Nexeus Fatale

After a recent experience, I am reminded how different digital relationships can be than those offline. Relationships virtually are a lot faster, many of them lasting but a few days. These relationships are much shorter because of the same reasons that one night stands are for just one night. Virtual relationships lack the sort of interaction that is required from a real relationship, the touching, the kissing, the cuddling, and is often replaced by cyber sex. There is also a lot of unknowns of your partner on the other side of the screen, are they of the same gender, their age, martial status, do they have children, and their looks. Although you could have a partner who is open, honest, and reveal this information, send you pictures, etc., you lack the social interaction that you get from talking to a person face to face. It is possible to simulate the realness of a virtual relationship through a webcam or through voice chatter, but both of those things are held very private to many people, and ones trust over a period of time has to be developed in order for a partner to cross that boundary.
With a lack of voice, real world knowledge and interaction, people begin to make up an impression of what their partner would be from the looks of their avatar (although it is hard to assume the same happens with furries, I don’t think those in relationships with a furry or animal like avatar expects their companion to be a real animal.) Many times, this impression is seen through rose colored glasses, fantasized, and not based on any real grounds. Many people do not create their avatars to look exactly like themselves behind the screen. This exaggerated expectation plus cyber sex can only lead to bad things!
In Second Life, these two things is coupled by the realness of interaction, cuddling, dancing, walks on a beach, even sex with animations that come very close to the real thing. This helps prolong what would have been in the real world a one-night stand, or a very short relationship, over a longer period of time. This is why so many marriages in Second Life last no longer than a month.
The best relationships I have seen last are based on being real, honest, open, and discussing upfront your intentions. Granted some may be purely pleasure based, others may be long lasting. To make virtual relationships work they have to be founded on the same principles that real relationships are based on, communication, a like and understand of the other person, and a real connection. Don’t get me wrong, the sex can be great, but never should be the basis of a relationship, in or out of Second Life.