So if you've played Second Life before, odds are that you've seen some people's avatar profiles, and if you've seen as many as I have, you'll have noticed a lot of them say the exact same thing. So today, we're going to decode the most common Second Life profiles! What we are going to do is:
1- Explain what the person behind the avatar THINKS they mean.
2- Explain what they REALLY mean.
Keep in mind that nothing said here is universal; there are exceptions to everything, after all. With that said, let's begin with...
1)I'm here for fun. This is a pretty common statement on many SL avatars, especially female ones. If you attend a concert on SL, or a streaming, odds are you'll find at least one person with this written on their profile. In contrast, if you go to an adult sim, then three out of ten people will have this written or some variation on their profile.
What they think they mean. The person who writes this THINKS he or she means that they come to SL to relax, have some fun, play the game, and to be fair, they are almost correct. But, aren't we ALL coming to SL for some kind of fun? Well, some people like to come to SL looking for something they can't find in real life, the most common being love. People who write this on their profile like to think that they are making it clear that they are not in SL to look for something they are missing in real life.
What they really mean. They really ARE in Second Life for fun. However, it also means that you can not expect them to be anything more than a casual friend: they don't want your drama, they don't want to hear about what a bad day you had, and they don't give a damn if you got promoted or fired. They are on Second Life for their own amusement, and they just don't care about anyone else. Sometimes they'll expect you to hear them out whenever they are upset, but seldom will they return the favor. When you need a shoulder to cry on, a piece of advice, or even just a friend, don't bother calling these people, because they are there for fun.
2)I don't mix real life with Second Life. Now this one is a bit more unusual, because you tend to find it anywhere. Mixing real life with Second Life typically means that the relationships you form in Second Life, somehow, translate to real life in one way or another. Other variations include "I keep SL and RL separate" and "What happens in Sl stays there."
What they think they mean. This is a lot like the "I'm here for fun" crew, in that the person who usually posts this on their profile make it clear that they don't come to SL looking for something they are missing in RL. They are not averse to forming friendships or even having a romance in Second Life, and in fact some of these people actively look for such things. However, they make it clear that it's only a Second Life thing: whatever relationship is formed in Second Life, stays there. Real life plays no part in whatever interaction is going on. Why? Because Second Life is, after all, just a game, and you can't take it seriously.
What they really mean. Sad to say, most of the people who write this have what can only be called dishonest motives. Maybe the gender of their avatar is not the same as their real life gender. Maybe they don't want their potential conquests to know that they are married in real life, with kids. Though I personally strongly discourage giving complete strangers ANY information regarding who you are in real life, and it must be acknowledged that not everyone online is who they make themselves up to be, not mixing SL and RL is something that should be taken as a given, which still doesn't stop far, far too many people from expecting whatever happens in Second Life to somehow translate to real life. These people are at least kind enough to remind you that Second Life is "The Treachery of Images" in game form.
3) No Drama! Drama in this case means interpersonal conflict. Fights, gossip, that sort of thing.
What they think they mean. This is pretty straightforward, really; the person simply wishes to be excluded from and avoid any conflict with others. They don't want to fight with other people, they don't want to be involved in other people's squabbles, they don't want to hear gossip, they don't want to be a part of ANY of that.
What they really mean. One thing you learn rather quickly online: drama is a part of life. Not everyone is mature enough to consider the fact that they could be wrong, or that their actions hurt other people. Just because you don't want drama, doesn't mean you won't cause it yourself. Very often, people who write "No drama" or some variation actively CAUSE drama. If you see someone with "No Drama" or any variation, take caution: they will more often than not bring you some drama.
1- Explain what the person behind the avatar THINKS they mean.
2- Explain what they REALLY mean.
Keep in mind that nothing said here is universal; there are exceptions to everything, after all. With that said, let's begin with...
1)I'm here for fun. This is a pretty common statement on many SL avatars, especially female ones. If you attend a concert on SL, or a streaming, odds are you'll find at least one person with this written on their profile. In contrast, if you go to an adult sim, then three out of ten people will have this written or some variation on their profile.
What they think they mean. The person who writes this THINKS he or she means that they come to SL to relax, have some fun, play the game, and to be fair, they are almost correct. But, aren't we ALL coming to SL for some kind of fun? Well, some people like to come to SL looking for something they can't find in real life, the most common being love. People who write this on their profile like to think that they are making it clear that they are not in SL to look for something they are missing in real life.
What they really mean. They really ARE in Second Life for fun. However, it also means that you can not expect them to be anything more than a casual friend: they don't want your drama, they don't want to hear about what a bad day you had, and they don't give a damn if you got promoted or fired. They are on Second Life for their own amusement, and they just don't care about anyone else. Sometimes they'll expect you to hear them out whenever they are upset, but seldom will they return the favor. When you need a shoulder to cry on, a piece of advice, or even just a friend, don't bother calling these people, because they are there for fun.
2)I don't mix real life with Second Life. Now this one is a bit more unusual, because you tend to find it anywhere. Mixing real life with Second Life typically means that the relationships you form in Second Life, somehow, translate to real life in one way or another. Other variations include "I keep SL and RL separate" and "What happens in Sl stays there."
What they think they mean. This is a lot like the "I'm here for fun" crew, in that the person who usually posts this on their profile make it clear that they don't come to SL looking for something they are missing in RL. They are not averse to forming friendships or even having a romance in Second Life, and in fact some of these people actively look for such things. However, they make it clear that it's only a Second Life thing: whatever relationship is formed in Second Life, stays there. Real life plays no part in whatever interaction is going on. Why? Because Second Life is, after all, just a game, and you can't take it seriously.
What they really mean. Sad to say, most of the people who write this have what can only be called dishonest motives. Maybe the gender of their avatar is not the same as their real life gender. Maybe they don't want their potential conquests to know that they are married in real life, with kids. Though I personally strongly discourage giving complete strangers ANY information regarding who you are in real life, and it must be acknowledged that not everyone online is who they make themselves up to be, not mixing SL and RL is something that should be taken as a given, which still doesn't stop far, far too many people from expecting whatever happens in Second Life to somehow translate to real life. These people are at least kind enough to remind you that Second Life is "The Treachery of Images" in game form.
3) No Drama! Drama in this case means interpersonal conflict. Fights, gossip, that sort of thing.
What they think they mean. This is pretty straightforward, really; the person simply wishes to be excluded from and avoid any conflict with others. They don't want to fight with other people, they don't want to be involved in other people's squabbles, they don't want to hear gossip, they don't want to be a part of ANY of that.
What they really mean. One thing you learn rather quickly online: drama is a part of life. Not everyone is mature enough to consider the fact that they could be wrong, or that their actions hurt other people. Just because you don't want drama, doesn't mean you won't cause it yourself. Very often, people who write "No drama" or some variation actively CAUSE drama. If you see someone with "No Drama" or any variation, take caution: they will more often than not bring you some drama.
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