The BBC has done a report on the spiritual side of the Internet. All rather analytical for me, and really rather silly.
The article goes on about how gamers are using online games as a way of exploring a different nature of humanity. With games like Battlefield 2 we want to be heroric, diving in to battle in order to help our team mates progress. Where we can explore other things such as sacrifice.
I play Battlefield 2. I do suicide runs. I don't do it to save my friends, unless I know I'm going to get a personal advantage to it, such as taking out two other players in the process. Is it sacrafice, and am I exploring how this is different to the physical world? No, I'm just trying to get as many points I can win the game and get more points on my global score. I don't die in a game, I respawn.
I have in the past been a very good Counter-Strike player (possibly even 'elite'?). If I was playing the game with any thought about the spiritual effect of these worlds, I wouldn't have mindlessly ripped through teams of newbies slaughting them leaving the rest of my team still picking what weapons to use. I can't imagine anybody would describe me as a violent person, I find any type of violence horrific (yes, I'm a coward). And I don't play games to act out not being cowardly. I do it because my friends did it at college, and I got quite good at it. Then I did it for competitions, never professionally. Just, because it's fun. Like playing a board game with your family, it's just a laugh.
The article does natter on a bit about SadVille (as our wonderful El Reg calls SecondLife). Which I can see may be for people who want to examine their minds and self-being in a different way. There was a few mentions of how Geeks are actually having the rich lives and those who don't use SadVille aren't.
But lets face facts. Geeks are geeks. I'm a geek, but I wouldn't lower myself to using SadVille. There are perfectly good pubs around me which can serve up a pint and a bit of real life. I play a lot of games, but really, there is playing games, and just living in an excuse for escaping the real world.
Anybody who really honestly thinks it's more than that really need to take a step back and have a look at the real driving factors.
A game = just fun
(that includes most RPG's which are games)
Simulated realities = Escaping the real world
(fine in small amounts, but it's not finding your true self, it's giving up and hiding from the issues)