Iraqi Teen Immerses Herself in Zwinky

CNN recently reported on Wurud, a 14-year old Iraqi teenager whose life is not that different from American teens, with one major exception: she lives in Baghdad’s Green Zone.

One of the ways that Wurud escapes from the reality of living in a war zone is to log in to Zwinky World as a gothic avatar, according to CNN:

“Zwinky is 3-D chat,” she explains patiently, clearly amused by my ignorance.

In Zwinky World, Wurud says she can escape the war all around her. She likes to shop at the virtual mall for T-shirts, dresses, shoes — “Everything,” she says. “That’s so fun!”

Reading about Wurud casts 3D worlds such as Zwinky and SL in a new life. Andrew Podolsky, a writer at Ripten, gives us a succinct analysis:

“Wurud’s story is certainly something to consider the next time you’re racking up kills in the many, many games that glamorize chaos, violence, and destruction. For those young people who are actually living in a war, a more peaceful escape is what they desire. “