(b8)Second Life

Second Life, wow! I am flabergasted by what I just saw. I was not aware of the existence of this new SNS, that is in reality a virtual world. The virtual world that I had been thinking of for while, and that I had read of in most of the articles that we had to read for the class. Well I guess now it really exists! I don't know if this is exciting or if it is the beginning of a virtual society that will engage a real revolution and transformation in Human communication, behaviors and LIFE!
Still I signed up for Second Life. I can't lie it is so well done that it is attractive. First of all they ask you to choose a name! That basically means choose a new identity, they ask you to write 1st name then you can choose for last name in premade list of name that the site proposes to you. I honnestly felt like creating a Fake identity, but I have to say that there is something exciting about it. Then they ask you to choose the character that you want amoung a few prototypes, to start your second life. Then you fill up a few personal information nd thats it you are ready to leave for your new existence.
In parallele i was reading the article " Influence on the nature and functionning of online Group" by Katelyn Y.A.Mckenna. I thought it was a great article that explained really well how the personality of each member of a group, on or offline, influence greatly the groups charateristic. Also how one member appears to be a the leader or a follower. Of course the article stressed the fact that personality expresses itself differently online and offline. A follower in the offline group might be a lot more engaged and extroverted once he gets online.
It is true that communicating online breaks all kinds of barriers that are hard to break in offline communication. I think deshinibation is the one that primes. The lack of physical presence helps the shy one express himself more openly behind his screen. He can finally show a new face, that he was per haps afraid to show, or because he lacked confidence in face to face communication.
I think this is extremely obvious on Facebook for example, you can see how shyer people express a lot on there wall certainly to compensate there lack of involvement in offline situation.
Internet has brought us the possibility to do things and act like we would have liked too offline. But is it a good thing? I don't know, I say, becareful we might forget who we really are. How would this affect our First Life?!