Simulation and Its Discontents - Spinello EDOL 755 11.13.2010

Turkle speaks of the use of simulations by Los Alamos nuclear weapons designers as dangerous because it is “easier for the weapons designers to distance themselves from the potential consequences of their art.” The new designers stand in test chambers where nuclear explosions are set off in a virtual environment, while the old generation set off real bombs that left massive craters behind. Older engineers express concern because their younger counterparts’ get excited when using the simulators—Turkle describes them as “happily inebriated.” She says that conducting bomb tests through simulators allow designers to remove themselves from the reality of destruction. I am dubious about supporting Turkle’s thought completely because I have to believe that nuclear weapon designers are a responsible group of people with high emotional intelligence.
Turkle’s illustration, however, does remind me of the game, Grand Theft Auto. In the game, a criminal shoots pedestrians, hijacks cars, and does other brutal acts. The game was popular due to its shocking realism. Parents were wary of letting their children have the game and the game was banned in Australia. In 2003, a teenager that played the game repeatedly murdered 3 police officers, claiming the similarity of life to a video game.
In conclusion, the simulations should be used prudently. The original purpose should be kept in perspective to avoid falling into an altered state where the real and virtual world can’t be differentiated.

Power Politics and Conflict Presentation - Schmeider 11.5.2010

E-Learning Technology Project - Moodle Blogs

November 5, 2010