Let this be a lesson, my friends: if you have parents or family who are in any way technologically inclined, do not tell them about Second Life unless you want them to join it. Obviously, if this bit of advice was taught elsewhere before, I missed it completely. Evidently my usual common sense was not enough to prevent me from blundering headlong into folly.
Purely so I would have something to talk about with them (my first life at the moment being rather boring due to the amount of hours I work and being, unlike them, an introvert by choice,) I've taken to talking about some of my interesting explorations of Second Life to my parents. I thought it would mostly interest Dad, since he's the most tech-advanced of us all, and this seemed to be the case for some time. He happened to be engaged to give a talk recently that touched upon ideas of individuality and the soul and technology, and almost in passing happened to mention Second Life. Afterwards, a woman came up to him and my mother and gave them her card... which had a picture of her avatar on it. Apparently, she happens to run a rather active place of worship on SL. And they talked. Evidently, for a good while. It was at this point last night's retelling that I began to squirm slightly in precognition.
My mother wants to join Second Life and run spirituality and healing workshops. She does this in her first life, among many, many other things, and I have no doubt whatsoever of her capability of doing it, but... my dear God (literally, I guess). This is rather disturbing. While my mother is a perfectly competent adult (obviously), she remains, at least in terms of first-hand experience, fairly naive as to the depth and breadth of internet weirdness. She was a practicing psychologist for years and came of age in the 60s and 70s, and yet I am doubtful as to whether she could remain unshocked by certain things on SL. I don't think it would be beneficial for her in any way to ever become unshocked; I think that jadedness to such things is the curse, or occasional blessing, of newer generations such as mine which will always have been exposed to them. It's not something worth acquiring if one can avoid it. I grant that I am somewhat overprotective of my parents- I've been attempting to protect them from me ever since I first disappointed them- but this, I feel, is within reason. How can I possibly protect her from the crazy? Perhaps this person whom she met has a good idea of how to handle problems that might arise, and it's likely, if she's well established, but I will have a hard time seeing my mother go anywhere other than Info Island or Caledon (except during a rave...). I just don't trust other places.
I don't worry too much about her raising an eyebrow at my playing a character, because apparently she wants to do so herself, something I find adorable but which made me raise both brows because I'm well aware that she always used to consider my roleplaying on MUDs to be weird. Which it probably was, but I think she'll find that it can be quite fun and educational as well.Oh, and apparently my brother-in-law also considered at least logging on (he's in advertising, and is curious about all such things) but he couldn't find a last name he liked. My sister considered it, but decided she doesn't have enough time. I had no idea that I was so influential!
Okay, I think I'm going to go cry awhile over the idea of my mother tping over to hang out with me.
