SECOND LIE

Second Life is a virtual community of about seven million users inhabiting their specially designed virtual world. It says in the advert that everybody can find there what they lack in the real world: one can become whoever, do whatever, meet whomever one wishes. Sounds tempting for most and irresistible for some; I counted myself someplace in between the two groups of enthusiasts. Intrigued by the prospect of commiting foul crimes with impunity, I created an account, thus giving birth to a bogus character. Shame but the first obstacle to be encountered was thrown at the newly born creature at the very beginning of its life: the limited number of surnames to choose among. Does it not remind you of our world? Here you can change it, at least; according to Second Life's policies, you cannot. Surprise, surprise. For all my dissatisfaction with this imposition, I decided to explore the so-called land of freedom. Much to my indignation, however, many institutions and celebs from the first life were already there, fighting for popularity and spoiling the remnants of my idealistic expectations. The virtual embassy of Sweden, Bruce Willis and many more. How disappointing! Moreover, I found out one must make a living there by offering one's services, which led to the exchange of real life items for (pass me the oxygen!) virtual money. Oh, almost forgot: you must join one of the already existing communities (such as The X-Files Fans, Tomato Soup Enthusiasts, The Lovers of Fries Without Ketchup Community etc.) to begin your journey. Isn't it depressing? Not even in the virtual world can a person get away with being a lone wolf. And to think this was to be a place deprived of all the limitations of everyday life. Spare me.

That was it, my journey could no longer last. This was supposed to give a pleasurable feeling of limitlessness of possibilities, and what is it, in truth? Well, I'd classify the whole thing someplace between Ebay and The Sims. And it is not at all a compliment. Not liking either of those, why would I possibly fall for a hybride made on their model? I felt betrayed at first, but a sudden epiphany sobered me a bit: people don't really want to sever from their earthly incarnations. I did, and this is exactly what my disappointment stems from. It appears that people's wishes confine to mere achieving success and experiencing the yet unexperienced experiences (how ambitious). Imagine that many actually fell for Second Life beyond reclaim just like many did for the first life and its joys. Poor things, I mean both kinds here. It seems that not many want to shed their bodily integuments.. Shame..

But isn't it sad that people are just so not fictive? After all, Second Life is a brilliant opportunity to fashion so different a world from ours that exploring it would truly be a breathtaking adventure rather than a bitter disappointment it now is. All we need to do is relive the history of our world and erase everything we know about it. Let's aim at the impossible, cos impossible it is. In the beginning there was Chaos..