Are You Real?
Posted 03-18-2009 at 10:12 PM by Lady Dragonfly
“The Internet is a giant international network of intelligent, informed computer enthusiasts, by which I mean, "people without lives." We don't care. We have each other...”
“While you are destroying your mind watching the worthless, brain-rotting drivel on TV, we on the Internet are exchanging, freely and openly, the most uninhibited, intimate and, yes, shocking details about our "CONFIG.SYS" settings.”
~Dave Barry
“I get mail; therefore I am.” ~Scott Adams
What are you? Philosophically speaking, I would say you, as a “person”, are a synthetic mind/body entity that is revealed through communication; we ascribe certain qualities to someone on the basis of what that person does and says. In other words, we *know* each other only through our relationship, for what it's worth.
But is the physical component really necessary to develop a relationship with another synthetic mind/body entity? That question becomes relevant if we consider the Internet. We spend so much time in virtual reality that it feels more real than the “actual” one, or at least as real. Do we not perceive each other as real people, with all subsequent implications? Is it not remarkable that you regard a bunch of pixels on your dusty monitor as *someone* speaking their mind? Talking to you?
While you are reading this text (i.e., looking at the strings of light-colored pixels arranged in the neat rows), you (hopefully) assume it has been typed by a real person, not by a spambot on autopilot. Also, if you happened to come across some of my forum posts, you may have already formed a more or less accurate impression of my personality. Based on your perceptions, you might even have grown to like or dislike me (uh… “dislike“ is mentioned purely for the sake of argument
).
The point is, the Internet communication often generates a strong emotional response (not in the areas situated above latitude 55° N though - what passes for an emotional response among the natives up there is called a poker face everywhere else. Must be their weather), especially if people *know* each other for some time.
How real is e-friendship? How valuable is it? Should we relate to our virtual friends the same way we relate to our “real” friends or should we make a distinction and keep our emotional distance at all times? (How fun would that be?)
Of course, I am not talking about the potential hazards associated with a decision to email your nude pictures to someone, or sexual predators targeting minors, or other evils of teh internets. These are extremes and you run a bigger risk in RL if you trust a wrong person anyway.
I think the answer to the questions about our virtual friends depends on what we mean by “friends” (Facebook buddies… *shudder*) and what we seek in such relationship. It is as real and valuable as we are willing to make it. And, like in real life, it might lead to a disappointment. Or worse, to a marriage (maybe even a real one).
Just saying.
“While you are destroying your mind watching the worthless, brain-rotting drivel on TV, we on the Internet are exchanging, freely and openly, the most uninhibited, intimate and, yes, shocking details about our "CONFIG.SYS" settings.”
~Dave Barry
“I get mail; therefore I am.” ~Scott Adams
What are you? Philosophically speaking, I would say you, as a “person”, are a synthetic mind/body entity that is revealed through communication; we ascribe certain qualities to someone on the basis of what that person does and says. In other words, we *know* each other only through our relationship, for what it's worth.
But is the physical component really necessary to develop a relationship with another synthetic mind/body entity? That question becomes relevant if we consider the Internet. We spend so much time in virtual reality that it feels more real than the “actual” one, or at least as real. Do we not perceive each other as real people, with all subsequent implications? Is it not remarkable that you regard a bunch of pixels on your dusty monitor as *someone* speaking their mind? Talking to you?
While you are reading this text (i.e., looking at the strings of light-colored pixels arranged in the neat rows), you (hopefully) assume it has been typed by a real person, not by a spambot on autopilot. Also, if you happened to come across some of my forum posts, you may have already formed a more or less accurate impression of my personality. Based on your perceptions, you might even have grown to like or dislike me (uh… “dislike“ is mentioned purely for the sake of argument
).The point is, the Internet communication often generates a strong emotional response (not in the areas situated above latitude 55° N though - what passes for an emotional response among the natives up there is called a poker face everywhere else. Must be their weather), especially if people *know* each other for some time.
How real is e-friendship? How valuable is it? Should we relate to our virtual friends the same way we relate to our “real” friends or should we make a distinction and keep our emotional distance at all times? (How fun would that be?)
Of course, I am not talking about the potential hazards associated with a decision to email your nude pictures to someone, or sexual predators targeting minors, or other evils of teh internets. These are extremes and you run a bigger risk in RL if you trust a wrong person anyway.
I think the answer to the questions about our virtual friends depends on what we mean by “friends” (Facebook buddies… *shudder*) and what we seek in such relationship. It is as real and valuable as we are willing to make it. And, like in real life, it might lead to a disappointment. Or worse, to a marriage (maybe even a real one).
Just saying.
*******
Total Comments 1
Comments
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Internet reality is a figment of your Computer
....
.... it brightens your day.
We are not real but just a figment of our CPU and RAM's imagination as in 'if our computer didn't exist then we would not exist'. It is, therefore we are.
I would rather trust a real person than someone on the net. People on the net are just ever-changing creations of their dreams and desires utilizing a safe medium. Real people can be understood and we have a better chance of understanding their motivation even though we are far more complicated than any computer.
Virtual reality is just a mix of silica, gold and other components not flesh and blood. Perceiving people on the net as real is just our desire to be heard against the cacophony of reality where people rarely take the time to listen. I rarely regard pixels as someone talking to me unless they are making a statement involving some emotion such as you are doing with your blog.
I unlike the computer and net can sense moods and respond, listen, enjoy laughter and smiles. I look at a sunset on a my monitor and it is beautiful but it is just pixels and evokes in me nothing like going outside and absorbing the beauty and aura of a real sunset.
I find most blogs a waste of time and rarely bother to respond because the blogger is rarely communicating with anyone but themselves and complaining about how unfair life is. I do not deny the blogger their right to write about anything they chose but I will chose what I will read.
I must take mild umbrage atin that I am from 45° N and am far more capable of a true strong emotional response be it tears, a smile or laughter than you will find on the net.Quote:The point is, the Internet communication often generates a strong emotional response (not in the areas situated above latitude 55° N though - what passes for an emotional response among the natives up there is called a poker face everywhere else. Must be their weather), especially if people *know* each other for some time.
I have enjoyed reading your blog because it tells me you are a real person. The virtual world of the internet can be as you stated "as real and valuable as we are willing to make it". I fear that too many people are losing themselves in the safety of the silicon world.
Enjoy life, be happy with or without the net and occasionally experience the reality and wonder of a rainbow or sunset.
KelPosted 07-04-2009 at 05:43 PM by Kel
