With the introduction of programs such as Coming Home where “in an environment of complete anonymity, they (veterans) can find support from peers and counselors, learn relaxation techniques, and even travel a labyrinth.”(Gilbert) This is an incredible resource. Delivering help for veterans in need, directly into their homes allowing them to gain support from a community of peers they will never actually meet. Help for a veteran goes beyond even that however with virtual reality simulations designed to help lower former soldiers stress levels. Soldiers with PTSD will soon be able to go to their local VA and participate in a virtual reality program that helps them to reduce their anxiety and stress levels related to the war.
Another huge change that the virtual world brings with it is the ability to change yourself, or at least how you represent yourself. Being able to create and change an avatar gives the user the ability to completely control what they look like. With this ability people are able to express their true identity while at the same time having their avatar look nothing like them. Your online identity and millions of others can mingle and communicate creating real relationships. Though these relationships may take longer to develop because of a lack of physical communication, they still have all the fundamental characteristics of a relationship.
With the creation of these avatars comes the inability to trust the online representation of the person or persons you may be interacting with. Obviously this has some negative affects, but at the same time it can be a good thing. Your image will become less important than what you have to say. In a world where everyone was represented by an online avatar, things such as gender, race, height, voice pitch, anything physical would simply not matter, because you couldn’t trust what you were seeing. This would eliminate gender and other biases from academic and most other communities.
Virtual reality has obviously been around for a while. This is an old virtual game system put out by Nintendo called the Famicom. Well actually its an accessory for the game system that allows for 3-D play but was never released for sale outside of Japan. Select games would start in 2-D and could be switched into 3-D. This is pretty ingenious especially for the time it was released (late 80's- early 90's)
I think it is crazy how things that we used to see as games, like as you mention, Nintendo, can be used to train our service men, as well as, heal them after they experience battle. I think that virtual reality has the potential to be very beneficial to our society.
ReplyDelete"With the creation of these avatars comes the inability to trust the online representation of the person or persons you may be interacting with. Obviously this has some negative affects, but at the same time it can be a good thing."
ReplyDeleteThis is true. The internet gives us the ability to interact with like-minded people outside of our immediate vicinity.
(Before I was banned!) I used to post frequently on an automotive forum. At first I was only represented by an anonymous screen name, but after a years of posting I became a well-known member of this e-community.
Later these bonds would translate into real-life friendships. Members from around the south-east would meet annually for a meet and greet. I even went to three BBQs in South Carolina hosted by one of the forum members, who I now consider to be a good friend.