Many of us state and believe that the two worlds don't mix. We don't fill out first life tabs, we don't give away any RL information. We don't point to anything that can reveal the RL identity. We protest against verification. What else can we do to protect the barriers between the first and the second life? While we are busy doing all that, the two lives mix more and more.
The fact that no resident knows your RL name/age/sex/location, doesn't mean much. After all, that is not mixing of the lives, that is privacy. But, what happens in my first life affects how I behave in my second life. Ok, that is something we are usually aware of. But, what happens in my second life affects the real one! And, let's not lie to ourselves, the impact is huge.
How many times have you cought your human self smiling because something is happening to your avatar on the grid? We are not talking about you laughing or smiling because somebody told a joke. We are talking about you becoming aware that you are smiling for a while because your avie is listening sweet things whispered in the ear. Yes, there is no real and second life mixing. You both don't have much RL info about each other. Maybe you put borders and rules so your second life won't hurt your RL relationship. That is a great thing you did, but don't say that there is no mixing of lives. When you are smiling when somebody whispers, you are reacting emotionally. And, I am sure it is not only me, you might come up with a smile upon your face when not in the world, maybe when a thought comes to your mind while you are crossing the street.
Or, you may not be emotionaly affected, maybe you are into business of second life. Well, that makes things even easier. If into business, your real and second life are sharing that bank account. They are officially mixed. Say no more.
Or maybe you are just building and innocently socializing? Hmmm…. maybe you are saved. But I doubt it.
So, let's not lie to ourselves. Real and second life mix. Tell me about your lives mixing?
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