Sometimes, Second Life just gets too much.
When in happens in First Life, we take a vacation. Or commit murder. In Second Life, we click that Red X and then we don’t look back for a period of time until we feel ready to go back.
We develop on emotional tie to Second Life which is what keeps us interested – whereby it be a particular person in the virtual world, a community or activity, or developing skills and exploring creativity.
The more time we spend in world, the more devoted we become, and the more attached we are to Second Life. And then, we begin to become frustrated.
Be it because of Linden Labs and their decisions, or failure to keep the grid stable. Or a relationship turns sour, or a community turns against you. A copybot kills your desire to create or you simply lose that passion you once had for the metaverse and move onto something else.
Some people go right into the hardcore depth of Second Life and spend numerous hours in world, to the point where they just burn out and get stressed by things going on in world.
Others find that their reasons to stay in world are gradually fading away and no longer have a desire to participate in Second Life.
The concept of a virtual identity also comes into play here – an in world persona or reputation that you develop on yourself. Usually it’s a reflection of your real world self, but not in all cases. When you feel you’ve lost a handle of who you are in the virtual world, and don’t see a point to Second Life, again you lose reason for being there.
A lot of residents will take a hiatus from Second Life at some point or another, when things in world simply stop interesting them. People will often say “it’s just pixels”, but it’s not the graphics and sounds that make Second Life what it is. It’s the emotional value that we stake into the virtual world which makes people invest a part of themselves into the metaverse.
Taking a break gives us space to re-evaluate whether we want a Second Life, and if we do, what we want it to be and what we want it to give back to us. It’s easy to become disillusioned with the virtual world when it appears to not be what you hoped it to be.
For some people, they invest too much time and emotions into Second Life, and their first lives suffer as a result, in which case a hiatus can help them remember their priorities.
Some of the oldest residents I know who are still pro-active in Second Life don’t hold a great emotional tie to the virtual world anymore. They see it as an outlet for what they want to do, rather than what they want to be. To me, that’s an important distinction when evaluation your place within SL – if you have a role or position you want to attain within SL, you set yourself up for a fall which can end your foray into the virtual world.
A lot of my friends in Second Life have taken a hiatus to get back on track and work out what’s important to them. Although it is sad to see some of them leave, it is an important step in working out what is fundamentally important to us.
Lilly25 Connolly on May 6, 2009
We could debate a lot about the subject, yes it’s always sad to see someone leave SL.. Twice i did an Hiatus, each time I was back stronger… i came back for me and for my friends in SL.. Sure all is pixel, but behind the pixel there is a soul.. Sometimes i could feel alone there (as in rl btw), but i know where my friends are
Persephone Paine on May 6, 2009
I know I don’t spend nearly the time I used to in world. I have found life in RL to be much more interesting and fulfilling then it used to be. However, I still enjoy my SL jobs and seeing my friends. Its just not the hours long marathon it used to be. Great Article, Prad.
PacificBlue Hanly on May 6, 2009
I’m way too new to be able to assess this without reservation. But I do know what it’s like to take hiatuses – from internet communities. Most often, when I lose a connection to be somewhere, it seldom comes back. I hope I don’t feel that feeling for quite some time for my own Second Life. Because as you say, there is an emotional value put into this SLife, and therefore a cost.
Losing people you have found a connection with happens all the time, in a virtual world. And I’m not just talking second life, but things like hobbyist community forums, social networking sites, and even your favourite blogs. The global village talked about back in the 1980s does seem to have come into existance, particularly over the last few years. But with it comes the recognition that walking out of the village is as quick as shutting your laptop case. People on the internet are migratory, and some of those are the friends you think you’ve made.
I went into Second Life for one reason – writing, and knowing very little about it. I have found several writing groups and meetings I am beginning to feel proud to be part of, but I’ve found much more – as everyone else already knows about. I am enthralled enough to happily accept that I remain in the honeymoon period with Second Life. I don’t like meeting particularly jaded older residents, ones who immediately start dissing Linden Labs, or moaning about the stability – at least not all the time. I don’t want my honeymoon period so quickly moved into everyday life, by people who would obviously rather not be there. But as an analyst and with some technical knowledge as a background I can’t help myself from opinionating – often niavely – anyways. Because I care, I guess. As those people still do. I don’t want my honeymoon destination ruined, I guess. Not just yet.
