Virtual world is real

Often we speak of real world and virtual world. Virtual in a meaning that we are connected to blogs, forums and play games in get with people that we have never met in person.

BUT people in virtual world are real living people. The character might be an animated figure, but there is a real person controlling it. Is this a real social contact? or imagination? Is virtual world something real. I think it can become more real as friends from internet start meeting each other in real life. Would we call a penpal an imaginary friend even though we have not met him?

What if some one is using a fake identity? Does it make him virtual? No it makes him not trustworthy or shy? But there is a real person behind that identity.

It is a real world!