· Draxtor, an avatar from the online world of Second Life, exemplifies the viral quality and the social adjustments which accompany Burgess' argument that media allows for the creation of new social norms. With the implementation of viral communication, Burgess states that new "cultural practices are originated, adopted and sometimes retained" within society. Such are the implications of second life; in an alternate world, citizens are able to interact with one another and sometimes view situations otherwise invisible to them. This is best exemplified in Draxtor's video regarding Guantanamo bay. Characters are able to enter the jail, experience, and comment on the event. The spread of Second Life's popularity as well as its individual social structure directly parallel Burgess' theory on new social practices. In Draxtor's second video he displays a female avatar advocating for Obama's candidacy. Characters in both videos are able to not only involve themselves fully in society, but are able to take on a larger roles than they would in real life. They may represent causes, teach others, and assume positions of importance and power. This increased involvement is exactly what Burgess attributes to the ever-expanding wave of media which defines the past decade. People are able to create personalities and status quos which others follow and mimic. Now everyone feels encouraged to participate in society whereas before they went unnoticed. In conclusion, viral creations such as Second Life enable the masses to participate and feel as though they too are worthy and relevant. No longer is social change limited to face-to-face interaction; instead, impersonal contribution via videos and "memes" enables total participation.
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