Backseat - From Where I Sit

August 2004

By: Michelle

Virtually a Way of Life

Your heart is racing as you hug the curves at lightening speed and you twist the throttle. You wind and weave around every obstacle that comes your way until you run up against an impossible curve. Too late, you realize your speed is too high and just when you think you just might miraculously not hit the embankment it’s GAME OVER. Luckily for you, this time the only thing you need to do to get back on the bike is to drop another couple of quarters. While there is merit in the wonderful world of video games, do we really learn anything from this? Before I begin a great debate – I can already see my kids rolling their eyes as they are preparing to lecture me. I am not saying there is anything wrong with this. I am just stating that nothing compares to the real thing.

It’s true that real motorcycle riding is messy. There are bugs, rain, oppressive heat, freezing winds, slippery roads and bad drivers to contend with. The virtual world is neat, clean and there is always a second chance against an unexpected obstacle. If we mess up, we can always start over. Though it may seem like we have made things simpler, we don’t gain anything because the experience isn’t real.

For example, my teenage son became an expert skateboarder – at least in the virtual world. Every time he played the Tony Hawk video game, he was the high scorer. One day he decided to try a real skateboard. The entire experience lasted less than 15 minutes. All it took was his first taste of “real” pavement and he was done with skateboarding forever and I was out $50. (At least I was smart enough not to buy a professional board.) Instead of trying again, he went back to the virtual world where he could be successful without accumulating medical bills. Though a part of me was relieved that the worst injury he would face would be “Video Gamer’s Thumb”, I still couldn’t help but feel a valuable lesson was lost in the entire experience.

There are some great possibilities to be developed in the virtual world. I, for one, would be the first in line to purchase my very own virtual diet. In fact, that would go quite nicely with a virtual exercise program. Heck, someone could make a mint if the could successfully develop a virtual program that will go to work for you. The possibilities are endless – from virtual housecleaning to virtual neighbors that can be custom designed to have respectful kids, not have loud parties or take your parking space and keep their grass cut. We could once again have the computers work for us in meaningful ways, freeing us up to experience life “real time”.

On the other hand, there are also places the virtual world should not venture such as virtual chocolate. Someone could get hurt even proposing such a sacrilege. Virtual dates are bound to shorten a relationship and don’t even try to apologize with virtual flowers. That’s a virtual “no go”.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree that technology is grand but there is something to be said for the beauty of simpler things such as writing a letter with a pen and paper instead of a computer. Call me old fashioned but the notion of reading handwritten love letters that are covered in ink blotches, fingerprints and tear-stains has so much more appeal than a sterile “hard copy” printed from a floppy disk.

The same is true with motorcycling. There is no way to enjoy the virtual wind in your hair. You can’t smell fresh mown grass or even feel the droplets of rain on your face in a video game. When it comes to riding, along with so many other things in life it’s just like the old saying goes - Ain’t nothing like the real thing baby!

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