Is this the key attraction of this game? Hanging out in virtual space with RW strangers, and chatting? Because I fail to see what else could be the point of the game, let alone cause all the hype.
Can someone clarify what else is there about in-game socialization that you can't find in any web community like other MMOs or bulletin boards?
I think you might be missing the point when you lump together all the unique opportunities offered by Second Life and tag them as "socialization". It's not just about "hanging out", I like to look at it as a huge social experiment with a huge potential in a number of branches, from anthropology to marketing.