In Second Life (SL) I've met people ranging from aquaintancies to soulmates. I feel I've reach some of them on a deep level. The intimacy is apparently deeper in this dreamy world of anonymity. We speak about matters I'd only rarely talk about to my closest friends in real life (RL). Love grows between us. I've made friends with some I'd prolly never had talked to in RL.
In SL we meet each other without the disturbing reality called appearance/status/gender/age. Many I dont know much RL stuff about: Their age (I've met loads of very vise, very talented and very yong people... grins... and not one woman over 40!), where they live, what they do exactly for a living, how they look, maybe even what gender they really are... and so on. According to a christmass gift I got, "Second Life - The Official Guide", 14% are men who chose to be women. Only 3% are women in a mans avatar. In SL women have friends of both sexes, while the men have a hard time finding male friends.
So what is going on? Is it just a matter of being liberated from the normal wrapping?
1 had something to say:
Comments from My Space:
Interesting post Keannie :)
And you raise a very important question, I believe! Is the friendship or love you feel for someone influenced by his or her looks (includes all parameters) or is the personality the most important thing?
When people enter Second Life they can choose these parameters. The choice of the avatar and how it looks is like a virtual image of one's soul, to my opinion. The only extra is: we were not born this way. We have our First Life with all the experiences that go along with it. That makes some things easier, but other things harder. Fact is that we have a chance to choose what we are and what we stand for. Perhaps this makes SL such an addicting game?
Two little stories to think about...
I met a woman of 48 in SL who is terminally ill in RL (life expectation 4 to 8 months). In SL she can dance, marry, have fun, fly, dream... In RL her daughter has to type the words for her. In SL she is a young woman of 24 who lives her dream... Isn't it just great that in the last days of her life she has the chance to be happy? Who are we to say she has to get a life? I was very happy for her!
On another occasion, I met this guy who was worried his girlfriend was just another guy roleplaying. After a long and serious discussion with him I found out he was just afraid he might be gay. I saw his girlfriend and to me she seemed perfectly normal to me. So aren't we all just victims of our upbringing? And who had a problem? He or she? And why are most so upset when it comes to gender changes?
We all carry so many taboos in us. I hope we all will live to see the day those will all crumble and fall. And we will see our souls, shiny and bright :)
Sweet Kean, keep asking yourself and others these questions, because I think they matter. All questions are important, even though we get confusing answers sometimes :)
Love Ya!!
Kiss from your Friend Hele :))))))))
Posted by Helena On [28 Dec 2006 | Thursday] at 10:44 PM
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I don't think its 100% the anonymity. At least it wasn't for me. (btw - I also have been blogging along the same thing). For me, I would say a lot has to do with the environment itself. I know that in RL I interact with people differently than I would, let's say, at work.
I think SL is an enviroment that from the start, sets a midset of meeting people, of exploring and experiencing new things. It becomes a catalyst of opening up, even from the inside. Defenses go down, and before we know it, we bond with some of the most wonderfull people.
Honestly, I am still struggling to make sense of it past that.
Posted by DCPunk On [21 Feb 2007 | Wednesday] at 3:29 AM
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