Escape From Reality?

I am all for games. I play games all the time since I was a little kid. From the times of the NES to today’s Xbox 360, I have not missed a beat. Since that time frame, games have evolved considerably to the online arena where people from all over the world can play and interact with each other at anytime, as long as internet connection is provided. Traditional games have had limited room for emotional involvement. However, introducing people via online now lets people communicate and interact by text or voice has brought relationships into the discussion. Now these games, such as Second Life and The Sims, emulate real life, and to a certain degree, do so successfully. The only problem is that it seems that some people become more involved in these games than they do in their own real lives. Players convert real-life money to in-game money to buy things they wouldn’t or couldn’t in real life, such as certain types of cars, clothes, and a nice house. Some say that those who engage in such behaviors online are simply having fun. I agree, but do realize that there are some who like their virtual existence better than their real existence. If you fit this mold, then you’re more likely to look at this world with disdain, knowing that life isn’t as easy in the real world as it is in Second Life. Living this way is inefficient. No matter how many hours you log in these virtual worlds, the fact is, the real and the lives we lead must be given much more attention.