The real taking course in the virtual, Gaia Online
Boellstorff captures the virtual community of Second Life as a social meeting grounds in which users can create and distribute content, communicate, and learn from experiencing the “virtual world” as its inhabitants. In Boellstorff’s book Coming of Age in Second Life virtual worlds are considered the same as real for many active participants. “Our virtual relationships are just as real as our real-life ones” (Boellstorff 21). In short, how you communicate online may or may not be the same as in person — though your actions such as hanging out with friends or attending a party might be in a similar style.
In regards to virtual communities, I will be sharing some observations and experiences of Gaia Online — an online hangout that incorporates gaming, social networking, forums, and a virtual world (GaiaOnline). As one would browse through the different sections following the main page of the forum, you’ll find that most users are asking questions of life situations and some of Gaia. In terms of “real” and “virtual”, in this case I find both one in the same — they both hold meaning to the users. Some users might design their avatars to look like their “real” selves, or ask for help in creating cosplay. Here, your virtual model shares an identity within the community and others might give you feedback based on appearance. In most cases, the virtual community is an extension to the real — you are still interacting with other humans.
In addition, below is an image that captures what people in this community do in their free time, similar to that of Boelstorff’s findings. One user notes that they use the forums to pass time while another uses Gaia Online to help with loneliness. These occurrences are made public online and they do affect your “real” self. The time spent online brings you to a space where you can freely communicate to whomever desired, without physically moving. Shared within this community are the questions and solutions to those involved — people look towards a virtual environment to overcome the limits of reality and space. You can’t just travel to Rome to talk with a friend, you easily log into the virtual world and give a shout out if needed.
