Second Life Enables Engagement Across Geographic Boundaries

by Theresa Jacobellis

I am standing in the deserted lobby of the Mayo Clinic, and I am dressed like a gladiator. There is nobody at the information desk, so I walk behind it and sit in the chair. Next, I walk over to a series of large posters set up on what appear to be wooden easels. Each of the seven displays contains information about diabetes – its prevalence, signs and symp­toms, treatments including alterna­tive therapies, role of insulin, and a description of prediabetes.

No, I am not dreaming. I am wide awake, sitting at my computer, visit­ing a virtual world known as Second Life.

Second Life bills itself as “a popular virtual space for meeting friends, doing business, and sharing knowl­edge.” It can be compared to a role-playing game, but in fact, it is not a game at all. Instead, it is a true vir­tual world filled with a variety of destinations – some fantastical, while others mirror real-life places. The destinations within Second Life are limited only by the imaginations of the individuals who create them. Unlike a role-playing game, where a programmer employed by the de­veloper creates scenarios for the players, in Second Life any registered user can design real estate.

The platform was created by pro­grammers at Linden Lab, and it was initially known as Linden World. Second Life’s first resident, Steller Sunshine, signed on in March 2002. Today, a user can register to use the platform for free. Once registered, a user creates an avatar, a virtual rep­resentation of the individual that can be customized with myriad options for physical characteristics and clothing choices. Users move their avatars throughout Second Life by using the arrow keys on their key­boards. There is also the ability to teleport from one part of Second Life to another.

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