Everquest and Gaming Communities

I thought this article http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/info_and_tech/game_theories.htm was very interesting. It's crazy how people can actually make a living out of these gaming communities. I agree with Castranova when he says "I liked it better when they were just, you know, games." I always viewed online gaming as a way of escaping the real world and the stresses that come with real life. Instead it seems to have just crossed over. I suppose it's good for those who are complete game addicts and for parents of those teenagers that do nothing but play on their computer. Then again, I suppose you have the option of whether or not, or how much, you want to bleed the real world into the virtual.