Here’s something to get you thinking on a Saturday morning:

The Intertnet Makes Me Feel Fat – News Week

Starting out, I have a huge problem with the article title and the authors ‘Morpheus’ statement.

1. Ms. Popkin calls Morpheus “fat”. In realization, he is the same size in the real world as he is in the Matrix.
2. Her question is ‘why doesn’t he make himself perfectly thin, like Keanu?’, suggesting that he SHOULD be thinner because he has the choice to be.
3. Then she has the gaul to title the article “The Internet Makes Me Feel Fat”.

No one is making her feel fat except herself, and Morpheus should have been her saving grace! (No, I do not believe that Morpheus is overweight, just TEMPORARILY using her comment form the article).

There are MANY articles about Second Life and other such virtual chats and the RL weight of the real person. I’ve encountered people saying I’m a “skinny bitch” or an amazon because I’m 7′4”. Am I that way because the real me can never be? Pretty much.

This may be the only time I describe (vaguely) the “real” Gen, so pay attention:
I am NOT 7′4” tall.
I do no have blond OR red hair.
My eyes are NOT blue.
My weight is more than 110 pounds.
And I don’t carry guns or swords around with me on a daily basis.

Do i feel pressured to push the slider up to look more “normal”? No. I’m not the kind of person to take much notice unless someone should say I look anemic, or noobish. Some people choose to look more “real”. Some people choose to have every slider be 100%. Some only choose to have their bust or hips be un-proportunantly large for….. whatever their reason may be.

Just touching on the weight issue (because god knows how many posts I could do about image and virtual worlds), people have body issues; in RL and virtual ones. I’m constantly tweeking myself in both places as well. Poor body image is not solved over the internet. People will hate you no matter what. And they’ll love you just the same, unless you’re bringing in other means of bad personality.

As for why Morpheus isn’t waif thin as Keanu, I have this to answer:

He is comfortable with who he is, real world and make believe. And Cowboy Curtis could kick your ass any day.

Be who you want to be. Unless you act like an idiot and piss a lot of people off or only encounter those wanted internet sex, you’ll make friends no matter how you look. Virtual worlds are supposed to be places to forget RL issues. Unfortunately, the internet is becoming as bad as RL society with hate and violence. Do your part to keep things fun!

See you in the Metaverse!
Gen