The Danger Of A Second Life

I enjoy watching all the CSI shows and cop shows such as The Next 48 hours, Lock Up, and Inside America Jails as an example. Blame it on my experience working with law enforcement for several years. If it were not for DVR technology, I would be an overweight couch potato watching my favorite law enforcement series. Getting back to why I am posting about Second Life.

A few months ago, CSI New York had an episode of catching a murderer by entering the world of Second Life. It was one of their most intriguing episodes, avatar characters being murdered in the real world. The episode intrigued me so much that I went on line to see what the Second Life World was all about, I was tempted to create myself an avatar. Of course, I would create myself as a sexy young woman who does not live with multiple sclerosis.

As I flirted with temptation to join the Second Life World, reality of there are serious psychopaths in the world prevented me from doing so. I also thought about how a person could become emotional addicted and the psychological affect of living as an avatar in a virtual world. In the end, I decided it was dangerous to flirt with creating an imaginary life. There is some truth in art imitating life and life imitating art.

I was right about the danger and psychological affect of joining Second Life. This morning on CBS Up To The Minute News, they had a story about a single nurse who joined Second Life a year ago. In the world of Second Life, there are 500,000 active members. Linda whose avatar character name is Cala, a sexy, curvy red head met the man of her dreams in the world of Second Life. They became engaged in this virtual world after a four-month courtship. Linda/Cala said in the interview that when Richie (her virtual world boyfriend) proposed to her it felt like a real life proposal. They are now married in the world of Second Life; they had a fantasy wedding including the minister, bridesmaid, groomsmen, cake, reception, and honeymoon.

She stated in her interview with the journalist it started as a game, but they both admit they have fallen in love for real. The flip side of the fantasy is Linda/Cala virtual husband Richie is married in real life. His real life wife doesn’t know about Second Life nor that he is married in the virtual world of Second Life. The reporter in real life would not interview Richie because he did not want to be interviewed in real life, but he did agree to talk to her in Second Life. The reporter created an avatar for herself and entered the virtual world of Second Life to interview Richie at his Second Life home he shares with Linda/Cala.

The reporter asks him if he feels as if he is cheating on his wife, his response was, “I suppose its cheating in a way, but it’s a meeting of minds not bodies”. He also admitted to the reporter that his Second Life marriage is stronger than his real life marriage. I agree with the psychologist interviewed for the story, there is no if and buts about it he is cheating on his real life wife. I am going a step further and say that Linda/Cala is being a home wrecker and Richie is committing adultery. Just because there is no real touching in this virtual world there is emotional bonding and sex between the avatars in their virtual world.

They both say they have no plans in meeting in real life, but Linda is having second thoughts of being single in real life. They both need to give me a break…there is some psychological issues going on with both of them. Linda/Cala need to look for a man in the real world and Richie who feels his virtual marriage to Cala is stronger with the one he have in real life needs to work on his real life marriage or get a divorce and move on. He is being unfair to his real life wife no matter how he tries to justify his Second Life adventure.