[Osborn F Enready]

I know when I was playing the "Sims Online" when it debuted, there were people who would spend actual U.S. currency to have people design virtual homes, aquire and sell certain things, keep their virtual properties running efficiently while they did other virtual things.

It was a bizarre little virtual world I experienced, that shows just how diverse and creative, and PROFITABLE a truly free market is. This market is a non-essential luxury market, much like modern sports figurine values, etc. This entire market depends on the success of the necessary markets, that drive the nations economy and the stock market, though it is fully independent of regulation from that body. However, the only downside here is that it is a channel of paper U.S. currency leaving the country with nothing to show for it except virtual pixels, and most of that money is not coming back to the market in any way that is beneficial. The only motivator to outsource here is the price of the labor, and this is what should be attacked logically in order for us to capitalize on that market, IF we deem some type of action necessary. Instead, I would bet our government will attempt some type of protectionism, by falsely inflating the costs through tax or tariff, or by illegalizing all together the market itself in this arena.

It is most certainly a modern reflection on the new technological enviroment, and how it can be used as both a weapon of nations, or a benefit to all.

I would wonder at the possibility of an internationally released game with wide public appeal, that is heavily skill related, and infinitely buildable or extendable, with a living, realtime virtual world. Now imagine the designers covertly implanting codes which would allow skills to be altered, like a cheat code, but only known by groups employed under secrecy by the designer, that charged private entities to modify the skill levels of their characters in game.

The only labor being performed, are keystrokes. The buyer, and the seller are happy. But there is knowingly open fraud being committed, and for what ends, to empower or enrich who?

This could theoretically be used as a national or corporate tool of untraceable wealth generation, through various private entities.


Tons of possibilities. Boggles the mind.