Finally, an ending
I don't remember who put me on to Home on the Strange. I have really enjoyed it and I was disappointed when the authors announced it would be ending. I kept the link amongst those that I checked daily for a long time, waiting for the promised 'bonus strip' to wrap up one last character's story. Finally, I retired the link to my folder of "can't quite trash this one yet, but not going to look at it for a while". Today I stopped in to check it and.. yay! The last strip is up.
I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about it. I don't have quite the same reaction as some fans. The idea is that this character is finally "growing up" and breaking out of her self-imposed shell. Unfortunately, I don't really feel that making all your social connections through an MMO necessarily qualifies as breaking out of your shell--it's just imposing a different kind of shell. One that is more comfortable--and therefor more dangerous. It is, in a particularly safe way, stretching out socially. You never have to deal with someone face-to-face. You never have to deal with the sly glances, complex tones, and possibly uncomfortable social settings. You miss out on the 80% of communication that isn't able to be translated into the printed word. I can't help but think back to people I knew only through the internet on so many M*-games, that desperately needed to get out more and hone their social skills on REAL PEOPLE. They were sad and lonely, and the internet just wasn't enough.
I'm not condemning Mu*'s and MMO's. I've played them a lot (and still do). As much as anyone can argue that the internet allows you to connect to Real People, too, I would argue back that the interface destroys much of that. The screen is a very safe filter (or perhaps an unsafe one). I needed that "safety" myself for a long time. I feel that I didn't truly grow up until I was able to move out from behind that screen and interact with people face-to-face as much as I did through text, or maybe it was that I grew up enough through the screen that I was able to get out from behind it. But I did get out from behind the computer, and though I believe it can supplement and enhance face-to-face communication between people, I don't think it can replace it. I don't think it should.
I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about it. I don't have quite the same reaction as some fans. The idea is that this character is finally "growing up" and breaking out of her self-imposed shell. Unfortunately, I don't really feel that making all your social connections through an MMO necessarily qualifies as breaking out of your shell--it's just imposing a different kind of shell. One that is more comfortable--and therefor more dangerous. It is, in a particularly safe way, stretching out socially. You never have to deal with someone face-to-face. You never have to deal with the sly glances, complex tones, and possibly uncomfortable social settings. You miss out on the 80% of communication that isn't able to be translated into the printed word. I can't help but think back to people I knew only through the internet on so many M*-games, that desperately needed to get out more and hone their social skills on REAL PEOPLE. They were sad and lonely, and the internet just wasn't enough.
I'm not condemning Mu*'s and MMO's. I've played them a lot (and still do). As much as anyone can argue that the internet allows you to connect to Real People, too, I would argue back that the interface destroys much of that. The screen is a very safe filter (or perhaps an unsafe one). I needed that "safety" myself for a long time. I feel that I didn't truly grow up until I was able to move out from behind that screen and interact with people face-to-face as much as I did through text, or maybe it was that I grew up enough through the screen that I was able to get out from behind it. But I did get out from behind the computer, and though I believe it can supplement and enhance face-to-face communication between people, I don't think it can replace it. I don't think it should.