MODELING REALITY WITH VIRTUAL WORLDS

Based on Ed Frauenheim's article, "IBM Learning Programs Get a ‘Second Life’" stated that the IBM company set up a new program for their employees to go in to the virtual world. In the virtual world, employees can test out their ideas. Employees will be free of thinking in the virtual world because it wouldn't cost anything if their ideas fail. Thus, employees can be creative since there is not much things to care of in the real world; for example, what is the effect would bring to the corporation if such ideas or plans fail. (Frauenheim, 12/17/2006.)
In the virtual world, people can create their favorite image to appear in there. According to the article that reported by CNN.com, it described that things people can't do in the real world, which can be happened in the virtual world. For instance, disabled people can be an athlete in the virtual world.(Saidi, 3/28/2008) The virtual world can help people to balance their way of thinking. Based on Saidi discussed on the article, virtual world seems like helping people to relieve stress or pressure from the real world.
I don't think that there is a "dark side" for using the virtual world. First, you don't have to tell all your truth in the virtual world, so your privacy or identity is safe enough. Second, if you don't like to communicate or socialize with such person, you can delete them from your "world" or just don't chat with them. The only bad thing that it may cause is that people may not be good in socialized with people face-to-face since they do all the typing to communicate with others on the virtual world.

Work Cited:
1. Frauenheim, ED. "IBM Learning Programs Get a 'Second Life' workforce.com." Workforce Management: information on employment law, human resource development and human resource management. workforce.com. 17 Dec. 2006. 23 Mar. 2009 http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/24/61/08.html.
2. Saidi, Nicole. "IReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction - CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. 28 Mar. 2008. 23 Mar. 2009 .