeowners, or flipping their properties as speculators.

Anshe Chung (real name Ailin Graef ), a real-estate tycoon in the digitally simulated world Second Life, has apparently become the first virtual millionaire in 2006. She began by buying small pieces of real estate, which she subdivided, developed and landscaped to sell on or rent. She now has real estate equivalent to 36 square kilometers of land, cash in the form of several million exchangeable Linden dollars and a number of virtual shopping malls and store chains.

Beyond Building virtual businesses involving real money, actual Companies are utilizing this technology in the office place. In the article, going to the virtual office in Second Life by Mark Tutton over 1400 companies use second life to conduct meetings. I was even more shocked to learn that even the U.S Military has used the software for various reasons as well. The pros of utilizing virtual world in the work place is that it may foster a sense of confidence due to the fact het the forum is online using an avatar. The Cons of the software in the workplace is depending on how often the software is used to facilitate meetings it may promote a lack of motivation being that a virtual meeting is just that Virtual. Virtual World foster creativity by eliminating certain pressures that come along with face to face interactions allowing someone to feel freer to create and share ideas.

As the world and technology progresses I see the future of virtual world becoming the norm. With people being increasingly afraid to attend social events due to the fear of mass shooters or terrorism I can see citizen more susceptible to using virtual world software’s like VLES.com (virtual lower eastside) which I read about in the article “I’ve Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life” by DAVE ITZKOFF. In this article Dave describes a typical night out where he hang outs and meets up with friends who enjoy the same gritty strip between Houston and Rivington Streets of lower Manhattan.