SL Bloggers Mix ‘N’ Match: How SL Has Helped or Hurt Your RL

Today’s post is brought to you by Rik of Stories From Another Life, as part of the SL Bloggers Mix ‘N’ Match exchange.  The topic of “How SL Has Helped of Hurt Your RL” was suggested by Nightflower of Nightflower Blossoming.

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Nightly Tableau

13th January 2008.  That’s when Rik was first born into the world of Second Life, which means a good 10 months in-world now, and in those 10 months, more online hours clocked up than I care to imagine!  I’d never have thought when I first poked my nose into this online world that I would find myself so drawn in and involved with so many aspects of it, but while my online life maybe flourishing, it raises the question; has Second Life helped or hurt my real life?

To start with, I guess I’d have to ask what has changed in my life from this time last year, when I knew nothing of Second Life.  Well, I could say I was in front of the computer less, but that would be a lie really, I was sat right here, ruining my eyesight in a badly lit room just the same, but doing different things.  As I remember, it was mainly TV and films, I still had satellite TV, and would settle down in front of it to watch several repeats of TheSimpsons over dinner, followed by a film, and then if there really was nothing on, I’d flick around the web, seeing what delights YouTube or the web in general could present to me.  Not exactly a healthy lifestyle.

But did I go out more and experience the real world, the one that existed outside of the warm glow of the computer screen and the comfort of the sofa?  Well, yes.  I’d go for walks at the weekends, perhaps go out into London for the night, or to the local pub, meet with friends, or if I was feeling particularly energetic, climb upSnowdon with friends.

So, a year on, and what’s changed?  Most weeknights I’ll come straight home from work, scoff down some food and log straight intoSL , and that’s it for the night until I collapse into bed.  And as for weekends; get up, log on, and occasionally tear myself away for some essential grocery shopping or to track down and clean any unpleasant smell that may have developed in the house during the week.  Not to say I don’t go out on occasion, but it’s a lot less frequent than before.

On the face of it; it does sound like a bad thing, that my real life has disappeared into nothing more than a break between sessions online, but it’s not quite as bad as it may seem.  With my online time I’m meeting new people from around the world, learning new ideas and cultures, finding new ways to express myself creatively through the various art forms within Second Life and generally being part of world wide family.  Surely that’s better than wasting away in front of a sit-com in front of the TV?

But then there is the filp side; there’s no question that my health has degraded over the past year with less exercise, late nights, and disturbed sleep from staring at the computer intently for hours on end.

So to answer the original question, has it helped or hurt?  I’d probably sway more towards helped, as there’s no question that all the experiences and friends I’ve made over these past 10 months have definitely changed my life for the better, and as for the ways in which it’s hurt my real life, in terms of health and real world socialising, I think that just needs to be a case of re-evaluating the priority of some of my real life responsibilities and giving them more time.  Without Second Life I imagine I’d still be sat here, watching yet another Simpsons re-run and wasting yet another evening of my life, so Second Life, you’ve helped me!

Happier Here With You

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If you have enjoyed today’s guest post and would like to read more of the exchange, you can find a list of posted articles on VintFalken.com.  Thanks go to both Vint Falken and ArminasX Saiman for organizing this exchange.

The post written on my suggested topic, “Is Second Life Truly a Second Life or an Extension of the First?”, was written by Eladrienne Laval and appears on Samantha Speaks.

I was assigned to write on the “Discovery of Self in SL”, a topic suggestion made by Otenth Paderborn.  That article should appear on Constructs of a Mind later today.