One night in late September 1885, Robert Louis Stevenson had a nightmare.He had been dreaming about what was going to become one of literatures greatest classics: “ The Strange Case of Doctor Jeckyll and Mr Hyde”.
The author had long been interested in the duality of human nature. So has been philosophy and science. But if you think this is a story of an extreme case of split personality… well it is not.
Dr Jeckyll is not crazy. He “forces” Mr Hyde to show up, as an experiment. He digs into the depths of his unconscious mind -with the help of a secret formula-, and enables the primitive being we must have been before civilization gave birth to mankind, to take over.
The beast that is unable to tell right from wrong, that is unable to choose. That is unable to take control of it’s own life.
It’s a magnificent metaphor about us, human beings.
This came to my mind because I realized SL has it’s share of Mr Hydes.
Last week, my avi was relaxing peacefully at home, having a glass of Cabernet my friend Savannah made for me, while sending invitations for a party I was having a few days later. And then… WHAM!. SHE stormed in. “Ms Hyde”. Dressed in a way that shouted “I am a BAAAD girl”, she just lay on the couch and looked like she was going to stay there for good.“OK-I thought-. Here comes another grieffer”. (They haven’t been around much, since I moved to my new house. But it’s always just a matter of time.)
-Hello, I said.
-How come you are not freaking’ out? - she asked.
-Well… It takes a lot more than an avi trying to look mean, to freak me out. As a matter of fact… pixels can’t freak me out.
-People freak out and eject me all the time when I do this. I love to barge in. And be nasty.
-Why? –I asked.
-It’s the only thing that makes sense in this stupid game she said.
- Then… why are you in this stupid game?
-Because I like to piss people off, hahahahaha.
-OK. If that works for you… But it doesn’t work for me. I much rather chat.
-About what?
-Anything.
I am not one who brags, but it takes more than a sociopathic avi to play me like a fiddle, which is what she thought she could easily do. And, to her confusion, we ended up having some kind of a civilized chat.
She said I was the first person that had talked to her and shown some interest. She ended up offering friendship. I accepted. The “Ms Jeckyll” in her had won the first round.
So… I invited her to my party. I knew it was a risk, but I had nothing to lose. And she showed up. It took me about 10 seconds to realize “Ms Hyde” was in control again, determined to ruin the party and embarrass me in front of my friends. She started saying nasty things using a language I cannot reproduce here. She also pulled a few pranks in very poor taste. I clicked on her avi and had my finger on the mouse button… I just wanted one more reason to click “eject” and send her off to farthest end of the Grid. “Come on… make my day”… I thought to myself. But then I realized that no one had paid any attention to her. No one laughed. No one answered. My guests were probably asking themselves what was she doing there. She noticed it too. And before I ejected her, she teleported her sorry avi out of there. “Ms Hyde” hates to be ignored. She gets her kicks out being a nuisance. And she probably doesn’t even dare to do that in RL.
I really felt sorry for her. Maybe that’s the thing with griefers. They are too cowardly to be rebels in RL. So they bring out their Dr. Jeckyll in SL.
But in the story… when Dr Jeckyll realizes he cannot control Mr Hyde anymore…he kills himself. It would be a relief, if griefers decided to delete their avis, just so that Mr Hyde won't win.
Covadonga Writer
