Howard Rheingold, while saying that virtual worlds (style Second Life) are right now a tiny cult which just might grow out to a small cyber subculture, admits there are things you can do in virtual worlds which you cannot do in the physical world. Maybe just as important are things which are just a bit easier in a virtual world than in the physical world. Stuff like sharing a painful story in an immersive environment where you share the same space but where anonymity makes it easier to talk.
Tomorrow, Wednesday October 28 at Noon PST/SLT (9 pm CET) we’ll talk about these experiences at Metanomics.
Can substance abuse be treated online? What do virtual worlds have to offer people diagnosed with autism and schizophrenia? Will playing back a virtual conversation over and over help people with schizophrenia become more socially active?
Join host Robert Bloomfield as he meets with Dick Dillon of Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc. to discuss substance abuse treatment within Second Life. The conversation will continue with faculty from the Center for Vital Brain Aging at the University of Texas at Dallas.
More information on the Metanomics site.