In Search for Meaning in Every Day Life: Can the Virtual Dominate Over Real

Abstract

Thanks to the rapidly developing internet technologies, people of the contemporary society have the freedom to experience many different forms of life at the same time. Millions of people around the world have become part of the virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft which provide people with the power to be their own creators. These virtual worlds not only provide the individuals with the freedom to create themselves and their lives, but also with the opportunity to have alternative lives which can be considered as an escape from the mundane. Considering the continuously increasing number of people who become "residents" of these worlds and the impact of these virtual lives on their real life experiences, this study, supported with secondary data from consumer blogs in these alternative worlds, aims to discuss the interplay between the real and the virtual. Taking the issue from a relatively understudied perspective, this paper, conceptually and rather philosophically, investigates the deeper motivations of escapism and the search for meaning in life. To shed light to these inquiries, a research was conducted in consumer blogs and forums of two virtual worlds selected according to the number of subscribers: Second Life and World of Warcraft. The data was collected from two blogs and two discussion forums in which users of these virtual worlds discuss their experiences about various topics, including conversations on what these virtual worlds mean to them and how they affect their real lives. The findings reveal that even though these virtual worlds may provide its users with a feeling of having an alternative everyday life and temporarily satisfy the escapist motivations, escaping the heavily structured everyday life may not be achieved as the real everyday life 4 İstanbul Kemerburgaz Üniversitesi, Yrd. Doç.Dr., dicle.yurdakul@kemerburgaz.edu.tr. 5İzmir Ekonomi Üniversitesi, Doç. Dr., deniz.atik@ieu.edu.tr. 54 spreads to the virtual world with its institutions, including the marketing institution. For some users, the virtual worlds can be a temporary separation from dominant structures, while for others; they can be an extension of the real life as long as it continues to deliver a positive subjectivity. From a postmodern perspective, the findings also reveal that consumers do not have to choose but experience all, without necessarily rejecting or committing to one choice. Keywords ÖZETHızla gelişen internet teknolojileri sayesinde günümüz toplumunun insanları aynı anda birçok farklı yaşam biçimini yaşama özgürlüğüne sahiptir. Dünyanın dört bir yanında milyonlarca kişi, Second Life ve World of Warcraft gibi, insanlara kendi yaratıcıları olma imkânı tanıyan sanal dünyaların bir parçası haline gelmiştir. Bu sanal dünyalar, bireylere kendilerini ve hayatlarını yaratma özgürlüğünü sağlamakla kalmamakta, aynı zamanda insanlara gündelik olandan kaçış olarak düşünülebilecek alternatif bir hayat sahibi olma fırsatı da sunmaktadır. Bu dünyaların "sakini" olan insanların sayısındaki artış ve bu...