08-15-2007, 04:57 PM
It does at least raise some interesting questions for me though. Let's say, in 20 or so years, there are people choosing to live in virtual worlds 100% of the time. Completely immersed, Matrix style. Either just because it's fun, economical (cheaper to live in tub of goo hooked to tubes rather than buying a house?), or they're ugly, disabled, old, whatever. However, it turns out, it's ok to get shot or run over, beat up, you just laugh it off. Why bother simulating physical pain, no-one would want that.
But there would still need to be some rule-making and enforcing done. I mean, if you locked someone in their house and wouldn't let them out, or stole from someone, or exploited the "world", that would still be bad. What you'd call an admin today... would really be a cop wouldn't he? And then there'd be a court? Jail?
Would the punishment then be real or virtual? It would seem that SL and following "games" that bring us closer to this future would set the standard for how laws are interpreted.
But there would still need to be some rule-making and enforcing done. I mean, if you locked someone in their house and wouldn't let them out, or stole from someone, or exploited the "world", that would still be bad. What you'd call an admin today... would really be a cop wouldn't he? And then there'd be a court? Jail?
Would the punishment then be real or virtual? It would seem that SL and following "games" that bring us closer to this future would set the standard for how laws are interpreted.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a van is a good guy with a van