Social Networking Implications

As was the main theme of the PBS documentary, our generation, the iPod, internet, Youtube generation is a generation like no other before. The way we think, act and express ourselves is largely influenced by a small screen, a key board and the click of a mouse. With Second Life and other sites like Facebook and Myspace, we have created our own reality. A reality in which we can say, do and feel anyway we wnat without any implications or expectations. Yet many questions have arose. Has this gotten out of hand or this just normal? Is this the way it is supposed to, in fact just another human adaptation to the next frontier.
In fact, Second Life in particular seems to be an even more "realistic" version of The Sims which is of course one the best selling games in the world where one can create their own reality as well. Yet Second Life actually puts one inside of it.
This begs the question. Are we so tired of our actual reality, to stressed out with the so called real world that we need to create a new one in order to be happy. But are we actually happy? With each new development more questions come into play. Especially in todyas society where we are bombarded at every moment with technology. Maybe we feel as though we have lost control over our own non technological reality that we need to somehow create a reality through it.
As with the reality or what it maybe, the effect is obvious. As with Obama's campaign, there is now proof that is created reality actually has a enormous effect on the one already here. Obama became President through these means of interacting.
Another question seems to be, is this good or bad? Like all things in life, it is not so simple. There are of course numerous negative effects but positive as well. The fact that one can make and imapct and connect with someone who they might otherwise have not have shows that the world is getting closer together than ever before. We know what is not only going in our best friend's life but someone across the world at the same time.