One thing I really like about SL is how, to some extent, we befriend people via personality. The connection is due to our interactions, rather than our appearance.
It is true that to some degree the appearance of an avatar may sway us one way or another, within broad boundaries, but to a large degree, SL connections are personality based. I think the SL blogging community is a perfect demonstration of that. Many of the people I interact with as a result of SL and more directly SL blogs, I've never even met in SL. The interaction has to be personality based. I am quite sure it is the same for many of you out there.
I guess though, the sad thing is that this is only really noteworthy because, on the whole, this isn't how society exists. In RL connections tend to primarily first and foremost appearance based.
Yeah, sure, it's not true for all of us and it's not true in all situations, but for the mostpart can we really deny it? There's some well-quoted stat about us forming an impression of people in the first four seconds after meeting them or something. We decide in that time whether we'll bother trying to like someone. And a lot of that must be down to appearance. In SL I don't think that same rule applies. And I for one celebrate that fact.
Not that I'm saying you wouldn't talk to me if you saw me RL, you understand ;)
Golden Walk
3 hours ago
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ReplyDeleteSorry I made so many typos! LOL Anyway what I basically said was...I Put up a SL picture of me on another social network site and ended up getting a bunch of new messages from random guys. Also I get a lot more attention on SL now than when I was new :p. I think on the internet the first impression plays off a lot, then if someone does have a fun personality you continue to talk to them. But unfortunately *I* think looks will always be first :p
ReplyDeleteMaybe we have to conclude that 'it depends', like so much else. I do think that SL operates on a different level to general social network sites though. Were those random guys who messaged you from SL or just random RL guys?
ReplyDeleteIf we're stood around in SL and a velociraptor wanders up and starts talking to us (assuming they're not proposing some sort of reptile-human baby scenario) we'd respond, right? In RL that might not be the case. I reckon our first reaction to an approach in RL is to judge the words, not the appearance. If that were not the case noobs would never make friends with non-noobs would we? Not with all that bad skin and hair and poorly formed clothing going on.
Also, another way to look at it, why did you decide to read my blog and reply and stuff - because you're interested in reading what drivel I come out with, or because Marnix the SL avi is a dashing young man with buns of steel?
Drivel?
ReplyDeleteI'll let you know when I see the first drivel dribble onto these pages, dear. ;)
The worst noobs I've run into are the ones who don't offer a handshake as an introduction. They just offer you their freenis. *shudder*
You're too kind, miss ;)
ReplyDeleteI am glad I haven't made that amateur mistake