The documentary “second skin” shows a glimpse into the lives of the online gaming world, and it's really just that—a world all of its own. The film shows how this new form of social interaction can envelop the lives of the participants that turn on the game everyday when they come home from work or school. The people who play are consumed by the game play and social world that they “live” while playing the game. To me this kind of addiction (and I'll explain the use of that word later), both surprised me and didn't at the same time. I have had some exposure to games such as W.O.W., but never really understood the appeal, which is the reason that I was semi-surprised and the fever that some people had about the game; but at the same time I have known people who were very into those sort of games, which is why I was partially not surprised. I used the word addiction in a previous sentence because for some of the people that play the game it is truly that, an addiction. For some of us ours may be a TV show, cigarettes or alcohol, for some with addictive personalities that play interactive games such as World of Warcraft, that is their addiction.
In Culture Jam, Lasn writes about how technology is changing lives, and the documentary proves that point. 30 years ago such interactive computer games were just figments of imagination, and today there are people spending their hard earned, real life money on the same computer games, relationships are being made, and lost because of these games; which brings me to another point that I wanted to discuss. The change in social relationships because of technology is fully seen in the documentary. Take the couple that met in the game, Everquest 2. The woman flew multiple states away to meet a man that she had fallen in love with over a computer game. Can it work for some people? Sure. Others? Maybe not. Is it for me? Nope. But for some, and this is where the full breath of the technological impact on our lives today can be seen, the online social world is a place where they can be someone completely different from themselves and no one will ever know any different. At one point in the documentary an interviewee used the example of someone that was overweight and stuck at home because she had to take care of her mother, going into an online game and changing her appearance to portray herself as the “angle within.” For many I think this may also be true, however I think a lot of people take the “virtual world” to an extreme when they let it overtake what is happening in the real world.
You have a point when you discuss addiction and how people can have addicting personalities. When they become interested in something they usually take it to the extreme. However, as for the lady who was taking care of her mother and overweight, she has to take some responsibility. Everyone has obligations, but that does not mean to play games is a way out and use your mother as an ultimate excuse. The lady that flew to see the guy, never the end they were arguing because they did not agree on some things and still did not know each other that well. They should have hung out and dated more before moving in.
ReplyDeleteI like the point you made about how some can fully utilize technology to change their life. You said it may work for some people and I agree that it could. At the same time, what does that say for our society? The best way to truly meet someone and get to know them is face-t0-face because you are getting the true person. You can't make yourself look better with a click of the mouse or typing a few keys. You have to actually say the words to the person rather than typing. It's a totally different interaction, which in my oppinion would be much better than virtual interaction.
ReplyDelete"everything in nature is medicine, everything in nature is poison." Some dude said that. But, I guess we could change that to "everything is medicine, everything is poison." -Me. Bottom line is, if people know how to control themselves, everythings cool. If now, shit goes down the toilet. hehe
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't be more right about how technology is changing the way we interact with each other. As far as "internet dating" goes I think people feel like they are more interesting through their avatars. And there is a certain person that does date through these games, just look at the people that met on Everquest. To each his own although I prefer face to face some other people prefer cyberspace
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that some people addicted to gaming and other things because they have an addictive personality. They get so interested in something that they try to bring it into every aspect of their lives. It's not just bad things people can be addicted to either. You could be addicted to certain foods or exercising everyday. Not all addictions are bad things, although, anything taken to the extreme could potentially turn bad.
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