Why are we hiding behind our AVATARS? I have revealed myself and this is why...

[Wili Clip]

 

What are we afraid of? What will other people think about us? Are we afraid others will notice our flaws? That other people will laugh at and make fun out of us? That we are not good enough and we have to hide?
Everyone has flaws and those who criticize and laugh at other people usually have the biggest ones. I have flaws. Nobody is perfect. Why create an image of perfection and then be anxious or depressed because there are such discrepancies between imaginary and reality?

About 11 days ago I decided to reveal myself to my SL gamers community and it has been cathartic for me.

I now use voice in Second Life whenever possible and I've been practicing getting out of my comfort zone about that and I wish more people would do the same. Your brain will reward you with release of dopamine every time you make a personal breakthrough.

Why are we hiding behind our avatars? Are we creating another personality? Are we afraid of ourselves?
(I do maybe understand in the case of women as they could become a target of harassment and stalkers - that is viable concern)

I think that Second Life should be an extension of real life and not a replacement. I believe that it can even be psychologically harmful if someone lives their life through Second Life. My friend in SL is a psychologist and she did research on that topic that confirms it.

My RL body is my avatar and avatar in Second Life is just an extension that lets me do, experience and achieve more things than I could in RL without using virtual world tech.

So what is your main reason for hiding behind your avatar?

 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Wili Clip

[Syo Emerald]

What a loaded question.

[Alwin Alcott]

can't be bothered or whatever... it's SL  not RL

[Wili Clip]

Just now, Alwin Alcott said:

can't be bothered or whatever... it's SL  not RL

Are you no longer a real person when you are in your SL?

[Rowan Amore]

[Janet Voxel]

2 minutes ago, Syo Emerald said:

What a loaded question.

Also a thinly veiled advertisement.

[Wili Clip]

14 minutes ago, Janet Voxel said:

Also a thinly veiled advertisement.

Sorry if it appears like that to you. It was not my intention to advertise. I did really reveal myself to my community and that has helped me on so many levels. I hope what I did with disclosure helps someone. Those that this is useful to will probably not post any comment about it but I believe my message can influence many people positively.

I say. Don't hide. Don't worry about what other people think so much. Don't live your life for them. It is your life and you only have 1 and it is pretty short. Live your life your way and the way you want.

Don't create fake images that others want to see so that you can feel loved because that is fake love. Be yourself, be real.

 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Wili Clip

[FairreLilette]

11 minutes ago, Wili Clip said:

Sorry if it appears like that to you. It was not my intention to advertise. I did really reveal myself to my community and that has helped me on so many levels. I hope what I did with disclosure helps someone. Those that this is useful to will probably not post any comment about it but I believe my message can influence many people positively.

I say. Don't hide. Don't worry about what other people think so much. Don't live your life for them. It is your life and you only have 1 and it is pretty short. Live your life your way and the way you want.

 

What were you hiding though?  Was it your gender that voice revealed?  Many say voices are morphed, and the group I hang around mostly makes morphs so some of our gestures sound like the famous Chipmunks and one of my favorite live singers in SL uses morphs in her songs that also sound like the Chipmunks because we are tinies.   I don't believe tinies are hiding anything.  We get together and have fun, plus it's a way for married people to be together in SL and not be hit on.   There are many reasons to be a tiny, I cannot speak for all of them.  I think they are the most adorkable thing in the entire world but it doesn't make me feel I am hiding or that I  need to go on voice.   I went on voice once, I found it a hassle and the person had such a heavy accent that I kept saying "what?" because I could not understand him.  I am busy building over 90% of my time in SL.  I don't have time for voice.   Pic included so others can know what a tiny is as we are NOT human child avatars. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by FairreLilette

[Garnet Psaltery]

So you revealed yourself to your community.  Who cares?  And what business is it of yours why people decide to keep RL separate?  I am not surprised by this display of self-congratulation, after all it keeps you in the public mind.  What next, a dance video?

[Wili Clip]

3 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

What were you hiding though?  Was it your gender that voice revealed?  Many say voices are morphed, and the group I hang around mostly makes morphs so some of our gestures sound like the famous Chipmunks and one of my favorite live singers in SL uses morphs in her songs that also sound like the Chipmunks because we are tinies.   I don't believe tinies are hiding anything.  We get together and have fun, plus it's a way for married people to be together in SL and not be hit on.   There are many reasons to be a tiny, I cannot speak for all of them.  I think they are most adorkable thing in the world but it doesn't make me feel I am hiding or that I  need to go on voice.   I went on voice once, I found it a hassle and the person had such a heavy accent that I kept saying "what?" because I could not understand him.  I am busy building over 90% of my time in SL.  I don't have time for voice.   Pic included so others can know what a tiny is as we are NOT human child avatars. 

Thank you for sharing your reasons. I am learning something new from you.
Ty  \O.. O/

I find tinies community fun and most funny of them all. ^^

Edited February 26, 2021 by Wili Clip

[Rowan Amore]

When I want reality. I generally log out.

[Wili Clip]

1 minute ago, Rowan Amore said:

When I want reality. I generally log out.

Are you saying that when you are logged in nothing is real for you?

[Rowan Amore]

1 minute ago, Wili Clip said:

Are you saying that when you are logged in nothing is real for you?

I bring my RL personality into SL but keep my SL out of my RL.  Pretty simple.

[Wili Clip]

6 minutes ago, Garnet Psaltery said:

And what business is it of yours why people decide to keep RL separate?

