Understanding the Virtual Space

Our Many Identities

In today’s society we live in two worlds: the physical world and the virtual world. The physical world is where we live our primary life; the virtual world is where we live our secondary lives. In both worlds we often filter ourselves for fear of ridicule from our peers and/or society, for example, when someone posts a statement on a social media site like Facebook, that person edits and rewrites the statement before posting it so that anyone who reads it will react to it in a way that the poster intended.

Unlike in the real world, it is easier for people to create a more idolized of themselves in the virtual space, the reasons some people do this can vary from peer pressure to simple narcissism. People can create profiles that they can use to express a side of themselves that their publicly afraid to show.

Escapism

In our modern world where every day seems to bring bad news, some people may even have their own personal problems to deal with which leads to stress that take a heavy toll on a person’s mental, emotional and even physical state, thus some person look for means of “escape” through mediums such as the internet. As mentioned above, the virtual space is essentially a place for people to go to when they need to get away from the real world. Escape can also be done through other mediums such as books, films and video games.

Criticism in the Virtual Space

While in the virtual space, some people may come under criticism especially if they’re a content creator. Types of criticism can range from helpful constructive criticism to simple expression of dislike because of personal preference to ill-willed insults. That last form of criticism is often known as “trolling”; when somebody causes discord for their own amusement. Insults can sometimes turn into genuine harassment, which is why some people try to shield themselves from criticism altogether. An example of this would be a YouTube content creator disabling the ability to rate and comment on their videos. This can lead to people developing a superiority complex and perceiving any criticism as an attack.