The Concept of a Split Mind

Granted there are days when I feel as though I were two or people in one body but we won't go into that here. What I did want to bring up was the notion of the relationships we create with our avatars and if in fact we do.

If humans are the 'brains' and 'control centre, so to speak, behind the actions and words of our avatars then what separates us from the personality, psyche and mind set of our avatar?

I've spoken to a myriad of avatars from all walks of SL and asked them kindly what was it that made them choose a particular avatar lifestyle or skin or image altogether (i.e. Gorean, Furry, etc...). Most said that they were affiliated or connected to an RL group counterpart and wanted to carry that association in SL, others said they wanted their SL to be completely different from their RL (understandable, for what is a Second Life if you chose to mimick your First) and a few of these made the effort to point out that privacy both in SL and RL was essential (meaning, they did not want their connection known between RL and SL). Some people had no rhyme or reason for their choice and maintained the mind set that SL was 'just a game', and then there were those handful that had carefully thought out the 'how, what and why' of the sheer existence of their avatar life in SL (yours truly accounted for).

For as many reasons that there are for the way people live their lives and choose to react to their surroundings in RL, there is no difference in SL.

I would think that within each individual, be it human or avatar, one would need to make a conscious or unconscious choice for their Modus Operandi, conscious would be more favourable.

I am also beginning to see that people DO choose from which stand of 'person' they choose for their avatar, be it first person or third person. A few do not even take the stance from any person that I can see, but rather, wantonly and randomly pillage their way thru SL creating much of the same rucus and arbitrary crime as we find here in RL. (So much for my Utopia).

But getting back to the topic of this entry ... I was thinking of the types of avatar/people mind set and started wondering what the difference was from those people that chose complete anonymity and a totally different life from their RL and those who were not particularly concerced if their RL and SL connection were known.

I realize this is a lame thought since the answers are obvious. Perhaps Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton or the Pastor of your Church would not be too inclined to reveal their presence in SL (this is just hypothetically speaking). Of this I can totally understand. But deeper still is the question of "what is it that separates your avatar SL from your RL?!"

I ask this because your avatar would not exist without your RL person getting online and working the mouse or arrow keys.
I ask this because, as much as there is some degree of role play involved, be it all or none and any degree in between, that 'role play' still comes from the person that maneuvers the avatar.

I particularly ask this because there is also some degree of 'role play' involved in our RL - no doubt about it. If that is so, then what really is the difference between our avatar and our 'self' in RL if our avatar is to some extent an extension of 'whatever' part of us we happen to choose to play out in VR?

Isn't it obvious that we share one 'mind'?

If we share one 'mind' with our avatar(s) and our RL person then can there really be a TRUE defining boundary that says SL is separate from RL? (metaphysically speaking ...)

For no matter how different we choose to live out our SL from our RL or how much the same or any degree in between, there can really be no concept of a split mind since it is all ONE mind that operates both 'self representations' in SL and RL.

Whatever reasons people choose for their avatar presence both in appearance and behaviour - it still is clearly an extension of their RL self. I feel at this point (due to this entry topic) the separate mention of SL and RL is redundant.

Which brings me to think about fantasy role play. If we all perform some degree of 'role play' in RL thus not being our TRUE selves, what about those people that live out their fantasies in SL that they cannot otherwise do in RL due to inhibitions - thus being their TRUE selves????? WTF???!