I've given my reasons why I no longer feel a need to keep my RL separate. I am interested what are the reasons of other people and I am also addressing those people who my reasons can help them to do the same (if they don't have reasons to hide) and be able to connect better and on a higher quality level with other people.

[Rowan Amore]

19 minutes ago, Wili Clip said:

Live your life your way and the way you want.

Pretty much the answer to any questions you have for anyone here

So why did you even ask?

[Wili Clip]

2 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

4 minutes ago, Wili Clip said:

Are you saying that when you are logged in nothing is real for you?

I bring my RL personality into SL but keep my SL out of my RL.  Pretty simple.

So you bring a piece of your RL in form of your personality because that is what you're comfortable with to limit yourself at that.

Thank you. I think many use SL in similar way as do.

[Theresa Tennyson]

46 minutes ago, Wili Clip said:

About 11 days ago I decided to reveal myself to my SL gamers community and it has been cathartic for me.

What makes you think you haven't revealed yourself in Second Life long ago?

[Janet Voxel]

One thing I love about second life is the idea that you can do whatever you want, be whatever you want and the only limit to that is whether you or someone else can make it.

One thing that drives me nuts about second life is the amount of people that want to tell you how to do it, flying in the face of the spirit of second life.

[Wili Clip]

7 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

27 minutes ago, Wili Clip said:

Live your life your way and the way you want.

Pretty much the answer to any questions you have for anyone here

So why did you even ask?

The way our brain works and when we're immersed in life and daily stresses it is easy to forget why are we alive, what do we want in our lives and what for are we even living...

I have to keep remind myself on a daily basis to not live for the future and not live in the past but to live in the now. For example I have to keep remind myself that one day I will die and this motivates me to try to do something out of my life.

[Reese Wicken]

Not hiding anything.  I'm on at dumb hours of the night and my computer is in the same room as my sleeping partner.   I use to voice on SL but that was when my medications allowed me to get up at 5am and actually stay awake to have some me time.

[FairreLilette]

14 minutes ago, Wili Clip said:

Thank you for sharing your reasons. I am learning something new from you.
Ty  \O.. O/

I find tinies community fun and most funny of them all. ^^

Yeah they are fun!  

I have been off and on SL for 15 years or so.  The first time I came to SL, it was an Angel-send because I lived in a remote area that could not receive any radio so I had no music, and then I found SL by seeing them on the news a long time ago.  My first two times in SL were for music and socializing, my 3rd time (this time) was purely to build.  Now I see SL as a 3D Photoshop program almost.  Plus I love all this 3D "stuff" and I really believe it is an art form.  Many are not here for SL to be a dating website.  

I see voice coming to play here because the younger people didn't learn typing like many of the former generation did.  Although through texting and FB, my nephew and niece (somehow) learned to type and can type to me on FB which I am grateful for, especially since my nephew lives in another state now.  

I also see voice as kind of like ham radio and I think it's cool but I didn't have that great of an experience with it because the person had very broken English and I could not understand him.  I talked to a few people in the past, years ago, on my phone.  We talked on the phone and it wasn't that great an experience either.  I often wonder what it would be like on voice today but still I am so busy that it's not the time now.  Just have fun and don't do the opposite and worry about others that they are left out.  People gravitate to things as it happens for them.  

[Syo Emerald]

Why do you assume people are hiding something? Hiding would imply, that they chose to not show something on purpose, that they actively want to keep others away from seeing something. Is "not hiding something" really defined by using voice chat and showing pictures and/or videos of yourself? Is your voice and apperance more "you" than everything else you have already displayed in SL?

[Ceka Cianci]

There is something you don't understand.. I'm not locked up in here with you..

You're locked up in here with me! \o/

[Luna Bliss]

1 hour ago, Wili Clip said:

About 11 days ago I decided to reveal myself to my SL gamers community and it has been cathartic for me.

Awww...why would you need to hide that handsome and sweet-looking face?  But congrats on developing more authenticity in your life, whatever that would mean for you.....that's a worthy goal!

[Wili Clip]

24 minutes ago, Janet Voxel said:

One thing I love about second life is the idea that you can do whatever you want, be whatever you want and the only limit to that is whether you or someone else can make it.

One thing that drives me nuts about second life is the amount of people that want to tell you how to do it, flying in the face of the spirit of second life.

Isn't this the same reason why we love real life? It just takes more effort to do whatever you want and to be/become whatever you want. I have a little son whose imaginary world is very vivid and in his circumstances he can be whatever he wants and do whatever he wants (with limitations of parental guidance ofcourse). Currently he is a super hero 😁. Playing with him reminded me and even taught me that when we are older we can still in RL do whatever we want and become whatever we want.

The only difference is that we as we get older learned to limit ourselves because we molded ourselves in fixed roles. We adopted certain belief system of what we are capable of or not capable of and what our limits are. The worst thing is when you let yourself get trapped in belief system of others or let yourself be influenced by others and especially if those people are negative or have negative view of the world.

What I am learning from my little 5 years son is that if I want to progress in life I need to learn to unlearn things about myself. For that I always try to find ways to push myself out of comfort zone. Its easier for little kids to do that through playing because the neuroplasticity of their brain is higher. But I am learning from neuroscience that as we get older we can still change, we just need to deliberately focus on things that we want to change about ourselves and create new behavior patterns.

Therefore I'd like as many people as possible to know that if they are currently in a bad situation that they can start making steps to start again progressing in their life and take up on challenges.

 

Edited February 26, 2021 by Wili Clip