Second Life

After having put this SPED 200 assignment off for what seemed to me like eternity, I was just recently able to experience the http://secondlife.com site. To be completely honest, I despise spending too much time on the Internet or with technology in general because I think life is much too precious to just sit in one's room and not regularly interact with the "real" world.

After participating in this virtual online experience on this site and several others, including http://neopets.com, I have mixed feelings about the so-called "benefits" technological advancement have in modern society. Many wonderful things are being accomplished today, such as improvements in medicine, most of which are directly connected to technology. I still remember being a fourth grader in Maui and learning how to open a word processing program on the computer. Nowadays, most college students are experiencing "paperless" courses, where all of their assignments and communication with their professors outside the classroom are completed online. Although all these advancements are for the definite benefit of humankind as a whole, I am still convinced that nothing beats the "old fashioned" way of life.

I experienced the Second Life website as an avatar under the givern name "Leka Aeon." That name itself upset me because I thought "now, what the heck is wrong with my real name?" Another things that bothered me was that the avatars that were available for me to choose from were all Asian or Caucasian looking, making me feel like an outsider. Another aspect of Second Life that I did not like were other virtual people I interacted with, such as "Scrappy Whacko." I don't know what real-life mother would name her child that, so I'm glad I remember I was in a "virtual world" when I saw that name :).

In a nutshell, I am opposed to students, especially those that are fairly young, being exposed to sites such as these. What happened to parents telling their children "never talk to strangers!" or "did anyone you didn't know bother you today?" On the contrary, it seems like parents are seeking resources such as the Internet to raise their children more and more, especially this day in age. In my opinion, it is the duty and obligation of the parent, as well as that of the child's teacher, to help them lead successful lives instead of solely relying on an Internet game. I appreciate the fact that I was invited to experience this virtual on-line experience, but as a future mother and teacher, I must say that I prefer the old school style of parenting, teaching, and basically the traditional way of life that I am accustomed to and have grown to admire.