Do Avatars Dream of Pixelated Sheep? - by Doc Nolan
When I look into my computer monitor and log into Alternate
Metaverse, I mentally transport myself (since I conflate ‘me’ and my avatar)
into a virtual world. Technically, I am
looking at a flat screen. When reading a
novel, watching a movie, and hanging out in AMV, I deliberately lose myself in
another world; one related to my eyes
(and sometimes to my ears),
but existing mostly inside my skull.
It’s not only in books and on screens, however, that I live
in a world of images. I know many RL
people, but what do I know of them? I
see the outside, but what do I know of their lungs, or pancreas, or heart or
spleen? For that matter, I’ve lived (so
to speak) in the same body for decades.
Nonetheless, I’d never seen anything of my insides “real-time” in motion
– unless you count my first sigmoidoscopy.
(I was conscious, whatever that means!)
Yes, I’d seen still pictures (x-ray images) of my broken wrist when I
was 26 years old but as for motion pictures, nothing until that
sigmoidoscopy.
And let’s consider people that I’ve known for many
decades. Honestly, all of them would be
unrecognizable if they were to appear before me with totally transparent skins.
What do I really know about Rosa and
Mario, my real-life next-door neighbors?
Sounds and images is what they are.
Indeed, what are all my virtual and “real” worlds but experiences?
It doesn’t bother me that I have never seen my liver. I hope I never do! So when I fly through a phantom prim in AMV
or sit beneath a virtual mushroom, is my encounter “real” or “fake” – or mainly
something happening in my brain?
So is a world of pixels and binary zeros and ones real? More important: Does it matter? Only one step removed: Do dreams exist?
.png)
Such a great post, Doc! And so relevant! Relationships in the virtual world are such a dance, aren't they? Our feelings are real and intense - maybe moreso than in the "real" world, because the imagery is so vibrant and fantastic, and because we are less distracted by the sensory input happening around us. The virtual world is far more focused.
ReplyDeleteWhat is real to me, may be a game to someone else. And not even in a cruel way; just a different perspective. Or maybe it is deliberately cruel. But I am far removed from it, though, for a time, my emotions may not be.
Time passes so much more quickly in the virtual world. I think healing may happen faster. It is easier to reframe things that happen - because, in a sense, it is all in your head anyway.
My commitment is to treat my virtual world relationships as real - because real people drive the avies, not NPCs in a game. For me, there is roleplay and there is being in the virtual world. RP cannot happen without the being there; but you can be in the virtual world without RP.
I also need to respect that other people don't see things from this perspective. While I do believe it is about managing expectations, I am left to manage my own. And thank you for an insightful and provocative post.