Response to Sims Frazier's Virtual World

In his analysis of our class discussion on virtual cheating, Sims expresses the viewpoint that creating an avatar that engages in adulterous behaviors does not necessarily translate to committing adultery in real life. I would love to agree with Sims but from personal experience I’ve found that the type of people who invest large amounts of time in creating virtual avatars and leading second lives are not normal people, to say the least. A disproportionately large number of these people are borderline sociopaths who need to the Internet to socialize. As a result, they create these new and improved versions of themselves online to attract companions. So while your significant other may swear up and down that that virtual kiss with McDreamy8787 meant nothing, chances are he/she is lying. There are thousands of people who “seem normal” who are not normal and use the Internet as a tool to practice their abnormal behaviors. If you don’t believe me, you might want to tune in to “To Catch A Predator” on MSNBC’s Dateline.