Today's writing will be concerning identity and how the use of second life may effect it. Some may argue that identity can be hindered through the use of virtual worlds. They will argue that interaction with others on a virtual basis will in the end hurt one in a social setting. Perhaps the concstant interaction with others online could make us have less of an ability to interact in the real world. It could be thought that we slowly forget how to be socially active if we are not doing it on a consistent basis. the development of new friends combined with the possible severe altering of ones identiti could lead to a number of different things. we enter virtual worlds to escape from our own. Go places we have never been before. Create homes. Meet new people. Even sell drugs if our heart desire. all of these things are aspects of our changing identity. If people are given the chance to live a life, consequence free, were we can accomplish all that the restrictions of the real world kept us from accomplishing. In second life we are given the chance to make our own choices and do whatever we want to do. Having such freedom gave me a larger sense of identity. I felt that with the more I was able to do, the more I was able to distinguish my identity. By distinguish I mean tell the difference between my true identity and my virtual identity. My true one meets meets the realistic expectations of a 22 year old in college. In second life, while im not selling drugs, fighting in rooms where I can kill with lightsabers, and flying, I'm developing new relationships with new people from around the world. Interaction with others, if one is doing so on a polite and well-intentioned basis can be good for people. Like most games in life, I have come to the conclusion that with moderation comes progress. If we do not obsess over these "second lives" than we can use these experiences with others to foster a new identity. It allows us to, through fantasy, develope not only new ideas about ourselves, but also new ideas about the way we want our actual lives to play out. What do you think? Do you feel that our identities are in harms way when playing in virtual worlds?