This chapter was actually really interesting to me. The part that stuck out to me the most was actually the very first thing we read about. In the place and time section, Boellstorff writes about an issue going on in Second Life. He provides us with a transcript of the IM conversation which I think helps us understand more. Because of this class and others I have took, I really do feel that I understand why people get involved in virtual worlds. But the issue he tells us about I really can not fathom. An avatar is upset because another avatar built a building near by. A building that he doesn’t feel is adequate to be in the area. It mentions flashy lights and that it doesn’t look like it belongs in that neighborhood. Seriously? And not only that you can read the passion that’s behind both avatars on the issue. I guess what I still question is the point. There is no physical or monetary reward for being in second life, this isn’t something you can be the winner at. So for this building, you may not like it, you may think its tackey, but so what? Does this building being in your second life neighborhood bring down your SL house value or effect the way you function in the game?  I understand the connection of relationships. I do believe you can form relationships in SL. But issues like this I just don’t see as relevant to being in SL or relevant to the reasons we/I have learned about why people join SL.

When talking about ‘presence’ this comment stuck out to me. “The resolution of ‘be right back’ is endlessly deferred: residents never completely “come back” to a virtual world because they were never completely there in the first place”. Interesting?

When Boellstorff talks about immersion in virtual worlds he brings up the issue SL had with whether or not to use voice capabilities. “if you introduce reality into a virtual world, its no longer a virtual world: its just an adjunct to the real world. It ceases to be a place, and reverts to being a medium….and voice is reality” (Bartle). I really found this thought to be interesting. After I read over it a few times I tend to think the same way. Where do virtual and real life stop? When does virtual become real and vice versa. Can anyone truly say what it means to be virtual and determine what’s real?