Ego
“The
eyes are the window to the soul’ – English Proverb
Perception
of the Self
Our representation in virtual worlds is often referred to as our avatar.
We use an avatar as a stand in for our self because we cannot
actually place ourselves in the world.
Ideally,
we would use a true representation of ourselves, but unfortunately this is not
always possible.
Often,
we use the opportunity to alter the way we are perceived by others.
However,
our perception of our self usually stays consistent.
Until,
we have to opportunity to reflect upon ourselves as we appear within the
virtual world.
This
can be a compelling moment in fully immersive settings because our appearance and
mannerisms in front of a mirror are much of what we use to gauge how we appear
to others.
When
we get feedback about how we are perceived we begin to alter our own perception
of our self.
Yet,
even this appearance may not be how we are perceived by others in this virtual
world.
The
reason that people prefer to meet face-to-face is because no intermediate
medium can alter the eyes.
Yet,
what if the medium does alter us in ways that we are not in control of?
The
viewer themselves may also wish to alter the way that we appear to them.
If
we become resigned to the idea that we must rely on others to inform us of how
they perceive us, then what have we gained or lost?
Inherently
we assume that any change in the appearance of others is purposeful.
We
assume that people are aware of how they appear to us.
But,
what if both we and those that we are interacting with are not completely in
control of how we appear?
What
if a malicious or benevolent third party is intervening in our
self-presentation or even our perception of others?
When
there is no longer any constant in the physical world that validates our
perception of others or representation of ourselves,
what will the consequences for relationships be?