The Nightstar Zoo

I'm expecting the responce to this to be skewed.

Basically... is a cyberspace social life an equally valid choice as a social life in the world of the senses?

...For those who know me, my pick is obvious.

If I could get a microchip implanted so that I'm constantly connected to the network, I probably would.

Reality is scary. I like it here in my little room where I can say whatever I like and not worry about the repercussions.

Real life is good. It's also just as easy to be someone else in real life as it is online. So I reserve online for my more or less real personality. And roleplaying.

Eh, I don't enough about real life to compare, really.

Personal choice.

Though my choice is quite clear and unambiguous.

"Cyberspace" is good, but you can't kill people and play with their intestines in it.

_________________
Scharr, scharr, verscharr das Gebein, grab es tief unten im Keller ein.
Später dann graben es andere aus, und nennen dein Haus das Knochenhaus.
Scharr, scharr, verscharr das Gebein, leg auch ihre weißen Schädel hinein.
Mit Beton gießt du es aus, das Fundament vom Knochenhaus.
Scharr, scharr, verscharr das Gebein, da ist noch Platz, da paßt noch wer rein.
Hier tobte sich der Teufel aus, unten im Keller im Knochenhaus.

You could RP it. And do it again and again and again.

RPing doesn't have the sensations. There are somethings that need RL.

You could always use some good drugs.

*Waits for the Feds to come and bust him.

You've obviously never played SimSurgeon.


-=-Barnabas

It just doesn't have the smells and that wet, soapy feel. Nor that ever-present risk of contagious diseases that makes it so exciting.

It does if you're willing to spend a few extra bucks to get the Smell-O-Vision attachment, the Sense-O-Mouse, and the Germerator card. If you're too cheap to invest in quality gaming hardware, you've got no grounds to complain.


-=-Barnabas

Remember this: if we all retreat to cyberspace, who will produce the next generation of children?

Why is the next generation of children desirable, again?

I was going to ask almost that exact question. Then I didn't. Heh.

I'm sure we'll figure out how to synthesize them.

Personally, I lean towards online preference, but with also using the Real world as a balance.

Not everything is online yet, after all. Close, but not quite.

But I think it's the mixture of both, in your preferred dosages, that provide optimal experiences.

... but I can understand why some people drown themselves in either world. (Daredevils/Risktakers in the Real world, Cyberjunkies in the Cyber-world)

RL and OL are equally good to me.

...Children are sticky.
Not worth raising or even creating at all.

Real life is for vacations.

Cyber life should be reserved as a time away from the normal, hectic life. However, if at all possible, I feel like it's more important to form relationships in person rather than online. But that's what Boardie reunions are for, I suppose.

Online life has its perks, however. As someone said earlier in the thread, it's a place where you can pretend to be someone you're not, if so desired. Hey, it can be fun.

I still don't really understand why people view something as unreal just because it's online. Is a conversation any less real because it is held over the phone? What about pen pals?
People say that it is unreal because people use alter egos and screen names. But how is an alter ego less real? What you pretend to be is still part of who you are. And we carry on a different sort of masqerade in the 'real world'. How is a name less real because you picked it yourself? A name is merely what you are called, whether it is Tom or Fragmaster472.

I still havent answered the question.

It is true that there are many things you cannot do online that can be done offline. But these things are physical things. I see a division not between the real world and the cyber world, not between fantasy and reality. But between the online world and the physical world. Which one I use depends only on what I intend to do.

I think the online world and real world both have merit.

But let's not kid ourselves, the online world is more desireable. It allows us to meet anyone from anywhere over the globe, and we can get away with a lot more too .

All joking aside, I prefer the online life because it gives you more time to think before you speak. I talk on the phone and people always think I've zoned out on them, but I'm actually only taking the time to come up with a good response. Not everyone takes advantage of this opportunity (obviously) but it is something I've come to love about the Internet.

As for the next generation of children, that's why you need a BALANCE. Gotta leave time for the sexing.

I like to withdraw from both sometimes and get somequality time in my own little world consisting of books, drawing and playing with Legos