The document records the week‑long discussion board for LEH 353 (Studies in the Arts) on the theme “Virtual Realities.” After watching Guillermo Gómez‑Peña’s TED talk and optional readings, students imagined their own virtual worlds and reflected on how VR could reshape identity, community, work, and well‑being. Contributions range from game‑style collaborative worlds (Hector), to utopian societies emphasizing work‑life balance (Kira‑Sky), to empathy‑building role‑swap environments (Amanee, Dary), to nature‑focused therapeutic spaces (Maryann, Keisy), to aesthetic fantasies (Diana, Ariana, Satya). Instructor Brian McCormick responds by highlighting the importance of co‑presence, citing empirical studies on virtual nature’s stress‑reduction, describing empathy‑oriented VR experiments (Second Life, Guantanamo, PTSD), and recommending resources such as Hello Avatar, Snow Crash, and The Forage. The discussion collectively explores how VR can foster community, enable fluid identities, provide non‑violent creative learning, and support mental health, while also noting accessibility concerns and the need for leadership in virtual spaces.
Topics
Community Building and Co‑Presence in Virtual Worlds
Students and the instructor discuss how shared virtual spaces foster connections beyond physical location, emphasizing the value of community in games and collaborative environments.
Identity Fluidity and Empathy Through Role‑Switching
Ideas about avatars, swapping lives, and experiencing others’ perspectives to reduce judgment and increase understanding, including references to Gómez‑Peña’s talk on performance and identity.
Work‑Life Balance and Societal Structures in a Virtual Society
Proposals for a virtual world that prioritizes humane labor practices, four‑day workweeks, and corporate empathy, critiquing current capitalist pressures.
Nature‑Immersive and Therapeutic VR Experiences
Student visions of natural, calming environments and instructor citations of studies showing virtual nature lowers anxiety and improves mood.
Non‑Competitive, Educational, and Career‑Simulation VR
Suggestions for VR spaces that teach, allow safe career experimentation, and avoid violent or purely competitive gameplay.
Aesthetic Fantasies and Personalized Virtual Aesthetics
A range of creative designs—from cyber‑punk‑nature hybrids to pink, cozy, or mythic landscapes—illustrating how personal taste shapes imagined VR worlds.
Instructor‑Curated Resources and Empathy Experiments
Brian McCormick provides links to VR empathy projects, scholarly readings, and speculative fiction that inform and expand the discussion.