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Neopia's Fill in the Blank News Source | 29th day of Running, Yr 26
The Neopian Times Week 54 > Articles > Primer for the Real World? The People

Primer for the Real World? The People

by oddhatter

A MESSY DESK - I'm sure you must have noticed it by now. The cliques. The beggars. The up and downs of the economy. The social ranks and classes - the artists, the writers, the fighters, the politicians and merchants.

Still, this is not junior high, Wall Street, a San Francisco street corner or anything you'd see on the 8 o' clock news. It's all happening here, in a virtual world populated by eighty million or so pets and their respective owners. Funny how seamlessly it can blend into "real life", sometimes even TOO much. In a sense, Neopia is a mirror of real life.

This article series is essentially, an evaluation of the similarities between the lovely world of Neopia and the slightly less lovely world we live in. It will not help you beat Evil Fuzzles, it will not teach you how to get rich and it doesn't share any of the Tombola Man's dirty secrets. It might, however, provide you with a greater understanding of the dynamics behind the wonderful world of Neopia and maybe - just maybe - it might make the real world a bit more bearable(or Neopia less so…oh well).

So… off we go.

The main factor that determines the parallels between Neopia and the real world is the obvious one - people. People live on Earth. People live in Neopia. Neat, huh? While the mostly anonymous Neopian world provides a chance for everyone to reinvent themselves, the final result always seems to be the same. It doesn't matter that the mousy brunette is now a gorgeous blonde cheerleader, there will always be cliques. And cliques, as anyone who has been(or is in) junior high knows, often determine one's friends, enemies and general attitude towards life. It doesn't matter whether you're part of the preppy clique, or the geeky-outcast clique, it's really all the same. Every one has their own "group" whether a guild, a forum, or a bunch of Neofriends. In terms of social interaction, these groups determine a lot.

Surely, that any member of a decently sized guild has noticed that it isn't always a happy, cheery place. There will always be a black sheep at some point in time, an annoying person, maybe a newbie, maybe not - that just doesn't quite get it. Maybe he/she insists on posting irrelevant one liners on the message board. Or perhaps it's just someone who's a wee bit too egotistical for their own good, or range of talent. Or perhaps even, as I have been told about a number of times, council members gone power hungry, demoting even the leader of the guild. But most of all, it's the social interaction between you and these people that makes it all seem alarmingly analogous to real life. Whether a junior high clique, or that exasperating co-worker at your 9 to 5, the similarities are uncanny.

Another factor in the popularity pyramid - everyone has their own Neofriends. And as any frequently published author, artist or relatively well known persona can attest to, the Neo-friendship of someone considered "popular" seems to be almost a trophy in itself, considering the frequency and even desperation in which it is sought. I think I can speak for most people when I say that most people who receive frequent requests, accept very few of them. In a sense, Neofriend lists have become societies or fraternities or the aforementioned junior high cliques, where only the "chosen" ones are admitted. So many try, but hardly any are accepted. But the few who do make it in bask in the glory of being chosen. Some really are true friends. Some merely do it for the sake of being able to say that they are so-and-so's friend. It's just like wanting to be seen with the "popular" crowd at school(or with that really cool punk kid who plays lead guitar in his band and has three times as many piercings than your mother would approve of). Things don't change much when translated over to an online community like Neopets.

In addition, there's the various "neo-dating" services which have emerged, whether a guild, a message board, or just the recurrent "ne1 want to talk to a 12/f/(insert place here)?" often seen on the chat boards. It really isn't any different from the more grammatically correct "I'm looking for a man who enjoys classical music and long walks on the beach…" ads often seen(and made fun of) in the classifieds. Many of the user or pet profiles I have seen bear an uncanny resemblance to personal ads, whether of the owner or the pet. As such, this extends to pets as well, which again, ties into the aforementioned "popularity by association" concept. My pet Starlight_Blunder(also known as The Chiropteric Poogle!), a very, very minor celebrity at best, has garnered more than her fair share of admirers, a goodly number of which think she's male. I've heard owners of popular pets, or painted pets or those with high stats, complain incessantly about the stalkers and Neomails directed towards their pet(and hopefully, future romantic interludes involving lovestruck Lupes in the moonlight or something of the sort).

But then, enough of this negativity. Needless to say, loyal and good friends can be found on Neopets. I thoroughly enjoy the company of most of the people I have talked to from the site, and I've come to realise that an age gap is not the most important thing when it comes to friendship. I have met exceedingly mature 12 year olds and I have met immature adults. I have met people that I had everything in common with, and people that I had nothing in common with. I've been on the Internet for almost six years now, but I must admit that I've never met such a wide range of people with so many different interests other than on Neopets.

A number of my real life friends play Neopets too, and it has often amused me how a bunch of college kids can quite easily shift from a conversation about Nietzsche to some article in The Neopian Times. I have walked into work to hear my boss say "My Kiko turned purple today!" amidst the droning of power tools.

These same groups and cliques that might be a deterrent to many, especially those who aren't in one, can also be an enormous source of support. I find that while games and pets and other aspects of the pre-programmed Neopets are the initial draw for most people, the one thing that keeps them hooked is the sense of community that the site encourages. Many of the oldest players of Neopets are in very active guilds, generally based around a common interest. This definitely says something about the various communities that have sprouted up in Neopia, whether revolving around art, parenthood, the latest boy-band or the Neopian Times. Some of these communities are more tight knit than one would generally suspect.

I have seen many members of a guild generously offer to help out one scammed member. In the two guilds (one being Rhonno's Den, an art guild, and the other the NTAG), the members gladly share their art and writing and receive helpful comments and criticism in response. Whenever a member gets published in the Art Gallery, Neopian Times or anywhere else, they can expect a goodly amount of congratulations. When they don't, they receive just as much support and encouragement. It is all very admirable. Just like on Neopets, this encouragement and support can be found in the real world too, whether a best friend, a parent or even a support line. True, it might be a little harder to come across at times, but it's good to remember that regardless of whether they're a Neomail away, or a phone call or a few blocks away, there's always a friend to be found.

The way I see it, Neopets is an all encompassing net that draws people in, regardless of race, gender, religion and age. It might replace the "real world" for some people (which by the way, is not a good thing) or supplement it for others, like me. The Neopian community, while not without its share of spitefulness and snobs, is the heart of Neopets. And it very well should be.

Next week: Primer for the Real World? The Life

Week 54 Related Links

The Chiropteric Poogle!
Some of the characters here look sort of familiar... *looks around the room*

by oddhatter



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