I am not in Kansas anymore!

I realize that Joykadia is a bubble and very safe. I have fully ventured into Second Life and find there are so many more layers to this VR based on the interaction alone. I have visited so many places and each time I am awe struck at the creativity and construction of the island. One of the most amazing places that I was able to visit was Genome Island. You could spend hours learning so much on genetics.

I really connected with the readings this week. I especially connected with The Proteus Effect. I really think that is is interesting how our avatar is connected with the way we interact with others. The intricacies of social interactions are felt in a digital world where we do not have to conform to the rules of society, yet we do. The understanding of these interactions in both VR and in face to face interactions raises the question of our behaviors being connected to our belief systems. In my exploring in Second Life I have come across people from all over the world. How does their culture impact the way they interact in Second Life? I know that I have seen my semi-conservative views creep into my avatars appearance. I was concerned about my shirt being to short, and I wanted an appearance that was not too conservative and not to edgy. I took well over an hour to modify my avatar's appearance based on my real life belief system.

What I am finding is that I am connecting my real life experiences to Second Life. The question I have is will I begin to connect my virtual reality experiences to real life?