AVIE POLL: Is Second Life an extension of real life or just a game?- The SL Enquirer

Second Life has to be one of the most incredible virtual world platforms on the internet as well as an amazing social experiment. For over a decade and a half avatars from all over the world collectively created the environment and  community. Some would argue that it is best to keep Second Life separate from real life because it is just a game while others have a more emotional or professional connection to SL. They take it more seriously and would argue it is an extension of real life. Because Second life is a unique community of professionals mixed with role players and gamers, there is no right or wrong answer. It all depends what you do in Second Life.The SL Enquirer explored the grid to ask avies from all walks of Second Life, “Is this an extension of RL or just a game?”.

SLE: Is Second Life an extension of real life or just a game?

Sól: “Second Life is a thriving community and has moved into being a vital part of my life since the onset of the Covid pandemic. Here we interact with one another as pixelated avatars, but there is a real person driving the interactions. People come to Second Life, and cosplay, become fashion designers, and in some cases rockstars. For people unable to have families, they can come to SL and simulate that experience. For transgender people, there is a freedom to live the life they choose here as well. With so much appeal to so many people from different walks of life I could never say that SL is just a game. For me, SL is where my best friends are. This is a space I can be myself, where I can work on myself, where I give myself space to grow.”

Nuka: “When I first came to SL it was a foreign world, and while it took some time to master the basics, the vehicle it provided to enhance my life was amazing. After enjoying the club scene and many different social aspects of the online community, I delved into several different roleplay settings, indulging in the creative outlet of writing which is a long time passion of mine. More recently I have re-entered the social aspect of Second Life and enjoy the talents of a multitude of musicians across the globe. Across the whole of my experience in Second Life, all along the way I have made friends that I have cherished, and memories that are heartwarming with people I would never have otherwise met. Regardless of the use to which I put it, it's definitely an extension of real life with a very real and tangible connection with some pretty terrific people.” <3

 

Stacey: “Most things in life can be answered by examining the Batman mythos. People who hang around Batman, like the butler or the kid, would point out that Batman is 100% dedicated to crime fighting. His persona of Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, is the real mask. He cares nothing for that rich guy's life, which is just a tool that helps him be Batman. A psychologist might say that, no matter how much time he devotes to being Batman, the superhero act is just a tool which Bruce Wayne uses to solve his personal torment. You can turn that logic onto our Avie Poll. I'd go with the shrink's answer. No matter how much time you spend playing SL, even if you seal yourself in a sensory deprivation chamber and do nothing but play SL and eat Chinese delivery food until your heart fails, it is still just you making an animated version of your idealized self and doing things you can not do in RL. SL is a game that real people play. There can be real life results of SL activity- you might make enough Lindens to get rich RL, or you may meet your future husband on here, or you may take a girl avatar on the D Train to Sexytown and never know she was 14 until the detectives show up disguised as Chinese food delivery guys and kick in the door to your sensory deprivation chamber- in case you think the divide between SL and RL is impermeable. However, even if your avatar just walks around and looks at things, the same connection exists. I'd ask the reader to keep in mind that I would give the same answer to this question for any game, be it SL or Candyland or Pac-Man. Everything is real life.”

Mrs.Blue: “It depends on the person really but as for me it's an extension of rl to me when you refer sl as a game then you’re basically saying nothing matters meaning no feelings no connection no emotions like playing a video game example pacman, space invaders those are games. people that do play sl as a game its basically means nothing to them. I've been on sl for 8 yrs now going on 9. I've only been in 2 relationships and I made lots of close friends here . When there is a connection between the avis its the same as in rl how you make connections in rl. There are feelings and emotions, a special connection and bond. when people say it's just a game or they seperate sl from rl I will call their bluff. It is hard and impossible to separate both. When emotions and feelings get involved. I'm not saying it's safe to go meet someone you met on sl because it's not safe unless you do your research on someone and get background information. But there is a bond on sl with avis as in rl. I cried when my friends passed away. I worry when I don't hear from them. If my relationship doesn't work out I go through the same emotions I do in rl.. sl has also helped a lot of people who can't do rl stuff no more so it becomes a part of them. example you use to build houses in rl but you've gotten older or health reasons got in the way so u come on sl to continue to do what you love. or you worked in a retail store but can't do it no more because of health issues you come on sl to start your own business. So sl can be a part of your rl in many ways . sl has also been rl to those who are disabled in rl it gives them away to do things that they can't do in rl. Our avis represents us. Well at least in my case it does bring the rl me to sl i voice i control my avi as I control myself in rl. So is sl just a game to me that will be big NOOO. Is sl an extension of my rl? YES IT'S APART OF IT.``

