Round two....
As SL's second anniversary passes us by, let us take the time to reflect on the virtual world around us. And indeed, on ourselves.
We have here, what may or may not be, a veritable revolution in socializing and communication. By competing, living, and hanging out in a 100% resident-controlled world, we have real power over our existence. Our surroundings. We have the potential of dropping all barriers to communication, to understanding each other and bringing about world peace, or something.
And yet, even when granted this extraordinary tool for self-exploration and 21st century socializing, we manage to wall ourselves off from each other. Sometimes, more so in SL than we would in RL.
We lie about our jobs.
We lie about our true intentions.
We lie about our ages.
We lie about our gender.
We lie about our relationships.
We wall off our feelings in grandiose displays of furrydom or BDSM powergames or building megatowers or engaging in monopolistic business practices or shooting random passerby with nuclear warheads.
We shun those that are different.
We reject those that do not share our beliefs and convictions.
Are these all symptoms of a twisted and demented online metaverse, or is this merely a virtual, exaggerated extension of the real world?
If the former... what can we do to change it? How could we foster a true virtual world of relative openess, a social Glasnost that is the envy of online spaces? Would we even want to?
If the latter... well, I guess we're all screwed then, aren't we? :)
I find it disheartening at the least that in a world that, on the surface, seems to be extremely forgiving, liberal, and otherwise open to new ideas and beliefs, us creatures on the individual level are still preventing others from seeing who we really are, by hiding away in our virtual extensions of ourselves. Burying our emotions and reactions into sub-cultured roleplaying that is meant to marginalize anything bad that happens. Switching roles and stories as easily as switching IM conversations.
So, here's hoping to an honesty Renaissance. I have nothing to hide... do you?
LF
We have here, what may or may not be, a veritable revolution in socializing and communication. By competing, living, and hanging out in a 100% resident-controlled world, we have real power over our existence. Our surroundings. We have the potential of dropping all barriers to communication, to understanding each other and bringing about world peace, or something.
And yet, even when granted this extraordinary tool for self-exploration and 21st century socializing, we manage to wall ourselves off from each other. Sometimes, more so in SL than we would in RL.
We lie about our jobs.
We lie about our true intentions.
We lie about our ages.
We lie about our gender.
We lie about our relationships.
We wall off our feelings in grandiose displays of furrydom or BDSM powergames or building megatowers or engaging in monopolistic business practices or shooting random passerby with nuclear warheads.
We shun those that are different.
We reject those that do not share our beliefs and convictions.
Are these all symptoms of a twisted and demented online metaverse, or is this merely a virtual, exaggerated extension of the real world?
If the former... what can we do to change it? How could we foster a true virtual world of relative openess, a social Glasnost that is the envy of online spaces? Would we even want to?
If the latter... well, I guess we're all screwed then, aren't we? :)
I find it disheartening at the least that in a world that, on the surface, seems to be extremely forgiving, liberal, and otherwise open to new ideas and beliefs, us creatures on the individual level are still preventing others from seeing who we really are, by hiding away in our virtual extensions of ourselves. Burying our emotions and reactions into sub-cultured roleplaying that is meant to marginalize anything bad that happens. Switching roles and stories as easily as switching IM conversations.
So, here's hoping to an honesty Renaissance. I have nothing to hide... do you?
LF
3 Comments:
Well, lemme be the first to come sraight....
>> We lie about our jobs.
- Web designer for non-profit agencies, based around the Community Information and Referral Society (http://www.mycommunityinformation.com) and the Alberta IM/IT Network (http://www.albertaimit.ca)
>> We lie about our true intentions.
- I am rather helpful though yes, SL has turned me slowly more and more cynical over the months, but I'm coping, and helping others to cope if I can.
>> We lie about our ages.
- I'm 34. I refuse to grow up, though, so you may assume I am 18 and I will say "Thanks." :)
>> We lie about our gender.
- Male. No secret there. I couldn't disguise myself as the opposite gender if my life depended on it.
>> We lie about our relationships.
- Single. Afraid of commitment. :D
siobhan, you're right about people's walling off. So I suggest starting a trend to break these walls, and every good-will can join this effort. It's simple and it can change our Second World, by breaking the first and most firmly implanted of these mindlocks:
Simply walk around completely naked in SL.
;)
Woops, got hit with the Mighty Confusion SledgeHammer of Eris and confused you with Siobhan Talyor somehow :o I as reading those SL anniversary threads... Sorry Lordfly !
But my suggestion still stands ;)
Post a Comment
<< Home