Blog Week 7: MMORPG, virtual worlds and augmented reality

I never realized how intense online computer gaming was! Nor did I realize you could become a millionaire by selling virtual properties online. I find it absurd that people waste money on a life that doesn’t really exist, and on things that don’t really exist or that they need. I think it’s cool that the internet can allow you to be whoever you wish, but a fake identity can only go so far, especially in the dating world. In the readings Michael Hardey discussed online and offline relationships, basing his essay on dating websites. So I reinforce my point that a made p identity can only be used for such a time, as if you wish to meet someone and your identity is opposite to what you describe, it is highly likely that person you meet up with will want nothing to do with you. Personally I would never embark on internet dating, I think it is for people that are unsocial and who don’t go out there and meet someone like everyone else. Although I think Hardey made a good point by saying that the internet provides a medium and it in many cases is a far more effective tool as opposed to newspaper advertisement dating. This is because more can written and described, and communication between the two is far easier. I then come back to the issue of money being spent over the internet when it really doesn’t need to be. For example some sites make you pay to contact people, wouldn’t it just be easier to go up and talk to someone that you liked. Not only would this be more social but it would boost ones confidence. Another reason I wouldn’t embark on internet dating is because there are so many people that aren’t what the say at all. For example on Oprah, there were three women that were ‘dating’ a guy they met on a website. He provided them with a picture and he made telephone calls to them on a regular basis. He made out he was living in Africa when in fact he was situated somewhere in the USA. The women fell in love with this ‘person’. This man got the ladies to put money in his bank account so he could try and ‘get out of Africa’ so he could then start a life with these women. After money was submitted into his bank account, the man disconnected his phone line and the women never heard from him again. All of these women were tricked by the same man, were stolen of money and left in the lurch. I think you have to be an idiot to put a large sum of money into ones bank account that you have never met, but im hoping for their sake it is a lesson learnt. But who am I to judge, this type of communication obviously benefits some people that are too busy for dating in their spare time, but I reinforce I think it is slightly weird and creepy to have thousands if not millions of users on the internet with fake identities. Its not normal and I feel in th dating world it is no way to fine ‘true love!!”