Personal Relationships in VR.

What really intrigues me about interacting with others in AW is the pure mind to mind contact 
that can be had. No more furtive glances at clothes, possessions, skin and hair color, 
body and body language. Here now is a way for the true exchange of thoughts & ideas among
(mostly) intelligent, thinking beings. There is something, at least for me, about being
able to discuss things with ppl in real time without all the countless biases, prejudices and other 
human shortcomings that our race has developed over the millennia. Gone are the times when 
physical disfigurement, stature or even a scruffy looking coat triggers our deeply entrenched 
instincts to avoid such persons. 

Here now is a practical way for our intellects to bypass those ancient "fight or flight" reactions that 
served as survival traits in times when they were supposedly needed. By helping rid human 
interaction of these dark tendencies, AW has been instrumental in steering us much closer to what I
feel is positive human advancement. So many have lamented over the centuries at our inability to rise above these petty human failings that impede our social & mental evolution. Now, with the advent 
of real time VR interaction, the door has been thrown wide open for us to advance our way of
interacting with one another at an unprecedented rate. Because it is so refreshing to have a decent conversation without all the tiring trappings we make ourselves go through in the Real World, plus the added delight of the world's best VR playground, I simply can't seem to get enough of this! 

The draw for me is, at times, frightening. I still ask myself why I spend so much of my free time in
AW. I'm getting better at answering that question now so maybe soon I'll quit asking it. When I start to worry about all the time I spend here I just have to think back to my pre-AW days to remind myself 
that learning & practicing a new skill is much better than growing roots in the sofa in front of the boob
tube every night. Of course, since humans are involved, there will still be those who will try to do whatever they can to use this new way of communicating as a tool for darker ends. I know this well because of personal experience. 

I'm no psychologist, however, I fear that because we've eliminated much of what we abhor during our discourses, we lull ourselves into thinking that those with darker motives can't reach us here. I believe however, that those with less than virtuous goals could thrive and are thriving here. When I hear ppl say that they have gotten to know someone so well that they are in love but have not yet met the object of their love in the Real World, I can't help but shudder. I know that some ppl have found each other via VR and are very happy together in the Real World. I, on the other hand, get immediately suspicious of unsolicited, amorous propositions. It's because we want true, meaningful dialog with others that we make ourselves most vulnerable to those who know that all the ways we've had before to confirm the legitimacy of said propositions are not available to us in VR.  

This could get long so I'll just say one more thing on the subject. No matter how confident you are that all is OK, a person should NEVER meet another in the RW for the first time alone. Suggesting to meet you with your friends in attendance is the only way to go. And if your VR friend can't accept that, you should seriously reconsider your relationship with them because making uncompromising demands to meet alone for the first time is as far from being a friend as I can imagine. If you still don't see my point, ask yourself one simple question. What reason would there be to make such a demand? 

Your life may depend on it.