Virtual Identity

When we are born, we have no idea who we are or how to live our lives. We learn everything, sound by sound, step by step, role by role, mistake by mistake, tear by tear…and it takes years and years until we can cancel our identity search after suddenly looking into a mirror and finally recognizing ourselves: ”This is me.” …

Actually, we don’t see ourselves into ordinary mirrors or other people’s eyes: we can see ourselves only when we look into our own eyes. ’Cause those eyes have witnessed all the circumstances and they know all the facts. They have the whole picture, with every little detail that makes the difference between the real and the unreal.

Throughout our lives we are guided, inspired, motivated or discouraged by other people and/or other people’s lives. We make choices we are not always proud of and blame it on our lack of experience or the bad influence we get from our peers, the media, the stars etc. The truth is that, even if the process of becoming ourselves has both objective and subjective causes, the final decisions are ours, nobody “signs” the “contract” on our behalf so, the best we can do, in order to have a past without regrets and a future without hopelessness is to take responsibility for our own actions. As far as I am concerned, I can tell that many times failures can teach us much more than success. Even if you don’t get that prize, at the end of a race you can still be a winner…against your weaker self…because each day we compete against ourselves and this is one of the best opportunities of growth.

Also, when we are young (and stupid), we learn that there are no guarantees in life. No insurance policies against more or less natural disasters.We can play by the book and lose. Some people would say that being “fair play” is the cause of our failures…that sometimes it is better to cheat…in order to get what you deserve. But I believe that being honest to ourselves and others is a sign of maturity and responsibility. And a matter of personal choice.

These last words make me think about my presence here in this virtual reality. They make me acknowledge the fact that, even if I can use my mask when I get here, I am already protected against potential virtual dangers by the fact that there is no conflict between my real identity and the role I am playing on this virtual stage.