In a nutshell - What is this about?

I created this blog for those who are interested on Internet Addiction and my request to Linden Lab to display a cautionary note mentioning Internet Addiction to the people signing in.

After all this time, this has become just a way to place this on the conversation. This is in a nutshell all I strive for.


Your liberty to read or leave its not denied on this space.


Virtual communities have enormous potential and will be part of many people's life's and work. So we need to take a thoughtful approach towards this. SL has an extraordinary pull and this phenomenon can result in dramatic damage to people who develop an addictive attachment to them.

  1. People joins in with no knowledge of this phenomenon
  2. Awareness of a danger helps reduce its potential harm
  3. Any tool to display this reality, might prevent those who read it

All ideas an opinions are welcome, posts with foul or offensive language might be deleted. Some information and videos might be disturbing for some people please be advised.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Stage 2. Immersion

Immersion its when you have passed a few days, the controls of the -not so friendly- user interface are learned now, you know how to fly, move around and add people to your "friend" list. In a few words its must happen when you say "I got it, now let's see some more".

Back then I had my starting point established at the heart of mainland Second Life. I got this idea from a note card that suggested places to visit, one of them was a Balloon Tour over the houses and offices of the Linden Labs employees, I tough I would love to see the life's of the rich and famous, I did not know I would end up stuck on that place like for ever.

The place it's a wood platform, standing 15 meters above ground, with space for the balloon landings and takeoffs, signs promoting the tour and chairs and umbrellas to wait for your ride, along complimentary virtual popcorn and lemonade. Little did I know the ride was broken, so I waited and waited, trying to activate the tour i did things like sitting on inflatable party balloons, since the instructions read "Sit on balloon to start tour"- all this I did under the eyes of a really cool presence, Willa Wyclyffe.
Willa would just observe one after another noobie drop in and try it all, just like I had, she would always say "Balloon ride it's broken" but noob after noob would still try it all. Willa could be found normally talking with all her class and coolness with Irving Beardmore. They appeared to me like two super veterans, as they discussed scripts and building and other stuff I could only imagine, I did not dare talking to them for fear of being ignorant.

Immersion stage, continues on the "awe" factor as it feeds on visual perceptions and the mind and imaginations keep running at full speed filling the blanks with the desire to believe. This stage has to be characterized by meeting people, something I appeared to be good at, given that I really like people and the fact I can be outgoing at times. SL helped me exercise some human skills I wanted to work on and loosen up on my shy and reserved nature. In personality tests in real life I score right on the middle balance between introverted and extroverted slightly charged to introversion. Yeap believe it or not, acquaintances in real life cannot believe it either, but that is how I feel internally and how I grew until recent years, of course if my motor gets going I don't stop.

This is when people get exposed to the dangerous addictive factors, SL Love, SL Relationships and SL Sex. For whatever the reasons, this anonymous, ideal chat place allows people to open-up and chat their hearts, minds and desires out. And here enters the Human Emotions Furnace effect, yes, in Second Life virtual love its passionate, honest, open, perfect and relationships become ultra-relevant, I don't know why but can understand it.


Deep in my mind I knew I was addicted, I looked for help, guidance, or references in-world, of course this was not only stupid but also fruitless. I was being tempted with SL love, its funny but some people seem to project their personalities beyond their avatars, and individuals portray weak or strong presences. What they say of course helps you imagine who they are. Imagine being so vulnerable and in several ways ready to get hit or over run by excitement and emotions. Add your own personal needs and a powerful recipe for virtual love its waiting for you.

I made the commitment to elude SL Love and deep attachments as if they were enemies as I knew this would only hurt me deeply and could be really hurting to my evident and increasing addictive nature and condition.

In my Immersion Stage I met fantastic people, I was making friends everyday a few of them would would stand above and create a little house in my heart, I will not glorify them here, but please know the things I have shared with them are unique and all this craziness, addiction and adventures into this apocalyptic world will binds us across this virtual world, as I am sure other addicts feel for their friends.

I met the smart, accomplished, apparently not addictive person Sigmund Leominster, one person I thought understanded me in my ideas about SL Love and addiction and its well read, a fighter who has come a long way, caring individual. I met MTD1952 who's adventurous ways hide a loving, big teddy bear with a kind heart along a flair for fun. I met merry Feltwich who is a lady that I not only love as a friend but respect, admire and share very dear life beliefs, merry you are the head Tough Cookie girl. I also fancy as a friend a person that uses the name of DrGonzo Yokishawa, for his smartness, for not taking Second Life seriously and being a smart easy going, he is one fun buddie to have.

I also hold very high my Mongoose Merlin, whom saved me from some ugly places in my early adventures, she said "What are you doing here?" "You clearly don't belong here". Skyra Woodget who its Second Life's self earned Jet Set, a complete woman, mother and selfless giver, with a high a healthy self esteem. Sky2 who has a protective heart and always took care of me from a distance. As you see friendships can flourish in SL, being this one of the real hits of that place.

Hence my description of Immersion stage ends with the mention of some of the friends I made back then, I think with those words you can get the picture of the feelings that start to build inside the developing addict spirits. And of course my first real virtual friend, the ever cool Willa W.

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