Digital Nation: Taming the Technology

                “We’re all in the same house, but we’re also in other worlds.” The film Digital Nation explores all of the different ways that America is evolving into a more virtual society. Through education, employment and entertainment, everyone is becoming more and more immersed in technology.  When people are wrapped up in their game systems, computers and cell phones, it can almost seem like they really are in a different world. They quietly stare into their screens for hours in a near hypnotic trance. Many are quick to assume that these types of people are antisocial and clueless, using the comfortability of technology to escape an uneventful life. But what if the basis of their life subsists in technology? What if the entirety of a person’s worldly interaction existed only within the confines of a virtual reality?

                Technology has undoubtedly transformed the way humans spend their time. Hobbies once perceived as adequate ways to make use of down time are now seen as arbitrary time wasters. Children are replacing baseball mitts with Xbox controllers; the value of having the highest score is beginning to take precedence over the value of developing physical, practical skills. Digital Nation, an online world simulation game called Second Life is showcased as not just a game, but as an innovative business tool. Users create an avatar and play as that avatar in a realistic online world with dozens of others doing the same. Since the game allows voice chatting, it was proposed that the game could serve as a medium for professionals to have a virtual meeting. This made me wonder about the apparent overwhelming desire to convert seemingly everything into a digital version of itself. The role of video games in professional conferences is an inappropriate one; it feeds into the concept of using things simply because they are available, not because they will enhance the usage in any way.

Similarly, the value and principle of physical face time in professional communication has become deprioritized. Formal conferences between business associates are becoming less and less formal. Devices with video chatting capabilities are staples in modern business. Companies cut costs by setting up Skype calls in lieu of flying someone somewhere for a face to face meeting. While having the ability to virtually communicate with people thousands of miles away is convenient and extraordinary, it lacks a certain intimacy that a real life conversation would provide.

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                Perhaps one of the most important aspects of human life is the ability to communicate with one another and share thoughts and ideas. In recent years, keeping contact with others near or far has become easier and faster than we would have thought possible even two decades ago. With the creation of the internet, having a conversation with a friend who’s 500 miles away is as quick and as seamless as having a conversation with a friend sitting next to you. This opens the door for a lot of personal opportunities. A married couple and a group of friends were briefly interviewed during a gaming convention in Digital Nation. The convention was focused around one specific massive multiplayer online role playing game, World of Warcraft. Users join guilds and fight against dragons and other mythical creatures with other live players. There is a chat function, and for many people, it’s a gateway to building relationships with others, be it romantic or platonic. The couple that was interviewed claimed to have met each other through this online game, and there are thousands that can say the same. Everyone in the interviewed friend group confirmed that before playing together, they were strangers. People seem to be very protective and caring of the friends that they make online. These people meet in a place where everyone has similar interests, so there’s little room for awkward silences. Since the majority of the time that they spend together is spent doing something enjoyable, negative situations are less likely to present themselves.

The idea of a group of random, anonymous strangers working toward a common goal is demonstrated in these online games. Message boards are full of people asking questions, giving advice, and even engaging in simple daily conversation. All of this constant communication has a positive effect on the level of closeness ad friendliness in society. Regularly speaking with others in a virtual environment can almost feel real at times. When a person is engrossed in an activity, it can be easy to momentarily forget that the café his avatar is in is not where he physically is.  Although servers may be full, and virtual rooms may be crowded with other users, we are all the company we have beyond the computer.

 “Do virtual worlds really bring us together with others, or do they just make being utterly alone a little more bearable?”