The Inescapable Pull of RL (2)
Perhaps my biggest complaint throughout this process has been the inability to completely loose myself completely throughout my SL. We talk of technologies of immersion, but I would argue that SL is far from so.
It did not matter if it was my flailing internet connection, my housemate teasing me or a nagging bladder, RL continued to penetrate. Not only that but it also set agendas for the way my avatar acted/dressed and my in-world conversations and most of the time I wished I could experience the things I was doing in SL in RL. RL is inescapable. Jenkins (2007) sums it up best when he writes:
The last several decades of observation of the digital world teaches us that the digital world is never totally disconnected from the real world. Even when we go onto the digital world to “escape” reality, we end up engaging with symbolic representations which we read in relation to reality. We learn things about our first lives by stepping into a Second or parallel life which allows us to suspend certain rules, break out of certain roles, and see the world from a fresh perspective. More often, though, there are a complex set of social ties, economic practices, political debates, etc. which almost always connects what’s taking place online to what’s going on in our lives off line.
I very much doubt that full immersion will ever be a prevelant occurence, even if the technology exists. People like being aware that when they become part of a virtual world that the RL is still there, and I believe people will never fully let go of that. Virtual worlds are an escape, but the whole world does not want to run away completely.
There are those out there who may disagree, with virtual worlds such as SL being the perfect outlet for those faced with difficultly in RL, such as homosexuality in a small town and disabilities, both social, mental and physical. For example:
Chartrooms (sic) played important functions for queers who lived in small towns or in conservative regions of the country where there were little or no chances to socialize with others who shared their sexual preferences. Entering into a virtual world (even one as simple as the early chat rooms) allowed them to begin to explore aspects of their sexual identity that they could not yet act upon in their First Lives. Through this process, they developed the self confidence necessary to come out to their friends and family, they felt some connection to the realm of queer activism, and they made a range of other life-changing choices (Jenkins 2007).
It can also allow for a breakdown of traditional barries of contact such as space and time that see new forms of support growing from these technologies. While I still believe that total immursion is not in our future, the validity of places such as SL as an outlet for these people is quite apparent.
But still, as I wander the scapes of SL, I cannot help but wonder instead about my plans for the weekend. So it seems even if I occupy the second space, my mind lingers elsewhere…
References:
Jenkins, H. 2007, ‘How Second Life Impacts Our First Life…’, Confessions of a aca-fan: the official weblog of Henry Jenkins, http://www.henryjenkins.org/2007/03/my_main_question_to_jenkins.html, viewed October 14th 2008.
