Sorry it has taken me so long to respond.

At the risk of sounding overly pedantic, allow me to first present the literal definitions the terms we are discussing (just to set the framework)

American Heritage Dictionary
Virtual
adj.
1. Existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form, or name: the virtual extinction of the buffalo.
2. Existing in the mind, especially as a product of the imagination. Used in literary criticism of a text.
3. Computer Science Created, simulated, or carried on by means of a computer or computer network: virtual conversations in a chatroom.
world
–noun
1. the earth or globe, considered as a planet.
2. (often initial capital letter ) a particular division of the earth: the Western world.

3. the earth or a part of it, with its inhabitants, affairs, etc., during a particular period: the ancient world.
4. humankind; the human race; humanity: The world must eliminate war and poverty.
5. the public generally: The whole world knows it.
6. the class of persons devoted to the affairs, interests, or pursuits of this life: The world worships success.
7. a particular class of people, with common interests, aims, etc.: the fashionable world.
8. any sphere, realm, or domain, with all pertaining to it: a child’s world; the world of dreams; the insect world.
9. everything that exists; the universe; the macrocosm.

I do realize that the common usage of the term, “virtual world” in modern parlance connotes something different than what is suggest in these definitions. I also realize it would be incredibly literal and narrow minded of me to not acknowledge the common use of this term, however I feel that the way people use the term “virtual world” is incomplete.

I intentionally meant to be provocative in my statement, Facebook is a virtual world, as I feel the persistent, lifestreaming nature of Facebook renders it more than merely a social network. People “play” in Facebook. People give gifts in Facebook. Many people spend a great deal of there time in Facebook and a large percent of their social interaction take place in Facebook. It is this reason that I feel Facebook is a virtual world.

What do we think ?

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