I realize that i can not entirely understand the people filmed in Second Skin or their relationships, because it is not a "world" i choose to take part in. I'm sure people don't understand why i spend hours upon hours riding my horses or snowboarding either, but it is what i enjoy and they are "groups" i am identified with. I in no way feel superior to the people I'm about to bash, but I'm entitled to my opinion...
Interacting in virtual worlds seems wholly stupid to me. I disagree that freedom to be ones self is in any way associated with participation in games such as the ones mentioned in the video. Players willingly admit to editing themselves and their lives, how is that giving them freedom? They are conforming to characteristics they think people will like about them. Anyone in the mood to play devils advocate could say, well isn't that what we do in our own lives today? Sure it is, so why are these virtual worlds necessary? They aren't.
Addiction is a serious risk to many gamers. We all take risks in our "real" lives such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, driving cars, the list goes on...the point is: if one is trying to escape this "awful real world" that we have created, why are they going into virtual worlds where the same fundamental ideas/issues still exist? There is no point.
According to the movie, virtual relationships can exist in the real world. One could liken them to e-Harmony or some other washed up dating site, but how well do you know someone from the internet? Kevin one of the people documented, admitted to having a relationship with someone who was psycho, she came after him with a knife! Tough love? Real tough. I'm repulsed by the idea of someone flying across the country to meet someone face to face that they have never met before in their entire lives and anticipate starting a relationship with. I don't care if you met on e-harmony, facebook or in some video game...thats messed up. It would be like screaming to a rapist or murderer...me, me, pick me.
For instance: A man from my hometown and his pregnant girlfriend, soon to be wife moved to away from family and friends to begin their life. The mother to be was searching for a deal on baby clothes on Craigslist where she found an older woman who had agreed to show her the selection she had at her house. Upon meeting at the older woman's house, the mother to be was murdered. The killer had pretended to be someone, edited herself, in cyberspace to lure the young mother into her home and cut out her baby, who died after tragically entering the world. Had this woman not been trusting the personality she met online she still might be alive today.
**if you view the link, it does say allegedly..however, i know the mother of the man and it was true. It just could not be proven in court.
To summarize, i feel that virtual worlds are an epic waste of time and dangerous. I'm guilty of getting on facebook rather frequently as i'm sure most of you are. However, i would never accept anyone i didn't know or try to begin a relationship with someone via cyberspace. It's a dangerous and scary thing. I'm sure none of us want to end up like the woman i described above. You may argue that this is an extreme case...but the extreme cases are real. This isn't something to be messed with. I don't feel that this form of technology or that these synthetic worlds are moving us forward. It seems that were regressing. The relationships portrayed in the documentary are strictly with other gamers, couldn't this be likened to segregation experienced in the 50's? Gaming/social networking doesn't broaden our horizons it minimizes our view.
I am so glad that someone agrees with me. I was beginning to think I was absolutely crazy from comparing the relationships on the games to the true stories on the discovery channel about murder and deception. I think that flying across the country for someone you never met is crazy. One might say well how well do you really know someone when meeting them in person as opposed to online. The thing is with me is I have never met someone completely new to me, and then dated them. I don't understand where the people in the videos are coming from because I have never done that. I choose to associate myself with people I've grown up around or people who friends with my friends. I don't form relationships with complete strangers. If I have to do that I at least of good judgement to not throw myself into situations that could turn out like one of the movies on lifetime. If things like this didn't happen and the cyberworld was safe, why would they devote so many movies and tv shows to these situations. The people addicted to those games seriously need to consider the "what ifs" in life instead of thinking "if life gets out of hand and crazy I can just unplug it".
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you talk about the level of risk that comes with online gaming and meeting new people online. Obviously everyone knows that with the opportunity to be whoever you want comes the opportunity for others to be whoever they want as well. Like your story attached proves, there are some sick people out there. But that doesn't mean that everyone is sick. It just means that people have to limit who they take the risk of knowing. Some people, like yourself & myself, avoid the gaming world all together because they are aware of the dangerous risks that can occur online (or they are just not interested in online gaming). I'm sure the gamers are aware of these risks as well. They may think that it is worth it to put themselves out there to develop relationships with people they have never met because they don't have any real relationships in the real world. Maybe they have to go online in order to meet people. Who knows.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you. I also find it ridiculous and crazy to fly such a long distance like Heather did to see someone you have never met, let alone doing it by yourself, like she did. She also let him move in with her when they barely knew each other. Sometimes I feel like people don't even think; they just act. Like Missy said you don't know all the crazy people out there. I also use Facebook a lot and agree, I don't add anyone that is not my friend or is not at least a friend of a friend. I agree Callie I do think it minimizes our view. The "virtual" world and everyone in it makes it seem like everything is great and butterflies and rainbows; real life isn't like that, you see the bad things about people whether they want you to see them or not. People online make you believe they are the person that they want to be not the person they necessarily are in real life. They don't have to show or tell you the things they don't like about themselves.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I think the media has completely overblown the whole 'online rapist/murderer' and it makes us more aware of this type of crime. Consider, for example, shark attacks. While in reality they are quite rare, the media plays into each and every shark attack because it is violent, dramatic, and makes for a good story. Same goes for this online deception of personality. It's violent, dramatic, relevant, we can all relate to it, etc. It's a newspaper's dream story.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, these people who commit murder are just as likely to commit murder without the internet. The internet does not create murderers it is juts another of numerous means through which one can lure another in. There are just as many ways outside of the internet to deceive a person into thinking you are someone else: a newspaper ad for furniture, speed dating, etc. My point is that the next person you meet who you decide to take things further with is just likely to be a murderer than someone whom you could have met online. The example of relationships given in the game are of people who demonstrate values of a good person, just not in the same context as we are used to. These people are spending numerous hours playing this game, developing relationships with people and in the end I think you could there are just as many chances to withhold ones true self in the real world as online.
I agree there are risk when you're online. Especially if its someone you don't know. I think it just really boils down to awareness and being careful. Not everyone online isn't some sick psycho person though. And you're right you did describe the worst case scenario and things like that can happen when you least expect it. Sadly people go online everyday without knowing the risk and giving their information out and unfortunately can end up in situations like you described. You just need to take careful of people you talk to.
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