273: Second Real Life

[JIst00]

I've briefly been on SL, and I've seen this thing happen, hell, I was involved in a brief romance, and it does serve as a reminder that the internet is populated by REAL people, with real lives and emotions and problems. Even though I am a massive MMO junkie, I tend to shy away from forming many relationships online as I do in RL because of that experience.

K's tale is one often heard, many people who are disabled or housebound for whatever reason use things like SL and WoW and even XBox Live as their only means of social interaction. Just remember that.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Ah internet relationships nothing new. I've delve into it myself and had returned with dividend. I actually meant up with her and um...well lets just say we didn't get much sleep that night, for that matter all that week I do still miss her cooking ^-^

Just make sure you arent lying about yourself if you actually plan on getting "romantically involved." Cause remember when you meet up its all gonna be revealed. Use the tools available to you to make sure the person you think it is IS that person. Facebook helps

Don't get into it if you aren't ready for the consequences! poor girl gonna have own up to reality sooner or later. This definitely not gonna bode well in the end.

 

[Serenegoose]

This was a fantastic article. Really sad, but worthwhile reading - the way that though it's 'just online' these are real people with real emotions and personality. I feel bad for them both, though I don't see why he had to lie to begin with. It's kinda heartwarming to see that people with disabilities that leave them homebound aren't necessarily totally reliant on others, however - that with this advent of easy communication and friend finding, even if it hasn't/won't work out for her in this case, the possibility is there when it simply wasn't a decade ago.

 

[justjrandomuser]

Great article. It's amazing sometimes the bonds that we form with people before we are even aware of it. Online games like this are really no different than any other hobby or sport. I'm not sure why we think that the only way to connect with someone is to be able to see them. In many cases people find themselves spending more time with their online friends than those people around them. I have made friends and enemies online that are no more or less real than ones I make in person every day.

 

[Shroomhell]

I remember when I played runescape all those years ago, I would make iron weapons and armor for all the little lvl1s populating the starting town. arming an army that would eventually cause chaos. I would like to think they didn't gank too much in the wildies.

 

[jawakiller]

So like, what happens if K just happens to stumble by this article online and read it...

Uh oh...

Meh, I wouldn't worry about it. She seems pretty engrossed in that, that thing. God I hate SL.

I would never get into a relationship over a mmo. Whenever I consider it, that fat guy from Gamer (ya know, that slightly shitty action movie with Butler in it) pops up in my mind. That pretty pixie with the fur boots I'm hitting on is probably a fat 40 year old guy who creeps chicks on facebook. Even if it is a girl, she's prolly married and old or ugly and socially awkward... Well yeah, would never do it.

No thanks, I'll stick with real females (and I know what they look like) you can actually have sex with.

 

[CapitalistPig]

Sounds like an exhausting situation. Sorry to say this but, Didn't your momma teach you not to talk to strangers on the internet? I play MMO's and joke with my guildies but i wouldnt get involved with them on such an intense level. Call me old fashioned I suppose.

 

[Bvenged]

...Wow.



I'm not sure who I feel more sorry for in that situation. This kind of drama is exactly why I stayed the hell away from Second Life. Kind of lame that he told you - for all he knew you could've been an EDiot, and after that it'd be game over, man.

Ok...

Intense stuff to think about right there. I'm going to have to excuse myself and go distract my mind for a while. Good article.

Very engrossing and deep article. I will now need to read something more cheery to keep my mind from racing as well, but it was worth the read nevertheless. Thank you for the article.

My comment would have been the same as this, but these fine folk said it just as good I could have.

Surprising, thought-inducing, slight empathy and now I need to go read something funny before I crack on with some work.

I've never read one of these articles before, very interesting indeed. Cheers Catie.