How We See Ourselves

One of the interesting facets of Second Life is that we get to portray ourselves in exactly how we wish to be seen. What I find particularly interesting is how people actually take on that vision. I look at Sedona as an extension of myself in many ways. She is the woman personified in that if I was able to shape my real life body like hers I would. While many of her features comes from me, her normal blond hair color being one them, her body is what I would consider perfect in my mind. Sedona is the person I want representing my real person to people who see me in Second Life. Since first impressions do mean something I make it a priority that she always looks her best when just generally presenting herself in public. In private, roll play or themed sims the situation is completely different dependent on the environment of the sim.

So, it begs me to wonder. Do other people feel the same way as I do about their avatars? Sky and I have had this discussion many times. So have I and other close friends of mine. The general consensus that I have found is that yes, most people generally make their avatars look how they would like others to see them. If that is the general case, and I have to assume it is, then why do I see many avatars that look plain, frumpy, with exotic shapes, dressed horribly, or in some cases just completely not even human? Is my assumption wrong? Do some people not care how they present themselves or care what the first impression of others are? Is this in fact the "person" they want others to see representing their real master tugging on those strings? Or do they just feel Second Life is not real in any respect? That it's just a game or simulation, or a place on the Internet to find pixel sex only?

Now before I get trolled by people saying I shouldn't question this, I disagree. This post is not an inquisition of peoples individuality. To me Second Life is a great study of this. The point of this post is to provide a discussion to that study and question of individuality. To be clear I know that from time to time we all like to get goofy with our pixel selves. What brings me to the question is; when I'm out in a public area, a shop, mall or club that is not tailored around a specific venue why do I see leather or latex clad submissives in ballet boots, ball gag and chained head to toe? Why do I see small little girls in dresses I only wore on Sundays when I was six? Ignore the obvious cases where people that do this for child sex. I'm talking about the roll play where second families are involved. Why do I see dragons, nekos, furrys, androids, animals, cartoon characters, slaves, vampires, trolls, faeries, elves, and others who show off just about every sexual fetish I can think of? Is this the first impression that the real live person behind these avatars really wants to portray?  Or is this an attempt to bring attention to ones self?

I love Second Life. I love the variety of people it brings together. I love the social aspects it promotes. I love the creativeness that it inspires. And I love the fact that people who I meet can see the real me without any real prejudice. We are all beautiful in our own way in Second Life and that in itself is the single biggest reason to be a Second Life citizen. Hopefully someday I'll have a better understanding of how we see ourselves in Second Life, and why.