"I had two fears. One was that in SL I would be persuaded to reveal—maybe even invent—secrets about myself that would horrify my neighbors, jeopardize my marriage and cost me my job."- Gary Anthes, Second Life: Is There Any There There?
The world in here has no rules. Or it does have rules, but I do not know what they are. I have no friends or guidance. I am told there are books and websites with lots of information that can help me, but it is an awful lot of work for something recreational. These are real people surrounding me? What if I say too much? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I am talking and no one is listening? If the wrong person is listening? What if I can hide behind anonymity, but how can I trust anyone? What happens if my virtual world meets my real one? All of these fears are overwhelming. I do not know how anyone can stand it. I am told that the problems in this virtual world are the same ones we encounter in everyday life, but why would I take more of a risk?
