The poem, “Virtue Is the Best Helmet” brings up some interesting issues concerning the motives behind the virtual world. But then my friend the lactation consultant brings up the quadriplegic who gave birth (two times no less) (motorcycle wreck) just to make her body do one thing the meat could remember. Is a life without feeling, without true human interactions without the “burdens” of this meat cage really what we’re striving for, is it really what we want, do we have a choice? With this in mind, the concept behind the film Gamer is a very frightening one. It would be as though one would obtain the best of both worlds being able to leave the realm of their own immediate personal reality while intruding into someone else’s. Not controlling an avatar, spites and objects on a screen but anonymously controlling humans. The game “Society” in the film draws inspiration from virtual worlds such as Second Life and the like but more specifically from Playstation Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r46PGzPfDvs&feature=related, this is also no coincidence but a message, a satire of sorts. Although slight, branches of this are apparent today as people join social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Plurk, not as themselves but as their identities in a certain virtual world http://www.plurk.com/SableSunset , http://www.plurk.com/LaLaFooFoo , http://fashionliability.com/. Being more comfortable with ones virtual self in every aspect of life, whether it is professional, recreational, or social is now a viable option.
“Virtue Is the Best Helmet” taps into the mind and thoughts of one trying to lose themselves in a separate realm in the 21st century. Perillo speaks of a sort of fusion between reality and the augmented reality, aware of the advantages and flaws of each, not willing to delve into either one completely. Being aware of the individual(s)/ business behind the craft also helps with this, can one really be comfortable with submitting their all into a world that can be manipulated so easily so quickly? Pray the server doesn’t crash, pray against the curse of carpal tunnel syndrome. It seems as though that is where we are now, seemingly not content with the physical world, the “real” world. Although we look to the virtual world to satisfy the itch, perhaps we are still unwilling to completely submit to this virtual reality.
Escaping our “meat cages”, leaving the material world behind is a concept that is not new to us although it sounds absurd and impossible to some. Virtual reality and augmented realities share many of the same characteristics of a state of nirvana or heaven and this is no coincidence. There are no “real” problems and those that come up always have a solution, everything is black and white, there are the just and the unjust, right and wrong, there is no such thing as grey area. In the virtual arena everyone is the same, at least they start out on a level playing field and progress from there, everyone lives forever, and no one grows old.
That makes a lot of sense. Just like how we talked about in class; I remember one girl saying that she feels like her virtual self is a more accurate representation of who she "really is" than the person she puts out in real life. It is interesting because to a certain extent that claim holds validity.
ReplyDeleteHaving an online persona allows the individual do do whatever he or she would like with NO REPERCUSSIONS. I was playing Second Life last night and some guy asked if Flora wanted to go and have some fun, he proceeded to invite her to an adults only section of Second Life. My account settings are not rated mature enough (I think this is because Flora has only been alive for 6 days, but I am not sure). The point of this---if some random man who I had just met asked if I wanted to have a good time with him and tried to take me to some strip club or other adult outlet I would most certainly turn him down. But he felt as though he could ask my character, after only knowing her for 5 minutes; he probably would not have been so forward in a real invitation.
So when we live virtually we are able to act in ways that we normally would not due to social constrictions. The question then arrises as to what is more real? Being able to follow any impulse or obeying society's standards and living civilly in society? Am I more real when I get to display a specific part of my personality and role play through that virtually or am I more real when I get to tap into the different facets of my personality depending on my setting and personal life experiences?
As technology becomes even more integrated in daily life these questions will begin to have even more prominence in daily living and will influence the idea of the self to a greater degree.