My Virtual Self as a Mask

Do you have this feeling where you’re not really sure if the person you talk with is
real? Do you have this situation where you doubt someone who you communicate with?
Have you ever felt this sensation where you are not assured to the people you associate
yourself with especially through the net? If yes, then you are right to have these feelings…
some people hide their true identities through the Internet using their Virtual Self!

Internet, being used as a tool of annihilation, is widespread nowadays. This leads

to what we so call Cybercrime which means criminal activities carried out through
computer or the Internet. And one of the alarming issues that are connected with this is
the issue concerning Virtual Self.

We have defined Virtual Self as the persona we create about ourselves virtually or
in a computer-generated manner. It is a gift actually of the Internet where we create
ourselves depending on how we see “us”. We can manipulate avatars and perceive
them as ourselves. These are common for the very fact that, the youth are very fond of
it, from online gaming to Social media. This allows them to be artistic. But the time when
they begin to abuse their creativity, that's the time it will become a crime which is
punishable by law. The time where a person pretends to be another person because he/
she wants to look and act as another person then, use it to deceive other people is the
time which makes it wrong. It may look funny but it is happening which indeed is very
disturbing.

These people will tend to imagine what they would want to look like. These abusive
men will use them as avatars to present themselves the way they want to. Those people
may either use them as display pictures for other people to see. They may like to look like
the person they are imitating for their specific traits and eventually claim those avatars
as their identity which other people sometimes fail to see as deception.

After that, other people might think they are real, later on, associate themselves
with that particular person. Others may even indulge in their intimate relationships; others
may see them as legitimate officers of any company. Then, after getting their trust, they
will take advantage of it.
 Let us say that this issue is similar to Identity theft. In Identity theft, you own and
take the identity of another person. In Virtual Self, however, you just perceive you are that
person but not own it. You use the person but your intent is not for him/ her instead for
another person. It's either you make it or you copy it which for me is an act of being a
coward.

I imagined it this way. Our virtual selves might be representations of our real
identities. Yes, but it may also be our masks; it depends on the person. You see, maybe
there's a psychological reason why some people tend to do these things. One reason
may be, is because they're not contented with what they are or who they are. I simply
think that they have some things to hide. They are afraid that people will judge them if
they show who they are. They aren’t confident enough to show their real feelings which
I think triggers them to do horrible things. With these scenarios, I can see myself to them.

I admit I wear thousands of masks. I am so afraid. I am scared that if I show my true

self, people will think less of me. I am afraid that other people will question how I deal with
things; afraid that someone’s laugh might even kill me. I, myself, have flaws that I want to
conceal. I want people to see what I want them to see through my mask. And my Virtual
Self somewhat became a mask where I hide my true feelings. I have this Virtual self where
I show the smooth surface and give these suave tones but under this, I silently pray for
someone to help me. I wish someone will end my despairing, pretending game where a
trembling child is within; praying that no one will be fooled by me. At least not by the
face I wear. But as I reflect, I began asking myself: is the "mask" really the answer?

The mask is not the answer. I do not need the mask if I have accepted those flaws.
It's only through acceptance where I can finally liberate myself from that self- built prison
walls. No one will accept you if you do not! Besides, God has already accepted us even
before others have started judging us. Thus, the “Virtual self” mask is not necessary.

By: Nil Justeen A. Garcia