Starting my thesis- Original Proposal

Second Life- A growing reality?

For those people aren’t familiar with it, Second Life is a 3D, virtual environment. It is shaped entirely by its residents, represented as 3D images called ‘avatars’. This rapidly growing phenomenon, with almost 10 million residents, has a booming economy with immense innovative ideas that continue to expand this ever developing world. Whether you enjoy the idea of this online world or not, no one can argue the power, importance and fascinating future that awaits us in the ‘second’ life.

Possible topics/arguments that could be discussed:
Can something like Second Life be called reality?
The success of Second Life since 2003, its economy, politics and social significance. (I.e. terrorism is now a threat in the online world, censorship, education, propaganda, meeting future husbands/wives in world)
The debate of the online world: a game or reality, although many people would ask ‘how does one ‘play’ Second Life’ and how this ideology contrasts with the reality (i.e. how multi-million dollar companies like Coca Cola, Philips and Gucci are earning money and creating a monopoly in-world)
Other areas to address may be the idea and influence of online teaching environments and whether they work or not?

There is so much interest, theories, debate and relevant significance over the notion of a Second Life that I feel it would be an excellent choice for this thesis. While I have not yet come to a definitive approach to the topic, I would like to delve into the ‘world’ (excuse the pun) of Second Life and discover exactly why this modern phenomenon is so significant in the world today.