Virtuality...?!...

            Reading Zek Cypress Valkyrie’s article “Cybersexuality in MMORPG’s:  Virtual Sexual Revolution Untapped” (Kimmel, et al) offered this student quite an eye-opening experience.  Literally, had no clue that there were so many participants in “Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games” interested in, and experiencing virtual cyber ‘hook-ups.’  A number of thoughts surface here, in regards.

1.  Cybersex may provide a healthy outlet for stimulation and release of sexual energies.  Whether one is agoraphobic, or really enjoys jumping into the crowd, sexual MMORPG’s apparently serve a growing need for a wide range of participants.  Offering people potential outlets for learning, and communicating about sex without shared physical concerns, or confines. 

2.  Cybersex, for the most part, is safe sex, yes?  This limited discussion being focused on the gaming itself, and cyber relations within---prior to, or in substitute of any outside communication or relationship potentially formed between gamers.  Since ‘players’ are likely secluded when partaking in MMORPG sex---when considering disease, assaults, or unwanted pregnancies, what are the risks?

3.  How will cyber-gaming sex influence the emotional health of citizens?  Obvious concerns being, if people are essentially self-gratifying (masturbating) while watching, playing, and participating in video games, what unconscious messages does this send to the gamer, as to his or her focus of desire, self-esteem, or self-worth?  On a grander scale, how (spare inside gaming world jokes, and comments…), will citizens who participate for decades in cyber-gaming sex integrate, and interact with others?

4.  Cybersex knows no boundaries.  MMORPG’s can be played by gamers the entire world over.  If one has the access to computers, electricity (or battery power), and the software… it’s game on!  Creating an opportunity, albeit in a hyper-competitive, hyper-sexual virtual environment, to connect with people of all ages, all nationalities, and diverse economic backgrounds from around the globe.

5.  Will keylogging, and/or spyware play a role?  Concerns about privacy, and unwarranted profiteering by third party groups must be a concern in the world of Cybersex in MMORPG’s, as it is every where else in society these days, no?

            With an unfortunate common setting, even in MMORPG’s, for sexual exploration in-the-dark… “deep in the woods, in the corners of unpopulated towns, and under the ocean…” so to speak; one wonders if the cybersex trend is something that will help, or hinder the development of healthy sexual identities for citizens?

            Is sexual experimentation via gaming a good thing?  Can exploration of sex in an online environment do anything but enhance gamers’ knowledge of sex, sexuality, gender, and of self?  Notwithstanding some of the concerns shared by Valkyrie (mistells, age concerns...), it appears that cyber-gaming sex may play a large role in global sexual development for generations to come.

SOURCES:

Kimmel, et al;  Sexualities:  Identities, Behaviors, and Society.  Second Edition.  New York:  Oxford University Press.  2004-15.  Print.

PHOTO:

JBuk, stock.