You know the story. You come to the second life, make some kind of avatar, make your first steps in the new world. And, with a bit of luck, you sense all the dangers of being present in the on-line world. Mama, not to mention all the internet advisors, told you how dangerous it can be talking to strangers. And those avatars around you, they are strangers par excellence. Not just ordinary strangers on the streets, in the bars. These are even more strange. And maybe, even more dangerous.
So, at those first days of your virtual life you decide to keep your lives separate. First life tab in the profile stays empty and you do your best not to allow your human to reveal itself. But, you meet other people there, and… humans are social beings, and so are we, the avatars… and bit by bit, you find yourself telling which time zone you're living in, telling which is your mother tongue. It's ok, you say, those info are quite practical. And it is safe. You cannot be traced by time zone and language. First crack in the wall has been made.
But you won't stop there if you keep enjoying your adventure in the virtual realm. You will make friends. You will talk to them often, and despite the fact that your first life should remain separate and that avatar can have a distinctive life and personality, some things are just related to your human and to first life. You might mention them. And the people you meet might mention their first lives too.
I am not going to be your mom. You know how to protect yourself. You know what to tell and who to tell. I really hope you do. One day, you'll find out that it is not about knowing if somebody's avatar is of the same sex as it's human. After all, that is statistical data. Does it really matters to you? Or you may be really introduced to that person, knowing personal history, feelings and some intimate stuff. Very intimate stuff.
And now we get to the point. On one side we have so called RL info, statistical data about somebody's genitals, place of birth and living, language… maybe even a name. On the other,we have a life story, feelings, thoughts. We are aware that both can be made up. But, which one hands the truth? Even if it is made up? And which one do you care about?
The fact is, one can easily tell you whatever about their "life facts". With a bit of skill and concentration I can tell you that I am 37 years old male in Canada, and tomorrow I can be 22 years old female from India. And in both cases I can add a bit of story to support the facts. What does it tell you about me? Nothing, except that I may be a good liar. But if we go to the personal and intimate stuff, it tells a lot. Even if it is all made up. Being intimate and being anonymous can go hand in hand.
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