From what I remember from my reading....

Second Life did not start out as a way to help those with social disorders. It started out as an online game, a fantasy place. Then John Lester started playing the game....

After playing and getting involved in it, he then thought it would be a good way for those with Aspergers/Autism to interact with others. That is when there was an announcement made at BT asking for people personally affected by aspergers/autism.

He then created Brigadoon - an island of land within Second Life as a virtual place for people with social disorders.

Somewhere along the line, he got hired to work for Linden Labs -- but I believe he got hired after he started playing it and after he created the brigadoon island - but I could be wrong on the timing of that one.

The majority of people who play Second Life do not have an social problems. They are average computer users who like interactive online communities or game playing or whatever you want to call it - and they pay a monthly fee to subscribe to the service (that's in addition to any money they 'pay' IN the game to buy things like virtual clothing).


As for why people like to play these virtual games and pay real money for virtual clothing... I'm as mystified as the next person. I don't get it either. But to each his own, everyone enjoys different types of amusement.