Julian Dibbell, "The Unreal Estate Boom" (2003) (page 388-97)

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WebLinks: Contexts for Exploring Visual and Verbal Texts

At the sites listed below you can explore some of the possibilities for a virtual life, or lives, online. You can also read about the myriad online communities that have sprung up across cyberspace in the last few years. As virtual worlds grow more sophisticated and lifelike, the dangers of real life also begin to impinge on virtual lives, making some people question the ethics and morality of virtual reality.

After reading about these virtual worlds and some of the possible negative consequences of a second life in cyberspace, you should come to your own conclusions about virtual reality. Is it fantastical escape from real life, or can it be more sinister? What are some of the benefits and drawbacks to virtual reality? Can too much virtual reality desensitize you to "real" reality?

http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/index.asp
The novelist William Gibson is said to have coined the term "cyberspace" in 1984 in his novel Neuromancer. Since then, he has established a cult following for his highly imaginative work. You can read about him on this site, which also has a link to his blog.

http://www.uo.com/
You can explore the many "virtual worlds" of Ultima Online at this site.

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