"The first step is to have virtual worlds as a common medium for ordinary people. It has to become far more ubiquitous, more like a toaster than a DVR,"
What virtual worlds do well is contextualise social encounters in a way that social networking cannot do, he thinks.

"Without places it is hard to have activities. The bowling alley or the alcohol does not matter as much as the people but if you do not have the bowling alley or the alcohol it's just an empty room and no-one comes,"

I'm not a gamer and never have been except in the real life sense. It's interesting though.

Contextualization of the social interaction may become a powerful educational tool, a one that can help to redesign better protocols of social interaction, and perhpas eventually a better society.