Base Jumping

Is it that there's something akin to a common badness which infests the human spirit? Socrates believed that if granted perfect anonymity, it is the nature of man to do bad things. After all, if there can be no real punishment, what is there to stop us from acting on our every whim and impulse?
The case of Second Life is an interesting one, in that regard. For the most part, people have agreed to a consensual social contract which implies they will carry the rules of behavior from Real Life into that of their new virtual playground.
But, there are some exceptions, and among them, a new social contract is implied. With a new contract, comes new rules, and these new rules are where we see behavior take a radical departure from what many consider to be societal norms and values.
At the same time that many pander to the common, base and bestial nature of mankind, there are also works of almost heartbreaking beauty to be found. People come together to forge bonds of community, exploration, philosophy and education.
Perhaps it comes down to the very physical engine which drives our shared metaverse. After all, in this new second life, when you jump from a precipice it becomes your choice to fall.