Virtual Reality: Helpful or Harmful?

Jean Baudrillard discusses the use of simulation and how it creates an alternate reality, separate from true reality. Baudrillard refers to this as a hyperreal or a simulacrum, which is a representation of an image. Baudrillard makes reference to various simulacrums throughout the text including amusement parks, such as Disneyland. These fantasy lands are presented as reality and are designed to make people believe that the surrounding area of Los Angeles and the rest of America are simply part of a hyper-reality. Baudrillard further argues that a simulacrum is more than “a false representation of reality, but of concealing, the fact that the real is no longer real, and thus saving the reality of people.” This notion reminded me of the interactive online site, Second Life. This virtual world allows people to create avatars through which they can operate on their computer and interact with other avatars. This is more than just a social networking site, in that it creates an alternate reality for users. Second Life ‘residents’ can build a house, go shopping/change their wardrobe, explore different places across the world (such a virtual simulation of Paris), perform various activities (scuba diving or mountain climbing), and much more. For many users, this has become their reality. Second Life offers everything that true reality offers, but allows people to have more control and freedom that can only be provided in a virtual environment. Schools are taking advantage of this virtual reality and using it as a teaching tool, such as taking virtual field trips to Ellis Island. However, this type of virtual reality can also have its disadvantages. People may experience an addiction to this site and avoid reality altogether. An episode of the MTV documentary series, True Life, features young adults addicted to Second Life. Their addiction to the virtual reality is displayed throughout the show and reveals the negative aspects of being trapped in a virtual reality.