 

Gemma: “My Best Friend in RL introduced Second Life Online games with me. She encouraged me  to play SL.  At first , I was hesitant because I never played any online games in my entire life. Since last year, 2020 is not a good year for all of us , I decided to try  it anyway, and now ,It's been six months and counting :) that I am playing Second Life. Second life games offer a lot to the players, from your avatar, places that you are visiting and a lot more. But,  what excites me most are meeting new people all over the world. At first, I thought Second Life is just really a  game to play. Something that can occupy you if you are not busy in RL. But as I go along, I find Second life as an extension of my real life.  Why ? Simply because , I spend Time, Efforts and Emotions in playing Second Life. Efforts, in making my Avi as beautiful as I want it to be. I believed that my Avi  is an extension of myself, from the Hair, dresses, shoes , and jewelry that I choose to wear while playing. Same in RL, you always find time to do things that will make you happy like Clubbing, Dancing, Beaches , meeting friends and  a lot more  and those things are also offered in Second lIfe. When it comes to emotions, I put half of my  RL heart in playing Second Life.  When you meet new people or gain new  friends in SL , you are investing feelings already towards them.  Like in RL, you can also feel different emotions in playing SL , you can be Happy or Sad , You can laugh and cry, You can be Good or Not, or You can feel Hurt or Betrayed,  by the people you choose to be with in this Game. So at the end of the Day, from the Time You Log in and TIme you Log out in Second Life , what is Important is your HEART.”

Jessie: “SL is a game, BUT it is not "JUST" a game. People seldom use the word "play" for being in SL. You could say it is social networking and therefore can be an extension of real life. However in SL you are free to create any avi - to be anyone, to do anything, even to be any species. It means different things to different people. Many people use SL as an extension of RL. And many use SL to experiment with roles that they would never try in real life. Some are very creative. SL is very immersive and the emotions are real. The friendships are real. And yes, people really do fall in love. Often there will be 30,000 people 'inWorld'. The content is all created by the users. In SL people cooperate to build SIMs and run events, rather than shooting each other!! For me it is all about friends and live music. We go to venues and chat while we watch the most amazing musicians from around the globe. There is a lot of 'audience participation' too!! I also like exploring the many wonderful SIMs. So yes, SL is a game but much more. And it can be an extension of real life. So, it is both.”

GreenEyedroyalty: “To me, SL is neither a game or an extension of my real life.  It is a Matrix-like alternate universe where one can find a new identity or jump into an experience they would never dream of trying in real life.  The lives, movements, creations may be synthetic but the feelings, friendships and meanings are real.  In other words, if your heart dies in SL, it dies in RL as well.”

Ninja: Personally, I'm a firm believer that SL is almost always an extension of real life...unless you're a bot or are participating in RP, there are real life people behind every avatar, each of whom deserve the same respect and treatment as you would give them in your normal life.  That being said, I do recognize that some people need to understand the important differences between SL and real life, such as the necessity of eating, sleeping, working, showering, etc.....as well as the importance of maintaining some level of anonymity with a person you just met in a virtual environment.

Karen:  “I pay my monthly premium and am entitled to do what I want in SL. You are violating my right to be an avatar.   I’m calling the cops!”

 Is Second Life just a game or an extension of your real life? The consensus is SL is more than just a game. However, there are no right or wrong answers to this question. It all depends on the individual purpose for immersing in this virtual world. Join the poll and share your thoughts in the comments section below.