Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

A virtual world is a dimensional environment where users can create whatever they want to. People can build an online version of themselves which is called Avatars, and they can construct a unique background or reconstruct a place that they would like to be. The virtual world can be used in different ways, and it depends on who is using it such as different fields: hospitals, office, schools or job sites. For example, the article, Going to the virtual office in Second Life explains how many businesses use the virtual world to cut down on travel expenses. Businesses use virtual worlds as a conference meeting where the different partners from all over the country and world can meet there without traveling to another country. They can interact in the virtual world in the same way as they would be in a specific location from the accommodations of their house. Hospitals are using virtual worlds to simulate situations where doctors have to make a quick decision to save patients' lives. Hospitals are using it to teach and train their staffs. 

As you can see virtual worlds can reduce travel expenses or help to teach and provide training. However, in the article In Room 100, It’s Sid and Nancy All Over Again explains how people can keep pictures of a place they like and reconstruct the exact location in the virtual world. The article describes that in room 101, Nancy Spungen was killed, and the hotel renovated that room, but in the virtual world of the hotel, they still showing the place as a crime scene. In other words, because users can use reality worlds as they want, they can create stories or reconstruct crime scenes which are already solved or forgotten. Another con of reality worlds is that users can be addicted to it, and spend many hours in it. It can reduce people's interaction in the real world.

In the future, virtual worlds would be a controversial topic because it is true it would help in education, but it is not the same practicing in a virtual world as doing it in real life. The same for traveling, it would allow people to go to different countries without leaving their house, but it will affect the airlines' business. For that reason, users should differentiate and use virtual worlds with the real world with cautious.