continued

Is This the Real Me?

At the top of Maslow's hierarchy lies the need for "self-actualization." This need subsumes many of those from the lower levels - the need for fulfilling interpersonal relationships, to express oneself, to satisfy one's intellectual and artistic needs by successfully engaging the world around us. The key to self-actualization, though, is that it specifically involves the striving towards the development of oneself as a unique individual. It is the ongoing process of realizing and cultivating one's inner potentials. It is the flowering of the "true" self.... Not everyone reaches this level of Maslow's pyramid.

Are users self-actualizing at the Palace? People feel they are developing fulfilling relationships with others. They express their intellectual potentials by exploring the technical and social dimensions of Palace. Using the variety of communication tools available, ESPECIALLY props, people are perhaps even realizing inner interests, attitudes, and aspects of their personality that were previously hidden. Are people then truly moving towards the cultivation of themselves as unique, creative individuals?

I've heard quite a few people say that at the Palace they feel they are MORE like their true selves than in real life. They are more open, expressive, warm, witty, friendly. Once again, partial anonymity (not being seen or heard in person) allows people to be less inhibited. In some ways it's not unlike the poet, writer, or artist who through their work learn to fully express themselves - without fully being in the presence of others.

One other important aspect of self-actualization, according to Maslow, is the development of one's spirituality. This raises a fascinating question. Are people discovering their spiritual life in cyberspace? At first glance, this may seem an absurd idea to some people. But for some users - and these users are probably in the minority - cyberspace does pose some mysteries about the nature of consciousness, reality, and self. As I move through cyberspace, where is my mind? Where am "I"? Am I really just in my body, or is the essence of me somewhere "out there" mingling with the consciousness of others, merging with that larger consciousness that is the "internet." Is this consciousness less REAL than what I experience in "real" life - or more so? If the internet encapsulates the evolution of a world-mind and world-self into a universal Whole, and I am part of that Whole, then where is it leading? Is "God" somewhere out there in all those wires and microchips?... What could be more captivating and addictive to a user than the search for God?

But is It an Addiction?

"Addictions" can be healthy, unhealthy, or a mixture of both. If you are fascinated by a hobby, feel devoted to it, would like to spend as much time as possible pursuing it - this could be an outlet for learning, creativity, and self-expression. Even in some unhealthy addictions you can find these positive features embedded within the problem. But in truly pathological addictions, the scale has tipped. The bad outweighs the good, resulting in serious disturbances in one's ability to function in the "real" world. I have to admit that, so far, I have been a bit guilty of waxing the poetic about cyberspace and the Palace. So let's get down to the brass tacks. Is it a sickness or not? If this thing is eating people's lives, aren't they truly addicted to it? Isn't there something wrong?

People get addicted to all sorts of things - drugs, eating, gambling, exercising, spending, sex, etc. You name it, someone out there is obsessed with it. Looking at it from a clinical perspective, pathological addictions usually have their origin early in a person's life, where they can be traced to severe deprivations and conflicts at the first two levels of Maslow's hierarchy. I have seen a few people at the Palace who, unfortunately, are indeed addicted because of these types of problems. On a more practical level, problematic addiction can be defined as anything that never really satisfies your needs, that in the long run makes you unhappy - THAT DISRUPTS YOUR LIFE. Here are some questions that psychologists offer to people who are trying to determine if they are indeed addicted:

• Are you neglecting important things in your life because of this behavior?
• Is this behavior disrupting your relationships with important people in your life?
• Do important people in your life get annoyed or disappointed with you about this behavior?
• Do you get defensive or irritable when people criticize this behavior?
• Do you ever feel guilty or anxious about what you are doing?
• Have you ever found yourself being secretive about or trying to "cover up" this behavior?
• Have you ever tried to cut down, but were unable to?
• If you were honest with yourself, do you feel there is a another hidden need that drives this behavior?

The fact that Palatians frequently joke with each other about their "addiction" may be a good sign. They have some perspective, some self-awareness about what they are doing. One common feature of hardcore addiction is an almost unrelenting, rock-solid denial that there is a problem. *If* these Palatians do indeed suffer from a problematic addiction, then at least they recognize the problem. And that's a good start.

One final note about cyberspace, how well it satisfies the range of human needs, and exactly how much of our life we are willing to devote to it. Ask yourself these two questions. Do you want to spend all your time sitting at a computer monitor? Do you want your child to? Answer these questions, and you will better understand when cyberspace is maliciously eating your life, and when it is nourishing it.

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