Time To Unplug?

Second Life, an internet phenomenon that came to my attention at the beginning of our Media 180 course, is without a doubt an interesting, albeit slightly disarming, phenomena.

Being well aware that there are millions upon millions of people across the world who invest a substantial amount of their time in the virtual world, whether that be in video games, alternate realities such as Second Life, or simply their involvement with the internet, it seems a valid concern to evaluate the effects of these increasingly time consuming activities.

In Second Life, the idea of 'virtual activism' is far reaching. Users and real life charities alike have created their own sections or areas to provide information on topics as far ranging as environmental sustainability to the crisis in Darfur.

The simulated Darfurian refugee camp was of particular interest to me while watching the documentary on Second Life. Josh Levy, the creator of the documentary, takes notice that there were only several avatars in the camp at the time. While I do believe there is potential in the effectiveness of this method to inform the public about the crisis at hand, my instinct is that the time used to even create these virtual areas could be spent in a more productive and substantial manner.

Activism and charitable giving, whether online or through real life activity, is overwhelmingly needed and a greatly overlooked necessity. According to UNICEF, over 80% of the world's population lives in poverty and 25,000 children die daily of hunger. These statistics are staggering.

Perhaps, instead of spending hours programming code to create virtual 'areas' of an online game such as Second Life, one could spend just a few moments researching the endless local and international opportunities available to lend a hand in an extremely life-changing method.

One such organization, with whom I have had the wonderful opportunity of working with, is that of Doctors Without Borders. Sending doctors to areas with little or no health care, especially concerning infants and children, this organization assists in providing life saving vaccinations and treatment. They need volunteers and donations at all times and the lives you are helping to dramatically change is greater than anything, in my opinion, that could ever be done in Second Life.