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 |
