CyberSex... The Modern World Sex...

In the modern world of today online chartrooms, avatars pornography and cybersex have become an over occurring reality. When browsing online it is almost impossible not to come across such sites and on accident or not you may have quietly ventured into this side of online experimentation.

Have you experienced cyber sex?

Was it something you would venture to again? Is it necessary and affective?

Pornography, online chartrooms and sex in cyberspace is a popular, unstoppable and growing business which is accessible twenty four hours a day seven days a week in the privacy of your own home. Sex in cyberspace is an affordable totally anonymous area online which is there to provide amusement to some and enjoyment to others. Cyber sex is the safest way to experience sex which many may be turning to in an unsafe world. However does it desensitise us to the real thing?

Perhaps cybersex will become the ‘normal’ sex in the future.

Online places such as ‘Second Life’ a virtual reality game have shown increases with cyber sex. Within Second Life sex is fairly common “ whether an assignation with a prostitute, a pick up in a bar or making love next to the fire at home with your second life spouse, sex is the virtual realm” (New New Media, Paul Levinson, 2009) and is extremely apparent and one of the main attractions within the virtual world.

When looking into Second Life I was extremely surprised about how large and popular the industry is, I was also extremely surprised when I was meet head-on with some of the women in the virtual world. All these women whether they be prostitutes, pole dancers or others where all perfectly sculptured and very unrealistic. Cyber sex offerings within Second Life are on the same level as real life. The business’s within Second Life offer the same services as the real life however Second Life has an advantage over the real world because your sexual fantasies can be played out without the embarrassment and within the comfort of your own home.

What is so attracting about this world of virtual sex? Is it because we can be someone else within our minds? Is it because we can have a virtual sexual relationship with another person through online? This brings up the question... is cybersex a form cheating?

Sex in cyberspace is in some way the equivalent to having another relationship. If you are in a monogamous relationship is having an online relationship with an avatar or in a chat room classified as cheating? Will your world relationship last over the online?

Mary Ann Layden co director of Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology program called Porn “the most concerning thing to psychological health that I know existing today”.

Could this virtual reality be harming people with them not knowing? Layden said “the internet is a perfect drug delivery system because you are anonymous and aroused”, Layden brings up the argument of cyber sex being addictive. In the article “internet porn: worse than crack?” it has been researched that pornography addicts have a more difficult time recovering from their addiction then cocaine addicts.

Is this cybersex phenomenon becoming the new drug for this generation?

Today’s obsession with the newest technology has created a need for virtual reality and in turn cyber sex. But is cyber sex become a problem within society with people becoming addicted to online feelings and shutting out real world feelings.

Maybe cybersex will become the normal sex of the future...

but until then real world sex will have to do.

The Digital World... Are we as human beings not good enough?

The first time I first took a look into the controversial virtual world of Second Life I was within my education environment at University. I never really took an interest or took the time to educate myself in what was supposed to be the latest craze in reality technology. My first opinions when looking through Second Life was ‘who has the time to sit at a computer for hours on end and talk to people they don’t even know within a virtual reality game’. Listening through my tutorial I began to realise that this was not just a game as I first thought however was another life for some, a life where people can pretend to be someone they are not.

For those who don’t know or have never heard of Second Life it is a virtual place where you first make up your own character, you can choose hair colour, eye colour, breast size and weight – making yourself as perfect or imperfected as you like. Then you venture within the virtual world were you meet new friends can buy property, clothes, marry and even buy sex toys. The Second world is not shy and your Second Life character can do and try everything we can in the real world
Steven Meadows the author of the famous book called “I, Avatar, The Culture and Consequences of having a Second Life” has said that “the suspension of disbelief has become a grounding of belief” in my opinion this is partially true. These virtual experiences help some to believe in a better world and therefore there becomes a feeling of belief through these virtual characters. However this also brings up the question of “isn’t the real world good enough”, “why do some feel they need to escape”, and “are we as human beings not enough”?

Within the virtual world of Second Life, people on the others side of the screen can create a character unlike them, people can be what they have always wanted and will not get judged within the screen where as they may get judged outside of the screen. Does Second Life enhance self esteem or give a false promise of reality?. In a way yes Second Life is a false sense of reality these perfectly constructed characters are not real and are far from human beings. Reeves and Nass argue that “People respond to technology on social and emotional levels much more than we ever thought” (cited meadows 2008), should we be worried about these digital addicts? Are we losing a sense of realism within the world? This statement places Second Life on a much higher level in society then I thought. People who are involved within Second Life are emotional about their characters and get extremely involved however is this a good thing?

Are human beings becoming too attached to their Avatar? Is getting emotional about a virtual world taking it a step too far? Or are we as human beings striving for something better something more than the real world?

Extremist or Not...

When we think about the term extremist we normally think about groups such as terrorists who are inflicting harm on the world but what does not come to mind is The Australian First Party which is a website created for the Australian community with its main goal to protect Australians and their jobs for the future.

When I first logged onto the Australian First Party webpage I was quite shocked and worried with what it had to say and what it was saying about Australia as a Nation. The Australian First Party as mentioned on the website emerged in ‘mid 1996 in response to community demands to rebuilt and support Australian industry and provide satisfying secure and productive employment for Australian’s’.

When I first glanced at the Australian First homepage I was confronted with the “eight core policies of the Australian first party”. Statements in the policies such as “reduce and limit immigration, mistakes can be long term”, “Abolish multiculturalism” “Strive to rebuild a united Australia”, “strengthen the family, promote policies that strengthen and protect the traditional family” These statements came to my attention instantly and to be quite honest shocked and appalled me that such a sight has the right to represent the Australian people and to put our flag on its website because I certainly don’t agree with many of the policies they have outlined.

With such a website representing Australia can this been seen as an extremist group?

Some may say yes, The Australian First Party is definitely an extremist group with its strict policies being targeted at Australians and Australians only, however you could also argue that the Australian First Party is only trying to protect Australians and offer them Australian job opportunities before foreigners. But is this fair?

In my opinion I can see how Australians are worried about themselves and family members not having the opportunity of choosing jobs or even getting a job after school however is it fair that we welcome multiculturalism however do not want them to apply for our jobs before us?

No, to state the obvious it is not fair that we are creating such a website that comes across as anti immigration especially when we encourage people from overseas to come and educate themselves in our country however have limited jobs for not only them, Australians as well. The system is clearly not organised and not working appropriately causing such websites and groups to be created by the community and to be supported by much of the community.

So the question is... Is the Australian First Party a positive attribute to Australia? Does it give Australia as a country a bad reputation?