Today, I received some exciting RL news towards the potential adoption of a new child into my family. With that comes re-thinks about how I will be able to spend my time, and where the best value will go. At all times, RL must take precedence. As do my RL jobs. My life, much as my second life environment remains in transition, ever changing. That’s possibly one of the appeals of Second Life as an entity also, that it can also accomodate such changes, and perhaps with not as much upheaval as found in a first life. Time, I’m sure, will tell. But in such a drastic life change that may be in front of me, I think there may be a possibility of a hiatus smack in the middle of my SL honeymoon period, which may be an interesting factor to look at.
Gahum Riptide on May 6, 2009
There’s an alt history forum called Ill Bethisad in which I was quite active for a while, managing the Montrei and Alta California regions for a few years, but one day, I just couldn’t go back. This was primarily due to new people ignoring the rules, trying to weasel out of established history, etc. So, the interest just faded. So, I understand how one can come to lose the desire to log in. I lost the original passion and moved on… over to SL.
In SL I recently lost a good friend. He felt that he was not living his RL and decided to make a clean break and take care of his affairs until he knew he could return and not use SL as a total escape from his problems. I have a good feeling that once his life is in order, the people he left behind in SL will bring him back.
I don’t have a huge emotional attachment to SL. I do have one witht he friends I’ve made there, but as they have other things, such as plurk, or even traditional email, or an IM account, there’s ways I could keep in touch if I were to stop logging in. As you say, SL is a place for what I want to do, not what I want it to be. I can see myself taking breaks by just not logging in, but I don’t see myself “leaving” SL. For me it’s a lot lie many of the web forums I’ve been a part of, but a hell of a lot better. Just like those forums, I’ve made good friends from SL, and that’s what draws me back.
Lewis Luminos on May 6, 2009
If I ever leave SL it’s likey to be because some other new shiny has caught my attention and is using up my time. In the same way I abandoned WoW when I re-doscovered SL. I tend to be a bit ADHD-ish when it comes to my hobbies and pastimes, and I frequently abandon them and take up new ones. To be honest, nine months already in SL is something of a record for me.
Lewis Luminos on May 6, 2009
*groans at all my typos*
Thoria on May 6, 2009
I have been in SL for 2 1/2 years, and in that time have never felt the need for a hiatus. I have several long-term friends who similarly have never taken a break from the world. In fact, it may be because of the deep friendships that we haven’t felt the desire to spend a significant amount of time away.
I do not doubt that many do need a break, nor do I doubt that it may be beneficial to some. But it seems a bit much to me when people assert that everybody *must* take a break from SL from time to time.
Kitty Otoole on May 7, 2009
I’ve taken many a hiatus but always, always come back..purely because this amazing virtual playground of ours always has something new to fascinate and titillate me. I’d be lost without it;in many ways it has become a rock for me to stand on when RL gets too much. Fortunately I’ve never been one for drama or I’m sure my experience would be way different..In fact, I’m firmly of the opinion that the majority of dramas that happen in SL are down to breakdowns in virtual relationships (business or pleasure) That’s not an issue seeing as I’m with the same guy in SL as well as RL, so my need for a break tends to stem from just a desire to do something different for a while.
=^..^=
Lizzie Lexington on May 7, 2009
In the past my breaks have largely been do to drama with one specific relationship in SL. Besides this one relationship, I have other emotional attachments to the friends I have gained over the last couple of years. Lately though I have been taking “mini-breaks” as I call them to help recharge my creative juices. I will stay away for a day or two, regroup, dust my house and come back in with new ideas and opinions. Now I still read blogs and plurk but I stay away from coming in world. Its seems to help a bit LOL.
Anners on May 13, 2009
This article is one of the best blog articles I’ve read in ages! I think many people do too much sl and then burn out….