When two worlds collide….

There is was walking down the streets in Covent Garden today, it was eight in the morning and as you expect from most of the population in London everyone was busy trying to get to work, I on the other hand decided to go shopping amongst other things. Needless to say I was walking along the square when i heard a faint cry sound from somewhere along the peripheral area. I stopped and due to my natural curious nature I tried to figure out where the sound was coming from, I later figured out that it was a female crying for help.

I walked decisively towards the direction my ears led me to discover something that would otherwise make me go on my way and mind my own business, but an inkling in my head compelled me to go and assist her. She was being burgled this morning but two teenage yobs with their trademark sportswear and overused if not ready to fall apart trainers. She was pinned on the alley wall by one, while the other sifted through her belongings, keys, makeup, her pencil case….

I ran towards them and began yelling at them (natural response right?) , they let the girl alone for a brief second thinking i was someone with more power, police perhaps and where in a state of shock about being caught. That didn’t stop them of course in using their rather eloquent vocabulary towards me. I stood my ground and looked them in the eyes, our political correct civilization protects youngsters to be hit in any way, shape or form and I  think they knew it all to well. What one didn’t expect was the punch he received in his face and the other being pinned on the wall while I struggled to call 999 to come and pick them up. In their nervous frustration they fled, i reported the crime and the direction of their escape was given. The good news was that the girl seemed to be ok and all her belongings intact. I told her to be carefull and sent her on her way and on i went with mine…

Walking back i couldn’t help but mutter to myself  “what have you done?”.

You see in real life I abhor confrontation, i am the secretive, keep things to yourself guy. If  im walking down the street I have my headphones shoved so deep into my ears that I am indifferent to the outside world. What happened today that made me act outside of the norm? outside of my comfort zone and out of self ?

Warcraft!

I noticed a trend, i have been playing warcraft for the best part of three years, The leveling up process, the killing of mighty beings and the social aspect have shaped another kind of personality on my person, they have given me a mental pick me up shall we say and it has somehow managed to seep into my real life.

Let’s face it, you never talk in guild chat or trade like you would a normal person, you have no real people to contend with, no facial expressions, no feelings, no remorse, purely because of the fact that the person you are indeed chatting to is not a friend, not even an acquaintance. No mannerisms to hint the fact that they are disturbed by what you said and if there is, well, you can’t really see them.

You have the confident setting of your home, of anonymity to protect you, they don’t know who you are and your identity. They can’t locate your house and come and stalk you through the windows of beat you up. This is a safety mechanism for most and allows them to react differently to the social aspect of the game than that of real life.

This other way of communicating as i said has managed to crawl its way into my real world. I say what i think and express what i feel regardless of the circumstance and at the end of the day i could not care, there is only one way to be and that is to be honest with yourself and your feelings. I am more assertive, i portray my ideas instead of thinking to myself that they could be lame, or pointless, and if there is disinterest in the group somehow I make them listen. Judging by my actions above it’s because of this assertiveness that i did what i did to assist the girl. Given the same situation three years agoIwould have probably stuck my headphones back in my ears and continue on my journey pretending that such a thing had not happened, but not today!

I sense a change in myself and my being, it is somewhat cathartic in a way, it’s a work in progress for a new me, a better me with positive influences.

Has the game helped you overcome a situation you otherwise wouldn’t be able to? Has it given you strength? What influences has it granted you?

Fairwell Azerothians

Archaius

PS: If you are walking down the street and seem to be in the same predicament as me, stop, think and call the police. In my case it was just two young teenagers, but things could be undeniably worse!

BE SAFE AND ALWAYS AWARE OF THINGS AROUND YOU!

~ by archaius on April 15, 2010.