Our Reality, Our Human Mind, Virtual Words - When is a Human a Human?

I was just coming from a site where we had that age-old discussion about playing World of Warcraft/WoW.

There is those people who spend time in virtual worlds like WoW, and there is the "opponents" who despise the idea who think that people who spend lots of time in a virtual world like World of Warcraft are kind of mentally, socially handicapped, crazy etc.

One often heard statement by the "opponents" of the WoW players is "It is much better if you go out in real life and meet people" - as opposed to spending hours online in a virtual world like WoW.

(For people who do not know WoW..i need to add that you play with real people and the game can get VERY involved. Eg. when it comes to raiding, your guild etc. There is a HUGE social component since for example serious raiding requires communication and coordination and team play of all the players).

Now - here is where i want to bring in my main thought for this discussion:

Why is the "real life" supposed to be "better" as opposed to playing a virtual character in a virtual world like World of Warcraft?

When i examine such a statement that meeting people "in real life" is better, it should come down to like that for some reason there is a preference to communicate and interact with other people "in person" using our real, physical bodies. (Sorry if this sounds awkward now).

But here is the deal: Besides some obvious things where we need our bodies (wink, wink) - what makes us human is also *and mainly* because we communicate, share thoughts etc. which does not "require" our physical bodies be present.

In fact, many spiritual schools teach something like that the human soul, what MAKES us human - is indeed separate from our bodies which are often only seen as vessels.

Many people are in fact feeling that their physical bodies do not "properly" represent them, what they really are in mind and spirit. (Someone could be ugly, sick, overweight, black, white etc...IRRELEVANT). If you are ugly, are you a less interesting and less interesting person? Etc..etc..

Here my question, is not the representation of our very own SPIRIT & SOUL via means of a virtual world (for example a WoW character) a very legit and actually interesting and good thing to do?

What is the difference? In real life you will encounter a human mind/soul "represented" by a physical body given by birth - and in a virtual world a human can "choose" to create a virtual persona and represent his own mind, thoughts via such a virtual persona - but it STILL makes him a real human person.

Even in the game you can not only talk, communicate, have fun, laugh etc...but also accomplish tasks or go on adventures etc. (of course they are "not real" but rather "virtual") - but does it play a role even? Isn't it, in some odd sense irrelevant?

What would make the virtual world "irrelevant" or "less better" than the real world as is argued by the people who think that such games are "nonsense"? Why do they say it is "better if you go out an meet people"...but totally reject the idea that a virtual world is indeed a legit way for a human to "incarnate".

In simple speak..if we accept religious beliefs about a soul/mind separate from the body it shouldn't play a role at all. We could use all kinds of technical means to actually become BETTER humans because we could "plug in" our mind and then represent what we really are in better ways than we can do in our physical body? Ironically, classic religions and spiritual schools should agree since MOST of them do not see mind/body as ONE, most of them say our soul is what we REALLY are.

** Notes:

Me and my wife, we are avid WoW players. Every day in World of Warcraft, we do various things. If i am on WoW in my WoW character - and she is logged on on her character...we communicate, do this or that dungeon etc... even when i am turned into a Warlock or a Paladin character i still act like "me" and she is still her even if she all of a sudden is a shadow priest Even if we are in situations which are not real (a dungeon with monsters etc.) it's still *us* - although the virtual characters in the world gave us new abilities to act out "in game"...or new things to discover which don't exist in the real world.

It's merely a different context given for two minds/souls.. where the human mind can still (and better even) be the same human mind with all its attributes - the interaction in a virtual world does NOT give this interaction and communication "less quality" at all, the opposite is actually true. This is why i don't understand that some people are so opposed of this idea.

hi op
great thread
although ive never played wow i understand
ive been playing cod2 (call of duty) since it first came out
and decided to play online for the first time a year ago.
in the last year my brother whom ive not seen since 1995 found me on face book and we
email regulary(not on split book)
i casualy mentioned cod2 to him and to my suprise hes an addict as well
so for the last year ive been playing online with him and chattin and i know him better than any mail
i think these virtual worlds are great ive friends now from all over the world, some even browse ats and those that dont
have at least had a look haha
anyway point being
its great to meet wonderfull people
but obviously we have to still have to distinguish between reality and fantacy as in dont get addictet

any way im all for it to a degree
cheers op
dave

Originally posted by flexy123


(For people who do not know WoW..i need to add that you play with real people and the game can get VERY involved. Eg. when it comes to raiding, your guild etc. There is a HUGE social component since for example serious raiding requires communication and coordination and team play of all the players).

a good point. most people dont understand the sheer brainpower in strategizing, then molding that strategy according to the situation.

What is the difference? In real life you will encounter a human mind/soul "represented" by a physical body given by birth - and in a virtual world a human can "choose" to create a virtual persona and represent his own mind, thoughts via such a virtual persona - but it STILL makes him a real human person.


.

in truth, this is how i view the real world. almost word for word. but i think we are born into the "character we choose" that if we are perfect beings "pure energy" and all that, this would be like school. it would be like a videogame.
this would be like the equivalent of starting a character and being forced to roleplay because you have no memory of anything else. you choose the morals, the storyline, all of the experiences.

In simple speak..if we accept religious beliefs about a soul/mind separate from the body it shouldn't play a role at all. We could use all kinds of technical means to actually become BETTER humans because we could "plug in" our mind and then represent what we really are in better ways than we can do in our physical body? Ironically, classic religions and spiritual schools should agree since MOST of them do not see mind/body as ONE, most of them say our soul is what we REALLY are.

here i disagree because i see the mind and body as one, because no matter how much you try, how you look will affect the way you are treated very, very often. from simple encounters to lifelong friendships, your body will do many things. from teach you the meaning of suffering, to teach you your physical bounds. boost your mood when you are taking care of it. appearance is just another factor in this MMO we call life

now there is an actual belief that man is destined to merge with machines and we will eventually never use our bodies again. whether we are more borg than man, or all downloaded into a "soul database" i think it will happen eventually. untill then, your mind is not what makes you human, your actions are

you need to get out more pal smell the roses listen to the birds read a book you get the drift .you think real lifes a computer simulation your not alone manly p hall secret teachings of the age he made up a poem row row your boat gently down the stream life is but a dream .spock & co in star trek have been singing it for ages .if it is enjoy it .www.documentrywire.com /john-harris its an illusion nanu nanu bro

The human being is composed of crafted and initiated Intellect bursts gathered as an informational continuum. What the brain does is configures these bursts, and what the body does is carry the brain around and feed it. So, yes, play WoW and be all you can be. The human part of you is simply being expressed as a digital avatar. Not much difference between that and the corporeal generation system. Both are just tools of the true (and emerging) human being.