Begun in 2003 by Robbie Cooper, the Alter Ego Project chronicles photographic essays about people and their gaming avatars. Cooper says,
“Most of us spend a huge amount of time in front of screens, at work and play. Research studies indicate that in the US, the average school age child spends around 4 hours a day in front of TV, computer and video game screens. The average work age adult probably spends far longer. We access a whole spectrum of software, entertainment programming and information through these screens. The interaction with programming, software and with others, through this space, is becoming an increasingly significant part of life.”
Call us fascinated at first sight. Especially when we came across Jason Rowe’s essay and photo. This dude, born in 1975, plays Star Wars Galaxies. Here’s what he has to say,
“The difference between me and my online character is pretty obvious. I have a lot of physical disabilities in real life, but in Star Wars Galaxies I can ride an Imperial speeder bike, fight monsters, or just hang out with friends at a bar. I have some use of my hands – not much, but a little. In the game I use an on-screen keyboard called ’soft-type’ to talk with other players. I can’t press the keys on a regular keyboard so I use a virtual one. I play online games because I get to interact with people. The computer screen is my window to the world. Online it doesn’t matter what you look like. Virtual worlds bring people together – everyone is on common ground. In the real world, people can be uncomfortable around me before they get to know me and realize that, apart from my outer appearance, I’m just like them.”
Can you dig it? We can. Make sure you visit the site and read through all the essays — it’s a fascinating look at people, their online personas, and a glimpse into the future. If you’re not a gamer (and why are you even reading this site if you’re not), you might want to become one. We’re thinking more and more of us are going to connect virtually, and here you are, at the start of that kind of paradigm shift.
Taking that a bit further, we’re even closer to a way to see past the outside “looks” of people we meet in real life and see through to their true character, all through the technological magic of these avatars. We get to know guys like Jason — hang out with them, joke around, meet their true inner self — long before our prejudices and fears get in the way. We’re moving, hopefully, to a time of better inclusion of all people together in a community, without regard to race, color, creed, or physical ability. This can’t be a bad thing.
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