A great article (which I recommend you check out) was published in this month’s edition of Emerson College Today. In the article Emerson Assistant Professor, Eric Gordon, shares his views on the potentials of Second Life (and other virtual worlds), the Hub2 initiative (in collaboration with the City of Boston) and the implications this all holds for us here in the physical world.

Excerpt from “Virtual worlds of magic and creation – Emersonians explore Second Life’s potential (by Christopher Hennessy)”:

Misconceptions abound when it comes to virtual worlds and digital media in general, Gordon points out. “Everyone thinks: ‘I don’t even have time for my first life!’ I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that,” he laughs. “It’s not that virtual worlds are about retiring from your first life. Users see Second Life and other virtual worlds as opportunities to socialize, not isolate themselves. He cites the social networking site Facebook, popular with college-aged students, as a good example of the positive power of virtual space. “It’s a social network based on real world communities and it thickens those communities.” He adds, “Because we have the Emerson island, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to have class in real life anymore; we’re using it to thicken our engagement (read more).”