Identity in the Context of Virtual Worlds

For this assignment I read 2 articles.  The first one was was a CNN "Identity in a virtual world" http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/06/07/virtual_identity/index.html?iref=allsearch , and the second one was from the Digital writing and research lab it was called "Neutralizing Identity: Exploring Language And Gender In A Virtual World" http://www.dwrl.utexas.edu/content/neutralizing-identity . They both were very interesting discuss the topic of identity and deal with virtual worlds.

The CNN article talks about how people perceive themselves in a virtual world. It compares people with their avatars on games such as second life. In most cases the avatars have the same basic features (skin color, height, ect.) but may be different in the way that they dress and their size. In these games people can make their avatars strong, skinny, long hair, short hair, the listed goes on and on. In the article they interview.

In opposition to mine and Coopers thoughts Nick Yee from Stanford University says that people are more likely to be someone there not in virtual worlds, in some cases men can be women or vice versa. This is really interesting to me, because it is a different way of identifying yourself in ways that are impossible in the real world.

This article kind of flows into the second one from the digital research lab this one deals with race and gender, which are things that are harder to change in the real world.  The article also discusses oppertunity second life has given these students in the article to connect with people all over the world and learn different cultures.

The article talks about how you can conduct and manage a classroom in a virtual world to get the same classroom feel that you get in real life. Especally trying to figure out ways of communicating with eachother without just lecturing the whole time. My favorite activity was the Language scavenger hunt in this activity students have to translate in 5 different language to solve the scavenger hunt.