The truth behind the avatar

Today, I want to say something about people playing Second Life, and their virtual identities. It is pretty much like every online game, you can pretend to be someone you are not in real life. If the game gives you the possibility to be someone from another gender, or race, why not try that out? Most men would never admit it, but they secretly would like to know what it is like to be a girl. Same goes for women. And I think, in most games it doesn’t really matter. I have played several online games before, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 11 etc. Somehow when there is a transvestite, its not such a big deal. When someone is 50, and pretending to be 20, that’s just fine.

But in Second Life, it kinda is a big deal. Here relations between people are more serious than in any other online game I have played, there is much more emotion, and drama. At the first club I worked, it was a bit like a soap opera. This one lady was constantly having issues, people couldn’t stand her. In the end some people would send assasins after her… That’s how heavy things can get.

Emotions are more important here, because this game relies heavily on relations. What about friendship, is it possible to be real friends if you don’t even know whats behind the avatar? We can pretend to be anyone we want to be. And what about love? Is it possible to fall in love with a person in Second Life? Some say it is, some say it isn’t.

There are avatars that don’t pretend. They look pretty much like they do in real life, and behave that way. Yet, the temptation is everywhere, skins, hair, and all possible eye colours. Because in SL you could be more beautiful than you are in real life.

When you make a friend, or have a crush on someone, just remember. What you’re seeing is pixels, sometimes very well constructed. What you’re getting, is the question.